Werewolves V – Prologue

wulfWerewolf V has begun with the able and impeccable Dread Pirate Joe as the GM once again for what’s going to prove to be a humdinger of a battle.

For those of you unfamiliar with the game.  Werewolf is a whodunnit where each player receives a secret role (some werewolves some villagers) and through the course of a number of nights try and either wipe out the villagers or put a stop to the wolves.  In this case we’re going to be playing with a fairly large group (around 20) and by email with a move per day.

I’m fully expecting to be dead within a short time so until then I’ll report back.

For your deliberation here’s how it just started thanks to Dread Pirates superlative writing skills…..

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Prologue:
Ext: It is the early hours, before dawn, in the distance, the sleepy mid-west-sterotypical small town of ‘JHFPville’ for short – is still sleeping. On a lonely road a car drives slowly.
Bob*: “This place always gives me the heebie jeebies”
Carl*: “Yeah, me too.”
Bob: “I ain’t been out to the old meat packing plant for years. Not since I wuz a kid. Kinda forgot it was there, till I read it was closed down.”
Carl (Shudders): “Yeah, me too.”
Bob: “I say, old Joe is gonna be mighty pissed that it is closed. That was his first business, yeah?”
Carl: “Yeah”
Bob: “I mean, he got lots more now, and is the frikking mayor and everything, so he gonna be all right. Don’t know whey he kept this place open for decades.”
Carl: “Maybe it was to stop the killin'”
Bob: “Man! That why you so quiet? Thats old ghost stories to scare the kids. None of that stuff ever happened. Damn, you got one helluva imaninagtion.”
Carl: “Name one person you know over the age of 60 – apart from Old Joe?”
Bob: “Well, theres a.. Now, gimmie a minute, my head ain’t that fresh at this time of night. Oh, theres… No, not him… well, there must be someone. A lot of them lie about their age.”
Carl: “Light”
Bob: “Their age, not their weight. Though some cou-“
Carl: “No. Light, at the meat packing factory.”
Bob: “This time of night? What you think, Old Joe working late?”
Carl: “Doubt it, they boarded the place up last week.”
Bob: “Damn. Someone trying to rob the place? We better get outta here.”
Carl: “Damn right. We don’t want no trouble.”
Carl increases the speed of the car and it passes quickly by the gate to the plant. After a few seconds, he slams on the brakes, and starts to reverse.
Bob: “What the hell are you doing?”
Carl: “We better go check it out.”
Bob: “Why?”
Carl: “Well, we are the police after all.”
Bob: “Chrissstake. It’s five minutes until shift change. You’re not gonna change yer mind, are ye?”
Carl drives on steadily, killing the lights on the patrol car.
Bob: “Dammit. Better call it in so. Gloria*? You there hun?”
Gloria (over the radio): “You boys better hurry up, these pancakes are looking mighty good.”
Bob turns to Carl: “You hear that, we gonna miss the frikking pancakes. Gloria, we going to be a bit late, Kojak here wants to go check out the meat packing plant. He thinks there is someone in there.”
Silence.
Bob: “Gloria, you there?”
Gloria: “Sorry boys. Got a bit of a shock there. You two come back to the station. I don’t think there is any need going there tonight. OK?”
Bob: “Sure thing. We going to high tail it back before the syrup has melted.”
Bob switches off the radio and turns to Carl.
Carl: “No. I got a feeling about this.”
Bob: “Feeling? Man you get feelings all the time. This like the time you suspected Mrs. Brewski* of running a brothel?”
Carl: “She had S&M equipment outside her house.”
Bob: “It was a chairlift.”
Carl: “I know what I saw.”
