Burrito: Line Drafting and Action Selection

Burrito

Here's a super quick idea, combining the "line drafting" structure (from SmallWorld, Guillotine, Morels and Belle of the Ball) with action selection. This came out as a possible solution to a big hurdle of line drafting games. Replacing the cards as soon as one is taken from the line can be a bit fiddly. If they're not replaced, then the initial length of the line is so long it takes up the whole table.

I thought, why not just move the card at the front of the line to back of the line? Each card simply represents one action you may take during your turn. You can take the action at the front of the line for free, or you may pay one resource to skip that action and take the next one in line. Anyone who takes an action with resources on it also gets that resource. Once an action is done, that corresponding card is simply moved to the back of the line.

This greatly reduces the size of a deck for a line drafting game and makes it a bit less fiddly. Granted, you still occasionally need to re-center the whole line to the middle of the table as it gradually creeps backward, but it's still less handling than usual. There's also still the problem of gaps in the line if players skip to the second or third action. Eh, can't solve it all.

Above is a potential theme for this mechanic, you're eagerly awaiting a supply line of burros to come into town carrying ingredients for burritos. I love puns. Unfortunately I didn't have silhouettes of mules handy, so let's make do with camels.

The line begins with some basic actions like Get Lettuce, Get Tomato, or Get Flour. You know, the typical worker placement kind of thing.

You can also Expand Business, which adds new special actions to the line, like Get 2 Flour or 2 Lettuce. I imagine this would also involve some ownership mechanics like a player chip, so when this action is taken, the owner gets whatever the active player didn't choose. If you took 2 Flour, the owner of that action would get 2 Lettuce.

You can also Get Order, which lets you take your pick of a set of orders from local customers. When you have an order, you may fulfill it as soon as you have the prerequisite ingredients, thus earning money.

I imagine there's strong potential for Waterdeep-style Intrigue cards, too. Not sure what those would be called in this context? Shady buritto business deals? Sneaking sub-par ingredients? You tell me. :)

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