tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7074532444828222742024-02-19T21:44:00.248-08:00Cals Board Game MusingsCalvin Danielshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15192952180029342500noreply@blogger.comBlogger174125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-707453244482822274.post-87709663587180528022012-11-30T16:43:00.002-08:002012-11-30T16:43:57.222-08:00Review -- PITCHNUT<br />
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">I love finger flicking games. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">I love that the best of the genre are close to being a sport,
not just a board game. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">I love that they are games where skill wins out, so you can get
better at the game by practice and dedication.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">So I was more than a little excited to get my hands on a
pitchnut board.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Pitchnut is a game with its exact origins lost to time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">It is credited to French Canada, with an origin around 1900.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The game owes some pretty obvious family-connections to
crokinole, also created in Canada in the late 1860s, and to carrom. In the case
of carrom, which remains huge in countries such as India, several games have
sprung from it, including American carrom and Norvuss the national game of
Latvia.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Pitchnut, which is now actually a trademarked name, which seems
a bit unusual for a game so old but according to www.pitchnut.com, is a game of
pure skill.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Like carrom, players must use a flicking motion of finger and
thumb to use a shooting disk to hit other disks into four corner pockets.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">There is a French </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">game<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pichenotte" target="_blank">pichenotte</a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>which is similar, the name actually
referring to the finger-flicking action. In the case of<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pichenotte" target="_blank">pichenotte</a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>it is nearer carrom but with larger
'pockets'.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Pitchnut adds pegs in a circle in the centre of the board, a
direct connection of crokinole.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">There are also two pegs guarding each pocket, which should make
the sinking of disks more difficult, but really doesn't since there are
channels along all four sides. Once in a channel a piece is essentially 'a
gimme' in terms of sinking it on the next shot, the channel really being a
guide to the pocket.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Like many older games rules do vary.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The pitchnut website has it pretty simple. Each player has a set
of disks he must sink, and once those are cleared you shoot the one
odd-coloured 'poison' piece for the win.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Scratch your shooter you must bring a piece back to the board.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Sink the poison before you clear your pieces you lose.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">A variant which favours good shooting has you playing to score
50-points. You can sink the poison at anytime, worth 15 points, plus five
points for every opponent piece still on the board.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">In another variant you must 'cover' sinking the poison by then
sinking another of your own stones before ending a round.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">While the variant rules up the 'skill' level, the channels
really are a balancing mechanism which means players need not always make
precise shots to sink pieces. As a result I would not rate the skill level of pitchnut
as equal to crokinole and carrom, which require more finesse.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">That said pitchnut is a great game which is quick to learn and
to play.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">In the case of boards from www.pitchnut.com they are high
quality. They have surprising weight, and barring a hurricane the board should
become a family heirloom. This is a board which will easily be handed down
generation-to-generation with family enjoying it for years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Check it out at the aforementioned website.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">If anyone is interested in this game, or other board games feel
free to contact calmardan@sasktel.net<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> -- Appeared in Yorkton This Week newspaper Nov 28, 2012</span></div>
Calvin Danielshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15192952180029342500noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-707453244482822274.post-30485902865104868402012-11-30T16:43:00.000-08:002012-11-30T16:43:02.237-08:00Review -- SHADOWFIST<br />
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">It's
great to see good games can evolve and stay relevant even as the general trend
of gaming changes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">With
the launch of Magic: The Gathering back in 1993 a new genre of gaming was born;
collectable card games (CCGs). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The
idea of CCGs caught on in a major way thanks to Magic. The idea of buying a
pack of cards with a random selection inside -- much like hockey and other
sport cards have been distributed for decades -- was new for gamers. Many of us
loved the idea of cracking a pack and finding an especially powerful card for
our decks, and for more than a decade CCGs prospered with literally hundreds of
titles being created.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Most
are little more than vague memories for even the most devout CCG player, the
art, mechanics and distribution of many signaling a rather quick death.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The
idea of CCGs was also one many gamers did not like. They saw the collectability
as simply a way of draining money from their gaming budgets as they ripped
packs looking for the key cards to tweak their decks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">For the
most part CCGs faded away, although Magic remains vibrant with new cards coming
out at least a couple of times a year.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Among
the myriad of CCGs which arrived on the scene in the hay day of the genre, a
few were actually excellent games, ones which prospered for a time with a
number of expansions to the core game being created.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Shadowfist
was one such CCG.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The
game was one<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>which was based on a
combination of kung fu, sci-fi and action movies elements which simply put, was
fun.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The
premise of the game had players competing against each other to control the
world's feng shui sites across time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">It was
the sort of open-ended story line which gave its creators<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/8052/jose-garcia" target="_blank">Jose Garcia</a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>and<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/6676/robin-d-laws" target="_blank">Robin D. Laws</a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>the
ability to incorporate a wide range of elements which were compelling to gamers
who are already generally interested in the world of sci-fi and its relatives.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Shadowfist
went through expansions, and publisher changes, carrying with it a significant
gaming fan base which kept the game active when most CCGs failed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">But
alas Shadowfist stopped producing new cards, and for a CCG that is the death
knell as generally the genre feeds on new cards keeping players interested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">But as
I stated to start this review, good games find a way to survive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The new
trend is toward 'Living Card Games'. New cards are offered on a regular basis
to keep aspects of deck building and game play fresh, but instead of being
randomly distributed, the new cards are offered as a one-purchase set.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Raising
money through Kickstarter to pre-fund the relaunch, supporters pledged 250 per
cent of what those behind Shadowfist today were looking for. The $50,000 raised
should ensure a strong rebirth of the game.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: #F5F5FF; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The new set and the
planned expansions will be fixed sets of cards, which is good news for many
since you will not have to purchase packs in the hopes of cracking the cards
you really desire.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: #F5F5FF; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">So what do you get with
Shadowfist?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="background: #F5F5FF; font-size: 14.0pt;">"</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Shadowfist is the mile-a-minute, sword-clashing,
butt-kicking, Uzi-spraying, boat-exploding, car-chasing, monster-crunching,
Hong Kong cinematic action card game that is so epic it would take fourteen
John Woos to film and a cast the likes of Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Chow Yun Fat and
Michelle Yeoh. And that's just in the first five minutes," related the
games Kickstarter page.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Remember what I mentioned
earlier about fun.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Shadowfist can be played
one-on-one although a strength has been that it is one of the better
multi-player games to come out of the CCG era.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The relaunch of Shadowfist
will include four pre-constructed starter decks, one each for the Dragons, the
Guiding Hand, the Ascended and the Eaters of the Lotus.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">At the same time, Inner
Kingdom Games is releasing the first expansion to Combat in Kowloon, titled
Back for Seconds. This expansion will feature two additional pre-constructed
starter decks, one each for the Jammers and the Monarchs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">"Future expansions
will be released as non-randomized packs of 50 cards featuring all six factions
delving into new themes and conflicts within the game story line. Existing
cards for Shadowfist will always be welcome in open formats, and players are
free to engage the new environment in the non-collectable model at their
leisure," noted the Kickstarter page.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The fact the relaunch will
support using cards from the game's CCG past is a huge bonus, and will have old
Shadowfist fans digging out their stashes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">For those new to the game,
well heads up, Shadowfist is a blast as a game, one which has stood the test of
time, and is well-worthy of being supported by a new generation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Check
it out at www.shadowfist.com<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">If
anyone is interested in this game, or other board games feel free to contact
calmardan@sasktel.net<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> -- Appeared in Yorkton This Week Newspaper Nov 14, 2012</span></div>
Calvin Danielshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15192952180029342500noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-707453244482822274.post-41068945875930496272012-11-30T16:41:00.003-08:002012-11-30T16:41:53.863-08:00Review - PANDORA<br />
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Mantic Games is a British-based miniature gaming company which
is making major waves in the sector.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Recently Dreadball, a futuristic port board game raising close
to three-quarters of a million dollars on Kickstarter.com, a site focused on
allowing game companies, among others, raised seed funding to launch new
efforts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Dreadball is a success weeks before even launching to stores,
but it is not the first entry into gaming for Mantic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Warpath and Kings of War are both large scale miniature
wargaming systems which off battles in space, or in a more traditional high
fantasy setting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Project Pandora is really a spin-off of the space war
game. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">It is a stand-alone offering, so you don't need to worry about
being drawn into a miniature war game setting where you are constantly adding
new forces to your army.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">While the game is a one-shot -- at least for now, it is a system
which could be expanded with new scenarios -- the game offers significant
re-playability.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The board is modular, so you can vary the 'gaming' simply by
