A "New Frontier" expansion pass is being rolled out for Civilization VI, with bi-monthly updates from May 2020 through to March 2021. Each update will add one (or two) new civs: this month will add the Maya and Gran Colombia.

There will be some free updates alongside the paid content noted above.

By Ben Moldovan (Shadow1) on Thursday, May 14, 2020 - 07:33 pm: Edit

I have a double question, applies to Fed Command and one other game.

1. I have dry-erase marker that's been on some of my FC cards for a long time - does not erase so easily. Is there any way of getting it off without ruining the cards? A very slightly damp paper towel, for example? Something else?

2. A kind of related question: I have a train game called Empire Builder. It's a normal game board with a surface you can use erasable crayons on. Anyone have any ideas what I can use to get that off without damaging the board?

Thanks,

Ben

By Kosta Michalopoulos (Kosmic) on Thursday, May 14, 2020 - 08:49 pm: Edit

Ben, a damp paper towel should be fine. If that doesn't work, you can use a little rubbing alcohol instead.

By Ben Moldovan (Shadow1) on Thursday, May 14, 2020 - 10:14 pm: Edit

Kosta,

Thanks for your answer. That's for FC, I presume.

Anyone: anybody have any idea how to deal with that erasable crayon?

By Mike Dowd (Mike_Dowd) on Friday, May 15, 2020 - 09:37 am: Edit

Windex also works well on old dry erase marker (with a little elbow grease).

By Douglas Lampert (Dlampert) on Friday, May 15, 2020 - 01:49 pm: Edit

If you can get a new dry-erase marker of the same type as the one that made the original marks, try running it over the marks and then wiping with the cleaner of your choice.

The dry erase marker comes with a solvent mixed in, as the solvent evaporates away, it gets harder to remove. New marker marks have the solvent, and often make it a bit easier to erase the old marks.

May not work for everything, but surprisingly effective IME and makes it a lot easier to remove.

By MarkSHoyle (Bolo) on Friday, May 15, 2020 - 02:07 pm: Edit

Washable, dry-erase etc
I learned long ago, if you leave Blue on acetate (wrapped or page protector) for more than a day, you are normally screwed....

By Ben Moldovan (Shadow1) on Saturday, May 16, 2020 - 08:26 am: Edit

Thanks, all.

Ben

By Mike Grafton (Mike_Grafton) on Saturday, May 16, 2020 - 02:02 pm: Edit

from the internets

How to Remove Dry Erase Markers
Wet half of a cotton cloth with warm water so that the cloth is slightly damp.
Apply a small amount of the hand sanitizer that contains isopropyl alcohol to...
Use the dry half of the cloth frequently while scrubbing the white board to pick up...
Dry the white board with paper towels...

By Alan De Salvio (Alandwork) on Monday, May 18, 2020 - 04:23 pm: Edit

Stellar Horizons by Compass Games - I have it and I recommend it. It covers around 120 years of Solar System exploration beginning in 2030, with systems for robotic exploration, crewed exploration, base establishment and expansion, space-based economy and ultimately terraforming and interstellar capability. Tabletop with excellent component quality. Nice systems for celestial mechanics.

By Nick Blank (Nickgb) on Monday, May 18, 2020 - 10:00 pm: Edit

I received my copy as well. Played about three and a half decades of the solo campaign while learning the rules, 2030 to about 2065. Very enjoyable game, and great production values.

A little disappointed that the ship design system didn't make it in, but it is still a fantastic game without it. Sounds like some version of that might go to an expansion though.

By Daniel Eastland (Democratus) on Tuesday, May 19, 2020 - 08:06 am: Edit

Alan/Nick,

Have either of you played High Frontier by Sierra Madre Games? How does Stellar Horizons compare?

By Alan De Salvio (Alandwork) on Tuesday, May 19, 2020 - 11:54 am: Edit

Don't think so, but it might be in a box somewhere. I will be getting Xtronaut 2.0 soon, however (insert obligatory Nick is also getting it soon comment). If I have to log in at midnight I will post my review of it before Nick.

But seriously, Nick, ship design would be interesting but it seems like a counter problem - what would he do, add another display (I did not kickstart it, I preordered from Compass Games)? Anyway the RE and CV differences are the biggest flavor change between factions, so it seems harmful to the game. Are you playing solitaire with all seven factions?

By Alan De Salvio (Alandwork) on Tuesday, May 19, 2020 - 11:57 am: Edit

I looked at High Frontier - I have not played it. Stellar Horizons is less complicated and looks more elegant. Based on the looks of the HF main board, you will love the celestial mechanics in Stellar Horizons.

