Category Archives: News

Next Meeting, 14th October 2025

Happy Birthday to Us!

Our next meeting will be Tuesday 14^th October 2025, when we will be celebrating our thirteenth birthday. We will be eating together to celebrate at 7pm, with cake and games afterwards.

As is now traditional on our birthday, the “Feature Game” will be Crappy Birthday. This is a party game where players give each other comedy birthday presents and the recipient has to decide who gave the best and worst gifts.

– Image by boardGOATS

And speaking of birthdays…

Jeff was at the surgery. “Doctor, I get heartburn every time I eat birthday cake,” he explained.

The doctor asked him to open his mouth and say “Ahhh.”

After a few moments examination, the doctor said, “Next time, take the candles off.”

boardGOATS is Now a Troublesome Teen!

Thirteen Today

BoardGOATS is has reached its Troublesome Teens!

It is over thirteen years since our first boardGOATS meeting at the Horse and Jockey in Stanford-in-the-Vale. We now typically have over ten, lovely people every time many of whom make a special effort to travel some distance to join us—without you, boardGOATS wouldn’t exist, so we really appreciate it all the effort you folks make. Here’s to another year of great games!

Next Meeting, 30th September 2025

Our next meeting will be on Tuesday 30^th September 2025. 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 now doing food again, so those that will be eating will be arriving from around 6.30pm.

This week, the “Feature Game” will be The Traveler expansion to Altiplano (base game rules, base game review, base game instructional video, expansion rules, expansion review, expansion overview and instructional video). Altiplano is a “bag building” game where players develop their alpaca farms in the highlands of Peru and was the first game to receive the coveted Golden GOAT Award in 2018.

– Image by boardGOATS

And speaking of alpacas…

Jeff was at Millets Farm with his wife and, after visiting the Falconry, they were admiring the animals. They were looking at the alpacas, when Jeff commented, “They look a bit scary, do you think they might bite?”

His wife replied, “Oh no, they are quite friendly, there’s no cause for a llama…!”

Goats in the News: The Velkopopovický Kozel Brewery

A few weeks ago, while many of us were playing games, two members of the group were visiting the village of Velké Popovice in Czechia. Part of the reason for their visit was to go on the Kozel Brewery tour. The first references to the Popovice Brewery come from the mid-sixteenth century, but the first batch of the dark Velkopopovický Kozel beer was brewed on 15^th December 1847. Internationally, Kozel is probably the best known Czech beer, although the brand has been owned by Asahi since 2016.

– Image by boardGOATS

The interest here, is in the name—Kozel means “goat” in Czech and this is reflected in the brand logo. The origin apparently comes from the fact that a dark beer used to be called “bock”, which also means “goat” in German. Hence, the brewery’s strong, dark beer became known locally as kozel. So, when in 1919, a lost French painter passed through the fillage, he gave the village a painted billy goat as a thank you for giving him food and shelter. Since then, the brewery have had a sucession of goat mascots, most of which have been called Olda, and the current incumbent can be visited by people touring the facility.

– Image by boardGOATS

Next Meeting, 16th September 2025

Our next meeting will be on Tuesday 16^th September 2025. 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 now doing food again, so those that will be eating will be arriving from around 6.30pm.

This week, the “Feature Game” will be First Empires (rules, review and instructional video). This is a dice-driven, area movement and control game that we played a few weeks ago and found we really enjoyed.

– Image by boardGOATS

And speaking of empires…

Jeff was visiting the bar at the top of the Empire State Building. He was standing at the bar when a guy in a suit approached him and said, “Did you know that one of the reasons this building has such interesting design is that they made it so that when people jump out of the window, the wind stops them from falling too fast and they just float to the ground, unhurt?”

Jeff was astonished, “No way,” he said, “Prove it!”

So, the man in the suit climbed onto the window sill and jumped out the window. A few minutes later the lift arrived and out he walked.

“See! It works!” the man in the suit said. Jeff was really impressed and before anyone could stop him, he jumped onto the window sill and lept out of the window and, after what seemed like an age to him as he accellerated rapidly, landed with a jolt in an anti-suicide net.

Back in the bar, the bartender sighed, “Superman, you really can be an idiot when you’ve been drinking!”

Deutscher Spiele Preis – 2025

The Deutscher Spiele Preis is awarded anually based on an open vote from German games clubs, gamers in German-speaking countries and people in the gaming industry. It recognises the “Best Children’s Game” and a top ten list of the “Best Family and Adult Games”. Although the order of the top three in each category won’t be announced until the Internationale Spieltage in Essen at the end of October, the list of winning games has been released.

– Image by BGG contributor tobsn,
adapted by boardGOATS

The top three in the general category in alphabetical order are:

Bomb Busters
Endeavor: Tiefsee (aka Endeavour: Deep Sea)
SETI: Auf der Suche nach außerirdischen Leben (aka SETI: Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence)

The remaining list of games in the top ten are:

Castle Combo
Faraway
Civolution
Blood on the Clocktower
Slay the Spire: Das Brettspiel (aka Slay the Spire: The Board Game)
Astrobienen (aka Apiary)
Dune: Imperium — Uprising

The games named in the Deutscher Spiele Preis lists often intersect with the winners and nominees of the annual Spiel des Jahres Award. This time is no exception, indeed the only game in the top five Deutscher Spiele Preis list not to have recieved a Spiel des Jahres award or a nomination likely missed out because it was considered too complex. And therein lies much of the difference between the two: the Spiel des Jahres nominees/winners are chosen by a committee with a list of strict criteria, whereas the Deutscher Spiele Preis is more like a list of the most popular games of the preceding year, with the gaming public having a strong say. As a result, the Deutscher Spiele Preis often includes heavier games.

