Game Night #49 and Player of the Month!

February's Player of the Month: Joey!

A great showing tonight and my current favorite game played!

Attendees: April, Mark, Zeb and Joey

Previous Overall Standings:
Joey 9.0 (45/5)
Zeb 8.1 (32.4/4)
Mark 8.0 (32.1/4)
April 2.5 (2.5/1)

This Event's Standings:
April 10.0 (10.0/1)
Zeb 10.0 (10.0/1)
Mark 8.0 (8.0/1)
Joey 8.0 (8.0/1)

February's Overall Standings:
Joey 8.8 (53/6)
Zeb 8.4 (42.4/5)
Mark 8.0 (40.1/5)
April 6.25 (12.5/2)

It was my turn to pick and I picked a monster, Twilight Imperium. This game has so much going on that it is difficult to keep everyone on the same page. April, Zeb and Mark had never played, but they kept up with it all very well. April, playing the Jol-Nar, was very fortunate that a couple of the public objectives were tech-based. And Mark nearly accomplished his secret objective, but Zeb shut him down. Sure, it went long. And, sure, it was like drinking from a fire hose. But I had a really good time. We cut the game short (a first for me) at four turns, we all got a turn to pick the Imperial Strategy Card. It was getting late and we were all getting tired.
Twilight Imperium Standings:
April: 10.0 (five victory points)
Zeb 10.0 (five victory points)
Mark 8.0 (four victory points)
Joey 8.0 (four victory points)

Additional Stats
2008 Points Total
Joey 8.3 (182.8/22)
Erin 8.1 (16.2/2)
Zeb 7.85 (149.2/19)
Mark 7.8 (109.2/14)
Brandt 7.1 (35.8/5)
Brent 6.8 (20.4/3)
April 6.7 (47.1/7)

Previous Players of the Month
Joey (January, February)

Games Played in 2008, Sorted by Popularity
Manila 2
Pirate's Cove 2
Hey! That's My Fish! 1
Gang of Four 1
Chez Geek 1
Hive 1
Killer Bunnies and the Quest for the Magic Carrot 1
Ticket to Ride 1
Lost Cities 1
Elk Fest 1
Wits and Wagers 1
Puerto Rico 1
Cold War: CIA vs. KGB 1
Formula De 1
Take Stock 1
Nexus Ops 1
Space Dealer 1
Shadows Over Camelot 1
Arkham Horror 1
Twilight Imperium 1

Game Night #48

Due to illness, tax season and who knows what else, I was the lone player tonight. It happens about once a year. Ah well...

Attendees: Joey

Previous Overall Standings:
Joey 9.3 (37.5/4)
Zeb 8.1 (32.4/4)
Mark 8.0 (32.1/4)
April 2.5 (2.5/1)

This Event's Standings:
Joey 7.5 (7.5/1)

February's Overall Standings:
Joey 9.0 (45/5)
Zeb 8.1 (32.4/4)
Mark 8.0 (32.1/4)
April 2.5 (2.5/1)

I thought that I might inflate my numbers a bit by playing a solo game of Arkham Horror. However, the Great Old One that I was up against was Shub-Niggurath. I've yet to beat him. After a lengthy effort of shutting down gates around Arkham, the inevitable battle with Shub-Niggurath began. And, as has been my track record, he devoured me.
Arkham Horror Standings:
Joey 7.5 (in the belly of Shubby)

Additional Stats
2008 Points Total
Joey 8.3 (174.8/21)
Erin 8.1 (16.2/2)
Mark 7.78 (101.2/13)
Zeb 7.73 (139.2/18)
Brandt 7.1 (35.8/5)
Brent 6.8 (20.4/3)
April 6.1 (37.1/6)

Games Played in 2008, Sorted by Popularity
Manila 2
Pirate's Cove 2
Hey! That's My Fish! 1
Gang of Four 1
Chez Geek 1
Hive 1
Killer Bunnies and the Quest for the Magic Carrot 1
Ticket to Ride 1
Lost Cities 1
Elk Fest 1
Wits and Wagers 1
Puerto Rico 1
Cold War: CIA vs. KGB 1
Formula De 1
Take Stock 1
Nexus Ops 1
Space Dealer 1
Shadows Over Camelot 1
Arkham Horror 1

Game Night #47

A new month and the playing field was leveled again. A good turn out and an appearance by Mark K. "The Onion Ring Tease".