Bob: “And when you accused the reverand of being a Vampire?”
Carl: “I know what I saw.”
Bob: “And when you thought that Ole Joe was in the Mafia?”
Carl: “Look. I know that something is up. Sssh… I seen movement inside.”
Both exit the car and walk silently up to the door. Carl motions with his hands that he is going to move around the back. He draws his gun. Bob raises up his hands to his mouth and shouts:
“OK, whoever you are in there. You have three minutes to get out!”
Carl (whispering angrily): “WHAT are you doing?”
Bob: “Don’t want to disturb them. They could be armed.”
Carl: “So are we.”
Bob: “Listen, when you been doing this job as long as I have, you’ll get to- “
Carl runs into the front door, which is hanging off it’s hinges.
Bob: “Darn stoopid young…” and runs after him.
Int: The main reception is a mess, and sprawled over the floor is the remains of what was probably once a human – or an uncooked beed lasagne. Its hard to tell. Carl is leaning against the counter, vomiting.
Bob: “Well, ole Joe probably won’t be worried about the mayoral elections next year anymore.”
Carl: “How do you know it’s him?”
Bob: “That peace of flesh over on the lamp has Ole Joe’s buttocks tattoo on it. He got it for his 70th birthday.”
Carl vomits again.
In the back room they hear a loud crash, and a growling sound.
Bob: “OK whoever y’all are. Come out with yer hands up!”
Something reaches from the backroom and grabs Carl around the ankle. Carl falls face forward into his vomit, and is dragged back into the room. He grabs the side of the reception desk.
Carl: “Arrgh.. It has me…”
Bob draws his gun and fires into the room. There is no reaction from whatever is inside.
Bob: “It’s trying to get the paper stuck to your other shoe. Give it to it!”
Carl: “You *(&£$(* crazy?”
Bob rushes over, graps the paper from Carl’s free shoe and throws it into the room. Whatever it is, it lets go of Carl’s ankle. They both run outside and get into the car.
Carl: “What the hell was-“
Bob: “Drive, you idiot. Drive!”
Int: Police station, an hour later. There are two plates with half eaten pancakes on them.
Gloria: “You boys are lucky to be alive.  So this is what was on the paper then?”
Carl is holding a scrap of paper in his hand.
Carl: “Yeah, it seems to be the start of an email Ole Joe printed.”
Bob takes the paper and starts reading: “You are all domed.”
Gloria: “Ole Joe was never good with the spelling”
Bob reads on: “The plant it closing. Damn those vegetarians to hell.  They have killed us all. I have kept it at bay for nigh on the last fifty years, but now they are hungry again, and I can’t stop them myself. But I know who they are, they are -“
Carl: “What a place to get ripped off. It looked like he was going to spill the beans.”
Bob: “I know. If only he had emailed it to someone.”
Gloria goes and checks the computer: “He did. He emailed it to us.
They all crowd around the computer. The email is in the Junk folder.
Bob: “That was send over a month ago.”
Gloria: ” Yeah, it went straight into the spam. Maybe that is why Ole Joe wanted to print it off?”
Carl: “Is that the confession from the guy we let off for the Macy Murders last year?”
Bob: “Oh, why yes it is. That went into the Spam folder too.”
Carl: “Didn’t we hang someone for that?”
Bob: “Yup. He did say he was innocent right till the end. Well, ye wins some, ya loose some.”
Carl: ” – ?!”
Gloria: “Here is his email.  All the same up until… yadda yadda, Domed, hungry, ah, here.
But I know who they are, they are –
…
Hah ha ha I ain’t going to tell you, you bunch of halfwit hicks. Making my damn life a misery stuck in this bloody backwater for decades. Go to hell every last one of you moth*S&**(ks!”

