2011 Session Reports

**Charlie Davis** · 03-15-2011, 09:41 PM

I will be doing the 2011 session reports as one long thread. I hope you enjoy them. Especially since it is March and I am just starting them.

Well after finishing the year it looks like the Appalachian Gamers are slowing down. We missed a lot more regular weekly sessions. Of course, we added and lost members this year. Chris is there most weeks and we have Derrick, Jason, and another Jason that became semi-regular by the end of the year. Travis and Michelle seldom made it and Charlie moved away in June. The group as a whole only played approximately 154 games. That does not include several of the special weekend public events of which there are a lot more now and it may have missed some special weekend meetings for the group. There is also a lot of weeknight and weekend gaming at the game stores in town. In general, you can game just about any night of the week in Charleston now so it is not as important to meet weekly with the group.

**Charlie Davis** · 03-15-2011, 09:54 PM

Jan 5
by Ted

Hi all. We had a nice Wednesday session to start of the year. (Tim and Ted) Next week we will shoot for Thursday.

Civilization - we decided to set it up and play it on Wednesday night. Tim got two generals and a barracks and proceeded to whomp me to win the game. It was a good thing in hind sight because it was about midnight anyway and the game was not close to being over by any other standard.

Anyway, after a play and a ½ I don’t think Civilization is for me. I think it may hit the sale pile with Hotel Samoa.

See you next week on Thursday.

**Charlie Davis** · 03-15-2011, 09:58 PM

Jan 13
by Charlie

I have already forgotten who was there. I think Kris, Charlie, Ted, Dave, Doug, the other Dave maybe.

Race for the Galaxy - We opened with this. I have a little trouble with this one but I have played twice in a month. It does help. I remember being in the running for the win. Not sure who won.

Merchants & Marauders - I tried the pirate strategy but could not get it going. Kris seemed to flounder through it. I think Ted won. It is an interesting game. I think you can win with either strategy but you must look at the available flags and use the special ability of each sea space to it's full advantage to do well.

Ghost Stories - Dave has this listed so he must have been on the other table.

Survive with the Giant Squid Expansion - We ended the night with a game Kris had never played. Then Ted gave him the old parker brothers version. Ted is a nice guy.

Wednesday next week.

**Charlie Davis** · 03-15-2011, 10:06 PM

Jan 19
by Charlie

OK, we had Doug, Tom, Kris, Charlie, Ted, and the other Dave (maybe). We only got in one game this evening.

Man o War - This is the old Games Workshop miniature game of seafaring fantasy races. Ted is not a miniature guy but he loves to get this out every couple of years. It is relatively easy to understand and play. So we had 2 teams of 3 races each. I occupied our right flank and everyone else was mixed together on the left. I think Tom and Kris and I won the battle but it was bloody. The sea serpents were very active as well. Anyway, we have a great time.

**Charlie Davis** · 03-15-2011, 10:18 PM

Jan 15
by Charlie

The annual WVHGA end/beginning of the year event was late this year. We hold this event to have an excuse to get together and play games. We finally scheduled it for Saturday Jan 15. We have a kinda pot luck bring whatever you want food and games day. Besides playing games and eating, we have a crazy gift exchange. I missed that part of the event this year. someone drew for me but I don't even remember what I got.
The attendees were
Mic (host)
TravR
Fitz
Keenan
Ted
Charlie
Tom
Dave
Dave B
Kris
Stacy
Lou
and maybe a couple more.

Games played up until about 5 pm were
Merchants & Marauders x 2
Alien Frontier
7 Wonders
Zombie State
Dominant Species
The Mines of Zavandor

I had to leave at that time and they continued long into the night. Hopefully, someone else can add something.

**Charlie Davis** · 03-17-2011, 09:09 PM

Jan 27
by Charlie

Uh...I don't think anything happened. I was out of town and Dave has nothing on his games played list. I keep writing about games played lists and some of you may wonder about that. Like many hobbies, there are different ways to record things that you do in game playing.