changing what the play area looks like.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The rule book also offers different scenarios to explore. With
different end objectives the game plays quite differently.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The ability to keep the gaming experience fresh within the
confines of a single box is a huge part of the appeal of Project Pandora. As an
aside the box for this game is rather thin and flimsy, so if you are into
stacking your games you best keep this one at the top of the pile, or it will
crush.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The game pits 'Corporation Marines' against alien Veer-myn
(rat-men). The miniatures are a touch smaller in terms of scale than some
similar games, but the detail is still good.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The 'minis' are plastic, and come in pieces, so you'll need to
get out the glue and go to work before playing. You can leave the minis
unpainted, but they will look better with some paint.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">In general terms the Veer-myn have an edge in most scenarios,
and while that might bother some, it is one of the things I like here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Rarely are skirmish battles in any war carried out between
exactly even forces. Someone has superiority in arms, or numbers, or both.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">But good tactics can overcome superior forces.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Project Pandora nicely mimics that reality.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">It's not always easy to win this game for one force, depending
on the scenario being attempted, but therein lies a challenge gamers should
relish.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The game will remind of games such as Space Hulk and Doom the
Boardgame in general terms, but Project Pandora has enough merit on its own to
be worth gamers liking miniature action to take a much closer look.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Check it out at www.manticgames.com<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">If anyone is interested in this game, or other board games feel
free to contact calmardan@sasktel.net<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> -- Appeared in Yorkton This Week newspaper Nov 7, 2012</span></div>
Calvin Danielshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15192952180029342500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-707453244482822274.post-66448695670967608032012-11-30T16:40:00.002-08:002012-11-30T16:40:34.704-08:00Review -- CAVEMAN CURLING<br />
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">It is
fall, and in Canada that means turning attention to winter pursuits such as
curling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Not all
of us want to get out on the ice and throw stones, but with the 2010 release of
Caveman Curling there is a fun boardgame alternative you can play at the kitchen
table.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Caveman
Curling is a creation from game designer<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/8490/daniel-quodbach" target="_blank">Daniel Quodbach</a>, who also created Pitch Bowl, a
finger-flicking dexterity game based on football which looks great too, but is
sadly out-of-print.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The
designer hasn't exactly created something stunningly original, or unique, but
what he has managed to do is put together something really simple and fun.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">If you
know curling at all you will recognize it clearly as the root of Caveman
Curling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The
'caveman' aspect is purely a fun theme pasted on to the game mechanics which
allow for some whimsical art of the roll-up board.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The
board rolls up, and while that often means an issue with getting it to lay flat
come game time, a pair of magnet-based strips address that issue nicely.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Once
the board is laid out players take turns flicking a stone down the board, think
crokinole in terms of the flicking action.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">As in
real curling you want to end up with the stone(s) close the centre of the rings
at the opposite end -- the imaginary cave in this game.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The
development of a game around the mechanics of curling, and using flicking of
pieces is not new at all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">What is
new is the addition of 'big' and 'small' hammers, pieces you can employ to move
a just shot stone closer to the centre by the length of the 'hammer'. Players
get two of each hammer, and since they only have six stones can pretty much
influence the final positioning of any important shot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">It is
too bad if you are out to mimmic curling the designer/production company did
not opt for eight stones for each player.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">As it
is though I would suggest limiting hammers to one large and one small per
player to increase the importance on a skilled initial shot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Players,
or teams of two, also get two totem pieces, which can be placed on a shot
stone. It has a couple of effects on the game, the biggest being if the
totem-protected stone is knocked out of play, the play gets to re-shoot that
stone at the end of the term.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Again I
would suggest one totem would suffice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">While
the game allows a bit too much interference with stones once they are played,
which devalues the skill aspect of a dexterity game, Caveman Curling is still a
lot of fun.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">And the
interference can be addressed by leaving some hammer and totem pieces in the
box.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The
theme, while not really necessary, does give a pasted-on theme that explains
the hammers and token.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The
game pieces are wood, with stickers you apply to one side to add to the theme.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">With
the board compactly rolling up the game stores and transports well. It should
be a hit with younger players, but is easily accessible by anyone, so think a
Christmas family gathering, or a cold winter family night and have fun.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">For
more information check out www.eagle-gryphon.com<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">If
anyone is interested in this game, or other boardgames feel free to contact
calmardan@sasktel.net<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">-- Appeared in Yorkton This Week newspaper Oct 10, 2012<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Calvin Danielshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15192952180029342500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-707453244482822274.post-3810784948907723172012-11-30T15:45:00.001-08:002012-11-30T15:45:24.815-08:00Review -- LITTLE BIGHORN RUMMY<br />
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">When it comes to card games few are any more popular than
rummy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">As a two-player option gin rummy -- created in 1909 -- in
particular is a great way to wile away more than a few hours on rainy summer
days, or cold winter evenings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Rummy, probably because of it familiarity, and the easily
adaptable mechanic of creating melds, has become the root game behind a number
of variants.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">As is often the case the variants, because they are building on
an already well-understood and very workable system, become better than the
root game.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">As good as gin rummy may be, there are a few variants out, most
emerging in the last decade which are actually deeper games, without getting so
bogged down in complexity that the game loses its appeal especially for the
more casual card player.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Among the recent developments is Little Bighorn Rummy, a 2012
release by designer John Longstreet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">As you might think from the name the game is themed around the
battle between Col. George Custer and Chief Sitting Bull, one of the most
fabled conflicts of the American west.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">On June 26th
1876 Lt. Col. George A. Custer drove his seven companies of the U.S. 7th
Cavalry into the valley of the Little Bighorn River where he met a vast
gathering of Native American nations not willing to back down. Custer's fate
and place in history was sealed as he and 255 of his men were killed at the
Little Bighorn.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">It is the
battle which is the backdrop for Little Bighorn Rummy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Longstreet
said working on a historic theme was a natural.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">"Being
a History teacher and having my concentration in 19th century American History
I've always loved the American West," he offered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">"I've
read and studied Native American and Military History for 40-plus years.
Little Bighorn was the apex of much of both of these two cultures. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">"When I
decided to tackle the subject I had already played a few board games that you
could classify a typical 'war games'. You know, hex and counter, move and
attack. I didn't want to repeat this. "What always impressed me about the
conflict was the hectic nature of the event. Many of the Indian accounts,
Sitting Bull included, mention that they did not believe that they were going
to win and up until the final moments of the battle they felt the battle was
possibly lost. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">"I
began to search for some kind of mechanic that would allow me to play both
sides at the same time, if that makes any sense."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">So
Longstreet went looking for what could portray the event in game format to his
liking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">"Searching
my own game database I remembered Mike Fitzgerald's Jack the Ripper Mystery
Rummy. It let you play all of the suspects of the crime," he
said. "So I began to look at a rummy-style game. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">"The
only drawback was I knew that 'rummy games' had gained that 'dime-a-dozen'
aspect as so many have been created. I had to try to add new concepts or enough
history themes to make it work."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Longstreet
said he started with the cast-of-characters, Braves, Companies, Chiefs, Custer,
and Sitting Bull. "What to do with them?" he asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">"The
first thing I decided was to use Custer as a 'bad' guy. He did die didn't he? I
used a little 'Hearts' here and made him count as a negative
number. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">"I
started with Companies: a commander worth three-points, a guidon flag
two-points, and five troopers one point each for a 10 point company. I
tried to do the same for Indians and chiefs"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Not all went
smoothly, admitted Longstreet. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">"Early
play-testing with my wife was blah, so I went to another idea that was brewing.
The separating Chiefs from Indians and adding the Coup Stick options to steal
points," he said. "This changed play drastically. A move I was
looking for to help build a mechanic that added spice to the game that would
change strategy and play. Next I wanted to find a way to deal with the negative
Custer card. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">"I
added the Staff card for a little revisionist history. The staff cards
could be melded alone or could be used to add to Custer to help escape him and
escape the negative point. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">"But
was that fair?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">"Well
Sitting Bull was Custer's foil, logic said develop a card that would stop Custer
from escaping. Easy, days before the battle, Sitting Bull went into a trance
at the Sundance ceremony and foresaw the Battle. A sundance card
played on Sitting Bull prevents Custer's escape if not yet accomplished.
Now other cards were developed with historical meaning -- scout cards,
villages, and special cards to lend more advantages to build points."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The backs of the cards have a historic photo of both leaders and
it makes for a dramatic looking card back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Actually the art of this card game is pretty amazing. Card
fronts include historic photographs including personas such as Major Marcus
Rena, Captain Miles Keogh, Chief Spotted Eagle and Chief Dull Knife.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Other cards rely on artwork, much of it primitive in nature, but
equally historic. As an example the 'Chief's Coup Stick" is artwork from a
native American participant in the Sioux War in 1876.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">As a variant Little Bighorn Rummy is about set collection, or
melds. In this case players collect melds of both Native America and U.S.
