Family Affair.

 I have declared Thursday night Game night between Kia and me. Now that I have Lords of Waterdeep in the house (thanks, IMStuds), a game I knew Kia would enjoy, I look forward to many more nights in Waterdeep.

The good news is, Kia enjoyed the game; the bad is I won by 7 points. I know she is thirsting for revenge, so next Thursday should be interesting.

Saturday night I got together with the Little Wizards Basement gamers for several hands of Magic the Gathering. I must say I had a kick butt night. We play teams and I was on the winning duo most of the night. Good night of cards, indeed.

Maximan66 and I sat down to yet another clash in the Old World. He piloted the Orcs, and I took the High Elves out for a test drive as I had never played them. I gotta say, for doing the random deck building that we do (25 units, 6 support, 6 tactic, 3 quests, 10 neutrals), my deck was running on all cylinders. 

 The High Elves...

 The Wauugggh! Orcs...

  The High Elves firing away...

 Maximan66 lies defeated next to his defeated capital!

The Starshield Gaming Society meets Monday night, SurfMonkey is scheduled to come over on Tuesday, and Thursday is just around the corner. A week of gaming awaits. I love my hobby! 

Max Warhammer Invasion

Just a quick game report. Maximan66 and I played another game of Warhammer Invasion. He played the Dark Elves; I played the Empire. It was a knock-down, drag-out fight...

The battle is engaged...

 The Empire ramps up...

 Maximan66 contemplates his next move...

 The Dark Elves (and Maximan66) triumph! Empire crushed!

Just a little post to record how much fun I am having playing this game. Until next time, kick a Dark Elf. 

Season's Gamings!

Over Christmas Break, the Ries household was a flurry with holiday cheer and games galore. I taught Maximan66 how to play Space Hulk: Death Angel. He likes it a lot. We lost our first game but escaped with 4 Space Marines in the second.

Game 2 of Space Hulk Death Angel

I also taught Maximan66 how to play Warhammer: Invasion. He played the Waugh! Orcs. I played the dwarves. It was a learning game for him, but the dwarves did emerge victorious. I am looking forward to more games of W:I. It is a solid game and extremely fun for me. I even ordered more cards with Christmas money. 

Then at Yia Yia's house, we put together a Sentinels of the Multiverse game. The heroes kicked Baron Blade's butt. 

On New Year's Eve, we got together with my brother's family at Grandma and Grandpa's house, IMStuds and I played the game he gifted me for Christmas: Lords of Waterdeep! I really enjoy this game and was ecstatic he bought it for me. We played in my parent's basement like we used to do with other games when we were kids. Nice memories, good time, and he won, kicking my butt quite handily...or is it footily? 

On the second day of 2013, Maximan66 gave to me another game of Death Angel. We played against the Tyranids that Kato Katonian picked me up at Gen Con. They proved to be ridiculously tough on the Deathwing battle brothers.

Maximan66 and I sat down to another game of Warhammer Invasion shortly after our Death Angel game. Maximan66 played the High Elves this time while I played Chaos for the first time. I started off strong and then the High Elves got the upper hand. I didn't draw any units when I needed them and it was over. My zones burned! I am loving this game the more I play it.

Later that day, after dinner, we sat down for another game of Sentinels of the Multiverse!

The next visit to the game table found Maximan66 and I taking on the role of Lords of Waterdeep. Unlike my ill-fated game against IMStuds, I ended up on the winning end of this game. Triumph on the Field of Victory! 178 Victory Points to 157. Maximan66 proved to be a worthy opponent!

On Saturday before the return to school, I was able to tear Maximan66 away from his Mindstorms long enough to get in another game of Warhammer: Invasion. He played his High Elves while I played the Orcs for the first time.

The game was fast and furious, but in the end with a Rock Lobber, the Greenskins burned the High Elves capital.

