Category Archives: News

Next Meeting, 8th September 2026

Our next meeting will be on Tuesday 8th September 2026 at the Horse and Jockey Pub.  As usual, we will start playing shorter games from 7.30pm as people arrive, until 8pm when we will start something a little longer.  The pub is doing food, so those that are eating will be arriving from around 6.45pm.

This week, the “Feature Game” will be the new Cascadia game, Alpine Lakes, (rules, review, instructional video).  The original Cascadia has been really popular in the group and this new version adds a third dimention with players stacking tiles and scoring more points for lakes placed higher in the mountains.

Cascadia: Alpine Lakes
– Image from kickstarter.com

And speaking of mountains…

Having just come back from the holidays Jeff and Joe were discussing possibilities for their next ones.

“I quite like Switzerland,” commented Joe, “The mountains are amazing.”

“Yes,” replied Jeff, “The flag is a big plus too…”

Next Meeting, 25th August 2026

Our next meeting will be on Tuesday 25th August 2026 at the Horse and Jockey Pub.  As usual, we will start playing shorter games from 7.30pm as people arrive, until 8pm when we will start something a little longer.  The pub is doing food, so those that are eating will be arriving from around 6.45pm.

This week, the “Feature Game” will be the new 6 Nimmt! game, Baron Oxx, (rules & review).  6 Nimmt! is one of the group’s favourite games, but in this variant, instead of adding cards to rows by number, they are added to match the colours of the cards in the rows adding a different mechanism for mayhem.

Baron Oxx
– Image from brain-games.ee

And speaking of colours…

Joe had just had some serious news—he’d been diagnosed with colour blindness.  As he explained to his mate Joe, “It just came right out of the purple…”

Next Meeting, 11th August 2026

Our next meeting will be on Tuesday 11th August 2026 at the Horse and Jockey Pub.  As usual, we will start playing shorter games from 7.30pm as people arrive, until 8pm when we will start something a little longer.  The pub is doing food, so those that are eating will be arriving from around 6.45pm.

This week, the “Feature Game” will be Wingspan Pocket, a mini version of one of the group’s most popular games (rules, review, how-to-play video).  As in the original Wingspan, players are bird enthusiasts trying to discover and attract the best birds to their reserves.

Circadia
– Image from stonemaier.com

And speaking of birds…

Joe and Jeff were chatting about some of the rarities they’d recently found locally.

“I heard a nightingale, the other evening,” said Joe.

Jeff, wanted to do better, “I saw a waxwing, they are really unusual.”

Continuing with the one-upmanship, Joe continued, “The other day, I saw a crane – they were extinct in the UK until relatively recently.”

Jeff, looked indignant, “Oh, I’ve seen loads of them—it’s all the building work they’ve been doing in the area…”

Next Meeting, 28th July 2026

Our next meeting will be on Tuesday 14th July 2026 at the Horse and Jockey Pub.  As usual, we will start playing shorter games from 7.30pm as people arrive, until 8pm when we will start something a little longer.  The pub is doing food, so those that are eating will be arriving from around 6.45pm.

This week, the “Feature Game” will be Hot Streak, a wonderfully over-produced car racing game  (rules, review, how-to-play video).  This is a betting game where players are gambling on mascots who may (or may not) keep running in the right direction…

Hot Streak
– Image by BGG contributor The Innocent

And speaking of bets…

Jeff put a bet on a horse because he was told it had excellent breeding.

After the horse left the starting gate, he stopped and closed it behind him.

Next Meeting, 14th July 2026

Our next meeting will be on Tuesday 14th July 2026 at the Horse and Jockey Pub.  As usual, we will start playing shorter games from 7.30pm as people arrive, until 8pm when we will start something a little longer.  The pub is doing food, so those that are eating will be arriving from around 6.45pm.

This week, the “Feature Game” will be Rebel Princess, a trick-taking game played over five rounds where each round has a special rule that makes each one feel different (rules, review, how-to-play video).

