Pandemic Legacy January

pandemic legacy season 1

So if that image above isn't enough of a warning. SPOILER ALERT!! In my write up of last nights play through of Pandemic Legacy I may accidently disclose spoilers from the game. So please if spoilers deliberately given or not will ruin the game for you, please stop reading now, and I'll see you in my next post.

 

 

Right lets get on with the post…

Last night Mat, Debbie, Jonathan and myself met up to start our play through of the number one game on BGG, and many gamers game of the year for 2015 (no pressure on this game to live up to then) Pandemic Legacy Season 1.

Even before you start playing you are peeling off a sticker and putting it on a box! During setup we chose our characters from the five starting ones available. Debbie went with the researcher, Mat went with the dispatcher, I chose to be the sexy scientist, while Jonathan was left with choosing between the medic and generalist. With that wide selection to go with Jonathan chose the medic.

Characters chosen, time to choose our starting four funded event cards.

We got our mission brief and objective for the month of January from the legacy deck (above). The brief and objectives were on familiar ground. Cure the four diseases to win.
Sounds easy doesn't it? Regular Pandemic players know this is not the case though.
I shot across to Asia and Seoul (iirc) to avert a potential outbreak by removing a disease cube. Cool that bit went to plan.
Then Jonathan takes his go. For his two cards from the players deck he draws two epidemic cards! Bugger I'm in a city when an outbreak happens. Which means I'm taking a scar. Looking at the scar stickers is very demoralising, and basically like trying to decide which is the lesser of two evils. Do you want to lose a leg or an arm? From the selection of negative effects to chose from I went with Regretful. Which meant every time I wanted to leave a city that had three cubes of the same colour on it, I had to discard a card.
We did manage to cure one disease, yellow, before outbreaks and chaining outbreaks finished us off. Our chances of success were not helped by hitting two infection cards early on in the game.
Whether you win or lose the month you get to chose two upgrades. We all agreed to add two unfounded events.
Naturally because we got beaten silly by the diseases, we got extra funding! Which meant we could have two more funded events added to the player deck. Surely with six funded events, and two unfunded in our player deck our second attempt at the month of January would be successful?
But before we started the month of January again, we had to go back to the legacy deck. The disease with the most cubes on the board was just about to become incurable! And I got to destroy our first card of the game, our initial objective of the first game. The legacy card politely told us that another objective would be along shortly. Which it was. We now had to cure the three remaining diseases to win the month. Plus I got to put a sticker on the red disease naming it and telling us and the world this disease wasn't going anywhere. This would be a constant reminder from now on that we had failed.

This replay of January was going much much better. We cured the blue disease, not only that we eradicated it. The eradicated disease ended up being names C-ThachCam Major. Using one of the events at our disposal a second research centre was built in Lagos.

Our use of the event cards we had in hand was working, and having a positive affected.

Africa was getting loaded up with the yellow disease. We were starting to converge on the area to handle it. There was already the research station there.

But like the first game, outbreaks and chaining outbreaks but this time in Africa were our downfall.

With January played out, we have a few cities that are unstable, a handful that are rioting, and Johannesburg collapsing.

One of our upgrades this time was to turn the Lagos research centre into a starting research centre, and to take the last unfunded event.

Because we failed to win in January there is a legacy card that you reveal the panel of only if you win in January. However if you didn't win, it gets destroyed at the end of February!

Will we ever know the contents of this card? Why the delay in destroying it? Oh the mystery of not knowing, is just so annoying.

Wow! Despite losing both attempts at January, I had a blast. The game board is changing. The legacy deck is amazing. The tension when you are drawing cards is incredible. There are some nice touches in the way it works and the wording. Like saying a new objective will be along soon.

It's obvious from the legacy deck, without looking through it, that at some point we may possibly get new members to the team to choose from. Also I do believe that we are 50% of the way to opening the mysterious box eight. We don't want to open box eight.

So sorry world we didn't save you in January, we will do better in February.

 

Excited about tomorrow

pandemic legacy season 1

Tomorrow four members of the Fenland Gamers group are thrust into the thick of it to avert the outbreaks of four viruses world wide, before they spread and turn into pandemics bringing about the downfall of mankind.

