Geek Day...again? Man, how time flies.

by Tuna Farrell 

Thirsty Demon

Recap of December 7th Game day.

Al was taking his turn at hosting and we had a bit of a slow start, being just the three of us (Mike, Al, and myself (Tuna)). Valerie had promised to come later, as she was attending a distillery; which we all admit was at least a decent reason for not joining us.

Mike wanted to give Smash Up another try, as he felt he hadn’t gotten a good feel for it the first time. The game was much more competitive than the last time, with all of us actually fighting over control of the bases, with some very sneaky and nasty plays being made (some by yours truly). Also some stupid plays (also by yours truly). Al took an early lead and Mike and I made some quick strides to catch up; but I fell behind around mid game and it came down to Mike and Al at the end. They were only 1 point apart when Al managed to take the final base and win handily with a few point margin.

At least the Black and Tan Al supplied me with managed to take the edge off my sorrow at losing.

Mike has changed his mind about Smash Up and now thinks it’s a good addition to our roster

Mike's big Thumbs up 

We had decided to pull out an old favorite while we waited for Val to join us and Mike chose Forbidden Island. This game started off very poorly, with us pulling a Waters Rise card in the first draw, prompting three areas of the Island to sink beneath the waves before we even got a chance to do anything at all.

Forbidden Island has lots of snacks on it.

We got lucky for a turn or two, managing to capture one of the artifacts fairly quickly, but the island continued to sink beneath our imaginary feet while we gathered the remaining artifacts. Some quick planning made it look like we would be able to pull off a win without too much hassle when we drew the last Waters Rise card in the deck, sinking everything but the last tile. We had all the artifacts and managed to escape to the last tile but we had only one turn to win. We needed the right card to escape and if we didn’t the last part of the island would sink beneath the waves and our little wooden representatives would die horribly by drowning. Against all odds, Al managed to draw the correct card and away we flew to safety and untold riches by selling off the salvaged mysterious artifacts. 

Al had decided that food today would be supplied by the local pizza parlor so while he was out Mike and I played a couple games of Magic: the Gathering. I haven’t been able to play much lately so I was eager to take a hand or two. Unfortunately since I was unprepared for anyone to suggest a game I had not brought my own cards, so I used Mike’s instead.

I chose Black/White and Mike played White/Red. I had to pull a mulligan after it became obvious that the deck had nothing but land at the top. Despite my rigorous shuffle the top thirteen cards in the deck were Swamps. I think I might have been better off without using the mulligan. I made a few good plays, but Mike had the upper hand for most of the game and I conceded the game.

Al came back with the pizza and Mike and I started a second game, switching decks. I was doing very well, cancelling much of Mike’s advantage early on and then settling into a good rhythm of picking away at his health. He was down to 2 when he pulled out a wipe (GOD) card that cleared the field of every creature, followed up with a second card that stole 11 of my health and healed him for the same amount. I was one turn away from winning when he turned the tables on me and I was not able to recover from it, just couldn’t pull the cards I needed to either attack or defend well enough to stop him.

At least the Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster Al mixed up for me managed to ease the pain and sorrow of losing.
A bit of history for the uninitiated, the Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster is actually a fictional drink from the “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” novels, by Douglas Addams. It contains many fictional ingredients, and the effect of drinking it is described as being hit in the head with a large gold brick wrapped in a lemon slice. Many people have invented recipes to try to replicate this drink for us mere mortals forced to live in the real world, and Al managed to find one that tastes tart, strong, and is a deep electric blue.

One of Al's better concoctions

Val sends a message that she won’t be joining us (lame!), but we forge forward without her; strengthened by a second round of Pan Galactic Gargle Blasters.

 
Hey, we don’t call it Booze and Board Games for nothin’.

Mike seems to be doing most of the game picking today, and surprises me by picking “Legend of Drizzit”, one of the games Al has universally declared he despises. However, he is in a forgiving mood despite (or perhaps because of) his relative sobriety. He had to drive to get the pizza,I digress.

Mike and I agree that this game isn’t as well balanced as Descent, but it also fuels our Dungeons and Dragons addiction and we figure we can hold it together long enough for Al to not hate it too much. Set up also takes me a bit of time, as we haven't played in months, so I was unprepared.

Still, once we were set up, the game went smoothly for a few turns. We got lucky and didn’t pull any Encounters for the first four Dungeon Tiles explored (a record!), but things started to get a little difficult when we had to spend a couple turns after Encounters started putting out traps of exploding lava and rolling boulders. Overall, things weren’t too bad. That is until we managed to get the Troll. Oh, how we hate that Troll. A few bad rolls and Al went down, using up one of our Healing Surges, and Mike had to use another one.

Legend of Drizzit

We finally pulled the Boss card, along with its attendant monster minions. We were battered and bloody, but we finally managed to pull it down; resulting in Al’s first ever victory with this game.
Al seemed to be on a roll.

