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Episode 13: Grail Games - well, sort of
31 Plays15 days ago
Shane has had a week to forget... except for a stroll into EB Games, and we discuss Grail Games, while neither of us has many.
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Transcript
Introduction and Episode Challenges
00:00:14
Speaker
Hello everyone and welcome to Mate Let's Play episode 13 and it's getting to the point where we've done enough episodes that I actually had to go and look at the and address of the, this is a really bad start, but the address of the meeting to see that it was actually episode 13 because I'd lost count. So there we go.
00:00:32
Speaker
ah the Lucky 13. Lucky 13. Actually, maybe you shouldn't answer how you are. Yeah, i've had ah I've had a rough week, mate, but it is the baker's dozen today, isn't it? So...
00:00:43
Speaker
Yeah, that's right. It's going to be a good but quick episode, I think, this one. Because I don't know how long my voice is going to hold up. Yep. That's actually how long this episode is going to be. We're just going to keep talking until we can't hear Shane.
00:00:57
Speaker
Okay. It's a five-minute episode. Here we go. But no, mate, I've had a rough week. But it's – hey, look, it's a lovely wet day here in Brisbane.
00:01:08
Speaker
And I'm looking forward to the weekend ahead. Hopefully some gaming. Sounds like a plan. Sounds like plan. What have you been up to?
Gaming Interruptions and Adaptations
00:01:18
Speaker
ah I also haven't played a lot of games over the last week, not because of illness. um ah my My regular board gaming companion has been an arsehole and flown to Portugal for seven weeks because he's from there.
00:01:32
Speaker
Well, what about the board games, hey? Like, come on. but As I said to him, I said, look, I can take you on a journey through Portugal. with board games. You don't have to go there. We can play Azul, we can play Lisboa, we can do railways of Portugal.
00:01:46
Speaker
Like, there's plenty of things we could have done. But no, you had to go and choose to go and see your family. Anyway, um so yes, no Manuel, no Liliana for seven weeks, but... um I've got some games to the table, and um I guess I'll just get straight into it. One of the games that is in your background that I can see, which, you know, sticking with the theme over the last few months. In fact, I yeah ah did a, um I did a, I'm studying to be a teacher, and I did a prac at a year three class, and I was trying to get them to understand how to say my name.
00:02:19
Speaker
because most people call me shivers or chivers. So I said, you know, it rhymes with rivers, and it starts with a ch, like choo-choo train. i'm like, oh, gosh, this is taking over my world.
00:02:31
Speaker
But, yes, train games. So I got Steam Power to the table.
Exploring Steam Power vs Age of Steam
00:02:36
Speaker
And what a delightful game Steam Power is. that's I was not expecting what it was. Were you expecting it be harder?
00:02:45
Speaker
Probably a little bit. And I knew that it was supposed to be streamlined and it was supposed to fairly quick game. So I was, I went in thinking, okay, I wonder how they're going to make essentially how going make Age of Steam into an hour long game.
00:02:58
Speaker
And it's like, I'm not going to say it's nothing like Age of Steam. You're still laying tracks yeah and delivering, we're not really delivering. So it's because you are delivering stuff, but the contracts, um,
00:03:09
Speaker
Like we played a two-player game, just Raf and I. So 14 contracts was the end goal. And we both, when we did the rules, I went through it all. I'm like, wow, 14, that seems like it's going to take a lot longer than an hour. And then I had enough resources to start fulfilling contracts in like round three, but I didn't have enough resources to fill one contract.
00:03:27
Speaker
I could fill nearly all of my contracts in the third round of the game. So it does ramp up quickly. ramps quickly. And like we used the Southeast Australia map. Oh, yeah.
00:03:39
Speaker
And it was full. Like we filled it out in a two-player game. So be very interested to try three, four or five players because then you'd really be getting each other's road and and whatnot. But yeah, really different.
00:03:53
Speaker
Well, I shouldn't say different. Like there's ah there's a commonality between all train games. But this one... was, I guess, further removed from Age of Steam or Steam or Railways of the World than I thought it was going to be. So ah very enjoyable, very quick.
00:04:10
Speaker
Looking forward to playing it with Helen and playing three players. So, yep, I understand the hype. So I don't think it's a killer of any other train games for me, ah but it's definitely another one that'll go on the rotation for sure.
00:04:22
Speaker
Yeah, it's one of those ones you can bring out of the game day that you can knock off in an hour at five players.
