Blog Archives
Unnameable
After the first day of SDHistCon, where I played three games about opium peddling, I figured the second would be easier on my stomach. I could not have been more wrong.
It has no name. Its designer doesn’t want to be credited. Of all the many board games I’ve played, it’s the one that left me the most shaken.
“You are four senior Nazi officials,” our Teacher tells us. His hands are trembling. His mouth quirks between solemnity and something like an apologetic smile. “And you are conducting the Final Solution.”
EXTREME CONTENT AND SPOILER WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT FROM THIS POINT. PROCEED ONLY AT YOUR OWN RISK.
SDHist 2025: Day of Copium
This past weekend, I attended SDHistCon in San Diego, the most interesting board gaming convention currently running. Here are the official snapshots: the Summit Award went to War Story: Occupied France, the Bobby Nunes Memorial Award went to Amabel Holland’s video on the preservation of Kurt Vonnegut’s GHQ — thankfully beating out some doofus piece by yours truly — and I spent Saturday dealing drugs to unsuspecting victims.
In board games, mother. In board games.
SDHistCon 2023
Apart from one local con, I haven’t attended a convention in years. They’re uniquely wearying, like swimming freestyle in a petri dish. So when a friend mentioned they would be attending SDHistCon, an annual historical gaming convention in San Diego, and wouldn’t mind splitting a room, I declined. Then Harold Buchanan, the con runner and designer of Liberty or Death, mentioned that he would like me to participate in a pair of panels, and would reimburse me some small amount. I declined again. It took pressure from two further acquaintances before I booked the flight.
I’m glad I did. SDHistCon was the most enjoyable convention I’ve attended by a mile. What follows are the eight highlights of the show.
SPACE-BIFF! 