Nuke Con Game Day Back Brief

Greetings,

I spent the day at Nuke Con's Aftershock at Papillion South High School playing a variety of games. I signed up to run a few games that had a different set of participants.

• Race for the Galaxy - Two new players so it took us about an hour and a half to get through the game. Still good and gave Mike and Gabe a chance to try out something new that stretched their notion of a game.
• Pandemic - Played twice. Once with Mike Edmond, Elizabeth, and myself. The outbreaks took us pretty early as we had a huge chain reaction in Asia. Second game we added Steven, which caused us to use all five characters, but only get one card to start. We were rocking along, had victory in our grasp, when we got the last two epidemics in a short order that exploded Asia (again!) and we lost do to lack of virus cubes.
• Formula D - The new version. First game Mike, Steven and I played the newer street racer game. Steven took a health conservative view to some dangerous curves, and was able to zoom ahead at the end to win the two lap race. Second game we played the traditional Formula Racers and I took this one (Only game I won all day I might add!).
• Thurn & Taxis - I didn't have this on the schedule, but I brought it because it is the best game of 15th Century German Postal Service every created! I challenge you to find a better... Can't be done. Steven did a great job of managing the flow and dominated the final VP count 41-27-8.
  
• Mexican Dominoes (Las Cruces Rules) - Ann set up to play some dominoes and after three false starts :) we got rolling along. Game had seven players... Ann, Steve, Susan, Steven, Becky, Lilly, & Me. I've played Mexican Dominoes a ton, but Ann's Las Cruces' rules were a tad different. I liked some aspects like being able to voluntarily keeping your train open, but didn't care for not being able to play on any open position until your own train was out. I think that takes a few of the 'dumping' strategies away from the players. Regardless, it was still fun and I think I ended in the middle of the pack. Ann took it on the last round with her closest peers getting really bad hands to finish up. Good fun. I look forward to it again at Nuke Con. :)

Had a good time, a bit noise at times, but given that this supports the High School gaming club, which I never had growing up, I suppose that is OK. Anything that gets the kids started on their addictions early is A-OK with me. :)

jp
Vroom!