Big Bang Burger Bar

Another Great day of Gaming:


Link to Google+ Photo Album of the Day (https://plus.google.com/photos/107181235392958093201/albums/5838282135675937121)

Looking forward to the next one when I hope I will be more my normal happy cheery evil self  unlike yesterday. I am however rather glad every one else had a good time.

 >:DGinger

We had the second event at the Talbot on Sunday 10th February, numbers were a little lower but netherless a good time was had by all.

(http://www.spiritgames.co.uk/image/comgames/4700.jpg)	We started off with a game of Scrappers (http://www.spiritgames.co.uk/single.php?menu=2&sub=4&game=4700) which is a really fun game in the Bodgers universe by Privateer Press (http://privateerpress.com/). Players are competing bodgers trying to grab parts from the scrapheap to complete there devices first, using various cards to manipulate themselves or others or to assist in a tugs of war over parts. Really good to get this back to the table as it is always enjoyable but plays a lot quicker than Infernal Contraption (http://www.spiritgames.co.uk/single.php?menu=2&sub=4&game=3420) with which is shares some similar elements. Caz, Paul, Martin and Eric played this with Caz sneaking the Victory!
(http://www.spiritgames.co.uk/image/comgames/6104.jpg)	We then played Lords of Waterdeep (http://www.spiritgames.co.uk/single.php?menu=2&sub=4&game=6104) This is a really well put together Worker placement style game with a D&D theme thrown over it. The theme does not really feel worked into the gameplay and could easily be replaced with another. That said the mechanics of the game are extremely solid and well thought out. The game flows well and is easy to pick up with minimal effort, it also plays quite quickly which is very good for this style of game.  I really enjoyed playing this and the components are well made with an excellent insert that takes all of the pieces after punching, excellent job. Caz:133, Martin:128 and Paul:89
(http://www.spiritgames.co.uk/image/comgames/6956.jpg)	We then played Heap (http://www.spiritgames.co.uk/single.php?menu=2&sub=4&game=6956) which is another game in the Bodger universe this time with the players being bodgers cobbling together 4 vehicles from various parts and competing in Rush's on the heap. In the final pileup the players go in with all their vehicles, some that get a turbo version if they had bodged more than 3 parts onto it. Then it is a fight to the last bodger standing. Great little game, with some lots of fun and mayhem. This was Martin's first game and he Won!
(http://www.spiritgames.co.uk/image/comgames/5766.jpg)	We then played Cthulhu Gloom (http://www.spiritgames.co.uk/single.php?menu=2&sub=4&game=5766) which is a re-themed and updated version of Gloom (http://www.spiritgames.co.uk/single.php?menu=2&sub=4&game=2245) players taken on the role of a family whom they have to make miserable and then kill them off for points based on how miserable. Other players will try to cheer your family up or hinder you with various cards. Like Gloom the cards are see-through with icons placed strategically on each one to cover over elements of the card underneath. This is a genius design and a really entertaining game to play, the cthulhu version takes all the best elements of the original and adds in new tweaks to enhance the game. Really enjoy this one and should definitely get it to the table more often. Caz:130, Sally:70 and Paul:60
(http://www.spiritgames.co.uk/image/comgames/3342.jpg)	Finally we played Caylus Magna Carta (http://www.spiritgames.co.uk/single.php?menu=2&sub=4&game=3342) I had played this before with the basic rules at MidCon and was quite fun to play but I was not sure if this really grabbed me enough to try gain, though in fairness I said I should give it at least one more try with the more advanced rules as this sounds like it has much more to it with them in play. This time we did play with the advanced rules, which did make the game a little more involved but for me the it made it play longer than it needed to. Whilst the game is interesting and the advanced rules do add a lot to the game it just feels too long for a card game. Good fun, just not sure I would want to play this again over something else. Chris:55, Caz:38, Phil:33 and Paul:32

Caz did rather too well in the games this month, so I will have to try and save some face next month with some wins myself.

Thanks to Phil & Sal @ Spirit Games (http://www.spiritgames.co.uk) for Organising this and the staff at the Talbot for all their help, especially for letting us use their function room.

Another good gaming session was had by all on Sunday.

Games played were:

The Day was started with a quick game of Martian Dice (http://www.spiritgames.co.uk/single.php?menu=2&sub=4&game=5845) until more people turned up. This is a fun little game which is always a good filler.

We then had a 7 player game of 7 Wonders (http://www.spiritgames.co.uk/single.php?menu=2&sub=4&game=5351)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1bPjZO9faiI/UWvmbvPllYI/AAAAAAAAHms/P-WsOK8nDfs/w517-h386-p-o/20130414_140110.jpg)
Unfortunenately I missed taken a photo actually during the game ... doh!

Another table was playing Innovation (http://www.spiritgames.co.uk/single.php?menu=2&sub=4&game=5914) which is another great game.

(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-MM61i4mci0E/UWvmbs6KVjI/AAAAAAAAHmo/wiyC0GUuask/w517-h386-p-o/20130414_140055.jpg)

Our table then split up and one group played Oddville (http://www.spiritgames.co.uk/single.php?menu=2&sub=4&game=7415) whilst the rest played Elder Sign (http://www.spiritgames.co.uk/single.php?menu=2&sub=4&game=5811)

(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-698yoCd8hCk/UWvmbqI0XwI/AAAAAAAAHmo/XsPGgASjKU4/w517-h386-p-o/20130414_150614.jpg)

Our group then got round the table for a 5-6 player game of Settlers of Catan (http://www.spiritgames.co.uk/single.php?menu=2&sub=4&game=3641) which is a classic favourite our gaming group.

