Archive for the 'On Location' Category

In Magnificent Style played on the location of the actual combat. The top of the board shows Cemetery Ridge, and the real Cemetery Ridge can be seen at top of the photo.

For a long time, I have been interested in the American Civil War (which is slightly unusual for an Englishman).  I finally realised one long-held goal of mine to visit Gettysburg a couple of weeks ago.  If you’ve read this blog for a while, you’ll know I played Alhambra at the real Alhambra (which prompted a friend to play Carcassonne at Carcassonne) – so I departed for the US armed with a Gettysburg game to play at Gettysburg.  The game in question was ‘In Magnificent Style‘ by Victory Point Games – a single-player game set entirely on Pickett’s Charge – the infamous vast, brutal and final action of the Battle of Gettysburg.

[I want to say a huge thanks to Mark Rivera (Boardgames in Blighty blog) for lending me his copy of the game as I couldn’t get one in time for my trip.  He is currently launching his own game Luchador.]

However, rather than just play the game just anywhere around Gettysburg, I set my sights higher once I saw the battlefield and I actually got to play out Pickett’s Charge on the actual site of Pickett’s Charge!  This is a photo of the game ready to be played on location.  At the top of the board is the Union forces’ position along Cemetery Ridge passing the copse of trees.  In the background of the photo you can see the real Cemetery Ridge and the real copse of trees.  So, I was playing the game whilst sat at the position on the board shown by the top-right square of area 8.

The bottom of the board shows Seminary Ridge from where the Rebels launched their attack which, in the photo, is about 1 mile behind the camera viewpoint which you can clearly see when stood there. Read the rest of this entry »

Fairly soon I will be taking a holiday and visiting a place I’ve wanted to see for some years now: Gettysburg.  (I became interested in the US Civil War after watching the amazing Ken Burns documentary many years ago.)  So, why do I tell you this?  I always like the idea of playing boardgames at the location of the game itself.  If you’ve read this blog for a while, you’ll know I played Alhambra at the real Alhambra (which prompted a friend to play Carcassonne at Carcassonne).

US CIVIL WAR GAMES
It would be great to play a US Civil War game whilst at one of the battlefields but I’m having trouble finding something appropriate.  (I have Guns of Gettysburg but it doesn’t suit solo play at all).  So, can you recommend a good solo-playing US Civil War game?  (or one that plays okay solo even if not designed to)

US GAME SHOPS
Any suggestions of good games shops in Salt Lake City or Denver? (especially ones with games nights to play games at) would be greatly appreciated too.

Any suggestions, greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

James.

A beautiful photo at Carcassonne by Andy (or the demonstration version of Carcassonne has got out of hand)

Following on from my Alhambra at the Alhambra post, just this week my friend Andy visited Carcassonne and he took Carcassonne the game with him.  He didn’t know of my Alhambra visit but, instead, was inspired by my photo of meeple at the world’s highest pass (5,416 m / 17,769 feet).

Here is one of his photos which is an absolutely superb shot.  Is it just me thinking, “I wonder if that city’s actually finished?” and “That’s a lot of players sharing one road.”

You’ll note how Andy has all 5 colours of meeple from Carcassonne in his photo whereas my photo of multiple meeple in the Himalayas only has 4 colours.  The reason for that is that one of the meeple fell down a gap between the stones on the large cairn where I took the photo as I set them up.  I heard it fall way into the 4-foot high pile of stones so I knew he was a goner.  They say never leave a man on the mountain, but he was totally unreachable. Read the rest of this entry »

Playing Alhambra at the Alhambra

Some years ago, I visited the Alhambra in Granada, Spain.  It seemed only right that I took the game Alhambra with me and managed to play a game of Alhambra at the Alhambra itself.  The photo proving this is below – it’s not a beautiful photo to be honest but it’s the only proof photo we took.

Since then I have been wanting to play more games named after a location whilst at the location (especially Escape From Colditz – yeah, not a great game these days but still…)  I missed the opportunity to play Rome in Rome when there a few years ago (rookie error not to have taken that with me) and I didn’t own Pompeii when I went there either.  So, many opportunities (Manhattan, San Francisco, the list is very long…) but I didn’t have the idea when I visited those.

Anyway, it’s a goal I now have.  Thinking of which, I need to borrow a copy of London and get that one done as I’m there all the time.  I haven’t decided where I stand on games with names that include a location – I’m not sure if they count – for example, Letters From Whitechapel if played in Whitechapel, or Looting London played in London.

Have you played a game at its real location?