Carl: “That was written by Ole Joe?  But he does Father Christmas at the Store.”
Gloria: “He always seemed like such a nice old man…”
Carl (whispers): “I used to sit on his knee and tell him my secrects”
Bob: “I reckons, we better call a town meeting.”
Gloria: “What we gonna do now?”
Bob: “I reckons, we better call a town meeting.”
Carl: “I think we are all in big trouble.”
Bob: “I reckons, we better call a town meeting.”
Gloria: “We better call a town meeting.”
Carl: “Good idea Gloria.”
Bob (watching them walk off to the Air Raid Siren): “What am I, chopped liver?”
Gloria: “Only one REAL cop in this whole town sonny, and you KNOW who that is? Um hmm!”
Bob (under his breath): “Ah well, may as well go to Mrs. Brewski’s whorehouse. The Rev and his Vamps will have finished their weekly card game with the Mob by now. Bar should still be open.”
Bob grabs his coat, and walks out into the early morning. At least he knew he was sorta safe-ish from the wolfen – if they were back.
*Not his real name.
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Lost Leg at sea – Lost Legacy

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It was a few Knavecons ago that I was introduced to love letter for the first time. I’ve played it a LOT since then, all different versions, including the custom Knavecon version. For a game With 16 cards (well 15 really), It packs quite the charge

I’ve come across a few other 16 card games in a bag all of them good. Cypher and Lost legacy for e.g. and there’s a few more out there. They’re cheap, portable and fun.

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I got to play lost legacy last Sat. I really like it. Which is good because I own it.

It’s not a million miles from love letter but it does contain a few more tactical options in the shape of recycling the discard pile and banking multiple turns for end game as well as fewer mid game eliminations.

The game sees you trying to find the Lost legacy. Some sort of artifact of power (could be the toupee of inevitability for all I care) which will either be in someone’s hand or the discard pile. Whomever finds the card at the end or shows it in their hand or eliminates the other player during a round (a tall order) win. Rinse and repeat until someone scores 4.

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It’s simple. It’s fun. I think it’s better than love letter (even batman love letter) and I’m a big fan of love letter.

For €11 you can’t go wrong. I’m loving these small cards packs in a bag. More of this. Cypher next I reckon.

Huzzah

Vic

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Our Ma Da

I got to play Star Wars Armada last night for the first time. Along with Imperial assault I seem to recall saying I had no interest in playing this game either this year…… I stand corrected.  Not only have I played it I bought it.

Armada is good actually it’s very good. Is it as good as X-Wing? Absolutely. Is it better than X-Wing? Short answer yes with an if, long answer no with a but.

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First and foremost Armada is not X-Wing with different ships, although it shares a number of attributes it’s a very different animal. Fantasy Flight have done a sterling job of conveying the feel of large ships grappling with each other (liked we’d know). It all feels right. It’s a slower more tactical game than x-wing (not that there’s anything wrong with x-wing).

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There’s two distinct unit types in the game. The hulking capital ships and the annoying little fighter gnats. Both compliment each other nicely. Fighters wiz around harassing each other and occasionally scoring hits on the big ships If not unescorted. The big ships swiping at them cows tail style while maneuvering for a better angle and lashing off their big guns at the other big ships.

I’m a big fan of the age of sail. Massive slow moving ships going toe to toe with each other. Furiously working every angle to steal the advantage on their enemy. This has that same feel. The big ships have a lot more tactical options than the ships in x-wing (not that there’s anything wrong with x-wing). Diverting damage, repairing, adjusting speed, concentrating fire and it all feels right. The ships feel big and lumbering. The imperial ships you need to queue up orders in advance. The rebel ships are more zippy and responsive but outclassed in shields and firepower.

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The game’s order queue is a lovely mechanic. You in advance order your ships to change speed, repair, concentrate fire or command fighters nearby. The bigger the ship the further in advance you have to book your orders. Getting these wrong when the rubber hits the road is not the end of the world by any means but getting them right just as you need it gives your ship a nice little bonus that could swing a battle.

Battles are drawn out unlike the game which only lasts six turns. You really have to work hard to take out an enemy capital ship. It’s no one shot nonsense here. Shields have to be knocked down, Hulls battered but engineer crews given enough turn can see all your brutal work undone.

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I got lucky last night and got a nebulon b into two firing arcs and let rip with concentrated fire at point blank range taking out shields and buckling her hull. A turn later I finished them off as we slid by each other. It all felt right. It all felt big ships Star Wars

Now the cons.

