the art of shopping.

Runewars

2012-01-27T19:51:00.005Z

Introduction/Theme
Runewars is an epic fantasy wargame and is re-implementing Battlemist, one of the earliest Fantasy Flight games. This conflict game is much more than a wargame though, covering adventure aspects (heros, quests, treasures,...) as well as area/resource management aspects. The game is set in Terrinoth (!), the same universe used for Runebound and Descent.

Components
The design is stunning and supports the theme and storyline of the game in a great way. The box is extra-large and even if the available space is not used to the max, it is full of tiles for building the map (in 3D!!), cards, markers and nearly 200 beautiful plastic miniatures. Even if Runewars is not one of the simplest games, but the full-color rules booklet makes it quite easy to understand what the game is about.

Gameplay
Four races are part of Runewars and the main goal is to find valuable Dragon Runes. The game lasts six years, each year consisting of four seasons. In each season you have to plan in advance which orders (that are fixed when given once) you want to issue - to decide what should be done (recruit, harvest, fight,...). Combat is resolved by an interesting and simple mechanism, done only by cards. The main focus is on area/resource management, concentrating on your armies and your empire. Nevertheless you need to take care of heros and quests, which is not only fun but also quite important. How you finally set your priorities is up to you, it is great that different approaches can lead to victory.

Conclusion
Although the game is quite deep sometime, it balances the different aspects of the game mechanics in a great way and the downtime is pretty low. The replay value is high as each race has its individual strengths and weaknesses and as the landscape tiles form a different map each game. The well-known designer Corey Konieczka (Starcraft, Middle Earth Quest) has again done a brilliant job.

From the producer: "RuneWars is an epic board game of diplomacy, combat, and quests for two to four players. Designed by Corey Konieczka, RuneWars pits players against each other in a strategic game of battles and area control, where they must gather resources, raise armies, and lay siege to heavily fortified cities.

RuneWars includes over two hundred beautifully rendered cards and as many tokens, as well as nearly two hundred finely-detailed plastic miniatures, but perhaps most exciting are the modular hexagonal map pieces. Featuring stunning three-dimensional mountain terrain, these map pieces ensure that no two games are ever the same!

RuneWars takes place in the same popular fantasy universe as the best-selling board games Runebound and Descent: Journeys in the Dark, and dozens of fan-favorite heroes and monsters play their part. The wars for the dragon runes are beginning, and only one faction will emerge victorious. What would you do to claim the ultimate power?"

2-4 players, 180 min
author: corey konieczka
published by: fantasy flight games, heidelberger spieleverlag
category: fantasy, adventure, miniatures

runewars @ boardgamegeek.com
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LEGO King's Castle

2011-12-08T10:25:00.006Z

If your kids (and/or you!) are into knights and castles you should have a look at the new LEGO King's Castle, which is part of the great LEGO Kingdoms series. It comes with eight figures (Knight + four soldiers, Dragon Knight + two soldiers), which ensures enough "material" for roleplay-fights between good and evil.

The castle has to be defended against the dangerous Dragon Knights, who are aiming to steal the valuable treasure chest - hidden deeply in the castle. But how will they manage to get over the wind-up front gate? And the catapults might stop them as well from intruding... so it's likely that they will be caught and end-up in the prison chamber.

As known and expected from LEGO the castle set is a high quality product with lots of parts for the castle itself, as well as different accessory parts are included. The castle can be well combined with other products of the fine LEGO Kingdoms series, as well as all other (maybe older) LEGO knights you might already have at home.

Especially in these cold winter days it's a lot of fun to build castles with your children, take different roles and prepare for defending or attacking the castle. And when you are done with the first attack, of course you have to change sides... ;-)

From the Manufacturer: Once upon a time, the King ruled the land and all was good - until the day the Dragon Knight army attacked. Now the valiant King and his soldiers prepare to defend the castle. The catapults are armed, the drawbridge is up and the gate is locked - will the King be victorious? Set includes eight minifigures, wind-up gate and drawbridge and lots of castle accessories.

Contains pieces: 933

Includes 8 minifigures: King and 4 soldiers, 1 Dragon Knight and 2 Dragon Knight soldiers.

3 catapults, King's throne, treasure chest and white horse. Wind-up the castle gate to keep the Dragon knights out! Castle measures 11 inch (27cm) high

Producer: LEGO

You can buy this great Castle online (see link above) or at your favorite toy shop!
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Sherlock

2011-10-09T19:29:00.003Z

"Sherlock" is a new TV series which is based on the well-known characters Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson - but is transferred to our time. The stories (criminal cases) are exciting, deep, modern and develop quick. Also the filming fits the setting and the episodes come with impressive pictures of London and with adequate timing of the cuts. Highly recommendable - the series also got lots of good critics!

