Our next meeting will be Tuesday 5^th September 2023.  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, and the table is booked from 6.30pm for those that would like to eat first.

This week, the “Feature Game” will be Vaalbara (rules, review, how to play video).  This is a light card game, with elements of hand management and set collection where players are neolithic clan leaders trying to take over territory.  It is very quick to play, so should leave plenty of time for other games.

– Image by BGG contributor The Innocent

Speaking of the Neolithic…

Joe hadn’t been feeling well and he was down the pub sharing his woes with his mate Jeff.

“You see,” he explained.  “The doctor said I’ve got kidney stones, gall stones and even bladder stones.  It’s really painful and they don’t know what’s causing it.”

Jeff answered, “It’s because you are so old fashioned—you are living in the stone age…”

Our next meeting will be Tuesday 22^nd August 2023.  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, and the table is booked from 6.30pm for those that would like to eat first.

This week, the “Feature Game” will be Ticket to Ride: Northern Lights (rules, review).  This is the latest version of one of our favourite games, Ticket to Ride, and is similar to the Nordic Countries stand-alone game that we often play at Christmas, except that more people can play, there are a few rules tweaks, and the artwork is less festive (though still very, very beautiful).

– Image by boardGOATS

Speaking of the Northern Lights…

Jeff’s mate Joe was telling him about the recent trip he’d made to Norway with his girlfriend, Alice. He explained how seeing the Northern Lights was one of the things he’d always wanted to do. He’d found a romantic log cabin and they stayed there together for a few nights. Joe explained that he’d loved his time there and seeing the Northern lights, but his girlfriend Alice, had admitted that she hadn’t found the trip at all interesting.

Jeff replied, “I guess it must have been really hard watching the Aurora boring Alice…”

Our next meeting will be Tuesday 8^th August 2023.  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 once more, so we we will be meeting from 6.30pm for those who would like to eat.

This week, the “Feature Game” will be Ginkopolis (rules, review; how-to-play video).  This is a tile-laying game with an area control element.  It is a medium-weight game that should suit everyone and is set in 2212 where players are urban planners trying to building the eco-city, Ginkgopolis.

– Image by boardGOATS

Speaking of urban planners…

Jeff was working as in the planning department and, after a liquid lunch with some colleagues all three had popped to the gents and were standing at the urinals. The first, an architect, finished and walked over to the sink to wash his hands. He then proceeded to dry his hands very carefully. He used paper towel after paper towel and ensured that every single spot of water on his hands was dried. Turning to the other two, he said, “As architects, we are trained to be extremely thorough.”

The second, an engineer finished at much the same time and he proceeded to wash his hands. He used a single paper towel and made sure that he dried his hands using every available portion of the paper towel. He turned to his colleagues, “Engineers, are not only are we trained to be extremely thorough, but we are also trained to be extremely efficient.”

As Jeff finished, he walked straight for the door, and commented, “In the Planning Department, we don’t pee on our hands.”

Our next meeting will be Tuesday 25^th July 2023.  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, we we will be meeting from 6.30pm for those who would like to eat.

To mark the recent announcement of the Spiel des Jahres winners, this week, the “Feature Game” will be the Kennerspiel winner, Challengers! (rules, review; how-to-play video).  This is a deck-building, dueling “capture the flag” game where players battle head-to-head to find the winner.  This is a very light game, but that should give us opportunity to play other games, perhaps some that have won (or been nominated for) the Spiel des Jahres awards in the past.

– Image by boardGOATS

Speaking of duels…

Jeff had offended his friend Joe, who, being a man of honour challenged him to a duel.

“As I am the challenger, I will let you choose our weapons, ” said Joe, opening a case with two swords and two guns. “Would you like to duel with swords, or guns?”

Jeff was a terrified, but he knew his skills with a sword were vastly superior to Joe’s. As such, he chose to give himself the advantage. “I choose to duel with swords,” he exclaimed.

Joe nodded at this choice. “Very well then.”  He solemnly handed both swords to his opponent. “Here are your swords; that just leaves me with the guns…”

Our next meeting will be Tuesday 11^th July 2023.  As usual, we will start playing shorter games from 7.30pm as people arrive, until 8pm when we will start something a little longer.  There is currently no food available, so everyone will be eating before they come out.

This week, the “Feature Game” will be the Fantasies & Futures expansion (rules, review; play-through video) to one of our more popular heavier games, Tapestry (rules; review; how to play video).  We have played Tapestry lots times since it first came out five years ago and this is the third expansion we will have tried which introduces new civilizations, advanced capital city mats, and more tapestry and technology cards.  Although Tapestry is a heavier game, there should be plenty of people to play one or maybe two lighter games in parallel.