– Image by BGG contributor spiritraw,
adapted by boardGOATS

The top three children’s games (again in alphabetical order) are, Cascadia Junior, Die kleinen Alchemisten (aka Little Alchemists), and Die Sandburgen von Burgund (aka The Sandcastles of Burgundy). The order of the top three in both categories will be announced at the press conference on Wednesday 22^nd October; congratulations to everyone on the list.

– Image from
spiel-essen.com

Next Meeting, 2nd September 2025

Our next meeting will be on Tuesday 2^nd September 2025. As usual, we will start playing shorter games from 7.30pm as people arrive, until 8pm when we will start something a little longer. Following a recent change of hands, the pub is now doing food again, so those that will be eating will be arriving from around 6.30pm.

This week, the “Feature Game” will be Parachute Panda (one review and another review). This is a light, fun little filler game with a bit of take that, cute artwork and, of course, lots of pandas…

– Image by BGG Contributor W. Eric Martin, adapted by boardGOATS

And speaking of pandas…

Jeff walked into a bar with his pet panda. It was about 5pm, but they were ready for a good night of drinking. They started slowly, watching the Magpies play on the TV, drinking beer and eating peanuts. As the night went on, they moved to mixed drinks, and then shots, necking one after another. Finally, the barman called, “Last orders,” so, Jeff went to the bar one last time.

“One more for me… and one more for my panda,” he asked. The barman set them up and Jeff and the Panda knocked them back. Suddenly, after one drink too many, the panda collapsed in a heap on the floor. Jeff left some cash on the bar, put his coat on and headed for the door.

The barman called after him, “Hey you can’t just leave that lyin’ there…”

To which Jeff replied, “Don’t be daft—that’s not a lion, it’s a panda…!”

Next Meeting, 19th August 2025

Our next meeting will be on Tuesday 19^th August 2025. As usual, we will start playing shorter games from 7.30pm as people arrive, until 8pm when we will start something a little longer. Following a recent change of hands, the pub is now doing “basket meals”, so those that will be eating will be arriving from around 6.30pm.

This week, the “Feature Game” will be Critter Kitchen (rules, review and tutorial video). This is a worker placement and programming game where players take on the role of restaurateurs competing in food challenges, and planning an epic meal to impress a celebrity food critic.

– Image from facebook.com, adapted by boardGOATS

And speaking of restaurants…

Jeff and Joe were having a chat over a pint, when out of the blue, Jeff suddenly said, “I really love meatballs, in fact, I love them so much that I’m planning to open a Swedish restaurant.”

Joe, was a little taken aback, but after a moment or two considering, replied, “I like them too, but it’s a bit of a stretch to open a restaurant to get them. In any case, where are you going to find a Swedish chef?”

“Oh,” replied Jeff, “My chef won’t actually be Swedish—do you think anyone will notice I’m using an artificial Swedener on my food?”

Next Meeting, 5th August 2025

Our next meeting will be on Tuesday 5^th August 2025. As usual, we will start playing shorter games from 7.30pm as people arrive, until 8pm when we will start something a little longer. Following a recent change of hands, the pub has now started doing “basket meals”, so those that will be eating will be arriving from around 6.30pm.

This week, the “Feature Game” will be Cubed (rules, review and how-to-play video). This is a very simple, sort of 3D, hexagonal/trioominoes domino game which plays relatively quickly and, at least in theory, with a lot of players.

– Image from cubedthegame.com, adapted by boardGOATS

And speaking of Dominoes…

Jeff had been having a drink in Faringdon after work. As he left the Old Crown in the Market place, a sign caught his eye and he went into the shop to find out more.

“Your sign outside says three strippers for £4.99,” said Jeff. “Are we talking topless or fully nude here please?”

“Sir,” replied the guy behind the counter, “This is Domino’s Pizza—they’re chicken strippers.”

“Ahhh…” Jeff responded. “OK, now the pricing makes sense… How long is each dance please?”

Next Meeting, 22nd July 2025

Our next meeting will be on Tuesday 22^nd July 2025. As usual, we will start playing shorter games from 7.30pm as people arrive, until 8pm when we will start something a little longer. Following a recent change of hands, the pub has just started doing “basket meals”, so those that will be eating will be arriving from around 6.30pm.

This week, to mark the announcement of the Spiel des Jahres winners, the “Feature Game” will be Looot (rules, review, how-to-play video). This is a resource collection and management game where players take on the role of Vikings conquering new territory and building their village.

– Image by boardGOATS

And speaking of Vikings…

Jeff was working in a fancy-dress shop, so when he and his mates decided to form a disco pop band they each chose a costume. Jeff dressed up as Viking, Joe as a Caribbean pirate, Jim as a Mongol, Jon as a Bedouin raider, Jack as a Spanish conquistador.

The called themselves The Pillage People…