Gamers: Kareem Koh (kaz), Wong (Wong L.C.), Suraj, Jeffrey Goh (jefg8), Jackson, Ang Xian Jun,  Henry (rhyen), Afif Trei Ter, Syahrir Reza, Emil Ali (derchef), Ken (wolfx),  Ainul (aanemesis)  and CK Au (jack208)

Games: Parade, Gheos, Carson City, Scepter of Zavandor, 7 Wonders, Fresco, Rattus, Dominion.

Location: Cassian Kitchen, Section 15 SJ Google Map
Date/Time: 08 Jan 2011 (Sat) 3.00 PM – 7:00 PM

Boardgamecafe.net Meetup Report @ Cassian Kitchen Subang Jaya 08/01/2011
by aanemesis

This was the first meetup outside of Cheras for 2011! Held at Cassian Kitchen on Sat 08-jan-2011, turnout was larger than anticipated. Guess we need to arrange more here, eh guys?

A few guys had already arrived and kicked off a game of Parade when I got there. Kareem, our card-based games maestro, had taught Wong & Suraj how to play and they gave me a quick run down on gameplay.

But nothing beats actually playing, so I’ll just have to give this a try next time.

While Parade was being played, I introduced Ang, Jackson & Jeff Goh to Gheos, a quick tile-laying game.

A seemingly simple game, where you are like gods who decide the rise and fall of civilisations, gameplay can get bogged down by AP … hehee.

While we were busy playing gods in Gheos, the next table packed away Parade and started Carson City. Those who like the wild, wild west theme, this is a game for you! In this game players choose a character (with certain advantages) and place cowboys on action spaces on the board to build Carson City. Players claim ground, erect special buildings, houses or roads. When there are more than 1 players on an action space, a duel is fought!

If I’m not mistaken, Wong was the wealthy money-bags cowboy rancher, Kareem was playing the land-grabbing game, and Suraj had a lot of zombie cowboys! I know, I know, different theme … you’ll have to ask him what that’s all about.

When Henry heard about me calling for this meet-up, the first thing he said was “bring my Scepter!”  Yes, poor guy played this before but have yet to complete the game, Will he successfully play a full game this time? After we finished Gheos, Henry stepped into my seat to teach Jackson, Jeff Goh & Ang the intricacies of using magic to enchant gems, gain magical knowledge, acquire artifacts and sentinels in a bid to become the archmage!

I’m happy to report that the 4 “young magicians” (characters they play in the game) played the entire game to completion!

I moved to the next table to join card-based games maestro Kareem’s session of 7 Wonders. Wong called it a day, but we were joined by Afif Trei Ter & Syahrir Reza. This game can be played by up to 7 players without expansion, and is quick even for 5 players.

Suraj then had to leave, but we were joined by Emil, keeping the game at 5 players.

3 sets of 7 cards representing 3 ages are drafted (this is me, a non-card flopper trying to use card-flopper lingo) and passed clockwise for one set, then alternated in the other direction for subsequent sets. Players then simultaneously either play their chosen cards as resources, point and/or money generators, military might, or built as part of their wonder (each player gets one which serve as their “gameboard”). Interaction in this game is with your immediate neighbours to your left and right, and in the card draft. The more players, the less chance of you seeing the cards you just let go. (Am I making sense to card-floppers?…)

By this time, jack208 had arrived and brought out Fresco. This is one of those game from 2010’s Essen that generated a buzz which I liked. From my one game play at point of writing this, I think this game should be brought out more often! Why? It’s pretty, it has colourful cubes (hey, that alone is a big plus point!), doesn’t take long to learn and play, and is a nice medium weight game even for non-hardcore gamers.

After a couple of quick rounds of 7 Wonders, Kareem and Syahrir had to leave. Ken @ wolfx arrived in time for Emil to bring out his Rattus, another new game from 2010. It’s a medium-weight strategy game with the black plague theme in the Dark Ages in Europe.

It’s a about trying to have the largest number of surviving population, but the rats don’t make it easy. Players can get help from characters (represented by large cards), but the other players are not going help you! See the snickers on the players’ faces in the pic? I smell a rat….

Most of the guys left soon after, but the last game that saw play was the card-based deck-building game Dominion. This multiple-award winning game has at least 5 large expansions, and a number of fan made expansions as well.