Unexpected Game Purchases and Plans
00:04:29
Speaker
And five players is where it really sings. Yeah, I could see that. How many contracts do you need to get for five players?
00:04:36
Speaker
Well, I'd have to check the rule book, mate, but I think it's something like six or something maybe? yeah Six or seven contracts. Yeah. and But it's it's great because I remember one five-player game I played of it and I kind of boxed myself in the corner and I couldn't get out.
00:04:55
Speaker
Yeah, right. I'm paying stacks of people to get resources over to myself. it The unfortunate thing about train games is that if you're not into train games, you probably avoid all train games. But I got a bit of Brass Birmingham vibes yes from Steampower.
00:05:14
Speaker
Absolutely. Like that whole idea of borrowing, like taking stuff from other people and ah that benefits both them and you and using the network, the whole network rather than just your network. Correct, yeah. ah So, yeah, i you could I mean, it it screamed Martin Wallace, that's for sure. so Yeah. Yeah.
00:05:33
Speaker
so like i was pleasantly surprised, but I ah already had high expectations. So that was nice to be surprised on top of that. That's good. i am Because, you know, i when I first played it, it was at a game day and Martin literally pulled out a piece, like the map, and was drawing on the map.
00:05:54
Speaker
Yeah. i want I want to put this in here. And um it was really cool. And it was actually my first experience of a train game. Yeah, right. Okay. Because he he was dumbfounded. He said have you never played a train game?
00:06:06
Speaker
I said, no. Never played a train game. And ended up. Except for maybe Ticket to Ride, I'm assuming. Yeah, Ticket Ride. Yeah, yeah. But nothing like that system where you lay a track. and um Yeah.
00:06:18
Speaker
And I ended up. It was a five player. And i ended up drawing that game with Martin. Yeah, okay. And he won on on the tyre condition. um But then, you know, to see that when it was in paper form, like the map was literally paper, all the way up to what it is now, we've got those really nice, you know, fake silk game mats, which they're good. When I first saw them in Bloodstones, I thought, are they going to be any – because I like my neoprene.
00:06:54
Speaker
And I thought, I wonder if they're going to you know sit well on the table, they're going to show creases and bundle up, but they don't. They fold out nice um and they store well.
00:07:06
Speaker
um And then mean even my copy, you've seen it, I've 3D printed a whole heap of stuff where I've actually made 3D printed player boards. So you bring out, um when when you pack up, for example, your green tray, for example,
00:07:22
Speaker
It packs up into a nice little box, but then you can unpack it, and that's your player board for the game. Yeah, cool. And it's got slots to hold all yeah ah your trains, your buildings, resources, coins, and then your contracts, and then also to the contracts you built.
00:07:38
Speaker
um So I'm hopeful Thursday night we are playing four-player game of it. So keen as mustard. That's good. I'm glad you liked it, mate.
00:07:50
Speaker
I really liked it. And I thought it was going to be harder than it was when I first learned it. And so yeah and then when you when you when you play Age of Steam, right? Age of Steam is, it can be quite you difficult to grok.
00:08:06
Speaker
um But this is super, super simple. Yeah. And I guess like to, I don't think Age of Steam is necessarily a hard game to learn. It's hard to grok. I agree, but ah the steps are all there for you. They just follow these steps one to 10. Well, this one is the same, except the steps is like one to three. These are your three options or four options. I think you've got take money, do a contract.
00:08:29
Speaker
play some track or take more contracts. It's like, build a building. Off you go. That's all you really need to say. this is what we need to do. You need, you need to deliver these. If you use your own track, it's free. you use someone else track, it's cost money.
00:08:41
Speaker
Off you go. Yeah. and Another one of his games, which is probably the next level below this is called via nebula. and I think you've played that. avenue I haven't, but I've heard you talk about it a lot. So that um I will give it a go someday.
00:08:55
Speaker
It's, it's, it's basically a similar, a similar game again. And, That is very simple in the actions, um and I've taught Lauren that. Lauren really likes to play that one, which is surprising because, you know, um she's not into board games at all, but that one there, we've actually played quite a few times. So I'm hopeful that I might be able to drag her into a game of steam power.
00:09:16
Speaker
um Yeah, cool. So, no, it's good.
Revisiting Classic Games
00:09:20
Speaker
What about you? I've got nothing.
