The Trooper

star wars

So Qwertee had some Star Wars designs up recently and I caved and bought one. I could have bought all three to be fair. But somehow I found the inner strength to just get the one. The one I went for tickled not just the inner Star Wars nerd in me, but my teenage metal head as well.

Below is the original design that inspired the rather humorous fun Star Wars themed take on it.

Ashamidly for a Star Wars fan I have only one Star Wars related tee. So this will be my second. This trooper tee is begging to be worn while playing Imperial Assault or X-Wing. Yes I think we have already established on this blog that I am in fact that sad.

Now I just need to get either game to the table to prove how sad I am in real life.

 

Guest Post: Numenera: Into the Ninth World

Uncategorized

This is a rarity for this blog, a guest post. But my friend Jamie asked if he could do one for the blog, and I thought why not? It will give you all a break from my ramblings. Please note this guest post neither represents my views or is me endorsing any product/kickstarter. The following is entirely the views and opinions of Jamie. Right disclaimer over here are Jamie's words for you to read.

 

Growing up in a small community in the UK I was never really exposed to Roleplaying Games until I was already a couple of years into college. I had collected Warhammer 40K for most of my teenage years and when Inquisitor was released in 2001 I decided to give it a try. This was a narrative skirmish game and it served as a gateway from table top miniature war-games to story driven table top gaming. Before long I was introduced to D&D 3rd edition and eventually decided to turn my hand to DMing. I was really into the world building and narrative development, but my small group of players disliked my style as too ‘Railroading’, as they wanted and open world free for all and I wanted to craft a compelling story. I would eventually come to realise that there is a balance between these too ideals, but it was several years before I tried to turn my hand to running a game again. I dabbled with 4th edition, but as an RPG it wasn’t for me, I felt the system was a little too ‘crunchy’ like Inquisitor and made for a better board game.

Then in September 2012 I discovered the Numenera Kickstarter, two days too late. The setting sounded interesting, and the rules promised to take a backseat to exploration and collaborative storytelling. Even though the Kickstarter had finished, I found that Monte Cook Games were still allowing preorders, so I made my pledge and waited.

For those new to the setting, Numenera is set in the ‘Ninth World’, our world, but ‘1 Billion Years in the Future’. Think about that for a moment. Seven other civilizations have risen and fallen after our own, and the ninth is well on its way to the middle ages. “What’s the point if it’s just another rehash of the traditional Knights of the Round Table setting?” I hear you ask, well imagine if King Arthur had grown up around the remnants of an incredibly advanced civilization, with left over technology that is largely incomprehensible to even the most learned of the era, what impact would that have?

As Arthur C. Clarke put it, “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic”, and that is the heart of Numenera.

When the Numenera sourcebook eventually arrived I was blown away by the quality of both its production and the content. This book alone contained enough material to get a game up and running, along with a combined world guide and ‘monster manual’. It was excellent value.

The system took a little while to get my head around at first, as it was so different to what I had experienced before. The GM doesn’t make any rolls? Really? And then you come to realise that intraditional RPGs the GM is going to fudge the results of her secret rolls half the time anyway to make it fair to the players (unless they are really mean), so why not put the onus on the players. They get to gamble with the risk and reward directly and with the inspired inclusion of the GM intrusion mechanic, allowing the GM to interrupt and throw a spanner in the works in exchange for bonus XP, still gave the GM enough control to shape the story.

After running a few games of Numenera, I knew that the Cypher System was right for me, and the setting of the Ninth World was fresh (and weird) enough to provide a lot of inspiration for my own world building within it.

The numerous ‘Glimmers’ or digital supplements that followed the release of the core book, along with further hardback releases of a detailed Bestiary, Technology Guide and World Guide, have only continued in the tradition of the first release, maintaining the quality while expanding the breadth and depth of the worldbuilding options.

I now have so much faith in the Monte Cook Games team that I didn’t hesitate to back the Numenera Reliquary Box Set Kickstarter as soon as it was announced, and I wait with anticipation (and the quiet jealousy of seeing seemingly everyone on Twitter receive theirs already), for its imminent delivery.