Cavalry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Where the game adds from the root game is in the addition of
special support cards which impact play. It maybe a situation of being able to
play a single card to the table (rather than needing an initial meld of three
cards), or the special card might allow actions such as going through the
discard pile in search of a card you need.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">It is the special cards, and the actions they allow which give
Little Bighorn Rummy its uniqueness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Now in broad terms this game does not offer anything radically
new, but what it does offer is satisfying just the same.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">I will suggest rummy fans are going to like this one quickly,
but the great art and historic western theme should bring new players to the
table to try it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">I loved the art at first look, and the special cards add enough
to make it different enough from gin rummy to make you want to play it again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Longstreet admitted the art is a definite draw.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">"What will attract players -- first I have to admit Matt's
(Art Designer Matt Hulgan)<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>fantastic
artwork is a plus," he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">"But I hope that the historic appeal and quirky game play
will bring people to the game and keep them playing it. To be honest,
some hands run very plain and simple, but when chiefs and sticks come into play
and point are stolen, Custer shows up and you don't want to lay down you staff
meld because your opponent might steal them to put on that Custer card, or you
can't 'sluff' off Coup cards, etc., hands can get tense trying to go out before
your opponent racks up points. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">"To me that's a sign that there is strategy and mechanics
in a game."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Little Bighorn Rummy is easily in my top-10 variants on the
game, and likely breaks the top-five, and there are many out there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Check it out at www.ftfairfieldgames.com<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">If anyone is interested in this game, or other boardgames feel
free to contact calmardan@sasktel.net<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">--Appeared in Yorkton This Week newspaper Oct 3, 2012<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
Calvin Danielshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15192952180029342500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-707453244482822274.post-85445715640396795832012-11-30T15:43:00.000-08:002012-11-30T15:43:02.903-08:00Review -- MERCS<br />
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Gaming
with miniatures has a long, and proud tradition.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">People
have been re-playing the great battle of history with small lead soldiers for
decades and enjoying every minute of it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">As a
gaming option miniatures offer more than just game play as many find equal
enjoyment in the painting of the pieces often going for minute historical
detail in the paint scheme.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Today
there are a wide variety of miniature gaming options, some, over time leading
to massive armies of miniatures and requiring large tables on which to battle.
Those battles can takes hours.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">There
are however options which require fewer miniatures, reducing costs, and
lessening the time and space to play.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">A
newcomer to what is often referred to as 'skirmish' gaming is MERCS, a game
played in a future earth setting where corporations control large areas of the
world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The
game is designed to be played with a small number of miniatures per player and
that is to start, its greatest strength.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Brian
Shotton with MERCS said while there are many miniature game options their new
offerings is one players can get into easily without a huge cash outlay.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">"MERCS
is a small model count game that is easy on the wallet. There is no escalation
of participation; those MERCS you buy today will be viable members of your team
for the duration of the game," he said via email.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“As to
timing, there has never been a better time to get into MERCS. The starter kits
make it extremely easy. Our website has been redesigned to better support
players and stores. We have articles in magazines; videos on major miniature
gaming sites; eight factions are out now; the seventh models for all the
factions will be out before the end of the year; the list goes on and on."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">While
low cost might attract some to try MERCS it needs to offer something beyond
price point.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Shotton
said he feels it does.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">"The
game is very balanced. It is tactical in a way that makes sense in a 'real
world' sort of way. A game of MERCS is fast and fun. The models are amazing, as
is our fledgling community," he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Shotton
is right the miniatures are finely detailed, and have a look not so different
from today's soldiers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Yes
there is a sci-fi aspect to MERCS, but it is not exactly the focus of things.
That may not appeal as much to diehard sci-fi-gamers, but it does allow a
closer tie to realism others will like.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">There
is also a lot of attention to detail with MERCS, likely because it is very much
an effort of love for its creators.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">"There
are only two of us, Keith and myself, and we have day jobs. This has its
disadvantages certainly, but it also has advantages. We aren't releasing 10
models a month to support a staff. We release about 20 minis a year to support
a game. We have a fantastic game," offered Shotton.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The
smaller scale is by design to keep the game accessible for anyone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">"When
I first started in mini-gaming I was okay with spending money," said
Shotton. "My thinking on that has changed over the years. I created MERCS
to play a game that was tactical and as different as my next opponent. I don't
want people to have to spend a bunch of money every year just to
be competitive, nor do I want to make anyone's MERCS obsolete and need
replaced."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The
neatest thing about MERCS is that you are fielding very small units, which
heightens the need to good tactics. With a five-man squad the base of a game if
you lose one man, that is 20 per cent of your force.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Being
reliant on tactics means skilled players will win more often than not and
skills can be learned and improved. That is highly compelling in terms of
re-playability.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Shotton
noted the game is not designed to evolve to mass-army play.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">"Each
MERCS faction will cap at 10 minis," he said. "There will be options
to play the game with two squads of five, but the core game will stay
five-versus-five. No giant vehicles. No big army game. The depth of MERCS is
gameplay and squad selection. Each squad will get their seventh member this
year (the eighth and ninth in 2013)." <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">More
good news about MERCS is that there is a plan for steady, but affordable for
players, growth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">"We'll
have every faction out by 2014," said Shotton. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">At
GENCON they were releasing the Texico and ISS factions. In early 2013 plans
call for the release of House 4 of the FCC, and later next year they'll release
EU, Inc and EIC factions, explained Shotton, adding "2014 brings the GCC
(the 12th faction) and a surprise (13th) faction.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">"That
is the extent of the MegaCons for the most part. Any expansion will come in the
form of addition members for each faction and campaigns that alter the world
over time."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">More good
news comes from the likelihood of MERCS coming up with campaign rules
where characters can grow in skills over a series of games.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">"Short
answer, yes," said Shotton. "This is something I have been toying
with for over a year. When all of the factions are out (2014), we have planned
on revising the ruleset and providing an all-inclusive book that same
year. I think it will be in that book."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">That
may be a while to wait, but by getting into MERCS now players are in on the
ground floor of a great game.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">As it
stands the hardcover rule book is detailed and well-laid out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The
rules are pretty straight forward, and movement using a unique card as the
measure is quick and simple.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The
game is one a few of us locally have already taken the plunge into, and it
would be great to see others hop on the MERCS wagon and start a local community
here in Yorkton.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">It
really is a game with far too many good things going for it not to get
involved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">For
more information check out www.mercsminis.com<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">If
anyone is interested in this game, or other boardgames feel free to contact
calmardan@sasktel.net<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">-- Appeared in Yorkton This Week newspaper Sept 19, 2012<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Calvin Danielshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15192952180029342500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-707453244482822274.post-61543448568407034562012-11-30T15:41:00.003-08:002012-11-30T15:41:53.880-08:00Review -- HEAP<br />
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Heap is a card game you are either likely to love from the
start, or shelve and not look at often.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Mark me as one who likes the game because I expected random
nonsense in this card game from the outset.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The game box pretty much tells you that, when it states "Each
player plays a gang of crazed goblins that have travelled across the
post-apocalyptic wasteland in broken-down vehicles to converge on a gigantic
heap of long-discarded scrap – perfect ingredients for demented automotive
modification. In arena-style bouts, each gang selects its champion driver to
storm the heap and duke it out for the best parts to upgrade their vehicles."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Several people online have remarked Heap is somewhat reminiscent
of Uno, which is true in terms of game play, although the game is more in-depth
than that overall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">At times the heavier rule set can be somewhat daunting if you
are looking to Heap as an occasional fill-in game. That simply means, like most
games, the more you play Heap the more comfortable you will become with the game
and how it plays.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Now if you think about the theme a minute, goblins modifying
vehicles out of parts scavenged from a scrap heap you might naturally expect
random craziness to prevail. In game terms blind dumb luck is often the
determining factor in earning victory.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The game, released in 2012, needs to be approached in those
terms. Go at it for laughs and fun and worry less about the victor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Designer David Carl shows he has a sense of humour with Heap and
artists Laine Garrett, Manny Trembley and Chris Walton capture that with some
very cool art; Scrap Hog and Doombuggy being two of the best cards in terms of
illustration.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Heap is not a game likely to make anyone's top-10 list, but for
many it will be a fun diversion every once in a while (it does play two-to-four
players).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">For more information check out www.privateerpress.com<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">If anyone is interested in this game, or other boardgames feel
free to contact calmardan@sasktel.net<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a;"><span style="font-size: 19px;">-- Appeared in Yorkton This week newspaper Sept 12, 2012</span></span></div>
Calvin Danielshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15192952180029342500noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-707453244482822274.post-73858872798492743502012-09-01T12:18:00.001-07:002012-09-01T12:18:18.702-07:00Review -- RAIDING PARTIES<br />
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Raiding Parties is a neat little card game I've had on the list
to review for far too long.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">I had actually thought I had covered it, then recently came to
realize I haven't shared this solid game with readers, so here goes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Let's start by stating the game's theme centres around pirates.
