I can’t quite seem to help myself with new games. Carnevale has periodically caught my eye a couple of times. I finally took the plunge.
Magi-Rashaar
The 2-player starter is a pretty good value, with a big pile of cardboard buildings, 1×1 foot tiles for a board, and a decent size start for each faction.
Rashaar starter creatures
The models in the starter are all one-piece, which is great for ease of use. But some, like the Raadru in the middle here, suffer pretty badly in the limitations of one piece. It would be great to get him as more than just a big ol lump of resin.
Rashaar starter slaves
And then there are the slaves, which can feed themselves to the monsters for some extra health.
Freeblades is a game that I’ve always seen in the distance at Adepticon, but for whatever reason never gave it a try. This year, I finally got a demo in, and when I saw they had Romans riding dinos I had no choice.
Keshark
Like Relicblade, the game feels a bit like a D&D party vs party game, but as miniatures.
Legionnaire
Unlike Relicblade, which abstracts a bunch of the details, Freeblades goes all in on detail. There are rules for countercharge and then resolving where you meet for example.
Packmaster
That level of detail makes it hard to play just once in a while.
Sunbringer
One interesting mechanic is a DCC-style dice chain, where the better you are at something the larger the die you get to roll. Modifiers can change the die size, too.
When traveling I stop in at local game shops if I can find the time. It can be a nice break from whatever else is going on, and it’s always interesting to see what products are stocked where. In San Diego, I visited Bards & Cards, a lovely urban shop. These skeletons caught my fancy.
Drunken Skeletons
They’re probably too busy to bother you when you come aboard their dread pirate ship. Or maybe you distracted them with drink. Either way, now’s the time to make a break for the hold.