The first season contains three episodes, the DVD/Bluray package comes as usual with bonus material and also with an unaired pilot. At the moment season 2 is in production and should be available sometime 2012.

From the producer: Co-created by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, Sherlock stars Benedict Cumberbatch as the new Sherlock Holmes and Martin Freeman as his loyal friend, Doctor John Watson. Rupert Graves plays Inspector Lestrade.

The iconic details from Conan Doyle's original books remain – they live at the same address of 221b Baker Street, have the same names and, somewhere out there, Moriarty is waiting for them.

Steven Moffat says: "Conan Doyle's stories were never about frock coats and gas light; they're about brilliant detection, dreadful villains and blood-curdling crimes – and frankly, to hell with the crinoline. Other detectives have cases, Sherlock Holmes has adventures, and that's what matters."

Studio: Polyband
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Mountains of Madness (Cthulhu RPG)

2011-07-03T18:15:00.005Z

"Mountains of Madness" is an outstanding and epic campaign in the Cthulhu RPG universe. It has been translated, overworked and extended in cooperation with Charles Engang (the author of the original US version). The publisher Pegasus Press did again a great job in providing a high quality hardcover product - with an exciting storyline, good handouts and great artwork.

The Mountains of Madness are located in the Antarctic, and 1931 an expedition failed to discover them. It is told that the participants either died or went insane... Two years later another team (=YOU) starts with the goal to reach the Mountains of Madness and to reveal its secrets - which you can tell are deeply Cthulhu and endangering the whole world.

In the first book the expedition starts in New York, preparing for the big journey. But soon a saboteur is discovered, who seems to be part of a mysterious, second expedition? Which also heads to the Antarctic? Also the long journey on the ship bears lots of difficulties, not to speak of finally arriving in the Antarctic...

I'm really looking forward to the second book (out of three), which will be hopefully mentioned here soon.

Call of Cthulhu is a horror fiction role-playing game based on H. P. Lovecraft's story of the same name and the associated Cthulhu Mythos. [Wikipedia]

publisher: pegasus spiele (germany)

buy online @ pegasusshop.de

Hotel Daniel

2011-06-25T18:28:00.008Z

SMART LUXURY AT A FAIR PRICE.

Facts
- affordable Design Hotel in Graz (Styria/Austria)
- near railwaystation and the historic old town
- large public "loft"-area, espresso bar
- 101 guestrooms
- vespa or bikeboard for 15 € per day

Design
Influenced by the 1950s, the berlin designer Werner Aisslinger arranged very functional small rooms, which are modern and offer smart luxury. For young, dynamic travellers a wardrobe is not essential, so you'll find clothes rails. The bathroom is small but elegant, and well integrated in the room. A long bench, upholstered with blue or green felt, invites to read a book or surf in the internet. In the "loft -area" you'll find classics like the Eames Lounge Chair or other Vitra Chairs, and the dishes are based on the typical austrian 1950ies Lilienporzellan "Daisy".

Around
Near the main railwaystation of Graz the Hotel Daniel is very easy to reach. 2003 Graz was cultural capital of europe. So there are a lot of cultural spots to visit. The Kunsthaus shows contemporary art, you can visit the "Grazer Uhrturm" at the "Schloßberg" or the beautifull historic old town and many other highlights.

Conclusion
If you appreciate modern and elegant accomodation, you should book Hotel Daniel on your next trip to Graz. You will like the rooms as well as the service and the ambiente, and also the substantial and delicious breakfast (great espresso included) will exceed your expectations. And all of this for a more than fair and competitive price. Enjoy!

Graz’s Design and Lifestyle Hotel Daniel was awarded the ‘Hotelimmobilie 2006’, Europe’s highest accolade for hotels, on October 25, 2006. This marks the first time that an Austrian hotel has ever received the award. ‘Budget and design is what we call our strategic marketing approach, which enables young people to enjoy attractive design and trendy interiors. Modern lifestyle hotels will only have a future if they’re smart, chic, and above all affordable,’ explained Florian Weitzer

Our maxim is really very simple and is made to fit an innovative, contemporary approach to travel: at the Daniel, which incidentally enjoys a perfect location in Graz, the modern traveller finds everything he or she needs to stay fast and flexible. But nothing which will prevent or restrict their mobility. You could call it well thought-out, focussed streamlining. But we prefer to call it “Smart Luxury” – it somehow sounds better.

