Octopus Overlords

And I thought the game lacked something with only 3 players. Options were almost always available, and the choices were never really tough to make. Four was a good sweet spot, but I want to try with 5. Hopefully at Octocon.

Went to the monthly gaming get together and played Puerto Rico for 4 hours, learning the game. I actually enjoyed it, as there's much more that goes on in terms of player interaction than, say, Race for the Galaxy.

I managed to come in second by getting the Purple card bonus building at the end, but the owner/teacher took two bonus buildings at the end and beat me by 2 points.

I then went over to a friend's house for a bit. We need to get him back into some better games, as what we ended up playing was SNL Trivial Pursuit (which none of us are greatly familiar with) and gave up on, then played Seinfeld Scene It, which actually went over better.

But I expect those type of games from people that aren't gamers, and I grew up playing marathon sessions of Axis and Allies with this guy. Next time I go over there, it will be with Cthulhu Gloom and Ticket to Ride at least.

Got in a few games last night. Total beer and pretzel game night.

Started off with two games of Quarriors, and the game finally clicked for me. So yeah, now I get it, and it's pretty fun. One thing that didn't really click through the two games that we played was the corruption stuff. In two games only one corrupt die came out, so it really didn't seem to be much of a factor in the game. Tommy and I split the two games we played, with him taking the second game after he had figured out what the heck he was doing.

Finished up with a learning game of Roll Through the Ages. Really liked this one a lot. I think it's going to be a great filler game, when you just want to waste some time between games or while you're waiting for someone to show up for a game. Beat Tommy by six points (which is exactly the number of disaster points I gave him through pestilence.)

Sorry I bailed on you guys. Monday nights are difficult for me for some reason. I can never seem to get enthusiastic about anything at the beginning of the week. Well, that and I was behind on something I needed to have ready today for work.

Glad to hear that you're enjoying Quarriors. It really is a very simple, beer and pretzels game that is perfect for filler material.

Now if you guys could just have your get togethers on the weekends or near the end of the week....

hepcat wrote:Now if you guys could just have your get togethers on the weekends or near the end of the week....

Sorry Hep, that's all on me. Weekends are generally family time for me, making it really hard to get away (as evidenced by my non-attendance at the Saturday get together). I could do a Thursday, if Hentzau is up for it.

Don't make any changes on my account. I was doing some gaming with Seppe and Zarathud (when they could make it) on Thursday nights for a while. I just need to get back into the swing of things. Lately I've been on an "every other saturday night" at our FLGS...which means this saturday, if you're free (I know hentzau has to torture cub scouts this weekend).

Isgrimnur wrote:Went to the monthly gaming get together and played Puerto Rico for 4 hours

Suddenly, not sorry I missed the meetup this month.

coopasonic wrote:

Isgrimnur wrote:Went to the monthly gaming get together and played Puerto Rico for 4 hours

Suddenly, not sorry I missed the meetup this month.

Well, seeing as I brought my Formula D map pack and a second set of dice in the off chance that you were there and interested, I had to take what I could get.

Isgrimnur wrote:

coopasonic wrote:

Isgrimnur wrote:Went to the monthly gaming get together and played Puerto Rico for 4 hours

Suddenly, not sorry I missed the meetup this month.

Well, seeing as I brought my Formula D map pack and a second set of dice in the off chance that you were there and interested, I had to take what I could get.

I actually meant to let you know I wouldn't be there but forgot. Instead I got a months worth of quality time with my boys in 3 days. I may be in the clear next time around. Maybe.

No worries. I had fun regardless. Family comes first.

Why didn't anyone tell me about THUNDERSTONE Advance? While we all understand how to play now, it's nice to see the redesigned the cards to address our early confusion.

One thing I've noticed over the last ~18 or so months I've been into board gaming - they just don't stop coming. At least with computer and console gaming, you get a bit of a break.

Smoove_B wrote:Why didn't anyone tell me about THUNDERSTONE Advance? While we all understand how to play now, it's nice to see the redesigned the cards to address our early confusion.

One thing I've noticed over the last ~18 or so months I've been into board gaming - they just don't stop coming. At least with computer and console gaming, you get a bit of a break.

If only there were steam sales for board games.

My in-laws actually requested one of our earlier games that I don't think we'd played in over a year... Settlers of Catan. We played with what seems to be a popular "welfare" variant that tries to offset players who wind up not getting the rolls they need for resources and all agreed it was an improvement. The game was much closer and interesting throughout for everyone. We then played a game with the Seafarers expansion for the first time and that wasn't such a hit.

I got in several games of Castle Panic with the Wizard Tower expansion and that remains a big hit. I know several people here have enjoyed Castle Panic so again I'll say that if you like it, get the Wizard Tower expansion. It takes a game that's fun, if a little light and "kid friendly" into a much more challenging game. We're still at about a 50% win rate, with all of them being close.

Spent saturday playing edh, testing new decks. Sunday was bb2112, remus, mortis, and I playing Clash of the Gladiators, Wheedle, Struggle for Catan (card game), and Qwarriors.

Took the kids to play 51st State, MtG, and Lord of the Rings (the cooperative one) with Remus West for the three day weekend roundout.

