All Dayer Board Gamingasm

Last Sunday we, the Gwent Reavers, got together for an easter banquet of gaming. First of all... CODENAMES!

This game has a Minesweep/Battleship/Dixit feel to it. Yes thats three games, but this combines them perfectly with an almost Resistence theme of spies and agents. Each team has a spymaster, and they they have to direct his team mates to select the right cards, laid out 5x5, and the correct agents. Each card has one word on it, and the Spymaster may only say one word along with a number of guesses. The reason for that, is that if you can tie in more than one card with just one single clue, you can get more cards found. The first to 8/9 wins the game. However... if you select a card thats either the opposite teams or a 'bystander', you lose your turn and it passes to the other team. Find the assassin, and you lose. Outright. 

As you can see above, the Spymasters share the same card which tells you where the correct cards are. The game tests friendships and knowledge of peoples interest, especially in the more vague of clues! We played several rounds and it went down pretty well, a worthy game!

I picked up Evoultion a couple of weeks back and its another game that people have enjoyed. 

Each player is given a species, in itself shows you your population and body mass. Population helps earn you points at the end and the amount of food you can collect (another source of points), while body mass can defend against any species that goes carnivore. 

Theres a bunch of card upgrades to help evolve your species and give you skills from being able to collect more food or to help defend against those meat eaters. Its a lovely looking game too, being bright and vibrant.

The Resistence also got some play, and I got to be this courageous lass! Not a spy. No, never. Always good I am!

 

Also a few weeks ago, Morg picked up Skull. 

A little like Liars/Pirate dice but with lovely looking beermats, three of whic are illustrated with flowers, one with a skull! Each player puts cards down and then one can challenge to show over  cards upto a certain number, all must be flowers and you have to start from your own pile. You get some outrageous bluffs and guesses but its another game thats proven to be great fun, upto 6 players too!

As expected the classic Ticket To Ride got a playthrough, and Mike picked up a win. Despite its simplicity this is one of those games we love going back to swearing at friends for blocking routes then cackling maniaclly when we do it tot hem. 

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While not on the same day, (although some Xwing was played I'll dedicate that to its own post) Bam, Sturdy and Louis did play some Warmachine two weeks back, Bams been interested and seems to be really enjoying. Anything that makes him even almost raise half a smile is worth it!

So some Xwing posts to come, I'll be participating in the Welsh Regionals in Cardiff so plenty of practice games coming for that! We're also looking for more games to be recommended so please share the games you love!

Dragondaze Convention!

So Dragondaze has come and gone, and I can honestly say it was a great day! As you may or may not know, myself and Louis from the Gwent Reavers went down to represent the club and also the GCN along with our brother GCN clubs to run demo games and chat about the Gaming Club Network. We ran Gorkamorka, there was also Deadzone, Warmachine, X-Wing, Heroquest, Bushido, Warhammer 40,000, plus a multitude of other games being played and shown off. More on these as we go!

Heres our table, quite simple as we have been so busy with moving and I myself have been getting the business up and running that what I'd like to have done just wasn't anywhere nearly possible enough. I wanted a small representation of Mektown, but we played it simple and used what we had. Still looked cool though if I'm honest and was glad to get my Grots more or less finished.

Heres Andy setting up a massive game of Deadzone! They'd been working hard getting everything painted and it looked great fair play.

A game of Relics was set up for people to enjoy and try out, some really good looking minis for this game.

More of the Deadzone table by Mid-Wales Wargaming, below you can see it almost finished.

Hats off to you lads!

Heres a game of 40k being ready to be played out, Space Marines vs Orks. Kill the Orks and their oppressive ways!

Special mention to this, Across the Dead Earth. Some really nice ideas and terrain features here for a game not yet out, such a lot of promise though!

Love the use of toy cars to add to the rubble strewn streets. The games maker, whose name escapes me (sorry man!) showed me one of the buildings that shows multiple levels for models to explore and fight over.

I'm sure this is how the X15 looks when it takes kids to Crosskeys College every morning. Broken tank too!

Heres the maker himself, handsome bugger too! You can visit his facebook page at Across the Dead Earth so go check it out!

I believe we have a Mayor here!

Winner of the most smartly dressed fella award goes to this chap! I don't remember the name of the game but it involved dragons flying around on a hexagonal based map, and if the game is as good as he is dressed, it was a classic!