On Sunday evening, we sat down for the final game of the holidays. It was a Sentinels of the Multiverse game. Maximan66 played Legacy and Bunker, while I played Ambuscade's nemesis, Haka, and ExPatriette vs. Ambuscade in Megalopolis. He put up a fight, but ultimately, the heroes were triumphant.

It was a great holiday for family and gaming. Hoping you all had a joyous season. Now into the winter, a traditionally fertile season for gaming. Can't wait. Between the Starshield Gaming Society, the Little Wizards Basement Gamers, SurfMonkey, Maximan66, and the Red Dragon Gaming Society, I am one fortunate gamer. 

Until next time, good gamers, may your cards sling the way you want and your dice love you.

--magehammer

Super SurfMonkey to the Rescue!

SurfMonkey came over this past Monday and brought with him two brand spankin' new super hero games! Legendary a Marvel Deck Building Game and the DC deckbuilding game. Pics below. 

We played Legendary first. It was a lot like Ascension, Shadowrift, and Nightfall mixed together. It is a co-op game with a scoring at the end. I thought that was a bit out of the spirit of the game as the heroes should be working together against the big bads and other villains. The game is gorgeous and the game board is a nice touch. However, all other superhero games are measured against Sentinels of the Multiverse for me, and this one does not surpass it in feeling like I am playing a superhero. It is more like I am a general guiding the superheroes in their struggles. Not quite the same to me. I lost, by the way.

Next up was the DC deck building game. Pure and simple, this game IS Ascension with a superhero theme.  If you love Ascension, you will love this game. The feel was more like being told a tale about the DC superheroes as they went through their many battles. It ain't no Sentinels.

To finish out the night we played a game of Sentinels of the Multiverse! SurfMonkey played Absolute Zero and Legacy (first time he had played the patriotic hero!). I played Tachyon and Ra vs. Baron Blade, Mad Bomber in the Ruins of Atlantis. In the end the heroes were victorious but not before taking many hits from the dastardly Baron Blade!

That was a great way to end out our superhero flavored night. We won't be meeting again until after Christmas. What will the New Year bring? Can't wait to find out. Happy Holidays, everyone!

Two Months of SurfMonkey

Two gaming sessions ago, SurfMonkey arrived with Netrunner and Star Wars: X Wing both Fantasy Flight Games games. Both were released at Gen Con this past August as well. Of course, famously Netrunner sold out at the Con in 7 minutes. Star Wars: X Wing is also selling quite well. Both of these games are huge hits. Were they a hit with us, read on and find out...

First up was Netrunner:

My faction for the game is pictured below...

I never played Netrunner back in the day, so this was my first exposure to it. I think the game is sound, but the two factions Surf and I faced off against each other were complete nemeses. As a result, the game was not very fun for me, but after another play, I think I may have more fun.

Next up was Star Wars: X Wing:

My experience with SW X Wing was a better one. I really enjoyed playing this game. The hidden tactical choices and the measuring sticks, and the MINIS! Just an awesome experience. I may be buying this one for Max and me for Christmas.

We finished the night with a game of Martian Dice. Good times. 

Month the Second:

SurfMonkey brought over the highly-anticipated game: Mice and Mystics by Geek Cave favorite: Plaid Hat Games. Now this is a game. It is a unique kind of story telling game that is part board game, part role-playing game. I really enjoyed it. Below are some pics of this gorgeous game:

These were my characters.

Love the components...

Awesome sculpts!

 Centipedes and spiders, oh, my!

I really like this game and look forward to playing it again. 

 For the second game of the night, SurfMonkey and I joined forces against the evil of the Ennead in the Multiverse, and we were its Sentinels.

 SurfMonkey brought his Bannersonthecheap.com custom play mat. It added a cool visual dimension to the game. 

 The Ennead defeated.

Looking forward to next month when we may head back to Middle-Earth but not before we participate in a Mage War!

Thanks for reading, and until next time, roll some dice, sling some cards, and save the multiverse!