00:09:24
Speaker
I've got nothing. um I was meant to... be in Perth this week and unfortunately due to illness I had to cancel flights at the last minute and because it was i was I was sick as a dog and so I have honestly been bedridden for three days and could not even ah look at even playing a game so I have played nothing, I'm sorry everyone I did Yeah, this race happened
00:09:56
Speaker
I did pick up just by pure fluke last night, I'll talk about this instead. um I went up to the shops just quickly lead to to get out of the house and grabbed some stuff for dinner, to cook dinner, and something pulled me into EB Games. I don't know what it was because I'd never go into EB Games, ever.
00:10:16
Speaker
And I thought, I'll just pop in and have a quick look and I was looking at some PS5 games and then over my shoulder I saw little corner of board games.
00:10:28
Speaker
I walked over there and had a look. Lo and behold, there's heat, pedal to the metal, which I know you love. ah And it's down to $57 Australian. That is ridiculous.
00:10:46
Speaker
That is dirt, dirt cheap. It was on sale down from $115 to $57. So um so I figure that's the reason why i've pulled into this store.
00:10:58
Speaker
yeah
00:11:01
Speaker
Here I am going up to the shops to get food and um come home. I didn't come home with this whopping game box because it's it's not it' not a small box neither.
00:11:13
Speaker
No, not at all. And like I had my little carry bag for for food. I hadn't even got to food yet.
00:11:22
Speaker
had to buy myself another carry bag for the food because I had eat another. um So, mate, I'm going to look at playing that solo this weekend. Although the boys did look at it when I came home yesterday.
00:11:36
Speaker
They love downforce. Like there's two games they'll ah only ever play with me. King of Tokyo and Downforce. That's it. If they're going to play a ball game, yeah, dad will play King of Tokyo or Downforce.
00:11:48
Speaker
So they looked at this and I said, I don't know if it's similar to Downforce. I don't think it is, but I mean, there's card play from what I know of it. It depends on what they like about Downforce. If they like the betting, there's no betting in this one.
00:12:02
Speaker
No. But if they like card play, it's all card play. Yeah, they like the card play and screwing everyone over. And um I've gotten in trouble for saying this before, but I'm going to say it anyway.
00:12:14
Speaker
um In Heat, you'll get your basic deck of cards, which has a zero and a five speed card. I think it's just a zero and a five speed.
00:12:26
Speaker
And, oh, and your own, and you start with an additional Heat card. When you get to the upgrades, you get rid of those three cards and you add in these upgrades and They say, oh, definitely start with the basic cards.
00:12:40
Speaker
And I'm like, don't start with the basic cards. I know that's what they tell you to do and you should probably do what they tell you to do, but it is nowhere near as interesting. um the The upgrade cards are awesome. They add loads of variability. They add, it's a draft. So you literally get to choose what you think will work well for you. You get three of them, you add them to your deck and it just makes, it makes it such a better game. And I worry that people who play Heat one time and play with those basic cards, go, yeah, it was okay.
00:13:10
Speaker
And it's like, no, but you missed out on those upgrade cards, which make the game like this. So it's like saying, hey, um you want to watch State of Origin? Yeah, it's awesome. Go along, see Wolfmother, watch the Assassin's National Anthem, and then go home.
00:13:22
Speaker
Like you're missing the chunk of the goodness. Yeah. Then again, Wolfmother would be pretty cool. Yeah. So, yes, I don't know whether your boys will love it or not, but if ah if they like the card play thing, definitely give it a go with them. my My family likes it. All of my family like it, and that includes Heidi, who doesn't like any board games. So, yeah, you might be right.
00:13:42
Speaker
Yeah, I'm looking forward to it, and i'll do I'll do what you advise. I will start with the upgrades. I'll learn it with the upgrades straight away. Yeah, it's not that difficult. It's just like a couple of extra symbols you've got to be across, but the rule book does a good job of explaining them. so Okay, cool.
00:13:58
Speaker
No, looking forward to it. Looking forward to it. it's um And from what I remember, there's quite a lot in that box too. I haven't opened it yet.
00:14:09
Speaker
Yes, there is. So you've got three, six maps? No, three maps. It must be four because doubles. Three or four maps. Four maps, yeah, four maps, yeah.
00:14:20
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah, four maps and it's ready for six players. Plus you got like there's the normal way to play. There's the championship, which is like you play four races in a row. And yeah, there's loads of good stuff. so Yeah, brilliant. In fact, it's you're getting it so cheap that um'm only I've pre-ordered the expansion, Tunnel Vision, and it's $39.95 plus $10 delivery. So you're literally getting the entire game for $7 more than what I'm paying for the expansion. So you've done well.