Which brings us to Monte Cook’s new Kickstarter announcement:

Into the Ninth World: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/montecookgames/numenera-into-the-ninth-world

I knew as soon as Monte announced the first of this new book line last year that I was going to be getting it. Into The Night expands the Numenera sandbox dramatically by opening up space travel and the potential to explore the solar system ‘One billion years in the future’, I can’t wait to see what’s out there. For this now to become the first of an entire product line for expanding the Ninth World is very exciting, and the Kickstarter is already off to a phenomenal start, having hit its initial funding goal one hour after launch and tripling this only 18 hours later, there will be many big things to come before this Kickstarter concludes. Four stretch goals have been met and I am sure there will be many more over the next month before this campaign comes to an end.

But why is this important to you? Well if you have already bought into the MCG ecosphere you have probably already backed this project, as you know what the team there can deliver, but if you are new to Numenera or any of the Cypher System games, this is a great point to jump on board. Take a look at the Pledge calculator to see what addons you can get:

http://www.montecookgames.com/store/i9w-pledge-calculator/

That’s right, pretty much the entire back catalogue (sans glimmers) is available to bundle in with this Kickstarter, for a reasonable price. It is worth noting that this has free shipping in the US, but if you’re in the UK like me, or anywhere else for that matter, shipping costs do add up, though MCG does provide a $10 subsidy on the shipping cost for each delivery. It’s a hefty investment but, believe me, it’s well worth it.

I hope this has convinced some of you to jump on board, and if so please come join in the fun at the Numenera G+ community https://plus.google.com/communities/118049550596003630024

You can reach Jamie at the following places

Jamie Myland https://twitter.com/raegar

https://plus.google.com/+JamieMyland/

Numenera, The Strange, the Cypher System, and their respective logos are trademarks of Monte Cook Games, LLC in the U.S.A. and other countries. All Monte Cook Games characters and character names, and the distinctive likenesses thereof, are trademarks of Monte Cook Games, LLC. Content derived from Monte Cook Games publications is © 2013-2014 Monte Cook Games, LLC. http://www.numenera.com/fan-use-policy/

 

 

Top Deck

marvel legendary, run,fight or die

Last night I got to play a couple of games of Run, Fight or Die! with two friends while sharing an alcoholic beverage (ok I was on orange and lemonade not very rock and roll I know). One of the friends was new to the game but picked it up really fast.

I won the first game but it's how I won that matters. Friend number one playing as The Country Girl had died, swept away by a zombie horde. I was playing as The Street Kid and had a couple of wounds, while friend number two (noobie) was playing The Silent a Rancher and had his full seven health remaining when friend one left the mortal game board.

Luckily we weren't playing the co-op expansion so friend one dying was good for the rest of us. One down, one to go. Into the mix the Mutant Boss decided to make an appearance. Just what we needed more pressure. The way the boards were building up there wasn't going to be much chance to take him out.

It wasn't looking good for me, in a couple of turns I too would be on the receiving end of a zombie horde that had built up in zones three and two unless some miracle happened. My rolls allowed me to clear zone one, but that was delaying the inevitable. I needed a miracle.

On my next turn I now had a packed zone one, the rolls of the dice hadn't gone my way.

And low and behold one did occur. I had to draw a follower. I drew the card, and looked at it. I had drawn Hit Girl. Hit Girl was worth two victory points. But if I sacrificed her I could remove all zombies in any one zone. OMG I had just top decked a card that was going to keep me alive for another turn. There was no soul searching, no how could I sacrifice a little girl to survive. I was cold and brutal and sacrificed Hit Girl in a blink of an eye. Zone one was clear I would life another turn. Although that wasn't looking any better, because once more a horde would be knocking on my door.

Luckily friend two although having two more hit points to start with, had been slowly building up wounds with poor draws of the mutant cards. They were now only two wounds away from defeat. While I was slightly better off with being three away still.

My turn again. I needed to be lucky again or get overrun and become a zombie snack. I had to draw again, I can't remember the card type. But I had top decked again! The drawn card stopped all zombies advancing this turn. Wow why can't I be this lucky in Star Realms?

I was still alive somehow. Friend twos turn ended up being their last. With the Mutant Boss doing the final two wounds to kill them off.

Somehow I had hung in there long enough to win! If I hadn't top decked there was no way I'd be celebrating this victory.

Game two was a shorter game with friend one winning. Although I did manage to do three damage to the Mutant Boss before dying a couple of turns later, when I was overrun by a horde.