Really excited about getting Pandemic Legacy to the table tomorrow. Four of us have made the commitment needed to play Pandemic Legacy. Who knows where our adventures on the table will take us? All we know is that we will have between twelve and twenty four plays depending on how well we do.

We have managed to avoid any spoilers for the game, so each twist and turn of the game will be a surprise.

This will be my first legacy game. All I know is that the game changes while we play based on our decisions. We will be altering the board! Tearing up cards! Adding new rules! It's all very exciting.

Pandemic Legacy starts off just like any other game of Pandemic, familiar ground for our team. Then at some point during that first game, things start to change.

Oh I'm so looking forward to this.

So how will I handle my write ups on this blog? I don't know. I'll try and avoid spoilers. But I want to try and capture the excitement of playing the game also. I may find that I use the following “SPOILER ALERT” a lot in the posts.

So one more sleep before the adventure begins…

 

Portalcon 2016

news, tabletop

Portal Games held what I believe is their sixth Portalcon in Poland this weekend. Using periscope Ignacy Trzewiczek gave his keynote twice once in Polish for his homegrown market, and the other in English for the rest of us.

With the Polish publishing side of things like some of the Cool Mini Or Not games Blood Rage, Zombicide: Black Plague and The Others in Polish, Portal Games with their own new releases have a very busy year ahead of them.

below: screen grabs from the periscope keynote

In the keynote Ignacy announced three of their four big releases of the year.

First up was the reprint/update of 51st State. A game that influenced Ignacy's hit game Imperial Settlers. So with lessons learnt, 51st State has been up spruced up. The game is due to hit stores in the spring, with pre-orders being taken on the Portal website from Monday. Apparently there are even stretch goals with this pre-order system. Kickstarter without the Kickstarter!

Next up is a miniatures game Cry Havoc that will see light of day around Gencon time this year. Ignacy said that Cry Havoc will be mentioned in the same sentence as Kemet, and Blood Rage. I know games need to be hyped to help raise their profile, build up steam that will lead to a big demand and sales at time of release. But this is a BIG claim. I hope it's true, and that it's a positive mention and not a negative.

The last of the three announced was First Martians. Described by Ignacy as the space version of his game Robinson Crusoe that fans had been nagging him for.

This game worries me. I admit this is based on the limited information from the teaser trailer and from the keynote.

The part that worries me and is putting me off is the app side of things. If the app is an intrigal part of the game and can't be played without it, I'm out. If it's a companion app that replaces some part of the game like having to read the manual for the scenarios, But the game can still be played without the app, then I'm in.

Companion apps are great, I don't need the app to play the game, I'm not reliant on the publisher keeping the app upto date for new releases of an os, or new platforms.

Games that can't be played without the app, I won't touch. It's why even being an X-Com fan on the consoles/PC I won't touch with a barge pole as a boardgame. You can't rely on a publisher to keep the app going. They don't always keep games in print, so why would they keep an app going for a game they aren't selling? It's an expensive business app development, and keeping them updated. I can't see a boardgame publisher spending the cash to keep an app going for a game that's out of print.

Look at the likes of Nintendo bigger than anything in the boardgames industry, sold millions and millions of copies of Mario Kart for the Nintendo DS, and they switched off the servers that allow multi player games. If these guys can switch off a service for a game, with their much larger resources in the bank, what hope does a smaller boardgame company have?

But I've discussed this previously, my views are well known. I so hope Ignacy has not gone this later route. If they have despite desperately wanting to play the game, I won't touch it.

If it's the former then I'm all in. Companion apps enhance the game, but aren't necessary to play it. If the app stops working I can still play the game. Plaid Hat did this the right way with Dead of Winter and have the companion app replace the Crossroads cards.

But as I pointed out there is limited information at the moment. I'm sure there will be more on this for me to write as more is revealed over the coming months before the game hits the stores.

There is a mysterious fourth big announcement to come, but that will be at an upcoming games con in March (iirc).

