Two games of Twilight Imperium! TWO! That’s… a lot! And I have another tenatively scheduled for late April… I might hit that 10 game target this year! Playing with 4 players helps a lot… makes the game whiz by.
The Battletech Campaign continues to be a lot of fun, but my co-op player (Nick) lost his father a few weeks back and has been adjusting to his new reality so no scheduled games yet. And Earthborne Rangers continues to lightly bewilder me… it’s fine, but gosh I don’t get the massive hype cycle around around.
Space Empires continues apace, and I’m actually playing another game of it right now (which will bring me up to 8 total games very soon). The Steam implimentation of it is very, very bad at the moment, and it’s slated for a June release… it’s so bad that, if everyone is having the experience that I’m having, they really shouldn’t have released a demo of it. I love SE4X, and the demo of the video game is so bad that I might skip it. It’s real bad. And my bar is very low!
Oh, and I just got my 40th anniversary edition of Tales of the Arabian Nights… so might get that to the table a few times soon! We’ll have to see!
There are a few expansions I didn’t know came out (another expansion for HEAT, which won’t fit in the box… but I haven’t played HEAT at all this year, soooooo…), and a few on the horizon games that I’m curious about, but don’t have the money for. Ah well. Still hoping to check everything off this list soon!
First time to the table (goal is 1 per month):
Jan - Thunder Road: Vendetta
Feb - Alien: Fate of the Nostromo, Dark Souls: the Card Game
Mar - Castle Panic
Games to replay (twice) from 2025 challenge: The Hobbit: There and Back Again
Hot Streak
Lord of the Rings: Duel for Middle-Earth
Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: Jack the Ripper and West End Adventures
Fortune and Glory
Courtisans
DC Super Heroes United: Batman Hush
Legacy of Yu
Metal Gear Solid: the Board Game - 1/2
Unmatched: The Witcher - Realms Fall
Unmatched: The Witcher - Steel and Silver
Fall of Rome
No progress on replays, but at least staying ahead of my first plays.
March was a lot of Small Fjords: I also managed to the maximum score once!
At the start of the month I played a series of low-bandwidth SI but as the month continued, work once again overtook everything and I didn’t get to play much outside of small tile laying games.
My “a game a day” streak is on-going at 100 days as of yesterday (I have yet to play something today)
BGA plays:
Solo Draft & Write Records: complex Flip and Write I didnt read the rules for
Solo Heat: I forgotten the rules and was too lazy to relearn and… lost badly.
Daybreak & Revive with my friend. The games are very slow because I am too busy to do my moves.
My 10x10 challenge has moved a bit but not much:
I am now at 50/100 played
Naturopolis (10/10)
Beacon Patrol (10/10) +3
Spirit Island 8/10 +6
Cascadia 6/10
Let’s Go To Japan 5/10 +4
Sanctuary 4/10
Hispania 3/10
Red Rising 2/10
Mistborn 1/10
My multiplayer challenge has seen no changes so far.
But I did get to play a big round of 3 player Firefly. So yay!
I doubt the next two months will see a lot of gaming we have about 6 weeks until the big software release (1. Release).
I’m doing great with my BGA-allowed 20x5 (no I’m not feeling very motivated at work - why do you ask?). Less progress with the solo 10x10, which is now a 12x10
April Mini Challenge: Raffle Prizes
Had a most fortunate time at a charity raffle last year. For April, the aim is to play all the prizes, either for the first time , first time with my copy or first time this year .
1. Play your favorite prompt of a previous year. 2. Play your favorite prompt of a previous year. 3. Play your favorite prompt of a previous year. 4. Play your favorite prompt of a previous year. 5. Play your favorite prompt of a previous year.
6. Play a game where the box is unwieldy (too big, weird shape etc.) Xia: Legends of a Drift System played on 2026-01-04 (too darn big) 7. Play a game using a different strategy than usual. 8. Play a game, you mainly bought because of its looks. Faraway played on 2026-01-19 9. Play a game someone else didn’t like. Tavarua played on 2026-01-03 (a passing player turned it down because it had the same designer as Xia) 10. Play a game with a theme, you usually do not find interesting.
11. Play a game with a house rule and explain your house rule. Flash Point: Fire Rescue played on 2026-01-03 (Rather than using the double-sided PoI/victim markers, I put some 3d-printed PoI markers on the board, and draw victims from a bag, because the PoIs from different expansions look quite different. This is almost not even a house rule, but if a special victim is mixed into the bag they might come out the next time a PoI is investigated, rather than having to wait until that counter goes onto the table after another victim is rescued or lost.) 12. Play a game you thought to be too easy and check if your verdict stands 13. Play a game you thought to be too hard and check if your verdict stands 14. Play a game where you beat your high score. 15. Play a game you used to play wrong. Sea Salt & Paper played on 2026-01-02 (I had got the idea that you had to declare as soon as you reached 7 points.)
16. Play a game that hasn’t aged well. 17. Play a game out of a series, but not the best known/rated game 18. Play a game, where you have to calculate the end result. Project L played on 2026-01-03 19. Play a game, where you set the game up differently to the rulebook. 20. Play a game, where gaming time was much shorter or longer than expected.