A great evenings gaming with two good friends. Doesn't get much better than that.

Oh while I remember I've pre-ordered the Big Box expansion for the game, which is mainly a large storage box for the game and all the expansions I believe. But it also comes with the new Running Late expansion, plus some kickstarter promos. Which pushes up the value for money factor. While I was pre-ordering that I also pre-ordered the mutant boss 2.0 model. It's so hard to get the mutant boss model 1.0 because it was a kickstarter exclusive I believe, and they rarely come up. So I was relieved that the publisher is doing this limited release model.

Upper Deck Legendary News

 

I don't know how I missed this news from GenCon but I did. Luckily I've found out now, and this news is blooming awesome.

Upper Deck are going to be releasing two new Legendary games based on two very popular ip. I think it would be fair to say they have big cult followings.

Both of these games will be using the Legendary game engine. Which means these will be deck building games. I'm assuming here based on previous products in this line that they will be co-operative, possibly have a competitive mode of some sort, be really thematic (Legendary Encounters Alien did win the best themed game award in the Dice Towers Awards this year) and finally interchangeable with the other Legendary games.

The first ip that will be joining the Legendary world is Big Trouble in Little China. The eighties cult classic staring Kurt Russell as Jack Burton.

There is no release date at present. However considering that next year is the thirtieth anniversary of this classic cult movie (god I feel so old typing that) and there is a remake/reboot apparently in the works and in some stage of development with apparently The Rock involved. With that information in hand I would hazard a guess that we will see Big Trouble in Little China in 2016, I'm not sure when the exact date of the anniversary is, but if I was in marketing at Upper Deck I'd be trying to release as near to that date as possible. However my gut says because of the next ip to be announced and that's release date we will see this game in the first half of 2016.

Will we see Upper Deck pick up another cult classic starring Kurt Russell, Escape from New York?

The second ip taking the Legendary world to a new world of awesome is… No before I tell you, you had better go to the toilet because you are going to soil yourself in excitement…

Right now you are back…

The second ip joining the Legendary world is…

Are you ready for it?

The second ip is… get this… Firefly!!! OMG!! How amazing is that news? There are a lot of fanboys wetting themselves at the moment because they didn't listen to my advice. Yes there are already Firefly games out there, including the just released Firefly Shiney Dice game. But this one has the potential to put all those others in the shade.

Oh yes a chance to play the crew of the Serenity using the amazing Legendary game engine. If the reavers aren't in the game I'd be really really shocked.

So when can we expect to get our dirty sweaty nerdy fanboy mitts on this new member to the Legendary stable? Currently (and I say that because things can happen in the meantime that could delay it) Upper Deck are aiming for GenCon 2016 for its release. Which basically means we have a year of trying to manage our excitement.

I do have one concern with this news, by the time these come out we will have three (four depending on how you want to class Villians) games out on the market using the Legendary engine. Will the games start feeling tired? How will Upper Deck make sure that the games remain fresh, but at the same time compatitable with the existing games, and not just a retheming of an existing engine? Maybe I'm just worrying over nothing. I know I'll be buying both I'm such a predictable sheep sometimes. What do you think of this news or my concerns? Are you excited as me about it?

 

 

More Survivors

zombicide

Continuing on from yesterday's Zombicide survivor fest I've made a visit to the top secret location to get more pictures of the Zombicide survivors that are in the witness protection program.

Seth or Mr Liam “I only play the one role these days” Nilson. A great looking sculpt, that for me captures Liam's character from Taken. Sadly it also captures every bloody role he has had in a movie since also. Not sure I could play Seth, the pain of having to think of all those derivitive roles deluting the memory of a good movie. It's just too painful. Seth will stay in the witness protection program.

I was a House fan, although that final season was a bit of a slog to get through. Now I'd like to say that this sculpt captures the House character really well. But that would be a lie, in my opinion it captures the over the edge, lost his mind with anger side amazingly well. You can definitely see House going a bit insane with a baseball bat busting zombie heads.

Yes I would consider myself a Big Bang Theory fan despite its stereotyping of geeks for comedic effect. Kabir below is the Zombicide characture of Raj. There are other Big Bang Theory characters charactured in Zombicide, and those that I have will be covered in another post. Ok I admit it I will be playing scenarios where the Big Bang Theory gang have to fight for survival.

