Winter Thur – Being a Drax Report

Zombicide (death by Zombies I assume) is a coop game. WAIT, WAIT ! come back, it’s actually very good and yes you can stab your friends in the back…. ok take a seat I’ll start again…

Zombicide is Left4Dead in Tabletop form. You get a mission (collect some items, get to an exit point, kill a certain amount of zombies) and you and your team of survivors have to complete it. Well you don’t HAVE to but it would be a very boring game if you gave up so early.

It’s a pretty simple game (my six year old loves it), the production values are high and it’s all very logical.

Each player starts with one or more survivors each with their own attributes (the cop starts with a pistol, the drifter is good at searching and so on) and they have to wade into a world where the zombies just keep coming. Each turn your get to search for items, move, attack zombies, drive a car and so on, then it’s the zombies turn, they spawn and come stumbling (or in the case of runners running) towards the noisiest players (shooting, smashing open doors and so on causes noise tokens to appear next to the player), rinse and repeat.

Stay too long searching for weapons and you’ll get swamped, go in half cocked and you’ll get murdered, so it’s a fine balance.

In my case it would appear on reflection that running ahead and smashing in a door that contained a shit ton of zombies may have not been the best strategy for all involved. I’m sorry, I ended humanity again.

What’s clever about the game is as you kill more zombies, the difficulty level racks up so more and more and tougher and tougher zombies start appearing. it works very well with a lot of difficult choices. nicer still is it’s very easy to die if you’re not smart. two wounds and it’s over

I really liked the game. I was lucky enough to get a gift copy of it at Knavecon from the Wee Gamers (great bunch of lads).

Given time I’d love to paint the models for it, they’ve lovely

There’s a number of expansions on kickstarter and a lot of download missions for it along with a pile of extra characters you can play (snake pliskin anyone?)

It comes recommended. It’s a bit pricey but you DO get a lot for your buck. The models are excellent and you get a lot of them and believe me you WILL need them all.

Next up was….

Actually I forget. I think we played Munchkin and it was a suprisingly long time since we played it. It hadn’t changed a lot, it’s fine, I’m not the biggest fan of the game but it leaves me alone and I leave it alone generally and it’s a fine introduction game for players. I’ll leave it at that

Bit more love letter (really liking this game, a complete game with just 16 cards)

The coffee flowed, the gaming was constant, it was a good thur

More of that I say

Huzzah!

October 7, 2013 0

Last Thur – Being a Drax Report

There are effectively two types of game nights, good nights and great nights. Last thur was a great night. We got a good group together and played some damn fine games

First up for me was Love Letter

http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/129622/love-letter

I’m a big fan of simple games, and this really is simple, 16 cards (15 really because you remove one before you start) and away you go with 2-4 players, over several rounds. The idea is to finish with the highest numbered card in a round and therefore win favour with the Princess either that or eliminate the others players in the round. do it four times and you win. Remember Fibonacci series in maths? it’s a bit like that where the previous played card affects the next played one.

I was introduced to it’s charms at Knavecon and was hooked after a couple of games. It does take a few games to get your head around it after which you’ll be won over. It’s also dirt cheap. €10 or so and it comes in a nice bag. What more could you ask for?

Next up was BOSS MONSTER

http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/131835/boss-monster-master-of-the-dungeon

Now THIS is something special. I WANT Boss Monster. I’m going to go and seek out a copy asap. It’s brilliant.

You start with the aforementioned Boss Monster and over time build a dungeon with traps which attracts increasingly powerful adventurers who’s souls you want to take (by bumping them off). It’s a bit Dungeon Keeper, bit Tower Defence. The real fun is where you stick a spanner in someone else’s works just as they’re about to bump off said adventurers. Typical ploys involve deactivating an opponents trap, buffing up a wimpy adventurer or a variety of sneaky nasty tricks all of which make for a brilliant gaming experience.

We played one game that lasted over an hour and it was a riot from start to finish. Everyone came away wanting more

While this went on the other group got to grips with a game called TRIPODS which is in beta, I didn’t get to play it but it looked really good.

Next was an old classic. Mag Blast. Truth be told we’ve played a LOT of mag blast and although it’s a super game it can drag on a bit and this was no exception. Also I didn’t win so it’s a silly game and we’ll never play it again 🙂 Oh and no-one made the sounds so it doesn’t count

Finished off with a bit more Love letter than we wrapped it up

Great nights gaming

More of that sort of thing

Huzzah!

