Monday - More, uh, games

Sorry, so light on the pictures. I'll do better. Here are the games I played:

Huang Di:

In prototype form, but already picked up for publication by Cambridge Games. Very well polished, this Great Wall of China building game uses a similar role selection mechanic as games such as Kreta, but with some very unique twists. I liked it alot. Look for it soon.

Dragon Parade: I like it. No one else did. Its a filler. They get no love, IMHO. Moving along.

Epic Battlelore: I was on the left flank, and every once in awhile I got to move and/or attack with some of my dudes. Neat, but I basically played 1/3 of a game of Battlore, and didn't choose my cards. Meh. I chatted with Aldie and Brain Yu while waiting to get to do things. We won by playing teh Lore card that allows everyone to attack.

Taluva: Ive played a bunchof tims, incorrectly. I liked it much better with the right rules.

Im Auftrag Des Konigs: One of my favorite board-game-in-an-Adlung-size-box games.

Friedemann Friese prototype: Dont really know the protocol here, but Ill just say I liked it even though I got smoked, and was totally read by Valerie Putnam.

More to come.......

On to the Games! Sunday Night

Finally got to the ballroom, intending to just unload my stuff and head back. Well, that didn't happen.

My first game of the Gathering, was a Joe Huber prototype, called Its Mathematics. Lets just say that is a little "math-y." Basically, start at single digit number, and in real time, use cards that have multiplication, addition, division and subtraction, with a few square cards to boot, to end up at another number. I sucked at the beginning, but figured it out, and ended up winning by hitting a 3-digit number on the button in the last round. Very cool. Dont look for it at your FLGS soon.


This is what I'm talking about. Notre Dame is just awesome. Lots of different ways to score, a nice tight, medium playing time, interwoven mechanics. Would buy it even if it were not in the Alea series.

(Interesting note: the second game in a row in the Alea line by Stepan Feld (Rum and Pirates), but a completely different type of game. Along with Roma, he is one to watch) I came in second after switching to an ignore-the-rats strategy.



Mathew Monin and I decided to try Medici vs. Strozzi, as it was getting late, and a monster game of Dune that had been going on for about 6 hours was still happening. This is really good and the valuations of the lots can be very tough to properly, well, evaluate. Not for everyone, but Matthew and I loved it. He won by one. Grrr.

Brian Yu and I checked out the Einfach Genial puzzles, that he had a friend bring him from Germany. It was kinda neat, but after trying it out, I dont think I'm gonna seek this one out.

Finally, the Dune game finished and to prep for the big mega-LOTR game later this week, 5 of us decided to give LoTR plus the Battlefields expansion a go. Well, Id like to recount the brave explits of the hobbits, but alas, we got smoked. The enemies ran all over us. Sam, played by Warren Madden, and I as Pipppin, actually managed to make it to Mordor, but not far. Im going to recommend a more aggressive Enemy containment stategy next time.


I took one last look at the room, and the big ole prize table, before I headed home at 6 AM. What, it's already 6!? Damn you, Gathering, and your fun games and awesome people to play them with! Damn you!

Got here, but no games yet.

Well, we are here, a little later than expected, and I dropped off Div at her parents house, to hang out with her brothers and Lily, our dog. Peace out, I got games to play!

Ill take "People Sitting and Talking" for 800, Alex

Video Daily Double!

For some context, here is a link to a video of the Gathering from last year. I am at the 5 minute mark, playing Payoff Machine. (I'm in the green shirt, for those who may not know me.) Dale Yu can be heard in the background telling me that I am "Doing it wrong," totally stealing my catch-phrase.

Here's my temporary blog!

So, unlike most people, I am not going to have any pretense of keeping this blog going any longer than the event it is designed to cover. I'm going to do my best to take pictures, and at least mention all of the games I play.

Divya and I are leaving Sun morning (after her 24 hour shift at the hospital is over) so we should get to Columbus around 7. Time for a game or two. Oh, who am I kidding, 4 or 5.

Later
Luke