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May 1, 2018 - I Get By With a Little Help From My Friends
Continuing tradition, the best way to open is with a Beatles quote, which is fitting since I got the White Album on Vinyl for my birthday. But that's not all, April has been a crazy and spectacular month, between some of the gaming we've been doing, launching a Patreon, getting our Spirit Island review up... Lots of stuff going on around here.
But really, we are talking about May. For me, May really starts convention season. What conventions are you going to this year? There's still a chance I might make it to Dice Tower Con, though I'm really not sure what other conventions I'm going to be hitting up. What are your favorite conventions, and which ones do you most want to revisit? Are there any that you absolutely didn't like? Let us know!
Hot Strats
Tips & Tricks for the hottest of games
Anachrony:
Buildings - Dual Purpose: Buildings give you extra actions in the game and score you points at the end. This is the dual function item that improves the engine and scores points - always watch for these in euro games and then maximise them as they are self fulfilling prophecies to win the game.
INIS:
Using The Pass: In your first few games you will want to play the key actions you want to achieve before other's do. You can do this early game, but there are key times in this game where it pays to take the last move. However, if everyone passes then you will need to discard those cards and end the turn (if you have just passed tactically!). Timing when to pass (when others will move) and when to move (when others can't) will be key to winning.
This month's strategy tips were provided by Robert Crowter-Jones of The Elusive Meeple, where you can find his full reviews and strategy breakdowns of Anachrony and Inis, as well as a ton of other games.
Designer Wisdom
Where designer homies of TCbH give you some tips from the pros.
"It's not easy to find gamers willing to play an unfinished (and possibly bad) game and give feedback at the drop of the hat. Find ways to sweeten the deal! A playtest kit with game AND cookies goes a long way."
-Andrew Bosley of Paisley Board Games
https://www.paisleyboardgames.com
Stuff that came to TCbH Last Month
TCbH Interviews
Interviews with creative gamers & game creators
(We didn't get all the updates on TCbH Interviews last month, so here's everything new)
Apr 25 - Samuel Bailey, designer of the now-cancelled Deep
Apr 18 - Nate Zabel of Damage Buff
Apr 11 - Carla Kopp of Weird Giraffe Games (the return!)
Apr 04 - Tony "Bearded Rogue" Miller, designer of Fire in the Library
Mar 28 - Tristan Hall of Hall or Nothing Games & Mark Chaplin, co-designer of Lifeform
Mar 21 - Aron West of Elzra Games makes his return!
TCbH Reviews
Audio versions of our reviews with additional thoughts & commentary
Apr 26 - Carcassonne
Apr 19 - Scythe: The Wind Gambit
Apr 05 - Cyclades
TCbH Hangouts
Friends & Contributors of TCbH hanging out, talking games & creativity
Apr 26 - An Amalgamation of Chris & Jack
Video
Apr 24 - Manaforge Unboxing
Apr 21 - Rook & Record - Star Wars: Imperial Assault
Apr 14 - Spirit Island Branch & Claw Unboxing
Apr 09 - Rook & Record - Ex Libris
Apr 03 - Patreon Launch Video
Apr 02 - Spirit Island - Review
Whats up with us
Games We've Been Playing -
So many games, so little time. In all honesty, recently I've been playing shorter games. My wife is part of the steering committee for a big public project here, and we are often focussing on taking care of our kiddo while the other is working on our various pursuits. That said, much of our gaming has been review related. Manaforge, Flamme Rouge, Planecrafters, and Spirit Island (got a branch & claw review in the works). Still trying to love on the classics too, though, ya know? I'm really eager to get some things like Medici, Kingdom Builder, and Lords of Waterdeep to the table some more soon.
Since we are approaching the halfway point of the year, thought I'd share some game play stats. Here is each game that I've logged 5+ plays in 2018 so far:
Spirit Island - 12
Charterstone - 10
Catacombs Conquest - 8
Flickfleet - 8
Pandemic Legacy: Season 2 - 8
Coup - 7
Elder Sign - 6
Flamme Rouge - 6
Kingdomino - 6
Ethnos - 5
Upcoming Interviews -
-Kwanchai Moriya, artist extraordinaire
-Sam & Gwen of Runaway Parade Games
-Sean Epperson of Thing 12 Games
-Rob "Everything is restoration or legacy" Daviau
Be sure to tweet / email us with any listener questions you want us to tackle on air!
Announcements -
I posted a pilot for a new series Cardboard Craftworks where I do DIY/Crafty projects in the board game space. Kind of an instructional type of thing. Every episode will feature a new project and a game to showcase the project, like this pilot featuring basic organization tools & techniques with Grand Austria Hotel, or hand sewn monster bags for Elder Sign, or 3d printed stands and tokens for Gloomhaven.
This is kind of the first step toward what I wanted to accomplish through the patreon, kind of expanding what our coverage was and could be, through better equipment and access to more resources. Once we get to 20 patrons, I'll begin producing the series regularly and let patrons vote on what the next project is. This, along with all of our other core content, will remain freely available to anyone, though Patrons just get to have extra influence over where it goes and get a special thank you at the end of our videos.
Questions -
What is your ultimate comfort game? Like, imagine your favorite comfort food, except in game form. Tell me why, in what setting, when, whatever!
Parting Thoughts -
Cheyenne Morse, co-host of Fictional Females (a podcast you should be listening to), is my oldest friend. When I was thinking about starting the Cardboard Herald, I was really worried that I'd be rejected by a community for not being funny, thoughtful, whatever. She advised me "Just do it. Keep at it. If you do good stuff and just keep being earnest, the audience will come." I think of that advice several times a week as I keep plugging away on things, and how right she was. Cheyenne has been, and continues to be, the best.
Thanks everyone!