(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-s9-OTqQym1c/UWvmbrDk1AI/AAAAAAAAHmo/A-KRqMjL9IQ/w517-h386-p-o/20130414_180634.jpg)

On the other table they were playing Kemet (http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/127023/kemet), which looks quite an interesting game. The components look well made and fit well with the theme.

(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Xo9mUN0pkmQ/UWvmbiJ4IGI/AAAAAAAAHmo/EPtZ11uTbGM/w517-h386-p-o/20130414_150620.jpg)

Our table then had game of Trollhalla (http://www.spiritgames.co.uk/single.php?menu=2&sub=4&game=5578) which is a simple fun little game which was actually quite good.

(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-nJiDB5K9WvM/UWvmbrD6uyI/AAAAAAAAHmo/G6dC2NDTvg4/w517-h386-p-o/20130414_182913.jpg)


The other game that go played was Seasons (http://www.spiritgames.co.uk/single.php?menu=2&sub=4&game=6998) a strange game but good fun.

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-RRSAIDDEcuw/UWvmbntRKPI/AAAAAAAAHmo/1oFZz8AcLVY/w571-h428-p-o/20130414_200113.jpg)

Didn't get to play X-Wing at all but had a great time & played a wide range of games


Heap a game of post apocalyptic mad Max style vehicles

Race to adventure which I forgot I always forget one game  +:sleepy2=+::sleepy2:

Witches Brew a bluffing & trumping game I had played before quite some time ago

Space Mission a space exploration themed set collecting  game

Alien Frontier Aka the Dicey spacy game

more details to follow probably from Zarni who was taking scores & pictures.....


I for one had a great day & a lovely warm up for Beer & Pretzels next week


 >:DGinger

This month we were subject to a double-booking so we re-located the event to the New Shop.

A good decision as this is an excellent space to game in and with the smaller attendence this month we had plenty of room.
Below is a slideshow of some of the games being played and who attended.

Thanks to everyone who came along and made the day fun, it was a great atmosphere and plenty of good gaming had by all.

We started off with Heap (http://www.spiritgames.co.uk/single.php?menu=2&sub=4&game=6956) which is a quick fun little card game, though our start was aborted a couple of times by people popping by for a look/shop ;) I managed to wiun this, though thankfully no Arkham Horrors were released.

From there we went on to play Race to Adventure (http://www.spiritgames.co.uk/single.php?menu=2&sub=4&game=7496) an really pretty, extremly fun little game about the members of the Centuary Club racing around the world collecting stamps from various countries they have adventured in and racing to be the first back to the club. This plays in around the 1/2 mark and is easy to teach and whilst simple to playdoes involve a degree of strategy and planning.  This was eventually won by Caz who snuch a home run in whilst we were all distracted trying to get those last elusive stamps.

Then we played an older but still fun little game Witches Brew, a lovely little game with great theme and lovely artwork. The aim is to collect the most victory points scored by casting spells, brewing potions or collecting vials (which count as VPs). In order to achieve this you need various spell components or gold. Collecting these items requires the use of one or more characters in your hand.

Each player has the same characters from which you pick 5 for your hand that round, if you go first you claim the primary role of that character, each other player in turn can either say "So be it" and take the reward for the secondary role or opt to claim the primary role leaving you with nothing. More than one player can share the secondary role but only one player gets to play the primary role which leads to very tactical play. The risk is if more players go after you then you also could lose the primary role and the chance for any reward, not knowing what the other players will play adds to the fun.

The person who wins the primary role collects the reward and then starts the next round of play. There is always one open spell which adds various benefits but can only be cast by the Warlock so this is always a gamble to go for this option.
Final Scores wre really close on this one: Caz:18, Andie:19, Paul:20 and Simon:21

The next game was Space Mission (http://www.spiritgames.co.uk/single.php?menu=2&sub=4&game=6938) an excellent quality little game that plays in under an hour with oodles of fun and replayability. Players move around the planets scanning for resources and ultimately building space stations in order to plunder these resources. Essentially a set collection game where you are competing to get the best combinations in order to score highly whilst not tipping your hand too early to your opponents. The end game is triggered when a number of space tiles are revealed and this can cause an abrupt end, so whilst you can try and plan what you need, you have to keep an eye on the Space as things get near the end you need to maximise your turn to get the most you can.  The Final scores for this was as follows: Sam:15, Caz:23, Andie:28, Simon:29 and Paul:37


For our final game we played Alien Frontiers (http://www.spiritgames.co.uk/single.php?menu=2&sub=4&game=5623) an excellent game that is always fun to play, this was a pimped version with the new upgrade Pack (http://www.spiritgames.co.uk/single.php?menu=2&sub=4&game=7137)which adds better colonies pieces, covers for parts of the board based on the number of players, and models for the Field Generator. It also had Alien Frontiers: Factions expansion (http://www.spiritgames.co.uk/single.php?menu=2&sub=4&game=7135) which adds pieces for a 5th player as well as introducing new additions to the game. We only used the extra pieces/rules for the 5th player but played the base game. As always this was a lot of fun with plenty of changes in the scoring and Caz putting in a final harsh play when going ofr the win by pushing me firnly into 3rd place ;)
Final Scores: Sam:3, Simon:3, Paul5, Andie:6 and Caz:9

With Alien frontier, I was doing ok until I got in an unexpected war with Sam resulting in both of us coming joint last another turn & I would have crawled a head...... into a Singular third place  :o

Still I now get what people like about the game & will be more than happy to pass on my enjoyment to others I rather look forward to the reprint as its down for the Christmas family game for 2013.

 >:DGinger

This was the last session held at the New Talbot before being moved permanently to #SpiritGames (http://www.spiritgames.co.uk):