Hi all,

It's a new month and that means another edition of Strategy Saturday.  Usually we have the games night on the second Saturday of the month but we're going to tentatively change that to the third Saturday for September.  The reason for the change is that on the second Saturday Michael will be out of town, Barry's daughter is getting married, and it's almost a certainty that I'll be busy harvesting at work.  Hopefully, there won't be any conflicting schedules that will prevent us from getting together a week later.

As for the Feature Game, I haven't settled on one yet (since my schedule is bit unpredictable) but I do have some possibilities.  It would be great though if someone else had a game they wanted to play and would be willing to teach.  Contact me if you're interested.  In any event hopefully I'll be able to announce the Feature Game next week.

We'll be in the basement of Argyle Road Baptist Church (3510 Argyle Rd) from 7pm to midnight.  As usual we'll have our snack counter open so feel free to contribute a drink or something to munch on.  And feel free to bring along friends.

Hope you'll be there,

Allan
(along with Michael and Barry)

Hi everyone,

The second weekend of August is upon us and that means another edition of Strategy Saturday.  It has been a hot summer and I'm sure that you have all appreciated the weather.  What it does mean for me is that harvest will begin this week so I in all likelihood will not be able to attend.  But never fear, the games night will be going on in any event.  It just means that I haven't a Feature Game lined up for August (if any of you who plan to be there have a game they'd like to play, contact me and we may still be able to have a last minute substitute).

We'll be in the basement of Argyle Road Baptist Church (3510 Argyle Rd) from 7pm to midnight.  As usual we'll have our snack counter open so feel free to contribute a drink or something to munch on.  And feel free to bring along friends.

Hope you'll be there,

Allan
(along with Michael and Barry)

Hi everyone,

Summer is finally here.  So far, so good with the weather.  Spent the Canada Day weekend at the the lake with my immediate family and managed to get a slight sunburn.  Lots of fun.  And now I'm heading out to BC for a family reunion.  I really looking forward to it.  I'll be a great time.

So because of my trip to BC, we're going to reschedule July's Strategy Saturday to the 16th.  So to be clear we'll be getting together on the third weekend in July.  The feature game will be Pandemic.  It's a different game than most in that it is a cooperative game in which all the players are working together to cure 4 pandemics that are breaking out in the world.  This truly is an all for one, one for all game.  Either everyone wins, or everyone loses.

We'll be in the basement of Argyle Road Baptist Church (3510 Argyle Rd) from 7pm to midnight.  As usual we'll have our snack counter open so feel free to contribute a drink or something to munch on.  And feel free to bring along friends.

Hope you'll be there,

Allan
(along with Michael and Barry)

Hi everyone,

June is here and so is summer ... maybe.  As I write this email the day has been beautiful - warm, blue skies, a refreshing breeze.  So we've had one day of summer, only 8 more left.  Well, I hope I'm wrong and we actually do have a summer this year in spite of the wet spring.  In any event the second Saturday of June will be next weekend and we'll be having the Strategy Saturday games night.

Our Feature Game will be ... uh, I'm not sure.  Because of the wet spring I may or may not be down in Torquay seeding.  I just don't know if I'll be able to attend.  Since that is the case if someone wants to feature a game of their own contact me with your offer.  Otherwise, just come down and play whatever people have going.  Or better yet post below which game your going to bring or would like to try.

We'll be in the basement of Argyle Road Baptist Church (3510 Argyle Rd) from 7pm to midnight.  As usual we'll have our snack counter open so feel free to contribute a drink or something to munch on.  And feel free to bring along friends.

Hope you'll be there,

Allan
(along with Michael and Barry)

Hi everyone,

So as you would know from my late email last week, Strategy Saturday has been moved to this coming weekend.  Unfortunately is doesn't look like I personally will be able to attend (we're seeding at work - way too long hours but that's how it goes).  However nothing else really changes.  It will be the same as always minus me.

Well actually there will be one small change.  Barry will be taking on the Feature Game and he'll be starting it at 8pm.  He has three card games that people can choose from:

    * Mag Blast (first edition)

    * Yin Yang

    * Fantasy Wizard (the English version of the German published edition of Wizard)

The one that piques the most interest will be the one he teaches (of course you could probable persuade him to teach the others later as well).  You can check for reviews of these games on boardgamegeek.com.

We'll be in the basement of Argyle Road Baptist Church (3510 Argyle Rd) from 7pm to midnight.  As usual we'll have our snack counter open so feel free to contribute a drink or something to munch on.  And feel free to bring along friends.

If you're planning to attend why not post below and let people know.  You can mention any games that you're planning to bring so that others have a chance to reply and join in.

Hope you'll be there,

Allan
(along with Michael and Barry)

Hi everyone,

Winter, winter go away.  Come again another day!!  Man, it's taking a long time for the snow to leave.  It's like we're all getting a collective April Fool's Joke that winter is not going to end.  Well, whether the snow stays or goes, this weekend is Strategy Saturday.

Our Feature Game this for March will be Risk: The Lord of the Rings Trilogy Edition.  Growing up, Risk was the game that hooked me on board games.  This version of Risk has a great map and some interesting twists that allows players to recreate their version of Tolkien's epic saga.

