Monthly Archives: September 2015

BGG Order Arrives

castle panic, new arrivals

So what arrived for me from the Land of the “Free”? Well I made use of the excellent BGG store and got the two promos they had for Castle Panic. While I was there ordering them I finally caved and ordered Deep Sea Adventure.

Deep Sea Adventure is a little Japanese push your luck game based around diving for treasure. I knew it was a small game but when I opened the parcel and saw how small the box was I was a little shocked. It's tiny.

Naturally I'll be looking at Deep Sea Adventure in more depth in another post.

So not a big order but a nice little one adding a little customisation to a game with promos, and a new game to play.

Still in the postal system somewhere…

  • Epic is shipping, my friend Freddy in the U.S. Of A. has already got his copy.
  • Game of Thrones the Boardgame, just over a week ago was posted but no show yet.
  • My pre-order I made has finally all the pieces in and is now on its way. But I'm not going to ruin the surprise.
  • Dead Drop is being played by Americans but who knows where the international copies are.

 

I think Tiny Epic Galaxies is due to ship any day now, so hopefully will arrive by end of the month.

 

Power Up! King of Tokyo Expansion

expansions, new arrivals
As regular readers will know I picked this expansion up last weekend when I visited Nath. It had been delivered there the weekend before but I failed to get it then due to that epic car fail on the Friday.
Power Up! Is the first expansion for King of Tokyo.

Let's have a look at the contents of the box that make up this expansion for King of Tokyo.

Ok first up there is a small rules pamphlet that explains the rule additions that cover this expansion. Plus you then get seven little cardboard tokens that will be used by some of the new evolution cards. Which nicely brings us on to the fact you get fifty six evolution cards (which I will cover in a minute). Then finally you get a new monster called Pandakai, this means you get a new cardboard figure and stand for Pandakai, plus a monster board.

The main addition this expansion adds to King of Tokyo is the evolution cards. Each monster within the game has a unique deck of cards that can be acquired and used through out the game. These evolution cards give a monster either a temporary power or a permanent one. They remain secret during play until the player decides to use the card.

This looks like a great addition to the base game, and I can't wait to start playing with it. Plus I believe the first expansion for King of New York is also a Power Up! Expansion. And this has made me even more excited for that too.

 

Painting Stormtroopers Part 1

imperial assault, painting

So finally I've got round to start painting some of my miniatures that come with my games. I'm starting off if you hadn't guessed by the posts title with the Stormtroopers that come with Imperial Assault and also Kayn Somos Trooper Commander the just released Villians expansion.

These posts will be documenting my first efforts in painting miniatures, something I've never done before. Capturing my successes and my many failures. Hopefully you will enjoy watching the trainwreck happen.

Today I've done the easiest part of the whole thing, and the quickest part also. What am I doing? I'm applying the primer coat to the miniatures.

For this stage I'm using Elmer's Tack, and Citadel Corax While model paint. In total I will be priming nine Stormtroopers and Samos, so a total of ten miniatures.

Before applying the primer using the Elmer's Tack I attached the miniatures to some cardboard. In my case it's some old Amazon packaging. This allows me to hold the figures and turn them around as I spray on the primer.

Next I went out side and sprayed the primer coat onto the models, turning them so that I covered them from all angles. While applying the primer coat I was trying to make sure that I wasn't applying it too thickly, so that I didn't cover up any detail on the miniatures.

Finally I left them to dry ready for stage two – applying a base coat. Naturally during this stage I made sure that the dark destroyer of plastic miniature figures Loki was safely relocated round my Nans.

Lo lo as I also call him, may look all cute and innocent. But I must remind you of the damage and expense he has inflicted to three of my Zombicide figures.

Right now I need to go “research” what base coat colours to use.

This series of posts are dedicated to my great friend, mentor and Scottish version of me! Duncan. Who I know will continue to nag me to get these done, and offer advice and tips.