It’s still early, so we decide one more game is in order. Thunderstone is chosen as one we all agree on and that we haven’t played much lately. The set up is based on random card picks and it became apparent that we were going to have trouble. The creatures we had to fight had immunities, some of which was Magic, and half of the available Heroes were Magic based. Also, why do the Villagers always suck? I think next time we should make the set up a little less random so things suck a little less.

The game always starts slow while we build our decks, and Mike took an early lead. Actually, he stole a couple creatures out from under me a couple turns. Al had several frustrating turns and Mike and I talked him through a strategy that seemed to help him out a bit. Still, he had enough of a bad string for long enough that he would have to pull something extraordinary to catch up to Mike and I. Mike was in the lead but I made a few unnoticed pulls that I knew would net me a couple extra victory points at the end game.

Mike had the opportunity to end the game decisively when the Thunderstone Bearer was pulled from the creature deck, but he decided he wanted to grab as many points as possible. This may have not been a good move on his part because when the dust settled I managed to claim victory by eleven points over him. Because I’m a sneaky bastard.

       "Photo deleted by Al due to it's inappropriate and annoying content i.e he lost." 

Al had the idea for a photo op to show how our game collection has grown over the years we have been doing this and asked us to bring all of our games; which is one of the reasons we had so many titles on hand that we hadn’t played in a while.

We took a picture of the two games that Mike had, which started it all.

The initial offerings of Crack.

Followed by a picture of everything the three of us have added since Mike sucked us into this.

Our own stash on which to feed the addictions.

See ladies, that’s what allowing your significant others to game will do.

Later!
Tuna

Three Wise Cocktails.

by Al Butler

Poor Brian.

This week we are offering up not one, but three cocktails that will brighten your holiday celebrations, and bring good cheer to your family and friends. With Christmas (that's right) just around the corner we decided to experiment with some more festive drinks. These three drinks are wise choices in that they blend with the theme of the holiday very well. Easy to craft, and consume, you cannot go wrong when serving any of these up at your gatherings. Some may look at these cocktails as effeminate, girly, and not suitable for men of any age. I believe that such branding, though fun, is foolish. I base not my belief in personal tastes or fancy, but rather on experience. Back in the 1980's while all my "Tough Guy" friends were drinking straight whiskey or simply beer, I ordered a Vodka Cranberry instead. Yup I got laughed at, but come the end of the night it was I who had spent most of the evening with a pretty girl while my friends were stuck talking to themselves. So say what you will about the looks of these Christmas cocktails, because in the end, its not what fills your glass that makes you a man, but your lower parts. And I'd rather smile with a fair maiden, than grouse with an angry workman any day of the week.

Crantini.

The Crantini; not really a Martini but the name stuck somehow. A very pretty festive red cocktail.

Ingredients;
2 oz. Vodka or Gin
1 oz. Triple sec
2 oz. Cranberry Juice (not the cocktail kind)
1/4 oz. Dry Vermouth
Real cranberries or lemon peel for garnish

Method:
Chill a cocktail glass. Next fill your shaker with Ice and add Spirit, Triple Sec, Juice, and Vermouth. Shake, then strain into chilled glass. Garnish with skewered cranberries, a lemon peel or both.

You're a mean one Mr. Grinch.

The "Appletini" used to be all the rage with up and comers and Hipsters, however these days it's popularity has waned somewhat. This cocktails vibrant green color makes me think on my favorite Christmas character the Grinch.

Ingredients:
2 oz. Vodka
1 oz. of Sour Apple Pucker
1/4 oz. of lemon or lime juice
Maraschino Cherry for garnish

Method:
Chill a cocktail glass. Fill your shaker with ice, add Juice, Vodka and Schnapps, and shake till cold. Strain into your chilled glass and drop one or two maraschino cherries for a very cool looking cocktail for the holiday.

Winter's Chill.

The vibrant blue of a Winter's Chill really stands out in a crowd, and though many may be afraid to try it, everyone will notice and ask what it is, as you slide it across the bar.

Ingredients:
1 oz. Vodka (citrus Vodka if you have it)
1 oz. Blue Curacao
1 oz. Lime Juice
1 oz. Triple Sec
lime peel or wheel for garnish (very optional)

Method:
Chill a Cocktail glass!!! (do you guys get it yet?). Next fill a shaker with ice and add; vodka, curacao, lime juice, and triple sec. Shake and strain into your chilled glass. You can garnish this if you like with a lime wheel or twist but I think the simple look of this blue eye popper is better left as is.


So my friends there you have three, easy and rather tasty cocktails that you can serve during the upcoming holiday that will be sure to please just about anyone. I do hope that some of you will give at least one of these festive drinks a try, and if you cannot, well at least I can extend a Merry Christmas to you and wish you all the best.

Cheers
AL

 

Al's Top 5 picks for Christmas

I have not made a Christmas list since I was a child, for a myriad of reasons. However, this past year I began to embrace my "inner child" by starting to rebuild my game collection. Long ago, I had many wonderful titles from which to pick and play at leisure, but over the years those boxed childhood memories disappeared. I have spent countless hours searching the Internet, for some of the old favorites and this work has paid off handsomely as I have acquired no less than eight titles long out of print.