One thing of note from this keynote was the absence of any mention of planned expansions coming from Portal Games. But going by the busy schedule that Portal Games has there have to be expansions coming out for the existing stable of games.

Finally it looks like Portal Games have updated their logo. The old one can be seen at the top of this post, while the new one which was on the keynote slides and the Twitter account is below. I think I prefer the old one, but when it reminds you of the companion cube from Portal. I can see why the logo had to be updated. Had the lawyers from Valve finally applied enough pressure to Portal Games?

So there we have a round up from the Portal Games keynote with my two pennies worth thrown in.

Portal Games has a very strong line up of games, I love the company, Ignacy is not just a great game designer, but the face of Portal Games and brand ambassador for the company, which he does an amazing job of. I think the 2016 line up looks exciting, and I can't wait to see it hit the table.

UPDATE 11:29 24/1/2016:

So I tweeted this post to Ignacy, and we had a little exchange of tweets. Some bad news for me on First Martian. We don't see eye to eye on integrated apps. But hey folks are allowed differing opinions and discuss them sensibly! Oh wow have I just broke the Internet by saying that?

Anyway here is our tweet exchange. I'd love to discuss this more with Ignacy at the UK Games Expo later in the year over a beverage of some kind. Maybe Ignacy would be my first interview for this little blog. Now that would be cool.

 

 

My First FNM

FNM, magic
For many stores Friday Night Magic (FNM) is their life blood, their bread and butter. If it wasn't so popular our FLGS would most likely not be able to stay open, our hobby would be poorer, and most likely not as popular.
Previously I've written words confessing that I had dipped my toes into the darkside. Nath and I played our first game of Magic over Christmas using the two taster decks we had been given. And I wrote words about that experience briefly at the time also.
So it was only a matter of time really before my experimenting with the darkness saw me making an appearance at my FLGS The Hobbit Hole in Chatteris at one of their FNM events.
I'd avoided going to last weeks pre-release events for Oath of the Gatewatch, the current set of Magic cards that continue the story of events started in the previous release Battle for Zendikar. I didn't have the resources available. Which sadly meant I missed any promos available. But hey thems the breaks.

Earlier on Facebook I checked with the FLGS if noobs were welcome and there would be folks around ok with playing against a noob. I also reserved a Fat Pack and box of boosters for the end of the month.

At last nights FNM the main event for the veteran players was a draft using booster packs from Oath of the Gatewatch.

I had with me the intro deck I bought when the previous release came out. But temptation got the better of me, and somehow an exchange between me and the FLGS resulting in a green/black intro deck for this new release in my possession.

I observed the draft with interest for future reference. There was some banter particularly aimed at a player taking a tad too long deciding which cards to draft, causing a backlog. During this banter it emerged that another player was from March. Well it was only natural and just that even though I was not part of the draft, that some banter was directed at the March lad.

After the drafting had finished it was time for the tournament to begin. They had an odd number of players. Which meant one player would have a buy. It was this player that would be able to test their newly drafted deck against this noob and his just purchased green/black intro deck.

For a noob the intro decks are great because they allow a noob to try out different coloured decks to find one they like playing. From there they can start constructing a deck based on those colour(s), even basing the initial decks on the intro deck they had been playing, swapping out cards etc.

As luck would have it the veteran with the buy, and testing their draft deck was the March lad.

For a person from March he was quite likable and swapped banter while also guiding this noob through the game of Magic. I got my butt kicked royally in our first game. The March lad was drawing white creatures. I hate being on the receiving end of a deck with white in it. Nath had a white deck at Christmas. I had the land but not enough to get the creatures out in my hand.

Our second game I did much much better, I was not land rich, but I was getting creatures out, blocking attacks even did a couple of points of damage. But in the end the inevitable result happened and I lost.

So I've played Magic three times, and lost three times. However I've had blast each time.

I've enjoyed my first time at FNM and will definitely be back again. Maybe with my own constructed deck.

Late Mid Jan Arrivals 2016

lego minifigs, new arrivals

Going to start this post about new arrivals with two new minifig arrivals. These two purchases were inspired by playing a recent acquisition funny enough about baseball. I thought these would be cool reminders to players about which side they are playing.

