Memoirs of a Board Gamer

We gathered at Rich's house for the January installment of Analog Game Night. This month we played Fluxx and Mexica. Fluxx is a card game that's extremely simple to start playing but difficult to keep track of when your turn is over. Ken loved the complete lack of randomness of the game and the level of satisfaction one gets from a strong, well thought out strategy.

Mexica is a game of turn angst interspersed with long periods of extreme boredom. The ability to place bridges, canals, Calpulli Tiles, buildings, and your Mexica...at strategic locations of course, make your turn interesting while you're taking it but almost sickeningly tedious to others. I think the best aspect of the game is how the board looks when you're done.

There is a noteworthy item to point out to faithful readers of this blog...you will not see any "Sleepy Rich" pictures this month. This time, Rich was behind the camera. I wonder if his eyes close every time he takes a picture as well as when a picture of him is taken?

	Ken thought this game should be called, "You're Fluxxed" or "Fluxx You!"
	Midgame shot somewhere right before the playing of the "add 10 new rules" and the "Keith wins" Action Card.
	Keith showing his best "turn angst" face. He just can't figure out if he should play the "Chocolate Cookies" Goal Combo, the "Cocaine Dreams" Goal Combo....or maybe use the ol' "Queen of Hearts Keeper Limit, sort through the discard pile for the card you want, and play a random card from the player on your left" Combo.
	Me trying to trying "Karnak" my next play. I was sure the depth of my strategy was going to pay off. Especially given my ability to look ahead 20 to 30 plies. I mean Deep Blue only looks ahead about 40 plies.
	Ken, unfortunately got stuck with the "Play the rest of the game with your tongue sticking out" card. The really funny part came when he tried to drink some more from his Coke. Man, Ken you kill me.... I hope the stains come out of your clothes and the carpet okay. You stuck with it though. I have to give you credit for that.
	I have no idea why Keith is making that face. It might have been right before he won. I remember some sort indignation pose or something but I think it comes off more Piratey. Maybe on the inside, Keith longs to be one of the Piratenbucht swarthy cannon-men.
	Not sure what's going on here. This might have been when Ken was trying to adjust the placement of his wooden stiffy guy. He kept calling it his Mexica but I think we all know what he was talking about...
	About 16.5 hours into it we finally got to halftime. All of us got to let our hair down and yell "Calpulli Tile" 100 times while dancing in a circle before we started the second half.
	This was taken moments after hour 56 when Keith, and I'm not making this up, said he'd lost all interest in the game. What?! After only 56 hours!!! I think he had started to believe Ken was sticking his tongue out at him rather than just in his direction.
	Game End. In order first to last: Ken, Rich, Me, Keith. Note Keith's yellow "Mexica" in the middle of the board doesn't look so stiff any more.