Really do I need to say much more? I mean pirates are just fun. From the days
of Long John Silver as a kid through to Pirates of the Caribbean, most boys
(men) at least have thought of being a pirate at some point.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">So Raiding Parties immediately has a draw.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">It doesn't hurt that the art on the cards by Don Maitz is
fantastic. There is a ton of detail in the art that crosses somewhere between
realistic and whimsical.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Raiding Parties is a game design from Nick Pace, and is just new
to the marketplace. Well it's been out long enough to spawn plans for a Series
II of cards to expand the game, but that is getting ahead of things here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The original series comes with a 'Hit the Deck' set of playing
cards, again with Maitz's great pirate art highlighting the standard 52-card
deck of cards.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The 54-card Raiding Parties deck is where the art gets really
fantastic, but the cards do have a black back and the edges are prone to
'chipping' where the black flakes off. If you want to maintain a pristine deck,
get some cards sleeves before you play them too much.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">There are some hit tokens you can cut out of the box top too,
but opt for some pennies or something. This is one area the game could use an
upgrade, but remembering it is a self-published effort you can pretty quickly
overlook this shortcoming.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">There are three levels of play, one where ships and forts are
not allowed in one's raiding party, one where you can have one ship or one
fort, and one where you can have two in any combination.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The regular playing cards are used as a flip deck, as Raiding
Party members hit depending on the suit turned up. It's a simple mechanic
without using dice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">You can attack opposing cards through projectile fire, or melee,
relying on the 'hit the deck' flip to determine successes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">As you might expect cards may have special abilities, such as
evade, which can modify the way combat resolves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">With a limited card stock party creation is also limited in set
one, but the game is still fun.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">With the aforementioned Series II on the horizon deck building
will get to be more fun, especially with the addition of one-time effect cards,
and land cards.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The game is going to grow in depth and that will keep it fresh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">That said as a base game Series I is very solid, thanks to theme
and great art work helping create the atmosphere to have fun.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">A definite winner as a two-player card game.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">For more information check out www.raidingparties.com<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">If anyone is interested in this game, or other boardgames feel
free to contact calmardan@sasktel.net<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="Textbody">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14.0pt;">-- Review appeared
in Yorkton This Week newspaper Aug 29, 2012 - Yorkton, SK. Canada<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
Calvin Danielshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15192952180029342500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-707453244482822274.post-7124684368550640132012-09-01T12:17:00.001-07:002012-09-01T12:17:10.037-07:00Review -- SJOELEN<br />
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Games which I would term culturally significant have always been
of interest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">There is something about a game which becomes so ingrained into
a particular culture almost everyone has played it at some point, or at least
is aware of it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">You think of Mancala in terms of Africa, Go in terms of China
and Japan, and if you happen to be from The Netherlands Sjoelen or Sjoelbak.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">An indication of how significant Sjoelen is in The Netherlands
came recently as I attended a small reception for<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Johannes Vervloed, Consul General of the Kingdom of the
Netherlands here in Yorkton.</span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">After the short presentation by the Consul General it was time
to mingle, which brought me into a relaxed conversation with Vervloed's wife,
as well as a couple who have recently immigrated to Canada from The Netherlands
and now farm in the Wroxton area. I mentioned I was going to be reviewing
Sjoelen, and in spite of my tongue having no idea how to properly pronounce the
name, the three immediately knew about the game.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">So what is Sjoelen?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Simply put it is a form of shuffleboard. Be aware as a game
related to shuffleboard the board itself is huge. The board I have is from
Dutch Games (www.dutchgames.us) and even though it folds, it's big, being
six-feet when in play position, and of course half of that in its folded
storage position.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The game is said to date back to the late 19th century, with its
roots like in the English game of 'Shove-a-Penny' another one I'd truly like to
try one day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">In Sjoelen a player takes control of a pile of 30-discs, think
crokinole pieces, only larger. The pieces are slid one at a time down the table</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">in an attempt to get them through the
arches numbered one to four at the other end.</span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The neat twist for Sjoelen is that a player is attempting
to get an even number of disks through each arch because each set of disks in
all four compartments scores double. It is this aspect of the game which lifts
Sjoelen above other 'shuffleboard-style' games.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Dutch Games has a video to help new players, a real bonus for
any game. Check it out at;<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wf22S8U-Qqs" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1266d6;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wf22S8U-Qqs</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Boards are not available in every store of course. Jackie Heyden
with Dutch Games said they are one of only a few suppliers in North America.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">In terms of sales, Heyden said the good news for the game is
that the buyer is changing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">"We see steady growth in our business and a shift from
mainly Dutch customers to more and more American buyers," she said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">So why the interest in Sjoelen?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">"The key element to its popularity is the competitiveness
of a well thought out game," offered Heyden. "The level playing field
(players of all ages can compete against each other) makes it a great family
game."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Certainly anyone can slide disks down the table, although there
is skill to big scores. And that to me is a big aspect of the game. Practice
will make you better as this is a game of skill, with no imposed luck.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Now back to the board from Dutch Games. It is all wood
construction and should be in the family for generations if looked after.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">There is a nice compartment built into the board to hold the
disks between games, a great touch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">If two things are missing it would be that a handle of some sort
to aid in moving the board once folded to store would help, as would a fastener
to hold the board in its folded position.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Still this is a well-made board, as is really required with a
game as large as Sjoelen. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">In terms of game play, Sjoelen is easy to learn, but mastering,
well like most games of skills, that is another story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">For more information check out www.dutchgames.us<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">If anyone is interested in this game, or other boardgames feel
free to contact calmardan@sasktel.net<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="Textbody">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14.0pt;">-- Review appeared
in Yorkton This Week newspaper Aug 22, 2012 - Yorkton, SK. Canada<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
Calvin Danielshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15192952180029342500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-707453244482822274.post-88708981963757318352012-09-01T12:15:00.002-07:002012-09-01T12:15:48.867-07:00Review -- ENTRAPMENT<br />
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Whenever an abstract strategy game comes along I am interested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">If the game is made out of wood so that it has that classic
'feel' you have definitely caught my attention.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Such was the case with Entrapment, a game actually released back
in 1999, but getting more attention lately.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">It's a good thing that the game is drawing some renewed interest
because designer Rich Gowell has created something that is really quite
outstanding in terms of a two-player abstract strategy game.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The game is based on the idea of area control and piece
immobilization.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">"The object of Entrapment is to capture your opponent’s
roamers (pawns) by rendering them incapable of movement. A roamer that cannot
move is considered captured, ands is eliminated from the board. When all three
of a player’s roamers have been captured the game is over and his or her
opponent declared the winner," explains the game rules.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Entrapment will remind many of<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Quoridor,
a game released a couple of years earlier, although Gowell said he came to the
general idea independently.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">"Regarding Quoridor, believe it or not, I had never heard
of it at this point. Shortly after I started play testing it at work a coworker
came up and said something like 'hey, I saw your game in a store up in Grand
Haven'," he said. "So I quickly researched and found out about it,
and realized, to my relief, that there seemed enough difference to proceed. To
this very day I have not played Quoridor, though it's clear from people's
comments that it's an elegant minimalist abstract."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">That said the two games obviously share some elements, in
particular the use of barriers to restrict pawn movement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">In the case of Entrapment a pawn may jump a friendly barrier,
although this causes the barrier to be set on its end and from that point on no
piece may jump it. That is one of the innovative rules which take this game to
a higher level.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The game may not quite reach the level of Go, or chess, in terms
of complexity, but there is plenty here to challenge gamers too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">"The game has some 'Go-esque"' qualities, and so for
sure those players. Chess players seem to like it as well," said Gowell.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">It is interesting how Entrapment came to be as a game. Gowell
said it wasn't his initial idea to create an abstract strategy game that should
become a classic is enough people give it a try.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">"Back in '98, when I started to have game design on the
brain (started with word game obsession, morphed to abstracts) I came up with
an idea involving pawns and barriers, as well as another kind of piece,"
he said. "It was 10-by-10, and I made it by cutting out squares of quarter
inch plywood and gluing them on a base board. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">"(I) tested it one afternoon, and it had promise, but not
enough. So as I sat looking at this beast, I started dinking about with the
pieces. Quite suddenly the core element of entrapment came to me, the notion of
jumping friendly barriers one time. It really had a kind of 'eureka' feel to
it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">"From there on it was clear that the key ingredient of
something cool was in place."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">After that Gowell said Entrapment came together rather quickly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">"Most of the game was in place within a few months, such as
move range of roamers and forced move rule, but it took as much as a full year
I think to add the double force rule, and it wasn't until about two years ago
we tried 6x7, because I felt it might cut down on what I call 'wander' -- that
'wide open fields' thing that persists awhile in the early part of a 7x7
game)."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">So does Gowell think he has a classic game on his hands?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">"Too early in the curve to see the phenomena you mention
(tournament play and leagues) emerge yet, but would be a dream come true, to
put it mildly, if and when that happens," he said, adding he is
"trying my best to keep the game chugging forward."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Well in terms of quality production Gowell is certainly doing
that. The board and pieces for Entrapment are all wood, and that really adds to
both the look and 'feel' of the game. No game pieces have a better tactile feel
than those of wood.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The game plays different enough from popular abstracts such as