Ok the dice aren't as big as I was expecting, but still they will do as counters for Ashes to keep track of the various states that it has tokens for.
You really think that this second T.I.M.E. Stories expansion wasn't going to be on its way to me? Wow I thought you would know me better by now.
These following arrivals are pimping out my copy of 7 Wonders. The pimping starts off with the playmat, which I would argue should be in the base game as standard and not an optional extra to track down. Ok the Wonders Pack just adds a bit more variety to the base game. But I have two packs of the Viticulture metal coins, which will be split between 7 Wonders and Viticulture (when it arrives in my collection).

Lastly a second set of dice for Formula D arrived. I'm hoping we will be playing this game a bit at the Fenland Gamers, so having a second set will make things a bit easier.

A tale of postal incompetence and deceit

Or how Wisbech Royal Mail once more prove they are lazy and dishonest.

Way back in time to the start of December 2015 I ordered one or two bits from the Portal Games web store. Fast forward to last week. The bgg stuff had arrived, and still no sign of my order from Portal Games.

Yesterday when I placed a new order with bgg I declared on Twitter a race between this new order and the Portal Games order. Which would arrive first? Ignacy top dog at Portal twitted back no need to race, and to email them to get help tracking my package.

So I did a quick search on my emails to get my order number only to discover I had missed an email from them on the 13th January saying the package had been returned to them for some reason, and could I confirm my shipping address.

Oops egg on my face, how did I miss that email? Anyway I replied with my address. Which matched the one they had one file. How strange, why would it be returned?

Unless…

Well I know they never tried delivering it, Nan doesn't leave the house. Anyone knocking one the door would attract the attention of my Wolfpack that she looks after while I'm at work. Besides if somehow Nan hadn't heard them there was no red card saying they had tried delivering it.

So the evidence points to at no time did the Wisbech Royal Mail try and deliver my package.

I then assume having not attempted to make the delivery the Wisbech Royal Mail left my package sitting in their sorting office limbo waiting for collection. A collection that was never going to happen because no one out side of their little closed collective knew the package had arrived in Wisbech. Then following the prescribed number of days, having not been collected, was sent back to the sender!

I have several tales from the last year about their staff lying about attempting to deliver a package, or failing to leave a delivery card. Or their local management failing to ever call when asked to (I was asked to leave my number when I tried to complain on numerous occasions when conveniently the management have gone home for the day).

So there is my tale of postal woe. Luckily the Wisbech Royal Mail didn't ruin my Christmas with their laziness and deceit.

During this Portal Games have been brilliant, despite my sarcasm.

Gambling on pledge managers

tabletop

During the early hours of the morning I received an email from the people behind “The 7th Continent” to confirm my address, what I had actually paid for, and more importantly add any “extras” to my order.

I had gambled that this last bit would happen. At the time of the Kickstarter for “The 7th Continent” I didn't have the funds to back very thing I wanted. Which was also the case for the other Kickstarter funded game The Others, and I also did the same gamble.

The gamble was I backed the game with all the stretch goals, and the Kickstarter exclusive addons. That way if when the backer manager link was sent I didn't get an opportunity to buy the other addons, at least I had the exclusives and would just have to wait until the other expansions hit the retailers.

With The Others the gamble paid off and I was able to add the extra addons to my Kickstarter pledge. Thus picking up a little saving on their purchase. Which is the advantage of getting them via the Kickstarter the publisher usually gives a little discount on each addon.

When I clicked on the pledge manager link for “The 7th Continent” there was a moments suspense about whether the gamble had paid off this time. Once again it had. I was able to add to my pledge the outstanding addons (minus the notepad) that I was unable to afford in my initial pledge on Kickstarter.

And that is why I take the gamble. At the time of the Kickstarter finishing I may not have the funds available to get everything I'd like. So I try as I have already said get a level that gives me the game and all the stretch goals, and the exclusive to Kickstarter backers addons. Then hope that later on I am able to purchase the rest of the addons when the pledge manager kicks in.

This was I am able to split the cost of buying the game and the addons. But the addons aren't necessary, and could wait until they are available to retailers.