Chaosraven wrote:Spent saturday playing edh, testing new decks. Sunday was bb2112, remus, mortis, and I playing Clash of the Gladiators, Wheedle, Struggle for Catan (card game), and Qwarriors.

Took the kids to play 51st State, MtG, and Lord of the Rings (the cooperative one) with Remus West for the three day weekend roundout.

You forgot the 2 games of Leonardo Da Vinci we played as well.

you guys think you'll make it down our way next week? Redwarlord has ditched me because of a family commitment so I'm flying solo that weekend. I need another crew.

hepcat wrote:you guys think you'll make it down our way next week? Redwarlord has ditched me because of a family commitment so I'm flying solo that weekend. I need another crew.

For Octocon? LM, CR, and myself are certain. At least according to our conversation this past Sunday.

Excellent. What's our gang colors? Gang sign? Gang motto? Gang song?

hepcat wrote:Excellent. What's our gang colors? Gang sign? Gang motto? Gang song?

Color is hot pink (in a random moment of insanity we allowed CR to choose. Sorry). Sign is a billboard of a young woman (by young I mean early 20s not illegal, you sicko) bending over with the caption "The End is Near!" Motto is "I'd hit that!" (neither CR nor myself are really known for our standards). Gang song is "I feel pretty." We also have a gang walk that resembles the Humpty dance.

Remus West wrote:

Chaosraven wrote:Spent saturday playing edh, testing new decks. Sunday was bb2112, remus, mortis, and I playing Clash of the Gladiators, Wheedle, Struggle for Catan (card game), and Qwarriors.

Took the kids to play 51st State, MtG, and Lord of the Rings (the cooperative one) with Remus West for the three day weekend roundout.

You forgot the 2 games of Leonardo Da Vinci we played as well.

They were the only games I won, so he had to forget those.

Remus West wrote: the Humpty dance.

Does that mean I'm to put off learning how to do the Dougie so I can learn the Humpty Dance?

LordMortis wrote:

Remus West wrote:

Chaosraven wrote:Spent saturday playing edh, testing new decks. Sunday was bb2112, remus, mortis, and I playing Clash of the Gladiators, Wheedle, Struggle for Catan (card game), and Qwarriors.

Took the kids to play 51st State, MtG, and Lord of the Rings (the cooperative one) with Remus West for the three day weekend roundout.

You forgot the 2 games of Leonardo Da Vinci we played as well.

They were the only games I won, so he had to forget those.

Remus West wrote: the Humpty dance.

Does that mean I'm to put off learning how to do the Dougie so I can learn the Humpty Dance?

Nah. We modelled the gang walk after your nromal gait. We figured that'd be easier on everyone.

hepcat wrote:Lately I've been on an "every other saturday night" at our FLGS...which means this saturday, if you're free (I know hentzau has to torture cub scouts this weekend).

My wife is out of town, so my usual "probably not" is now an 'absolutely can't". On the upside, having the duty with my son all this weekend means I should have clear sailing for Octo-Con!

Tonight I decided to play Castle Panic with a soon-to-be 6 year old -- believe the hype. I was surprised at how well it went over and that it held her attention for a solid 60 minutes. Of course we played co-cooperatively but she actually was able to grasp some of the basic strategy on what monsters to attack and why trading a card to me would be a good idea. I'm pretty impressed as really didn't believe it would work out so great.

Get the Wizard Tower expansion!

I had made a conscious effort to disrecall the Leonardo games to maintain my love for LordMortis, but if you want my undying enmity for screwing me over twice in a row, you got it.

Played a wonderful game of edh last night with my son, two geeks, and a hottie. Tried to hook my son up with the hottie, but she figured out he's only 12yr old.

Smoove_B wrote:Tonight I decided to play Castle Panic with a soon-to-be 6 year old -- believe the hype. I was surprised at how well it went over and that it held her attention for a solid 60 minutes. Of course we played co-cooperatively but she actually was able to grasp some of the basic strategy on what monsters to attack and why trading a card to me would be a good idea. I'm pretty impressed as really didn't believe it would work out so great.

It's too bad they never released an expansion for Castle Panic.

Chaosraven wrote:I had made a conscious effort to disrecall the Leonardo games to maintain my love for LordMortis, but if you want my undying enmity for screwing me over twice in a row, you got it.

Played a wonderful game of edh last night with my son, two geeks, and a hottie. Tried to hook my son up with the hottie, but she figured out he's only 12yr old.

Your mom or his?

I never screwed you over in Leonardo. I screwed over Remus and bb2112 once or twice but neither was my intent to screw them over. It was always my intent to advance my own cause as best I could and bb2112 was always trying to advance the same cause as me... Before me... So I was stuck swooping in after the fact and in force. Usually my screwing bb2112 over allowed all y'all to free run over most of the rest turn.


OTOH, between you and bb2112 deciding I could never have a knight in Catan for a single turn, and your allowing Remus to have is way with you in Gladiators, we shouldn't be talking about screwing.

Introduced my 7yo to Battle Cry last night. Just a simple set up (no terrain, some of each troop type), and I took the special cards out of the deck. He took to it quickly, and we'll play a full on scenario tonight.

