Board Games!

[Altaria87]

I finally managed to get Shadows Over Camelot to the table last night, I put the Traitor in even though the other four players were new to the game because I thought they could handle it and wanted to give a full impression of the game.

I then, of course, proceeded to get the Traitor card and had to simultaneously give the team good advice as the teacher of the game while attempting to undermine them. I feel like I did a fairly good job of sabotaging the Grail quest for most of the game by pretending I had no Grail cards and trading them gradually over to the King or throwing them into the lake for Excalibur. Then I left Excalibur to go to fight Lancelot because I got a full house in return for my "only two Grails". So at least the group learned to never trust a guy going for Lancelot .

Also, this has been brought to my attention, a 4X microgame with a 30 minute play time, which seems very much worth keeping an eye on.

[CarpeGuitarrem]

Picked up War of the Ring as my February boardgame. Plays very well one person, and is just loaded with excellent flavor; I'm not sure I've ever played a game with its theme baked that deeply into the mechanics. The bit where the servants of Sauron get infinite reinforcements, while the Free Peoples can run out is simply ingenious.

I absolutely intend to get this game someday. Everything I've seen about it seems amazing.

[Hiro Protagonest]

Anyone know more cool card-based board game? I'm currently eyeing Space Hulk: Death Angel, is it any good?

Dominion. Although the first part of the game (after deckbuilding) tends to be a few people all playing solitaire as they build up their initial power, it's pretty good.

Also, I don't see Settlers of Catan on either of your lists.

[warty goblin]

I absolutely intend to get this game someday. Everything I've seen about it seems amazing.

It's marvelous, I'm hoping I have time to wrap up my game this evening. For one thing I want my kitchen table back. For another I can't leave the remnants of the Fellowship stranded in Mirkwood, and I think Boromir is about to lead the Rohirrim across the Isen to crush Saruman. Which is good, because there's a metric ton of Haradrim about to assault Minas Tirith, and it'll take way too long to get Aragorn's ass back into Gondor.

[CarpeGuitarrem]

It's marvelous, I'm hoping I have time to wrap up my game this evening. For one thing I want my kitchen table back. For another I can't leave the remnants of the Fellowship stranded in Mirkwood, and I think Boromir is about to lead the Rohirrim across the Isen to crush Saruman. Which is good, because there's a metric ton of Haradrim about to assault Minas Tirith, and it'll take way too long to get Aragorn's ass back into Gondor.

That's marvelous. I also note that there's a few BGGers who are selling it for significantly less than MSRP...

[Knaight]

Dominion. Although the first part of the game (after deckbuilding) tends to be a few people all playing solitaire as they build up their initial power, it's pretty good.

If you get Dominoin: Intrigue, this tends to be avoided. Intrigue has lots of attack cards, and no defenses at the Moat level, plus more card passing.

[Thiel]

I'm a big fan of Settlers and Carcasonne.
Red November is well worth it if you're into co-op games.

[Beacon of Chaos]

Really looking forward to Xia: Legend of a Drift System. Very clever sandbox space exploration game. I just hope I'll be able to get it in the UK after missing the kickstarter.

[Kerrin]

Ooo, board games! Our collection has a few hundred in it, some going back into the 1970s. My wife and I have always been board game players and our two sons are as well.

Just a few of our many favorites include:

• Arkham Horror
• Awful Green Things From Outer Space
• Betrayal At House On The Hill
• Circus Imperium
• Cyclades
• Dominant Species
• Formula de
• Kemet
• Robo Rally
• Sentinels of the Multiverse
• Twilight Imperium
• Wings Of War

[warty goblin]

I dearly want Twilight Imperium. I can't think it's terribly likely I'll actually ever play the thing for real with another human being, but it looks excellent for a long solo run. I find most strategy games work well for that.

Also, somebody needs to talk me out of buying Nexus Ops.

[CarpeGuitarrem]

Also, somebody needs to talk me out of buying Nexus Ops.

*whistles and looks the other way*

[warty goblin]

*whistles and looks the other way*

You aren't helping me overcome my desire for even more tiny plastic monsters.

One day I will take all the tiny plastic monsters and use them to create the ULTIMATE BOARDGAME. They'll say I'm crazy, oh yes, but by the time they get the torches lit and the pitchforks sharpened, it will be too late.

[Knaight]

Also, somebody needs to talk me out of buying Nexus Ops.

Nexus Ops sounds excellent.

I mean, the money you spend on Nexus Ops could be spent on a whole bunch of minis (as that appears to be what you want in part), which can be used for any of the numerous games available on Wargame Vault. Like Combat Reactions Three, a wargame that doubles as a battlefield panic simulator. Good times.

