Credits: a la Carte (Moskito), Dippi Totale (Hans im Glück), Extrablatt (Moskito), Kunststücke (Moskito), Lieber Bairisch Sterben (Moskito), Die Macher (Moskito / Hans im Glück), Packen Wir's (Moskito), Radar-Flop (Hans im Glück), Das regeln wir schon (Moskito),Sing Sing (Moskito), Suppenkasper (Mattel), Till Eulenspiegel (Mattel), Tyranno ex (Moskito / Avalon Hill), Was Sticht? (Moskito), Wellenschlag (?), Zong (Ravensburger). This is the point at which I really start getting myself into trouble. Of the games listed above, I've only played 8 - and only really played 6, as two of the games were not played to conclusion. In fact, if you added up all of my plays of Schmiel's games, it would almost certainly be the lowest for any author I'm covering in this series. In spite of this limitation in my background, I feel the series would be incomplete without some mention of Karl-Heinz Schmiel. After all, he has two Spiel des Jahres nominations to his name (for Was Sticht? and the re-release of Die Macher), the latter for a game considered by some gamers to be the best game of all time.

Karl-Heinz Schmiel has created some extremely complex games. Not in terms of the rules - which can be long for a German game, but which still would be brief for an Avalon Hill game - but in terms of the depth and number of options. Die Macher, Lieber Bairisch Sterben, and Extrablatt are not games to be trifled with. In stark contrast, a la Carte, Packen Wirs, and Sing Sing are light, family games that you wouldn't think came from the same author. I've found, however, that' it's the games in the middle that have most captured me.

Extrablatt is the exception for me; while the nearly unbounded array of options make for a very complex game, the game length isn't reflective of the complexity (finishing in under two hours). The game is about laying out a newspaper; the primary objective is to optimize your own layout, but there's also a fair amount of sabotaging your opponents to the game. The game struck an immediate chord with me, but has not gone over nearly as well with my game group.

Die Macher (FunAgain, $45 / Adam Spielt, 69.50 DM) is even more complex. The game is about German elections, and moreso than most German games Die Macher is a simulation, with many elements of German politics represented. After failing for a year to get in more than a single-round, learn the ropes game, I gave up and moved Die Macher to my trade pile. I've heard from everyone who does manage to play the game that it's great, and based on my very limited experience with the game I have no reason to doubt them. However, I do doubt that I'll ever have more than the occasional opportunity to play - and I don't expect to need to provide a copy of the game on those occasions. My gaming group did manage to start a game of Lieber Bairisch Sterben, but by the middle of the third turn we'd spent two and a half hours having no better understanding of the game than we started with, and so it, too hit my trade pile. I've heard less about the game, but still mostly good comments; the systems were certainly interesting enough, but the complexity and length of the game overwhelmed us.

Was Sticht? (FunAgain, $20 / Adam Spielt, 16.90 DM) is Schmiel's entry in the trick taking card game competition, and is marked by the objectives players attempt to complete and by the choice of hands - rather than being dealt hands of cards, players choose their cards (with first choice rotating from one pick to the next). It's a clever game, but it doesn't get played often due in no small part to the fact that it's best with precisely 4 players. Among the Moskito games (and not counting the re-release of Die Macher, which was a joint Hans im Glück / Moskito production), Was Sticht? stands out as having the most professional production. Most of the Moskito games have production values closer to those of db Spiele rather than those of Doris & Frank. Tyranno Ex (Adam Spielt, 39.95 DM) is another middle-weight game from Schmiel, and is one that has gone over very well with my game group - but it too has not been played very often. The game features a typically clever Schmiel mechanism, in this case applied to changing the environment with which the dinosaurs must contend. Combat between species is accomplished by a simple dice-rolling mechanism which is well integrated with the environmental condition. The only drawback to the game is that it's a bit lengthy for the subject at just over two hours. Suppenkasper (FunAgain, $29) has a different problem; it's often over altogether too soon. The game is essentially a card game about eating disorders, which doesn't sound particularly appealing but which works well enough. Players try to maintain their ideal weight; the game ends when one or more players either waste away to nothing or explode from overindulgence.

In Das Regeln wir Schon (FunAgain, $45), players constantly work to change the rules in their favor. The game is abstract, but rather enjoyable; the only drawback is that it's a game where English components aren't just helpful, but necessary. Finally in the middle-weight category, Kunst Stücke (FunAgain, $39 / Adam Spielt, 39.95 DM) is another interesting, very abstract game, where players manipulate the game board to match the scoring conditions they've chosen. I've only played once, and enjoyed it, but found it a bit to abstract for my tastes.

I've yet to try any of Schmiel's lightest offerings, though I have convinced myself to give A La Carte (FunAgain, $39 / Adam Spielt, 39.95 DM) a try, in no small part thanks to Steffan O'Sullivan's review at: http://www.io.com/~sos/bc/ala.html

Among Schmiel's games, I can personally recommend Extrablatt and Was Sticht?. Tyranno Ex is certainly worthwhile with the right group as well, and if you don't mind the theme I'd suggest giving Suppenkasper a try. Based on my limited experience with the game and the wide praise it has received, I'd also recommend checking out Die Macher - preferably with an experienced player to lead the game.

I will be more than happy to try to answer specific questions e-mailed to Joseph.Huber@compaq.com. For additional information, I would recommend the following WWW sites: Luding

http://sunsite.informatik.rwth-aachen.de/luding/ The best place to go for links to reviews of board games.The Gaming Dumpster

http://www.neonate.org/ One of the two key sites for English rules translations.The Game Cabinet

http://www.gamecabinet.com/ The other key site for English rules translations. Brett & Board http://hjem.get2net.dk/Svellov/ The best place to go for the latest news on German board games. This was the fifth in a series of twelve articles I am writing about German Game authors. I am not an expert on board games, nor am I a collector of board games. I just happen to play them and occasionally write about the experience. I would welcome any constructive feedback. For a Full Disclaimer, see Part 1 of this article. Disclaimer: I have included some additional data with regards to the availability of games for informational purposes only; mention of a business does not represent an endorsement (either positive or negative) of the business.