By Nick Blank (Nickgb) on Tuesday, May 19, 2020 - 04:11 pm: Edit

I have:

Spacecorp from GMT: Same theme but more of a eurogame/race to locations/victory points. Fun game, and very accessable and easy to learn.

Stellar Horizons from Compass: More detailed than Spacecorp, rulebook is 30-40 pages. Really like it so far.

High Frontier from Sierra Madre: (2nd edition). Much smaller rulebook than Stellar Horizons, but far more mathy and brain burny. Fun if you like that sort of thing (I do). Very unforgiving of mistakes, (spend 15-20 turns planning a mission, only to have it fail because you miscounted/miscalculated by 1 pt, or you rolled a 1 on a hazard die roll).

I enjoy all three, but I might end up liking Stellar Horizons best, as a middle of the road between the quicker playing Spacecorp, or the hardcore High Frontier.

The original plan for ship design in Stellar Horizons had a dozen or so ship displays on the player mats, and you researched individual technologies which got you individual counters for engine types, instrument types, life support, weapons, etc. You put these equipment counters on your player mat to show what each individual ship carried. You designed the crewed vehicles as well as the robotic explorers. It was detailed, and I assume added tons of time to a game. I can see why they scaled it back to pre-generated ships with gradual tech increases built into the tech tree. You can see some of the original player mats at BGG:

PlayerMat

Components

By Nick Blank (Nickgb) on Tuesday, May 19, 2020 - 04:13 pm: Edit

For my first Stellar Horizons game I played solo, the North American faction. I did not play other factions, but for the possibility that their bases can show up as non-player bases that you can trade at or embargo/attack. However, whenever I rolled a location they showed up at places like Pluto that are not valid in the early game, so none showed up during my game.

By Daniel Eastland (Democratus) on Wednesday, May 20, 2020 - 08:41 am: Edit

Thanks for the responses. My game group are fans of High Frontier. More games in that vein are always welcome.

I'll check out Stellar Horizons.

By Alan De Salvio (Alandwork) on Wednesday, May 20, 2020 - 12:50 pm: Edit

Stellar Horizons: My son and I think the other factions make a big difference - mainly in tech discounts, secondarily in competition for base locations (base production becomes dominant in midgame, and you don't want much competition at your base site). After an initial decade or two we restarted with two factions each (and 3 NPF) and we like the tech purchase metagaming, but I think the game is designed for all seven active.

I would like vehicle design (in concept) but I agree with you it would add a lot of complication. It already takes quite a while for us to complete a non-production year, at least early in the decade.

By Gary Carney (Nerroth) on Saturday, May 30, 2020 - 04:32 pm: Edit

XCOM 2 Collection, which includes XCOM 2, four downloadable content packs, plus the War of the Chosen expansion, is now available on Nintendo Switch as of yesterday morning. However, given the large file size needed for the eShop download (even if you buy the physical version of the game), it might be advised to have a microSD card handy.

Also, there is a more character-driven title in the series, XCOM: Chimera Squad, now on PC. No word (yet) on whether or not it will follow XCOM 2 to other platforms, though.

By Scott Moellmer (Goofy) on Saturday, June 13, 2020 - 07:56 pm: Edit

===
Since moving to NoCarol, i am finding a lot of people playing Warhammer and X wing, both of which seem to require a serious up front cost (models, paint, etc).
Not being that rich, I am told that also locally there are many players of Catan and Ticket to Ride.
Pardon my naivete, but are those fun/popular in general? a less expensive option.

By MarkSHoyle (Bolo) on Saturday, June 13, 2020 - 08:10 pm: Edit

Where are you in NC...
Here just SE of Asheville
Most are playing Magic or Clicks....
Warhammer got pretty much ditched because they
continually ban forces to say they updated the game..
Warmachine had a run but that fizzled..
X-Wing never caught on, same with Wings of War...

Friend of mine ran Local Game/Comic shop for a few years at start of the 2010s....
He presented board/tabletop/card games as often as possible, none drew a crowd...

There is an endless list of games of all types and expense, sometimes you find multiple people who like this or that...

By Scott Moellmer (Goofy) on Sunday, June 14, 2020 - 11:21 am: Edit

==
Eastern, in Havelock

By MarkSHoyle (Bolo) on Sunday, June 14, 2020 - 12:11 pm: Edit

Welcome to NC...
Haven't spent much time in the east other than a couple days here and there around Wilmington....

Can't say what the gaming crowd is like out there..

By Jean Sexton Beddow (Jsexton) on Sunday, June 14, 2020 - 01:07 pm: Edit

Scott, it is a bit of a drive, but there was an active gaming group down in the Fayetteville area.

By Mike Grafton (Mike_Grafton) on Sunday, June 14, 2020 - 03:35 pm: Edit

Anyone in Albuquerque?