The game is Dublin pub expensive. You’d get small change from a hundred quatloos for the base game and if you want to play competitively (I don’t) you’d really need to get two

The expansions are pricey too. Big ships are a minimum of €30 and squadrons of fighters are around €20.  That said you only need two or three ships for a battle (less if you’re playing imperials)

The build quality is questionable. It smacks of rushed work that will improve in time as the manufacture gets their head around the new moulds. Nothing serious but there was an excess of flash on some pieces from my set.

Storing the models is a complete Jon Snow, then again so was x-wing (not that there’s anything wrong with x-wing).

If you can live with those above negatives then you’re in for a real threat. Myself and my x-wing buddy sold all our x-wing models at Knavecon and I reckon we might sink a bit more of our largess into this system. It’s a nice game. A very nice game.  I’ll talk more about it once I’ve played it a few more times.  For now if you’re question was should I buy it?  then yes, go buy it.

Now excuse me while I brace for impact

Huzzah!

Vic

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I don’t like the look of yours

Little-Britain

I don’t think anyone expected to be playing Ladies and Gentlemen (well obviously the owner). It’s certainly different. Bought for a mere bagatelle at the Knavecon bring and buy it reared it’s Victorian head on Thursday last.

The game sees up to eight players (we had seven) working in groups to become the most talked about Gentleman or Lady in polite society come the big ball.

Teams consist of well to do gentlemen and their ladies and well me. I was the odd one out so my role in the game was …. well let me put it this way, I’d stand out at a wake…

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Best T-Shirt of the night was Better Call Saul

Players score points by having the best dressed wife at the end of the game and can be boosted or undone by the look of the courtesan who is every gentleman’s friend. This is achieved by buying the best possible outfit for the aforementioned ladies

Outfits consit of hats, dresses, accesseries and an entourage of servants.

Each of the men folk each round dabble in the stock market which sees them picking resources from a collective pile to complete a set and earn money.

The ladies each of which run a shop stick a pile of cards face down with one face up showing various dresses, bags, hats etc and their cost. Ladies then secretly decide which shop to visit and fight it out black friday style for the choicest of items handing them to their male counterparts to either buy or reject. (pouting is mandartory). The courtesan can ask any of the men to buy goods for her but the men in doing so have to keep their wives sweet by buying them something of similar value.

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The game ends after a number of rounds with the best dressed couple winning and the least generous types falling to the wayside.

It’s an Interesting game. Possibly not the best fit for a group of seven lads with schoolboy humour sensibilities

It’s a game that requires a few goes before a strategy would emerge and while I can’t say it was stupendous fun I reckon a few plays would make for quite the fight. I also think it would play better with a few actual women in the mix (possibly a real couristean as well)

I had not heard of this game until last Thur and it’s possible we may never play it again but I do feel strongly that I don’t feel strongly about it one way or the other.  Once again it’s going to need more play before I can decide if I like it or not.

Huzzah! (as we ladies say)

Vic

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Who’s Afraid? – eMail Werewolf V is afoot

an-american-werewolf-in-london-moors

Calling all werewolf fans, Knavecon is now recruiting for the annual email Werewolf Game.  if you’ve played this game before you will know exactly what it is about.  If you’ve attended Knavecon and took part in Werewolf you’ll know what it’s about too.  This version gets played out by email with the wolves claiming a victim every day (bar weekends where they take a rest).   Voting also happens once a day

Even if you haven’t played werewolf (or any other game) before it’s simple and I guarantee you’ll have a good time.

I’ve secured the masterly skills of the Dread Pirate Joe to once again GM the game.  Game is open to anyone with an email address, So….

Get your email addresses into me and when we have 30+ we will kick off

Who’s game?

Huzzah!

Vic

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Over by Next Christmas – Diplomacy 2014 – Turn 14

Yes, this game is STILL going on.

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Despite the best efforts of Austria and England, Russia and Turkey are still in the game acting as a nasty speed bump allowing Italy to do his dastardly work while England is distracted

The Monkey trap that is St Petersburg is still vexing Austria and England allowing Russia to continue to gad about like John Constantine with a deal with the devil.