chess, go and the great Gipf series to offer up a unique game experience. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">There is sufficient depth to be highly re-playable.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">And finally the wooden game is one with heirloom potential.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Certainly one to seek out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">For more information check out www.gowellclassicgames.com<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">If anyone is interested in this game, or other boardgames feel
free to contact calmardan@sasktel.net<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="Textbody">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14.0pt;">-- Review appeared
in Yorkton This Week newspaper Aug 15, 2012 - Yorkton, SK. Canada<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
Calvin Danielshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15192952180029342500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-707453244482822274.post-75460329297000778802012-09-01T12:14:00.002-07:002012-09-01T12:14:26.748-07:00Review -- INFERNAL CONTRAPTION<br />
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">If I were to list my favourite games of all times Warmachine, a
miniature war game from Privateer Press would certainly make the top-five.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Warmachine was actually one of the first games I reviewed, years
ago for a toy collecting magazine here in Saskatchewan. The review included
material from an interview with designer Matt Wilson. I have since played the
ever expanding game for years, and have come to respect the job Wilson did in
designing my favoured game.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">So when Infernal Contraption (second edition) from Privateer
Press and designed by Wilson, was released I was immediately intrigued.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Infernal Contraption has virtually nothing to do with Wilson's
other game, being a light, fun-filled card game, a far cry from the heavier
theme of vast battles between steam-spewing 'warjacks'.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The game first hit shelves back in 2007, and an expansion
followed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The new edition combines both into a single box, so that is a
nice aspect of the release.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">"This edition also includes cards from the Infernal
Contraption: Sabotage! Expansion, so throw a wrench in your opponent’s plans
and watch the resulting madness," explains the box.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The cards here are good quality, with whimsical, but
game-appropriate art. That said if you play regularly card sleeves are
recommended since these are not as heavy a material as say a good poker or
bridge deck.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">In terms of play, "where goblin bodgers race to assemble
their nigh-uncontrollable machines of mass consumption," details the box.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">What that means is simple enough, you play with a sort of dual
goal. On one hand you want to build your contraption, but you also need to stay
alert to opportunities to thwart the plans of your opponents. Yes this game is
really about sabotaging other players, so make sure you play with those who can
take being picked on, since that will happen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">If you like putting a monkey wrench into the works of your
gaming friends, you will love Infernal Contraption.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">As is the case with most card games, the box is small enough to
store and transport well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">In terms of games card games are also on the lower end of the
price scale, so you can add it to your collection without a second mortgage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The 'fun' theme, and lighter play, makes this a nice filler,
although it can play out at close to an hour with four.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The rule set is pretty straight forward so introducing new
players won't be a barrier to play, so haul this one out when you want
something to play amid relaxed conversation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">For more information check out www.privateerpress.com<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">If anyone is interested in this game, or other boardgames feel
free to contact calmardan@sasktel.net<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="Textbody">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14.0pt;">-- Review appeared
in Yorkton This Week newspaper Aug 8, 2012 - Yorkton, SK. Canada<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
Calvin Danielshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15192952180029342500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-707453244482822274.post-4553704429181822862012-09-01T12:12:00.001-07:002012-09-01T12:12:32.400-07:00Review -- BOCCE<br />
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">So we
are already to the last issue of July and our little excursion away from the
game table to play some games outdoors in the backyard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">This
week its Bocce, a game that is readily available in most department stores,
with sets coming in a number of price ranges, which is good news for families
on a budget.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">For
those unfamiliar bocce is<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>closely
related to<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bowls" target="_blank">bowls</a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>and<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C3%A9tanque" target="_blank">pétanque</a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>with a common ancestry from ancient
games played in the<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Empire" target="_blank">Roman Empire</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Bocce is played with eight
large balls and one smaller ball (called the pallino). The game can be
played with 2, 4, or 8 players and divide the bocce balls evenly between
the number of players. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Open bocce (played without
a defined court) is that it can be played almost anywhere there is open
space. This includes grassy surfaces such as a front lawn or back yard,
dirt surfaces, sandy surfaces such as the beach, and even paved surfaces like
parking lots. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The
game can be played on a court, something this city could use when you think how
many sets are likely owned locally, but you can also just toss out the pallino
and then work to get the bigger balls as close to the smaller target as
possible.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Close
cut grass works ideally for this. Unfortunately city parks have the grass cut a
bit too long, and when you toss the pallino you can't actually see it from very
far away. A baseball diamond outfield would be a prime spot given its manicured
grass.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The
game plays simple enough, lob or roll the larger ball to get it close to the
pallino, scoring points for every ball you, or your team get closer than
opponents.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The
sets are highly durable, and can easily be taken on vacation for play at the
lake, so a bocce set is pretty handy as a family game.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Like
other backyard games reviewed here this month, bocce can also be taken much
more seriously, with the game being highly competitive in many countries. To me
that is always an added bonus.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">For
more information check out www.boccestandardsassociation.org or www.bocce.com<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">If
anyone is interested in this game, or other boardgames feel free to contact
calmardan@sasktel.net<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="Textbody">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14.0pt;">-- Review appeared
in Yorkton This Week newspaper July 25, 2012 - Yorkton, SK. Canada<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
Calvin Danielshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15192952180029342500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-707453244482822274.post-26034071065216450262012-09-01T12:10:00.001-07:002012-09-01T12:10:12.109-07:00Review -- WASHERS<br />
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">So let's head outside again for a bit of gaming fun this week.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">A couple of weeks ago I wrote about horseshoes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">This week it's a somewhat simpler variation on the theme of
horseshoes, although in its own way just as challenging.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Washers is a game so simple in its design you will wonder why it
was not developed and popular years ago, although it seems to just recently
have made inroads in terms of mass appeal, quite like because sets are now
being carried by major department stores.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">These sets come with everything required to play, two square
boxes with a chunk of PVC pipe in the centre. These boxes are places several
paces apart. Players then take the accompanying washes, yet basically big
washers you can buy in a hardware store, and toss them from one box toward the
other.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">If the washer lands and stays in the outer part of the box it's
a point. In the PVC pipe it's three points.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Of course if your opponent matches your throw they cancel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The game is played one-on-one, or in two-player teams.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Now that is the basic game, and seemingly the most widely
played, and one where someone handy in the wood shop could easily fashion their
own set.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">There are however a number of variant designs on the game, and
that is somewhat confusing, and may be a little bit limiting in terms of
'tournament' play and the growth of Washers as a sport.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Some of the variants include the outer wooden box being a
hexagon. They look nicer, but are of course not as simple to make.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Ideally the box should be round, and with molded plastics these
days it should be quite possible. Such a design would make an outer landing
equal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Another design has a second, smaller PVC pipe inside the first.
The problem in such a design is a washer landing inside the large pipe, but not
the smaller is as much fluke as skill.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">One other design has three holes on a longer board, with varying
values. Again it seems flukes have greater value than they should.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The general rules have the boxes empty, and washers do bounce
out a lot, ruining an accurate shot. So I am a proponent of filling the boxes
part way with some sand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">As a game Washers is not as physically demanding as horseshoes,
and a small magnate on a stick will pick up the washers easily and reduce
exertion farther.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Overall, Washers is simpler to set up than horseshoes, not
requiring a permanently placed pitch, and is quicker in preparation than a yard
game such as Kubb reviewed last week.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">It is a game all ages can play, and requires its own skill set,
and is certainly competitive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Among yard games a definite winner.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">For more information check out www.washers.org or
www.americanwashersassociationofamerica.com<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">If anyone is interested in this game, or other boardgames feel
free to contact calmardan@sasktel.net<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="Textbody">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14.0pt;">-- Review appeared
in Yorkton This Week newspaper July 18, 2012 - Yorkton, SK. Canada<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
Calvin Danielshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15192952180029342500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-707453244482822274.post-69485375726644710532012-09-01T12:09:00.001-07:002012-09-01T12:09:05.491-07:00Review -- KUBB<br />
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">So this week we're staying in the back yard to enjoy a game much
of the history suggests is a game with its roots in Viking civilization.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Now it may not be the case for all, but I would include myself
in a group with more than just a passing interest in Vikings. I am not one to
study the ancient Scandinavians in detail, but movies with a Viking theme tweak
my interest easily, as do historical documentaries, or anything I happen to
come across.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The thought of dragon-headed longboats crossing the ocean in this
long ago years and actually setting foot on the now Canadian East Coast is
frankly amazing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">But back to the game of Kubb, which apparently means 'block of
wood' in Swedish, a very appropriate name in this case.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Kubb is in-fact a game where the goal for players is to knock
over a series of wooden pieces, using wooden sticks. Yes this game is all wood
so aesthetically is very nice, as well as hearkening back to its origins when
any game would have been designed with what was handy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The playing area is set up as a square about five-metres wide,
and eight-metres long, although a shorter field might benefit beginners in my
opinion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Five kubbs, sometimes referred to as soldiers in the various
rule sets and histories out there, are set up at each end of the play area,
roughly evenly spaces across the five-metres. The kubbs are approx.
15-centimetres tall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">In the centre of the field the 'king' piece is placed. It is
taller, and often has a crown cut into the top in many of the commercial sets
out there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">There are six round sticks in the game which players throw. You
can play in teams up to six, each throwing one stick, although frankly that
would seem to get incredibly boring as it would be a long time between throws.