00:14:50
Speaker
It was a no-brainer. And they had Wormspan there for $57 too, but I'm not a big Wormspan fan. Yeah. um Oh, it's good. Well, that's that's so hopefully, mate, I'm going be playing that.
00:15:04
Speaker
And you know what? I might even drag out a bit of Steam Power and get that solo, finally get that solo game in, depending how I feel today. so Yeah, fair call. Just quickly, my wife and I have started playing Codenames Duet again.
00:15:21
Speaker
um yeah, cool. but We haven't played it in years, but and we just started playing it. And they've got like this sort of weird campaign thing where you're traveling over the world. We've never done that before. So we started out, if you're not familiar with Codenames Duet, you've basically got a ah grid of 25 Codenames cards and there's a card that's double-sided. So I see one side, my wife sees the other side.
00:15:41
Speaker
There are a couple of words that overlap that we're both trying to get for each other, but we each have three assassins that we're trying to avoid. And it gets really confusing because sometimes Helen might have a word that is my assassin word, but it's not her assassin word. So it's okay if I choose it.
00:15:58
Speaker
um And you're basically just trying to get all the get all the right words before you run out of turns. And it's like a little thing you get nine turns in a game. and But when you go on this little map, yeah every country has its own or every town has its own prerequisite.
00:16:14
Speaker
Like it'll say you've got 11 turns, but you can't make any mistakes. or you've got nine turns and you can make three mistakes. And mistakes being you can put out um innocent bystanders. If you're familiar with the original codenames, if you chose a word that wasn't on the sheet of anyone's, it was an innocent bystander. So you have that.
00:16:32
Speaker
um And we were cracking along. We did the first one. We nailed it like, yeah, we're good. We did the second one. it was like, awesome. And then we had this option to go to Paris or I think to London. And Paris was the 11 turns with no mistakes. and we're like, ah, we got this.
00:16:47
Speaker
So we went to Paris and it took us about eight times to get out of Paris. Very hard to get 11 clues out without making a mistake. But we got there in the end. Well done.
00:16:58
Speaker
Yeah, great little game. If you like Codenames but you're like us and don't always have a group of people to play it with, it's a cracking two-player game. Real simple. Good fun. Good laughs.
00:17:09
Speaker
ah It's an easy entry-level game too. um and they've just re-released, I believe. done Yeah, I've seen that. yeah i've like Of Codenames, Codenames Duet as well. yeah It's one that Lauren and I like to play too.
00:17:24
Speaker
We did have the original Codenames, but I think I just moved that on. I gave that away. And I've kept Duet. That stayed the collections. a good two-player game. For sure.
New Game Releases and Developer Spotlight
00:17:35
Speaker
um What have you seen on Kickstarter, mate? Anything Out there, from what I saw, it was a pretty bad week. but Yeah, there wasn't anything that really grabbed me. Obviously, the Assyria, we always talk about Shem Phillips and Sam McDonald games, although it's not a Shem or Sam game. It's just a Garfield game, a remake of an older game. um I'm not backing it. doesn't look like it's something for me, but still, it's Garfield games. They always put out good quality stuff. So if it is for you, definitely back it.
00:18:04
Speaker
i Yeah, I haven't actually backed anything. i mean, I was on a bit of a not backing anything sort of rant not long ago, and i and then I ruined that by backing both Age of Steam and Maglev Maps. So I broke that.
00:18:19
Speaker
um But yeah, now nothing's really brought me back. um I did get a couple of Kickstarters this week, which was exciting. I got Emberleaf. So very, very keen to try that out. yeah It's the guy who did Isle of Cats, but it's like an anamorphic animal kind of game thing.
00:18:37
Speaker
um And it's got a ah mechanism called card dancing. Yeah, I remember this now, seeing as it keeps going. And the best way I could describe the card dancing thing is if you've played Viscounts the West Kingdom where you have your cards moving across and they drop off, and then every now and again you get the ability to shuffle up the cards, that's basically what this mechanism is. It allows you to dance your cards around into the spots where you need them to be. and yeah so I'm interested to try it out.
00:19:04
Speaker
I haven't played it yet, so that was good to see. But as far as new Kickstarters, ah i'm um I'm drawing a blank at the moment. Yeah, no, I did have a look on Kickstarter and there wasn't much that caught my eye.