This is an approach which influences everything that we do. And everything we don’t, for that matter. “Smart Luxury” decides everything which you find in the Hotel Daniel. Together with our good taste and flair for style, it also decides the Daniel’s image, which is dominated by a timeless aesthetic. And we would like to think that in this respect, we really are sitting pretty. 107 rooms, with features which aren’t just in step with your needs, but rather a few steps ahead. A lobby where you can relax, meet, work and access the Internet free of charge. But that’s not all! You will also find a toothbrush vending machine, an espresso bar and five Vespas waiting for you to take them out for a spin. Every morning there is also what is reported to be the best breakfast in Graz. The centre of this exciting, laid-back city is just a 10-minute walk away and we would also recommend…

hotel daniel
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Dungeon Lords

2011-05-29T19:00:00.003Z

Introduction/Theme
Dungeon Lords is another fine game by Vlaada Chvatil, who also designed great games like "Through the Ages" or "Galaxy Trucker". This time you have to take the job of a dungeon keeper, meaning you have to take care of the monsters and manage them - as well as rooms, traps and so on - a fantastic idea!

Components
High quality stuff. Lots of smaller and bigger boards (out of fine cardboard), nice wooden cubes, different dice and cute plastic imp figures can be found in the box. Also cards and tokens as well as a thick rulebook are part of the package.

Gameplay
The game can be basically divided into two phases. In the summer phase you have to prepare your dungeon by carefully deciding for certain monsters, traps or valuable resources. In the winter phase a group of fearless adventurers is trying to attack your dungeon - which you have to prevent of course, as an evil lord. You have to plan a lot in advance and manage your minions as efficient as possible.

Conclusion
The game is quite complex, and therefore can be especially recommended for heavy gamers. You need to take your time to get into the mechanics (mainly resource management and worker placement), but the theme and the overall gameplay experience is definitely rewarding and worth the efforts. Even if the rules are intense (to read), many examples are included and they are written in a quite humorous way. If you like games like Through the Ages or Agricola, you should give Dungeon Lords a try - and will be hooked!

From the publisher: Have you ever ventured with party of heroes to conquer dungeons, gain pride, experiences and of course rich treasure? And has it ever occurred to you how hard it actually is to build and manage such underground complex filled with corridors and creatures?

No? Well now you can try. Put yourself in role of the master of underground, summon your servants, dig complex of tunnels and rooms, set traps, hire creatures and try to stop filthy heroes from conquering and plundering your precious creation. We can guarantee you will look on dark corners, lairs and their inhabitant from completely different perspective!

2-4 players, 90 min
author: vlaada chvatil
published by: z-man games, heidelberger spieleverlag
category: fantasy, worker placement

buy the game online @ coolstuffinc.com

dungeon lords @ boardgamegeek.com
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Social Business

2011-05-08T16:37:00.003Z

Muhammad Yunus got famous with his micro credits for poor people, which helped them to become mini-entrepreneurs and to establish some financial independence. He developed this idea a big step further and invents the term "Social Business" - which is a model for companies to improve the world and the life of thousands and thousands of people. He explains in detail why big companies should invest in "Social Businesses" and how to do it. These businesses operate on the market, but in opposite to traditional companies, they reinvest 100% of their profits. Therefore they are able to really improve local infrastructure, provide valuable goods and to generally correct social problems. Great book!!

Muhammad Yunus (born 28 June 1940) is a Bangladeshi economist and founder of the Grameen Bank, an institution that provides microcredit (small loans to poor people possessing no collateral) to help its clients establish creditworthiness and financial self-sufficiency. In 2006 Yunus and Grameen received the Nobel Peace Prize. Yunus himself has received several other national and international honors.

He previously was a professor of economics where he developed the concepts of microcredit and microfinance. These loans are given to entrepreneurs too poor to qualify for traditional bank loans. He is the author of Banker to the Poor and a founding board member of Grameen America and Grameen Foundation. In early 2007 Yunus showed interest in launching a political party in Bangladesh named Nagorik Shakti (Citizen Power), but later discarded the plan. [wikipedia]

author: muhammad yunus
publisher: hanser
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Carrera - Motorsports at Home

2011-04-15T05:50:00.003Z

"Fernando Alonso vs. Sebastian Vettel" - This exciting and challenging duel can be experienced again and again at YOUR home with this awesome Slot Car Racing Set from Carrera.

I still can remember my childhood where I also owned such a racing track - and had lots of fun with it, together with my brother and my dad. But to be honest I was overwhelmed when I opened the new Carrera Box at about twenty five years later, together with my son this time. It was a pleasure to set-up the track together, and then: to experience the first drive. Simply stunning!! The cars look great and drive at amazing speed around the track. It's great fun to find out at which position you have to chose which speed and to fight against the other driver for the final victory.

Strongly recommended for the WHOLE family!!

From the producer: The small scale for small drivers. GO!!! is the first track and car system for many people and the 1:43 scale set-up has now been exciting new Carrera fans, their fathers and grandfathers for a full 10 years. In this anniversary year GO!!! is introducing new Disney/Pixar ‘Cars 2’ and Spongebob cars, as well as several exclusively licensed reproductions and spectacular action features. Of course, the old familiar Nintendo models will also be available. All basic sets are equipped with turbo power control sets and are a guarantee for great racing enjoyment for kids of six years upwards with add-ons such as loop kits, crossovers and junctions, flyovers and high bends

In 2011 even the smallest Carrera fan can look forward to lane-change bends, single track sections and see-saw, all of which require drivers to exhibit a great degree of care and precision with the hand-held control set. For even more home circuit gaming thrills there are mechanical points kits, looping sets and a special jump..