Ideally two, or three-player teams seem best-suited to kubb.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Standing behind your end you throw the sticks underhand trying
to knock down the kubbs at the other end. You have to knock all the kubbs in
the opponent's half down before you can throw at the king, which is how you
win.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The game gains complexity when you must take knocked down kubbs
and toss them into the opponent zone, where they are stood up, and so you
suddenly face more pieces to knock over before getting to the king.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">You have to be strategically wise in tossing the kubb pieces so
that they are bunched so you can knock down multiple pieces with a single
stick. Since you can't throw sticks in an "airplane propeller'"
fashion, it's not as easy as you might expect to hit the kubbs in the first
place, to facing more than five is a challenge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">My first taste of this game was one-on-one against my son. As
two novice throwers it dragged on, thus the suggestion to shorten the field a
bit to start.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">It was a lot of bending over too, picking up scattered sticks
and kubbs, so teams are a definite plus to keep the fun outweighing the work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The game sets up quickly, you can step the distance roughly and
in most sets pegs are provided to push into the ground to note the corners of
the field.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The wooden components should last forever. Most back yard games
are very much heritage ones, where moderate care will keep the game for
generations (horseshoes really are forever), and kubb pieces should last too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Kubb, again like most backyard games can also be taken as simply
family fun, or at a much higher level with organized tournaments and national
championships in some countries, although I don’t think the sport/game is quite
that organized in Canada yet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The simplicity, Viking heritage, and wood components are all
nice aspects which draw people to the game.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">For a nice set available in Canada check out
http://www.outdoorgames-n-sports.ca/Kubb_Original_with_Carrying_Bag_p/gkubbbko.htm<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">If anyone is interested in this game, or other boardgames feel
free to contact calmardan@sasktel.net<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="Textbody">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14.0pt;">-- Review appeared
in Yorkton This Week newspaper July 11, 2012 - Yorkton, SK. Canada<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
Calvin Danielshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15192952180029342500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-707453244482822274.post-24573648837269529992012-09-01T12:07:00.001-07:002012-09-01T12:07:35.403-07:00Review -- HORSESHOES<br />
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">So it's July
that rare month when we are almost guaranteed that it won't snow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">With that in
mind we all might want to put away our boardgames for a few weeks and get
outside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">So for the
month of July I will look at some yard games which are a lot of fun.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">To start I
have to go with horseshoes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Horseshoes
is a game which can easily be set up in your backyard. The actual boxes, the
area where the pegs go, can be elaborate or can simply be an area of grass.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The more
elaborate boxes are wooden, and are basically a sand box with the metal target
peg going in the centre. There is usually a raised area on both sides, also of
wood where players stand top throw from.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Clubs, like
the one here in Yorkton, go a step farther and make the box area out of
concrete, but you would need to be pretty avid as a player to go that far at
home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">For most of
us we are going to simply buy a set of shoes and pegs at the local store, and
on occasion pound the pegs into the backyard, or at the cabin for an afternoon,
or two of fun.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">That is the
way I play horseshoes. I grew up around the sport, with both my grandfather and
father playing fairly regular. As a youngster, and into my teens I would try,
but was never very good at it. It looks simple enough to throw the horseshoe at
the peg to have it land around the peg for a three-point ringer, but like most
sports, it takes more skill than it looks too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">My father
actually became a very dedicated player in his later years, traveling all over
the province, and further, to play in tournaments.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">My son now
has his horseshoes, and we've been out a couple of times this year. I am still
terrible at the game, but enjoy it anyway. It is more of an aerobic workout
than you might think, both the throwing of the shoes, and constantly bending to
pick them up -- especially if playing singles. If you are playing with a
partner (allowing four to play) the effort gets split.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">While for
most of us horseshoes is just a fun way to kill some time and get out in the
fresh air, it can be taken very seriously, with provincial, national and
international events for a range of age groups.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">And like
handicapping in golf, there is a system for seeding players which means you end
up competing against those of similar skill, which certainly enhances the
appeal of tournament play.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The game is
certainly one to consider it you want something to do in the backyard, or you
can head to the club pitches in the city on Tuesday evenings where they are
always looking for new potential members.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">If anyone is interested in this game, or other boardgames feel
free to contact calmardan@sasktel.net<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="Textbody">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14.0pt;">-- Review appeared
in Yorkton This Week newspaper July 4, 2012 - Yorkton, SK. Canada<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
Calvin Danielshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15192952180029342500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-707453244482822274.post-81945713719598241172012-09-01T12:05:00.001-07:002012-09-01T12:05:54.133-07:00Review -- ARMADA<br />
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">This week we
look at a game which it took me some time to lay my hands on, finally finding a
copy in Germany.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Armada is an
abstract strategy game with a naval theme which was released in 1973 by
designer Sicco von Hülst.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Pelikan was
the publisher.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">So why did I
seek this one out. Well the theme to start with. A naval battle works as an abstract
strategy game. The idea of pieces representing ships in opposing fleets is
along the lines of chess pieces representing different armies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">It is
unfortunate the Pelikan edition did not opt for some actual ship pieces.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Instead they
use red and yellow pieces that look a lot like sewing thimbles. They are
serviceable but they detract from the fleet theme concept.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The pieces
move on a hexagon board, a board which has the play area designed as a blue
ocean surrounded by what appears like a vintage land map. It's a good look
which does enhance the theme.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Now for the
real strength of the game. Each player has a fleet of 15 pieces, three
galleons, five galleys and seven galleasses. Each have different movement
mechanics.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The galleons
start on a point of a hexagon which<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>may
move along the edges of hexagons one, two, or three corners.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The galleys
are played in the centre of the hexagons, moving to an adjacent hexagon on a
move.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
galleasses also start on the points of a hexagon, moving one, or two points on
a turn.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The captures
allowed in Armada are also interesting, relying on what is often referred to a
'rock-paper-scissors' (RPS) mechanic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>galleon sinks a galleass, if it is
moved onto a corner adjacent to the galleass, the galley sinks a galleon, if it
is moved into a hexagon with the galleon on a corner, and the galleass sinks
a galley, if it is moved onto the corner of a hexagon where the galley sits.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">If a moved
piece can attack multiple opponents, only one is removed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The use of
RPS certainly adds to the strategic options available within the game, even on
the smallish board (59-hexagons).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The game
also offers three win conditions, which sounds better than it is in action.
Most games will be won by attrition, leaving an opponent with no ships
remaining, although leaving them unable to attack any ships, because they do
not have the type of ship required is a viable victory condition too. You can
leave your opponent unable to make a move as well, but that is a rarer
road to victory.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The game
would be a top drawer keeper with ship pieces, but even without them the RPS
mechanic keeps the interest high.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Definitely
one with some depth to explore, and room for some interesting experimentation.
It would be easy to add an island or two to the board limiting some movement
patterns.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">A larger
board and an additional ship or two, think rock-paper-scissors-lizard-spock,
could be interesting as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Still as it
is Armada is a solid game worth exploring.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">If anyone is interested in this game, or other boardgames feel
free to contact calmardan@sasktel.net<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="Textbody">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14.0pt;">-- Review appeared
in Yorkton This Week newspaper June 27, 2012 - Yorkton, SK. Canada<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
Calvin Danielshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15192952180029342500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-707453244482822274.post-26890450292443118202012-09-01T12:02:00.001-07:002012-09-01T12:02:54.722-07:00Review -- AVVERSO<br />
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">This
week we look at Avverso from Gerhards Spiel und Design.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">To
begin, any game from Gerhards is heirloom quality. There probably is not a game
publisher out there that makes games at as high a level of quality as this one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">So when
you get one of Gerhards offerings you will be blown away by what you find in
the box.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">In the
case of Avverso you get a think, nicely detailed board with 25 hexagons, each
deeply etched into the wood.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The board is
non-symmetric, and the shape balances the disadvantage of starting, meaning one
player has a slightly shorter distance to achieve their goal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">In this case<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>each player is trying to connect
opposite sides of the game board with a chain of stones in their color.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Yes this 2008-designed
game by Henrik Morast most certainly has its roots stemming from Hex, a side
connection game released in 1942 and the inspiration of many games since.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">In the Gerhards edition
the pieces too are wood, one red and the other white. One player is assigned 13
white and the other gets 12 red ones.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">It is in the playing of
these pieces where Avverso has its most interesting aspect.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">When you add a piece to
the board, you add one's of your opponent's colour, not your own.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">On a turn, you slide one
of the opponent's stones into one of the outer hexagons of the board. Fans of
abstract strategy games will recognize the addition to the out perimetre as a
rule used in games such as Gipf. The first in Kris Burm's amazing series of
games by the same name. Gipf was released in 1997.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">When adding you may push
an existing piece on the hexagon, setting off a chain reaction pushing
additional pieces in the same line. However, you are not allowed to push a
piece off the board.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Pushing a line of pieces
can of course change the connection line rather dramatically, and players are
really forced into thinking in reverse, since you are trying to win with the
opposite pieces to which you are placing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The red player wins on the
shorter route, highlighted by red lines for easy reference, while white has to
go the slightly longer route.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The reverse thinking, and
amazing quality of this version make Avverso a definite winner.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">It's a bonus as well that
it is rather small and compact, coming in a heavy duty box which lends itself
to taking it to a bud's to play.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Check
the game out at<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>http://www.spiel-und-design.eu/en/index.php<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">If
anyone is interested in this game, or other boardgames feel free to contact
calmardan@sasktel.net<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="Textbody">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14.0pt;">-- Review appeared
in Yorkton This Week newspaper June 20, 2012 - Yorkton, SK. Canada<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
Calvin Danielshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15192952180029342500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-707453244482822274.post-15725880878164472152012-09-01T12:01:00.001-07:002012-09-01T12:01:53.722-07:00Review -- SPLITS<br />