But, looking at my shelf the other night, I realized that for all the games I now own, most would not be enjoyed by the majority of today's "gamers", as they are slow, methodical and long to play. So I decided that it was time to flesh out my collection with a variety of newer games and compiled a list for Santa i.e. my wife, in the hopes that on Christmas morning my eyes will be dazzled by a new and shiny title we can all play next game day.

After watching tons of video reviews, and reading everything one could about the various games I thought would add variety, I submitted the following five for Santa's approval. Let's hope she's listening. So here, from last to first, we present the five top picks from my Christmas list. I pray at least one title is under the tree.

#5  Forbidden Desert; produced in 2013 by Gamewright, this is the sequel to Forbidden Island. In this version the players are looking for a legendary flying machine on an ever shifting board. With up to five players I can see this game being very interesting. We have had loads of fun in the past with Forbidden Island, and from all accounts this desert version is better. There is a little more strategy involved in Forbidden desert but I think that will only make the gameplay richer. The Dice Tower recommends this game highly

#4  1775: Rebellion; Produced in 2013 by Academy games Rebellion is a 2-4 player strategy war game based on the American Revolution. Each player has a set of cards to position and move their troops and custom dice are used to resolve combat. Though this is a war game (I can hear you all sighing now) it is actually very simple and fast to play. I've had my eye on this for awhile now, in the hopes of introducing some of you "let's hold hands and skip" type players to something a bit more aggressive. Worry not this game is considered a "light" game and great for introducing new folks. The use of small wooden cubes instead of the traditional cardboard counters also intrigues me.

#3 Summoner Wars Master Set; I have been on the fence with this card game for some time, but after loading the IOS app and playing through several rounds I decided to look at the board version again. Introduced in 2011 by Plaid Hat Games, the Master set comes with 6 faction/army decks, a heavy duty mounted board, five dice and 20 wound markers. By all accounts this is THE head to head deck building card game, and those who play it are rabid fans. High marks all around from BGG and Dice Tower. Games can last anywhere between 30 to 45 mins each so it plays relatively fast. I see Tuna being really good at this one.

#2  Conflict of Heroes: Awakening the Bear (2nd Edition); Another offering from Academy Games in 2012 this version of the original award winning CoH offers more units, new ark work and more firefights. What CoH brings to the table overall is a fast, and fluid system of play that is easy to learn. Simultaneous play means no long waiting for opponents to finish their turns, and the basics can be taught to a new player in about 5 minutes. What I am interested in is the larger 1 inch counters that depict, individual squads, vehicles, airplanes and tanks. The art on them is beautiful. CoH has been in the top ten lists of gamers since its inception in 2008 and this re-issue only reinforces it's popularity. This is a "Must Have" for my collection.

#1  Legendary: A Marvel Deck Building Game; Lastly the ultimate addition I would like to make this Christmas is this game from Upper Deck 2012. Set in the Marvel Comic book universe players use various hero decks i,e, Thor, Hulk, Thor, Spidey or THOR, to defeat various Villain decks like Magneto. What makes me slaver over this? Well two things really, first; game play is very interactive and has a bunch of random twists and turns to it through aptly named cards "Scheme Twists". Like other games such as Thunderstone Advance, there are slots on the board for villains and minions which the players must defeat, however in Legendary those minions are constantly on the move and if they escape bad things can happen to the players. My second reason is the theme. Between DC and Marvel comics my friends and I always leaned to the marvel universe as it was/is so awesome. I mean think about it who wouldn't want to be able to call on the God of Thunder to help you with a wee problem?  I can say in all honesty that if I do not receive this DBG for Christmas I am going to buy it myself as a present to me.

So there you have it. Al's (my) top five games to be had for Christmas. Keep your fingers crossed and I hope you all get what you are praying for as well. Ahhh if your not praying for my untimely or gruesome end that is.

Cheers
AL

Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster

Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster

A month or so ago someone mentioned this drink in a response to my Pairings post for Galaxy Trucker. Having no idea what a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster was supposed to be or even what strange realm of geekdom from whence it originated, I ignored the reference and moved on. I mean really, who would have thought that such a cocktail actually existed outside the sub-culture of Sci-Fi nerds as anything but an obscure reference? You know what I'm talking about, those utterly annoying bits of useless trivia that science fiction types whip out during conversations in an attempt to "One-Up" you with their super knowledge. These geeks can tell you the exact episode of Star Trek, even quoting the lines, in which Captain Kirk fell victim to a Klingon Sphincter Punch. Yet, they do not possess the most basic of personal hygiene, or understand why you just kicked them in the groin. (Just because).

So yeah I tend to ignore the little tid bits of nerd quiz trivia as they annoy me to no end.

However, as I have recently been assaulted with no less than three different references to the Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster on three separate occasions I decided to look into it further. I will still probably "Rochambeau" anyone who decides to go into high cant nerd speak when talking around me, but on this item my curiosity got the better of me. So here is what I found:

"The Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster was invented by Zaphod Beeblebrox, a major character in Douglas Adams' novel The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. The fictional version of this drink is described as "like having your brains smashed out by a slice of lemon, wrapped 'round a large gold brick." It has also been described in the novel as the "alcoholic equivalent to a mugging; expensive and bad for the head."

