Well then, I’m off on holidays for two weeks which will give you a welcome break 🙂
Huzzah!
Vic
and THEN my head Melted
If you want to bring on a head ache to avoid school or the draft or whatever Dobble is your man. It is of itself the simplest of all games however it’s frantic and competitive to the point where you want it to stop because Hulk Head Hurt. (Maybe it’s just me and I should get a check up). Anyhoe Dobble is piddly simple. It works as follows BOOM!
Look at the picture I’ve provided first… (not around the picture at the picture)
Each player puts a card in front of them with a number of symbols on it. Dogs, Card, Anchors, Krakens whatever
then the first card on the stack is turned over and it’s a race to shout out which symbol you have on your card that matches the one on the card in the center. ALL cards have one symbol that matches another symbol on every card. yes it’s true. I’ve checked. Go on get the grid paper out and work through it. You see! it’s true all cards related to each other in a family way.
So it’s Snap++. When you get a card you put it down as your play card and another is turned over from the stack and the process repeats. The person or persons (up to 4) who didn’t get a match have a slight advantage insofar as they’ve been staring at their play card longer than the player who just landed the last match.
With about fifty cards in the stack games usually end in five but definitely not longer than ten minutes (unless you’re taking part in a sleep deprivation experiment for a particularly evil group).
There’s a number of variant games in there, who can get rid of their stacks first, who can match with others and so on but the whole sizzle is matching symbols to another card.
To mix it up the symbols are often different sizes and orientations and (for me anyway) the brain has to spin up to full power to be competitive. It’s fast, there is no downtime, it’s frantic, there is no time to talk or think, it’s a very intense game and with four other people doing their damndest to beat you it’s hard work. Certainly not one to play for a long period with adults. It does however work fantastically with kids.
Kids love this game and you can vary the difficulty with them very easily. It’s also cheap (around €15 or so) and very portable. If you have kids and you want to introduce them to gaming, this is a great start, if you have a gaming group that consists of big kids this is a winner too. Personally I have a love hate relationship with this game (I love it, it hates me), not because it’s bad, but because it’s too intense. Quite a statement, I don’t like a kids game because it’s too intense….. To paraphrase every cheesy cop movie. I’m getting too old for this shit 🙂
Huzzah!
Vic
Netrunner
I’m really starting to like Netrunner. That us all. Nothing to see here. Move on
Funny enough I’ve been playing exclusively as corporation. Who’d have though I was a megalomaniac ?
Have the game since Xmas and to be honest it just didn’t beep my jeep when I tried it the first few times. Having played a dozen plus games I’ve cracked and am all in. Not sure it will ever be like the MTG days but it’s damn fine. Top marks to FFG for making this a living rather than a collectable card game. For me anyhoe that war is over
Expect a number amateur and Ill informed posts to follow by and by
Huzzah
Vic
Thursday Child is full of Win – Part 3 (finally)
Who doesn’t want to take over the world? Certainly I do and first against the wall would be those that insist I use the word WHOM at the start of a sentence like this
We got to play Imperial 2030 on Thur night too. For those who haven’t tried this or the earlier version (just plain Imperial) you are missing out. Imperial 2030 is a glorious map based conquer the world type game. Playing it is like being a football manager (without the chewing gum) insofar as you never know when you’ll be given the heave ho and another bungee manger will be appointed in your place. Them’s the breaks. You can be doing a fantastic job of managing Europe and WHAM! someone likes it so much they buy the company.
I’ve spoken before about Imperial, it’s a game that returns to our table again and again, with a good sized group (six) it becomes the ideal desert island game. It also plays out in a relatively short time for such an epic undertaking. It’s quite possible to get a game completed in under three hours and that’s no bad thing.
The mantra of this game which is oft repeated is that you don’t OWN a country….. you invest in it. Anyone who has the largest share in a country is the manager of it and controls it’s armies, production, taxation and pockets any bonuses associated with same. What I love about this game is it’s a valid tactic to allow another player to take ownership of your country and run it better than you can and still profit from the experience. The Ferengi would be proud.
The game is not so much about taking over the world (which is practically impossible), it’s about carving out the biggest empire you can and leeching as much tax money from it as you can before some other keen nation nips in and puts you back in your cage. Do it right and everyone will want to buy shares in your empire, do it too right and they’ll want to muscle in and take over your operation.
