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Boardgames - What have you played recently?

I have an ambition to use the Cthulhu Wars 9-11 player neoprene map sometime too. Just need to train up some cultists...

Like Root it's highly asymmetric, and also has lots of Lovecraftian Neutral Monsters and Great Old Ones that can be used, so it's very variable.
 
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This weekend we played Forbidden Stars. It’s a great, slightly lighter, 4X game which fairly faithfully implements the feel of different 40K factions. Such a shame that it is long out of print and I’m not aware of any non-IP re-implementations.
 
Last night we played Expeditions (the ‘sequel’ to Scythe). It was a bit more accessible than Scythe, with some similar mechanisms around forcing you to do different things each round, and a pretty strong engine-builder mechanic.

I enjoyed it more than Scythe, which I personally find too convoluted.
 
This weekend we visited some long-time friends who are not gamers in the slightest but who have recently expressed an interest in board games. So I took a couple of with me, and though the weather was kinder than expected (and so we could visit some lovely country estates) we did get time to play Azul. I think it is a great gateway game, with pretty simple rules and almost no maths required but strategy based on shapes and colours which most people can hook in to. I am pleased to say they enjoyed it so maybe a new couple of gamers are initiated!
 
dbm said:
This weekend .. we did get time to play Azul. I think it is a great gateway game, with pretty simple rules and almost no maths required but strategy based on shapes and colours which most people can hook in to.
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Oh it is lovely. I want to play it right now. Sadly I need to work.
However I think I may borrow it from library and take to Nottingham next time.
 
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Weekend just gone (Sat/Sun):

- Heat (US map)
- Port Royal
- The City (x 2)
- Space Base
- Villagers + Shifting Seasons
- Agemonia (most of Saturday!)
- looked over Kanban EV but didn't have time to play it
 
Getting in a little solo board game play between cream teas on holiday…

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Mini Rogue is fun - and very impressive for its small footprint / box size. I’m just playing with the core here, but there are a number of expansions to add a bit more variety and extra choices.
 
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Inaugurated my games room tonight with three plays of Heat: Pedal to the Metal. Managed to win two out of the three games which is better than my usual win ratio, so happy days!
 
dbm said:
Inaugurated my games room tonight with three plays of Heat: Pedal to the Metal. Managed to win two out of the three games which is better than my usual win ratio, so happy days!
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Didn't manage to play that before I had to return it to the library
 
Guvnor said:
Didn't manage to play that before I had to return it to the library
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It’s a fun and quick game. We did a one lap race to remind ourselves of the rules, then three two-lap races drafting car mods which allows you to set things up for the track you are on. All in about 3.5 hours.

Then there are add on systems for more advanced mods, weather, sponsorship and a multi-race championship, too. It’s fun even if you aren’t a massive race car fan.
 
We got Tales from the Loop out of its shrinkwrap for the first time yesterday. Given how simple the RPG rules are, I was not expecting such a complicated board game. We played two rounds and decided none of us were sufficiently awake to continue.

The plan is that I will thoroughly learn the rules, and then we'll give it another shot. It seems like a great game, just not one we could handle that day.
 
We had an unexpected board game session today; we were scheduled for role playing but one of the guys had to drop out due to family issue and we were no longer quorate. So we played a couple of board games instead, first playing Black Rose Wars Rebirth, then we played a new game - Bloodstones.

Bloodstones is a very good, fairly simple but tactically rich war game. I would heartily recommend it if you want a lightly asymmetric fantasy wargame.
 
Last night we played Hegemony with three. I actually won a game for a change, which is quite rare in my group as I play with some excellent board gamers.

It was the deserving Game of the Year in 2023 and a great fun if you are at all politicly minded. In fact, it was the politics that won it for me in this game as I managed to hit all the political preferences of my class. It was also a very prolific game for all the classes. I (middle class) got all my businesses built, the capitalists had ten out of twelve and the working class had three trade unions running (plus a population of 8). Never seen it that simultaneously successful for all the players before.
 
dbm said:
This weekend we visited some long-time friends who are not gamers in the slightest but who have recently expressed an interest in board games. So I took a couple of with me, and though the weather was kinder than expected (and so we could visit some lovely country estates) we did get time to play Azul. I think it is a great gateway game, with pretty simple rules and almost no maths required but strategy based on shapes and colours which most people can hook in to. I am pleased to say they enjoyed it so maybe a new couple of gamers are initiated!


Speaking of games, for those who enjoy a bit of variety, I’ve also been exploring online gaming options that are accessible and budget-friendly. If you’re curious, you might want to check out this https://casinoallianz.com/online-casinos/1-euro-mindesteinzahlung/ for an easy and affordable way to try your luck.
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That sounds like a fantastic weekend! It's always great to introduce friends to the world of board games, especially with a game as accessible and enjoyable as Azul. The simple rules and visually appealing components make it a perfect choice for new players.

Recently, I had a similar experience with a group of friends who were new to board games. We played Ticket to Ride, and they loved the straightforward gameplay and the strategic depth. It was a hit, and now they’re eager to try more games. It's so rewarding to see new gamers get excited about this hobby!
 
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