00:19:15
Speaker
Yes, there was Garfield Games one. I'm not backing that one either. um But if I said the name Artem Safarov to you, do you know that name at all? Artem Safarov.
00:19:32
Speaker
It does sound familiar and I don't know why. If I said a game called Unbroken... Does that sound familiar? Yes. Yep. Okay. Yep. Is this the one that never got out to people?
00:19:44
Speaker
Correct. and Like some random people just got it here and there? Yeah. Okay. Yeah. yeah And I was one of those. well I'd never backed it, but I bought it from Amazon. sorry Yeah. Wow. um And I remember when I got it um and it arrived, I was pumped. I was so happy that I had it.
00:20:03
Speaker
And it it is is a really good solo game. It's excellent.
00:20:09
Speaker
And I've still got it to this day, still play it. um But Ardham, he copped a lot of backlash, but it wasn't all on him um at all. and i you know I remember communicating with him once and you know you could tell that you know he was um you know really deflated from what was going on and he wanted to you know get his game out for his fans.
00:20:36
Speaker
And anyway, he's got a new game out through the account solo game of the month with Gabe Barrett on GameFound. Yep. And it looks excellent.
00:20:49
Speaker
looks really good. um It's only $39, Aussie. I'm going to back it um because I like Artem's games and and and I want to support him, get him back in designing because Unbroken is fantastic.
00:21:01
Speaker
if yeah if If that ever can come out again and know get fulfilled for everyone. um It is such a good game and so many people that do have it have actually commented on that.
00:21:14
Speaker
and this This game is called Shred of Redemption.
00:21:19
Speaker
That's an interesting title. little bit little bit Yeah, correct. right it's I think it's well-named. And ah the Seller Game of the Month, Gabe has partnered with Artem. um And he's pumped about the game. um And it's looking like a fast, you know he's guaranteeing delivery to everyone. He said, you know you're buying the game through us, we're guaranteeing this is going to be delivered.
00:21:43
Speaker
And he actually, he did really well on his when he did the release on his YouTube channel. he talked about He talked about the controversy, and but he shut it down. It was excellent. It was really well done. And I'm stoked that I'm back out there designing.
00:21:58
Speaker
Um, it doesn't, it doesn't, it's not much. It's just dice and cards. Um, and, uh, yeah, Shred of Redemption. I thought that was quite an apt name for it, for his next board game. And, uh, I'm definitely going to support him.
00:22:11
Speaker
Um, and it's, you know, cheap. I think they, I think the delivery they're saying is going to be this year, October. Um, so i remember um I remember when I was on the Board Game Barbecue podcast and Mitch was waiting for his copy of Unbroken and he heard that you got yours on Amazon and he was furious.
00:22:33
Speaker
And he's like, what do I do? Do I just go and buy it on Amazon even though I have already paid for it and had to wait all this time and have been promised it was coming and then it didn't come? Yeah. And yeah, that's just a mess. Good to know. really well, mate, because that was the first ballgame barbecue game day you guys hosted.
00:22:53
Speaker
um And Mitch came along and I brought Unbroken for him to see it
00:23:05
Speaker
And he said, get that game out of my face. It was great. It was really good. Too good. ah But yeah, other than that, yeah Kickstarter, Game Found, um um like I've i've ah've backed Agricola, but I mentioned that last time.
00:23:18
Speaker
But I'm actually, now that the yeah know that the though the gloss has moved on a little bit, I don't know whether I'm going to keep backing it. I've been homing and ahhing because I've owned Agricola in the past and then I got Caverna and I think Caverna is a better game. So I got rid of Agricola and then I eventually got rid of Caverna because I was never playing it.
00:23:38
Speaker
So I'm like, do I? But then I keep going back to the fact that I didn't like Castles of Burgundy. And then now it's one of my favourite games. Yeah, it's one of favourites. That's right. So, like, I don't know. Do Does the components... Do the components make that big of a difference?
00:23:54
Speaker
My biggest issue with Agricola was purely that I couldn't get it. I couldn't figure it out. Like, I played it many times and, like, my best score was, like, three.
00:24:04
Speaker
And people are getting, like, 35 and 40 and stuff. I'm just like... I don't understand how you can do all this. And it seemed like very much everyone has the same couple of moves they really want to do at the start. So if you miss out on whatever the resources are, can't remember what they are, but if you miss out on those, then you're just wasting a whole turn.
