Animal House

Sam’s kitchen table, at eight o’clock, was already groaning under the weight of three nature parks. I arrived to find Sam, Katy and Ian playing Caldera Park, with Mel watching. Sam assured us that they were almost finished. During scoring, Ian had some big scoring animals but Katy’s consistency across all groups gave her a surprise win.

Katy 153

Ian 147

Sam 139

Ian described Caldera Park as Kingdomino crossed with Take It Easy, and Sam said it was growing on him.

Next we stayed in a natural setting, this time hiking, cycling or kayaking through woodland in Trailblazers. 

It was new to Mel, so she got a quick rules explanation. I listened in since I’d only played it once and then I spent my game trying to complete the hardest end-of-game bonus despite it scoring only 6 points. And I almost did it, just one card short of having two loops around two camps. Katy really wanted a bison, Sam admitted to sacrificing some animals, Mel asked a last-minute rules clarification and Ian was tired.

Katy 78

Mel 70

Sam 64

Andrew 34

Ian 28

After this, we chose something a bit less thinky and Mlem was brought to the table. Mel admired the roll-out board made from something like wetsuit material. She was taught the rules and we were off into space! Commander Ian must have still been tired, since his first rocket exploded on the first space. Katy, too, had teething problems with her space program, suffering two early catastrophes.

No one got even close to deep space, with Sam and Mel fighting over the same planet, having both commited their x2 Planet cat to the same place. 

Sam placed his cats quickly and was on his last cat while Katy still had five. I managed to get the 4-moon bonus on the last roll of the dice and I also got a very cheap six points by colonising the lowest planet with a bonus while everyone else ignored it.

Andrew 25

Sam 23

Mel 16

Katy 11

Ian 8

Mel left at this point and the four of us ploughed into the night with Misfits. I was exploiting my newly-acquired unemployed status to stay until the end for a change. Misfits is a game that defies explanation, with a whole host of “you have to be there” moments.

I was first to use all my pieces. Sam also used his last piece on the same round, but refused the title of joint winner.

Then we played Little Tavern. More dickish moves, as Katy couldn’t resist events which inevitably made her the poorest player. Something she mentioned whenever someone else had to give money to another player for an event. In round two we started reading out each character's little quote in the style of their race. Possibly offensive but luckily there were no elves, nobles, witches etc to witness this.

Ian 26

Katy 23

Andrew 22

Sam 22

Then we played So Clover. Sam had finished his clover by the time I’d come back from the toilet. But then we floundered on everyone’s clover except Ian’s. Only 16 out of 24 so we went again.

This time I was first but got hit by a bad decoy. My clue of Kabblammm!!! went better with Strong/explosion instead of the correct Physical/explosion. Everyone else went clear, despite controversy over Katy’s clue of “Apple” for “Heavy/Pear”. Immediately after we’d solved her clover, Sam went to get an apple and a pear and it was clear that pears are actually heavier than apples.

And hats off to Ian’s clue of “Any” for “Port/Storm”. Poetic.

22 out of 24.

And we were done. Thanks all. There’s a chance of a new venue next week, so let’s hope I’m still unemployed so I have enough time to get there and back.