6/29/2022 – Berkshire Gamers Session Report #22-25
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17 at Purple Dragon Games for our first Anniversary session.
First time visits for Jonathan and Tim and return visits from Caleb & Michelle.
And we set some sort of record with 3 Tims in attendance
Our first session in late June 2021 had 6 gamers – Steve & Sandy, Sean, Armando, Mike and Ben.
We started that session with Wolfgang Kramer’s Take6/6 Nimmt/ Category 5/ 5 Takes. Sean upped the ante by leading it 10-handed!
Early on we introduced an old favorite from the 1980’s, Take It Easy/Hextension….with 15 of us playing at once.
We couldn’t have successfully jump started a new group without help – we are grateful for the support from Niko at Purple Dragon Games, allowing us to use his store playing area and making sure all playing were vaccinated and masked. Please continue supporting the store by making your game purchases there whenever possible.
Thanks to Sean Kelly for jumping in whenever the situation warranted and keeping things going when Sandy and I were away on extended road trips and vacations. Sean will be providing group stats on attendance, games played and tables led for this incredible year.
Many friendships were made in the process and we’ve formed a very unique community.
In addition to the previously mentioned group games, we had a selection of opulent activity/dexterity games set up upon everyone’s arrival – Crokinole, Loopin’ Louie, Klask, Villa Piletti, The Climbers, Tumblin’ Dice ….and groups tried them out while things got sorted out. Quite a few Crokinole converts were created in the process.
We will start off our 2nd year on July 6 with a slew of racing games – mostly cars but some bicycles as well.
IN: Steve & Sandy, Sean & Emmet. Tim P, Armando, Drew, Amy & Ethan, Rob & Tim, Mike, Caleb, Tim & Edward, Greta, Michelle
ON OUR TABLES:
Activity/Dexterity Games:
Crokinole (led by K-ban) – 1876 traditional Canadian flicking game is truly addictive
Tumblin Dice (led by K-ban) -2004 game of flicking dice down a ramp onto platforms – multiply scoring level times the upper dice face.
The Climbers (led by Tim P) Climb to the highest level of the structure in this 2008 stacking and climbing game.. To help with your climb, you may move and rotate blocks. Ladders can be used to climb large distances. Your blocking disk will prevent other players from using a specific block. Use your tools wisely and at the right time to make the best possible moves in your adventure to the top!
Villa Paletti (led by Drew) the group builds a structure and then has to remove a pillar at a time using a special tool and avoid collapse. It won the German Game of the Year (SdJ) in 2004. At this time of year (after SdJ finalists are announced but before the winner is announced, my old Long Island Group would evaluate the finalists one by one….the most common sarcastic comment was “it’s good, but it’s no Villa Paletti”
Klask (led by Emmet) 2-player 2014 magnetic party dexterity game. There is now also a Klask 4 version
Loopin’ Louie (group effort) 1992 mass market dexterity game. A battery operated biplane is used to knock down your opponent’s chicken tokens. He’s Just Plane Outta Control !!!
Backgammon (led by K-ban) one of the oldest games known to mankind (circa 3000 BC), an abstract game with dice. I ran backgammon tournaments from the mid 1970’s to late 1980’s.
Take 6 (led by Sean) Wolfgang Kramer’s classic 1994 card game that scales beautifully from 3-10 players….Sean took it to the limit as we honored the first game the group played at Purple Dragon Games in June 2021. Avoid adding the 6th card to a column and avoid bullheads..
Take It Easy (led by Sean) 1983 Peter Burley designed this bingo-like puzzle game. Originally called Hextension. 19 (of 27) hexagonal tiles are called and then placed on one’s board. Compare scores from the same call. Very addictive and a great choice when mixing. gamers with non-gamers/family. We had 15 gamers playing the same call then revealed the winner in a suspenseful way.
Scout (led by Amy) 2019 Japanese climbing card game that is a finalist for SdJ (just released in Germany this year) This one has a chance at winning SdJ top prize….and has captivated our card players. Very scarce right now but there should be reprints in the pipeline
Chronology (led by Mike) 1996 party game where players construct their own timeline and are read an event, then decide where it belongs in the timeline
Survive: Escape from Atlantis (led by Drew) 1982 British game about getting to safety as the island your meeples inhabit disintegrates…watch out for those sea monsters!
Showtime (led by Rob) 2018 game where one places movie patrons into 16 theater seats and earn VPS and annoy your opponents
Mechs vs Minions (led by Tim P) 2016 cooperative fantasy game….beautifully overproduced miniatures….ogle the photos on BGG !
Thanks to all of you who have contributed to the success of this group.
Steve
17 at Purple Dragon Games for our first Anniversary session. First time visits for Jonathan and Tim and return visits from Caleb & Michelle. And we set some sort of record with 3 Tims in attendance Our first session in late June 2021 had 6 gamers – Steve & Sandy, Sean, Armando, Mike and Ben.…
17 at Purple Dragon Games for our first Anniversary session. First time visits for Jonathan and Tim and return visits from Caleb & Michelle. And we set some sort of record with 3 Tims in attendance Our first session in late June 2021 had 6 gamers – Steve & Sandy, Sean, Armando, Mike and Ben.…