Zaphod Beeblebrox the inventor of this wonderful drink.

Fortunately for us, the Earthly version of this drink is as far from a mugging as you can get, in fact it is really quite good.

Our friend Mike found a recipe for the cocktail on Geek and Sundry by accident and shared it with me. After looking over the ingredients I was rather intrigued. The color of course catches the eye and I can actually imagine some odd alien being sipping one in a busy lounge in outer space.

Ingredients:
.75 oz Gin
.50 oz Bourbon
1.0 oz Lemon Juice
1.0 oz Sour Apple Pucker Schnapps
.50 oz Blue Curacao
.50 oz Simple Syrup (optional)
Lemons for garnish

Method:
1. Fill a Martini/Cocktail glass with Ice to chill it. (always first ) 2. In a cocktail shaker half filled with ice add your Gin, Bourbon, Apple Schnapps, Blue Curacao, Lemon Juice, and simple syrup. 3. Shake vigorously for 15-20 seconds. 4. Strain into your chilled cocktail glass. 5. Garnish with a bit of lemon peel, twist the peel over the drink then run it around the rim quickly before dropping it in.

 

Caution Drink Carefully.

The mixing of flavors really works well in this recipe. You get a nice little taste of the Juniper from the gin and the lemon overtones somehow, work well with the apple schnapps. I served these to Mike and Tuna last game day and they liked the tartness that comes from the lemon juice. I personally find this pretty cocktail very refreshing and light. Which surprises me to no end, for I always associate colored drinks with overpowering sweetness. I think the best way to describe the complex flavor of a Gargle Blaster is this; "It's the first taste you get when popping a brand new green apple Jolly Rancher hard candy into your mouth. Sharp and tart but not painfully so." The beauty of the cocktail is that unlike the candy which becomes sickly sweet rather quickly, the drink just keeps giving you that first tart pop over and over again.

Warning!!!! These are so good you will want more than one, so be very careful. Both Mike and Tuna had two of these each, and I noticed a bit of slurred speech coming from my friends soon after. Not sloppy drunken hobo slurring, but a subtle catch here and there.

 So the next time you have some geeks/nerds over that you have not managed to maim, or alienate by kicking them in their soft parts, you should mix up a bunch of Pan Galactic Gargle Blasters, I assure you it will be worth the effort.

Cheers
AL 
 

the Manhattan Cocktail

The Manhattan is my all time favorite cocktail. It is beautiful, simple, clean and dignified, a bit mysterious, this fair libation, has held my eye for many years. The dark rich colors served "up" in a fine cocktail glass make me think of a more sophisticated time. I've consumed countless concoctions that go by the name "Manhattan" in my search for the perfect drink. Any bar anywhere in the world will be sure to have it as an offering. However most establishments produce poorly constructed illusions of a real Manhattan. Many a time I have wanted to beat a server half to death for even daring to put such fakes in front of me, let alone charging for it. What is most frustrating of all is the simple fact that this drink is so easy to make, I am baffled that anyone could screw it up, but they do, time and time again. After many years of fruitless attempts to find an establishment that can actually make a decent Manhattan, I was truthfully on the brink of giving up.

That is until I happened to step into a very beautiful and storied tavern in Bristol, Rhode Island, named the DeWolf.



DeWolf Tavern Bristol Rhode Island.

This tavern has an exceptional serving staff, that know not only how to craft a cocktail but  also understand the qualities of the various spirits they offer. When I sidled up to that fine bar and ordered a "Classic Manhattan" the barman didn't bat an eye and only asked if I had a preferred Rye Whiskey? For those of you who understand how rare a thing this is you can appreciate my high praise and joy at finding this place. My drink came  perfectly proportioned, chilled and mixed. Alas I had found my Holy Grail there in the seaside village of Bristol, and to this day, I find myself longing to return to it whenever I find myself south of Boston.

But as you know, I live in the backwoods of Maine, well not the backwoods really, as I do have neighbors, that, for the most part, have managed to marry outside of their immediate families. So not so rustic as to be eating road kill and "what not", but its still pretty far away from the cocktail culture of my youth New York City. Therefore, it is more the rule than the exception that I have to mix my own libations if I desire something refined as this old classic.

So here is my recipe for the Classic Manhattan inspired by the wonderful staff of the DeWolf Tavern.

Clear and pretty, stirred correctly.

Ingredients:
2 oz. Rye Whiskey
1 oz. Sweet Vermouth (red)
2 dashes of bitters
1 Maraschino cherry (garnish)

Method:
Start by filling up a martini/cocktail glass with ice to "chill" the glass, always do this first. Next fill a mixing glass about half way with clean, clear, cubed ice. Add your whiskey, vermouth, then bitters. Stir slowly until the drink is chilled thoroughly. Strain into chilled cocktail glass and serve with a maraschino cherry dropped in as garnish.


