RebKell's Junkie Boards

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I know you're all just dying to know the details of my trip to Charlottesville and Prezcon, so here goes, as best I remember it. I didn't take many notes this year.

I split the driving over two days, leaving Monday afternoon and finishing Tuesday. I tried a new route, going up US 29 instead of I-77 and I-64. That turned out great, cutting nearly an hour off the trip and giving less interstate time.

When I arrived Tuesday afternoon, the only thing going on was the early Victory in the Pacific rounds. I was tired and not a fan of that game, so I went for a nap. I went back down later looking for some open gaming but struck out. I did get into a poker game with Justin, the tournament director, but didn't last long. That was a portent for the week.

The con proper started Wednesday at noon, and I was faced with a dilemma. Play a long game, History of the World, or several short games. In a stunning reversal from years past, I went for the long game. It turned out to be a strange one; no Persians, no Romans, no Mongols, no Spanish. Come epoch 7 I was stuck. I was lagging but could have made a run with the right power. I drew the Russians, no help to me but potentially a game winner for either of the two that I could have passed it to. I passed them, and the game as it turned out, to Ed Rothenheber. With the absence of most of the large powers, the game finished early enough for me to see the end of the St. Petersburg demo. It looked fun and I had a free time block, so I played the 4:00 heat. I wound up a decent, but distant, second to Arthur Field. I scored in the 80's while he was near 100. At 6:00 it was time for the first heat of McGartlin Motor Sports. This year I brought my own #9 car (formerly Bill Elliott, now Kasey Kahne). I got lousy cards, hurtful in a short race like the heats, and finished 3rd of 6. I might not have even done that well except that Brian Muller ran out of gas by miscouting his lap cards. The game ran long, so I was looking at the 9:00 games and decided on Speed Circuit, a game I hadn't played in years. I guess I was just in a racing mood. I finished 3rd there too, this time out of 8. Late night, no tournaments but a large game of Werewolves of Miller's Hollow, which I quit about 3:00 without ever having been anything but a normal villager.

Thursday morning, I have nothing until 10:00 so I learn Carcassone: Hunters & Gatherers. I like it better than the original Carcassone, which is less praise than you might think. At 10:00 it's Princes of Florence. I win easily, actually building two buildings (alot for me). It was a 4-player game, which is much easier than 5-players. After a break for lunch I try St. Petersburg again, this time I win after gaining the mistress on turn one. It goes quickly, and I can play Air Baron at 2:00. I figure I'll be able to play Settlers of Catan or Union Pacific at 4:00 easily, Air Baron usually goes pretty quick in tournament play, even with 6 players. Four hours later...the game finally ends with Gary Presser winning and me in 4th place. Nearly everyone in the game had chances to win, but the dice were very defense friendly. I don't think anyone had a Fare War run longer than two wins. It was a great, fun game. I take a dinner break, getting redy for more McGartlin at 7:00. This time I get mediocre cards and win the race easily. Three time tournament winner Paul Wischow finishes second and also qualifies for the final. I play Ra at 9:00 and get recruited for a fast game, Bruce Reiff a wants to play Texas Hold 'Em at 10:00. That suits me, I'll get to play Amun-Re. The game goes 45 minutes and I finish second, to the surprise of most of the table. At Amun-Re I am not so fortunate. I play poorly and come in 4th. It's late again, so more Werewolves until sometime between 3:00 and 4:00 then bed.

Friday morning at 9:00 is the semis of St. Petersburg. Again I get the Mistress early and again I win. I hear that Arthur Field scored 133 in his semi, an amazing total for a 4-player game. After that I check in my games for the auction. I had two, Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus and Solotaire. Both eventually sold cheaply, which was OK since they cost me nothing. They're setting up what was hoped to be the world's largest Carcassone game ever, so I volunteer to label pieces (so that they can be returned to their rightful owners afterwards). What can I say, I'm a charitable sort. Somewhere along the way Bruce Reiff informs me that there's a copy of McGartlin Motor Racing in the auction, which I'm excited about. Last year a copy went for $100. 1:00 is Auction, the game, a tournament I won last year. This year I can't get anything going and finish 4th. 3:00 is the second heat of Princes of Florence. It's another 4-player, and I win a close one. Again I build two buildings. The last Puerto Rico heat is at 5:00, so I decide to get in. The scores end up 41-40-39-38. I have the 39. At 7:00, Jon Zug asks me not to play another McGartlin heat since I am already qualified for the final. I play another round of Ra instead, this time winning and again surprising the table. The St. Petersburg final is the last official order of business, and it quickly becomes a two-man race between Arthur Field and Gerald Lientz. At the end I have the option of making a play that won't affect my score but would make the difference between them. I choose not to make it, and Arthur wins. Then it's more Werewolves until 4:00.

Saturday morning I go to the game auction and find that Mike Gartlin himself has brought 9 copies of McGartlin Motor Racing. I figure that will bring the price down some, and it does. They go for about $85 each and I get one. I also snag two extra track decks, a Super Speedway and a Short Track. I stay around and bid on a few more things but don't win any more. It was worth the price of admission to see Bruce belittle people for over-bidding Callie Hood. One felt so guilty that he gave her the game he'd bought (some sort of National Geographic game). At noon I went to play Union Pacific. I even recruited Jon Kwiatowski, even though that meant everyone else was fighting for second in any train game. I wound up a distant 3rd. After that, I go back to the auction for a while, learn two new games (Goa and San Juan), and bomb out in the Ra semis. Mostly, though, I'm just killing time before the McGartlin final at 8:00. In that, I start towards the back. No big deal, 250 laps with a pit is enough to make up anything. I thought this would be my 3rd straight final without finding the Fast Pit card, but as luck would have it I drew it as one of my refill cards when we pitted. It didn't help much, I came out in 10th. At the end, though, I had a chance to win and blew it. Next year remind me to stay disciplined on the last turn, speed rating is more important than drafting at that point. The race was long, about four hours, and being midnight I went looking for more Werewolves. They weren't set up in the Grand and I was really too tired to hunt for them, so I went on to bed. Later I heard that they set up in one of the conference rooms.

Sunday I slept late. The only thing I had scheduled was the Princes of Florence final at noon and the start of the drive home. So, I went through the dealer area, picked up a game called Ideology that looked pretty neat, then got into an open game of St Petersburg with David Hood, Bruce Allen, and Ed Rothenheber. I did poorly, finishing last. The Princes final was a 5-player game, but I played it as if it were a 4-player game and came in 4th.

The trip home was mostly uneventful. However, I caution you not to think too hard about failures at Auto Racing games while driving, unless you can afford the tickets...

_________________
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I ain't got a home