2009 Session reports

[Charlie Davis]

May 30, 2009

This is another Saturday session. I am not sure where this took place. Again Dave and I played at least one different game. No idea who else was there. We both played.

Kingsburg - I really enjoyed this a lot the first time I played. Disliked it the next couple of times and have finally accepted it and will play when asked. Part of the dislike is because new players play slowly. Like many games, everyone should play faster.

Cash N Guns - Silly fun. Point guns at each other. Duck out if to many are pointed at you.

Dave also played

The Downfall of Pompeii - The first part of the game is about increasing your population. The second part is escaping the city as lave flows through it. I usually do very well in the first part and then not so well in the last part.

I played

El Grande - One of my favorite games.

[Charlie Davis]

June 2, 2009
by charlie

Another mid week game session at my apartment. Several students came by.

Toledo - An unusual Martin Wallace game. Some of the greatest sword makers in the world were said to be from Toledo. In this game, you are trying to gather steel and jewels to take to the sword smith so he can make you an impressive sword. Each player has a collection of businesses that offer steel or jewels or taverns (more cards). Each business can hold one or two workers. Each player also has a set of workers. As you move through Toledo your workers stop at businesses to gather the raw materials or have swords made. Once a certain number of workers have made it through town the game ends. The player with the most points from swords and a few other things wins. Since the points are known, you can delay ending the game to try and increase your victory points but it is a race to get the points and end the game while you are ahead.

Robo Rally - A classic. We are usually generous with the time with new players and use short criss cross paths.

Tongiaki - An odd game that I always enjoyed. Most people don't like it as much as I do. It is the puzzle aspect that I enjoy. The randomness of the ocean tiles can be heartbreaking but I always thought taking a canoe into the open ocean was a dangerous idea in the first place.

[Charlie Davis]

June 4, 2009
by Charlie

Several of the Appalachian Gamers volunteer to run games at ORIGINS GAME FAIR in June of each year. We get free badges and discounted hotel rooms and other perks but we have to spend time learning games before the con and then teaching them at the con. Believe me, it is not all fun and games. This year we are teaching a bunch of Jolly Roger and Days of Wonder games. Tonight we learn a couple that we will be teaching.

Victory and Honor (Jolly Roger) - This game was designed by Ty Douds. I met Ty a few years before this was published in 2004. He is a great guy and has a great family. It is a partnership trick taking card game. The catch is that there are special cards, unknown trump at the start of each hand, and you have to capture generals to score the other cards. I have to call this one unique in it's overall play. Card players will probably like it more than most other gamers.

GoldBrau (Rio Grande Games) - You are trying to gain majority control of beer gardens so that you can then buy beer from the factories that you want to buy from. That would be factories that you have stock in. The problem is if you focus on managing the beer garden someone else will gain control of the factories. If you worry about factories, the manager may not buy from you. The winner has to balance both of those things the best.


Ticket to Ride: The Card Game (Days of Wonder) - This is based on Ticket to Ride but it is a very different game. I will admit I was not to sure of it when I first saw it. There is a memory element that you cannot ignore and is hard for some gamers. However, even with a hopefully average memory, I like it more and more the more I play it.

[Charlie Davis]

June 9, 2009
by Charlie

Another night for learning games. We had a good size group this evening. TravO, Michelle, Charlie, Tim, Dave(?), Doug, Ted, Kris, and TravR.

Ticket to Ride (Days of Wonder) - TravO, Michelle and Charlie played. It is a relatively easy game but experience can help. I had played several times and did come out the winner. I very seldom ever get to play the original game because I never owned it.

The other table must have played something while we were doing that but I can't find anything.

Memoir '44 Operation Overlord with the Hedgerow Hell scenario (Days of Wonder) - Everyone stayed late as we taught this to everyone. The overlord box gives you enough paper counters to play the overlord games without a second Memoir game. We ran a game to get everyone familiar with the system and the Overlord box of components. We leaned a lot that night.

[Charlie Davis]

June 11, 2009
by Charlie

Another night for learning games. We may have only had 4 this night.

Automobile (Martin Wallace) - Kris, Ted, Charlie and TravR, I think. I had played once months before. Ted and Kris had played once. It is a math heavy game but it is not really hard. I like it a lot.

Memoir '44 Operation Overlord with the Tigers in the Snow scenario (Days of Wonder) - We spread out as much as possible and gained some more knowledge about the system.

[Charlie Davis]

June 20, 2009

The last game session before ORIGINS 09. We still have a few games to learn. No idea who was here tonight. (Ted, Dave, Charlie, and probably TravO were there.)

Small World (Days of Wonder) - We had just gotten a copy of this about a month before so several people still had not played. I loved Vinci and this is a wonderful refinement of that game.

Knock! Knock! (Jolly Roger) - This is a cute kids game about monsters attending some house parties. Some of them you want at your party and some you don't. Sometimes someone knocks on the door and they want to come in, sometimes they steal your guests. Adults can play it fine but it is really good for kids.

Warhamster Rally (Jolly Roger) - None of that, "Oh isn't he cute" stuff for these guys. These are mean racing hamsters. We raced hamsters around the board and had a good time. The fun part is to move the jongaliers into someone's path or bump a hamster to the next space. The reason this is fun is because you program one move ahead each turn so people cannot adjust to the new situation as fast as they would want to. programmed movement as well.

Next week, off to ORIGINS to teach all of these games.

[Charlie Davis]

June 25, 2009
by charlie

I think Ted, Kris, Tom and others should have had a regular game night. I found no reports so maybe not. Most of the regulars were at Origins already.

[Charlie Davis]

July 2, 2009
by Charlie

I think a few guys came to Montgomery to play at my home. Dave was there and I think Tom and Kris came. We must have had a student, Travis W. as well.

Games played

Onexeno - I played a two player game with Travis. It is an abstract game played with square cards. The cards have from 0-8 pips around the outside of each card (3x3 grid with the number printed in the center) You must match the number of pips to the next card to play. The cards are played in a 5x5 grid. When you make 5 in a row you claim those cards. The most points at the end wins. It will play up to 7 or in teams. I think it is pretty good. I need to get it out and play some more.


Battlestar Galactica - With Dave, Tom, Kris, me and Travis W, who knows what happened.

I'm the Boss - I remember lots of fighting over making the deals. Kris is a tough negotiator. I try to give a little and get in on lots of deals.

[Charlie Davis]

July 9, 2009

Travis R, Dave, Ted, Kris, Charlie plus some others.

Planet Steam - We finally got to play Kevin Bender's copy of this. TravR has had it since April. TravR, Kris, Charlie, and someone else. I remember screwing up one turn and not having a big enough ship for what I wanted to buy. I hurt me.

Heads of State - Interesting area majority game. Very challenging to see everything and try to maximize your position against several others. Dave and Ted played this.

Ave Caesar - Very good race game. End of the night and who ever was left played.

[Charlie Davis]

July 16, 2010
by Charlie

These were from Dave's games played list. I don't have any games listed for that night but I remember playing all of these so maybe I forgot to write them down or I was not there that night.


Tahuantinsuyu - This is a very good game burdened with a hard to pronounce title. I hear rumors that it will be published by a bigger company in 2010.

Moai - another hard Easter Island game.

Stop Thief - A cute electronic device gives you clues. It works really well. Great for a nostalgia game from 1979.