Attendees: Mark, Zeb, April and Joey

Previous Overall Standings:
Joey
Erin
Mark
Zeb
Brandt
April
Brent

This Event's Standings:
Joey 9.3 (37.5/4)
Zeb 8.1 (32.4/4)
Mark 8.0 (32.1/4)
April 2.5 (2.5/1)

February's Overall Standings:
Joey 9.3 (37.5/4)
Zeb 8.1 (32.4/4)
Mark 8.0 (32.1/4)
April 2.5 (2.5/1)

We started off with a handful of cycling stories and a game of Nexus Ops. All of the mines were on mine and April's side of the board. Interestingly, the monolith was mostly a second-thought in all of our minds and was hardly a critical objective. There was a lot of conflict on the mine-rich side of the board and it came down to a lot of little back and forth matches between miners.
Nexus Ops Standings:
Zeb 10.0 (12 victorious battles)
Joey 7.5 (9 battles won)
Mark 5.8 (7 key triumphs)
April 2.5 (3 decisive wins)

Next we played a game of Space Dealer. April had to head home, so it was just Mark, Zeb and myself. It's hard to report on this game, because there is so much happening at once. However, there were quite a few Gizzis remaining at the end and everyone had shipped to everyone else fairly equally.
Space Dealer Standings:
Joey 10.0 (27 trade treaties)
Mark 7.7 (21 tariff acts)
Zeb 6.2 (17 space lanes explored)

After Space Dealer, we played a game of Shadows Over Camelot. With only three players, the chances of their being a traitor was slim. Still, we were each pretty suspicious. After accumulating a few black swords on the Round Table, we launched into action and began shutting down some of the big quests. It was still close and it came down to a collective effort on the Excalibur quest. In the end, no traitor.
Shadows Over Camelot Standings:
Mark 10.0 (for acts of valor)
Zeb 10.0 (for acts of courage)
Joey 10.0 (for acts of bravery)

Lastly, we pulled out Pirate's Cove. I couldn't catch a break initially. The first third of the game I kept heading to the same islands as other players and kept getting my stern handed to me. Then I managed to make a few more thought out navigation decisions. In the end, I was the only one to head to Treasure Island and take on the Mary Read and Ann Bonny. This shot me way out into the lead. Also, I, rather stupidly, in the last round, sent the Royal Navy against Mark (who's ship was decked out to the nines) and miraculously the Royal Navy won out. The game ended up being close enough that if Mark had won that battle, I would have lost. Think, think, think...
Pirate's Cove Standings:
Joey 10.0 (37 cases of scurvy)
Mark 8.6 (32 keel-haulings)
Zeb 6.2 (23 empty bottles of rum)

Additional Stats
2008 Points Total
Joey 8.3 (167.3/20)
Erin 8.1 (16.2/2)
Mark 7.78 (101.2/13)
Zeb 7.73 (139.2/18)
Brandt 7.1 (35.8/5)
Brent 6.8 (20.4/3)
April 6.1 (37.1/6)

Games Played in 2008, Sorted by Popularity
Manila 2
Pirate's Cove 2
Hey! That's My Fish! 1
Gang of Four 1
Chez Geek 1
Hive 1
Killer Bunnies and the Quest for the Magic Carrot 1
Ticket to Ride 1
Lost Cities 1
Elk Fest 1
Wits and Wagers 1
Puerto Rico 1
Cold War: CIA vs. KGB 1
Formula De 1
Take Stock 1
Nexus Ops 1
Space Dealer 1
Shadows Over Camelot 1

Space Dealer Image by Ryan Amos.