Rebel Princess
– Image by BGG contributor melaniebarr

And speaking of tricks…

Jeff walked on to a rooftop bar and as he sat down asked of the guy already there, “What’s the best drink in this place?”

The other chap who had been minding his own business, looked at him, and then replied, “Well, I’m drinking this magical cocktail.”

Jeff looked interested, “What’s so magical about it?” he asked.

“This,” came the answer as the guy stepped over to the edge of the rooftop and started to fly.

Jeff was thrilled and amazed, so grabbed the drink that was still sitting on the bar, took a large swig then took a run off the edge of the roof, before plummeting into the swimming pool below.

The barman sadly shook his head and said, “You know, you’re a real jerk when you’re drunk, Superman…”

Next Meeting, 30th June 2026

Our next meeting will be on Tuesday 30th June 2026 at the Horse and Jockey Pub.  As usual, we will start playing shorter games from 7.30pm as people arrive, until 8pm when we will start something a little longer.  The pub is doing food, so those that are eating will be arriving from around 6.45pm.

This week, the “Feature Game” will be Circadia a set collecting game where players collect Spirit Creatures to give harmonious gatherings and restore their connection to their Habitats (rules, review, how-to-play video).

Circadia
– Image from imaginaire.com

And speaking of spirits…

Jeff had been experimenting with distilling and was of the opinion that his peach brandy was really rather fine.  So, when the local vicar called round one afternoon, he saw it is as an opportunity to show it off.  Now Jeff wasn’t what you would call a regular attendee on a Sunday morning, but he agreed he would attend the church if the vicar would drink some of his brandy and admit doing so in front of his congregation. The congregation was a small one, so the preacher readily agreed.

Sunday morning came and Jeff was sat in church when the vicar made his announcement.  “I see Jeff is here with us this morning. I would like to thank him publicly for his hospitality this week and especially for the peaches he gave me and the spirit in which they were given.”

Next Meeting, 16th June 2026

Our next meeting will be on Tuesday 16th June 2026 at the Horse and Jockey Pub.  As usual, we will start playing shorter games from 7.30pm as people arrive, until 8pm when we will start something a little longer.  The pub is doing food, so those that are eating will be arriving from around 6.45pm.

This week, the “Feature Game” will be dnup (rules, review, how-to-play video), which is a short card shedding game, that uses the same “double-number cards” idea as SCOUT.

dnup
– Image from frogames.it

And speaking of cards…

Jeff put an advert in the corner-shop window:

Yesterday, while walking round the village, my elderly father lost his favorite playing cards. I think there were about fifty-two of them, all with a picture of someone riding a bicycle on one sideand different things, letters and numbers on the other. Some had some pictures of some kings, queens and other people on them, and there were red hearts on at least a few of them and some funny looking little black flowers on others.

Anyway, if you’ve found them, I would be most grateful if you could return them as my father is finding it very difficult to deal without them…

Next Meeting, 2nd June 2026

Our next meeting will be on Tuesday 2nd June 2026 at the Horse and Jockey Pub.  As usual, we will start playing shorter games from 7.30pm as people arrive, until 8pm when we will start something a little longer.  The pub is doing food, so those that are eating will be arriving from around 6.45pm.

This week, the “Feature Game” will be “Sharkspan” (better known as the Sharks and Reefs expansion for Finspan; base game rules, expansion rules, expansion review).  “Sharkspan” adds lots more cards and, in particular Shark cards, as well as a new scoring mechanism around the addition of reefs.  This is in addition to showing off the new acquisitions from UK Games Expo, of course…!

Finspan: Sharks & Reefs
– Image by stonemaiergames.com,
adapted by boardGOATS

And speaking of sharks…

Joe had been feeling a bit down, and mentioned this to Jeff one evening at The Jockey over a pint.  “You know what your problem is,” said Jeff, “You aren’t getting enough exercise.”

He went on, “I was feeling like you, but then I took up triathlon, and now I feel much more positive.  In fact, I’m planning to take part in a big race on the Western coast of Australia soon.”

