Boy howdy. A 'gamey' type of game night where we played two new games. After a slow start (cigar smoking in the lounge) we broke out a new game Ed bought. I forget the name, [Dragon Delta] Dragon something, but each player tries to get to the other side of the pond using his six planks of wood (cardboard) and some stones to place the planks on. Each turn, you choose 5 moves from a possible 15. You lay these moves face down IN ORDER. Then, each player executes his moves. (Remember Robo Rally? Same thing only without the lameness). Each player is aloud to play one 'dragon' which is the obligatory 'screw your neighbor' card. If someone plays a dragon with your color on it, you have to bury that card. So, you may have a 'lay a plank' followed by a 'move forward' and suddenly, your plank "ain't.". Sploosh into the pond you go. Weird mechanics because of the physical nature of actually laying the planks. You have 6, each one a different size. If you choose one and it doesn't reach... sploosh again. I liked this game for its fun factor, but the strategy is often reduced to 'who got screwed the least' wins. Overall, I'd say a fun drinking game, especially as the first game of an evening. We played two games of this. Always plot a contingency plan!

Next we played Castles. This should have been called 'inept mechanical card game built around a theme that didn't work, namely a castle'. This seemed like a game kids made up while playing with baseball cards. It had the 'read the cards' problem of Guillotine, and the mechanics problems of certain cards not working very well. After drinking cosmopolitans all night (nice job with the mixing 'Edwyn'), the game turned into an argument of rules vs. intent of rules. Overall, I would stick this game in my ass and leave it there. ouch.

Drinking names that evening (due to the snotty nature of cosmopolitans in martini glasses): RJ, Tad (Timothy was not snotty enough), Bethany, Edwyn, and Jonathan. Jennifer was relegated to 'moll'.

By now, everyone wanted to play an older game that we knew the rules to, so we switched to 'Citadels' [aka Ohne Furcht und Adel]. That is the newish card game we have been playing for three weeks in a row where someone is king and you have to build 8 cities and each turn you pick which guy you want to be. Not the greatest game in the world but has 2 BIG things going for it. 1) It’s f**king simple to learn and play. Pick a card, collect income, build. (2) It generates a lot of table talk and yelling!!! Each turn, some one can be assassinated, the king may decide to remain king (he has that right), you may get thieved or a house burned down, or you might end up just play screwed (but just for that short round). It QUICKLY starts again and off you go. Quick paced and fun.

We finished the evening with Liar's dice and Neo Liars Dice (10 dice). Silly fun as always.

I still want to play 'Prince of Florence' (Medici plus) again, but we could not resist Ed's new games. He had another new one, but it was past the 10:30 mark so we told him no. Note the adherence to the new 'no new games later in the evening' rule. We have built a superior collection of games over the summer I am glad to say. I think that is why my opinion of 'Castles' was so harsh. I still love Mississippi Queen too.

 Not much to report. Pete and Michelle came over and we took advantage of the small turnout to play 'Settlers of Catan', It was the first time Pete and Michelle had played, so we played the beginner scenario game. Michelle held the lead until the end when Jen made a run and came up victorious. The game lasted 2 hours (as most settler games do).

Settlers is a near perfect game with smooth and easy to understand mechanics. The only gripe I have with it is that often you find yourself as I did. Far enough behind that you can't win without the other players becoming blithering idiots and still about 30 minutes to go. Your turn then seems like a funeral procession. Still, this is a small gripe for such a solid game.

Check out Ed's web page, its cool. My two cents worth is that colorful backgrounds make text gaming reports too hard to read.

Game Night: Saturday 9-16-2000

The smell of sickness permeated the air of the gaming area, no games for us tonight, only death!