There were a few new players to the game on Thur and like me first time around they struggled to get a strategy. Although the mechanics are not that complicated and the tactics are fairly obvious an overall strategy to win the game is stupendously complex. Mine has always been black and white. Do your best. Kill Drax. It’s worked fairly well for me. I came second so maybe my strategy needs a tweek
As players invest in countries and take ownership of them it quite often happens that they wind up controlling two or more countries and some players wind up with none in which case they become Swiss bankers (I’m sure there’s a joke in there somewhere). As a Swiss banker you get to invest more often however it’s a dangerous limbo to inhabit as you no longer get bonuses for taxation when you don’t manage the country. That said you get to invest more, but you don’t get tax bonuses, invest, tax bonuses, invest/tax…. it’s a balancing act. I’ve seen players win purely as swiss bankers but it’s a tricky feat to do
That said owning multiple countries can be a burden, especially if they were two countries that were recently at war and you now have to untangle them and make them both profitable again.
There’s never a dull moment when you play Imperial. When you leave the table your mind is still spinning like a gyroscope trying to figure out how to play it better and THAT’S the measure of a really good game. /cheesy grin and wink
More of that next thur. Hopefully I’ll have learnt the rules for Constonopolis, but there’s a fair chance I won’t
Huzzah!
Vic
Thur Child is Full of Win – Part 2
Does anybody remember Big Trak the toy from the 80s, you gave it a set of instructions to go forward turn left, move back, fire it’s gun and so on then off it went and took you literally? Robo rally is a game of big trak with up to eight players running their big traks around the sitting room bumping into each other knocking each other into lasers and bottomless pits (I suppose every analogy breaks down sooner or later)
Richard Garfield has written some fantastic games in his day, the great Dalmuti, Magic the Gathering, Netrunner, Chess, X and O you name is he’s written it. We got to play RoboRally on Thursday night, it’s an old enough game by the afore mentioned but that’s neither here nor there when it comes to gaming. RoboRally is a fun little game, it’s fast, there’s very little downtime, it scales very well up to eight players and but above all it’s good clean no-one losing an eye fun.
Each person takes a robot (all of which are the same) and has to give it a set of instructions to navigate around the factory BigTrak Style. The factories made up of a grid of square with contain empty spaces and various traps like any good factory should. Hazards like conveyor belts, lasers, rotators, pushers, bottomless pits and so on litter the play area and it’s obvious that the same team that did the safety audit on the Death Star we’re signed up to do the one on this factory.
Each turn the player gives a set of five instructions from a hand of eight. The instructions are pretty straightforward like forward two squares, backwards one, left turn, right turn and so on. Care and consideration has to be taken of your robots current orientation, the obstacles near him and if some other dolt of a droid is going to blunder into you. It gets further complicated with conveyor belts that move you along if you wind up on them so all in all a bit like Kosmonauts if you’ve seen that other great game.
Where it becomes frantic is where you’re trying to issue your orders as quickly as possible before the others do. If you’re the last person and the very fast egg timer runs out than the others get to put whatever instructions they want into your robot. It’s a bit like having a drill instructor or in this case multiple drill instructors shouting at you while you try and strip your rifle but without the pillowcases, bars or soap and full metal jacket ammunition.
There’s a wee random element in there as well as the instructions for each robot get executed based on the priority of the card that you have, some cards that have high numbers some low so what can happen is you have a set of instructions to move forward however before you get to do that another robot has bumped into you and now of course that’s fantastic set of directions you gave your robot earlier all go to pot as you’re no longer going from the same starting point.
At the end of every move your robot fires it’s forward laser and anything in front is going to get the horns. Robots can take damage in the form of counters and as this takes it’s toll, it becomes more difficult to plot a route as certain instructions get locked in and cannot be changed. Not good.
Needless to say nobody in the group draws pleasure from other peoples problems. Seeing someone else’s robot going into a tailspin and damaging themselves even more is a time for great sadness in the group and not at all laughing. Paranoia style you get three lives and your damage resets or shutting your robot down for a full turn will cure you of damage to.
There’s a stack of maps and scenarios for the game along with extra cards for additional weapons and equipment.
The game we played was a simple get to the flag variety where each person had to run over tree flag square one after the other to win the game. Needless to say we only got as far as the second one before we all gave up or were destroyed
The whole thing plays out like an entrance exam to an insane asylum. Getting your orders in first before the other players is a head wrecker, That said if you have a logical brain this is a breeze. I like RoboRally I have one of those brains that’s messed up and lends itself to this sort of thing
With the exception of Kosmonauts I haven’t seen any games even similar to this (I stand to be corrected) it’s unique and very flexible, both in terms of length and difficulty. Even though it’s nearly 20 years old you can still get it. Like the top 100 movies it’s something you have to see (play). I’ll have it at the next Knavecon and will be happy to run through it with you. Just don’t ask me to play, I’ll beat you. Just like I didn’t do on Thur night, there were some other messed up brains at that gathering 😦
More soon
Huzzah!