[Kerrin]

One day I will take all the tiny plastic monsters and use them to create the ULTIMATE BOARDGAME. They'll say I'm crazy, oh yes, but by the time they get the torches lit and the pitchforks sharpened, it will be too late.

HeroScape would scratch that mish-mash itch. I had originally bought the first set for my wife as a gift. After that our sons purchased quite a bit and have a large set of it that they love to play with. Sadly though it's out of print. It's one title I seriously wish Hasbro wouldn't just sit on.

EDIT: Fixed typo.

[Kerrin]

I dearly want Twilight Imperium. I can't think it's terribly likely I'll actually ever play the thing for real with another human being, but it looks excellent for a long solo run. I find most strategy games work well for that.

TI is a glorious, big, sprawling, thematic, space game. It does take some serious stamina though to get through a game. Our family can play in a reasonable amount of time and its still the longest game we play by a long ways.

Also, somebody needs to talk me out of buying Nexus Ops.

Sorry, can't help you here. Nexus Ops is a good, light game.

[CarpeGuitarrem]

Nexus Ops is a pretty fun skirmish game, which is why I looked the other way. It's "Ameritrash", but it's really fun "Ameritrash". It's an aggressive game (you will die if you don't push outwards quickly) with diverse unit types, Axis & Allies-style combat, and single-use combat upgrades that can swing a battle your way. It often turns into King of the Hill clashing, with everyone trying to push the others out of the middle.

[warty goblin]

Nexus Ops sounds excellent.

Oh I know.

I mean, the money you spend on Nexus Ops could be spent on a whole bunch of minis (as that appears to be what you want in part), which can be used for any of the numerous games available on Wargame Vault. Like Combat Reactions Three, a wargame that doubles as a battlefield panic simulator. Good times.

I do not allow myself to buy minis raw anymore. I've been down that road, and only madness lies at the end. Madness and about 800 prepainted D&D miniatures.

[Kerrin]

Picked up War of the Ring as my February boardgame. Plays very well one person, and is just loaded with excellent flavor; I'm not sure I've ever played a game with its theme baked that deeply into the mechanics. The bit where the servants of Sauron get infinite reinforcements, while the Free Peoples can run out is simply ingenious.

This is a game I've been looking to try! Read so many good things about it. I'd like to find someone near me who has it so I can try it out.

[Tylorious]

if you like light hearted, easy to play dnd style board games, check out Heroica. It is quite fun and has cool expansions, and never is the same game twice.

[Joran]

[*]Puerto Rico is a glorious, glorious game and I love it.

I actually have a couple issues with Puerto Rico.

1) It's not particularly fun with a newbie. Trying to mix together a group of people who've played a few games and someone who's new is going to end with all sub-optimal play. I've joked with my friends that the best strategy is to sit next to the worst player; he's bound to make a mistake and give that guy a major advantage. A poor player drastically alters the balance in the game.

2) A lot of the fun was destroyed when we all started going to BGG to get optimal strategies. Some people didn't like being told what the "right" way to play was.

[Ivellius]

HeroScape would scratch that mish-mash itch. I had originally bought the first set for my wife as a gift. After that our sons purchased quite a bit and have a large set of it that they love to play with. Sadly though it's out of print. It's one title I seriously wish Hasbro wouldn't just sit on.

EDIT: Fixed typo.

HeroScape is the best.

I'm hugely fond of Risk: Legacy as being innovative, though Small World is probably the thing that has seen more play than anything I own.

Zooloretto is really good and one of the few games my wife seems to enjoy.

[obryn]

Any other Conquest of Nerath fans? We've played a few games recently when we couldn't get the whole gaming group together. It's been a blast; basically fantasy Axis & Allies with some neat new additions.

I'm loving it; it's a really quality game.

(Also - saw HeroScape mentioned upthread. My friends and I used to be huge fans. We played the hell out of it maybe 8 years ago? Some friends and I got together and bought out the original game back when it got discounted at Toys R Us. I have like 5 master sets in my collection, which is handy. I also bought every expansion I could get my hands on. With the prices they're going for these days, I wish I would have just kept a few in the box. But yeah, I have an overflowing plastic tub full of tiles & pieces. Awesome game.)

[Ivellius]

Any other Conquest of Nerath fans? We've played a few games recently when we couldn't get the whole gaming group together. It's been a blast; basically fantasy Axis & Allies with some neat new additions.

Conquest of Nerath is one of those games that I'd love to try but can't justify buying. It looks really good, almost exactly what I'd like in a conquest game, but a) I like having options for 5-6 players, b) it's kind of expensive, and c) I have entirely too many such games anyway.

Confession: I own everything of HeroScape, including multiples of each common, except Volcarren Wasteland or Soulborgs and Elves. Those weren't really available by the time I got into it, which was probably 2007 or so.

