The Board Game Thread

[Hexx]

So, Arkham Horror LCG catch-up: we got through Essex County Express and Blood on the Altar

Essex:

This is now my joint favourite, alongside House Always Wins. The mechanics were great and created an incredible sense of urgency in a game that is, in general, urgent as strawberry float. It also created my favourite moment of the campaign:I'm playing as Zoey whose weakness, Smite the Wicked, attaches itself to the enemy furthest from you. If you don't kill that enemy by the end of the scenario you take a mental trauma. In Essex we were right at the end of the scenario with only one set of train cars left which were 1 turn from being sucked away, and into the furthest we'd just placed a Wizard of the Order. Then I drew Smite. Initially I was gutted until we realised it would attach to the Wizard who was almost immediately sucked into the void. The image of Zoey screaming righteous death at the Wizard before he's sucked into the portal he himself had created was fantastic. We ended up getting the best resolution, and moved into Dunwich...

Altar:

The Midnight Masks of Dunwich, this one was a ballbreaker. Again it does some really interesting things with mechanics but we suffered a bad series of draws that led to me, the tank, having only 3 health left almost from the off. It was terrifying. Oh, and they stole my strawberry floating dog, the bastards! We eventually fought our way to the Hidden Chamber and managed to scrape ourselves a resolution but we lost the 2 Blood on the Altar characters, as well as Dr Rice. We strawberry floating saved my dog though. Booyah.

Nicely done!

Both of those benefited from Pete's move and investigate combo

[FatDaz]

Played an epic game of rebellion today. I was surrounded and 2 points from victory as rebels. He had massive army to one side and a pretty big army the second side. He 100% knew where I was. I managed to goad him into opposing a mission In the system with the massive army. (The mission allowed me to take an objective card and he was worried it might have got me the win) I just had to survive one more round and my objective cards would score at the next refresh phase for the win. Thankfully he had denied himself the chance to move his big army so could only send his little one at me. 2 AT-ST, 4 storm troopers and an AT-AT versus my five rebel soldiers and an air speeder...

Was the most tense battle I've had but dice and tactic cards went in my favour, surviving by a solitary soldier! I simply couldn't believe I'd won after being boxed in and on the ropes for most of the game.

Love this.

[smurphy]

I love the sort of wacky scenarios that come up in Rebellion. The other week Darth Vader went to Degobah and encased Luke in carbonite right in front of Yoda. But the joke was on me because minutes later my Death Star was blown up by a single X-Wing.

Got absolutely pummelled on the final scenario of the base Arkham Horror tonight. Worst ending. I still think we're playing it wrong. The worst aspect of the game is how the difficulty compounds so much, particularly on the transition from scenario two to three. We left load of cultists alive because honestly we were just completely overwhelmed, which caused them all to reappear on the path to Unthologogohth which made it pretty much impossible to complete.

Still a great game. We have no synergy whatsoever in our decks, so will have to look into that next time. I also refuse to buy an expansion or replay it until we have some sort of proper card storage solution. The thought of building a deck without one makes me all sweaty.

[Tragic Magic]

I'm really enjoying Dark Souls. Played as the assassin today and kitted myself out with as much equipment as I could to increase my dodge stat. It's so much more effective than blocking as it allows you to either move into a better position to prepare for your next turn or the next enemy attack. So long as the dice come up good, of course. Fighting the bosses is really tense even though I'm yet to beat one. Patience really is key and it's all about maximising your chances on the dice by using the right equipment and saving your lucky coin and heroic action for as long as possible.

It really is excellent stuff.

I reckon I could've beaten the Gargoyle boss but I made the stupidest mistake ever three quarters through. I used 3 stamina to do one of my powerful attacks, thinking I'd be able to dodge the Gargoyle's​ next attack and then use my estus flask. Trouble is, when I went to dodge, I realised I hadn't left myself enough stamina to do it. And I could do nothing but watch imagine my player become engulfed in electric breath.

Just need to try playing it with at least one other player now to see how multiple players change up the battles. On your own, everything obviously just comes straight for you. So I'm interested to see how it changes the tactics with enemies having multiple targets.

[Hexx]

I love the sort of wacky scenarios that come up in Rebellion. The other week Darth Vader went to Degobah and encased Luke in carbonite right in front of Yoda. But the joke was on me because minutes later my Death Star was blown up by a single X-Wing.

Got absolutely pummelled on the final scenario of the base Arkham Horror tonight. Worst ending. I still think we're playing it wrong. The worst aspect of the game is how the difficulty compounds so much, particularly on the transition from scenario two to three. We left load of cultists alive because honestly we were just completely overwhelmed, which caused them all to reappear on the path to Unthologogohth which made it pretty much impossible to complete.

Still a great game. We have no synergy whatsoever in our decks, so will have to look into that next time. I also refuse to buy an expansion or replay it until we have some sort of proper card storage solution. The thought of building a deck without one makes me all sweaty.