Vic
Hobby Shack in Wicklow Town to close this month
I’m sad to say that the Hobby Shack in Wicklow town will close for the last time on the 21st of June 😦
Ian who’s run the shop for the last 3 years has decided to close up and move onto pastures new and perhaps get in a bit of gaming.
He’s having a closing down sale so now would be a great time to visit. I’m sorry to see him shut down, he provided a great venue for the local gamers, not least the last chancers.
Best of luck in whatever venue you decide to go onto next and see you Knavecon in August Ian
“Hi all
So this post may come as a bit of a surprise to you but sadly the Hobby Shack will be closing it’s doors on the 21st of this month.
I have not made this decision lightly but it is the right decision for me and the shack.
The last two years have been great and I have enjoyed the time in the shack immensely.
I have a new adventure ahead and I am looking forward to getting my teeth into this.
I wish to thank so many people customers, suppliers and gaming clubs for travelling far and wide. The town of wicklow has been very good to me and a heartfelt thanks to all the business owners for there help and support over the last two years.”
Interview with Victor Gannon and Krystian Czekalski
I recently took part in a video interview along with the Krystian from the boardgameguys to talk a little about boardgaming.
Memoir of Memoir 44
Memoir 44 is a lite tabletop historical wargame for two players set in ww2. It comes complete with all you need for a dozen or so scenario based battles, it’s easy to play and perfect for introducing your children to the horror of war.
I’ve always had a soft spot for Memoir 44 (and I’ve successfully used the word Memoir five times, which may not seem like such a big deal but it’s more than you’ve used it in a whole week)
The models are neat and dinky. Not up to the high standards of say descent, more Airfix 72nd scale from your childhood (well, my childhood) but perfectly adequate for purpose
The base game comes with a big
Pile of German and America troops consisting of infantry, tanks and artillery and a few extra bits like sandbags and tank traps. The game board is a good sized double sided hex board with grassland on one side and a beach on the other. Perfect for your d day Landing needs
On top of the map a number of hex tiles can be laid to add rivers, hills, forests and villages. Other features like bridges and bunkers can be laid on top of these again to create fairly varied battlefields.
The game comes with a number of increasingly complex scenarios but it never feels hard to understand and above all other things the game is always fun and easy to play.
This is a great game for two players. It’s a good one to give to the seventh and eighth player on a games night or to while away a few hours without being too stressed. It’s also a best game to show to kids and introduces a number of key elements for more complex tabletop games
The command system is quite neat and features cards that allow you to move troops withe on the left, centre or right flank. This system leads to some interesting choices on holding cards, bluffing and guessing.
All in all a best little game. I got to play it last Friday with my 6 yr old and although the rules were simplified a little for that battle it still proved to
Be a fast, fun game.
A dozen or so add ons and numerous scenarios are available to add longevity. I’ve only ever played the base game so I can’t comment on the extras but I like it and look forward to working my way through all the scenarios.
All in all good clean warlike fun
Huzzah!
Vic
Twiligh Thur – Being a Drax Report
Do you suffer from Roids? A surprising amount of Pilots, both Imperial and Rebel Scum do. I was certainly suffering badly from them last Thur when I drove not one but two of my Tie Fighters through a few choice asteroids all clearly labelled as such. The real enemy Star Wars X-Wing miniatures (just like life) are not the other players it’s often yourself…. /Allows time for reader to nod sagely
I’m pot committed with x-wing. Myself and a gaming buddy (please note: buddy is a misnomer, there are no gaming Buddies as such, just opponents or people if you play it right, whom help you until it’s high time to stiletto them. Just before they we’re planning on vaping you. It’s the nature of things) but in the loosest sense of the word a gaming buddy (see earlier) and I have a fine collection of x-wing models which since it’s a mare to separate we’re married in a humanist ceremony some time back and are often seen out together having fun. It was high time to crack open the boxes they reside in and breath some life into them with the appropriate rules and phew phews.
X-wing is not a million miles (or a long long time ago) from Wings of Glory a WWI Flying Ace combat game . It’s a relatively new game from Fantasy Flight and as you would expect it has high production values and it’s not half bad. Ok let’s be honest the game has EXPLODED. It has very keen models which very importantly come pre-painted. You can jump right into it with just the started box (which comes with an x-wing and two Tie fighters) and it’s gloriously collectable.
