Damascus 07/20/07

Twenty-one people in attendance:

• David, Noreen, Corwin & Andrew Fair
• Bryan Snyder
• Steve & Noah Meyers, & Dennis Wang
• David Raley
  
• Rick Pasquale
• Lance Slifka
• Bill Trac
• Melinda & Ruben Carbonell
• Jennifer, Justin, & Seth Weinstein
• Kevin Bealer
• David & Martha Briggs
• John Stup
• Leslie Barkley

David Raley, Noreen and I were just about to start a 3-player game of Bohnanza when Lance and Marshall walked in and joined us, to make it 5. It was an excellent game, very close with lots of trading and donating going on. Still no expansions, but honestly... we are having so much fun with the base game, it doesn't matter. Final scores were Marshall 11, David R. 15, Noreen & Lance tied at 16, and 17 for David F.

Meanwhile, Steve and Bryan arrived and played the new Z-Man game, Duel in the Dark, not once but twice, switching sides for the second game. they each won one round, when playing as the UK. Steve scored 2, but Bryan scored 20, so I think we have to give the overall win to Bryan here. Duel in the dark is a 2-player air-combat game (rules for solo play are included). The components are over-the-top, and the gameplay has achieved very good initial ratings. there is an excellent review over at BGG, which is summed up thusly:

This game is a 9 in my book, and could easily become a 10 in the next few plays. I love the graphics, the pieces, the ease of getting new players into a basic game, the options with the weather....the ability to scale the game based on how much time you have (we played 3 nights yesterday because we had a timeslot of 2.5 hours. How many other games can do that easily?) Despite some bad cards, an insert I had to put together myself, some lumbering rules....I enjoy this title very much. I can recommend this to anyone looking for a light game about World War II or to anyone who likes a two player game and doesn't mind the War theme.

Next, Noreen taught Justin, Martha, and David Briggs how to take your steer surfing, in the card game Cowabunga. It wasn't until the next day when Noreen was explaining to me how to play that I recognized that this game was a redevelopment of one I had picked up at Essen a few years ago, Fettnapf in Sicht. The game was good, but the theme and artwork was a little off putting, so it is good to see that this was re-done, and this time, with cows.

In the game, players play cards to add or subtract from the current score, looping back and forth from 0 to 30. the trick is that you want to avoid hitting a total another player has on his obstacle cards, or you get a wipeout marker (a plastic cow in swim trunks, holding a surfboard). get three wipeouts, and you are eliminated. Justin wiped out the most, followed by David B. and Noreen, and Martha showed she had the chops, as she won with no wipeouts at all.

Ruben, Melinda, David R., Bill, and Jennifer all played Robo Rally. they left no word on what scenario, boards, or options were in use, we just know that the order I listed the players was the order of finish, so congrats to Ruben on the win. If anyone can add more info on the game, please do so in the comments.

Dennis and Noah joined Martha, David B, and Noreen for some chariot racing in old Rome, in Ave Caesar. They played 3 races, with Noreen winning the first, Dennis the second, and Noah the third. After tabulating the scores from all races, Noah won with 12 points, Noreen and Martha were tied with 10, Dennis managed 9, and David B had 7.

Around this time, Fury of Dracula ended. I was playing Dracula again, with Kevin in the role of Lord Godalming, Rick as Dr. Seward, Marshall as Van Helsing, and Lance as Mina Harker. Lord Dracula's diary reads as follows:

It was while I was in Sarajevo that I became aware that the so-called Vampire Hunters League was once again attempting to foil my plans of raising up an army of undead to rule the night. My plans were going to be a bit delayed by this development, but I was certain they would be no more trouble than I could handle.

I decided to leave a false trail for my pursuers, and as the majority of them were in Western Europe, I traveled around Eastern Europe, leaving minions behind in as many places as I could, to harass and trouble them. I left Sarajevo, and traveled first to Sofia, then on to Bucharest, Galatz, Klausenberg, Budapest, and Vienna.

