January 2023 Game Night

Game night went back in time to the original game night crowd*, as Paul and Pete joined me for Catan on the small board.

I don't want to brag, but I get wood pretty easily.
                                           --Unnamed player

We dined on two types of pizza; lime corn chips with dip and salsa; several types of cookies plus Twinkies; a collection of IPAs somehow still in my refrigerator--and the house swill, Labatt Blue Light; and the usual special dietary needs of the guests.

Given how the people have spoken lately--damn them--I ordered a Hawaiian pizza. The man on the phone was brand new, however, and made a number of mistakes that I patiently let him work through to complete my order. As he was about to end our lengthy call I reminded him that I hadn't yet told him what kind of gourmet pizza I wanted.

So I told him. And he said something about it being straightened out when I got there. Or maybe that we would straighten it out when I got there. I just wanted to get to the Cottage Inn and get something before game time. They made a Chicken Mediterranean pizza. I let it go.

Paul and Pete were perfectly happy with the mistake and I asserted I'd ride the good feelings from my attempt for many months into 2023 as an excuse not to order a Hawaiian a second time.

But I digress.

I was blue, Pete was red, and Paul was white for the evening.

GAME ONE

The order of placement was myself, Pete, and Paul in the coveted DP position.

Wood was in short supply this game. And the rock was inconveniently placed. I jumped on the best wood and brick. And settled for an adequate rock, a little more wood, and a port, rather than plant myself in the center for sheep and more brick and wheat. The 8 brick would be more than enough, right?

Starting map:

Paul and I struggled to build roads in the beginning, as Pete somehow built across the island. Paul just built two roads all game. And until the end when 8 and 10 kicked in on my built-up wood and bricks, I built few. Then I raced across the north to stake out some building spots.  

My 4 rock was good enough to get me three cities and the harbor master card. Pete only built two cities with his 9 rock. But he bought a number of knights that gave him the largest army to add to his longest road. Two cards are hard to beat. And Pete bounced the rubble at 12 points. I think Pete took 3 of my bricks with the monopoly card this game.

Congratulations Pete!

I followed with 10 points, including the harbor master. Paul had 6.

End map:

And the "probability" chart:

I guessed wrong on the 8 or 6 choice in placement. The number 10 ended up being unusually good.

GAME TWO

Pete placed and played first, followed by Paul and then myself in the DP spot.

Rock was horrible. I again ignored sheep to get other resources. I was happy with wheat, brick, and rock. And felt lucky to have the 11 rock. Pete started with a sheep port and sheep to generate rocks and wheat, with great wood and decent brick. Paul got the best rock and brick plus decent wheat along with the ability to get wood pretty easily.

Starting map:

End map:

My development looked oddly like the first game with an isolated enclave and a larger grouping stretched across the north. This time I reached and built on the port. I also guessed wrong on the 6/8 choice. I build just one city, however this time. Paul built a nice enclave in the east and still had room in the south. In theory Paul or I could have grabbed the longest road from Pete. 

Pete held the road, however. And in his triangular enclave had a long perimeter road anchored on ports that gave him both those bonus cards. Two cities were enough to get him to 11. Congratulations Pete!

I had 6 while Paul had 5 points, matching Pete. So it's going to be that kind of game night, eh?

And the "probability" chart:

Yeah, that's totally normal. I mean, not out of the bounds of probability, of course. Not that I'm complaining about the 3 output.

GAME THREE

Paul placed and moved first, followed by me and then Pete in the DP position.

Starting map:

Oops. I forgot to take the starting map for this game.

I think I managed to get full resource diversity base on the 8 brick and 6 rock, and finally avoided committing to the 6 o4 8 dilemma. I'll have to rely on others to try to remember their starting points.

End map:

Karma finally caught up with Pete who didn't manage to build a city or get a card this game. It was not to be that kind of game night. Paul clawed his way to the top with a weak longest road in this three-city enclave. Paul remained vulnerable to losing his road status until he joined his two segments. I had 9 points on the board with the harbor master and a fistful of cards that the robber did not steal. I was desperate to get the two points I needed. I spent a while trying to figure out if I could trade with Pete. He counter offered a trade that would allow him to take the longest road from Paul when Pete moved after me. 

And then it hit me. I had a victory point card. I had 10 points. Negotiations dragged on long enough for me not to pull a Tony-like mistake and fail to play the VP card. So I promoted a city (or maybe I built a settlement?) and flipped the VP card up, pulling ahead of Paul. Whew.

Paul finished with 10 points, including the longest road. Pete had 5 points.

And the "probability" chart:

The robber was busy. And 12!!! Pete got unexpected  production out of that. And 5 retained its consistent production.

GAME FOUR

Paul again placed and moved first, followed by me and Pete (CDP Position). Rock was poor and so was brick. But at least the resources were nicely scattered rather than clumped together. I was happy to have the best brick and rock available and full resource diversity. I was worried about my inland settlement expansion options. But oh well. A second placement out of 6 risks that. Pete boldly went to the coast with his second placement for brick and wood, although the coast road was clear for expansion. He had full resource diversity, too. And Paul  lacked all but wheat with a heavy bet on 10 brick.

Starting map:

End map:

Paul managed to get to the 6 wheat, but not before I also built there. But without early brick, I lost options to push to the coast in the north or to really expand in the west to stake out that territory. Paul pushed to the coast in the west and reached the best rock before I could get there. Pete couldn't build roads to save his life. But did extremely rapidly build up to four cities, taking the harbor master in the process! Ten points! 

It looked hopeless. In desperation I struck out east with a late surge of 10 rolls that paid off nicely with 2 and then 3 bricks each time. My 9 and 5 wood produced enough to get the longest road. At one point, if Pete had rolled a nine he could have built four roads to take that from me and win the game. He did not roll that. And in fact his cards came in slow, in the wrong combination, or lost to the robber. 

I slowly built my road east, with visions of taking harbor master from Pete. And I slowly promoted cities and building settlements, keeping the longest road until I creaked past the stalled Petemobile and reached 11 points. We were all quite stunned. It wasn't the same sort of dice tower colonoscopy that I faced way back in the summer. But it was a run of bad luck for Pete, to be sure.

Pete had 10 points, with the harbor master. And Paul had 6.

And the "probability" chart:

An unusual curve with 12 again pretty darned good. At least the robber was beneath the tied 6 and 8--and I had both, again. Both 10 (belatedly but just in time for me) and 4 were really good, too. And I was happy with 11.

Speaking of the probability chart. I suggested color coding each player's rolls. And Paul suggested numbering each roll instead of marking with an X for all data, in order to be able to analyze over time.

So Joe will be busier in February with expanded data duties.

We wrapped up pretty early at 8:00. But we did get four games in, which is seemingly the unofficial goal.

We started out 2023 with a small but dedicated group. And game night continues!

Let's not forget a meme (inspired by a meme Tony sent)!

As always, feel free to comment on your observations of playing or just make back seat commentary that we all value so much from those who did not play.

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*The 21st century edition, of course. Tony is an OG game night partner from high school days. When we had game night every week.