This weekend, giant size!

Tommy20 wrote:Introduced my 7yo to Battle Cry last night. Just a simple set up (no terrain, some of each troop type), and I took the special cards out of the deck. He took to it quickly, and we'll play a full on scenario tonight.

This weekend, giant size!

Can Memoir '44 be far behind?

Dragon Rampage review from Tom Vasel...
Designed by Richard Launius, the man behind Defenders of the Realm(as well as Arkham Horror), DR is a semi-cooperative dice game where players are trying to defeat a dragon. Tom and Melody's very positive review has me sold. I'm getting this one today.

SpaceLord wrote:Dragon Rampage review from Tom Vasel...
Designed by Richard Launius, the man behind Defenders of the Realm(as well as Arkham Horror), DR is a semi-cooperative dice game where players are trying to defeat a dragon. Tom and Melody's very positive review has me sold. I'm getting this one today.

It's a fun game. Hoping to play several games of it at Octocon.

I'm playin' it Saturday night. I'm hoping to get a chance at playing the rogue character. i'd love to see how the backstabbing mechanic works.

hepcat wrote:I'm playin' it Saturday night. I'm hoping to get a chance at playing the rogue character. i'd love to see how the backstabbing mechanic works.

I played as the rogue my one game of this. The character-specific cards focus a lot on either a) redirecting damage away from you, or b) stealing gold or treasure from other players. I focused on grabbing as much treasure and gold as I could and escaping from the dungeon rather than trying to fight the dragon. The damage redirection worked great, but I was disappointed by the thievery cards. Every time I tried to steal from someone, they had a card that negated it. And usually dealt me damage to boot. Considering I was playing the thief character, it was irritating that I was unable to steal.

Tommy20 wrote:Introduced my 7yo to Battle Cry last night. Just a simple set up (no terrain, some of each troop type), and I took the special cards out of the deck. He took to it quickly, and we'll play a full on scenario tonight.

This weekend, giant size!

As promised...



He beat me, 6 to 4.

Tommy20 wrote:

Tommy20 wrote:Introduced my 7yo to Battle Cry last night. Just a simple set up (no terrain, some of each troop type), and I took the special cards out of the deck. He took to it quickly, and we'll play a full on scenario tonight.

This weekend, giant size!

As promised...



He beat me, 6 to 4.

Awesome. Nice looking setup!

Tommy20 wrote:

Tommy20 wrote:Introduced my 7yo to Battle Cry last night. Just a simple set up (no terrain, some of each troop type), and I took the special cards out of the deck. He took to it quickly, and we'll play a full on scenario tonight.

This weekend, giant size!

As promised...



He beat me, 6 to 4.

That's just swell, another wet-behind-the-ears REMF to get good men killed... /chomp cigar

Tommy20 wrote:

Tommy20 wrote:Introduced my 7yo to Battle Cry last night. Just a simple set up (no terrain, some of each troop type), and I took the special cards out of the deck. He took to it quickly, and we'll play a full on scenario tonight.

This weekend, giant size!

As promised...



He beat me, 6 to 4.

Hehe.. "I love the smell of pancakes in the morning!"

Played a round of Battlestar Galactica this weekend. I was Apollo (human) and the rest of the crew was Boomer (human), Admiral Gaeta (human --> sleeper cylon), President Baltar (human) and Dee (human --> sleeper cylon). Since everyone was human to start the first half of the game was super smooth, with minimal resource loss. The first destination was Tylium Moon, so we were pretty good on fuel.

In the sleeper phase initially things went fairly good as well. I think our cylons waited a little too long to get aggressive, is the problem. Particularly Admiral Gaeta, who wanted to hang on to choose another destination but wound up being too helpful in the interim. There was a point when a "heavy assault" cylon attack card came up and two base stars jumped in. Gaeta wound up nuking one of them to keep his cover, when probably the better play would've been to reveal and toss one of us in the brig (his cylon reveal power) or at least to not help with the two base stars.

Anyhow, it still got a little hairy (a few resources in the red, and morale reached 2), but we successfully jumped out ok.

Got in a couple of games of Dragon Rampage saturday night. Our first game had the Jesse Owen's of Barbarians as he played against type and ran for the exit as fast as he could...which actually worked and he almost won. The second I got a chance to play the Rogue and didn't seem to experience the same issues as Boudreaux. I was able to play many of my backstabbing cards without any blocks...but this was a fairly short game as someone actually died (a first).

The FLGS where we play had just received shipments of Glory to Rome so I finally snagged myself a copy. We played a game of that and I was able to win by completing a high level building and then finishing up the Catacomb to end the game before anyone could stop me. I love this game and to be honest, I actually prefer the goofy cartoon art on the last version as opposed to the art deco style of the upcoming black box edition that's being run on Kickstarter.

We tried out the new Wiz War and aside from a few rule's issues, I enjoyed it. I think we tried to over complicate it though. At heart, it's a very simple game. It's also further evidence that FFG needs to hire better rule manual writers.

Finally, we got in a few games of Quarriors and a game of Magical Athlete. Both are still winners in my book.