21. Play a game, you would like to “bling”, but haven’t done yet. 22. Play a game, you do not want to explain. 23. Play a game, trying the solo-variant. 24. Play a game, where you expected something different based on the title. 25. Play a game, you really want to like, but somehow don’t.
26. Play a game you hardly play due to set up time 27. Play a game with a number of players not matching the best player count on BGG VOLT played on 2026-01-03 (with three) 28. Play a game matching the best player count on BGG General Orders: World War II played on 2026-01-02 (yes all right there is no way to play it except with 2) 29. Play a game “in style” even though you might lose 30. Play a game whose cover is totally different in another language
31. Play a game you bought without having read or seen any review. Flip 7 played on 2026-01-03 (I played it, I was enthused). 32. Play a game about gardening or a garden is central. Pergola played on 2026-01-07 33. Play a game with female astronauts.
{Leaving Earth} 34. Play a game about a granny hobby. 35. Play a game about a horse or [with] a horse on the cover.
36. Play a game with “Game” in the title. Firefly: The Game played on 2026-03-13 37. Play a game you were hoping would fit to a prompt but didn’t 38. Play a game about/with debt. 39. Play a game that takes place during harvest season. 40. Play a game that made you feel FOMO.
41. Play a game about an underwater civilization. 42. Play a game that makes you want to travel to Italy. Rossio played on 2026-03-15 43. Play a game about a mob. 44. Play a game with any kind of fruit on the cover. 45. Play a game that features birds. Odin’s Ravens (Second Edition) played on 2026-02-13
46. Play a game set in an ancient civilization. Imperium: Horizons played on 2026-03-12 47. Play a game with a three-syllable word in the title. Ashes (Reborn): Rise of the Phoenixborn played on 2026-01-22 48. Play a game that spans a decade or more (in Game)
{Leaving Earth} 49. Play a game on the 26th of a month. 50. Play a game with a diacritical mark on the cover.
{Arigatō}{Ganz Schön Clever}
51. Play a game with a sweet treat on the cover. Sundae Split played on 2026-04-27 52. Play a game with a crazy premise.
women in board games challenge
1. Play a game made by women only (at least the main designer and one artist must be women ) 2. Play a game that has a woman as a designer 3. Play a game that has a woman as an artist or graphic designer 4. Play a game that has a woman on the publisher team (or self-publisher) 5. Play a game that has a woman on the box Ashes (Reborn): Rise of the Phoenixborn played on 2026-01-22
6. Play a game that has a woman as a character Sentinels of the Multiverse: Definitive Edition played on 2026-02-16 7. Play a game that has a woman illustrated on any component Courtisans played on 2026-01-08 8. Play a game that has a meeple depicting a woman 9. Play a game that has more than one woman with a predominant role (characters or faction leaders for example) Betrayal at House on the Hill played on 2026-02-07 10. Play a game that has only women characters
11. Play a game that reminds you of a woman you know 12. Play a game with a woman from your own family (either physically present or online) 13. Play a game with a woman (either physically present or online) Lost Ruins of Arnak played on 2026-02-23 14. Play a game that has an activity that at least a woman in your family likes (if you are a woman you can include yourself here!) 15. Play a game about a known woman (scientist, singer, etc)
16. Play a game that has a woman with a profession (any) 17. Play a game that has a woman with a profession linked to Agriculture/Environment 18. Play a game that has a woman with a profession linked to Construction 19. Play a game that has a woman with a profession linked to Engineering 20. Play a game that has a woman with a profession linked to Healthcare
21. Play a game that has a woman with a profession linked to Science Steampunk Rally Fusion: Atomic Edition played on 2026-01-02 22. Play a game that has a woman with a profession linked to Technology 23. Play a game that has a woman with a profession linked to Education 24. Play a game that has a woman with a profession linked to Arts/Media 25. Play a game that has a woman with a profession linked to Design
26. Play a game that has a woman with a profession linked to Business/Economy/Finance Furnace played on 2026-03-02 27. Play a game that has a woman with a profession linked to Sales/Service/Hospitality Firefly: The Game played on 2026-03-13 28. Play a game that has a woman with a profession linked to Public Services Flash Point: Fire Rescue played on 2026-01-03 29. Play a game that has a woman with a profession linked to Sports 30. Play a game that has a happy woman
31. Play a game that has a worried/sad woman 32. Play a game that has a confident woman 33. Play a game that has a girl 34. Play a game that has a older woman 35. Play a game while listening to music played/composed/sang by one or more women
36. Play a game that has a Prehistoric woman 37. Play a game that has a Classical woman Imperium: Horizons played on 2026-03-12 38. Play a game that has a Middle Ages woman 39. Play a game that has a Early Modern woman Skull Queen played on 2026-03-12 40. Play a game that has a Modern woman
42. (BONUS II!) Play a game that was gifted to you by a woman <3
Managed to get the 10th game of Space Empires 4X in through BGA. It works pretty well (their Talon implementation is better), but I think I’m done until they finish Space Imperia 4X (the Steam version) because of the lack of expansion content on BGA. The last time I tried the demo they had fixed the worst of the issues (but not all of the issues…). I still think it was a mistake to release the demo in such an unfinished state. Ah well.