S3 in ridiculously hard

I'm using binders and magic gathering inserts

[Tragic Magic]

Anyone played Mythos Tales? It sounds brilliant. Basically Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective but set in the Arkham Horror universe.

I'm very tempted to pick it up but then I'm also very tempted to pick up the Arkham Horror LCG seeing as it keeps popping up in every other post here.

[Tafdolphin]

I love the sort of wacky scenarios that come up in Rebellion. The other week Darth Vader went to Degobah and encased Luke in carbonite right in front of Yoda. But the joke was on me because minutes later my Death Star was blown up by a single X-Wing.

Got absolutely pummelled on the final scenario of the base Arkham Horror tonight. Worst ending. I still think we're playing it wrong. The worst aspect of the game is how the difficulty compounds so much, particularly on the transition from scenario two to three. We left load of cultists alive because honestly we were just completely overwhelmed, which caused them all to reappear on the path to Unthologogohth which made it pretty much impossible to complete.

Still a great game. We have no synergy whatsoever in our decks, so will have to look into that next time. I also refuse to buy an expansion or replay it until we have some sort of proper card storage solution. The thought of building a deck without one makes me all sweaty.

S3 in ridiculously hard

I'm using binders and magic gathering inserts

I don't know anyone who has successfully gotten a decent resolution in The Devourer Below. It's the hardest scenario yet released.

[Clarkman]

Played Mission Red Planet twice today as a group of 4. Each run through took about 45 mins and felt tense up to the last moment. My main criticism would be that even when someone's secret mission is obvious, you're too focused on your own goals to really do anything to block them.

Question for the thread, has anyone played Captain Sonar? I really, really want to play.

[smurphy]

Yes. It's one of the most stressful, intense and enjoyable games I've ever played. Needed a 20 minute break after one round just to wind myself down a bit. The only trouble is getting exactly 8 people together with any regularity.

[Hexx]

Played Mission Red Planet twice today as a group of 4. Each run through took about 45 mins and felt tense up to the last moment. My main criticism would be that even when someone's secret mission is obvious, you're too focused on your own goals to really do anything to block them.

Question for the thread, has anyone played Captain Sonar? I really, really want to play.

Yeah. It's awesome. 8 (then 6) of us played it in the pub and it was brilliant/horrible.

I'd say got 6 over 8 as one of the jobs it pretty rubbish in 8. (Also don't be the Engineer. So stressful)

[Hexx]

I love the sort of wacky scenarios that come up in Rebellion. The other week Darth Vader went to Degobah and encased Luke in carbonite right in front of Yoda. But the joke was on me because minutes later my Death Star was blown up by a single X-Wing.

Got absolutely pummelled on the final scenario of the base Arkham Horror tonight. Worst ending. I still think we're playing it wrong. The worst aspect of the game is how the difficulty compounds so much, particularly on the transition from scenario two to three. We left load of cultists alive because honestly we were just completely overwhelmed, which caused them all to reappear on the path to Unthologogohth which made it pretty much impossible to complete.

Still a great game. We have no synergy whatsoever in our decks, so will have to look into that next time. I also refuse to buy an expansion or replay it until we have some sort of proper card storage solution. The thought of building a deck without one makes me all sweaty.

S3 in ridiculously hard

I'm using binders and magic gathering inserts

I don't know anyone who has successfully gotten a decent resolution in The Devourer Below. It's the hardest scenario yet released.

I got a good resolution.

For me...

[Hexx]

OH MY GOD!

https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/n ... he-empire/

[FatDaz]

Looks great!

[Hexx]

Oh god there's another Arkham Expac out already!

[Hexx]

Not impressed by new Arkham Pack - Undimensional and Unseen.

Couple of very confusing rule interactions I can't see explained, and if you did well last time it's seemed hard to complete (I think the Act card might be unclearly printed).

Having to resort to asking on official forums (and others )

First time it's stumped me.

[FatDaz]

Purely based on a review I read on shut up and sit down website I bought Burgle Bros! A co op heist game that has elements similar to pandemic and forbidden desert. A fantastic oceans 11 style theme, tough as nails but so satisfying when you win!

[Hexx]

So who's going to the Birmingham Expo?

[smurphy]

I didn't realise quite how much of a rip off Arkham Horror was until I got the Dunwich Horror. I don't why I thought it was better value, but strawberry float me. I wish FFG games weren't so bloody good so I could boycott them.

Though saying that, there was a reddit post that I happened to notice while having a poo in the middle of the night. Splotter had found 75 more copies of the legendary Food Chain Magnate and stuck them on their site, luckily managed to nab one when there were 6 remaining. Only £82.

[Tragic Magic]

So who's going to the Birmingham Expo?

Who, what, where, when?

[Hexx]

https://www.ukgamesexpo.co.uk