Session Report: Battle Line

This game is a recent addition to my collection, and the first game with any kind of a 'War' theme that I was able to get my wife to play (she played Phase 10 and that got her hooked on gaming, so I tried to find something similar to that).

I taught this game to my son just before the New Year, our first game was actually started in 2007 and finished in 2008. He also really liked this game and it has a bit more strategy than you might first think.

Players: Myself and My Son

Games Played: 2

Winner: I won the first game 5 to zip, but he was just learning and made some serious mistakes in the start, for our second game he knew what the deal was and won by a point at the end, it was VERY close. 

Hilight: When my Son won he did so by playing a leader and as he put it down I said "Dang, you won!", he paused... looked at me and said "That's how we roll!"

My Rating: 9/10

I think this is a solid game with a great potential to replay over and over, it isn't too long will probably see a lot of game time this year.

My Son's Rating: 9/10

He loved this game, another winner for him as well

Session Report: AT-43

My son (age 13) had shown an interest in this game for a long time, and we are both long time Warhammer and 40k players... we had tried out games like Void and Warmachine, but when it came down to it, nothing was really working out well for us like Warhammer did... We used to have a massive 40k group in the area, but mostly they were college kids that had since moved away.

When he got AT-43 for Christmas, we were really happy with the quality of the painting and eager to give it a go. I had read the rules ahead of time, and asked some questions in the forums, but we still didn't get a chance to play it until December 31, 2007... So my first lising here is technically a game from the previous year. 

Players: Myself and My Son

Games Played: 6

Winner: We played the starting scenarios and my son was the winner by a slight margin, he was playing the Therians (which he loved).

My Rating: 8/10 

I think when we get the advanced rules I will kick my rating up, based on what I have read online.

My Son's Rating: 9/10

He really liked this game and is eager to continue to play and build the armies.

Help! I need to get some games for my wife...

Ok, my wife has spent a long time pretending I don't own any games, when in fact I own about 250 of them now... it is just something she never wanted to get into and always avoided... My OCD makes me collect things, and for whatever reason I got stuck on board games (probably going back to the 80's with Axis and Allies). Anyhow, if it is a weekend that I am having the gaming group over she would leave, so that will give you an idea of how much she likes the games.

So a few weeks ago some friends came by and suggested a game of Phase-10, she is not into games, but once we played it she absolutely loved it, and even though I personally am not a fan of card games, it was nice to find a game that we could have fun playing together.

So here are a list of games she has since tried since Phase-10. I am trying to think of games she would like, and not put something out on the table that she ends up hating. 

Please suggest some ideas to me, based on the games that she has recently tried and liked (in this list), any guys who have wives with similar favorites, what else do they like to play? Anything I should stay clear of or that you have had a bad experience with?

Phase 10

This was the game that started it all, and it got her thinking that there ARE games out there that she could have fun playing... She loved how you match the colors and/or numbers and have different phases (goals) to reach. I am wondering if other games like Uno might also be something to grab and try out.

My Rating: 7/10

Her Rating: 9/10

Would I play it again? Yes, I had a good time, it was fun, maybe slightly too long...

Would She play it again? Yes, she loved it and is eager to play again, although we both agree it would be more fun with more than just 2 people.

Ticket to Ride

After a few games of Phase 10, I suggested trying out a 'board' game, and this was the first that came to mind. In the past she called this "The Stupid Train Game", but once I got her to try it she actually like it, and in fact she asked to play it again a few more times... Another winner here! She again liked the matching of colors (like Phase 10) and destinations and the strategy involved with maybe trying to make blocking moves, etc.

I do own all of the expansions to this game, but I don't want to bring them out too soon, I'd rather try and find other games that she would also enjoy before playing the same thing over and over in just a more complex format each time.

My Rating: 7/10

Her Rating: 8/10

Would I play it again? Yes, it was a great game and I had a good time (as always), I would like to eventually get her to try the others.

Would She play it again? Yes, although as with Phase 10, we think it will be more fun if we play it with more people than just us.

Scene It? Movie Deluxe

Wil and his wife came by and brought a copy of Scene-It. My wife enjoyed this game (I think this is the same version we played, it was on sale at Wal-Mart for $5), in anycase, she liked this game, but I really did not. We played it twice, and all of the questions seemed to have something to do with "chick-flick" movies of the 80's and 90's that I never saw, so although it was a game she liked, it wasn't one I think I'd want to play again.