Vic

September 29, 2013 2

Through the Ages Online

Through the Ages is an epic game. It’s very highly regarded on Boardgamegeek and there’s a very good reason for that. It is one of the best board games every conceived and I don’t say that lightly (I’ve played a few in my time and I should know). You’ve probably seen it in a few games shops as it’s been around a while and you may have picked it up (it’s heavy and compact), thought about it and put it back. big mistake. it’s gaming nirvana.

I’ve only ever had the pleasure of playing it in person a few times but it’s been a lot of fun. It’s also a long game. four hours plus especially if you’re learning, but it’s well worth the time. I have however played a few dozen games of it online and that has been fantastic.

At it’s core it’s a civ type game where you try to conquer the world (in this case get the highest civilization score) by advancing your civilization and at the same time sticking it to your opponents that are trying to do the same. So far so standard however what it does differently it dispense with the map. Stop stop come back it’s ok… this works.

TTA is what I would term a racetrack game, to become good as it you have to ‘drive’ it a number of times to finds it’s nuances. EVERY time I’ve played it I’ve learned something new and I have to have played 40 games of it at this stage.

The game moves pretty quickly, you gain resources and place your pieces to setup your income for the next turn, everyone does the same, rinse and repeat. As the ages advance you get access to newer technologies that allow you more possible actions. It’s a fine balance between keeping your people fed, happy, protected and advancing whilst throwing spanners in your opponents works and guarding against the same happening to you.

Historical leaders pop up that when recruited give you bonuses in certain directions or little boosts. Alexander in the early ages boosts your military but more importantly puts the frighteners on your opponents who as often as not need to divert their finite resources into military to avoid a possible drubbing. Elvis makes your people happier and adds bonuses to some of your buildings. There’s a stack of them in there and they’re all useful

The one thing I would say about the game is it’s not forgiving, especially if you’re playing against really good players, however it IS a joy to learn. There IS a steep learning curve (well for me anyway) but trust me it’s worth it.

It’s max four player and interestingly playing 2,3 and 4 players makes for 3 completely different game experiences

There are a few expansions for it (I particularly like the Pope John Paul leader in the Polish version) but the base game is fine on it’s own

OK I’ve said enough, I recommend you go right now and have a look at it online

http://www.boardgaming-online.com/

If you play one game of it through I dare you to come back and tell me I was wrong

Vic

September 18, 2013 1

After Knavecon Thur – Being a Drax Report

I’m not ALWAYS a Cylon when I play Battlestar Galatica BUT I always want to be and when I am people tend to remember because I revel in it. So last night.. Well I was a cyclon. HAPPY DAYS!

Just like werewolf being a Cylon is great fun especially if you’re an evil fecker who likes to ruin people day. What’s not to like?

If you haven’t played this game it’s based on the TV series which is several years old now but still crackin Sci Fi. I’m going to start on the basis that you KNOW BSG and go from there.

Each player takes a character from the series, each with some special traits and during their turn they take a good action then have to take a bad action which everyone else tries to help them with…. UNLESS they’re a cylon in which case they want to screw up and make happen that bad action.

Obviously no one knows who the bad guys are but during the game they may deduce it and of course it’s all about paranoia and mistrust. What’s really cool is half way through the game is people get additional loyalty cards and may or may not become a cylon.

The game does a fantastic job of matching the series and racking up the tension. last nights game was particularly close being one a step or two from winning for the humans against some tough odds but… they didn’t. They lost and it was mighty 🙂

I love this game, I love the series and it’s still a cracker after a number of years. There’s been no less than 3 expansions released the latest one only recently. I’ve had the pleasure of playing the first one “Pegasus” which introduces extra boards, a second battlestar and a host of new play mechanics. It does lengthen a game that already is hefty if you don’t keep it rolling around, but it improves an already excellent game so it’s worth the time. The second and third I haven’t tried yet but it will happen.

I thoroughly recommend this game. It’s a fantasy flight game so very good build quality and artwork.

More of this and I’m sure next time I won’t be a cylon….

September 13, 2013 0

Knavecon 2 – Being a Drax Report

The idea for Knavecon was a very simple one. A boardgaming “night”, but for the whole day and with a few more people. After the first one which was limited to friends, it’s quadrupled in size and it’s still maintained it’s laid back, friends around a table vibe.

I had a blast on the day, granted we were run off our feet making coffee and registering people but I got to try out some new games, show others how to play a few games I love and enjoy the company of some fantastic people. Oh and I got to run a big game of werewolf. I LOVE werewolf.

