weekend gaming--Helotes

Casa Helotes will open at noon this sunday for games. I have 2 tables, one that seats five and one that seats 4. Three cats are in residence but only one will condescend to appear, providing price is right (i.e., tuna). I own no games but Ann has gratiously agreed to bring her games if she is able to come.Email me for directions here or at psycpat@hotmail.com

happy holidays from my family in Texas to yours

Merry Christmas!

Just a quick post here to say I hope everyone has a wonderful day.

Shy Jonnie

Why Jon isn't allowed to sing in Rock Band. HA HAAA!

http://www.hulu.com/watch/113207/saturday-night-live-digital-short-shy-ronnie

A good cause

I dont know how often ya'll hang around in chit chat. Or check some SABGers facebooks, so you might not be aware of this. But just in case, it is a good cause.

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/49771

The most wonderful time of the year

As we all make our plans for this holiday season, some of us traveling, some of us staying at home, many of us getting together with friends or family, let's all try to remember that regardless of faith, this time of year is about one thing:

Getting stuff.

In all seriousness, I'm glad to have made friends with so many good people through this blog. And it's been a pleasure to welcome to the new people we've met over the last few months. Everyone stay safe, enjoy the time off, and celebrate the blessings we have in life, because we have a lot to be thankful for. We'll get together for some big organized gaming again soon.

Planning

Blah blah blah witty blah blah picture blah blah pop-culture blah-ity blah. Monday night Dragon's Lair blah blah rsvp blah.

P.S. Blah

Its On!

Hornsfan and I are squaring off in an epic struggle for island domination via GMT's Combat Commander: Pacific (via Vassal). Above you can see the initial set up of our randomly generated, 1945 scenario set in Okinawa (since Chris selected the super powered Okinawa Company).

I'm the attacker, with a good portion of the USMC at my back. Chris is the defender, with lots mines, wire, trenches, and bunkers. As an added bonus, we both have lots of flamethrower equipped troops, so things should get very crazy at some point.

We're now about two turns in, with some long range sniping taking place on both sides as I crawl up through jungle in the south. I ended up with artillery denied, and Chris now has a 150mm division battery at his disposal. I really need to break that radio....

I'll keep you posted as we proceed. Happy holidays!

Ich Kann nicht Anders

So, we've been kicking around Here I Stand for a Christmas game? We who? Well, Me, Chris, Anne, and presumably 3 more people (Rob? Ben? Jon? Steve?). On possibility is Dec 24th, assuming people are available. It's probably best to do the Tournament Scenario, since that's only 3 turns. It's been 2+ years since I've played, so a game that will definitely end is to be preferred.

Anyway, planning thread ahoy! If you are interested, when are you available.

Back to the Pacific

Hornsfan and I knocked out a scenario from the new Memoir '44 Sword of Stalingrad battle pack and, as you may surmise from the video, one from Combat Commander: Pacific.

The Stalingrad scenario we picked featured me as the evil Germans, unfortunately without our Zombie auxiliary troops this time, on the attack against a dug-in Soviet horde in a suitably gritty urban environment. I had half the German Army at my back, with support from air strikes and lots of artillery, but I might as well have been beating my head against the wall. Victory went to the good(?) guys, 9-5.

The CC:P game reversed our roles, with Chris' evil Japanese assaulting my dug-in Marines on a hilltop. Despite Chris' well orchestrated advance, laying smoke and spraying my boys with heavy MG fire, I was able to fortuitously draw hidden mines, hidden wire, hidden pillbox.... etc. By the time he had crested the hill, my reinforcements were pouring out the jungle and his troops were breaking. This time the fickle fate deck favored the USMC.

Other tangential news:

• Sold another Axis and Allies: Anniversary Edition copy. This time for $321. I love E-Bay and rich Europeans.

• I have one more WotR Gollum promotional figure (thank you, Spielbox!). Anyone interested, just make me an offer that will save me the trouble of E-Baying it.

• Power Grid Factory Manager, Roma II, and Twilight Struggle Deluxe appeared last night.

• Finally replaced my computer with a Falcon Northwest rig. Okay, Blizzard, you can release Diablo III and Starcraft II now...
  

• Republic of Rome from Valley Games is theoretically showing up later this week.

See you at the table sometime soon, or... perhaps at least across the virtual table via Vassal.

Milk Carton Rules

Thanks to Chris for hosting. We played a lot of games. Some of them had rules we seemed to have forgotten.

• After reading Alexfrog's strategy article, he claimed that you could use each production room twice/round in year 2 in dungeon lords.
• In Agricola, the "Major or Minor Improvement" starts in Round 1, when playing the Farmers of the Moor expansion! I think we got the rest of the rules right, though.
  
• In Loyang, I planted Leaks in the wrong type of soil. So my loss is marked with an asterisk. So sad...

Today we rest, recover and watch football. Tomorrow night, gaming! I'll be at Dragon's Lair at the early time of 5pm! Hopefully others will join me.

Tiffany and I might be a wee bit late tomorrow...

I had some friends over to play a wee MTG draft, but Tiffany hung out and we ended up playing Battlestar Galactica until 3 in the morning. We introduced a noob to the game. The humans won. And Galactica was running on fumes.

Good times. But now we're bushed. See y'all tomorrow!

Saturday Planning

Time for some gaming.

I'll host open gaming at my place on Saturday starting at 9am. Come one, come all. Let me know if you need directions.

Just don't throw my games on the ground.

Najera 1367

Just a few pictures of the cast list for the big solo game I squeezed in when we got back from my parents' house after Thanksgiving. I meant to take pictures during the game, but got going and played it out without camera pauses. So, I just took some end-of-game group photos instead. The English won a good sluggo vs. the French-Castilian army, even killing King Henry of Trastamara in the bargain. The pictures show a cardinal urging on the near useless Castilian levies, the Spanish light horse, the mounted knights/men-at-arms, and finally the dismounted knights/men-at-arms.

December Gaming

Holiday gaming varies. People leave town to visit family (or to endure family in order to get pie). So while I'm sure there will be some Christmas day (or weekend) gaming, it's best to play it safe and attend gaming at Dragon's Lair tomorrow night. I'll be there early (probably by 5pm). I will have games. But no pie.

Attention All Completionists

Now available at the BGG Store for $5 (including shipping).

Race--

The guys at DL found a 5VP chit and its sitting on the register. It has been there for about a week.
Did ya'll play, and lose the marker?

Weekend planning

I'm working Friday night, which likely means I'm sleeping Saturday morning. So I'm not hosting the usual gaming. BUT--

There's some football games on Saturday that are kind of important. It's a pretty good bet I'll be watching those, and there may be some people that want to watch the games as well. So for those who want to come over at 2:30pm for the Florida/Alabama matchup and stick around for the Texas/Nebraska game afterwards, you're welcome to come by.

I'm also hosting formal gaming next Saturday, so if football isn't your thing, hopefully we'll see you next weekend.