My official BGG registration date is listed as 2002-12-26. Like most afflicted members, my single game shelf morphed into multiple game shelves on its way to a free standing wooden shelving unit. To think that my collection of 80+ games is puny compared to most reminds me just how pathological this can become. I have several games I’ve never played and in the interest of keeping my collection relevant, I’ve decided to take the plunge into the world of BGG game trading.
BGG supports an active community for traders. BGG software provides the ‘matchmaking’ service allowing me to easily find members that have listed games they want in trade as they relate to games I’ve listed that I wish to trade. Once you find a mutual pair of games to trade, you can send an official trade proposal and if accepted, you each mail the games using the exchanged addresses and that’s that. Like e-Bay, members can leave trader feedback. Since I’ve not traded before and have zero feedback ratings, I thought it would be harder to find a potential trader. While excited about my first trade I am a little nervous. You see, I’m sending one of my precious games off into the void with only trust that the recipient will do the same.
After two rejected proposals and one ‘no response’, I received my first acceptance. My offered title is Hammer of the Scots. At one point, I thought I’d try a block game just to see how they worked. Realistically speaking though, my two-player war gaming opportunities are highly limited and it just wasn’t going to happen. In return, I hope to be receiving a copy of Medina. This out of print title caught my eye years ago but I’ve never had the opportunity to pick up a copy. Medina is a city construction game with tons of wooden bits. By game end, you and your opponents have created a three dimensional city that looks gorgeous. I’ll be sending out my copy of Hammer of the Scots in the mail today and hope to have a successful experience.