00:24:22
Speaker
yeah That's how it felt to me. So ah there's obviously some something I'm missing. but And I do like Uwe games, so I should definitely get So I'm arming an arming. I'm on the fence whether I'm going to keep it up or not.
00:24:35
Speaker
Oh, look, you know, you always go with your initial gut feel, mate. You've backed it, keep it. Because as soon as you pull it, you'll go, oh, shit, I'll regret that now.
Grail Games: Hits and Misses
00:24:44
Speaker
And if Castles of Burgundy is anything to go by, if I do bounce off of it, it's not like I'm not going to be able to move it on in the community somewhere.
00:24:51
Speaker
Oh, correct. um You can move it on to me because i'm not backing it. Okay. But no, I'm definitely going to back Shredder Redemption. So, ah recommend it, mate.
00:25:02
Speaker
You know, you like the solo games. Yeah. And he's he's a good designer.
00:25:10
Speaker
Excellent. so All right. Cheers. Well, we'll move on to the next segment, and I might get you to introduce it, seeing as though it was your idea.
00:25:31
Speaker
So we talked about our Grail games that we want to own. And um we thought, let's come up with three of our Grail games that we want to get. And both Steve and I were talking this morning going, well, hang on, we're struggling because we pretty much have our Grail games in our collection.
00:25:51
Speaker
And so we're going to talk you know just change it up a little bit and talk to you know maybe a couple of Grail games that we've got in our collection. but also to any of those that maybe we were disappointed in getting when we first got it. And is it still in the collection? It live to the Yeah, it didn't live up to the hype.
00:26:07
Speaker
Yeah, correct. um So how about you kick Just before we get into that, though, like my definition of a grail game is a game that I've played that I desperately want and I can't get.
00:26:19
Speaker
And that's how I would – like there are games that I have desperately wanted because I think I'll love them, but I don't consider that a Grail game. So, for example, you've got Glory to Rome. I really want to play Glory to Rome, but I've never played it. I've had the opportunity to buy it and I haven't bought it. So it's harder hard to put on a list of this is a Grail game because I don't even know if I like the game.
00:26:39
Speaker
Yeah. and So I recently got a gaye gra Grail game and it's a game that – um Again, it it only really just meets the requirement because I've had the opportunity to buy this and haven't bought it because I couldn't justify the price tag for the game that it is.
00:26:58
Speaker
But I do love the game. And then I was able to get it recently off the yeah marketplace. And it's Whistle Mountain. um So, I mean, i'm a big fan of Luke Laurie games, obviously Andromeda's Edge and Dwellings of Eldervale. And I'd played Whistle Mountain way back in 2021.
00:27:14
Speaker
i think we played that together. this It's possible, yeah. i I played it a couple times in that 2021, 2022 period, and then um I don't own it, so I hadn't played it since. And it's such a cool game where you're building these scaffolds out on this...
00:27:34
Speaker
what is that a mine i think and whatever you wherever you put your um you're building it back on on your i can't even remember how it works now but you place your you place your ah ship and it triggers everything that it touches so it comes down to not only placing the right buildings but placing them in a way where you can you can trigger multiple buildings at once.
00:27:55
Speaker
Yeah, now, like, the best thing about Luke Laurie games is that when it's the time to bring all your ships back to you to your board, that's, like, one of the more interesting turns you're going to have rather than just being a cleanup turn. So I really like it. And you get to, like, you get to drown people in the bottom. Yeah, correct. You're drowning people. are It's so random.
00:28:13
Speaker
but's it's It's great, but I've got it. So, um yeah, I can't really call it a ah grail game in that sense that, you know, I'm still looking for it. But, um yeah, so – but you said you did have one. So what was your one grail game that you're still holding on to?
00:28:27
Speaker
Oh, so grail games for me, like I don't care if i've played it or not. It's just I want it because the rarity of it and it's so hard to get. Right. And so the one that I really, really want to get in my collection – is the Star Wars ah Queen's Gambit.
00:28:46
Speaker
Oh, fair. Yep. It's the one that's eluding me. It's super hard to get. And any copies are out there are just ridiculously expensive. um But that is one that I'm desperately trying to find.
00:29:01
Speaker
But, you know, I'm not on Facebook or any social media. So, ah If any of my friends ever see it on Marketplace, just quickly send me a message and I'll get you to bid for me.
