Hey everyone,

The second Saturday of the month is this coming weekend.  As you all know that's when we do Strategy Saturday.  However, for August we are going to attempt to reschedule.  I have relatives visiting for Europe this weekend and Michael and Barry are also committed.

So watch you email (or the Saskgames Forums) for confirmation that of when we will do August's game night.  Hopefully we'll be able to move it just one week back to Aug. 17th, but we'll see.

Allan
(along with Michael and Barry)

Hi everyone,

July's Strategy Saturday is set for this weekend.  Summer is finally here and after this last winter we had, I get it if you're incline to spend your Saturday outside.  But playing a game is always a fun thing and we'll be in a basement - no excessive heat; no rain (if it's raining ^_^); no mosquitoes! And good company.

For the Feature Game I was thinking Railroad Tycoon.  It's an epic (but not too long) replaying of the building up of the railways of eastern America.

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 (and to forward this email).

Hope you'll be there,

Allan
(along with Michael and Barry)

Hi everyone,

First week of June and already a Strategy Saturday is suppose to happen.  It's one of those times that the second Saturday falls so close to the start of the month.  Hope you can still come out even with this less than on time notice.

For the Feature Game, it's going to be simply a favourite of mine - Brass.  It's not a simple game, but it is excellent.  So I guess the month's theme will be 'Favourites'.

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 (and to forward this email).

Hope you'll be there,

Allan
(along with Michael and Barry)

Hi everyone,

So this is a very late notice and if it means that some of you will be unable to attend, that's ok.  My note is late in large part because of the energy expended this pass weekend at the Regina games convention FragCon.  It was a full weekend of gaming goodness and after missing last year's, I thoroughly enjoyed myself.  So to be frank, I'm a little gamed out as I write this and if only a few people come to this weekend's Strategy Saturday, that would be ok (of course lots of people would be better!).

In large part because of all the gaming that I did and because of this late notice, there won't be a specific Feature Game for May.  Instead grab a game off your shelf, review/learn the rules so you're ready to teach it, and bring it down.  Let's see what gems have been collecting dust and really should not have been so neglected.

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 (and to forward this invite).

Hope you'll be there,

Allan
(along with Michael and Barry)

Hi everyone,

Sorry for the later notice, I had intended to send this sooner ... but I was delinquent.  Well, at least I won't get sent for a time-out (I hope! lol).

I don't know how many are aware of this but Regina has an annual gaming convention.  It is called FragCon and it will be happening soon (the weekend of May 3-5).  This convention is a time that people get together and have a weekend of games, some with a bit of more competition and some with a laid-back-have-a-good-time element.  Actually even the 'competitive' games are still pretty laid back.

The convention is put on by a local gaming group, the Flatlands Regional Association of Gamers (FRAG) and there is a fee to cover the conventions expenses.  You can register online and right now if you register by this coming Sunday (May 14th), you can get an early bird discount.  Go and check out FRAG's website and look at the scheduled games and see if this is something that may interest you.  And if you've never been to a convention, have no fear, people are always happy to teach games to new players.  I can say that I'm looking forward to it - it'll be a good weekend.

Our Feature Game this month is going to be a sneak preview of one of the games on the FragCon schedule.  Chris Hefner will be running Merchant of Venus and he has agreed to teach it this Saturday.  So here's a chance to try out a convention game before the event and see if it may be one you'd like to try your hand at come FragCon.

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 (and to forward this email).

Hope you'll be there,

Allan
(along with Michael and Barry)

Hi everyone,

March is here and, man, has it come in like a lion.  Hopefully that means that it'll leave like a lamb. Let's keep our fingers crossed.

I've talked about this in previous years, but I'll do a quick refresher: March is the month that armies would historically prepare for the new season of fighting.  The Romans actually named this month after their god of war, Mars.  So with that in mind, the theme for the Feature Game this month is a wargame.  The game will be 'Shogun'. It's also been released under the name of 'Samurai Swords' and 'Ikusa'.  Shogun is a sister game to Axis & Allies in that both belonged to the same family of games when they were originally released (Milton Bradley's Gamemaster series).

Of course other games will be played as well, not just military type games.

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 (and to forward this email).

Hope you'll be there,

Allan
(along with Michael and Barry)

PS - April 13 will be our next date.  I'd like to feature games that are expected to at the upcoming FragCon Gaming Convention (May 3-5).  If you're moderating a game at FragCon and would be willing to teach it (promote it) at Strategy Saturday, contact me and will make arrangements for you to take up the Feature Game slot.

Hi all,

March's theme is Military for Strategy Saturday.  Does anyone have a hankering for a particular game?  If so, send me your suggestion.  Or if you like you can simply tell me if you'd like to play a particular game from the list below:

Axis & Allies
Shogun (aka Samurai Swords, Ikusa)
History of the World
Risk (original, 2210 A.D., Lord of the Rings)

The games night is 2 weekends (March 9th) away so don't wait to reply if you have a preference.  I'll be making a decision near the end of this week.

And, of course, other games will be played if world domination isn't on your bucket list. 

Allan

Hi everyone,

We're going to be moving Strategy Saturday up a weekend.  So rather than getting together on the second Saturday of February, it will be the 1st Saturday.  So tell anyone you know who may be interested in attending that the games night is moved to February 2.  The reason for this is that initially the church was unavailable due to other planned activities.

February is the month that we now have Family Day so with that in mind the theme of our Feature Game is Introductory Games, games that anyone - gamer and non-gamer alike - can easily enjoy.  As such the game we'll be featuring will be the classic Settlers of Catan.  If you've never had a chance to play this excellent game, be sure to come out and give it a 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 (and to forward this email).

Hope you'll be there,

Allan
(along with Michael and Barry)

PS - Mach 9 - We'll be back to the 2nd Saturday routine and the theme will be "Military" - since March is Mar's month and the season that nations would go to battle.  And as always, if you have a game you'd like to play, let me know.

A heads up: February's Strategy Saturday is going to be moved to to Feb. 2 (the 1st wknd).  The church is unavailable on the 9th as they're celebrating Chinese New Year.

Hi everyone,

Happy New Year!  I hope that the holidays were a time of rest and enjoyment for you all.  My Christmas was pretty laid back; it was nice to have a few days off from work.  So all in all, it was good.

Well it's a new year and a new month and time for the first 2013 edition of Strategy Saturday.  This coming Saturday the theme of our games is 'New2U'.  So if you have a game that is new-to-you (and I'm being pretty loose with what I think is new - anything you've acquired in the last 12 months) bring it out.  For me the game that I'm going to bring is Formula De.  It's not a new game but it is new to my collection.  It's a game in which players seek to race their cars around a track trying to balance speed while still maintaining control.  It's pretty cool.

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 (and to forward this email).

Hope you'll be there,

Allan
(along with Michael and Barry)

PS - February 9 - The theme will be "Introductory / Light Strategy" - think of a game that is good for all ages (eg. Settlers of Catan, Carcasonne, Zooleretto, etc).  And as always, if you have a game you'd like to play, let me know.