Events Hosted at the Blind Pig in 2016

2016 and a busy year for the Blind Pig, certainly it was for me.  Here is a list of the events that were run in 2016.  This is just to reflect what the club has hosted over the year, if you are interested in running any events at the club then please contact us through the connected message options.

MARCH

Infinity

Daniel - TO

Team Infinity 

1st was John Cook and Clancy Mullbrick

2nd was Clayton Teschward and Josh Tyth

3rd was Alistair Currie and Angus MacDonald

4th was Tristan Stones and Micky Ward

5th was John Yance and Rory Lee Hewitt-Cartwright

6th was Jamie Shirlaw and Michael C

7th was Dan Mac and Mathew Brisbane

APRIL

Kings of War

A Mighty King

Neal B - TO

JULY

Kings of War

King of Razorbacks I

John M - TO

Blog Link to Event Report

AUGUST

40K 2^nd Edition

Razorback Chronos I

John M - TO

Blog Link to Event Report

SEPTEMBER

Kings of War

GJMWT

John M - TO

Blog Link to Event Report

OCTOBER

Infinity

Daniel - TO

OCTOBER

Kings of War

Kings of Brisbane IV

Neal B - TO

Board Games Played at the Blind Pig 2016

Here is a list of the board games played at the Blind Pig for the year 2016, I've compiled it from the clubs entries on facebook.  Hopefully I've not missed any, I've also included the BGG link for those who have any interest in the game.

Awesome Kingdom: Tower of Hateskull

BGG Link

Axis & Allies

BGG Link

Back to the Future

BGG Link

Battle for Armageddon

BGG Link

Betrayal at Calth

BGG Link

Blood Rage

BGG Link

Card of the Dead

BGG Link

Castles of Mad King Ludwig

BGG Link

Citadels

BGG Link

Conquest 40K CCG

BGG Link

Conquest of Nerath

BGG Link

Deathwatch Overkill

BGG Link

Devastation of Indines

BGG Link

Downsize

BGG Link

Eldritch Horror

BGG Link

El Grande

BGG Link

Fury of Dracula

BGG Link

Ghooosts!

BGG Link

Gods Gambit

BGG Link

Kingdom Death

BGG Link

Lanterns

BGG Link

Machi Koro

BGG Link

Nations

BGG Link

Orleans

BGG Link

Pandemic: Reign of Cthulhu

BGG Link

Pandemic Legacy

BGG Link

Scythe

BGG Link

Slaughterball

BGG Link

Splendor

BGG Link

Stormweavers

BGG Link

Suburbia

BGG Link

Twilight Struggle

BGG Link

Valley of the Kings

BGG Link

Welcome to the Dungeon

BGG Link

Xenoshyft

BGG Link

Zombicide Black Plague

BGG Link

Thanks to everyone who has come along to the Blind Pig for 2016 and supported the club by participating in either events or playing some games.  On behalf of the the club I hope that you continue to support the Blind Pig in 2017.

John

Say what you will...

I like to quote this every so often when people keep trying to apply todays social mores on the past.

“Blasphemer! A crime is a crime! There are moral laws that stand above all human society.”
“Oh, no, there aren’t. That’s just the point where your medieval morality breaks down. All laws and ideas are historical and relative, not absolute. They are relevant to their particular time and place; taken out of context they lose their importance.”
Page 55 Deathworld 2. Harry Harrison

Where to find things?

The title?

Yes - it's meant to draw you in and make you read a little further dear reader... did it work?

Well, what is this bit of blog about?  This one is meant to be a generic source for people who want to know where I go when sourcing reviews or "how to" guides for my varied hobbies.  So sit back and be amazed or appalled at my selection.

1. Shut Up & Sit Down
Why have I chosen these people.  Firstly they are English, and their culture is closet to mine, actually as far as I'm concerned they are mine but my citizenship papers say otherwise... but I digress.  They give in my opinion witty and crass reviews without favour, they will offend.  I will generally pick for example a game given an approved status over one given by say the Dice Tower.

YouTube Link - Shut Up & Sit Down

Web Page Link - Shut Up & Sit Down Web Page Link

2. The Dice Tower
OK the second place I will look at, and possibly only because it is prolific is the Dice Tower.  Reviews are on the whole never greatly critical..... though they do happen.  It is however decent in that the site does provide a prolific amount of reviews, and play through.  The site is very family or PG orientated so it will appeal to many.  I find it too dry and clinical.

YouTube Link - The Dice Tower

3. Pair of Dice Paradise
Chaz Marler is animated and entertaining.  Well worth watching, his Top 100 list is certainly worth the watch.