00:29:14
Speaker
Because i'd it's i don't even it I don't think I've ever seen it even in Australia. I have seen it because it i was in the Dice Tower library when I went to the Dice Tower retreat, but I never actually got it to the table, which was a disappointment. So going to have to go to another retreat now.
00:29:30
Speaker
So that's probably the cheapest way to play it, fly to the US, go to a Dice Tower event, play it out of their library and fly home. It's probably cheaper than buying your own copy. oh Yeah, it would be.
00:29:43
Speaker
It would be, but you're right. and you know I do ah do have Glory to Rome, which was a great grail game for me to get. ah You will like it when you play it. It is good. um and And then I also have you know City of the Big Shoulders. Finally got my copy of that.
00:30:00
Speaker
I've got Discworld, Unc Morpok, which was another grail game. Space Hulk. um was another girl game that I wanted to get. you know, um because they're all just rare very rare to get. And the one that I was actually, when I did get it, I was super happy to get it. And it is a rare game.
00:30:20
Speaker
And that's A Few Acres of Snow i ah Martin Wallace. It's a two-player game. And it didn't live up to the hype for me. Yeah, okay. Played it twice.
00:30:31
Speaker
I've owned it for a long time. and I've only ever played it twice. And I don't know why. Maybe it's bigger because I haven't played it a lot. ah Why it hasn't lived up to the hype. um But I think you've just got to have that right person that wants to play that type of game. Because it's a war game.
00:30:50
Speaker
A two-player war game.
00:30:53
Speaker
um But, yeah, a few acres of snow was a grail game as well for me to get. Still have it and never going to get rid of it. I think my copy, I got signed by Martin for me one day when I was at a game day.
00:31:07
Speaker
So, yeah, there's no others apart from Queen's Gambit, mate. So anyone, any of my friends ever see it out there, please let me know.
00:31:16
Speaker
Yeah, it's – I'm really struggling to come up with even that idea of grau games that I've owned that didn't live up to the hype. But I mean, there's, there's a couple, see, I don't really have a lot of like the older style kind of, you know, nostalgia bringing games.
00:31:36
Speaker
So that idea that there's something rare out there that I want to have, I still kind of go back to the idea that if it's, If it's rare, it means it's super expensive. and if I haven't played it, it means I'm less interested. So um it's a bit hard for me. But and what I will say is i've I've gone the other way. I have i have um made someone else have what they consider to be their Grail component, um which is I used to have the Bruce Lee Unmatched um box. And I sold it for not a crazy price, just for a – look, I made money. I'm not going to sit here and pretend that I'm some sort of –
00:32:12
Speaker
you know, um, philanthropist, but I didn't make, I didn't sell it for like the hundreds of dollars, like it was going on. Uh, three, three, four hundred bucks for the moment. So, yeah. So, um, yeah, it, I, I, someone really wanted it and they offered me a decent price.
00:32:27
Speaker
So I sold to them and they've never been happier. Um, and I was like, Oh, you know what? I liked Bruce Lee as a character to play, but I don't play unmatched near enough to be concerned with it. And I don't, um,
00:32:40
Speaker
And I don't sit there every time going, oh, I want to play Bruce Lee. So it's I'd rather have the money in my pocket than the player in the game. And then lo and behold, they're releasing him again yeah shortly with Muhammad Ali. So I'm like, that sounds good to me.
00:32:53
Speaker
and I assume some of the cards will be nerfed because he was very strong, but that's okay. That probably makes a better game.
Completing the Railways of the World Collection
00:32:58
Speaker
so um But I do have one. Again, calling it a grail game is hard because I've only really just got into my train games lately.
00:33:08
Speaker
But there is an expansion that I am desperate to get. so if anyone is listening out here who has this expansion, please get in touch. So I got Railways of the World and in the box, you get the Eastern USA map.
00:33:20
Speaker
And there is a Western USA expansion that you can turn into the full North America. You can even get the Canada one and put it on top if you're that keen. But...
00:33:31
Speaker
Yes, you do full east to west USA, continental USA, and it's out of stock, not being ah being redone. So it's extremely hard to get, but I want just that expansion, please. so ah And then I can play, because and those Railways of the World maps are huge.
00:33:50
Speaker
So if I had that one and the Eastern one, it's basically going be my whole table, maybe with a bit of overhang, which I'm here for. So anyone out there who has a copy sitting around not doing anything, reach out.