I did find out that there are several other versions of this game, so perhapse if we found one that has source material we both have a good bit of knowledge about it might have a chance.

My Rating: 3/10

Her Rating: 9/10

Would I play it again? No, not this version of it at least. I recognize that this is a decent game for sure, but it is not something I liked.

Would She play it again? Yes, she really liked this game, but as I said before, I think it was because all of the questions were about movies she had seen about a dozen times.

Hoity Toity

I think I got this for a low price at Tanga awhile back... I had watched a video of this game (that Games with Scott I think) so I had an idea of what I was doing, but had never played it myself. She thought this game was "OK", but doesn't know if she would want to play it again or not...

My Rating: 6/10

Her Rating: 4/10

Would I play it again? Yes, I think it was a decent game, and worth another try for sure.

Would She play it again? Possibly, she didn't have as much fun as I had hoped and said "It was ok", I hope we can try again in the future, but for now this is going to stay in the closet so I don't turn her off from games.

In a Pickle

Another card type game, except I tried to pick something different from Phase 10 (no matching of colors, numbers, etc.), we played this with our 13 year old son and had a lot of fun. This was another winner that we will again play.

My Rating: 7/10

Her Rating: 7/10

Would I play it again? Yes, this was fun and we had a good time.

Would She play it again? Yes, she also had a good time, not a favorite or a first choice, but not a bad game.

Battle Line

With the successes of games such as Phase 10 and Ticket to Ride, but the failure of Hoity Toity, I didn't want to bring out another game that she might not like... I knew she liked the matching of colors, straights, etc., with Phase 10, so I decided to take out this game.

Another winner, she really liked this game, and the strategy was about perfect for her. We played 3 games in a row (I won 2, she won 1 - she would have won two in a row but made a critical error at the end of one game), it was all in all a fun time and she is eager to play this game again tonight!

My Rating: 9/10

Her Rating: 9/10

Would I play it again? Yes, this was a fun game that we both completely enjoyed... We have found this to be a perfect game for us.

Would She play it again? Yes, this is one of the few games she has asked to play again with me!

Fortress America - Red Soldier has gone AWOL!

I recently got this game on ebay for a decent price and ended up with the Saddam version (here you can see an image of a bearded man), I have heard the Saddam one is more common. In any case, I remember a friend of mine having it when we were kids, so it was nice to finally add it to my collection to one day play with my son and possibly my gaming group.

The game on ebay was marked as being in perfect condition and complete... I was extremly happy with the game itself, but when I did an inventory of the pieces I realized one Red Soldier was missing... I don't fault the seller, he has high feedback and was a nice guy, and I am not going to bother complaining or anything, I don't think that he tried to pass one off on me, I just don't get that feeling.

But never the less, I am still short one red soldier, does anyone here happen to have one that they could possibly send my way?!  I'll probably take this game out and play it sometime in the next few weeks, it will be nice if all the pieces are there. 

10 Games I got in 2007 that will NEVER hit the table again!

About this time of year work slows down for me for a couple of weeks, and I usually use that time to get some things around the house done that I have been putting off. One project I had been wanting to do for a long time, was organizing the closet in my home office which holds all of my games.

In doing so, I found a few games that I got in 2007 (some I got, some were given to me, etc.) and I just didn't like them for one reason or another. I know that I won't play them again... so, with that being said, here are the 10 games I got in 2007 that I know I won't play (or play again).

NOTE: This list is in alphabetical order!!! It is NOT listed in the order of which I think these games were good or bad.

Apples to Apples

I am going to get a lot of angry replys to this one I know, but please read what I have to say BEFORE you reply. I do NOT think this is a bad game, but rather one I don't want to play anymore because of the situation here, let me explain. I can't play this with my wife, because it isn't a game that 2 people can play... and I can't play this game with my gaming group, because it isn't something that a bunch of macho war-gamers want to take out on a Saturday afternoon when games like Tide of Iron or Command & Colors could be played instead... So, that leaves me with my third tier gamers, which are "friends with wives that like games like monopoly"... but each time I have played this with that crowd (3 times now), the game turns itself into a "lets see who can screw who the worst by picking things that make no sense". So needless to say, this game blows in the situation I have here to play it in.