 

Saturday with the Fenland Gamers

Fenland Gamers, game night
Wow another great time playing games. I can’t think of a better way to spend a Saturday afternoon. Well ok out on the hill with a wild camp would technically beat it. But if we add the criteria when you are stuck at home. Then my statement is accurate.
But I’m jumping ahead of myself. This afternoon saw me meeting up with the Fenland Gamers again for an afternoon of gaming.
The gaming session started off with a game of Ticket to Ride with the 1910 expansion used for the larger route cards. The route cards in the base game are small and lots of people don’t like them. So most folks buy this expansion just to upgrade the route cards.
I did complete my three routes only just. Our host won so convincingly, with a score well over a hundred and forty points. His score wasn’t too far off from being double my final score. I do own the game and the expansion but rarely get to play it, and have to usually settle for AI opponents in the app. A refreshing change to play against people.
After Ticket to Ride it we moved onto the bluffing game Coup. This was the first time I have played the game since purchasing it. I think it was also the first time for everyone else too. I think we must of played three or four games of this. In one of the games when there were three of us left, and all of us were claiming to be Dukes, I came up with the line “the Dukes duking it out”.
It was then onto a new game for me Glen More. In Glen More you are a clan leader trying to increase the influence and power of their clan in the 1600s. The game had several mechanics I enjoy in games. For example like Tokaido the last player on the board goes first, although Glen More was doing this long before Tokaido. Buying the tiles and placing them in your village reminded me a bit of Alhambra.
The market in the middle was a nice way to get the odd resource that you were short of to buy a tile.
And I just don’t like the game because I won. Ok won very convincingly.

Glen More is currently out of print and apparently hard to get. Which sounds like a challenge. In the meantime it has been added to my bgg wish list. In my initial searching I did come across the useful to know bit of information that Glen More is being reimplemented in a new version of the game called Lunarchitecs. Which gives the game a space theme. I’m not sure if there will be any tweaks to the game play. Personally I don’t think it needs any. This will be hitting Kickstarter in November, you can find more info HERE.

Below my winning village.

The final big game was another attempt to save the world from total destruction by playing Pandemic. Despite finding a cure for the yellow virus, we still failed to stop the destruction of mankind.
But we did have fun on the way to oblivion if that helps make your slow painful death from the pandemics we failed to stop and better.

The final game we played before I had to leave was Love Letter. This was a new game for the others. I think it is safe to say they enjoyed the game a lot. I managed to win getting the required four tokens. But it wasn’t a walk away victory. I think most of the others won at least two tokens.

I really did have a great time, once again great company, great games. There is also the potential that I will get to play Memoir 44 during the week. Plans are a foot for it to happen. So very excited about that.

I’m hoping my less than subtle subliminal programming will get the others into accidentally buying Android:Netrunner.

 

A Kickstarter Arrival

new arrivals

This morning A Chaotic Life a game I backed on Kickstarter arrived.

Below is a photo of the contents of the box.

Now I know that the designer/publisher has been listening to feedback from backers (those that had already received and played it) about the gameplay. So at the moment the rules are being updated based on that feedback and under going play testing at the moment.

I love that the designer is so responsive to the community, this is definitely a benefit a small company has over larger ones. Looking at the Boardgame Geek page for the game the designer is engaging with the games community. Love it.

However even with all this love, I'm in a quandary. Do I play the game with the current rules or wait for the rules update?

 

Ashes finally arrives

Ashes

Finally the joyous day has come that Ashes Rise of the Phoenixborn arrived. And boy that box is even more beautiful in reality.

The art work is stunning, and the white box as the background just makes it pop. I think this has to be the best looking game box I have seen.

So let's look inside this beautiful looking box. The first thing you are treated by is even more beautiful art work. This time the cover of the games rule book.

Below that are the tokens waiting to be popped out. I love popping the tokens out, it's almost as therapeutic as popping bubble wrap.

Then at the bottom there are several packets of cards, some empty plastic bags and the dice that the game uses.

Below the promo Phoenixborn Dimona Odinstar Phoenixborn of Rayward that comes with the game when ordered from Plaid Hat Games.

In my next post on Ashes I'll start looking at the contents in more detail.

 

My First Fenland Gamers Meet

Fenland Gamers

Last night saw me attend my first Fenland Gamers night in Wisbech.

The evening of gaming started off with a game of Sushi Go. I think we know my views of the game. For the record I love it. None of the others had played the game before, so they had to endure me teaching them the game.