00:34:03
Speaker
So that's all four of you listeners. That's right. That's good, mate. I need to probably mention that speaking of like looking around for games, Advent Games have got their game sale on at the moment.
00:34:20
Speaker
End of financial year. End of financial year game sale. I think you know games on there up to 75% off or something like that. um I jumped on there and I saw that 10 days in the USA that you were talking about last episode and it was $29. Yeah.
00:34:37
Speaker
yeah I haven't bought it, but I just thought that was cheap, $29 for a game that not only you raved about, but I then, um by chance, I saw it on a Dice Tower clip that day, a new one, and they said they were talking about that game, saying how good it is.
00:34:55
Speaker
Yeah, um and And also, too... You remiss of me not to mention next weekend, the 28th of June, for our four listeners, if you if you want to get down to Kalinga, they have a bring and buy sale happening.
00:35:10
Speaker
Uh-oh. Yeah, yeah. you know You know what happened when you went there last. Oh, yeah. ah Good value. Good value. Just bring bring a big car.
00:35:21
Speaker
Yeah. Bring a lot of money. Well, it wasn't so much the money. It was the space. I was flying back to Birmingham with 20 kilos of luggage. So um that was not happening after I went to that bring and buy sale.
00:35:34
Speaker
How many games did you buy? 14? Yeah, that was ridiculous.
00:35:42
Speaker
um But yeah, they've got their bring-and-by game day. So if you want to check out, I think, I'm sure they would have posted on there on the Brisbane North's Board Gamers Guild Facebook site. I don't know what times it's all starting, but I did have someone reach out to me in our community saying, hey Shane, just letting you know this is on this weekend.
00:36:01
Speaker
um So I will be getting along on the 20th of June just to Have a little browse see what's out there. um I am going to avoid void, not only because of my location, but also because of my wallet.
00:36:16
Speaker
Well, if if anyone's going to bring and buy Coins Gambit, just let me know beforehand. Well, yes. Well, actually, I will say, if you're going to be there, Shane, and you see Railways of the World expansions, please call. Yeah, I'll call you.
00:36:29
Speaker
it's I've actually got a game day happening tomorrow. ah it's kind of a random one. We have no power in town tomorrow from nine till three. ah They're doing some work. Well, not so much in town, but where myself and almost every teacher that works at the school that I work at lives.
00:36:44
Speaker
um So, but one of the schools, has three schools here. One of the schools has power. So um I've organized a very impromptu game day to happen tomorrow in the air conditioning and,
00:36:56
Speaker
with power. and ah My son has just flown up yesterday, my ah my second eldest. ah So he's here. So we're going to take down the PS5. So we're going to have PS5 set up on screen for the kids, potentially adults.
00:37:08
Speaker
and then we're just going to have tables of board games set up for everyone who's sitting around Because in Bemiga, it is still hot during the middle of the day. You still need air conditioning. so Yeah. um And also power, which is nice.
00:37:20
Speaker
So, yes, I'm looking forward to that. It's a bit of a random game day. That's fantastic. I felt like call it i was going to I was going to call it Cape Con, but I that probably a bit of a stretch. But, you know, sounds good.
00:37:31
Speaker
It does sound good. Do it. Yeah. Well, maybe I'll save Cape Con for later and, you know, fly up some special guests like, you know, hosts of podcasts that I'm on.
Game Day Plans Amidst Power Outages
00:37:39
Speaker
Bemicon. Bemicon.
00:37:43
Speaker
BoomerCon? Burma. BurmaCon. BurmaCon. Yeah. I was going to say BoomerCon is something completely different. Yeah. I don't want to go to that. No. ah No. Imagine the rules teachers at BoomerCon. Yeah, yeah, I know what I'm doing.
00:37:59
Speaker
You didn't tell me I could do that.
00:38:03
Speaker
ah Well, mate, enjoy the game day tomorrow. Yeah, yeah, very keen. I'm going to try and get some more games to the table today. I don't really know what yet, but I've got a house full of people now, so there's no reason not to.
00:38:15
Speaker
And hopefully you feel better. I hope you enjoy heat. I will, I will. And if you do, feel free to hit me up on BGA for some more games. Always, always keen. I might hit you up on BGA to actually teach me.
00:38:29
Speaker
Yeah, I can do that too. Yeah. right, mate. Happy days. All right. Great chatting again. Take care, everyone. he's Here's to a better next week. Yeah, definitely better next week.
00:38:40
Speaker
Cheers all. See ya.