What red blooded teenage boy didn't have a crush on Daisy Duke from the Dukes of Hazard during the late seventies early eighties? Not sure I'd play Cat that much but it sure was great bringing back those teen memories.

I know at least one friend who will love playing this character. Spencer is the sculpt representing Walter White from the Breaking Bad TV series. A very cool looking sculpt. I'll have to look what other characters they do and see if there is a themed team I can put together.

Finally we have Yuri who is meant to be Keither Sutherland as Jack Bauer from 24 I think. I like this sculpt a lot, and I think Yuri will be used a few times.

So there we have it for this witness protection update. I hope you have enjoyed this look at some of the figures I got with the third kickstarter. Sadly the kickstarter is usually the only place these can be picked up at a normal price. Otherwise it's paying the inflated and they are very inflated prices of eBay.

 

Clones and Survivors

zombicide

After suffering that mauling by Loki, Raoul was beyond saving. Surgeons tried for hours, working in shifts to save him. But alas their epic struggle through oceans of blood and tissue was to no avail. Raoul was declared legally dead on the operating table and his remains immediately handed over to some shadow cybernetics skunk team trying to develop cyborg soldiers.

Luckily with advances in medical technology thanks to the imagination of science fiction writers cloning has come far enough for Raoul to be cloned. Yesterday straight from the cloning vats the new clone Raoul arrived.

Clone Raoul has been placed in a secure secret location to protect him from any future attempts on his life by the diabolical Loki.

I thought that while I was talking about the new clone for Zombicide that I was forced to get after Loki decided he wanted a plastic snack! I'd belatedly go through some of the figures from the Zombicide Season 3 kickstarter I got. These figures aren't from the actual episode 3 boxes but stretch goal figures and add-ons.

The attraction of these figures is that they are charactures of well known celebrity figures. Naturally the publisher hasn't licensed anything so they can't call the figure the actual name of the person it is of. However you can make an educated guess who they are meant to be.

These figures just add another bit of fun to the game.

First up is Bastian. I had to look this one up for who was a parody of. Apparently it's Ben Stiller from Zoolander. The character looks cool with the double Uzi guns and double axes in his zombivore version. But and this may be blasphemy to some but I'm not a big Ben Stiller fan so unless a friend really wants to play this character in a game he won't be seeing much game play.

The potty mouth, no holds barred, tell it as it is, Gordan Ramsey is the next to be parodied as Jesse. I love the art work and sculpt, they really do capture Gordan Ramsey so well. I wonder if he is aware of this characture? Not sure I'd play him much but I can see myself doing so on the odd occasion.

Finally for this post for fans of the Luc Besson film Leon we have Lucius as the parody of Leon the professional. This sculpt just oozes cool. I know a couple of friends that might play this character.

These figures have also joined Raoul in the top secret safe house in a witness protection program so they can escape the clutches of Lord Evil himself Loki.

 

My Awesome Weekend

imperial assault, netrunner, new arrivals, tabletop
Saturday saw me driving up North to the shadow of Kinder Scout to visit friends. As the photo below shows I took the odd game with me. I had ordered some new games that I was hoping would make it before I set off. Unusual for the Royal Mail they actually attempted to deliver my parcels, and they did it at half eight. Which meant I got them on time for once.
But I still had no idea what time DPD would be arriving with the one game I actually did want to take with me specifically for the weekend. Then a text message arrived letting me know they would be delivering the game Castle Panic before ten fifteen. Score I'd have everything before my planned leave time. For once the stars aligned for me.

Once at my destination for the weekend it was Netrunner time with my guru Todd. Todd was using his newly constructed HB Cybernetics Division deck against my Noise deck. Two games, two loses. But I did score some agendas so it wasn't a white wash. Then we swapped I played Todd's HB corp deck, while he played my Noise deck. I think this was maybe my third time playing corp. I haven't really looked at trying to construct a corp deck yet. I'm not really sure which corp is me yet.

I won this role reversal game, and then had feedback from Todd on where he thought my short comings were for my deck. I basically need to look at my economy (there wasn't really enough being generated), while there was also not much synergy going on in my deck either.