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">There
are some games which just look great, and they attract you based on that aspect
before playing them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Splits is
one of those games.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">It has
a modular board made out of wood. Yes, I said wood.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">If you
are anything like this boardgamer, you are immediately attracted to games with
wooden components. They have an immediate traditionalist appeal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">So when
a game has a wooden board, well good quality pressed wood particles at least,
as well as wooden pieces, it's one to take a closer look at.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Splits
is designed by<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/2432/francesco-rotta" target="_blank">Francesco Rotta</a>, and he did a nice job of keeping the
ruleset simple. When you open a box and see a single page of instructions you
have to smile.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Some
games, even abstract strategy games can get pretty bogged down in rules. Even
chess takes some paper to explain the movement of the various pieces etc.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">So the
board is modular, with eight pieces, each made up of four hexagons. Players
take turn laying out the tiles to create the board. That alone means some
variation from game-to-game and that's a plus for Splits.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Players
also have 16 pawns (wooden checkers) in their colour.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">You
place all the pieces as a single tower, then on a turn must cut a tower to
create a smaller one. So you leave some behind on the hexagon you occupied to
start the turn. The rest go in a straight line until they meet the board edge,
or another occupied hexagon, stopping just before that space.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">When
you cannot move to create a new stack you lose.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Yes it
is a simple game, and that too is a plus.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The
board has only 32 hexes, so that is a bit limiting. Good players might end
games quickly if experienced. I would love to see the company offer additional
board pieces as an option, which could add depth to the game.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">But as it
is, Splits works as a quick, well-made and easily transported game.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Check
the game out at<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>www.jactalea.com<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">If
anyone is interested in this game, or other boardgames feel free to contact
calmardan@sasktel.net<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="Textbody">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14.0pt;">-- Review appeared
in Yorkton This Week newspaper June 13, 2012 - Yorkton, SK. Canada<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
Calvin Danielshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15192952180029342500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-707453244482822274.post-50572164325724352192012-09-01T12:00:00.001-07:002012-09-01T12:00:40.419-07:00Review -- THE COLONY<br />
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The Colony is one of those games I had wanted to get my hands on
for a while, for a few reasons actually, and it has lived up to my expectations
in each.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">To start with the game designer, Jeph Stahl is a Canadian. It is
always a pleasure to support Canadian game designers in this space.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The Colony, first released in 2008, is also a game with much
owing to Mancala, the ancient family of African bead sowing games. Stahl has
his own take on the theme, using colonies of ants hoarding eggs, but the
Mancala roots are crystal clear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The fact it draws on Mancala is interesting because I truly
appreciate ancient games, and the newer variants which emerge to catch
attention.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">"Players take the role of rival ant colonies that discover
a recently cut wood pile. Live eggs still linger in the cut logs. To restore
and control the colony, players collect and protect the eggs. Collected eggs
are moved to a safe location in front of the player. Players can place ants on
the board which will protect the wood pile. The colony that collects and
protects the most eggs at the end of the game is the winner," details the
ruleset.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">That pretty well sums up the game.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The game can get a little 'draggy' but that may be as much a
case of learning its complexities, as a design flaw. Knowing where to place
eggs and how best to take control of the board takes some getting used to.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The third reason The Colony interested me was the components.
The edition from Blue Panther is great, starting with a wooden box.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The colonies and ants, which are stand-up with cut-out design,
are both wood, and the eggs are serviceable plastic stones. It is an
aesthetically pleasing mix of components.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The Colony is not the world's best mancala-inspired game, but
there is enough here to please gamers for occasional plays.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Check the game out at<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="color: #f40000; font-size: 14.0pt;">www.bluepantherllc.com</span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">If anyone is interested in this game, or other boardgames feel
free to contact calmardan@sasktel.net<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="Textbody">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14.0pt;">-- Review appeared
in Yorkton This Week newspaper May 30, 2012 - Yorkton, SK. Canada<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
Calvin Danielshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15192952180029342500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-707453244482822274.post-54347758922594202302012-09-01T11:58:00.002-07:002012-09-01T11:58:32.038-07:00Review -- CROSSCRIBB<br />
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">If you
like boardgames at all you have probably played a few hands of cribbage at some
point, and have challenged your vocabulary with a game of Scrabble.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Think
of combing the two and you have a bit of understanding of this week's review
game CrossCribb.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">At its
heart CrossCribb relies on the basic principles of cribbage in terms of
scoring, so think 15s and 31s, runs and pairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The
cards are played out onto a 5X5 game board, with one player scoring cards in up
and down columns, and the others in cross rows.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Players
are each dealt seven cards and on alternating turns play out five to create the
scoring lines.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Points
are scored after each hand, with the board filling up over a series of five
hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">As the
board fills there is more importance to placement, but also a growing
likelihood that a card may not offer a huge point score.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Now the
board itself was a bit of a disappointment. With limited use the backing of the
board is lifting from the cardboard, and will require gluing, although I fear
it will bubble because it will be difficult to get glue spread evenly. That
said, the board is more a guide than necessity, as you can easily lay out a 5X5
card pattern without it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">There
is a deck of cards, but you can play with any deck since there is nothing
unique to the deck.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">What is
handy is a thick pad of CrossCribb score sheets which will make tracking scores
much easier.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Designed
by<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/1950/steve-barry" target="_blank">Steve Barry</a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>and<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/1949/tony-nelson" target="_blank">Tony Nelson</a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>CrossCribb
offers something different enough to hold interest, with enough fun attached to
get occasional playtime, although it won't replace the simplicity and
re-playability of old fashioned cribbage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Check
the game out at<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>www.crosscribb.com <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">If
anyone is interested in this game, or other boardgames feel free to contact
calmardan@sasktel.net<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="Textbody">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14.0pt;">-- Review appeared
in Yorkton This Week newspaper May 23, 2012 - Yorkton, SK. Canada<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
Calvin Danielshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15192952180029342500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-707453244482822274.post-87450631888996974062012-09-01T11:56:00.003-07:002012-09-01T11:56:58.499-07:00Review -- MASTERMIND ULTIMATE CRIBBAGE<br />
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">If you
are a regular reader you will have come to the realization I am a cribbage fan,
and not just the original game of 1630's vintage but many of the variants which
have sprung up over the years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Mastermind
Ultimate Cribbage (MUC) is one of those variants, and a more recent one at
that. The game was self-published in 2009, coming from the design trio of<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/38190/phil-martens" target="_blank">Phil Martens</a>,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/38191/al-oller" target="_blank">Al Oller</a>,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>and<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/38192/bob-ramola" target="_blank">Bob Ramola</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The
rules for MUC suggest the game "preserves the integrity of classic
cribbage yet adds significantly more fun and challenging possibilities with
over 13-times as many cribbage hand combinations."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The
game manages the additional combinations by adding 11 cards (six different
ones) to the standard 52-card deck which comes with the game, meaning you are
playing with a deck of 63. You can pull the special cards to play traditional
cribbage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The 'Zero Card' is one
such card with a couple of in-game possibilities, including from the ruleset,
"when someone plays a card for a 15 or 31 during pegging, play the
Zero-Card next to collect an additional two points for the 15 or 31."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">A 'Super-Ace' pairs every
ace. "You can use a Super-Ace as a high ace for a run of queen, king and
Super-Ace for both counting and pegging. The Super-Ace can be played as 1 or 11
during pegging."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The 'Super-Wild' is a wild
card with one extra feature. It can be played during pegging as one face value
and counted as another. You can play a Super-Wild as a seven during pegging and
use it as a five during counting."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The additional cards are
reminiscent of Chicago Cribbage although that cribbage variant uses cards
outside the main deck to affect changes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">In the case of MUC the
game plays more traditionally, although the new cards add what traditionalists
will see as more chaotic play.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Of course by their nature
a variant is supposed to offer something different for game players and MUC
certainly does that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">It comes with a with three
track options, two players can travel a 181 space track, with three traversing
141 and four going the traditional 121.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The board is solidly made,
and the cards standard in quality. The downside is once the deck gets
weathered, you can't just buy another deck at the dollar store. With that in
mind you might want to put the deck into sleeves to help them last.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Overall this is a cribbage
variant that offers enough new to be recommended.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">I have to say coupling MUC
with the aforementioned Chicago Cribbage cards, and playing on a Crib Wars
board could turn the game into a virtual cribbage marathon of craziness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: #F7F2FC; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Check
the game out at<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>www.MasterMindCribbage.com <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">If
anyone is interested in this game, or other boardgames feel free to contact
calmardan@sasktel.net<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="Textbody">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14.0pt;">-- Review appeared
in Yorkton This Week newspaper May 9, 2012 - Yorkton, SK. Canada<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
Calvin Danielshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15192952180029342500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-707453244482822274.post-43849563026858451392012-09-01T11:55:00.000-07:002012-09-01T11:55:13.800-07:00Review -- EPIGO<br />
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">There
are certain games which so far exceed expectations you are actually amazed by
what you discover.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Epigo
is one of the games.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Open
the box from Masquerade Games and the components look rather mundane; a square
gridded board, and game pieces made from thick, serviceable cardboard. Neither
is outstanding but are completely functional.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Where
Epigo, from designers<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/50512/chris-gosselin" target="_blank">Chris Gosselin</a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>and<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/50513/chris-kreuter" target="_blank">Chris Kreuter</a>, really shines is in its game play.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Epigo
is at its core an abstract strategy game designed for two-to-four players.
