The next Settlers of Catan tournament in Perth is at Tactics in London Court @ 10am on Sunday the 19th of December.
Cost is $5
The Game is Basic Settlers of Catan, but with the tournament rules that the Robber Baron is active from the start, and you only have 1 1/2 hours to finish the game, first to 10 points wins.
Prizes depend on how many people turn up. But are always gift vouchers for tactics, with first usually between $30 and $55. (cribbed shamelessly from Mark's posting for October!)
*Sob* I will be in Merredin on the Sunday so I can't go! The first time ever I will have missed a tournament. That leaves Jocelyn as the only person to have gone to every single tournament.
We had some new-comers to the tournement, in the form of Mike, Jane and their father, Steven. In a contrast to last month, this was one of the smallest tournanments, with only 12 players. Despite this, we nearly ran out of time!
Outstanding this month were the two games that nearly ran out of time. The first game on the top table finished with five minutes to go. Mike (senior), Brad, Helen and myself slogged away trying to gather enough resources to buy enough development cards to get points! Brad quickly gained largest army, Helen must have set some sort of record for 'most cards in hand', with 22 at one point, and Mike grabbed victory at the last minute by nabbing longest road, and revealing a single point card, for 11 points!
The last game on the bottom table was even closer, with 1 minute and 18 seconds to go when Leece declared her Largest Army for an 11 point victory. (Leece, in her own words, has found the last two days something of a 'death march', due to lack of sleep. She is, however, certain that she has had fun at some point, but it is all something of a blur!) This last game was hampered by a distinct lack of wheat and sheep. A special mention must go to Jocelyn, who, in the dying minutes of the game, did her best to play as fast as possible, and cost herself victory in doing so. Well done!
Despite the low numbers, it was a good session. Congratulations to Shona and Mike (2nd and 1st places), as well as to Steven (fairest and best), and a special 'Thank-you' to Jason, for running the tournaments throughout the year.
To finish the session off, we had a very quick round of 'Are You a Werewolf?', which was convincingly won by werewolves Mark and Daniel, amidst much laughter. First killed was Jocelyn...
Um... I think it was Myself and Daniel who were Werewolves. Jocelyn was our first victim (which I feel vaguely guilty about in hindsight - Daniel made me do it!). Helen of course got it in the neck as usual because her dear friend Neil fingered her and the Werewolves immediately supported him and got the mob moving with a quick vote.
I was most certainly not the first to point the finger Helen's way! My vote was for Brad initially. Helen believed it was Daniel who pointed the first finger her way and I was simply the first to second the motion.
I must play that game again... and again... and potentially some more following that. Shame it requires so many players as there are often too few...
I'm pleased to have played my second and third games ever on the top table and achieved both my highest score (I think) and highest placing of 4th. Is this the start of great things to come? Or simply a one-off with the next tournament returning me to my mean score of around 80? Only January will tell!
I hope to see the young'uns return to the tournament in January, though hopefully having wised up to the issue of trading with the leader (and placing the robber on their city+settlement 8 ore for that matter =P) - Sorry Leece!
Why are the seven starts only seven? Because they are not eight! Thou wouldst make a great fool nuncle, And thou fool wouldst make a merry king!
Are you a werewolf is great though! We'll definitely take it to GenghisCon. Can you imagine a 15 player game, with the numbers gradually decreasing and the panic increasing expone - expo....expen ... lots!
Exponentially? Hmm... I may just have to go to GenghisCon simply to play 'werewolf' with lots of players. I wonder if I will be slaughtered by the villages again with different people? =) I had my worst Settlers tourney ever with just 56 points, coming in in last place. But everyone has a bad day every once in a while... watch out next tournament! Btw it was Daniel who first pointed to me in "Are you a werewolf?" because I pointed at him, and as a werewolf he pointed his finger straight back at me. I have an instinct for who these werewolves are, but noone believes me! Ah, begging is a wonderful thing.