I must note, we did have a great meal at Pete and Michelle's! Can't wait for next month! Oh wait, stuffed pumpkin stew? I have a strange feeling about this one...Here is the run-down of Octobers menu:

Saturday October 14, 2000

"Harvest Festival"

4:30 Cocktails and Stuffed Potato Skins

5:15 Dinner: Stuffed Pumpkin Stew, Green Salad, 12 Grain Bread and Green Beans

6:15 Dessert: Spice Cake and Pumpkin Pie

Game Night: Saturday 9-23-2000

Well, Saturday we had a lean crowd: Neal, Beth, Steve & Suzanne (welcome to the neighborhood!) and of course, me.  We wanted to play something that Neal and Steve would enjoy, so we broke out Condottiere.  We played 3-4 games of this and enjoyed it more each time.  Yes, admittedly your can get a crappy hand, but most hands ARE.  It is actually rare that you get that great hand.  -and it beats the hell out of Euchre.  I won a couple, then Beth and I squabbled over how to play defense whilst Steve torpedoed us all.

Next week, Ed has requested 'Prince of Florence' (the Medici + game) and I will happily oblige.

Game Night: Saturday 9-30-2000

In attendance were Ed, Alias Johnny, Tim, and myself.  We decided to take advantage of the small group (we always do) to play a couple of longer ones. 

First out was "Prince of Florence" (a.k.a. Medici plus).  Oh, and what a plus.  I won the first game on the last move of the game (producing a fine astrological discovery using John's ex-astrologer).  The win was controversial at first, as we thought that John could of prevented the win.  After a chance to think in the bathroom, however, I remembered that although the defense would have helped John immensely, I STILL would have scored the same points the same way and John would not have overtaken me.  It did cost him 2nd place though.  The second game (yes, we played it TWICE), Tim had a renaissance moment at the end of the era and made two artistic creations to ensure his victory.   This game is so much fun, but it is the 'pulling your hair out' kind of fun.  In the second game, I was trying to decide how to best position myself.  You see, unlike in Medici, if someone wins a bid, NO ONE ELSE CAN BUY THAT ITEM THIS ROUND.  It is SO much more important to manage your bids in this game.  Plus, what you bid usually influences what you will do with the independent part of your turn.  Usually, this entails 2 basic strategies:  Scoring, or positioning yourself to score (probably next turn).  The ultimate curse, is trying to deal with 2 or 3 options that just are not that great since you did not bid well this turn.  "which one will end up helping me?", you think as you begin pulling on your hair...  I think this game would benefit from us actually naming the works, thus making them more memorable!!!

Next we played 2 games of Web of Power.  This is a much quicker 'Pete placement game' akin to  camel game [aka Durch die Wuste (Through the Desert).  It is much shorter (15 minutes) and you never seems to know just where you stand.  You are placing settlements and ambassadors on a map to score points.  You score based on your influence in the region (do you have the most settlements?  second?  third?) and you score at end-game if you have ambassador in adjacent countries (alliance points)...  but only if you have a majority of ambassadors in each (thus able to 'seal the deal').  Would be an average game if it was not for the quick game time which makes it even more enjoyable.  Quick rules, quick game, strategic and fun. 

And, can you believe we not only have games some of you have not played yet (but have only read about), we have some games that NONE of us have played yet.  Oh my.

Ok, games that I have that we have not played (no one in the group has played!)

Carolus Magnus, this one was picked for both German game of the year awards.

Gother The Thou, this looks silly, it might be fun.

Vampire, this is by Reiner Knizia game, designer of Durch die Wuste, Katzenjammer Blues, Medici, Modern Art, Money, Ra, Quo Vadis?, Taj Mahal, Digging

Digging, again a Reiner Knizia game.

Here are the two lists of winners.

Game of the Year:		Torres (English language edition) I think this is the best game, Maybe they heard me!
Finalists:		Carolus Magnus (English language edition) have this but we have not played it yet.
		Ohne Furcht und Adel (aka 'Citadels') Great game, Ray and I both have a copy.
Nominees:		La Città (English language edition) No one has this yet.
		Frank's Zoo (Zoff im Zoo) (English language edition) Mixed emotions on this.
		Kardinal No one has this yet.
		Metro No one has this yet.
		Port Royal No one has this (or heard of it) yet.
		Taj Mahal (English language edition) Good game, we have played this one.
		Vinci: The Rise and Fall of Civilizations (English language edition) No one has this yet.
		Web of Power (Kardinal & König) (English language edition) Good, quick and easy, I like it!
		Zèrtz (English language edition) No one has this yet.