You could argue that going “all in” as I call it is taking a big risk. What if I don't like the game? That's what eBay and the selling and trading page on Facebook is for.

In the meantime I know that in March and October if the campaigns keep to their schedule I'm getting two pretty big deliveries. If I remember correctly for The Others just the game and the stretch goals I'm getting just over $300 worth stuff for $100! Then add on all the addons for the game I'm getting. That box won't be small.

Yes the box for “7th Continent” will be smaller, but you will be surprised how heavy all those cards will be. I think the only addon I haven't gone for is the notebook they are selling. I couldn't see the point of buying a branded notebook. Otherwise by buying the addons on, I'm saving three or four euros per addon. Which may not sound much, but it's still money better in my pocket than some-one else's.

 

My New Grail Game

Uncategorized

  
I’ve been giving the following decision a lot of thought over the last couple of days. More so in fact than handing in my notice. That was a no brainer.

I’ve decided to elevate Glen More from just a game on my wish list, and one I really enjoy playing, to the hallowed title of “Grail game”.

It was a tough decision. Over the last few days I read a bgg forum debate where the designer of Glen More let it “slip” that sometime in the future the game should be easier to get due to a reprint.

I’d be dancing in the street if this is true. Watch the mad rush to offload the game at the current arm and a leg prices when the reprint is officially announced. Hoping that they catch an innocent punter and part them from their money before they find out if they wait they can get the game brand new for a reasonable price.

We saw this behaviour with the game Fury of Dracula. It was sickening to see them hunting for fresh prey. 

Anyway while I’m waiting for this official announcement (I’m not holding my breathe, call me a cynic if you must) I thought this game surely deserves the title “Grail game” on my wish list.

If you somehow get a chance to buy Glen More or even just play it, do it. You won’t regret it.

Oh and I’m naturally talking about the English version of this game,not the easily found German version. 

Epic Wednesday!

epic

Got my chance to play Epic finally today. Four of us split into pairs to play the basic thirty card deck game.

Each of us dealt thirty cards from the one hundred and twenty card deck that comes in the box, plus the Kickstarter cards shuffled in.

In my first game I got my butt royally handed to me. Hardly doing any damage to my opponent and taking lots in return. I was unable to block my opponents champions because they were airborne and I had no airborne champions to block with.

The two winners then went on to play against each other to decide the victor, while myself and the other loser played for not coming last.

I did much much better in this second game. I won. It was close but I was able to make a massive swing to get the win.

So what did I make of my first plays of Epic? It was enjoyable. I'd like to play the game using some of the other formats. Being able to play straight away just by dealing two decks of thirty cards is great for learning the game and terminology. But I think the game will jump to another level playing the other game formats like some of the drafting modes or even the preconstructed decks.

I just need to expand the LCG/CCG/deckbuilder contingent of the fenland gamers to more than myself.

 

Companion Apps

Uncategorized

  
What apps do you use to assist in your gaming?

I have two apps that select randomly set ups for Marvel Legendary. 

A general score keeping app, along with one aimed at Epic.

Two apps that can be used to track tournaments if I ran one.

A deck building app for Android:Netrunner.

I’m tracking my game plays with an app (more in that at the end of the month).

Naturally I also have companion apps for games I own that provide timers, atmospheric sound effects, or read out event cards.

So what apps do you have to aid your gaming?

Quick to the table

Uncategorized

Thought I’d set myself a little challenge for the quarter. Kind of a mini resolution. I’m not one for these yearly resolutions, but this I think I can get behind and do.

So here is the deal… 

I have what many would consider is a collection of games. Some I’ve played, some I haven’t. 

Well I’d like to change that ratio of unplayed to played, plus there are some games I’d like to get back to the table.

To help with that I thought I’d come up with a list of five games each quarter that I would try to get to the table either for a first time or renewing of a friendship.

So here is the very first of my lists of games I want to get to the table:

  • Five Tribes
  • Magic the Gathering Arena of the Planeswalker
  • Discoveries
  • T.I.M.E. Stories
  • Ashes 

One or two will be easier than others, but that is part of the challenge.