Friday, October 02, 2009

Boardgames and Weight Update

Again this month their is no weight update as I'm still in a 'holding pattern'. There is a glimmer of hope on the horizon though. Work has started a weight loss exercise program that runs for three months where you can access to a personal trainer etc. I've signed up to do that so maybe it will re-energize me again :)

Onto the games!

September had 31 plays of 27 different games. There was no game that dominated the rankings though there were some new appearances.

Palastgefluster - this is an Adlung Spiel game, and they always seem to pack a fun complex game into a tiny box. This one is no exception to their range. It involves political intrigue in the King's Court and is easy to learn but has some surprising strategies. You also get to control turn order which is fun. It's a game that is relatively difficult to obtain here in the U.S. so I expect it to hit the table again soon.

Werewolf - I really enjoy getting to play this game, but normally we don't have enough people or I end up moderating. Don't get me wrong I enjoy running the game, but it is fun to play. There's a lot of lying and manipulation in this game, it really helps to either be a great Orator or a keen Observer. I successfully spotted someone in a lie which helped the good guys win the game woohoo!

Snow Tails Is a game of racing Husky Dogs down a frozen track complete with avalanches and trees. I don't play that many race games, and this is a fun one so it was nice to have it hit the table again.

Imperial This is one of those longer more complex games that I tend to shy away from. Well, it's more that although I can grasp the mechanics of the game I'm not that sure about the strategy. I did surprisingly well this last play though and came in a very close second.

Also this month we had a special gaming session with Peggy and Shelley who wanted to learn some new card games.

Die Seiben Siegel (or as we usually call it 'Die Steven Segal!') is an interesting spin on spades. Not only do you have to bid how many tricks you are going to take, but you also have to say what suits you are going to take them in. This makes the bidding extra fraught with difficulty. To compound that it is also possible for somebody to play as a Saboteur and instead of trying to take tricks they are trying to screw up your plans. Fun!

Flaschenteufel is a trick taking game based on a short story by Robert Louis Stevenson. It is interesting in that cards that were trumps at the start of the round will revert to normal cards as the round progresses. Consequently you are forced to use trumps early, but their is a catch. Whoever played the highest trump in a trick obtains the Bottle Imp, and if the round ends with the bottle still in your possession....well let's just say it's not good. It's a fun little game and works really well with three players which is normally hard to do with a trick taking game.

Poison is a classic Reiner Knizia game. You are adding different ingredients into three different cauldrons, but you don't want to be the person who causes the cauldron to boil over. It's now available as an iphone application :)

Well that's selected highlights from September's Gaming. I don't foresee any game knocking Dominion off it's top slot by the end of the year, but there is a tight race forming for second place, with 9 games all vying for second place.

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