We then moved onto a new game for me the worker placement game Gluck Auf.

Ok I lost the game but I had a great time playing it. I only came last by four points. But wow I liked the game. Our host and founding member had blinged out the game by replacing the paper money with poker chips. Which is something I think I'd do too if/when I get a copy.

Basically in Gluck Auf you are a pit boss bringing coal up from the mines to fulfil orders. I like the fact that if an action spot has already been selected that you can still use it, however to do so requires you to spend one more worker than is on the action you want to do. Ok I love this, it means you can tactically push up the cost of an action to drain opponents resources.

The game is played over three rounds, with scoring taking part at the end of each round. A round ends when everyone has no more workers to place.

Another cool mechanic is that at the end of the third and final round when scoring if your tableau is not balanced (equal number of tiles each side of the tableau) you get negative points. If you have incomplete orders you get negative points.

Ok yes this has been added to the wish list.

The final game of the evening for me was a game of Pandemic the Cure.

I'm sorry to report once more the team assembled to save the world from the viral oblivion were not up to the job, and mankind was wiped out.

I had a really great time, the group made me feel really welcome. I'm really looking forward to the next meet up which I believe is this Saturday.

You can find Fenland Gamers on Facebook and the Interweb.

 

Battlelore Arrives

new arrivals

Well I'm a semi happy bunny today. The second hand copy of Battlelore Second Edition arrived today. I'm still waiting for the second hand copy of The Game of Thrones Board Game to turn up apparently it was sent last Friday. I believe it's been sent using myHermes. This courier is used a lot on the Facebook group I belong to. Mainly because it's cheap to send stuff through them. Sadly there is a trade off for this low cost, and that is its not the speediest of couriers to use.

I'm still waiting for Ashes to turn up. Plaid Hat Games said it was allegedly sent two weeks ago by their European distributor, and that I should have had a notification that it had been sent. Needlessly to say I've never received that notification. I have to wait until Friday before getting back to them if it has not turned up.

I have to say this is the one I'm most disappointed about. Previously my experience with Plaid Hat has been exemplary. But at the moment my current experience is leaving a little sour taste.

I'm hoping these both will turn up before the weekend. There is a new gaming group in Wisbech that I am going to (first meet up that I'm attending tonight), and they have a gaming event this Saturday. Plus I'm hoping to get to The Hobbit Hole in Chatteris on Sunday (taking my Netrunner decks with me incase I can get a game).

 

Boba Fett Infamous Bounty Hunter

imperial assault

And here we go, and here we go, another character from the Imperial Assault Wave Two expansions. This time it's a Villian pack and is Boba Fett, Infamous Bounty Hunter.

Now I think Boba Fett is a cool looking character. However! I just don't get all this fandom for him. I mean in Empire all he does is ferry the frozen carbon body of Han back to Jabba the Hutt. He didn't even capture Han, Darth Vader did all the hard work there.
Then in Return, he stands around looking cool at Jabba's Palace, first bit of action he ends up in the belly of that sand pit monster after a nearly blind Han takes him out by accident! Hardly the stuff of legends

Anyway as the photo above shows the sculpt for Boba Fett is pretty cool looking. Ok that's an understatement it's bloody amazing. It really does capture the coolness that is Boba Fett.

Below shows the two new skirmish mission cards that come with Fett.

Fett gets three new command cards, one specific to him. Plus there is a new status introduced Weakened. There are no new tokens (yet – maybe Team Covenent will release some) for this new status included with Boba Fett. FFG suggest using coins or whatever is to hand at the moment.

Boba Fett has the following character card, six movement! Then look at his abilities. I can easily see Fett being a skirmish favourite.

Below is the mission sheet showing the skirmish map. Continuing my self imposed ban I haven't shown the campaign side to maintain some mystery for the campaign player.

Once again I present the campaign cards that come with Boba Fett, but remember I don't (or haven't yet) play the game as a campaign.

I think with Boba Fett, and IG-88 a bounty hunter skirmish squad is going to start becoming a thing. Boba Fett is a very strong addition to the game. I may not understand his following but that doesn't stop me appreciating how cool this figure is.