Everything went with military precision on the day, fry up at 9am, doors open at 10 and then people arrived…. and they kept coming. We were hoping for 40 or so to break-even but we got upwards of 80 people on the day. They came from all over, Cork, Kerry, Clonmel, Dublin, Wicklow, and Belfast. They brought their kids, they brought their spouses, some of them brought their own games, some of them borrowed the ones that were there or joined in with others with shouts of “I need two more for Waterdeep!”, “Who fancies a game of imperial?”. Friends who had chatted and gamed online met for the first time in person, gamers who didn’t know there were others living not so far from them got to game, chat and drink coffee together and it all worked out perfectly.

Games were played, bought and traded. Coffee was quaffed, donuts demolished and still they came. Tired children were relieved of gaming duty by spouses. Flagging gamers were revived by application of Pizza and chip with oaths sworn of “Gym Tomorrow”. Dice were rolled and moves made, orders issued and strategies planned, shouts of “HA!” and “AH FECK!” echoed around the room and still they gamed, long into the evening and into the wee hours, some exhausted but thoroughly satisfied with a good days work left the field of battle with words of thanks and queries of when will we meet again? And I stood amongst it, striding between tables coffee in hand, watching everyone revel in their favourite pastime. It was the best of times. Nothing beats a good gaming session and this was truly a good gaming session.

The people who attended on Saturday were stars. They came, they got stuck in and they had fun, they we’re courteous and helpful and they shared the love of their hobby. The trade stands that came had a great time and they too got stuck in, abandoned their shop posts and joined in the gaming revelry.

A big thank you goes out to all those who attended, you guys made the day and what a hell of a day it was.

As I write this it’s been a few days since Knavecon ran but people are still talking about it, posting pics, sending texts, PMs, email, organising their own game nights and planning what games to buy. The main thread being, “we loved it”, “we want more” and “we can’t wait”. That’s the best accolade we could have hope for.

We are delighted with how it went and I reckon, it’s here to stay. To paraphrase the game Spartacus, “My Knavecon will Rage on!”

See you all at the next one

Vic

September 10, 2013 1

Warlight

Warlight is a free online version of the classic RISK. Now, let’s be clear. Risk is NOT a brilliant game. If WOPR was playing Risk it would decide, pretty quickly that it would prefer a nice game of chess but I digress

Risk if you don’t know it is a simple dice based conquest game. A pretty good gateway game and it’s all fine and dandy until you discover diplomacy or pretty much most other games after that. It’s a great game if your a kid, it’s definitely better than Monopoly but then again that’s like saying I’m not as bad a serial killer as that other guy.

Warlight is the best implementation I’ve seen and there are a lot of Risk clones out there on a variety of devices. What distinguishes Warlight from every other one is it’s very polished, it’s got a stack of extras and it’s cross platform. It’s quite possible to start a game on your phone, play a bit on you PC then switch to your tablet and so on. Did I mention it’s free?

In it’s favour is it adds a nice few extras so you could call it Risk++. I like this implementation and I’ve been having fun with it.

The extras are as follows

LOTS and I do mean LOTS of extra maps for it
Games with more than 6 players
Multiple new strategy cards
Fog of war (this makes it special)
A good community of people

The fog of war makes for a quite different experience. You’re never sure what you’re opponents are up to because you can only see people beside you. Take it from me what they’re up to is NEVER good.

It also has a funky levelling up system where you score points for winning games and level up and get access to additional features. This is clever as it ensures the other players are interested in playing and you don’t wind up in a game where half the players quit straight off.

It’s also quick.

I’ve been enjoying games against friends (particularly the ones I’ve been winning and lording it over them). I recommend you try it soon

http://www.warlight.net

Huzzah!

Vic

August 27, 2013 0

Hardcore History

My Buddy MrSaturday put me onto this. Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History. He does a podcast of history in a slightly different way. Absolutely magnificent stuff to accompany low thought work like driving, painting, surgery.

Have a look see, I guarentee you’ll be hooked

The five about the Mongols were mind blowing

http://www.dancarlin.com/disp.php/hh

July 29, 2013 1

Stormy Thur – Being a Drax Report

It wasn’t actually called Stormy Thur but It’s late and I’m not checking my mail so with that in mind it’s back to 1888 for more MURDER MOST FOUL! it’s Letters from Whitechapel

I’ve had an interest in this game for a long time and wanted to like it, so it’s great that I do like it. a lot.

As I said last week it’s a bit like Dracula but it’s simpler but it’s in no was less of a game. In fact it’s a damn fine game on par with the Fury of Dracula.

Last week I was caught short, in the middle of my second murder (jack has to complete 4 to win) and each gets tougher to complete as the police start to close in on his hideout. So this week a new Jack replaced me (a man used to wearing black) and boy did he lead us a merry chase!