Joe was impressed.  “That’s great – Australia sounds amazing, but aren’t you worried about sharks?  Didn’t a bloke die swimming there a few weeks ago?”

Jeff nodded, “It is a worry.”  He paused, then went on, “But the way I see it is that a shark could swim faster than me, but I could probably run faster than a shark. So in a triathlon, it would be all come down to who is the better cyclist…”

UK Games Expo 2026

Today, Sunday, is the final day of the twentieth UK Games Expo at the NEC in Birmingham.  There has been a notably larger presence of mainstream news reporting on the event this year, and it is reported that there are expected to be over fifty-thousand people attending what the organisers are claiming is the largest hobby games convention in the UK.  The milestone was commemorated by the presence of a “museum” at the entrance, with displays and photos dating back to its first event in the Clarendon Suites in Edgbaston.

UKGE 2026
– Image by boardGOATS

The idea was originally conceived by Richard Denning and Tony Hyams in 2006, but as the event grew, more people became involved and venue expanded, first to the Hilton and now to the NEC.  UK Games Expo (also known as UKGE), now features a wide range of activities covering different genres, including exhibitors, shows, seminars, re-enactors and cosplay.  There is also a large organised Bring and Buy Sale, with open gaming space for people to play their purchases.  Every year, the event grows and changes, and while some recent years have felt very, very cramped, this year felt much less so.

UKGE 2026
– Image by boardGOATS

Many of the boardGOATs have made the journey, some just for a day out, with others working on stands or visiting for multiple days.  The trade-fair grows year-on-year, but the origin and focus of UK Games Expo has always been current games and open gaming, there are also organised play-testing and tournaments.  As usual, there is a lot of game-related geek-fare (including puzzles, furniture, mugs, clothing, jewellery, and other nick-nacks) and there are more cool dice available to see and buy than most “normal” people would ever believe!

UKGE 2026
– Image by boardGOATS

Most games companies have a stand at UKGE, some with sales, some just demoing and most with both.  Games stores including Zatu, Travelling Man, Chaos Cards and Waterstones had a presence, as well as large multinational companies like Asmodee, Allplay, Czech Games Edition and Hachette, and many smaller, independent games producers.  One of these was Mazaza Games who produced the popular game, Kavango, and were demoing its upcoming Lodges expansion and their next game, Scavengers.

Cat Earth
– Image by boardGOATS

Surprised Stare were there as usual, with a solo version of The Cousins’ War and their recent reimplementation of Kingmaker.  Matagot presented a cute little painting game called Kanō, and for those with an interest in both cats and B-movies in game-form, Cheatwell Games had Cat Earth available for purchase (no, not a bag of cat litter…). This is just a flavour of what is now such an enormous event that it is impossible not to miss something, indeed, it is pretty much guaranteed.  But that’s OK, it leaves something to see the next day!

UKGE 2026
– Image by boardGOATS

Spiel des Jahres Nominations 2026

It’s May, so it’s time for the nominations for the annual Spiel des Jahres Awards.  There are now many other awards (including the recently announced Golden Geek Awards), many of which are more suited to gamers.  However, the Spiel des Jahres and its sister awards the Kennerspiel (“expert’s” game) and Kinderspiel des Jahres (children’s game) are still the most prestigious and sought-after awards in board gaming and certainly the ones that carry the most weight with more casual gamers.  Of the three categories the most desirable is the family award, the Spiel des Jahres or “Red Poppel”, however, the Kennerspiel is typically of more interest to gamers.  The nominees for this year’s awards have been announced as:

 

One of themost noticable features of this list is the presence of two of the biggest, names in board game designe—Reiner Knizia, one of the most prolific games designers and Donald X. Vaccarino who designed the first deck-building game.  These are great names from the past, who have been shaping sales for the last thirty years, but are still producing great designs.  In contrast, the third game in the list requires and app and is based on QR codes.  It will be interesting to see which of these games receives the final award.

The Spiel des Jahres Awards
– Image from spiel-des-jahres.de