Dude! Take Your Turn!
A Gaming Life
App Review – Early Access – Dune: Imperium
(Edit: 3/12/24) – It’s out of Early Access, and available on iOS/Android as well!
One of the biggest games of 2020, hitting during the pandemic lockdowns but still going strong, was Dune: Imperium from Dire Wolf Digital.
It was just phenomenally well-received, so much so that over time it has creeped its way up to near the top of the Boardgame Geek rankings.
It’s currently at #7.
It was only natural that eventually an app would come out, and since Dire Wolf Digital has done many excellent apps, it would make sense that they would produce it too, right?
And they have!
(Now where’s the Clank app, eh?)
The game was designed by Paul Dennen with artwork by Clay Brooks, Brett Nienburg, Raul Ramos and Nate Storm. Dennen is the king of deckbuilders with extra stuff added, of course.
The Dune: Imperium app just hit Early Access on Steam a couple of weeks ago, so of course there will be bugs to work out and changes made.
Don’t be surprised if some things I mention here aren’t actually in the app if you’re reading this review 2 years from now.
That being said, it’s looking pretty good.
How good?
Let’s get started.
Read MoreFriday Night Shots – Playing the BGG Top 100 Games
It’s hard to believe there is only one more week (and a couple of days) to Christmas.
So it really matters to me that you’ve decided to spend a little of your hard-earned time on this little old blog.
Sorry the posting has been a bit light! I’ve had an amazing blog year as far as stats go, so of course the last month was going to be kind of slow.
But we’re here now, so take a seat by the fire and I’ll bring some mulled wine.
That’s what they drink in those fantasy books, right?
Or something non-alcoholic if that is more your speed.
Let’s go for something light tonight.
How does talking about the Boardgame Geek Top 100 games sound?
Read MoreThe Last Hundred Yards – Russian Front – Storage Solution With Rails on Board
There’s just something about the simplicity of the plastic tray solutions provided by Rails on Board/Cube4Me.
Something that’s really attractive.
I think it’s the ability to nest trays together so you only need one lid, as long as the counters you are storing in the bottom tray don’t pile up too much.
When I mentioned getting the new The Last Hundred Yards: Russian Front game from GMT Games, and knowing that I’ve done storage for the first three installments, you had to know this one was coming, right?
This game looks really intriguing as it takes the Last Hundred Yards system and adapts it to the Russians in really unique ways (at least from the rulebook).
One of these days, I’ll actually get to play it on the table!
But in the meantime, the storage looks really cool.
The weird thing about this one, though, is that it needs the first two volumes (the first installment and Airborne Over Europe) because this set comes with very few German counters!
How does that work?
Let’s take a look.
Read MoreCombat Commander – After Action Report – Scenario 55 – Graveyard of the North Shores
What is this?
It’s the first half of the month and I’m already doing my monthly Combat Commander ladder report?
Isn’t it usually just squeezing it in on the last day?
No! Not this month.
Merry Christmas.
And welcome to another tale of boardgaming horror adventure from the ladder, where I get to play one of my favourite games at least once a month.
Run by the august Patrick Pence, he of Patrick’s Tactics & Tutorials fame (I think he does have a star on the sidewalk somewhere), the ladder is where at least one hundred people play a new scenario each month, fighting for supremacy.
This month, my opponent was Michael T, a long-time friend of my good friend Ted W (who I manage to play at least once a month against in fun games, some of which may appear as AARs some day if I get around to them).
The scenario is from the Normandy battle pack and has a force of attacking Canadians (fitting that I should play them) against a really small German defending force.
Here’s the setup (don’t forget that you can click on a picture to blow it up)
A couple of special rules to keep in mind.
First, the Normandy special rules are in effect, so hedges are +2 to movement and cover rather than +1. Roads do not have a -1 cover penalty either.
Secondly, prior to the German setup, both sides draw 6 random hexes, placing 3 Wire counters and 3 Foxholes (or Trenches if the random hex is a building).
Looking at the picture above, you can see that none of them did anything for either player really, other than two Wires that were in the Canadian way (the two Trenches that are in the picture are part of the German setup).
Thirdly, both sides can use Concealment actions as “No Quarter” actions, meaning they get an additional VP if they win in melee (we didn’t use this one).
Then the Germans (grey – Michael) set up 10 hexes deep from the right board edge, followed by the Canadians (tan – me) two hexes deep from the left.
See that guy circled up in the picture?
That’s a Scout, and both of us had one. Earlier in the week, Michael had played this scenario with Ted. Ted won right before Sudden Death by killing Michael’s Scout, causing a Surrender win (the Germans can only lose 6 units before surrendering).
