Game: Rajas of the Ganges Date: July 18, 2023 Impression: A worker placement game where you also use dice as resources. Play centers around a main board but each player also builded a little village with Carcassonne-esque tiles. I enjoyed it and would play again. Design Thoughts: I'm intrigued by dice as resources, what about it as a central shared resource?

Game: Scout Date: June 16, 2023 Impression: I can see the appeal, a simple card game but with depth and tension.You have to play better sets of cards or draw a cards, aiming to empty your hand. Theme is pastes on but with high quality. Design Thoughts: I still can't get my head around trick taking games, the decision space here is more about what you pick up, but picking up is a bad thing. It doesn't help that I did terribly in the 4 rounds I played...

Game: Irish Gauge Date: June 15, 2023 Impression: A simpler economic train again, auctioning to buy shares in jointly owned rail lines and extending the rail network. Periodic dividends are issues with some randomness. I liked it, boils things down well and didn't suffer the problems I saw with Ride the Rails. Design Thoughts: The dividend bag and how it pays out is a great mechanic, particularly the ability to alter it by developing cities. For the early turns it really wasn't clear what players should do. Starting an auction had limited benefit if you didn't have the most money, could be a design weakness there in terms of player in last place.

Game: Ark Nova Date: June 8, 2023 Impression: Reminiscent of Terraforming Mars but with an action selection system and Zoo theme. Captures its theme well and has some very interesting systems. The deck of cards is felt too large at 250 leading to a lot of randomness, and dragged a little towards the end. Will see how it fairs with a second play. Design Thoughts: The action selection system, and upgrading of it was very engaging. The end game condition where two your tracks cross is intriguing but leads to weird negative scoring.

Game: A Very Civil Game of Whist Date: May 27, 2023 Impression: A self published trick taking game set in the English civil war. Each round you play tricks to won cards that you use to try and win the war. Straightforward for trick taking and I enjoyed it, though not really sure what I think of trick taking personally, not sure I quite get the strategy of them.