Raise the anchor! More thoughts on Shipyard 2nd Edition

Shipyard is a really cool mid-weight euro with 4 rondels that restrict players’ choices when getting new tiles, and an action selection reminiscent of the wheel in Woodcraft (but keep in mind Shipyard was made 13 years before Woodcraft, so this is basically its predecessor). Previously I went into the gameplay, so I thought it would be nice to talk in more broad strokes about the game.

Let’s start with the action selection! So it kind of is like Woodcraft in a way: you use actions, then later put them back to the front of the queue, turning a gear that tracks the game’s progress. If you choose an action at the back, you get income for each blocked action to the right, so you are incentivized to pick actions that haven’t been picked in a while. However it is all a bit fiddly, as you mark actions with cubes and have to keep reorganizing tiles. The newer implementations by Suchy are obviously superior.

As for building ships, which is what you do from beginning to end: it is fun assembling the ships from tiles and collecting crew and equipment for it, and it is satisfying to see them sail out and score points. Trying to optimally match canal bonuses and your government contracts (end game objectives) with your ships is a fun puzzle. It is a bit mechanical and repetitive though, as you only get a few things at a time, and actions are always blocked for several turns after use. Employee abilities do help with this as you can get some powerful ongoing bonuses. If we stay at the Woodcraft comparison, I would have liked to see a bit more freedom and flow during turns, like free actions that can help you out in a pinch. 

When comparing the 2023 Shipyard 2nd Edition with the original 2009 game, the improvement of the aesthetics is immediately noticeable, but the game still looks a bit dated. Or at least it has that dry somewhat-beige euro vibe. 

Ultimately I think this is a good game and people should really give it a go if they have a chance. That said, it won’t be one that we play often, as the more recent Suchy games offer similar gameplay but with more combos, better flow, and more innovative solutions.