May 2019 Game Night

Gentlemen,

We held game night last night. And there was much rejoicing.

Thanks to Dave, Paul, and Pete for joining me. Dave missed game one while Paul left before games 3 and 4. Such a cavalier attitude toward game night is discouraged but not forbidden, of course.

Pete arrived early as it turned out my kids were invited to their grandparents for dinner. So we started early on the beer while watching Happy! before Paul arrived and serious gaming could begin.

All reporting is from open sources and leaks by "senior Catan game night players" will not be used in this newsletter despite the high quotability factor.

We had Ito Night--which I am sure is unrelated to the spotty attendance. Taquitos, Tostitos, Cheetos, Salsitas, Potato salad, HoHos, assorted cookies, chili lime peanuts, and peanut M & Ms were served. With cheese and salsa dips for all. All dietary needs were met. Labatt Blue Light and Labatt Blue were on tap along with the usual non-alcoholic beverages. Pete brought Tangerine Spice Machine while Dave brought the scattered survivors from his refrigerator. Thank you gentlemen!

We used the harbormaster variant, which seems to be the only variant broadly accepted. Of course, the game goes to 11 with that.

This was also the official debut of the dice tower. I'll just say that all the players who used it managed to win.

Game 1 was close with Paul screaming out of the start line bolstered by his heavy mining operations and a rock port. And with the longest road, he had 10 points. But the game goes to 11, of course. I also had 10 points with a natural base built on a brutal crawl to paltry 11 and 12 wheat resources, which bolstered my own strong rock operation. But Paul stalled on his drive, and Pete came out of nowhere--I believe with one turn using a poorly resourced monopoly card play that gave him just enough to matter--in our wheat-poor world to claim the harbormaster card and reach 11 first.

Game 2 forced us to operate in a wood shortage. I got so close with ten points including the harbormaster card. Had Dave not stolen my longest road, things might have been different. But I had no room to even challenge that title. Nor could anybody else. Pete and Paul were a bit behind and would have required a long stalemate to catch up but had solid territorial bases had the game gone longer. But Dave managed 11 points, although we had to inform him of his win because he believed he needed 12 points.

Pete made the infamous cut your road build against Paul by building a settlement along Paul's road. It had no real effect on the longest road but did take a build spot from Paul. And it is of course quite satisfying, as Joe will forever be able to attest. Although his perspective was as a new player learning that rule on his woefully unprotected road.

Game 3 returned us to an empty Catan. No resource was really in deep short supply. Although wheat and rocks were a bit light. The high point was when Dave blocked my path to longest road with a road to nowhere--only to realize I had an alternate route. Which I built on. I told him that would make the newsletter. I managed to get the longest road with a sizable margin after connecting my two separate enclaves, and with a victory point card took the game. I broke protocol by claiming my victory after I'd passed the poop. But because Pete and Dave were well behind I figured we could skip the formalities to move on. In the past when I've missed noticing a win after passing the poop I've sweated it out waiting for my turn to come around again to claim the win (or watch someone else get it first).

Game 4 had a severe shortage of wood. But heavy brick resources. Dave managed to play 2 monopoly cards in the game, stealing much brick. I wasted resources pursuing the longest road--which I lost to Pete. And I had to expend a lot of resources to hold my largest army against Dave--but my 6 knights held the field. Alas, both battles for a card prevented me from getting any cities, and so I peaked at 8 before falling back to 6 and little hope of closing the gap. Pete was close with 10 points including his road card. But Dave had a solid grip on the harbormaster card plus two victory point cards, getting him to 11 and the win. It was a Cinderella win from a small but highly urbanized territorial base, and for some time it looked like Pete had the edge in winning.

We wrapped up close to 1:00 without trying for a fifth game, but without the usual post-gaming Game of Thrones and coffee routine (we're scheduled to watch season 5 episode 1).

Dave has graciously offered to host an outdoor game night in Dexter this summer and we shall see when Dave can host that Catan Alfresco evening.

Thanks again and congratulations to the winners. Dave was happy to break what he felt was his long drought on wins. That does feel good. Although I noted that showing up and playing helps break that!  Last week saw me win one, breaking a long losing streak; and one win last night gave me hope that it was not a one-off! But that's the way it goes. Sometimes lady dice are with you and sometimes not. Luckily the drinks, company, and snacks make it worthwhile whatever the outcome.

Next month will be more complicated to arrange, but I will of course do my best!

Beej