Since he’s pretty useless for the Germans in this scenario, Michael set him up out of harm’s way.
Why am I mentioning this?
No reason…
One more thing is the hidden objectives.
Michael drew the open “Elimination Points are Doubled” objective.
This would be fun.
Anyway, with it all set up, let’s begin!
Read MoreFriday Night Shots – Drafting Games
It’s been a week since my last post.
And wow, what a week.
Ok, it wasn’t that bad, but I just needed a bit of a recharge and decided not to think too much about writing this week.
More stuff coming next week, definitely.
I thought I would get back in the swing of things with another regularly-scheduled visit with you at the bar!
It’s getting dark so early now, but that’s why I keep it so warm and cozy in here.
I should probably get somebody to take care of that.
Anyway, let me get a you a drink and turn down the music.
I should probably remove the “Gilbert Gottfried Sings the Classics” CD from the jukebox.
Maybe tomorrow.
What were we talking about?
Oh yeah, drafting games!
Let me get you a 7 and 7 and you can wonder at it…
Read MoreFriday Night Shots – Nature-Themed Games
It’s another week, and another week toward Christmas. Time is really flying to the end of the year.
So I appreciate you spending a little time with me at the bar! I guess we all need a break from all of that Christmas shopping.
Or all of the stuff required for your holiday of choice.
Have a seat and I’ll pour you something cool and refreshing.
Or would you like something hot instead?
Maybe some hot chocolate?
No, not that kind of hot chocolate!
Though that is on my jukebox…
Anyway!
Let’s talk boardgames, since I know that’s why you’re here.
I hope you’re not here for an argument.
Since it’s getting colder outside, and a landscape full of snow falling through the trees is one of those beautiful things in the world, let’s talk about nature-themed games.
Because we all love nature.
Well, most do.
Let’s chat!
Read MoreNew to Me – November 2023
With a convention coming in November, I had a feeling that this New to Me games list would get pretty hefty.
Little did I know how hefty it would get!
This was a big month for new to me games.
Even better, many of them are older!
Though not necessarily better.
After last month’s Cult of the New to Me near rebellion, it was nice to play some older new to me games.
That even got me some accolades!
That was all good, because December is likely to be lean again.
These entries are going to be briefer than usual, just because there are so many of them (famous last words)
If I ever review these games (ha!), then you’ll get a bit more of a description.
So, without further ado (all of my ado evolved into an ugly spider and then was eaten by a crocodile anyway), let’s begin!
Read MoreNovember 2023 Gaming
With a convention at the beginning of the month, it was a no-brainer that November would be a bigger gaming month than October had been.
However, after working remotely for most of the month (so no lunch-time games, since I’m usually doing stuff around the house, or maybe for this blog (!) on lunch when I’m home) brought it back down a little bit to earth.
Even with that, though, it was a great month for games!
Though the quality of some of those games was a bit…iffy.
Here’s my games played in November.
I played 23 different games a total of 28 times, which was pretty cool! There was a bit of lunchtime gaming in there before we ended up at home, plus the convention of course.
Bottoscon was amazing! Four days of it helped.
Here are the games in grid format.
Even better was the 8 new to me games (I’m counting 9, though, as you’ll see in my next post, where I talk about new to me games…or maybe I’ll just spoil it in this post).
I also managed to get a few “first time this year” games in, which was a great thing.
Only three, but who’s counting?
Let’s take a look.
Read MoreFriday Night Shots – How Much Luck is Too Much Luck?
It’s another Friday night and you’ve chosen to spend a few minutes with me.
I love that! Thank you.
Ok, it could be Saturday morning when you’re reading this, or it could be December 22, 2025.
Who knows?
Pull up a chair in front of the fire (wait, that shouldn’t be on fire…hold on a moment).
Anyway, let me grab you a drink!
It’s lucky you were here to help put that out.
Speaking of luck…
How much luck is too much luck for you in the games you play?
Let’s chat!
Read MorePrime Minister – Storage Solution With Rails on Boards
A brand new GMT game and I already have a storage solution with Cube4Me trays set up!
Yep, that’s what I’m saying.
Prime Minister is a game I just picked up from the P500 list from GMT. And I managed to pick it up from our mailbox within a day of it arriving, which is really unusual.
It’s a game of Victorian Great Britain politics where players are either the Prime Minister, the Opposition Leader, or one of the backbenchers from one of the parties. They are trying to get to the victory point limit and be Prime Minister at that time.
It sounds intriguing!
I had a few extra trays, and a bunch of card trays, from Cube4Me available, so I thought I would put a set together and see what was what.
This is a surprising set for me, given my feeling on storage solutions.
What am I talking about?
Let me tell you.
Read More
Dude! Take Your Turn! 