March Game-a-thon

The SWA sponsors eleven one-day Game-a-thons each year. We schedule these every month (January through September, November and December). October is reserved for Council of Five Nations. We usually shoot for the second Saturday of the month, but we're flexible in consideration of Studio availability and other regional conventions. We generally have 6-10 events, scheduled into two time slots (11am-4pm, 5pm-10pm+). We can easily accomodate games that run longer than a five-hour slot. You only pay for the games you play in. No registrations fees at the door, and no badges. GMs don't pay, and they play for free in the session they're not running.

Our next scheduled Game-a-thon is Saturday, March 8, 2008.
Here are the details.

A very nervous scribe stands at the door holding an old prophecy scroll and asking for an audience with the Prime Bishop. He has been asked to wait his turn, but all he does is keep repeating "oh, !#@, oh !$#, oh *!!!!".
More information at http://www.firstduty.com/add/league/events.php.
This event will follow the guidelines for the FCS Gaming League. It is rated at Epic level and players may bring their pre-generated teams. If you are new to Edition 3.5, we will review the rules as we go. You DO NOT need to be a member of the FCS Gaming League to participate in this event.
what2bring: New players should bring a 23rd level character. All characters MUST be complete and ready to go by game time. The description for any uncommon feats, items, or spells MUST be supplied to the GM. All players should bring dice and books.

Ah, December in New York City. The snow is falling, drivers are flipping each other off, and everyone is just plain rude. Just another normal month in New York City. Even paranormal activity seems to be down, making it feel more ordinary than ever. So why do you have the nagging feeling that something is terribly wrong?
No experience with this rule system required - rules will be taught. Novice roleplayers welcome. Knowledge of the Ghostbusters movies and/or Real Ghostbusters cartoon series may be helpful, but is not required. Contains cartoon violence and cultural references that may be obscure for younger gamers, but is otherwise suitable for preteens, teens, and adults.
Follow these links to the Wikipedia entry for Ghostbusters RPG and a review of the game at the RPGnet entry for Ghostbusters RPG.

The battered remnants of a Romanian battalion is trapped behind enemy lines and under heavy fire. Can they be rescued or will they perish at the hands of the Russians?

With elegantly simple game play, Ticket to Ride can be learned in 3 minutes, while providing players with intense strategic and tactical decisions every turn. Players collect cards of various types of train cars they then use to claim railway routes. The longer the routes, the more points they earn. Additional points come to those who fulfill Destination Tickets 䴋 goal cards that connect distant cities; and to the player who builds the longest continuous route.

The original version will be played, followed by the London Underground version. It plays like the Ticket to Ride: Europe edition, so anybody familiar with that or the original will feel right at home.

Follow this link to the BoardGameGeek entry for Ticket to Ride: Europe which includes reviews, pictures and playing aids.

Many of you enjoyed Ben's Conan game at previous SWA events. This is your chance to continue the adventure. No experience necessary. Characters provided for those who need them.

Carcassonne will be played and then Manhattan will be played.

Carcassonne is a light tile-laying game that has proved exceedingly popular with many expansions and spinoffs. In it, players take turns drawing a random tile and placing it adjacent to an already placed tile. If a new object - like a city, road or a monastery - is created, the player may place one of their control markers on the tile to indicate their control. Alternately, the player may place the marker in the pasture on the tile as a farmer. Markers often do not immediately score points when first placed, but rather when other tiles are later connected to it. As subsequent tiles are arrayed on the board, objects get bigger or even merge. Once certain objects are completed, like roads and cities, or the monastery is surrounded, then the controlling player scores points and their marker is returned to them.

Manhattan is a short, tense game, where players build skyscrapers in New York, with the exact building locations limited by the cards in their hands. Although everyone can contribute to the construction of a skyscraper, only the player who built its top floor can claim ownership. And ownership is important, because at the end of each round every skyscraper you own contributes to your point total, as does owning the most in a single area, and even owning the tallest one!

Follow these links to the BoardGameGeek entry for Carcassonne and the BoardGameGeek entry for Manhattan.

This classic game of the Fantasy Monster Slugathon is a standby from the Avalon Hill of yor. The game is divided into two realms, the masterboard and the battleboards. On the masterboard, legions of mythical creatures roam about trying to recruit bigger and badder monsters and kill opposing legions in the process. When a combat occurs, the space is 'blown-up' by moving the action to the corresponding battleboard type. After lots of dice are tossed, the victor is returned to the masterboard with the spoils of war: points. The Titan is the player's alter-ego, and the Titans' fate and the players' fate are one and the same.
The GM will be using his "Deluxe" board. Creatures are on poker chips and the boards are enlarged.
Follow this link to the BoardGameGeek entry for Titan which includes reviews, pictures, rules and other playing aids and strategy articles.