After a break, Todd constructed a runner deck that he wanted to test. So I played his corp deck again (well I don't currently have one) it was a tense game. But in the end Todd ended up winning.

While we were playing the last game it was getting near to the bedtime for his boys, and they wanted to play a game with me. So before they went to bed we had a couple of quick games of Batman Love Letter.

Tea for us grown ups had been an awesome homemade chilli made by Todd. It was just right, not over hot, but not bland like the chilli at work. There was a really nice heat to it. Perfect.

Sunday morning after breakfast was a quick game of Batman Love Letter with the boys. Then with the table in the middle of the room it was time for a game of Zombies! a favourite of the boys.

I hadn't played Zombies! before, so this was a new experience for me. My initial impression of the game was it was a lot of fun. Building the map as you go along was a nice mechanic. The game has a lot of opportunities for player interaction, well a take that interaction. It was very easy to screw over another player, forcing them to skip a go, stop them moving, surround them with zombies etc. One of the boys was really getting into this side of the game. That did add to the enjoyment of the game.

Run,Fight or Die! Fails

I tried to teach the youngest age seven Run,Fight or Die! However it didn't really grab his attention, especially with Cartoon Network on the TV.

How unfit I am?

After lunch we all went for a walk. The weather was hot, and the route took us over a hill to a conviently placed pub that used to be a mill. The hill was hard work, I'm so out of shape. Well more than usual. Luckily the return journey didn't have as much up, which was welcomed. The boys were amazing, not a single word of complaint, they really enjoyed themselves. It warms my heart to see kids enjoying the outdoors.

But boy was I knackered and sore afterwards. I really must get back into shape for the outdoors.

With the car packed it was time to say my good byes. I'd had a really great weekend. Great hosts, a great time. 'Nuff said.

Chris Shaner GenCon Star Realms Champion

Well the subheading says it all. A really big congratulations to Chris on becoming the champ. I don't think I'd be wrong in saying this competition is the nearest the Star Realms has at the moment to a world championship.
For an amazingly long time Chris was the top Star Realms player online however due to his alterism (he is no longer actively trying to push up his ranking since hitting level 40) he has been over taken and currently sits at number 4 on the all time league table. So really when you are that good at the game is it a surprise that Chris did so well in the GenCon competition?
Chris regularly thrashes me at Star Realms online. Sometimes I even make him work hard for his victory. Even more rare is the below photo, a victory for me. It just happened I managed to score this ultra rare win yesterday on the day I find out about Chris's well deserved title win.

Imperial Assault Wave 4 Announced

At GenCon this years big Imperial Assault announcement from Fantasy Flight Games was details of the wave four expansions. Wave four will have another big expansion which will return us fanboys back to Hoth.

Above photo taken from The Dice Tower stream from GenCon iirc ^_^

My favourite GenCon coverage from the week has been from Team Covenent and their unboxing and looks at the Wave Two expansions for Imperial Assault and the next big expansion for Android:Netrunner Data and Destiny. The videos give a great look with initial thoughts on the expansions, the enthusiasm for the contents, and the games really does come across in the videos. It's infectious and makes the videos a delight to watch.

The other coverage I have enjoyed is the MeepleWorship Instagram feed. This has been a great personal view of the show. Some great photos from the show floor, including loads of selfies with industry figures, celebs from the bloggersphere and of purchases.

New Arrival To The Pile Of Shame

The Recon expansion for Arctic Scavengers arrived this morning. It comes in a pretty big box. But there is a reason for that. The box is designed to hold not just the Recon expansion but also the base game and the HQ expansion (the right half of the photo above shows this). Apart from adding 140 new cards for the game, it also comes with the rules for using the Recon expansion, plus an updated rule book for the base game and HQ expansion. Now to just get the game to the table! Which is easier said than done.

 

Overrun

new arrivals, tabletop

Last night had an unexpected gaming session. A friend was working behind the bar at a local establishment, and it was a bit empty. So I was invited up to help pass the time with some boardgames.

Being such a Star Realms fanatic I took that with me, and also I thought I would introduce Run Fight or Die!

We played a couple of games of Star Realms first. Fun games, my friend enjoyed learning and playing but I don't think it was as big a hit as it had been with Nath (side note Nath is playing the app but not forked out for the full version yet, so no online games together. But so looking forward to my next visit and seeing how much he has grown in his game play.)