– Image from stonemaiergames.com

Speaking of fantasy…

Over the years, Jeff had been caught by his wife in illicit liaisons with two elves, and more recently a witch. His marriage had just about withstood his misdemeanors because after the last affair he had promised he wouldn’t do it again. But then, one night Jill came home to find Jeff in bed with a young, female halfling.

She screamed at him, “You said you wouldn’t cheat on me anymore!”

Jeff answered, “I know, I know… But can’t you see I’m trying to cut down?”

Our next meeting will be Tuesday 27^th June 2023.  As usual, we will start playing shorter games from 7.30pm as people arrive, until 8pm when we will start something a little longer.  There is currently no food available, so everyone will be eating before they come out.

This week, the “Feature Game” will be the Aerial expansion (rules; review; how to play video) to one of our most popular little games, Draftosaurus (rules; review; how to play video).  Since the group first played it online in 2021, we have played it lots of times in person, drafting real, cute, miniature, wooden dinosaurs.  This expansion adds a mountain board and wooden Pterodactyls.  We’ve picked this game because it we know it well and it plays quickly, allowing lots of options for the rest of the evening.

– Image by boardGOATS

Speaking of Pterodactyls…

Jeff and Joe were visiting the Natural History Museum and were staying in a cheap hotel in London.  Joe came into the bedroom and Jeff asked him where he’d been.

Joe said, “I was in the bathroom—can’t a guy go to the loo in peace?”

Jeff apologised, “Sorry, it’s just that it’s a small hotel room and the walls are made of cardboard, and, well, I just didn’t hear you pee.”

“Of course you didn’t,” Joe answered quickly, “That’s because I’m like a Pterodactyl.”

Jeff was utterly confused by this, so asked, “How on earth are you like a Pterodactyl?”

Joe explained, “Because my P is silent…”

Our next meeting will be Tuesday 13^th June 2023 at the Horse and Jockey.  As usual, we will start playing shorter games from 7.30pm as people arrive, until 8pm when we will start something a little longer.  There is currently no food available, so everyone will be eating before they come out.

This week, the “Feature Game” will be the Earth (rules; review, how-to-play video), where players are building themselves an ecosystem.   Last time, we played Wingspan and remembered how much we liked it; Earth has similarities with Wingspan, so as that was so successful, we thought we’d try the new, hot, card-driven, engine-builder game.

– Image from insideupgames.com

Speaking of environmental matters…

Jeff and Joe were talking about what they were doing to save the planet.

“I’m really getting into recycling,” Jeff commented. “And I’m trying to avoid buying things wrapped in plastics.”

Joe replied, “The best way to reduce your carbon footprint it to become vegan.”

Not to be outdone, Jeff answered, “I don’t have a carbon footprint, because I drive everywhere.”

Our next meeting will be Tuesday 16^th May 2023.  As usual, we will start playing shorter games from 7.30pm as people arrive, until 8pm when we will start something a little longer.  For those who want to eat, the table is booked from 6.45pm.

This week, the “Feature Game” will be the Marina expansion (rules; review; how to play video) to one of our most popular little games, Draftosaurus (rules; review; how to play video).  The group first played this online in 2021, but since then have played it lots of times in person drafting real cute miniature wooden dinosaurs.  This expansion adds a bit more river and wooden Plesiosaurs.  We’ve picked this game because it we know it well and it plays quickly, allowing lots of options for the rest of the evening (including a possible rematch of Zoo Break for those that want to have another try).

– Image by boardGOATS

Speaking of plesiosaurs…

Jeff and Joe were out sea fishing when they got a bite. It was a bigun’, and they tugged and hauled on the line, but there was a sudden snap and it got away.  It was getting late and time to go home, so as they headed back, they compared other near misses.

“A while back, I had a shark on my line,” said Jeff.  “Sadly, it got away though.”

“Wow,” replied Joe, “Last year I had a whale jump right over my boat.”

Jeff was not to be outdone, “That’s nothing,” he said.  “Why, just yesterday morning, I had a plesiosaur jump right into my boat!”

Joe, looked surprised as he had been out on the waves too and hadn’t heard about it.  “What time was that then?” he asked.

Jeff responded, “Time to get a new boat…”

Our next meeting will be Tuesday 2^nd May 2023.  As usual, we will start playing shorter games from 7.30pm as people arrive, until 8pm when we will start something a little longer.  For those who want to eat, the table is booked from 6.45pm.

This week, the “Feature Game” will be Zoo Break, a light cooperative game where players are a team of zoo-keepers trying to prevent a mass break-out (rules, video review). The game has fabulous wooden ani-meeples and especially cute panda-meeples.

– Image by boardGOATS

Speaking of pandas…

Jeff was at the cinema when he noticed what looked like a panda sitting next to him.

Jeff did a double take, then asked, “Excuse me, are you a panda?”

“Yes,” replied the panda.

“Umm…” began Jeff hesitantly, “So, what are you doing at the movies?”

The panda answered, “Well, I enjoyed the book.”