Here I Stand
Mike Haggett - GM
1517 campaign start
5-6 Players

Each of the six main powers in the game have a unique path to victory. Take on your opponents in the first card-driven game to prominently feature secret deal-making. A true six-sided diplomatic struggle, the game places a heavy emphasis on successful alliance-building through negotiations that occur away from the table during the pre-turn Diplomacy Phase. Set during the period in which Niccolo Machiavelli published his masterpiece "The Prince", backstabbing is always possible, especially because the card deck is loaded with event and response cards that can be played by any power to disrupt the plans of the powers in the lead.
Follow this link to the BoardGameGeek entry for Here I Stand which includes reviews, pictures, playing aids and rules as well as links to errata and FAQ, the designer's and the publisher's websites.

Adventurers have long been called on to go find interesting places, meet interesting people... and make sure they stop moving. There's a chimera on the cover, it can't be boring, right?
This is an adaptable adventure for Fantastic Locations: Fields of Ruin to Living Greyhawk, for APL8 characters.
Signups available here to let the tables form ahead of time and ensure better party balance.

Neophyte adventurers have long flocked to the City of Greyhawk to seek fame and fortune. This year, however, is different; intrigue and the reawakening of a site of legend, provide the brave and the lucky with plenty of opportunities for glory (or ignominy). It is a shame that murder is the catalyst for rivals to come together in a time of need. This is a four-part adventure which may have each of its parts played once, with separate ARs. Aramis Series (Core Introduction) (Any/All parts) APL2 only (technically 4 parts, runnable as a single slot) A noble in the Free City of Greyhawk has need of adventurers to help him bring something long hidden to light.
Signups available here to let the tables form ahead of time and ensure better party balance.

A new dawn has arrived in the early morning on Oerth. What adventures await the unsuspecting? New adventurers arrive every day to the Gem of the Flanaess seeking riches or to just take in the wonder that is Greyhawk City. Will this day be no different or will adventure find you?
Signups available here to let the tables form ahead of time and ensure better party balance.

While some of the landscape of the Domain of Greyhawk has changed, the squabbling and power struggle of nobles has not. Ancient papers have been found and translated, papers that many would kill to have in their possession. With the knowledge now within their grasp two men rise above others to retrieve what they believe is rightfully theirs. Today is the day where a choice must be made that will change the fate of many.
Signups available here to let the tables form ahead of time and ensure better party balance.

Recovering the red pearl has stirred many factions into action. Unfortunately with the instability of the region as it is the Greyhawk militia does not have time to hear such fanciful tales as 䴝lost rituals䴜 and the like. Aramis has been betrayed by his own men and they now have the rest of the ritual items. Will you stick your neck on the line again and be able to break through their defenses? Only one way to find out.
Signups available here to let the tables form ahead of time and ensure better party balance.

The pieces are back in Aramis' hands and the only thing left to do is set them in play. Aramis is ready for his dreams to come true and relies on friends to help him see it through. The ritual is about to happen, will it be for the good of Greyhawk or be yet another disaster in the Domain of Greyhawk's long-storied history.
Signups available here to let the tables form ahead of time and ensure better party balance.

Location

As usual, this Game-a-thon will be held at the Studio of Bridge and Games, in Schenectady, NY. If you need directions, you can click here, or send an email to: mailto:directions@swa-gaming.org An automatic reply will immediately be sent to you with detailed directions.

The number at the Studio is: (518) 346-3773

Session Fees

Show up and play one game session = $4.00

Show up and play both game sessions = $6.00
GMs play all day for free.

Full-time students get in for free. For our purposes, "full-time students" are people in Kindergarten through college. Our intent here is to help allow younger games/"new blood" to participate at SWA events, and the gaming hobby in general.
The student discount does not cover working adults who happen to be taking a Continuing Education class. Please help us fulfill the spirit and intent of this policy.

Registration

Our Game-a-thons have generally been pretty casual events; people stroll in and sign up for the event of their choice on-the-spot. Lately, however, attendance has been increasing and more events are filling to maximum and beyond.

If you would like to greatly increase your chance of getting into the game of your choice, you can now formally pre-register online. Payments will be handled through PayPal. If you do not have a PayPal account, you can still pay with your credit card.

Online pre-registration is not required. You can still just stroll in and get into a game. But pre-registering is now an option for those who want to take advantage of it.

Follow this link to go to the online registration page. We'll sign you up, but your spot's not guaranteed until we get your payment.

Events at Future Game-a-thons

If you'd like to run a game at a future Game-a-thon, please click here to submit your event online.

You can also email us at your convenience.

You can even call Bill and tell him about your event over the phone - we're flexible!

If you'd like to see a particular game run at a future event, let us know by filling in a Game Request Form here.