Producer: Carrera

You can buy this great Carrera Slot Car Racing Set either online or at your favorite toy shop!
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Der Koch

2011-02-13T17:39:00.007Z

Martin Suter manages to not only deliver a tense thriller, but also makes the reader aware of delicious food prepared by a cook from Sri Lanka - recipes included as well. The storyline evolves around a small catering business called "Love Food", and covers all the ingredients a good book should have (love, life, death).

Enclosed you also find a nice cookbook from Heiko Antoniewicz, with amazing fingerfood. Also some recipes of the novel are based on the book - and here you can find additional information and great tutorials how to prepare the different meals.

Martin Suter (b. February 29, 1948, Zürich) is a Swiss author. He became known for his weekly column Business Class in the Weltwoche newspaper (1992–2004), now appearing in the Tages-Anzeiger, and another column appearing in "NZZ Folio". Suter has published several novels, for which he received various awards. He is married and lives in Spain and Guatemala. (Wikipedia)

author: martin suter
publisher: diogenes

The 'Catering Inside' magazine calls Heiko Antoniewicz "the magician of molecular cooking". As multiple award-winner (for example: Chef of the Year 1990) he took care of the culinary well-being of Queen Elizabeth II and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. (IMI University Centre)

author: heiko antoniewicz
publisher: matthaes
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Leaping Lemmings

2011-01-30T15:42:00.006Z

Introduction
Leaping Lemmings is a quite simple game, with the rather unusual target of hurling a clan of lemmings most stylish over a cliff. Sounds interesting? It's definitely a lot of fun!

Components
GMT Games steadily improved the production quality of its games, with this one being one of the best so far. The box comes with a nice mounted board, sturdy cards and cute counters. Also two eagle dice (red and blue) are included, as well as the rulebook of course.

Gameplay
Each player chooses a Lemmings Clan (consisting of 10 single Lemmings) and uses movement cards to manoeuvre them across the map. There are two dangerous "Eagle Zones" which have to be passed, without being eaten by the eagles. The eagles are controlled alternating by the players, which is an interesting mechanism. After having reached the cliff (maybe with the help of special actions) the lemmings score Victory Points for their dive. The player with the most VPs wins the game.

Conclusion
I was not sure whether I might like Leaping Lemmings, but I have to admit that it is a truly fine game! Despite the rather short playing time, a lot of strategy and tactics are part of the game, as well as interesting game mechanics have been developed. Last, but not least, the theme is outstanding and adds to the impressive overall experience! Can be recommended for a broad audience, as a lot of different aspects are covered.

From the publisher: Leaping Lemmings is a humorous hobby or family game for 2-6 players. Each player controls a cloned clan of lemmings that have been specially trained to compete with the other lemming clans, all trying to scurry down a canyon and hurl themselves over a cliff. Distance and style points are important. One lemming diving with style and élan is worth as many as five of the more mundane divers. But beware the hungry eagles circling overhead or your lemmings might not even make the cliff edge!

2-6 players, 60 min
author: john ponskie, rick young
published by: gmt games
category: animal, racing

buy the game online @ coolstuffinc.com

rules can be downloaded here

leaping lemmings @ boardgamegeek.com
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Dracula / American Vampire

2011-01-01T10:27:00.004Z

"As the Count leaned over me and his hands touched me… a horrible feeling of nausea came over me, which, do what I would, I could not conceal.” — Bram Stoker’s Dracula

Enclosed you find two great comic realisations of the famous Vampire theme. The first one focuses strongly on the novel Dracula, whereas the other one (from the writers Stephen King and Scott Snyder) is a pretty modern interpretation. Both of them them can be recommended wholeheartedly...

Dynamite presents an unprecedented comic book series that tells the complete story of the Lord of the Undead – DRACULA! For the first time in 112 years the tale that Bram Stoker intended to tell is told (including “Dracula’s Guest”!). If you thought you knew how it began or how it ends, you were wrong! Writers John Reppion and Leah Moore are joined by painter Colton Worley for a 5 issue odyssey of life, death, and the blood that flows within us all!

This fully painted series features a massive 32 pages of story and art per issue, each page fully-painted in a rich, moody style by Worley, all under covers by modern master John Cassaday! Moore and Reppion also provide bonus material such as script pages, annotations and samplings of the original text by Bram Stoker!

publisher: dynamite entertainment (english), panini comics (german)

From writers Scott Snyder and Stephen King, AMERICAN VAMPIRE introduces a new strain of vampire – a more vicious species – and traces the creatures' bloodline through decades of American history.