Players have a set of epigons (play pieces), and then a set of Order tiles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Order
tiles are held in-hand and are used to move epigons around the board. Players
may only three epigons on a turn, and use the orders by selecting three and
piling them in front of them. Orders range from a high of seven to a low of
one, with players flipping over their top orders at the same time with the
higher value moving first.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">As you
may imagine by the time you have played all three orders the board may well
have changed in terms of epigon placements, making your expected move out-of-date
with the new realities of the game.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">So for
abstract strategy purists there is an element of luck to Epigo. That said,
there is added strategy to consider in deciding what values to assign a
particular move, and guessing at what direction an opponent will take in his
order/moves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Where
Epigo really shines is that it comes with rules for 21 variants. Each adds
different twists to the core rule set, so if you grow bored with one, or don't
happen to like a particular variant there are many more to explore (more are
also available at the aforementioned website).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The
variants keep Epigo fresh and add a huge level of re-playability to the game.
Few games of this sort come to mind in terms of diversity, and that Epigo is
breaking fresh ground in that regard is a good thing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">In
terms of play options compared to the amount you might invest in a game Epigo
is excellent. Few, if any, games have the sort of value Epigo has in terms of
the rich variant options players have to explore.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The
unique movement rules using orders, and the variant rules really set Epigo
apart, and make a somewhat mundane looking game a top drawer find.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Check
the game out at<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>www.MasqGames.com <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">If
anyone is interested in this game, or other boardgames feel free to contact
calmardan@sasktel.net<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="Textbody">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14.0pt;">-- Review appeared
in Yorkton This Week newspaper May 2, 2012 - Yorkton, SK. Canada<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
Calvin Danielshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15192952180029342500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-707453244482822274.post-53050584264846108772012-09-01T11:44:00.001-07:002012-09-01T11:44:10.380-07:00Review -- TIX<br />
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Old
adages are usually remembered because they hold a grain of truth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Well
once again the one about good things coming in small packages applies when
looking at the board game Tix.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Designed
by<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/11556/martijn-althuizen" target="_blank">Martijn Althuizen</a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>in
2009, Tix is an abstract strategy game which fits nicely in a small box that is
only about six-inches by four, so you can pop it in a pocket and take it to a
bud's for a game pretty easily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">There
are a couple of editions of Tix out there.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Pancerola
produced the first edition,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>one
with blue and natural wood blocks as pieces, and a good quality quarter-fold
board.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">A
higher quality one, with clear and frosted plastic blocks came from<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>SPLLN as an exclusive edition. It is
very sharp looking, although less portable since the board does not fold. It
would look great on the table to get visitors asking about it though.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">As for
a game, it is played on a six-by-six grid board. The rules are really quite
simple, although the resulting mechanic of activating and inactivating cubes,
noted by rotating one 45 degrees so it sits askew on a board square is far
deeper than I had initially anticipated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Players
face choices, adding one to the board, moving one already on a board by sliding
it along the board, as a chess rook. If the move ends with the piece inactive
you get a bonus move.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">You can
also collect a piece from the board and return to your off-board supply.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">When
you can't make a legal move you lose.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The
game is a bit of a brain-burner, but the instructions are rather clear, and do
include illustrations which help visualize things in game terms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">This is
a game that will keep players thinking, so be warned, if you like luck-laden
boardgames, this is not for you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">On the
other hand if you want a game to work the brain cells then mark Tix high on your
list, it's a great abstract strategy game which deserves a larger audience.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Check
the game out at www.splln.com<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">If
anyone is interested in this game, or other boardgames feel free to contact
calmardan@sasktel.net<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="Textbody">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14.0pt;">-- Review appeared
in Yorkton This Week newspaper April 25, 2012 - Yorkton, SK. Canada<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
Calvin Danielshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15192952180029342500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-707453244482822274.post-59686501967252088042012-09-01T11:42:00.001-07:002012-09-01T11:42:54.724-07:00Review -- HAAB<br />
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
</div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Haab from Mindlink games
is one of those games which speaks to the<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.renaissancequebec.ca/" target="_blank"><span style="color: windowtext; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">renaissance</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>of board gaming these days aided by
the ability to self-publish and self-promote these days.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Game
board designers have always been able to get games made, but having a shot at
selling copies of a self-published game are certainly enhanced today by the
Internet. The 'Net through game-related sites, video presentation to draw
attention and teach rules, and more reviewers taking interest in new games, has
really opened the doors for designers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Haab,
by designer Marc Di Stefano would likely be completely unknown to yours truly
if not for the Internet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Di
Stefano has created an abstract strategy game which plays much like a smaller
board checkers variant -- perhaps more correctly a Checkers 2000 derivative.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Checkers
2000 is perhaps my favourite checker game, with numbered pieces restricted to
jumping only other pieces of equal or lesser value. It's the same with Haab.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Haab
also allows players to jump their own pieces to set up position, again
something Checkers 2000, (released a decade earlier than Di Stefano's
creation), does the same.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Di
Stefano does offer a twist or two, giving each of the player's six pieces, some
moderate powers, the ability to push another piece one space on the small
23-space board being an example.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">As a
game Haab, with the pieces representing symbols on the Mayan Zodiac, Di Stefano
has sister games such as Junishi based on the Chinese Zodiac with slightly
different powers, it works pretty well at least in terms of simplicity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Then
there is the issue of production quality.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Haab is
what I term an artisan game in terms of its production.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The
pieces are small wooden discs, a bit finicky to pick up being as thin as they
are. The symbols are stamped in the wood but the small size means they lack
definition.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The
board is printed on the cloth bag, which means it's a small package, and very
lightweight, so it fits in a backpack easily. Haab is a take and play anywhere
game.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The
game sells for six bucks, so price wise, the value is hard to beat even with
lower production values.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">As an
easy carry, simple to play, checker-style game with a few wrinkles, you just
can't go far wrong with Haab.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Check
the game out at www.mindlinkgames.com<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">If
anyone is interested in this game, or other boardgames feel free to contact
calmardan@sasktel.net<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="Textbody">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14.0pt;">-- Review appeared
in Yorkton This Week newspaper April 11, 2012 - Yorkton, SK. Canada<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
Calvin Danielshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15192952180029342500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-707453244482822274.post-70727104045635194112012-09-01T11:38:00.002-07:002012-09-01T11:38:31.155-07:00Review -- JAMMERUP<br />
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14pt;">JammerUp is an interesting game for a couple of reasons. </span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">To start with it is a perfect information abstract strategy game
based on a sport that isn't soccer or football. There have been some forays
into creating abstract strategy games which mimic football, Gridiron Master
arguably the best of that bunch, and Chessyball, an unknown, unpublished soccer
game which works well, but sport games tend to rely on a lot of luck factors
(dice usually) when shrunk down to a game board.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">JammerUp manages to make the transition rather well for roller derby.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The game is designed by Nikki Hammond. That's another
interesting aspect. Female game designers working on abstract strategy games is
a pretty small fraternity, so hats off to her for this effort, her first game
as far as I can tell.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">There are rules to add dice and some cards to randomize the game
a bit for those who like more luck involved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Component wise, I can't comment, since I have a prototype
designed to be functional for play-testing, but unlikely to be what the game
will ultimately be like. That said the board is functional, and once it's
production quality it will be fine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The pieces here are glass beads and functional, although
following the game on its website there are actually roller derby miniatures
available which will add to the Wow! factor if ultimately included, or even if
just available as a way to 'upgrade' the game later.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The rule set is pretty easy follow, and is supported by a couple
of short online videos viewable at the game's website. Having the videos is a
huge asset to the game and one almost every new game should have. Most of us
learn more easily watching a game played than by just reading the rules.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The game is pretty straight forward, and follows the rules of
roller derby pretty well too. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Players each have a Jammer piece and must maneuver it through a
group of eight blockers (four for each player) and then around the circular
gaming track, to score.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">The tactics are in holding the opponent's Jammer back, while
freeing your own. You need to be the first Jammer out on the track because once
you clear the pack you can lap the track rather quickly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">In that respect it's a bit of tense positioning in the pack, and
then bang, you are out and generally free to score. It plays quickly in that
respect.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">This is a game which captures the spirit of roller derby (you
can knock a player out-of-bounds), plays quickly, and lets skill win out. To me
that makes it a winner and a game you should enjoying playing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">Check the game out at www.jammerup.com<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 14.0pt;">If anyone is interested in this game, or other boardgames feel
free to contact calmardan@sasktel.net<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="Textbody">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14.0pt;">-- Review appeared
in Yorkton This Week newspaper April 4, 2012 - Yorkton, SK. Canada<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
Calvin Danielshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15192952180029342500noreply@blogger.com0