GAMING NEWS: End of TLC As We Know It (24 May 2006)!

Hi Everyone,

POST TO BE EDITED LATER - IN PROGRESS!

Well, last Wednesday was a big day in Sacramento... the momentous end of the TLC Gang... they've left for the friendly environs of Texas to watch over their steers and... other items of vast interest. Todd and Crystal are fine people and we'll all dearly miss them.

Other than the loss of the TLC unit, the game that stood out in my mind was Breaking Away, a bicycle race game with some interesting game mechanics. So, bicycle racing is this week's theme!

Bicyclists, Sponsors & Other Speedo Groupies:
- Mrs. Crystal Love, "Racy & Naughty" Biker from Brownsville.
- Msr. Dave, Speedo Cultist located in Laredo.
- Mr. Dick, Lady's Bicycle Seat Testing Expert From Houston.
- Mr. Kimbo, Bicycle and Duck Hunting Shotgun Specialist from San Antonio.
- Pfsr. Maksim, Weirdo Racer with a Rear View Mirror on his Helmet from Witchita Falls.
- Sir Todd, Personal Reflector Specialist from Dallas.

And we played a number of games:

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1. Carolus Magnus

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/481

Regents:
- Crystal: Winner!
- Dave: L.

Dave ad Crystal played a relatively quick game of Dave's latest baby: Carolus Magnus. Dave is over the initial rules novitiate status and crystal soundly beat him. Carolus Magnus may be one of the next big popularity climbers... interesting game mechanics and the game runs very soundly.

Mazel Tov, Crystal!

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2. Who's The Ass?

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/11104

Potential A-holes:
- Crystal: 22 + 2 + 0 +36 = 60 WINNER!
- Dave: 32 + 6 + 42 + 20 = 100 Resident A-hole!
- Dick: 37 + 10 + 20 + 0 = 67 loser. D-hole.
- Kimbo: 46 + 0 + 6 + 18 = 70 loser. C-hole.
- Maks: 0 + 32 + 22 + 23 = 77 loser. B-hole.

We've all gotten pretty good at this game by this point so every hand is a solid fight, but Crystal often distracts us with her uncommonly good loooks and she managed to pull off the win. The game was very close pointwise with my chance at victory taken away by a last-turn dump of the ass on me durring the second round. Bummer.

Mazel Tov, Crystal!

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3. Killer bunnies and the Quest for the Magic Carrot

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/3699

Wabbits:
- Crystal: l.
- Dave: Winner!
- Dick: l.
- Kimbo: l.
- Maks: Loser.
- Todd: l.

Bunnies is the TLC Unit's favorite game so we, of course, couldn't send them off without a game of it... Thankfully, Dave only had the basic game, which really changed play. All of the expansions really make for some horrible one-sided games as one player inevitably collects combos that make them near invincible.

And throughout the evening I was asking for folks to send me some positive vibes since I had a big job interview the next day (last Thursday) to which Kimbo replied "You'll just have lose the whole evening and not throw any games..." ...and I did. Kimbo did his part by hosing down me every chance he got... It was well into the game before I managed to acquire a bunny that lasted longer than a single turn. And it didn't help when someone launched an asteroid that wiped us all out early in the game either!

Mazel Tov, Dave!

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4. Coloretto

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/5782

Color Crayon Utilization Experts:
- Crystal: 18 l.
- Dave: 25 Tie Winner!
- Kimbo: 22 l.
- Maks: 14 LOSER!
- Todd: 25 Tie Winner!

This is one of the first times I've seen a tie occur while playing Coloretto... I don't know how ties are normally resolved in Coloretto, but we decided to declare both folks winners and moved on.

Mazel Tov, Dave and Todd!

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5. King Arthur

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/15167

Knights Errant:
- Crystal: 25 l.
- Dave: 39 WINNER!
- Kimbo: 20 Loser.
- Maks: 30 l.
- Todd: 30 l.

I'm starting to like this game... very simple, but there is some strategy to it and you can certainly get edged out of the game if you're not careful. Dave utterly stomped us and Kimbo didn't pull his infamous "game's over" declaration... which might have even helped him.

Mazel Tov, Dave!

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6. Breaking Away!

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/2981

Speedo Freaks:
- Dave: Did not finish... knickers were in a bunch.
- Dick: #2 l.
- Kimbo: #1 Winner!
- Maks: #3 L.

This is a strange little game and if you mismanage your energy, you'll end up behind the pack and out of the game as happened to two of my four little bikers... which pretty well insured me the big loss... of course, I needed the positive karma as Kimbo mentioned so maybe it was a reverse blessing. At any rate, there is a definite learning curve to the game, which I fell well behind. Dave opted out early to share a game with Crystal as she beat her busband to the game... she left him home cleaning the carpets... it's not too hard to figure out their relationship's hierarchy.

Kimbo mentioned that the game has garnered very good ratings on BGG and I can see why... it's an excellent little game... the mechanic of garnering energy by being further back in a pack mechanic makes for excellent play. Getting a break away racer is difficult to maintain although it can be done. Kimbo did it. And Dick had a natural advantage over me in this game... he has a thing for spandex...

Mazel Tov, Kimbo!

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Have a great week!

Shalom,
Maksim-Smelchak.