This first hardcover volume of the critically acclaimed series collects issues #1-5 and follows two stories: one written by Snyder and one written by King, both with art by future superstar Rafael Albuquerque. Snyder's tale follows Pearl, a young woman living in 1920s Los Angeles, who is brutally turned into a vampire and sets out on a path of righteous revenge against the European monsters who tortured and abused her. And in King's story set in the days of America's Wild West, readers learn the origin of Skinner Sweet, the original American vampire – a stronger, faster creature than any vampire ever seen before.

Don't miss out as Snyder and King set fire to the horror genre with this visionary, all-original take on one of the most popular monster stories!

publisher: vertigo (english), panini comics (german)
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CS Sao Rafael Atlantic Hotel

2010-11-25T09:20:00.007Z

Facts
- 5 stars Design Hotel in Albufeira (Algarve/Portugal)
- overlooking the beach of Sao Rafael
- separated from the sea by a beautiful olive grove
- fantastic spa (incl. gym)
- different bars (live music) and restaurants
- 3 outdoor pools
- kids club in high season

Design
The new hotel stands out with contemporary and straight design, which is true not only for the building itself but also for the high quality furniture and the reduced decoration. Warm, earth-like colors and wide open space dominate the architecture. Also the mediterranean landscape (olive groves and palms), which is surrounding the hotel, follows the rules mentioned above.

Around
The beach of Sao Rafael is very beautiful and located directly below the hotel. It's sometimes crowded - but you can rent exclusive beds there, and/or enjoy one of the three outdoor hotel pools (framed by palms).
The old town of Albufeira is not far away (shuttle bus service available), and definitely worth visiting - although you should be prepared for a lot of tourists, shops of all kinds and (medium-quality) restaurants.

Conclusion
The CS Sao Rafael Atlantic Hotel is a high class hotel which will guarantee a relaxing stay by all means. The quality of the restaurants and bars is outstanding - especially recommended is a fine, romantic dinner at the beach restaurant. Staff and audience is very kind, families are warm welcomed, park garage is included and you can calm down by a walk through the huge, park like landscape surrounding the hotel. Enjoy!

The new Atlantic Hotel has a spectacular location overlooking the beach of São Rafael, only a short drive to Albufeira centre. The interiors have contemporary design features with space and light throughout. The rooms are modern and have large balconies with views over the sea and gardens.

The extensive gardens offer a beautiful Mediterranean landscape with over one thousand mature olive and palm trees. There is also a state-of-the-art Spa featuring leading wellness therapies and treatments.

Homepage & Online-Booking for CS Sao Rafael Atlantic Hotel
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Chaugnar Faugn (Cthulhu RPG)

2010-11-07T18:55:00.004Z

If you are looking for another great Cthulhu RPG campaign, have a look at this exciting global campaign - consisting of three connected adventures. It's all about the complots that the Great Old One Chaugnar Faugn ("The Elephant God") is working on for million of years. Starting with a mysterious elephant statue from Tibet which appears in Berlin, the journey goes on to London and finally brings the brave adventures to Montreal - where the grave of a saint bears some horrible mysteries...

As expected from Pegasus Press you will find a great, coherent plot together with a lot of high quality material like cards, pictures and background knowledge about the main characters and places. Recommended!

Chaugnar Faugn (or Chaugnar Faughn) appears as a horribly grotesque idol, made of an unknown element, combining the worst aspects of octopus, elephant, and human being. When Chaugnar Faugn hungers, it can move incredibly quickly for its size and use its lamprey-like "trunk" to drain the blood from any organism it encounters. [Wikipedia]

Magazine "Cthuloide Worlds" #19

"Cthuloide Worlds" is the official german Cthulhu magazine, which is released twice a year. It comes with background stories and articles about the mythos, as well as high quality adventures and support material for your roleplaying games.

Magazine #19 contains three adventures in the 1920-setting (in Germany, and an expedition in the Sahara) as well as an article about "Tanguska" and an interview with Charles and Janyce Engan (Campaign "Mountains of Madness").

publisher: pegasus spiele (germany)

buy online @ pegasusshop.de

Power Struggle

2010-11-01T15:11:00.005Z

Introduction
Power Struggle is a medium-complex Euro board game for 2-5 players, covering the topic of company politics and organisation - hiring, firing, bribing,... ;-)

Components
Eggert Spiele are already known for their fine and high-quality components, which is again true for this game. Great design that fits to the topic, thick cardboard map, very nice play money and lots of cubes.

Gameplay
Even if the rules seem to be quite complicated at first glance, during the first game they become quite clear and logic. Each round consists of a directors' meeting and 4-7 turns. In the director's meeting the chairman is appointed and the division heads are named (which assure certain advantages). After choosing (done by communications head) and revealing events, each player chooses one action, e.g. firing/hiring, resigning as department head or bribing - trying to score as many points as possible. The first player achieving 4 (out of 6 possible) victory conditions wins the game.