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Having incorrectly predicted whom would win I remain dear reader unable to predict what could happen next….

Huzzah!

Vic

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Kicking and a’ gouging in the mud and the blood and the beer.

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Mark your calenders.  The 30th of October will see the return of the most frustrating, nail biting, hair pulling, curse like a trooper, stupendous two player game of all time to the electronic world. Blood Bowl 2

Bloodbowl one is still a crackin game (if you can forgive the sometimes frustrating control system) but the new version is shaping up to be something special.

By November there will be a league, OH YES there will be a league and I’ll see you all on the pitch, hopefully face down

Huzzah!

Vic

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Durka Durka Mohammed Jihad – Homelands

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I like Gale Force Nine boardgames, they’ve written some really good
stuff, Spartacus is great fun, I haven’t played Sons of Anarchy but I
hear it’s good and last Thur we got to play Homeland the boardgame.
Gone are the days of cheap movie tie ins, these days we expect decent
mechanics and in a lot of cases designers deliver. Homeland delivers

It’s a semi-cooperative game. Semi when added to the less than bracing
word cooperative makes for a very interesting experience. We’re all in
this together! (Terms and conditions may apply)

Homeland sees up to six players working as agents to stop terrorist
threats from kicking off. These threats appear on various spots of the
conveyor of doom and each turn move from low threat through four more
stages to imminent where they really need to be defused. Failure to do so will mean a gain in points for the terrorists. Success means points for the good guys.

But since this is SEMI co-op who are the good guys?…..

Borrowing a little from Battlestar and Bang! players start with an
agenda card and may be Loyal Agents (who score points by defusing
threats), politicos (who score points by not letting the terrorists win,
but allowing them perform a bit of mischief and thereby upping their
own self importance in the form of political Clout points) and a good
old fashioned hidden traitor who just wants to see the world burn. The
role cards are handed out face down from a pool of seven with three of
the good guys, three politicos and one terrorist so it’s possible that a game won’t have a terrorist in it.

The game cracks along at a merry old pace (faster if you’re not talking
rubbish about everything but the game) and ninety minutes will see you
done and dusted. There’s no real down time as once you’ve taken your
turn you need to keep your beady eye on what everyone else is doing,
figure out their agenda and of course blame them for problems
the agency is having.

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The threats that pop up on your radar vary in difficult to solve.
Actually it’s very simple, a threat will have two attributes, it’s
impact (how many points it will score for the good guys if they solve it
or bad guys if it goes off) and it’s difficulty (how many points of good
resources you need to throw at it to fix it). added to this is an
obliging terrorist card that sits on top of it and adds their difficulty
to the proceedings. Agents have to throw cards battlestar style at it
face down to try and defuse it before it ends it’s turn in imminent.
That said a bad guy or a politico might want some threats to go off
scoring points for the axis of evil.

On your turn you get to assign your agents to be lead investigators and
the buck firmly stops with them. Solve the threat and you gain some
bonus points, mess it up and usually everyone suffers

Assets, agents and soldiers allow you some extra powers to look at
threats in more detail, assist in defusing them or just muck around a
bit. (You can help or hinder other agents work either directly or covertly)

Once either good or bad points reach 12 the game ends and everyone
counts their points. Politicos add accumulated clout points up, good
agents success points (either of which can be sacrificed mid game to
gain extra resources to help in solving threats). The traitor scores
points from successful threats going off points.

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In the game we played the good guys ended the game with successes but
the terrorist has accumulated enough assets and just enough terror
points to pip me at the post. I wanted a second game but it was too
late.

I like this game. It’s pretty simple, I don’t think we made any
mistakes with the rules which were concise and clear. The game play
flowed well with no speed bumps, the theme was good although it could
have been helping old ladies across the road rather than threats and it
would have been just as much fun.

A good solid fun game, well done once again Gale Force Nine

Huzzah!

Vic

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