Last games of the year

 So we're nearly at the Xmas break (1.5 days left at work as I write this... woo hoo!!!) and I don't think there will be any more games till Hogmanay. We're off to Glasgow in a couple of days so certainly no games till we get back.

In the last week or so we've played what will almost certainly be the last games of the year... sadly no photos as I was too engrossed in the games.

Game #1 was an excellent game of Pike and Shotte using Marks lovely 10mm collection. My Covenanters were trying to seize control of a church held by some Royalist dragoons while the main Royalist army was trying to relieve them. Our forces arrived piecemeal over the first few turns and I was pretty sure I'd lost the game after stupidly deciding to try and bring one of my cavalry brigades on over a narrow bridge. The Royalist cavalry were able to get in position and were attacking each unit as it trotted over the bridge in column. Meanwhile the weight of fire from the Royalists was causing havoc with my infantry. Somehow I managed to hang on with the cavalry, eventually turning the tide and routing the opposition horse. I'd driven off the Royalist cavalry on the other flank and my horse were now able to envelope the flanks and ease the pressure on the infantry...at this point the Royalists decided the church wasn't really worth the effort and withdrew. An excellent game and on of those where it could easily have gone either way. I'd messed up my deployment of both the horse and foot and it took a long time to get my forces in order and I was very lucky not to pay the price for it!

The other game by way of contrast was a family boardgame night playing Tokaido.  It's  a lovely nd very gentle game where you are travelling from Kyoto to Edo, stopping off at inns, doing a spot of shopping, painting landscapes and praying at temples on the way.  Points are collected for things like collecting sets of items from the shops, visiting hot baths etc as well as donations and paintings.  It's one of our favourite games (I suspect my wife likes it because it's short!)...as usual I lost! We added a bit of 'flavour' to the game by sampling some of my son's Sake when our characters stopped at an Inn.  I think this could definitely be a good rule to add to boardgames with appropriate drinks for each game... whisky for Isle of Skye, Vodka or Bourbon for Twilight Struggle, Cognac or wine for Carcassone, a shot of Rye for Western Legends or Colt Express and Romulan Ale for Star Trek Ascendancy.  I'm not sure what the equivalent of Romulan Ale is... Special Brew??   I reckon  I'd still  lose but it would be fun!