Conclusion
Power Struggle shines with a deep theme, lots of player interaction and a great (and partly new) interpretation of an area control game. It plays quite fast after you took your time to get into the elegant and well thought-out mechanics. Give it a try - you might get hooked!

From the publisher: Welcome to the world of the powerful, of those who pull the right strings at the right time from the shadows of the big companies. Each player becomes one of these people, trying to increase their power and influence by hiring Employees, creating New Departments and taking over the sought-after positions of Divisional Heads to procure influence and privileges. Divisional Heads can resign to join the Board of Directors (in the hopes of becoming the Chairman, of course) or get hired as an External Consultant. All the while, players are investing in stocks and bribing other players to make their way to the top.

2-5 players, 90 min
author: bauldric & friends
published by: eggert spiele (german), z-man games (english)
category: economic, area control, negotiation

buy the game online @ coolstuffinc.com

rules can be downloaded here

power struggle @ boardgamegeek.com
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Hornig Cialde Espressomaker

2010-10-08T19:36:00.006Z

I really like coffee.

Luckily I hade the chance to taste wonderful coffee lately - made by the fine Pod Espressomaker from Hornig (a company pretty well-known for high quality coffee products). I wasn't impressed only by the espresso itself, but also by the great open standard coffee-system called ESE (Easy Serving Espresso Pods). With those single-serve pods you can choose out of many different roasters and blends, which are also priced very differently. A flexible system to perfectly meet your personal needs.

The technique of the pod machine (18 bar) and the solid construction guarantees near-barista quality - and you should definitely give it a try. Especially recommended with the five different Hornig blends (espresso, melange, bio fair traide, decoffeinated, premium/consul). A couple of sample pods of each blend are included in the package, to make sure that you can enjoy your first espresso within minutes.

Enjoy your coffee with ease and in minimum time, with a massive and high quality machine which produces espresso in a professional manner.

Thanks to its soft and refined lines that have been inspired by 60's design, Podstar fits in small offices and meeting rooms, but it is also at home on kitchen worktops.

Features
Power consumption: 1.200W, 230V - 50 Hz
Functions: coffee, hot water, steam
Pump: max. 20 bar
Water tank: 1,5lt

You can buy this fine product online at hornig.at!

Information about Easy Serving Espresso Pods (ESE) at Wikipedia
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Chaos in the Old World

2010-09-25T18:13:00.005Z

Introduction/Theme
The game, which is set in the Warhammer universe, basically reflects four evil gods, which are working hard on destroying the world and/or each other. Of course each player takes the role of one of these gods (Slaanesh, Khorne, Nurgle, Tzeentch), whereas each is equipped with different powers. That fact ensures an asymmetric game with a lot of possibilities how the game will unfold.

Components
Great artwork and high production value. The artwork perfectly fits and further strengthens the strong theme, e.g. the board reflects stretched human flesh. Nice miniatures are provided as well as lots of cards and counters.

Gameplay
The rules are quite simple and easy to learn, gameplay and mechanics are overall very tight and elegant. Basically you have to wisely play chaos cards and summon followers, then there is the important phase of battles (roll battle dice according to the attack value of your figures), which is followed by the corruption phase (where regions can be ruined). There are two victory conditions, you have to either earn more than 50 victory points or you have to advance your threat dial to the end (different conditions for each god).

Conclusion
A great game, with a strong and original theme. It is easy to access, but nevertheless offers a lot of strategic and tactical depth. The asymmetry of the game even increases the possibilities and is in general a very interesting aspect - as different ways of playing (depending on the god chosen) lead to victory. The designer did a great job in many ways, as the game is balanced pretty well - despite the mentioned asymmetries and can be played in about 90 minutes. You should at least give it a try, it's one of the best games I've played lately.

From the publisher: In the Chaos in the Old World board game, each player takes the role of one of the malevolent Lords of Chaos. Each god’s distinctive powers and legion of followers give the controlling player unique strengths and heretical abilities with which to corrupt and enslave the Old World. Yet, as the powers of Chaos seek domination by corruption and conquest, they must vie not only against each other, but also against the desperate denizens of the Old World who fight to banish the gods back to the maelstrom of the Realm of Chaos…for now.

3-4 players, 90 min
author: eric m. lang
published by: heidelberger spieleverlag (german), ffg (english)
category: fantasy, fighting, area control

buy the game online @ coolstuffinc.com

chaos in the old world @ boardgamegeek.com
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Investment Punk

2010-09-19T08:30:00.009Z

Investment Punk is a book about the basics of successfully investing - in the long run. It has been written by an investment banker who wants to open the eyes of the "common people", which are working as employees. Beside some quite well-known ideas it also offers some interesting strategies, which might potentially influence your investment behaviour and your usage of money. To what extent you can identify with the quite overbearing style and the "life script" of the author, every reader has to decide for him-/herself.