Notes: The use of clean cubed ice is vital for the stirring process. When stirring any cocktail such as this try to use your bar spoon to simply move the ice around in the glass without cracking or breaking the cubes. It takes some practice but if you can stir a drink without making any noise the end result will be a much cleaner and clearer product. You can substitute Bourbon for the whiskey if you desire it, if you do I suggest using orange bitters instead of Angostura. Another tip is to chill your vermouth in the refrigerator a couple of hours before mixing with it. For some reason cold vermouth is better than room temperature, or so my guests have mentioned.

Scandalous Rocks. Actually looks good to me.

There are lots of variations on this old drink all of which claim to be called a Manhattan, but the true Manhattan is made with rye period. Recently I have seen these served "on the rocks" which somehow seems scandalous to me and others with lemon twists added for garnish. I am sure the lemon oils help make this strong drink more palatable to some of our more gentle, and timid, populace, however, I'm quite certain this addition, changes the name.

For a refined, dignified, and socially acceptable, before dinner aperitif you cannot go wrong by mixing a few of these up for your guests.

Cheers
AL
 

Blitzkrieg

Blitzkrieg from Avalon Hill Game Co. 1965

I recently bought a copy of Blitzkrieg (circa 1965) on EBay simply to add it to my growing collection of board games. Having played this game but once way back in 1977 the purchase was not stimulated by any nostalgic devotion to this old classic. For, by the time my childhood friend Glen and I sat down with a borrowed copy, we had already become veterans of the war gaming genre. We had fought across the deserts of North Africa, smashed the British lines at Waterloo, and pushed Alexander the Great back at the battle of Gaugamela. Neither one of us had much hope that Blitzkrieg, a fictional representation of warfare between two countries (Great Blue and Big Red), would stir us to greatness once again. In that, we were correct, for the lack of historical backdrop quieted my inspiration and I was forced into a mechanical situation in which I did not feel invested in the outcome. Without the chance to change history, my imagination was dulled, my drive quieted. So I bought this title simply because it is one you have to own if you are an old Grognard like myself.

Blitzkrieg is a two player strategic board game where each side is trying to either; annihilate their opponent's standing army (my kind of warfare) or to occupy all of their enemy's cities. It makes use of the basic Avalon Hill hex map board and NATO symbols on the unit counters. This hex and counter layout is the standard for the majority of AH games and once learned a player can easily transition from one AH game to another with very little or no problem. This title can be played at three different levels of difficulty using, the Basic, Optional, or Tournament rules. For beginners, it is best to lay out the basic game first and forgo some of the more complicated rules for another day. Once the mechanics of movement, attack, and position are learned using only armor, infantry, artillery, and paratroops, you can introduce more advanced options like air power and even Nukes.

Numbers are strength first then movement.

The counters, representing army divisions, have two primary numbers printed on them below their NATO symbols. These numbers are the unit's Movement factor (MF) and Combat factor (CF). The Movement factor is the basic number of hexes a unit may be moved over clear terrain in a turn. Certain terrain features cost more to move through (mountains) and some less (roads).

The Combat factor is a unit's basic fighting strength whether attacking or defending. Modifiers for terrain bonuses may be added to a defending unit's strength only. Attackers never receive terrain bonuses. For example city hexes double the CF of all units within the hex when attacked but no bonus is awarded if the units in the city attack from the city.

The meat of this war game just like all of its type is the act of combat and combat is resolved through simple odds calculations and a Combat results Table (CRT). It actually sounds more complicated than it is. First you determine your odds by adding up the attacker's combat strength then comparing it to the defender's combat strength (including any terrain modifiers). Example Infantry attacker has a CF total of 8 and defender has a total CF of 4, then the odds are 2-1 in favor of attacker. Next a six sided die is rolled and that number is cross referenced against the Combat Results Table which will determine what happens. Obviously the better the odds in a player's favor the greater chance of winning the battle.

Sitzkrieg

Blitzkrieg basic, is very direct and easy to play. However, it can turn very quickly into what has been deemed a "Sitzkrieg", in that without some of the optional rules, such as amphibious assaults and landings, players tend to gravitate to the center of the game board. When this happens defensive lines are formed and rather than a "lightning strike" with mechanized forces, the game starts to play like a WWI western front scenario. This does not always happen but when it does you should be bold and flank the enemy.

Blue breaks deadlock by flanking, Red end runs for home country

I set up the base game this past Sunday and was lucky enough to share my session with our friend Mike who expressed a modicum of interest in trying this old classic. Mike had never played any strategic war games before, but after about fifteen minutes of explaining the rules he was all set to go. He quickly mastered, zones of control (the six hexes surrounding a unit that they "control' in game), use of paratroops to effect by blocking retreating unit's escape, and most importantly the command of terrain features for defensive and offensive purposes. We had a pretty good time trying to out wit one another with maneuver and feint tactics. I was too late to realize that though Mike was new to war games, he had definitely grasped the concept. I was hard pressed early on (deservedly so) as I underestimated my opponent's ability to recognize and capitalize upon my glaring mistakes. That won't happen again.