Next up was a couple of games of Run Fight or Die! I lost the first game we played when I got over run by zombies. The second game ended up with my friend being over run by zombies. Both games the mutant boss appeared. In the first game I did manage to hit him once. But the second game our card draw just kept adding more life to the mutant boss. There wasn't much chance of us getting rid of the mutant boss. Plus we were both having to concentrate on trying to hold back the zombie horde. I was having a modicum of success. However my friend was mounting up wounds fast, zombies knocking on the door, but it was a mutant card dealing two wounds that finished them off.

The great thing about Run Fight or Die! is it's portable (easily more so than Zombicide), doesn't take up loads of space to play (ideal for last night), quick to setup, and quick to teach. The game captures that constant threat, overwhelming odds feeling so well. I get the same feeling while playing Zombicide (which I love playing) and it's a part of playing the games I love. That feeling of impending doom, attempting heroic moves that if successful keep you alive another turn, or if you are lucky a bit longer until the next wave of zombies hits. Then after that intense feeling of impending doom comes a wave of serenity when you accept your bloody fate. Pure gaming delight.

The plus side is that at our next game night if we play Run Fight or Die! there is someone else to help teach the game to the others.

New Additions to the Pile of Shame

So the first expansion for Five Tribes called The Artisans of Naqala has arrived. Yes an expansion for a game that I haven't got to the table yet and is sitting proudly in my pile of shame. But I know that if I don't get it now after it just came out, when I do want to use it I won't be able to get it. Or I would be able to get it but it will be mega expensive on eBay.

This expansion adds a new tribe to the game, with the supporting tiles, tokens, meeples, cards etc for that tribe to added to the game.

Next on to the pile of shame is the game Biblios Dice. I haven't played the original card game Biblios or the earlier versions Scripts and Scribes (card and dice), so why the interest in the dice game? It looked cool in the YouTube video I saw of it being played! I had heard it was good before seeing the video, had a look for it on YouTube. Liked what I saw, thought I can see others I play with liking it. And it wasn't mega expensive.

In Biblios Dice you play a monk (no jokes about my love life please) who has been tasked with increasing the prestige of the abbey's collection of historical and sacred texts. Doesn't sound an exciting theme to be honest. But the video of it being played really sold me on it, the mechanics, DICE, and it looked fun.

Finally

The button was pressed on the Amazon cart this morning, about five-ish. A couple of items will arrive sometime next week, but I knew that before hand. It's now a race against time hoping that the courier Amazon have used (DPD according to the text I received) will arrive before eleven tomorrow morning so I can take Castle Panic with me. Here's hoping.

 

’twas the night before payday

tabletop

When all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even an attack chihuahua;
The Amazon cart was filled with care
In hopes that Prime would have them there next day;

So if you haven't guessed already by that rather lame parody intro its payday tomorrow and my Amazon cart is all loaded up and ready to fire off first thing in the morning.

Are you wondering what is in the cart? What made the cut for this months hard earned cash?

For starters there is nothing Android: Netrunner related, the last data pack of the SanSan cycle seems to still be on the boat! Still no sign of the second wave Imperial Assault expansions, but they are on pre-order.

So now let's look at what is sitting in the cart.

  • Castle Panic
  • Recon – Arctic Scavengers expansion
  • Spectre Ops
  • Discoveries the journals of Lewis and Clarke

How did I arrive at this list?

This weekend I'm visiting Todd, Zoe and their boys up in the shadow of Kinder Scout. Todd is my Netrunner guru! So there will be one or two games of Netrunner over the weekend. However we will be playing other stuff also. I met up with them all at the con in May, sadly the boys at the con didn't get to play the giant sized Castle Panic. They are at an age where they would really have enjoyed play the game. So I thought I'd get the regular size game (well it's the only option available because they don't sell a giant sized version – although that would be cool to get for induction days at work) for the boys to play this weekend. I think they will have a lot of fun playing this co-op game.

Even though I haven't got Arctic Scavengers to the table yet I want this just released expansion for it. What I do like is that those that want to get the game can also buy a version of the game now that has the base game and all the expansions. I'm taking my copy of the game with me this weekend on the off chance we get to play it.