192 pages

author: gerald hörhan
publisher: edition a (german)

available @ amazon
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Roll Through the Ages

2010-08-26T09:45:00.003Z

Introduction/Topic
Roll Through the Ages tries to offer the feeling of Civilization building games - but without the need to dedicate a lot (!) of time for one game. You build a civilization in about 30 minutes... With a lot of dice rolling, pretty deep theme and lots of fun.

Components
The box comes with nice wooden peg boards (and pegs), with score sheets and dice. Quite unusual, but very nice - and of high quality.

Gameplay
The rules are simple and thought out very well. Your dice determine what actions you can take, and what field you want to focus on. As basically known from other CIV games you have to gain resources, feed your cities and build monuments. You also can decide to buy different developments which offer certain benefits. The player with the most victory points wins the game.

Conclusion
The game is definitely successful in providing CIV (lite) feeling in a very short period of gameplay. Of course you can't expect the strategic depth of a game like Through the Ages or similar ones, where you spend 2-3 hours for one game. It would be unfair to compare it to these games. If you consider Roll Through the Ages as what it is and what it is meant to be, you will be really impressed and entertained. And pretty likely want to play it over and over again...

From the publisher: Build a thriving civilization -- in under an hour! Collect goods, assign workers to build cities and erect monuments, advance your civilization through cultural and scientific developments, but don't forget to harvest enough food to feed your growing population.Grab those dice and Roll Through the Ages! in this addictive and strategic new game from Matt Leacock, the designer of the incredibly popular Pandemic.

Nominated for the 2010 "Spiel des Jahres" German Board Game of the Year Award.

1-4 players, 30 min
author: matt leacock
published by: pegasus spiele (german), gryphon games (english)
category: civilization, dice rolling

buy the game online @ coolstuffinc.com

roll through the ages @ boardgamegeek.com
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Irving & Walker

2010-07-30T10:33:00.006Z

Two exciting and intelligent books written by John Irving and Martin Walker. Recommended either for your holidays or for "regular" reading...

Last Night in Twisted River
A trio of tragic events (though the prize for most hell-shocking goes to the third) exiles widower and camp cook Dominic Baciagalupo and his son Danny from a mid-century logging outpost called Twisted River. They leave behind the Bunyan-esque lumberjack Ketchum--a gruff, eccentric, dyed-in-the-wool Yankee--who remains their sole connection to the past. What's next neither father nor son knows: their rootless existence moves swiftly in and out of New England, tied ostensibly to jobs for Dominic and schools for Danny, but it seems one foot is always back in those New Hampshire woods. Theirs is a restless, richly observed journey, crowned by a reckoning no one could predict. Few writers can match John Irving's knack for denouement, and in Last Night in Twisted River, his extraordinary ending is made all the more powerful by a story that feasts on language, life, and love (Anne Bartholomew)

author: john irving
publisher: diogenes (german)

The Dark Vineyard
Romance, intrigue, and many a fine glass of wine await in Walker’s charming second mystery set in idyllic Saint-Denis, in the southwest of France. As the novel opens, Chief of Police Bruno Courreges investigates a fire that’s destroyed a research station for genetically modified crops. Local environmentalists top the list of possible perpetrators, but they’re only the beginning of Bruno’s problems. Fernando Bondino, a wily young American wine magnate, is eyeing Saint-Denis’ fertile vineyards. His investment would be a boon for the area, which has had its share of hard economic times. But locals (including Bruno) are dubious—with good reason. Bondino has displayed bad behavior, including punching out Max, a likable local lad, over a woman. When Max turns up dead, Bondino is the prime suspect. Alas, Bruno is all too aware of what Bondino could do for his village (his boss, the mayor, sees much promise in the possible influx of funds), so the police chief must tread carefully. Walker serves up wry wit, suspense, and a host of captivating characters, from a comely, manipulative Quebecois to an auburn-haired Brit who captures Bruno’s heart. Oenophiles and armchair travelers alike will enjoy spending time in this lovely, lively part of France. (Allison Block)

author: martin walker
publisher: diogenes (german)

available @ amazon

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Memmo Baleeira

2010-07-13T11:29:00.011Z

Facts
- medium-sized Design Hotel in Sagres (Algarve/Portugal)
- located above the harbour of Sagres, fantastic view over the sea
- spa, lounge and restaurant / surf center
- kids welcome

Design

Reduced to the essence. In this hotel not only body and mind can relax, also the eye can calm down and enjoy. The visual quietness is supplemented by beautiful design classics (e.g. vitra chairs) and greatly renevated vintage interior. Amazing view at the harbor Baleeira.

