March 2026 Gaming Roundup Part 1

Gaming roundup, life, the universe, and everything

Well March hasn’t gotten off to a great start.

Not gaming on a Tuesday has had an impact for sure. Who knows if that will start up again.

Subastral: an interesting quick set collection game. It was ok, I was left a bit cold about our first play, despite winning. I don’t think I was feeling much more positive about it after the second game.

Root: once again Jeff managed to snatch victory from within my grubby mitts. We used the expert setup to select our factions. We used the Exiles and Partisans deck, and the Landmarks expansion (selected the Tower because I thought it would encourage more conflict!)

Viticulture: basically an all in game using the Bordeaux board, expert workers, and the structures modules. I think it’s taken as read we were using the Visit from the Rhine Valley decks. I won by a point. This was the first time ever playing with the structures modules. And during this game I was the only one drawing the structure cards. I actually liked this module.

Tokaido: yeah I’m really glad that the reprint by Stonemaier games was the excuse needed to get this to the table on what is proving to be a regular basis.

New Arrivals

  • Heat Tunnel Vision
  • Heat Rocky Road
  • Heat Heavy Rain

Road to UKGE 2026 #2

life, the universe, and everything, UKGE

Finally!

At long last the NEC is allowing visitors to prebook their parking ticket for the expo.

Unlike the expo itself there is a benefit of prebooking. You save money. Granted it’s about a fiver. But still that’s better than nothing.

I had planned to go for the express parking that is nearer to the halls of the NEC, and guarantees you a parking spot. But at £84 for three days compared to £27. I found it very hard to justify the huge increase for the sake of a bit of convenience.

Besides the bus service is pretty good from the halls to the car parks, and not very long waits between buses.

So I went with the cheaper option. Besides get there earlier enough you can get reasonably close and use the E1 car park. But you need to be there damn early.

Operation A Dog Named Sue! #6

#littlemonsters, #livefromperu

The foster family bought Ace a new bed. So they shared some new photos of Ace in his new bed (see below).

I’m in two minds about sharing the latest raw photos of Ace’s paw without the bandage. They are not pretty to look at.

But it’s really nice that his foster family, and the rescue home are keeping those of us in the UK up to date with his progress.

A couple of photos of Diogo snuggling up to me

Operation A Dog Named Sue! #5

#littlemonsters

Here is the latest update on Ace.

It would appear that Ace is with what I think can best be described as a foster home while he recovers.

Anyway this is the latest:

“The girl spent all day yesterday buying the antibiotics, the other medicines, and the medicated and adhesive bandages to do the daily dressings.

On Saturday he will have to return to the veterinarian for his checkup. The doctor wants to see how Aces is progressing with his paw. He is very loving, like any young dog, and very playful. Tomorrow the girl who takes care of him will also go buy his bed, blankets, and more bandages to continue with his daily wound care.”

Back garden brew

Brew kit, Camping/hiking gear, Cooksets

Yesterday morning while waiting for some homemade sausage rolls to cook I decided to play with a brew kit I put together and make a coffee.

For early February it was rather pleasant with the sun out, and barely a breeze.

The brew kit I had put together uses a Camping Moon pear shaped canvas mini bag (purchased off that AliExpress place) to hold everything. Well almost the mug (in this case a Kupilka 21 classic cup) is external.

Inside is a Trangia 27 aluminium kettle, which is 600ml capacity if I remember correctly.

Trangia with a preheater attached, and a cross stand. Trangia Aluminium Kettle 27.
Trangia triangle with a pan stand,
Kupilka 21 Classic Cup

Inside the kettle is the Trangia stove itself and a preheater attached to it. Plus some sachets of coffee, whitener, and sugar.

In the bottom of the case is stored a Trangia Triangle and an official pan stand plus a cross stand.

This is a nice relatively compact brew kit, granted the cup is external, and it needs a folding spork/spoon adding. Which will easily fit inside. Plus fuel not in the Trangia is also stored external. Which I prefer.

I used my ferro rod to ignite the Trangia. Typical it was at this moment that a slight breeze decided to make itself known. Although the meths ignited the breeze however slight was enough to blow out the flame.

After four attempts with the same result I was beginning to regret using the cross stand over the triangle. But fifth time the charm.

The breeze had disappeared.

Even though this wasn’t the peace and quiet of the middle of nowhere or a woods. It still had a restful affect. The change of pace. The break from routine. The waiting for the water to boil.

Sometimes you just need to slow down.

LiveFromPeru Part 11

#littlemonsters, #livefromperu

Yesterday Diogo and I had our initial consultation with the dog trainer/behaviourist.

Part of the consultation saw Diogo going out for a walk, much to Dolly’s disgust. The intent of the walk was to allow the dog trainer to see how Diogo reacted towards other dogs.

Obviously getting ready for the walk allowed the dog trainer to see how Diogo reacts, and his excitement that is vocalised as barking.

We headed off to Tillery Park. A five minute walk.

Back as a teenager when we lived in Princess Road, Tillery Park was literally opposite the house. It was where each day I used to walk our dogs Timmy (a jack russell) and Rex (mostly lab). Back then there used to be a fallen tree in the middle of the park. A tree as an even younger kid, like many others, used to be climbed all over.

When we got to the park there were people present on the benches. But alas no dogs.

