Board Games - 2022/2023

I'll post some pretty pictures soon, but I was wondering today, "Nod, do you play enough board games?"  Generally, my answer is, "No, I don't think I do."  Even when I'm stuck playing solo.  Lately I've been picking up all the Ryan Laukat games [Red Raven games]  I haven't played and learning them so a.] I can teach the wife and kid, and b.] I can host them at Con of the North.  So far, Ancient World and Islebound.  The first is Titans are on the loose and you're trying to coordinate the five tribes in the world to make a safe space. e.g. set collection of five colors. I really like the aspect of the soldiers getting more expensive unless you refresh/retire them and being able to snipe someone else's titan so they can't get the benefit or have to deal with a harder titan.  The latter game - Islebound - is pirates/buccaneers and it suffers a little with two people because you don't end up stepping on each other's toes.  But I like the them, I like the speed at which it ramps up after a few turns, and my wife enjoyed it quite a bit with a mentor, even when she lost.

I know how to play Above and Below, although I need to refresh myself.  And I have an inkling of how to play Near and Far.  Add in Roam, and there are five of his games I can host at a February convention. Laukat also has Sleeping Gods, but I don't own that [yet] and as I understand it, that's a whole other level of board game [it's a bit open world for a typical board game].  Beautiful art.  Everyone says that about his games.  But it's true.  A unique style that ties all his games together.

Anyway, back to the original question, "Do I play enough games?"  I think most people would say 175 plays in a year, regardless of the game/s, is a lot of games. Particularly given my cycling and reading habits and the time I spend working and going to local plays and music.  About every other day, eh?  Definitely some bumps around Gameholecon [just last weekend], Con of the North, and sometimes me getting my mitts on something I was really looking forward to like Obsession or Mists of Carcassonne.  The super light months, despite being cycling months generally, make me a little sad.  I'd much rather game than watch television, even though in the winter my television is synchronous with my cycling on the trainer.  I can tell learning the rules for new games is good for my head.  I function better overall.  It's parallel to learning new tech skills.

I DO need to play with more than my family. Maybe take advantage of those local brewery events and practice mentoring a few games. Aeryn spends a lot of time gaming with the U of MN students and friends.  I haven't really gamed that much with friends in the last year.  If work ships me off on a manager meeting, maybe I have to canvas the managers for gamers.