May 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, May 17, 2008.
Here are the details.

A point-based table-top tactical wargame in which units are represented by cards instead of a collection of figures or models. During play you will have a limited number of Command Actions each turn. These Command Actions represent what you can do as a general. You can spend them to change a unit䴜s orders or take direct control of a unit for a turn, rally routed units, draw cards that can provide small combat bonuses or to use your special army ability.
Open to all, rules to be explained to any that would like to learn how to play. Armies can and will be provided to those that need it as well. If you are interested, e-mail me at grendel@grendelkitty.com and let me know so I can start putting things together in preparation.
Follow this link to the BoardGameGeek entry for Battleground: Fantasy Warfare which includes reviews, pictures, player aids, rules, etc..

D'Jahi sultan of the consuming desert, has invited the champions to his palace. His reason is two fold first is his recent problem with desert bandits, and to join in celebration of his daughter's 21th birthday. You have been called to eat drink and discuss disembowling evil, will you answer the call.
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 Master 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: FCSGL pre-gen character, dice, minis, PHB and relevant books. New players should bring an 17th level character.

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 king is dead. Lords once loyal to him realize if they steal the taxes that were just collected they too may become king!! Each player will command his own retinue of troops and try to take the keep where the taxes are being held. Ally with the player next to you or wipe him out and move on. Only one Lord can take the treasury. Hack and slash your way to it!
Using Tactica Skirmish rules - Game mechanics are simple

In Kingsburg players are Lords sent from the King to administrate frontier territories. Collecting resources, build structures, training troops, and fighting invaders. The resources to build structures and train troops are collected by influencing the advisers in the King's Council. Players place their influence dice on members of the Council. Each adviser on the King's Council will award different resources or allocate soldiers, victory points, and other advantages to the player that was able to influence him/her for the current turn.
At the end of five years the player that better developed his assigned territory and most pleased the King through the Council is the winner. Many alternate strategies are possible to win.
Follow this link to the BoardGameGeek entry for Kingsburg which includes reviews, pictures, and rules of the game.

The game is set in a future where nations are warring over the dwindling supplies of oil in offshore oilfields. The players will be a squadron of hi tech, heavily armed gliders staging a night time raid on a well defended enemy oilfield. The goal is to blow up as many oil derricks and defenses as possible with the bombs, missiles and rockets you've loaded onto your gliders. Try not to get shot down by the anti-aircraft guns or set on fire by the enemy's Glider-Killers. Rules will be taught.

A game of political intrigue set in the Soviet Politburo. Players secretly influence politicians, using them to exile other players politicians to Siberia, promote their own, or wheel and deal. The player who successfully gets their controlled Party Chief to wave 3 times at the May Day parade wins the game.
Follow this link to the BoardGameGeek entry for Kremlin which includes reviews, pictures, rules, and other playing aids.

by Judy 'jr' Rudolph and Phineas Walsh.
The Green Man of Geoff has returned. The Nethernight has been destroyed, allowing the Linth lands their slow process of recovery. External threats nullified, the Archdruidess of the Sheldomar Valley, Reynard Yargrove turns her full attention to finding a way to close the portals in the Dreadwood. . Four keys. Four tribes. Four seasons. Four turns. Soon, the planar rifts will become permanent, forever turning the primordial forest into a pseudonatural planescape. Time is running out. An ancient enemy gathers its army in anticipation. Will you do your part to stop them? A Keoland Regional investigative Dreadwood adventure for APLS 4-10 in the Forests series and a sequel to KEOIS6-01 Forest of Iron, KEO6-02 Forest of Ribbons, and KEO6-07 Forest of Scales. Heroes are encouraged; mercenaries stay home. Large creatures may experience difficulty in this module. Note: This module counts as Reporting for Duty for Dreadwalkers, Dreadwalker Reservists, and Shadowdark PCs.
Signups available here to let the tables form ahead of time and ensure better party balance.

by Judy 'jr' Rudolph and Phineas Walsh.
Four Seasons. Four Keys. Four Turns. For Nothing! Perhaps you can save Reynard Yargrove, Archruidess of the Sheldomar by going to Obad-Hai's realm. A regional Keoland adventure for APL 6-12
Signups available here to let the tables form ahead of time and ensure better party balance.

by Dave Guerrieri.
Baron Malweig of Dilwych requests your assistance, asking you to venture forth to an ancient dangerous site, breech its defenses, and find weapons for use in the coming battles. A Keoland Regional adventure for APLs 4-12.
Signups available here to let the tables form ahead of time and ensure better party balance.

A thousand years ago, fleeing the destruction of the Twin Cataclysms, twelve Suel tribes migrated east through what became known as Slerotin's Pass. Three remained in the Sheldomar Valley: the Rhola and their Lizhal allies, the Neheli and their Linth allies, the Lerara.... and their Malhel masters. A thousand years in the Far Realms may have altered the physical form of the Malhel, but their motive remains the same; it's time to Rejoin the Empire. The finale of the Forest series [KEOIS5-04 Forest of Iron, KEO6-02 Forest of Ribbons, KEO6-07 Forest of Scales, KEO7-08 Forest of Caverns, KEO8-01 Forest of the Outlands] for APLs 8-16.
Signups available here to let the tables form ahead of time and ensure better party balance.

by Dave Kayserman.
A powerful force is on the verge of being released into the Sheldomar, and you have been called upon to prevent it. The mission seems simple enough: infiltrate an impregnable fortress and rub elbows with some of the most powerful villains in the Sheldomar. Will you have the jewels to handle it? A two-round, role-playing intensive, Sheldomar Valley meta-regional espionage adventure for APLs 6-12. Note: This adventure will be of particular interest to rogues, charismatic PCs, and members of the Dreadwalkers meta-org. Player Note: Players with exotic cohorts or animal companions may not be able to bring them along for the majority of the adventure. Players of Centaur or other non-humanoid PCs may find themselves at a disadvantage in this adventure.
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.

Swap Meet Tables

If you've got merchandise you'd like to sell, please consider renting a table or three at our Game-a-thon.

This is meant to be more of a Swap Meet / Garage Sale atmosphere, and not really intended for full merchant setups.

Each attendee can rent a maximum of three tables. The first costs $2, two cost $10, and three cost $20. As you can see, the price structure encourages individuals to rent few tables. We will have a maximum of eight tables available at each Game-a-thon.

Each table is (2.5' x 2.5'); a standard card table. Some of them are kinda old and thus not very sturdy. Please keep this in mind when planning what you'll bring for sale.

You can reserve your table(s) ahead of time by using the online registration form. You will see the prices repeated there. Please list your table request in the 'Comments' field. Please also note that you have to pay the Game-a-thon registration in addition to the table rental fee.

You can also rent tables on a walk-in basis, but please remember we'll have no more than eight available for the day; first come, first served.

We suggest that you use our Forum discussion boards to announce what you will/might bring. We suggest posting in the "What's happening this week" category where the Game-a-thons are announced.

(Here's our secret agenda... Not only do we want to help you get rid of gaming stuff you're not using, but we'd also like to see this generate some more walk-in traffic.)

Questions or Comments?

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.