We didn’t see a dog until near the end of our circuit of the park. Diogo reacted with his usual response of barking.

Having not seen another dog until that point, we saw another three or more on the way home.

The trainer confirmed my assessment of Diogo getting excited at the start of the walk, and that he was pretty good on the lead.

The barking at other dogs she thought was more to do with frustration that Diogo couldn’t just run up at them. Which is what he would do back in Peru living on the streets.

It was a positive that not only would Diogo respond/get distracted by food, especially in his excited state.

Back at the house the trainer went over the structure of the sessions. Two of the five will be in a paddock with another dog to teach us both how to handle the situation.

The rest will be indoor training. Which will see us working on the vocal excitement.

The trainer did recommend that Diogo and I take part in one or two of her socialising dog walks that she holds. And I will do that. But Dolly will be on those too. I saw on Facebook that they take place in places like Hunstanton beach or Shouldham Warren. The latter Dolly and I are familiar with.

Our first session should be at the end of the month once the trainer is back from her holiday.

Welsh Cakes and EPiC

life, the universe, and everything, still alive

Sunday was St David’s Day. Which saw me doing something in my fifty seven years I have never done.

I made Welsh cakes.

Ok technically not a true Welsh cake because I used raisins, blue berries, sour cherries, and cranberries.

I also didn’t use a cookie cutter to get the perfect round Welsh cake.

My hand shaped Welsh cakes

I will say for what is technically just five ingredients (I used the recipe off the Welsh tourist board site) these were a lot simpler to make than I had imagined. The hardest (not really) bit was the rubbing of the butter into the flour.

If I do say so, and I may be biased, they were rather nice. They are like a thinner scone. Mum and I had some for dessert, I had a couple for breakfast the next morning. And mum must of liked them because she two had a couple for her breakfast too.

I think these will be made again soon.

Yesterday saw me experience EPiC aka Elvis Presley in Concert at my local cinema The Luxe.

EPiC is basically newly found and restored footage of Elvis from his two live movies Elvis on Tour, and That’s The Way It Is. Plus I think they used a newly discovered interview with Elvis to narrate the footage.

The much in demand film poster advertising the movie

I think That’s The Way It Is was one of the movies from that all night tribute showing I went to in 1977 after the death of Elvis.

As an Elvis fan I loved it. It captures Elvis and the phenomenon he was live.

I read the guardian review of EPiC and they bemoan that the film glossed over and failed to hold Elvis to account. But I feel they miss the point of this movie. I think the reviewer has a point if applying those comments to the directors biopic from a couple of years back (which was awesome). Although I would argue against a couple of the points because I feel they are not valid. However this movie is about the restored live footage. The performances.

Yes there were moments that water gathered in my eyes.

But still an amazing film bringing to life once more the magic of Elvis live.

I’m actually back at the cinema for another movie later in the week. If things go my way I will have the cinema to myself to see a sci-fi, comedy, Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die.

Not bad for a week

Battletech, Battletech Alpha Strike, painting

So in the space of about a week I have painted the lance (four mechs) in the BattleTech Inner Sphere Fire Lance, the thirteen mechs that come in the BattleTech Alpha Strike box set, a mech from the BattleTech Beginner Box, and a mech and ground support vehicle BattleTech Mercenaries Box Set. There are three more mechs drying off before the bases are done to make them complete.

The remaining mechs and vehicles for the Mercenaries box set have been primed and started the paint process.

Obviously I still have four more box sets to paint up and a support vehicles pack. Plus the nine blind gothic boosters.

Next box set to go through the process is the BattleTech Aces Scouring Sands box set, and a single gothic booster.

The gothic booster is to test an idea for a gothic colour scheme I have in mind. I have a plate armour gray primer coming. Which obviously will be the underlying colour of my gothic mechs.

Bgstats for February 2026 AND Gaming round up for later half of month

bgstat, by the numbers, Gaming roundup, gaming stats, stats

Thought I’d combine the two posts this month.

So let’s start with a look at the games I played in the second half of the month.

Viticulture: I really do like the Bordeaux board. This time we added in the special workers expansion. It’s not a big addition and makes the decision when training a new worker a little bit more interesting. I think I can take or leave this expansion. It’s not essential.

Rebel Princess: ‘nuff said. We know how I feel about this game.

Euphoria: with the Essential edition coming out later in the year (I think April/May time) I wanted to try the game first. Luckily Charlene had the game. I rather liked it. So yes when the Essential edition is released I’ll pick a copy up.

Innovation Ultimate: we played with the Unseen and Cities expansions. Which is the maximum number of expansions you can play with at one time, and the two easiest ones. Once we got over the hurdle of the rules for the two expansions, the game with them was a lot of fun. It felt like there was a lot more take that going on. Which was needed to prevent a run away winner.

Heat Pedal to the Metal: Really liked this card driven race game. It’s a car version of Flamme Rouge. Which I enjoyed also when I played it years ago.

Scout: such a great card game in such a small box.

The Stats

Looking at the overall stats for the month the numbers aren’t the best. You can see the impact of not playing on a Tuesday has.

New Arrivals

  • BattleTech Initiative Deck
  • Battlefield Support Deck Revised
  • BattleTech Aces Scouring Sands box sets
  • Rome & Roll Character expansion
  • Rome & Roll Character expansion 2
  • Rome & Roll Gladiator expansion