There are over a dozen ships that can be bought to add to the basic game, A-Wings, B-Wings, Tie Advanced, to name but a few, and thankfully all from the original series. Fantasy Flight have done a sterling job (at least for them) in drip releasing new ships every so often and some of them (A-Wings for example) sell like hotcakes. Some of the bigger and seriously expensive ships are due to hove into sight soon which will really put the transports amongst the pigeons
A couple of things I like about X-wing. It’s Star Wars. The greatest trilogy of all (yes it is)(don’t argue) time, it’s the original trilogy, the models are really really nice. Everything you need to play a decent game comes in the original box. Also it’s Star Wars.
There’s a fantastic feel to the whole thing, It’s pretty easy to play, the games are fast (depending on size), there’s a lot of variety and it’s edge of your seat stuff start to finish.
If I had to fault the game I’d say it’s a PIG to store. The models although gorgeous are awkward and like a lot of tabletop stuff easily broken, although, touch plastic, none have for me so far. (Hi faith, Victor here). You can spend a bit of money and get a decent storage system but it can be pricey. A few cheaper options are presenting themselves and a bit of imagination can help with your storage woes. Dragging out a lot of models and setting them up for a big battle can be a chore but no more than any other tabletop game and it’s your own fault if you set-up a huge battle.
The game can be played as either a points versus battle or as a scenario based game. Either is good although my understanding is in a points battle some combos are killer and some are weak beer. That said Fantasy Flight and the greater gaming community recognise this as an excellent game and adjust it accordingly with new releases.
I like this game, I had better really since I’m a few models in and want more, because I do and that’s reason enough.
The game on Thur was a 50 points 2v2 which is really a 1v1 with two people on either side if that makes sense. We split into two groups each of which had semi-experienced players and me and another player.
My team took Imperials while my erstwhile buddy took rebel scum.
We had Five Tie fighters (one of which was Vader flying the Tie Advanced) and we squared up against two X-Wings, an A-Wing and a Y-Wing in a straight out fire fight in an asteroid field. (Be careful with them there asteroids, there’s a reason Tie Fighter pilots tend to avoid them)
Our Tie fighters were a mix of academy pilots and veterans and it was straight in zero kissing first turn, plenty of phew phew and initially anyway a nice mix of hits on the rebel shields. The Rebel Y-wing a real workhorse took a sustained hammering from the swarm of ties expertly directed by Vader, who indeed “has you now”. Return fire was minimal and all things were looking good
The next turns became a bit of a scrum with ships knocking up against each other and worse still against some asteroids and a hard fight en-sewed with very little finesse, just lots of guns and hope. There was NO flying casual.
Whittle by whittle (see what I did there?) both fleets started to be whittled down until it was just Vader and his youngfella Luke Skywalker and his shit of a droid R2-D2 (who btw knew all long who his Da really was but never mentioned it once. not once). Finally Vader vanquished skywalker and after a short robotic cry it was all over.
Not bad. We need to play this more. That said we need to play lots of games more and we will
Joined by another gamer we jumped into the very long titled
DC Comics Deck-Building Game
This game is very similar to Dominion, a game I liked initially and now doesn’t beep my jeep at all. It has some nice pics of superheroes but that doesn’t save it from being an OK game. My problem with this and Dominion (and a few others) is it’s primarily a solo game, there isn’t a whole lot of interaction with the other players, there’s a bit, but it doesn’t have the whole “HA! Take take” style of play. It’s more about getting the best deck together you can before anyone else and it just doesn’t work for me.
There’s nothing particularly wrong with the game, The card quality and art work is very good, the game is fairly fast it’s just…. it’s Dominion clone and not a very good one either. Each game is the same, you don’t even get to vary the cards like Dominion. I’m sure there’s a stack of expansions in production but I just can’t be bothered with it. It’s a dull game. I’ll play it but I refuse to be excited.
Funny enough I played Aquaman whom is not as bad as all that.
So in summary X-wing good, DC Comics Deck building game bad if you’re not a dominion fan.
Expect a few more mini reviews of X-wing. It’s just too good not to play again and again
More of that soon
Huzzah!
Vic
All things Coffee
If you’re a big coffee fan, I recommend this podcast on everything you ever wanted to know about the bean.
http://podcasts.joerogan.net/podcasts/peter-giuliano
Bit of a long listen but very very interesting
Huzzah!
Vic
Victor Gannon Games 