Our holiday and New Year’s tradition has been upheld once again. For the thirteenth time, we embarked on our recurring New Year’s board game gathering, which started back in 2009. This time, we were a relatively compact group of seven adults and seven children. We are confident this trip will be as successful as the previous ones and will bring us many pleasant experiences. This year, we traveled to Lower Silesia, near Wałbrzych. We are close to Świdnica, Książ Castle, Wielka Sowa, and the Rzeczka complex of adits and mines, among other attractions. Our plan is to explore intensively during the day and play games just as intensely in the evenings.
In a series of articles—where images will be the main method of communication—I will try to briefly report on what we played and what ended up on our gaming tables. More detailed descriptions will come later after the New Year when we return home.
Today, I will focus on the first two days of gaming. Enjoy the reading!
Red 7 is a classic that never disappoints. It is a seemingly simple card game with seven colors and seven numbers that incredibly challenges your brain. We played a few rounds to warm up our gray cells after the long journey. It was a great way to start.
Cascadia
Then we played a few classics. Magda S-W, Magda K, and Agnieszka first played a game of Cascadia, which Agnieszka won. Shortly after, they moved on to another title.
Ostoja (Refuge)
They switched to another game about ecosystems, specifically Ostoja. This beautiful game never disappoints, and this time Magda K performed the best.
Ekosystem 3: Sawanna (Ecosystem 3: Savannah)
Since we are on the topic of ecosystems, the third title I would like to mention is Ecosystem Savannah. It is a beautiful game, slightly more difficult than the previous parts, and also fast. Quite a few people played it during the first two days.
Total Domination
However, our conventions are known for being enriched with a large group of conflict games. For the first evening, we played Total Domination. This light, pleasant, and slightly random title gives us a lot of good fun every time. This time, the Axis led by me and Jarek, after an amazing finish, won against the Allies managed by Kuba and Łukasz. What great emotions!
Verdun
Since it was still early, we sat down to play Verdun. This is a title with the recently popular trick-taking mechanic. Playing in two teams (Germans: Łukasz and Kuba, French: me and Jarek), we tried to attack enemy fortifications while defending our own. However, we played with the entire deck of cards, which sometimes requires skillfully getting rid of the opponent's card. In the end, Kuba and Łukasz won at the last moment. Congratulations!
Cardia: Magiczny pojedynek (Cardia: Magic Duel)
I learned about this game from a colleague at work, and it really appealed to me. Suffice it to say that since it appeared under the Christmas tree, we have already played it over a dozen times. It is a super interlude, and it will probably appear on our table again.
Król i zabójcy (King and Assassins)
Another classic title that has already appeared on our New Year's trips. One side (the assassins) tries to outsmart the other (the king). There is some thinking, some bluffing, and a lot of surprise. Kuba plays it best by far.
Punica
Another small, nice, fast, and pleasant game is Punica. It is amazing how this title draws you in and requires planning so as not to be outsmarted by the opponent. Łukasz learned it very quickly and beat me twice.
SETI
A beautiful game about the Solar System (not about space, as Agnieszka wants to emphasize!), with a large number of elements and variables. This was the main title that Agnieszka and Magda S-W played on the second day. I will definitely try it with pleasure someday.
Bretwalda
Bretwalda was the main title of the second evening (it was also played on the third day). It is incredibly beautiful, with a very interesting mechanic (bravo to Lew Sołowiej!) and many nuances. I will write a separate article about my impressions from the game, here I will only mention that it is worth getting to know this game.
Summary
The first two days were quite successful. Many recorded games—both large and small—plus a few smaller ones played in the corridors (so not all are reported). This is a good prognosis for the trip. So far, a satisfying mix of Euro games and war games with many smaller, complementary titles. More reports coming soon!