YouTube Link - PairofDice Paradise

4. The Game Boy Geek
Not often looked at these days, very fast spoken.

YouTube Link - GameBoyGeek

5. TableTop - Wil Wheaton
Love him or hate him, and the community is divided (especially those who are competitors in this "industry").  Personally he has done much to breath life in making games appeal to the greater public through his work on Geek & Sundry.  It would appear the latest Season will only appear free for the first couple of episodes then be pay to view, however from what I then hear the content will be free to view after a year?  Again, this is only hearsay to me, through what has been bandied round other sites.  Time will tell.
Back on track though the episode and highly entertaining and breath life into games such that it makes you want to go and try them, if not buy them.

YouTube Link - TableTop

6. Board Game Geek
The source for I guess all things related to games?  I use it to record my game collection.  It's great in that it's also a source for rulebooks, expansions, add-ons (fan made), and a plethora of other sources.  Forums, trading options and such.  It's been my go to site when someone comes to the club with an out of print game.

Web Page Link - Board Game Geek

7. Watch It Played
Well produced and instructional.

YouTube Link - Watch It Played

So there you have it, the above are not exactly in order or priority, well apart from possibly 1 and 2.  I confess that when I jump on the computer each day the first thing I do is see if there is anything new from Shut Up & Sit Down, and sort of suffer a mild case of depression when there isn't.

If you have a favourite site or channel you visit, please share in the comments, I'm always keen to expand my knowledge base.

Things on hold

I haven't posted for a while.
For those that have followed my blog for a while know that I struggle with mental health and I've not been doing well of late.  In August I had a home invasion with the property next door which I was involved with and was threatened by the intruders.  This has not helped, together with other domestic and daily life issues which for me just seem to pile on at the same time.
So I'm taking a break from so many things and looking at why I do what I do?
Why do I collect miniatures, when I haven't painted a figure in months?
Why do I buy board games, when I never have anyone to play them with?
Why do I buy books that I never read?
There was a whole list of why's after the above but it became really whiny and while it seemed therapeutic to me to vent, came across as childish if you the reader read it - so I deleted them.
I still run a facebook group, or more or less it runs itself, I just keep and eye on it.
I still help my local club.
So I'm currently very unhappy, receiving treatment (as usual), and just going to give up the hope of having a gaming life that once got me excited and motivated.  Personally I believe age is an issue now, unless you can keep your own age group of friends, the younger crowd (exclude family) do not seem to be that interested in mixing.  Nursing homes aren't the only places filled with depressed, lonely people.

In Memory of a Friend

It's a strange world of coincidences that we live in.  Just recently I posted a top 10 list of games I played  of which the top 2: Air Force and Battletech I played with my dearest friend Shane S who has sadly been dead for a number of years now.  Just a couple of days ago his son Aidan contacted me, and surprised me firstly by the contact after so long and secondly for the fact he plays games, in particular Battletech.  Both my children have shown no interest in my hobby, though they do play video games, but then most children of this current generation do. So as part of my rambling posts and as a post to remember my friend I'll post my Battletech collection and some of the papers I've found I still have from our past.

'Mech Collection

Many of these I've had since the game first started producing lead miniatures.  I did have the first plastic miniature sets, but I believe these should be with Aidan, if he has kept his fathers collection, as I gave them to Shane at the time.

Battletech Games and Source Books

OK a few non Battletech games on the shelf, but you can see the titles.

Memories with Shane

The original typed (as in on a manual typewriter) Optional SS Rules for Air Force/Dauntless.  I did another set of these on WordPerfect back in the mid/late 80's which was the master set used by others.  I guess I was Shane's Master Typist/Typesetter for the times.

AirWar was another complex (to some) air combat simulation board game.  Our first games of AirWar campaign was set during the Arab-Israeli Wars, then the Falklands.  This was a follow on campaign.

During my search for photo's I found that Shane must have given me my folder of Battletech campaign material.
Memories that cannot be replaced.

Shane of course used any surface (except the game board) to place his cup, hence the coffee stain!

In summing up:

It is a problem when you develop a relationship with a person who is a friend and a mentor, but is also a person by which you set your standard for gaming entertainment.  I've been spoilt by the years I had with Shane in playing games with him, and to this day I have not found one person who has been able to match him in genius for campaign development, creation and detail.  He was a person I was eager to go and play games with whenever I had to chance to, probably much to the chagrin of his wife Cheri, but certainly to the delight of his son Aidan who was still a baby at that stage.  Aidan would sit happily on my lap while I entertained him as his father and I played games.  So back on topic, my problem is I have not found a person to replace Shane, and I doubt I ever will.