Some Warmachine ready to start.

Dreadball ready for kick off.

Heres Tris from the Towy Valley Tyrants, demo-ing Mantics upcoming Mars Attacks game. I don't think Tris had much free time so you can tell he was busy!

View from up on the balcony in the Newport Leisure Centre.

Some of the trade stands.

Our little GCN display stand.

The Bitz Box I believe, another of the busier stands! A wealth of bitz and boxed sets, I know a few people who had some cracking little bargains.

Paul from Gemini Miniatures explaining his game Bloodfued to a potential customer.

There were some great costumes being worn throughout the day, the gentleman in red came up to watch some Gorkamorka later on, seemed like a nice guy!

The Battleboards stand showing off some great additions.

I'm not sure who produced these, but I did chat to some roleplayers who mentioned the models were really good for what they wanted in their games, Andrew from our club purchasing some for himself.

Just one of the many talented people at Dragondaze, Jon Gibbons. Some incredible art fair play!

A huge selection of historical models by Eagle Figures.

Some of the board games on offer looked great fun, King of Tokyo is on my to get list for sure.

The incredibly awesome Dice Bag Lady was a last minute addition to the convention, and it was great to meet her in person. My dice bag is now outdated as it has our old club logo on, so I will be getting my new blog logo ready for a new bag. Get that hand fixed Annie!

More of the costumes at Dragondaze, hug the face not the shoulder!

Another talented artist showing off their work, this time Linda M Jones of She Black Dragon.

Warmachine!

More of the Deadzone.

One group brought Bushido, I love this little board and was well impressed with the trees.

Another view from up above.

There was a lovely couple who had come all the way from Belfast to show off Dust Tactics, nice little display and looks like a great game.

Lord Vader with his personal bodyguard inspecting the destruction of a Z98 Headhunter being flown by Rebel scum.

Gorkamorka in action, both my vehicles were wrecked, Louis crushing the mast on my cutta which proceded to fall and smack 6 grots off tkae them out. Not fair! I did beat his nob to a pulp though in combat.... make of that what you will!

Deadzone in action.

Andrew on his 41st trip to the Bitz Box.

Now this was a delightful find! Counters, The Board Game Cafe had brought an immense collection of games to Dragondaze where people couple pick a game, play, or even be taught by one of the Counters staff how to play the game.

Heres Edmund and Cheryl playing some Sons of Anarchy with one of the lovely staff from Counters. Myself and Louis managed to find a bit of time and so she showed us Forbidden Island, which we nearly completed on the first attempt until the Helicoptor Port was sunk before we could save it!

More games being offered by the Counters for people to play.

The raffle prizes were immense, I myself had managed to contact a gentleman at Games Workshop HQ who donated some Black Library and gaming goodies, which was one by Lee from Mid Wales Wargaming! Didn't know what to say when he proclaimed that 'Your name is on my box!'.

The Forearm of Blockages doing the rounds in Xwing.

Couple of classics ready to be played, Ticket to Ride and Pandemic,

Another couple of great costumes, this time representing the National Roman Legion Museum.

Lee having the shock of his life after being scream at by a sneaky Dalek!

I think the Dalek wanted to try Deadzone.

Andrew getting in on some Gorkamorka, where they both decided to pick on me. Again, my mast was crushed rendering 5 grots knocked down and my Lugga damaged too. Andrews Nob trying to get off a careening buggy, slipping, then dying was hilarious though!

More of the Gorkamorka game.

And thats it from Dragondaze! So much more happened I just didn't have time to get as much coverage as I'd have liked, nor played as many games as I'd have liked! I did purchase the Sons of Anarchy board game however so I'm looking forward to playing that, and Gorkamorka was hilarious, several onlookers enjoying my torrid luck.... swines!

And so its left to give Simon Powell a huge thank you for having us on behalf of all the GCN clubs, and congratulations for running a great day. You've built a great foundation to work from so 2015 Dragondaze will immense! Also huge thanks to our GCN brothers, always great to catch up with you all and bang some ideas around. Also a massive thanks to all the traders, staff and visitors who made the day run so well. I'm already looking forward to next year and hopefully bigger plans for our display board, fingers crossed we'll have more time! 

Hopefully Barnardos Young Carers will receive a welcome boost from the event, not just in terms of money but awareness. All in all a great event, look forward to seeing you there next year!