We'll be in the basement of Argyle Road Baptist Church (3510 Argyle Rd) from 7pm to midnight.  As usual we'll have our snack counter open so feel free to contribute a drink or something to munch on.  And feel free to bring along friends.

If you're planning to attend why not post below and let people know.  You can mention any games that you're planning to bring so that others have a chance to reply and join in.

Hope to see you there,

Allan
(along with Michael and Barry)

PS - If you have a game you'd like to see featured, either one you own or maybe one you've heard of but haven't been able to try, contact me and we'll see what we can do to host it at Strategy Saturday.

Hi everyone,

March is here and like many of you my thoughts are turning to spring.  I can't wait to shed the layers I've been wearing all winter.  What I can wait for is all the snow that will be melting.  I have way too much snow on my yard.  Hopefully it'll melt OK and drain away into the storm sewers and not my basement.

Our Feature Game this for March will be hosted by Dwayne Wright.  He'll be introducing Age of Industry.  This is the sequel to Brass (the best game I own!) but it has been reworked, and while it shares many similarities with Brass, Age of Industry is a more flexible and easier to get into.  If you've never tried Brass but were curious, Age of Industry will be a great opportunity to try many of the concepts shared in both games.  And if you've played Brass previously, you now have a chance to see another take on that great theme.

We'll be in the basement of Argyle Road Baptist Church (3510 Argyle Rd) from 7pm to midnight.  As usual we'll have our snack counter open so feel free to contribute a drink or something to munch on.  And feel free to bring along friends.

If you're planning to attend why not post below and let people know.  You can mention any games that you're planning to bring so that others have a chance to reply and join in.

Hope to see you there,

Allan
(along with Michael and Barry)

PS - If you have a game you'd like to see featured, either one you own or maybe one you've heard of but haven't been able to try, contact me and we'll see what we can do to host it at Strategy Saturday.

Hi everyone,

I hope that you all take note of the subject line.  Yes, Strategy Saturday will be pushed back a weekend this February.  The basement at the church won't be available for the 2nd weekend so we'll be moving the games night to the 3rd Saturday, February 19th.

Stu Glennie has agreed to present the Feature Game this month.  The game will be The Three Musketeers: The Queen's Pendants.  In this game the players take the role of the musketeers and move trough the castle to find the queen and return her the jewels.  One player takes up the role of Richelieu and the guards. It's his task to find which musketeer is carrying the jewels and defeat him.  It's a cooperative (mostly): one for all, all against one.  Some come at 7pm and get in on this game before it fills up.

We'll be in the basement of Argyle Road Baptist Church (3510 Argyle Rd) from 7pm to midnight.  As usual we'll have our snack counter open so feel free to contribute a drink or something to munch on.  And feel free to bring along friends.

Also feel free to post here to say that your planning to attend if you'd like to play a particular game.  Hopefully you may be able to pre-arrange that game with some others.

Hope to see you there,

Allan

Happy New Year all,

Welcome to 2011.  I hope you've all had a great holiday.  For me it has been a nice break of being with family and friends but now the New Year is here and it's back to reality - work and bills ... and Strategy Saturday!  Already the second weekend of the month is rushing in on us and it's time for January's games night.

If you have a game you'd like to teach others (maybe a Christmas gift, eh?) feel free to contact me and we'll see when it would work for you to do the Feature Game in the near future.

This month the Feature Game is In the Shadow of the Emperor.  It's game set in the late middle ages of Germany.  Players are seeking to establish dynastic families that will vie for control of the various political entities of the Holy Roman Empire with ultimate prize of sitting on the empire's throne.  This is a very cool game that has nobles and knights, princesses and bishops, political marriages and births, aging and death, all influencing the final outcome.

We'll be in the basement of Argyle Road Baptist Church (3510 Argyle Rd).  As usual we'll have our snack counter open so feel free to contribute a drink or something to munch on.  And feel free to bring along friends.

Feel free to use this thread to say if you're planning to attend and try and pre-arrange a game with others.

Hope to see you there,

Allan

Hey everyone,

For me, last week was very busy and writing the notification for December's Strategy Saturday kept slipping my mind.  So I told myself that I needed to get it out by Sunday.  Well, big surprise, I got a little distracted on Sunday and it was late when I remembered that I still needed to write my post.  I think that you can all sympathize that at that point of the day my mood was not up for it.  So here we are today writing up a late notification (all though, to be fair and to let myself off the hook a bit, I had given you all a heads up last month when this next Strategy Saturday was taking place).

Since it is the Christmas season, Strategy Saturday will be the first weekend this month (yes, I too, need to get shopping!).  So come out this December 4th at 7pm.  We'll be in the basement of Argyle Road Baptist Church (3510 Argyle Rd).  As usual we'll have our snack counter open so feel free to contribute a drink or something to munch on.  And feel free to bring along friends.

The feature game this month will be 'Clippers', a game of establishing sailing/trading routes in the South Pacific during the age of the clipper sailing ships.  You can check it out at http://www.geekdo.com/boardgame/3128/clippers.

Also if you are planning to attend this weekend, consider posting on this thread.  You may even want to tell of a game that you're going to bring and see if there are others who may be interested in playing it as well.
Hope to see you there,

Allan
(along with Michael and Barry)