It would have been charitable to describe the investigative team as bumbling. the first murder happened quick sharp and jack we had NO clue where he was. We attempted to up our game by using cheesy quotes from cop shows but even this bold step didn’t help.

Murder two happened quickly and the mayor was chewing me a new ass when we started to get a clue as to where the coffee cups in the kitchen were. I was going to crack this case if it cost me my badge

Murder 3 (a double header) kicked off and we had at this stage used most of the clichés. It was desperate times so we applied more brainpower to the problem and despite me getting the backup to move in and let jack free we eventually caught up to him and it came down to a 50/50 shot for him to make it to his hideout. he lost, we won. Brilliant detective work all around and much back slapping

Fun little game, well worth the entry fee. It’s a definite btw for Knavecon

In a repeat of last Thur and a need to do better we washed the first game down with a Notre Dame Chaser

It’s pure worker placement with a certain amount of cock-blockery. It’s a better game than it appears and the whole plague thing is great fun. Can’t bate rats for entertainment.

Last week I lost on 58 points with the winner (drax) /spits on ground getting 59

This week, he RACED ahead with a neat set of points from supporting the church early on and often.

There’s going to be a third game of this and next time it will be different (He’ll probably beat me worse and I’ll burn the game and bury the ashes)

I have a hankering for Struggle of Empires. Once I figure out the rules (HA!) We’ll have a lash of that, maybe even next thur

Huzzah!

Vic

July 27, 2013 0

Thur Most Foul – Being a Drax Report

“He’s Hardly gone back to the scene of the crime to hide in plain site has he?”. Thus ended my promising career as Jack the Ripper in the game Letters from Whitechapel

It’s a deduction game in the vein of Curse of Dracula (highly recommended) and Scotland Yard (no idea). One player takes the role of Jack and has to commit a number of heinous murders whilst the others take the roll of the police and try to apprehend him

Jack has to be sneaky (check) and resourceful (check) and more importantly in last nights game sneak past the Sauron like view of inspector Drax (no check).

I’m a huge fan of Fury of Dracula having played it many times and always enjoyed it. Although the rule book looks daunting this is a simpler affair but no less fun for that. Apart from the theme it could be easily played by youngies so maybe scotland yard which is quite similar could be substituted for this.

It’s a cracker of a game. It’s brain meltingly hard for the police who are constantly scanning for traces of jacks movements or where his hideout might be (he has to return there after each murder). I got to play Jack and I loved it, sneaking, backtracking, leading the police in the wrong direction, epic stuff.

The game is back in print with some minor tweaks (not to the rules) and it’s definitely one that will be replayed again and again, like say next thur

After my swift demise it was a revisit to Notre Dame

No not that Notre Dame, the other one

Notre Dame is pure worker placement. I liked it when I played it first and I like it a bit more. I did NOT like scoring 58 points and having Drax score 59. That aside it’s still a nice solid game, a little different and it certainly need a number of plays before you get the swing of how it works and more importantly what’s going to come up. Like Whitechapel this one will definitely make a reappearance , losing by 1 point aside it’s a very interesting game, theme works and it’s the right length of time to play. I like it, not as much as Whitechapel but I still like it

More of this sort of thing next thur I say

Huzzah!

Vic

July 19, 2013 0

Outdoor Thur – Thur – Being a Drax Reporte

Since there’s no sign of the wasps it seemed appropriate to play HIVE

Hive is very neat little chess like game, but with fewer pieces and fairly simple rules. It’s also very portable and robust. Perfect little game for a caravan or tent (although these are not essential), great one to bring on holidays out foreign and sit out on your balcony with along with a drink and bad light

The theme is very well done, it’s all about a swarm of insects trying to surround each others queen whilst protecting their own. So capture the flag with insects. Recommend it, it’s also cheap.

Next up was a favourite of mine since I borrowed it and didn’t return it

Dragonheart

This is very much Rock/Scissors/Lizard/Spock/Paper type game. It’s two player, fast moving and surprisingly good. you fill various spots on the board with your cards grabbing points, but also setting up the next player to grab the cards you just placed. It’s simple, fast and I sometimes win.

next up as old favourite

CATAN

One of our gamers had never played it. What never played it? seriously? never played catan? Despite asking this a number of times it turns out he had still not played it in the past so there was nothing for it but to the catan box and play a game of it. he won as it turned out…. ah well

Catan is a great little game, it was a great game when it came out a decade back and it remains good in person on the smart phone (although that cheats), online. it’s just a simple neat game and it’s one you really should play if you haven’t like john. what you’ve NEVER played it? never? ah come on….

More of that next thur

Huzzah!

Vic

July 13, 2013 0