Battlestar Galactica Collectible Card Game

Another game I wanted to love, but ended up hating. I bought a box of starter packs and a box of boosters. I even gave some starters away in the hopes of people in my gaming group getting into it, but nobody ever did. I think the big draw back on this one was lack of players. (As with Hecatomb, if anyone wants a really good deal on a bunch of cards, let me know, I'll trade for just about anything!)

Blink

Blink... maybe if I blink it will go away. This was another game I just didn't like. It wasn't that it was a bad game, just not a game I would want to play again. I do see potential, mainly for younger kids that might play this, but overall, it isn't one I'll be playing again (I think I got this as Tanga Trash a few months back).

Hecatomb

I bought a lot of this stuff at a decent price last year from the first 2 or 3 sets, lots and lots of cards... it looked decent and unique, but it wasn't as much fun as other games... I won't give this game a bad review, because I don't think it was a 'bad' game, but rather one that we just won't play again. (Note: If anyone wants a ton of cards for a cheap price, shoot me a message and we can work out something, I'd be willing to trade for just about anything!)

Mix Match!

Another Tanga Trash item here and possibly the worst game I played in 2007... no, you know what? This is the worst game I played - EVER! I thought this might be good for the kids, but even they don't want to have anything to do with it... Oh well.

Time Agent

I got this game on ebay for $2.50 (yes, that's right... I got two games for $5 and this was one of them), I like Time Travel stuff, so this was nice to get, but it has been about a year now and can't get anyone to play it with me, nobody has any interest in this game that is what, 15 years old now?, when there are so many nice, new games out there today... I think I will hold onto this game in the hopes of finding someone in the future to try it out, but I highly doubt it is going to hit the table in 2008.

Urban Legends: The Game

I thought this would be a lot of fun based on the description, but it was not... I thought even it it was bad, it would be fun reading about all the urban legends! But there really isn't anything to read, it was just a bad game that won't be hitting our gaming table again anytime soon (correction - anytime EVER).

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Game

This is one we bought for my 4 year old son, he really has taken an interest in games and we thought this might be a good one for him, it was ok to play the fist time, but it really wasn't too much fun, it was 'ok' at best... but the main drawback were the cheap components, they are made out of cheap card stock, and if you think about it - are cheap cardstock pieces the best thing to use for a game intended for children as young as 3 years old? Nope... it really blew it when the pieces started to fall apart.

Visual Eyes

This game was just not fun... it sounded like it would be, it has some nice big dice with lots and lots of stickers, but it just wasn't fun to play (another Tanga deal here), it was worth spending the couple of dollars on to see if it was ok, because like I said, it appeared to have potential, but I just haven't found it.

Zobmondo!!

I wrote a review on this game several months ago, the title of it really sums up my thoughts "Would you rather? I'd rather not!". This game was horrible, it looks like it could have some potential if you bring drinking and late night goofing around into the game, but for the most part, I don't think I'll ever play this game again.

Attack Vector: Tactical - Making the purchase.

I have talked to some of you over the last few months (thanks!), I have read a bit about this game, and the sample rule summary (whatever that PDF is called), and this game has finally made it's way up near the top of my list, which means I will be getting it at some point over the next 2-3 months or so... 

My 13 year old son and I will be playing this (with possibly a couple of guys in my game group - one guy specifically has asked me about getting him a copy as well) My son has also reviewed a lot about it and agrees it looks like a good game (he is one of those complex math wizards that can do complex math in his head super fast, so I am not worried about him grasping any rules... if anything I am more worried about myself! ha!)

My question to all of you who play this game. I notice a couple of different related items, such as the Saganami Island, and some ship packs, etc., what is the best thing for me to purchase first when getting into this? I have read some stuff about that online, but I thought I'd ask some experienced players what their thoughts are.

Also, where can I purcase a full size hex map for the table, with a black background or starfield background, etc., anyone have any links to places that offer nice ones?

Viktory II

I recently got this game and thought I was missing some pieces. I did some reasearch and found that I actually had EXTRA pieces (I wish Hasbro would take a hint from this company). In any case, here is what should be included:

1 Capital Marker per color

32 Cities per color

6 Towns per color