Board Gamer in Paradise

“Drink Many Beers While Playing a Board Game.”

boardgamerinparadise — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 02:58:31 +0000

I was very excited to find this recent video of the fine folks over at Beer and Board Games enjoying a round of the wickedly delightful Cards Against Humanity live in Chicago, Illinois. The creators of Cards Against Humanity even come along for the ride, offering a bit of a unique insight into the creation of their hit card game. Watching the game played live is also an interesting experience, and definitely worth checking out. Enjoy!

Approach the Vintage Throne!

boardgamerinparadise — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 02:21:23 +0000

Yesterday I was fortunate enough to snag myself an original 1974 version of Kingmaker, Andrew McNeil’s classic strategy board game that recreates the fifteenth century English Wars of the Roses. While I already own a copy of the Avalon Hill second edition from 1975, I prefer the simplicity and ease of play associated with the 1974 rules structure. Kingmaker is a memorable game easily worth picking up simply for its gorgeous presentation and heraldic imagery, so I look forward to cracking open my 1974 copy as soon as it arrives from across the Atlantic. Long live Kingmaker!

“Let’s Get Right to It.”

boardgamerinparadise — Wed, 29 May 2013 02:52:52 +0000

If you’re a fan of the Axis & Allies series of strategy board games, but not sure what new rules and strategies the recent Axis & Allies: WWI 1914 has to offer, I definitely recommend checking out this great video, which covers a lot of ground regarding the franchise’s inaugural First World War offering. Trench it up!

Longing for a Fortress America Fix!

boardgamerinparadise — Mon, 20 May 2013 16:25:09 +0000

Since picking up a vintage copy of the futuristic strategy board game Fortress America last summer, I’m ashamed to say that I’ve only played a single round of this entertaining Cold War classic. Watching this excellent Dice Tower review of the recent Fantasy Flight reissue is definitely making me want to dust off my old copy and take back the United States from the scourge of communism. Partisans, assemble!

Bang A Gun With Bang!

boardgamerinparadise — Tue, 14 May 2013 01:49:23 +0000

A few weeks back for my birthday I was fortunate enough to receive a copy of Emiliano Sciarra’s spaghetti Western themed card game Bang!, along with an accompanying expansion. After watching this helpful and informative video review, I’m definitely excited to check it out!

Fixing a Trench with Axis & Allies: WWI 1914!

boardgamerinparadise — Tue, 07 May 2013 03:13:00 +0000

Last night Ben, Borching and I took my brand new copy of Axis & Allies: WWI 1914, the recently released First World War edition of the classic strategy war game franchise, on a bit of a shakedown cruise. The resulting entire day of board gaming was a memorable affair, with lots of swing battles and epic rolls of the dice. I really enjoyed the revised combat system, which I thought nicely reflected the grinding realities of trench warfare, as well as the new alliances and opportunities for innovative strategies. I also appreciated how the game puts an emphasis on the principle of combined arms, by encouraging players to plan campaigns with a diverse range of units, rather than simply send stacks of infantry to their eventual demise.

The game definitely is not without its share of flaws, though. Like with other recent incarnations of the series, Axis & Allies: WWI 1914 takes many regrettable production shortcuts, by omitting industrial production certificates and simply not providing enough units. The resulting game occasionally feels rather clumsy, at least until a few turns have passed and many of the initial forces have been laid to waste. Regardless of these obvious shortcomings, I do feel as though Axis & Allies: WWI 1914 has a lot to offer, particularly for any devoted fans of the franchise. Since it was our debut round I really have no idea yet as to whether the Allies or the Central Powers enjoy any noticeable advantage, but Ben, Borching and I all felt like both sides were reasonably balanced, and parted ways eager to try our hands at recreating the First World War again soon. The game truly does feel different, and will probably continue to challenge players for quite a while – at least until designer Larry Harris coerces us all into buying the latest edition!

As far as the match specifics went, I played as the Central Powers: Austria-Hungary, Germany, and the Ottoman Empire. Ben and Borching split the Allies: France, Great Britain, Italy, Russia, and the United States. We played with the optional Russian Revolution rules, and by turn four I’d managed to topple Tsar Nicholas II and make peace with the new Bolshevik government. By the time I began swinging my forces west, however, the Americans were firmly entering the picture, and there was simply no way for me to bring enough force to bear to knock either France or Great Britain out of the war. I eventually conceded, certain that there was no way for me to win. Great game, Allies! I’ve included several photos of the game, which hopefully illustrate the monumental scale of Axis & Allies: WWI 1914.

Beautiful board.

Trenches across Europe.

The Ottoman Empire battles back the British.

Austria-Hungary and Italy slug it out.

War in the west.

Constant fighting in the Balkans.

The Allies contemplate liberating Denmark.

The Allies assemble a massive joint fleet and enjoy victory.

Cake and Carcassonne!

boardgamerinparadise — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 03:44:00 +0000

Last Friday night I was privileged enough to celebrate my birthday with good friends Darryl, Graham, Mark and Tanya after a tiring week at work. We settled down for a casual game of Carcassonne, the intuitive tile-laying classic, as well as a delicious birthday cake. I really enjoyed taking a break from the rigours of my hectic schedule to spend a bit of quality time with a few dear chums, and I even managed to snap a few photos of our quiet evening together.

Crack Open the Big Box!

boardgamerinparadise — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 02:37:02 +0000

My friends Darryl, Mark, and I recently banded together to purchase a birthday present for lovely couple Graham and Tanya. Based on Mark’s suggestion, we decided to get them the Carcassonne Big Box, a deluxe edition of the tile-laying classic by Klaus-Jürgen Wrede. The set includes the base game of Carcassonne plus myriad other expansions, so I’m sure the happy pair will be busy with their gift for ages to come! Hopefully they’ll have the common courtesy to invite us over once in a while!

Afternoon Delight! Axis & Allies in the Spring!

boardgamerinparadise — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 02:23:38 +0000

This past Saturday afternoon I hosted my friends Danny and Josh for a lengthy round of Axis & Allies: 50th Anniversary Edition. Although the weather outside was beautiful, we opted to stay inside, eat snacks, and pound back a few beers, all for the greater glory of Second World War strategy board games. Danny and Josh ended up drawing the Axis, while I played the entire Allied cause. With a bit of luck and perseverance I managed to roll back the tide of Fascism rather quickly, and ultimately ended the game by liberating Japan with a massive American fleet. Trust me, I was as surprised as my opponents! We concluded the match at a decent hour and eagerly spoke of meeting up soon for a rematch. As usual, I’ve included a few photos of the proceedings.

Danny sends the British Empire packing in East Asia.

Russia holds back the Fascist invaders.

The Allies assemble an invasion fleet.

The Soviet Union helps defend Africa.

Victory!

Your Chance for Axis & Allies Glory in 2013!

boardgamerinparadise — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 02:04:37 +0000

The fine people at axisandallies.org recently published an excellent guide covering upcoming events and conventions throughout 2013 featuring Axis & Allies. Whether you desire an intensely competitive or strictly casual playing environment, gaming conventions are without any doubt a real treat, and definitely well worth attending, if only for the opportunity of meeting fellow stalwarts of your favourite titles. Consider giving the convention circuit a shot. You almost certainly won’t regret it!