Mike prepares to take advantage of my overexposed left flank

Overall this title is great for introducing new folks to war games in general. The basics are all covered and the tools learned can be carried over to other more complex games. With the varying levels of difficulty and rules I feel one could play Blitzkrieg through all three degrees and come out a well rounded novice gamer.

Will I play this game again? To be honest, probably not unless someone asks me directly. The lack of historical basis and backdrop undermines my ability to get behind the armies and be passionate. Though Blitzkrieg may play better than some other titles at this level of war gaming, I just don't "feel" it. You feel me?

Cheers
AL

Gettysburg (125th Anniversary Edition)

Perfect introduction to war games.

Recently I was in a game shop with a couple of friends, Valerie and Mike, and found my self feeling really old. While having a conversation with a rather large fellow about a miniature war game he liked to play I asked him if he had ever tried any Avalon Hill games. Much to my surprise he had no idea what I was talking about, and when he said and I quote: " was that after Mech warrior?" I felt like I was going to cry. How could anyone not know about such great games as Afrika Korps, Squad Leader, or Panzer Blitz? But there before me stood a mountain of passive ignorance, sporting a look that spoke of quiet amusement as I tried to explain what strategic war games used to be before he was glint in his mother's eye. It did not help that my friends chimed in with a few cracks of their own, at my expense, and I do believe I heard the term Grognard used once or twice. My Irish came up and I walked out the doors with fists clenched and teeth grinding. Yet by the time I crossed the parking lot the simple truth of the matter struck home, and I realized that the years have caught me up and I am actually old.

But with age comes some measure of wisdom, as evidenced by my departure, and not my arrest for assault. As I drove home that night, the sage words "Ignorance is best cured through education" rang through my brain and a small plan began to form. A plan, in which, through this medium I will not only get to replay some wonderful games from days gone by, but also introduce my friends to the amazing and enthralling world of strategic and tactical war games. And there is no better or easier game to start with than Avalon Hill's Gettysburg (125th Anniversary Edition).

Objective hexes are clearly marked in red and white with values.

Gettysburg is set in 1863 on July 1st-3rd, when the Armies of Virginia and the Potomac clashed in an adhoc battle. The players take control of the armies and attempt to earn victory points by; eliminating enemy units, damaging enemy units (flipped counters at half strength), and controlling the objective hexes printed on the board. The game can be played as a campaign, encompassing all three days of battle, or in scenarios which equal but one of the days. Each side has a unit order of appearance card on which the particular units of a player's force are placed before starting the game. These cards dictate on what turn units come into the battle, and where on the map.

Note the bold numbers on each unit these represent combat strength and movement.

Each scenario has different victory conditions, for example; in scenario #1 July 1st, the objective for the Confederate player is to have twice as many victory points as the Union player at the end of eight turns. The Union player wins by not allowing that to happen. Every turn plays out the same way with the Confederates going first i.e. moving all their units and resolving all if any combat, followed by the Union side doing the same. Once both sides have gone the turn marker is moved and you start the rotation over.

Movement and the use of terrain, is a very important aspect in this game but unlike some more advanced war games not overly complicated. Hexes containing woods, hills, roads, and or combinations thereof simply cost so many points to move through. Terrain also provides defensive bonuses to units when attacked from outside, i.e. units in woods get a plus one to defense if the attacker is not in a connecting wood hex. 

Combat is resolved by using what is often called the "Smithsonian method" which replaces the traditional combat results table that Avalon Hill made famous in games like, Stalingrad, D-Day, and yes, Afrika Korps. With this method both players add up the strength of their units in combat, adding any defensive modifiers for terrain then each toss a single ten sided die. The die roll is then added to the strength and modifiers of the player.  Defender wins if there is a tie or his total number exceeds the attacker. Attacker wins if his number exceeds defender, and if either side wins by three to five points the losing party not only has to retreat but also must take damage (flip a unit or destroy it).

Rules are on one sheet of 11 x 14 paper manual has scenario set ups and history of the battle.

Many Grognards have in the past dismissed this simple game as not realistic enough, and historically inaccurate. For example; there is no "fog of war", which was a major factor on battlefields, flanking maneuvers and stragglers are not even mentioned in the rules though they are all important aspects of the time. Another of my favorite elitist complaints was someone whining that the objective hexes did not accurately reflect Lee's grand strategy of trying to bring the Union to a decisive fight. In that the points of contention were not "really" (according to him) what the battle was all about.

Sadly it is just such know it all's that tend to run new gamers off with their negative and snotty points of contention. They are right, Gettysburg offers no complicated formulas for stragglers or rates of fire, and the map doesn't reflect absolutely 100% the "thinking" of the generals. But if you are looking at a basic game rated as "BEGINNER" and cracking on about its inaccuracies you more than likely do not have much of a life anyway.

Solo Play Confederates lost.