[obryn]

Conquest of Nerath is one of those games that I'd love to try but can't justify buying. It looks really good, almost exactly what I'd like in a conquest game, but a) I like having options for 5-6 players, b) it's kind of expensive, and c) I have entirely too many such games anyway.

I got it for Christmas, because I never would have bought it for myself. Because, as you said, it's pretty expensive. It's a lot of value, though; the pieces are really well-made, and the box insert got some justified praise. The rules are quite solid, too - I especially like how sea transport isn't a drag at all. It's actually really slick, which is unusual.

Confession: I own everything of HeroScape, including multiples of each common, except Volcarren Wasteland or Soulborgs and Elves. Those weren't really available by the time I got into it, which was probably 2007 or so.

I have I think somewhere between 2 and 4 Volcarren Wastelands, and quite a bit of the Series 1 stuff like Romans, Orcs, Snake-people, etc. But I don't have a lot of the newer stuff, and I never did get the castles. I'd love to have those castles, but I can't justify it, having not played the game in ... oh, 8 years, give or take. And unfortunately the pieces are just a tad too big for me to use Cyborg Gorillas and the like in D&D.

So real quick though, Agents. Totally the best unit even when you add in the expansions, amirite?

[CarpeGuitarrem]

I'm hugely fond of Risk: Legacy as being innovative, though Small World is probably the thing that has seen more play than anything I own.

Legacy is a GLORIOUS GAME.

Mainly because it's one part game, one part social activity. It's like an RPG campaign in scope, and I love the permanent changes aspect...as well as the rules evolution aspect. *significant look* Hehe. Spoilers! That's one great game where the joy of discovery plays out.

[Ivellius]

I have I think somewhere between 2 and 4 Volcarren Wastelands, and quite a bit of the Series 1 stuff like Romans, Orcs, Snake-people, etc. But I don't have a lot of the newer stuff, and I never did get the castles. I'd love to have those castles, but I can't justify it, having not played the game in ... oh, 8 years, give or take. And unfortunately the pieces are just a tad too big for me to use Cyborg Gorillas and the like in D&D.

So real quick though, Agents. Totally the best unit even when you add in the expansions, amirite?

If you find yourself needing to get rid of some lava sets for some reason...

(you'd get better prices on eBay than from me, though)

Off the top of my head I remember at least three types of agents (Krav Maga, Nakita, and Microcorp). The Krav Maga are kind of OP (and I assume you mean them because they're part of the first Master Set), but the Nakita are more fun. Microcorp are kinda bad, though.

[obryn]

If you find yourself needing to get rid of some lava sets for some reason...

(you'd get better prices on eBay than from me, though)

Off the top of my head I remember at least three types of agents (Krav Maga, Nakita, and Microcorp). The Krav Maga are kind of OP (and I assume you mean them because they're part of the first Master Set), but the Nakita are more fun. Microcorp are kinda bad, though.

I don't have the boxes or anything, just the magmen, rocky tiles, and lava "water" pieces.

And yeah, I was talking about the Krav Maga ones. I don't remember the Nakita agents, but I do remember that the Microcorp ones weren't very good at all.

Like I said, I really wish I could justify buying some more Heroscape stuff that I missed out on, but ... I really can't.

[Kerrin]

if you like light hearted, easy to play dnd style board games, check out Heroica. It is quite fun and has cool expansions, and never is the same game twice.

I haven't played Heroica, but our sons have played with friends of the theirs and enjoyed it quite a bit.

Any other Conquest of Nerath fans? We've played a few games recently when we couldn't get the whole gaming group together. It's been a blast; basically fantasy Axis & Allies with some neat new additions.

We have Conquest of Nerath and have had a good time playing it. And, aye, the game has some really nice production values.

I don't have the boxes or anything, just the magmen, rocky tiles, and lava "water" pieces.

Yeah, we don't have any of the original boxes or whatnot, just the components. Two big containers of components.

A couple of years ago I brought them to a game session to use as terrain for some giant monster rampage game. the name of which I don't recall. Worked great.

If I recall correctly, someone used HeroScape to lay out a sailing ship for a D&D game and encounters. Pretty useful and fun stuff.

[Kerrin]

• Circus Imperium

Thinking about this, I can't believe there hasn't been any new chariot racing games in the last very many years. We own both Circus Imperium and Circus Maximus. Both have fond memories and can still be fun to play.

But, I'd like to see a new chariot racing game that picks up more modern racing board game mechanics and applies them to a chariot racing theme. Top notch components would be extremely nice too.

[Kerrin]

Any suggestions folks have for good card games?

We don't really enjoy deck building games or collectible card games so those would pretty much be out. We had a blast playing the heck out of Sentinels of the Multiverse this summer and it's still one of our more favorite recent games.

Any suggestions for other great card games?