It was while I was in Vienna that the vampires I had left behind in Sarajevo awoke, two more undead servitors to add to my army. I needed just a few more.

I traveled to Zagreb, using the power of my swiftness to bypass the hunters between me and that city. Then I returned to Sarajevo. Dr. Seward was there, and we did battle. I had him nearly in my power, but he slipped away, just three inches from death.

I went to Varona, and Seward found me there, but he also found my rat companions. They nearly did him in, reducing him to an inch from death as it were, and he was almost mine, but again, a timely escape had me clutching at the edge of his cape.

I returned to Sofia while the good doctor rested, then, I hid there, waiting for him to come and find me. He did, and in this battle was I victorious, defeating him soundly. But the rest of the league showed up. Godalming was first, and we did battle, but I was able to bite him and begin the process by which he would join me.

Then Van Helsing arrived, and he wounded me in battle, for which he will pay. We fought on, neither willing to give an inch, but finally, I was able to mesmerize him and taste of the blood that flows in his veins.

I stayed in Sofia, and fed on a local woman to renew myself, and did battle with the combined forces of Lord Godalming and Van Helsing. Van Helsing was still strong, and Godalming my chosen target, but having to deal with them both was difficult, and I paid dearly for it, suffering many wounds such that I was on the verge of true death.

I had a choice, make this my last stand, and turn Godalming into a Vampire like me, or run and hide, hoping to last for another battle. I am not a coward, and fleeing is not in my heart. I stayed, and just as Van Helsing's Stake was aiming for my heart, I was able to seize the weakened form of Godalming, and add his blood to mine, turning him into my servant. Together we killed Van Helsing and the others, and my task of raising up an Army of the Night can now continue, until all of Europe lies at my feet.

This is such a fun game to play, and I really hammed it up as Lord of the Dark, taunting my pursuers, and relishing each small victory. I can't wait to play again.

After that, Leslie, Martha, Marshall, David B, Kevin and Rick played Gemblo. This is a fun abstract game of laying hexagonal gem pieces into a board until there is no room left. Rick won, followed by Kevin and Leslie (tied for second), Marshall, Martha, and David B. Kevin reports:

The game was pretty good. I would like to play it again. I found it surprising how people can slip into areas that you think you have effectively blocked off.

Ruben, Melinda, and Bill tried to play Zooloretto, but were hampered by some missing pieces. Luckily, I was able to find the pieces at my office (where I had the game shipped) on Monday, so we can give it another try this weekend.

Bryan, Steve, John, and I played Carcassonne. The basic game, with no expansions. A good game, and one I had not played for a long time (shows in my score). John has been playing a lot lately, and he won (67) followed by Bryan (63), Steve (62), and I (55).

Did someone call Tichu? Ruben and Bill teamed up against Melinda and Noreen for the favored card game... The ladies made 2 Tichu calls (and failed 1), but it was not enough as the men made three, and 2 1-2 finishes, one of them on the last hand, to take the win, 1060 to 240.

Steve, Bryan and I played a 3-handed game of Attika. Steve threated and early connection win, but could not complete it, and when Bryan came close, we slowed him down once, then trusted in his low number of cards to help stop him, but alas, he was able to place both of his blind-draw buildings for free, to make the connection win.

Marshall and Leslie played a pair of 2-player games: Heave Ho and Rat Hot. Leslie won Heave Ho 3 Barrels to 1, but Marshall managed to leave enough green rats showing to win quickly and salvage some dignity in Rat Hot.

Noreen joined Steve, Bryan and I for a quick game of 6 Nimmt! It took 4 rounds to send Bryan to 84 bull heads. I was left with 51, Noreen with 44, and in what must be an error in accounting, Steve only had 43. What's up with that?

We had a great time, and we hope you did too. See you at Middle town on 07/27/07, and back at Damascus on 08/03/07.