Gettysburg is easy to learn, set up, and play by just about anyone. The backdrop and theme of the Civil War adds flavor and setting while teaching newcomers the very basics of strategy war gaming. If you have never played a strategy war game before or have found yourself wondering if they are for you this little old gem is the perfect introduction to the genre. I actually dusted off my copy and played a scenario before writing this up,( less than 45 minutes including set up time) and you know what? it was loads of fun.

Cheers
AL

Autumn Harvest

Autumn Harvest can be made with Rum or Whiskey

The Thanksgiving holiday, for me, has always been a day of extreme and painful boredom. You are forced into having to be agreeable, and polite, even when that halfwit hippie cousin of yours starts blathering on about the injudicious predicament of the American Indian. Or while you explain for the thousandth time that you do not follow or enjoy American Football, (which of course is on the television in the background) and no, you are not a communist. Small talk fills the air which rarely if ever, turns into anything that invigorates the mind and passions. On the off chance that something of interest does come up, rest assured it will be subdued quickly by someone incanting the magic words; "it's Thanksgiving" or by the dreaded "arm pat" which your wife lays on as you try to speak.

Thus it is I find myself, year after year, silenced and bored, with absolutely nothing to distract my active mind. A mere cardboard cut-out in an imitation Norman Rockwell diorama, I stare listlessly out a window, counting the long minutes, praying for the day to end. It could be worse to be sure, so I am grateful, just not overly pleased.

There is not much a man can do in such circumstance but have a dram or two.

However, even that most enjoyable of pastimes is subject to the dreary, tiring, nature of the day in that you are expected to drink either wine at the dinner table or beer while sitting in the living room. For some strange reason lime green bottles of Heineken appear in the hands of the sweater clad, as they intently watch the light blue team line up in front of the red. It's like a nightmarishly bad beer commercial from the 1980's only without the eye candy of super models.

This year is going to be different though, for I have found a seasonal cocktail recipe that will be sure to please everyone at the gathering called; an Autumn Harvest.

Ingredients:

1.5 - 2.0 Oz. Bushmills Irish whiskey or Goslings Black seal rum
5.0 - 5.5 Oz. Apple Cider
Powdered cinnamon
Cinnamon sticks
Apple slices

Method:

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, add rum or whiskey and the apple cider. Shake thoroughly (until you feel the shaker turn frosty in your hand) Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice. Next, dust the top of the drink with powdered cinnamon, add the apple slice garnish and your cinnamon stick then serve.

The combination of cinnamon with the cider really enhances the scent, and taste of both ingredients, yet fortunately does not overpower the spirit. The cocktail is sweet, but with a light tartness from the cider and cinnamon. Add to that the rolling up on the tongue of the spirit and you experience a complex blending of flavors that opens the eyes with pleasure. Not too heavy or syrupy as many "themed" drinks tend to be you can down a couple of these and still have room and desire for a slice of pie. I found that when using rum as the base spirit the cocktail was enhanced by pouring 2.0 ounces of rum and 5.0 ounces of cider instead of the 1.5 to 5.5 ratio in the whiskey version. This change seemed to bring out more of the molasses flavor in the rum which really complimented and heightened the overall experience.

Dust your cocktail with cinnamon

The Autumn Harvest also has a very pretty and festive look to it, with glass in hand it will make all the other cardboard cut-outs in the house think you have actually embraced the holiday. You will still be bored, silenced, and eyeing the clock in desperation, but at least with one or two of these fine cocktails, you'll be able to camouflage your true feelings and smile pleasantly at nothing. For that is what Thanksgiving is all about anyway, right?

Cheers
AL

Gin Rickey

How Brian likey his Rickey.

As most of you know by now, one of my favorite past-times is to introduce new cocktails and drinks to our gaming group. When I say "new" I really mean new to us, for to be sure, most of the drinks we consume were invented long before any of us were born. I also believe strongly that; "to experience life one must step out of one's comfort zone and try something different", which is why I am constantly looking to bring a bit of variety to game day. This is not to say that I blindly throw out whatever comes to mind before my willing Guinea pigs (I mean friends) as that would prove counter productive to say the least. What I seek to accomplish is to please my guild mates with libations, to make them smile, and to ease away the drudgery of a mundane life, if but only for a little while. I am not always successful in my endeavors and have come up short many a time, yet overall I seem to have "hit the mark", by picking and serving cocktails that make people happy.

So it is that last week I brought forth to be tested by our board gaming friends, a very old, but wonderful drink called; the Gin Rickey.

The Gin Rickey is actually a variation of what was once called a Joe Rickey (which I also made for our group). The Joe Rickey was first crafted in the 1880's at Shoomaker's bar in Washington DC by a bartender named George A. Williamson. The story goes; that one Col. Joe Rickey, a Democratic lobbyist from Missouri, and part owner of Shoomaker's asked for a whiskey with seltzer water and lemon. Col. Rickey believed that cutting the whiskey with water and adding lemon would somehow make the drink more healthy than consuming a glass of bourbon neat. Soon thereafter other lobbyists, newspaper men, and legislators were lining up at the bar and calling for a "Joe Rickey" or simply "a Rickey". Eventually one could find this highball cocktail in taverns and bars from Maine to California, always served with either Bourbon or Rye whiskey.