I'm a cyberpunk fan, I have been since the mid eighties. Since being introduced to Android: Netrunner earlier in the year, my love for the genre has been rekindled. Spectre Ops has been described as Metal Gear Solid the boardgame. Which basically means it's a stealth game on a board. How they achieve that I'll cover when the game arrives. But it has a cyberpunk theme which tickets the box for me, plus the way it implements the stealth is cool (ok if you want to know more just go and watch the Watch It Played how to play video). So this edged it above Dark Moon this month, although that will most likely be top of the list next month.

Ok I haven't played the Lewis and Clarke game that Discoveries is a spin off of. But having seen a run through of the game, this dice game looked good fun. Besides if it isn't obvious I love dice games, as does my friend James. So this is something that should appeal to him as well to play.

So there you have the planned new arrivals for this month. If decide to get or even have any of the above please let me know what you think of the games.

 

AGES – Final Thoughts

ages

You can find my earlier posts on AGES here. They look at the cards, how to setup and play the game.

Before I get into my final thoughts so that I am open and above board, I should point out I paid for my pre-production copy of AGES, I know the designer Chris Shaner from playing against him on Star Realms (he kicks my butt 80% of the time we play).

There with that information in hand you can now decide the value of what I am about to say.

Oh other information that you need to know, I love deck building games. Nope that's an understatement I LOVE deck building games. Star Realms I frickin adore, Marvel Legendary fantastic. Two games that if I had to do a top ten would be easily in the top ten if not top five. Plus I'm biting at the bit to get Arctic Scavengers to the table.

So now I've been completely open and declared interests, and you know where I'm coming from, let's get on with my final thoughts on AGES.

REMEMBER: This is all based on the none final version.

For those that already have reached the conclusion tl;dr for this post already here is the overall summary “I frakin love it”.

Right now we have got rid of those people with short attention spans, let's look into this in a bit more depth.

First off this game screams for a nice playmat for the play area. Similar to the board in Marvel Legendary or playmat in Legendary Encounters Alien. Luckily there are some designs Chris has been running by folks on the Edutainment Facebook page. So I know these are in the works.

You can see influences from other games within AGES. It could easily have been a train wreck combining the influences. However Chris had avoided this and they work really well together.

I love being able to react to another player as they are taking their turn with cards that have an immediate ability if I have any in my hand.

The game is very tactical having the Elite character row and the main trade row. Having to decide between the two for which card to buy. Are you buying to deny the other player? Runs the risk of revealing something better for them. I love that double edged sword.

The Elite phase, wow what a great idea. Love, love it. It does make that purchase decision harder. Sometimes you are buying an Elite character just to deny the other player the use of the Elite phase ability. Which feeds into maybe you haven't got enough gold to buy the Elite character, so end up buying a main card just to deny the other player of that cards ability in the Elite phase. This all feeds into the previous point.

I like how locations are used to give you and on going ability that you may use on each turn. This also gives another one of those hard choices to make during the game. There are going to be times in the game when you fall just short of having enough gold to buy that main card or Elite character that you really really want to buy. Luckily you have a location in front of you that is giving you a rather nifty ability that you have been finding really useful. But if you trash it you can use it as gold to get that card you really want. But that ability is really good and you don't want to lose it, even though eventually the location will come back at some point. There's the quandary. Love it, love it.

The cards look really cool, love the back of the card artwork. The cards feel nice and of a good quality. I'd love to see some custom card sleeves with the current back of card artwork on them to protect the cards. If I remember correctly I believe a handful (five?) of the cards will be getting new artwork. But the images used for the cards are cool and do a good job of capturing the person, item, location they represent.

As I have pointed out this version is not the final version of the game. The manual that I have does need a bit of work. And Chris is going to be working on this I believe.

I like this game a lot, nah LOVE it. I can't wait for it to hit kickstarter so that I can back it. Yes I will be buying it again! Why? So I have a final version of the game, and can get any promo cards that the kickstarter will have, and hopefully a playmat.

 

Sneak Peak

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Here's a sneak peak of one of the photos for an upcoming post. The post is taking a lot longer than planned but I hope worth the wait.

So from the picture above can you guess the theme?

In the meantime don't forget this week is GenCon the biggest American gaming convention of the year. So there will be lots of coverage this coming week, plus a week or two after with the thoughts of those that attended.