Had a small "<Person>-con" where a local just opens up his home for a long weekend of gaming (these are my favorite types of cons -- even if you don't know everybody already it is small enough that you'll know people by the end of it). I got to try a few new things, and revisit some older games, so a few thoughts. Games with no rating are rated Suggest.
1860 (Isle of Wight) -- In the '62 family (IMO), with its "Sure, dump 100% into the bank pool or own 100%" rules (and same market mechanisms) but with just a few companies (and no train types) and some weird insolvency/bankruptcy/receivership rules (apart from the normal chrome of private companies). Clearclaw's favorite 18xx (according to his rating/comment), and I can see the appeal. My second game hinged fights for insolvent companies (because they'd build up capital via train leasing). I'd like to get a copy ... if nothing else this is a decent 2p game that the TaoLing and I can play.
Shikoku 1889 -- I think I'm kind of done with the 1830 flavor of 18xx. This is shorter and faster, but its just all about being the first to buy in private companies and then rescue your now ailing first company. Fortunately there are plenty of 18xx's still to try. Indifferent (I'd play this, but lobby for a different 18xx).
Eclipse (2nd Edition) -- Very nice form factor, having trays and better boards to mark resources (with built in spots to keep cubes from shifting), and a few rules tweaks/balances. It was nice to play Eclipse again, and I did spot one new rare technology tile in our game (the "Pico Manipulator?" which gives +2 Upgrades -- huge, maybe too good). Still, I own first edition and so I see no need to upgrade. Also, like the idea of the ship upgrades, but even in a small game there's too much ("what type is that").
Merchant of Venus -- The host has a very nice Print and Play (nicer than any other edition, to be sure), which enhances this game. I understand why its a staple, although for me its an "once every year or two" seems fine.
Tichu -- Yes, in response to Bacon. Again, many more people play Tichu daily/weekly/whatever, but I had been ignoring it for too many years, so now it's back in the bag for an "every once in a while" rotation.
Marrakesh -- As a Feld-hater, I expected an overblown point salad nightmare. Which Marrakesh is, but it rises above the the rest (an admittedly low bar) with the weird action system and resource management. I mean, I'm still Indifferent. But it's JASE, not something I really hate. In particular, Marrakesh suffers from big VP goals drawn during the game and they might match with your strategy and score big, or whiff. That's a Pet Peeve I haven't quite figured out a name for yet. (There is some mechanism where you can draw up to six and only score three), but the winner got 54 points from goals and second and third got 30 (and the difference between them was ~5).
Exploding Kittens -- Played at a different house con with a crowd into lighter games. Random but fast, so therefore acceptably Indifferent.
Older games played in the last month, but no new thoughts on -- Quacks of Quedlinburg, Seven Wonders, Caylus Magna Carta, Innovation, Pastiche (Birth of a Masterpiece), Ticket to Ride.
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