Just toss in the squeezed lime half for a "lazy garnish"

It wasn't until about ten years later that the Gin Rickey was introduced and made famous the world over. Substituting gin for whiskey and lime for lemon the Gin Rickey became a summertime favorite everywhere, especially in Washington DC. Who made the change and why? No one can definitively say, but it matters not as the end result is that this drastic deviation from the original has been cooling and refreshing the thirsty since it's inception. Any drink that can stand the test of time, and our collective short attention spans, is worthy of at least trying once. One hundred and twenty five years of mixing and countless millions of people consuming is some pretty hefty evidence on the yay side of giving this drink a go.


Ingredients:
1.5 - 2.0 Oz Gin (Bombay Sapphire)
Limes (for juice and garnish)
Tonic/Seltzer water
Ice

Method:
Fill a Highball/Collins glass with ice, squeeze the juice of half a lime into glass. Next add your gin and top off with tonic/seltzer water. With your bar spoon give the drink one quick stir before serving. Garnish by dropping your squeezed lime shell into the glass also called "a lazy garnish".

Excellent game day drink, quick and easy.

 As I mentioned earlier I served these to the our group last week and they were a real hit. Mike liked the tart lime taste and described it as well.."limey". Valerie and Brian commented on my use of Bombay Sapphire gin saying that it didn't overpower the drink but rather blended smoothly with the other parts. Poor Tuna was sick with a terrible cold and passed on giving the Rickey a try. As for me well I simply love this gin drink as it is easy to make and quick to serve. I didn't spend my whole afternoon mixing and could actually be at the table for the start of the games. (Very rare for me).

Cheers
AL

Sleeping with the Fishes

[Mike's Note: Tuna has taken up some writing duties. I'm still providing the photos and captions.]

This is my first recap in a while, be gentle.

 

The day started a little later than planned, due to some delays in arrivals, but once drinks were in hand we quickly jumped into one of our newer games: “Shadows Over Camelot”. This is an Arthurian themed game (in case you couldn’t guess) where one player is chosen at random to be a hidden traitor. We love hidden games with hidden traitors, and Mike quickly jumped in to accuse people as the traitor. Of course, we were playing a tutorial where there was no traitor, but that’s never stopped him before.

Mike played Sir Percival, the only honorable one of the lot

Erin also invited herself to join, which I admit I was a bit nervous about, but she’s fairly well behaved and plays well. If the group has any issue with her inviting herself to play, then you need to speak up. Otherwise, she’ll keep sitting at the table when there’s an open spot.

The game went well, we managed to complete the necessary quests to defeat the encroaching evil minions of evil. It took a while, in part because we were unfamiliar with the rules and we played pretty cautiously. I can’t wait until next time when we get to have a real traitor in our midst, it will add a whole new level of difficulty.

The Lady of the Lake

 

Brian joined us around the time we were winding down the game, in time to join us for our next adventure into the lands of Italian crime families with the mafia inspired game “Nothing Personal”. In this game you lay out cards representing members of the crime family, and the players have to gain influence, cash and more importantly RESPECT with the various mobsters. This was also a lot of fun (despite my poor performance), though I admit that I think the game balance might be a bit off. 

Influence of the Capo means a lot of control over the game and makes it hard for the other players to overcome; though that may be something we can discover how to overcome in future games.

Mike bears the Capo ring

Want to whack another gangster? Here's how...

Play of the game goes to Anthony, who managed to steal all of Al’s respect and cash during the first turn, pushing him into an early lead. Al then spent the remainder of the game trying to get back at Anthony for this move, teaming up with Mike to further this goal. This led to Mike winning, and Al and I sharing last place a bit. I finally overcame this disparity and took over dead last.

Lots of influence chips on the gangsters.
Looks like many of these guys are off to prison soon.

 

Valerie showed up about halfway through “Nothing Personal” and I felt a bit bad for her having to sit around waiting for us to finish. Brian departed after finishing up and Val joined us for a final game of “King of Tokyo”, for those unfamiliar it’s a simple enough game where players take the role of giant monsters attacking the city of Tokyo. Erin rejoined us for this game, having to sit out “Nothing Personal” because there wasn’t enough playing pieces.

There was a bit of early decimation where Valerie managed to do a ton of damage (at least I think it was Valerie [Mike's Note: It was and I was hurt quite badly]), resulting in some quick deaths to some of the monsters. It rapidly turned into a war of attrition, trying to stay live longer than the other players.

Cyber Bunny Dies

King of Tokyo can be won in two different ways, either by points or surviving the longest. It came down to Erin and I at the end, she only needed one more point to win and I was low on health. One point is very easy to come by, and she grinned at me while she rolled the winning dice. Three points is a little overkill though.

I often win being a sneaky bastard (which I’m quite proud of by the way), so there was much rejoicing around the table as I was beaten by my thirteen year old daughter. However as I’ve pointed out recently, if I can be beaten by a thirteen year old girl and I continue to win against my guild mates, it only highlights their poor playing skills. ;)