The first is a games played list. Write down every game that you play. Dave and I do this with the date. Except we actually log them on the BoargGameGeek site. I started keeping records in in 2005 but really kept good records starting in 2006. My list is here http://www.boardgamegeek.com/plays/b...type/boardgame
Some people keep the scores, how long the game was, how many were new to the game, get the players opinions of the game played, ask them to rate the game, keep records of seat order, colors people play, what kind of day it was, where they played, etc. Neither Dave nor I am that enthusiastic about records. This record keeping has been going on a long time. Some people keep a game notebook and some use laptops or smartphones.

Another list is a nickle (5) and dime (10) list. This would be games that you played at least 5 times and those that you played 10 times in a year. If you only have a few games you will play them a lot but if you have 100 games, you will probably only play your favorites multiple times. This is a common list with boardgamers. Here is mine from 2010. http://www.boardgamegeek.com/plays/f...end/2010-12-31

I am not suggesting that you start keeping records. If you do start, the BGG site makes it easy. At the bottom of each game page there is a "record a play" button.

**Charlie Davis** · 03-18-2011, 09:27 AM

Feb. 2
by Charlie

The Resistance - a cooperative game with hidden enemies. Similar to Battlestar Galactica in that area. You have a red team and a blue team. The blue team is trying to complete missions. The red team is trying to defeat the missions. There are 5 turns. On each turn, one person is the organizer. He takes two special cards and gives them to other players. These cards make players share some kind of information. Then the organizer picks 2 (3 in later rounds) players to go on the mission. Everyone votes secretly on the combination picked (majority rules). Eventually a team is chosen and then those 2 players vote to see if the mission succeeds. One no vote and it fails. You have to be bold to win as the red team.

Gonzaga - Ted, Tom, Charlie and someone else played. It is a fun game. You have action cards that allow you to put pieces on the board. BTW, the pieces are odd shapes. It is a connection game with other bonuses. You cycle through your cards so you have to plan several moves ahead. I would like to try it again.

Krysis - Ted, Tom, Charlie and someone else played. You are collecting gems from a mine(?) or attacking other players for their gems or packing your gems off to safety by playing cards from your hand. The cards have multiple purposes. We found that with the basic game you didn't have much choice after you saw what everyone else played. Your card could either beat them or defend or grab gems. There was no decision at that point.

20th Century - Dave and everyone else played. I really like this one. You are building your city through auctions. The first auction is for land and you pay with cash. Then when you drop out you gain a technology tile, which cost technology points. Next is an auction to get the least bad stuff (garbage or skulls) which you pay for with technology. Then you build your tiles, occupy the towns, move stuff if you can, and score victory points. Then you do it all over again. Lots of auctions so beware. Most people like it a lot.

**Charlie Davis** · 06-01-2011, 09:08 PM

February 10
by Charlie

Doug, Dave, Ted and Charlie were here. We played 2 games.

Poseidon - It is a simplified 18xx style game. Everyone had a little trouble at the beginning but we got through it ok. Not a bad game. Everyone made a bad play or two during it so it was full of aftergame commentary. Most of us wishing we had done something better. Worth playing before you buy.

Survive: Escape from Atlantis - We played this a couple of weeks ago but we had a different crew this time. I always enjoyed the original game and the new bits make this a winner. Good family game or a slightly harder gamer game.

We are going to start rotating Wednesday and Thursday as the regular game night. Hopefully, we will get back on track for regular weekly gaming.

**Charlie Davis** · 06-07-2011, 06:08 PM

February 16 or 17
by Charlie

To the best of my knowledge nothing happened either of those nights. Wonder what we were doing?

**Charlie Davis** · 06-07-2011, 06:18 PM

February 24
By Charlie

This looks like a great night of gaming but I was not there. I assume this was at Ted's. Dave has the following games listed. I don't know anything about any of them except Gonzaga which we played a few weeks ago. Sorry I missed it.

Borneo

FATAL

Gonzaga

Odin's Ravens

D-Day Dice