Also got a game of Twilight Imperium in with all the bells and whistles. Did quite badly myself, but that’s absolutely okay. It’s fun to try out new stuff each time.
Unfortunately my buddy who I play Battletech with had a death in the family (his father passed away very suddenly and unexpectedly), so no games last month, and I’m checking in with him from time to time to make sure he’s okay (or as okay as possible) without being pushy. I’ve never lost anyone (human) that I was very close to, so I don’t really know what to do, but I’m not in a rush.
Having finished one game from the list, I pushed in Dune Imperium because I really want to get it to the table more often. Other than that I am pouring all my time into work, so I have no idea what the game scene for May will be like.
In other news, played a bunch of Talon with Roger, and the game continues to be pretty good (needs more expansion content and scenarios, like SE4X, but less so), a bunch of Cryptid and Search for Planet X, and that one game of Xia I listed, which was enough to remind me how much I like Xia. Great sandbox game. Very satisfying.
Years ago Green Team Wins was super popular at the game store, but we couldn’t find a copy for love or money… so when it finally came in, I picked up a copy. I look forward to trying it!
I’ve tried Compile a few times now, and I’m not sure I ‘get’ it… but it wasn’t expensive, and I haven’t played it enough for the rules to really flow yet. I am really curious to try it at least a few more times!
First time to the table (goal is 1 per month):
Jan - Thunder Road: Vendetta
Feb - Alien: Fate of the Nostromo, Dark Souls: the Card Game
Mar - Castle Panic
Apr - Unmatched Adventures: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Games to replay (twice) from 2025 challenge: The Hobbit: There and Back Again
Hot Streak
Lord of the Rings: Duel for Middle-Earth
Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: Jack the Ripper and West End Adventures
Fortune and Glory
Courtisans
DC Super Heroes United: Batman Hush
Legacy of Yu
Metal Gear Solid: the Board Game - 1/2
Unmatched: The Witcher - Realms Fall
Unmatched: The Witcher - Steel and Silver
Fall of Rome
Still no further progress on replays, I just haven’t really had time in the evenings for solo play lately.
A little progress on the solo games with Trailblazer. I’ve also been playing a few tournaments on BGA and being thoroughly thrashed at Innovation by @Benkyo and @lalunaverde
Not a lot happened this month. Well we did have that Easter game day with our friends.
But I was mostly trying to just keep my streak going. Work was… very meh but getting better. Still I anticipate May being even more difficult to find time for games.
This was March:
In April, I am up from 50/100 to 58/100 played on the solo challenge
Just 8 games of Red Rising added. That is it. But those were good games.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring – Trick-Taking Game
5
[7/10]
Turing Machine
-
[6/10]
Flash Point: Fire Rescue
2
[5/10]
PBF games
Beacon Patrol
4
[4/10]
Tag Team
-
[4/10]
Illiterati
-
[3/10]
Race to the Raft
-
[3/10]
Ark Nova
-
[2/10]
Compile: Main 1
-
[2/10]
Harmonies
-
[2/10]
Motor City
-
[2/10]
A Nice Cuppa
-
[2/10]
Paranormal
-
[2/10]
Regicide
-
[2/10]
Trucking along nicely.
Monthly Mini Challenge
April Mini Challenge: Play raffle winnings
Game
Plays
Status
Beacon Patrol
4
Survival of the Fattest
1
Steam Up: A Feast of Dim Sum
1
Imperial Settlers: Roll and Write
-
Good stuff.
May Mini Challenge: Two Too Many Bones
Learn and play 20 Strong: Too Many Bones and standard Too Many Bones. I’m hoping the 20 Strong version is like TINYforming Mars in that learning that first will help with learning the original.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring – Trick-Taking Game
-
[7/10]
Turing Machine
-
[6/10]
20 Strong: Too Many Bones
4
[4/10]
Beacon Patrol
-
[4/10]
Tag Team
-
[4/10]
Flash Point: Fire Rescue
-
[5/10]
PBF games
Illiterati
-
[3/10]
Race to the Raft
-
[3/10]
A small amount of progress this month, and at 57% completion overall, so well on track.
Monthly Mini Challenge
May Mini Challenge: Two Too Many Bones
Game
Learn
Play
20 Strong: Too Many Bones
4
Too Many Bones
1
Success!
Suspect the 20 Strong version is not for me. So far, I haven’t found it particularly interesting and seems like fairly random chances of winning or losing. While they are almost the same game, for some reason base 20 Strong (Solar Sentinels) feels more fun and a bit less to do with luck.
June Mini Challenge: Consolidation
Have played 18 different games in the monthly mini challenges so far this year. This month’s challenge is to try and play 'em all again.
(10/10)
, first time with my copy 
or first time this year 
.
1. Play your favorite prompt of a previous year.
6. Play a game where the box is unwieldy (too big, weird shape etc.)
