Inter-family games night!

This coming Saturday will be the first inter-family games night to introduce Euro-style and non-mass trash gaming (As I refer to games like Monopoly, Cluedo, Game of Life etc) to our friends the Martins. Apparently it is also going to be a take-away night too, so food and games all round!

I've already introduced two of their family to Zombies!!! as they have an interest in that "field" via the Xbox, so they were interested to find out more about gaming that didn't involve Monopoly or Cluedo. They've also expressed an interest in going to visit Battlequestgames to take a look around and see what it is I'm always on about.

I think the first batch we'll take around to introduce them to the idea is Eketorp and Diamant. Hopefully it will become a regular family thing once every 2 or 4 weeks.

History is changed in the desert sands - this time for the greater good!

So today a new scenario was cracked open in Memoir '44 - this time Roshni and I decided on a desert based one on the desert/snow board. The scenario was set in 1943, with a British dash for freedom being curtailed by a German surprise attack.

Scenario start - the British battalion moving up the road are surprised on three fronts, left, centre and the escape road, with artillery bringing up the rear.

The battle started like a duck shoot - like history dictated - out in the desert with little to no cover, men and machines blasted away at each other - he (or she!) who shot and rolled right knocked off targets all over the place.

Mid way through, the right hand side British tanks and troops attempt a punch through
whilst the left hand side (rather unrealistically!) threw themselves against the German centre
and left to prevent a cut off.

The battle ground on, but the push by the British on the left forced the Germans to a stop and a lack of artillery support meant the right hand British units were able to push up the road and clear out several tank and infantry units. The knock out came with an air strike, destruction of the right side German artillery and their last German infantry/anti tank team! 

Gun camera of a low flying Spitfire with tracer fire scattering German anti tank troops 

and targeting a Panzer unit

With the way clear, the game ended with the road clear for the retreating British units, turning the tide of history! :) 

Birthday treat!

So, birthday finally arrives and I get £40 from Anita for use in Battlequestgames! Yay! Then dad gives me £20 (so again that will be diverted :] ). Off we go into town and I nip into BQGs after my several month exile (to stop me buying up loads and getting into trouble). We had a look around the family games and find Dominion - which plays from 8+ so Maya can play - although its 4 players only, so she'll have to work alongside someone. It looks interesting and a card based game like Citadels, which was a sure-fire hit, so looking forward to playing this.

Oh and later a few friends came around for some birthday drinks and I got another £20 - this time specifically in Battlequest vouchers! Nice!

Memoir '44 - Victory through overwhelming fire-power!

At last - a US (i.e. me) lead victory in France 1944! The mission, Operation Luttich, was to stop a midnight attack by German assault troops on a strategic hill (Hill 314) over looking large areas of the French countryside; the Americans won - just! With a 6 medal win requirement and the US facing 18 German tanks, including 2 SS Panzer platoons and 1 SS infantry platoon, Roshni (German again) looked like she would flatten the (mostly) infantry based US opponents in a few dice rolls! But how the fortunes of fate turn! In fact, a lot of it had to do with concentration and game length, which leads me to a slight criticism of the game - well, criticism is a bit too harsh, just may be words of advice for any potential M'44 gamers reading this; but more on that later; on with the game!

Here is the opening position with US armour to the bottom left and a small amount of infantry on the Hill preparing to face the German march - no, onslaught - top right. The US artillery in this scenario played a vital role. 

Part way through the game; a huge thrust by SS tanks push the US battalion off the Hill.The US tanks were too far away to help or protect them. Artillery fire was diverted away to take out German troops rushing forward in the Centre sector. Things were not going well (again) for the US.The Germans had kept the other side of the river tied down, a central push was coming in hard and they were coming in thick and fast on the right over the Hill! 

Here, in this overhead recon photo from US bombers, we see German tanks in the centre and right sector pushing right through. The tanks to the right eventually pushed on to XXXXX taking the German victory medal there. The US tanks were tied down with holding the bridge so stopping any German pushes there and stopping the tanks in the centre. Artillery did its bit, although one unit was lost to ranged German tank fire. The swing came with plucky infantry anti tank fire coming from the central bocage took out a lot of central sector German tanks and concentrated artillery fire caused a route.

In the end it was a very lucky US win (one medal won via a precise allied airstrike over the bridge). German forces held the Hill and XXX and several other key areas. Although the US won on a technicality, the eventual winner would be determined with whom ever re-enforced first!

Half term but no gaming!

The kids are away for half term and so far it's been a game free week and bank holiday! :( May be some late night games of ticket to ride. We've been looking at some new games; the German game of the year is about to be announced, perhaps that may be a good indicator of what to get next. I've had a self imposed ban from Battlequest Games simply because I'd just keep buying and buying and buying! My birthday is coming up soon this month and I'm hoping to get some gift vouchers which Andy has started selling recently to get some great new games!

We're pilgrims in an unholy land next year!

A great quote snatch from my friend - both of us are going to Essen next year! We've decided 2011 is the best time since we need to book a hotel early and save up etc. Can't wait! A while off but at least plans are under way!

My first boardgamegeek geeklist!

I decided to put together a geeklist on boardgamegeek based around my experience of being the only guy in a family of five gamers of various ages. I listed our most popular games and what we thought of them and received some good feedback so far; including an 8g tip from a game designer to buy a microbadge!

See the list at :http://www.boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/54948/games-for-when-dad-is-the-only-guy-in-a-family-of