Around

In Sagres you can find amazing beaches for all kind of travellers - for toddlers (Praia Martinhal) as weel as for hip surfer (Praia Tonel). Waves, sand, sun and fantastic panorama view! Around the hotel (and on the beaches) nice snack bars can be found, but there are also plenty of fine restaurants where you can enjoy delicious seafood. The Fortaleza (old castle above the cliffs) is also worth visiting, not only because of the stunning sea view.

Conclusion
Very familiar design hotel with beautiful rooms. Highly recommended restaurant for romantic candellight dinners in the evening - again with amazing seaview. Nice terrace, nice pool, nice garden, and friendly hotel staff. A relaxing and comfortable place to be, you'll definitely enjoy your stay.

Memmo Baleeira: Characterised by its relaxing, contemporary atmosphere of design, this 4 star Design hotel has everything you need for a weekend break from your daily routine or for a few days of holiday retreat in the relaxing and beautiful town of the Algarve.

The resort's 144 rooms and family friendly suites, with views over the sea and over Baleeira harbour, provide you with all the comfort of the Memmo unforgettable bed and are fully equipped.The hotel's facilities include a restaurant, bar, coffee shop, swimming pool with magnificent ocean views and a modern Spa equipped with a sauna, Turkish bath, gym, heated indoor pool and massage parlours.

The town of Sagres offers you a chance to sample the renowned gastronomy of the region, with several restaurants near the hotel serving excellent fresh fish. Finally there are various points of historical interest to visit, such as Sagres Fortress, the world's first nautical school, and Cape St. Vincente, topped by one Europe's largest lighthouses.

Awards
Best Hotel Renovation Award by Turismo de Portugal, 2009 edition
Top 10 Beach Hotel in Europe by GeoSaison, February 2009
Top 35 Best Affordable Beach Resorts in the world by Travel Leisure, March 2009
Waking Moment Award by Inspirations Algarve, April 2010

Memmo Baleeira Hotel

Book Online

TS Adventure Binoculars

2010-06-14T13:52:00.004Z

If you ever wanted to watch animals more closely when going hiking or wanted to have a better and more detailed view of the beautiful landscape around you, you should definitely think about getting a binocular.

It can be used for a lot of other occasions as well of course, e.g. For going sailing or even for watching the stars.

When it comes to a certain model I can really recommend the TS Optics Adventure 8x42. Not only because it is pretty light-weighted, but also because of the high manufacturing quality - I was really impressed by the optical results of the first animal observations I did. Last but not least the cost-benefit-ratio is very attractive.

TS Optics Adventure 8x42

The TS Adventure line of binoculars is made as the ideal companion for nature observers, birdwatchers, hikers and all other users looking for robust binoculars with a very high optical and mechanical quality at an affordable price. Other binoculars with this quality often cost twice as much and even much more than that!

The broadband multicoating and of course the premium-grade lenses used for these top-of-the-line binoculars offer a bright and crisp image that is otherwise extremely rare in this price range.
Demanding birdwatchers will enjoy the Adventure binoculars every bit as much as nature observers or amateur astronomers. Image sharpness is excellent both in the center of the field as well as at the edge.

TS Adventure 8x42 binoculars offers particularly bright views even under dark lighting conditions, e.g. in a forest. This, coupled with its excellent image quality, makes the binoculars ideal for hunters, birdwatchers, amateur astronomers and hikers.

Features:
- Waterproof down to 1.5m
- Nitrogen filled
- Fully Multicoated Lenses and Prisms
- Phase-corrected optics
- BaK-4 Prisms
- Comfortable Eye Relief: 17.5mm
- Diopter Adjustment

You can order this fine product at teleskop-express.de!
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Richard III: Wars of the Roses

2010-06-03T08:48:00.008Z

Introduction/Topic
Richard III is a wargame reflecting the "Wars of the Roses", whereas one player starts as King (Lancaster) and the other player as the pretender (York). Over three campaigns you have to work on "owning" as many nobles as possible to get their votes and to be finally crowned King of England - and win the game.

Components
The game comes with a very nice map of England, which (although not mounted) can be laid out pretty flat and serves its purpose very well. Additionally you get at about 60 blocks (and a sheet with stickers for them), 25 cards, the rules and a couple of dice. A fine package.

Gameplay
The game lasts for three campaigns with seven turns each. You are dealt seven cards per campaign, which have to be used for recruiting and moving your armies. Afterwards battles are resolved by a simple and quite elegant system, offering also some twists. Beside influencing nobles to change sides, you also have to take care of the heirs and the variable entry points for nobles.

Conclusion
The game mechanics are similar to the successful block game "Hammer of the Scots" (also published by Columbia Games), whereas I have to admit that in my opinion Richard III is even more accessible and a bit simpler. Nevertheless it offers a lot of strategic depth in gameplay, so you will have a hard time taking your decisions. It will hit the table quite often as it can be finished in 90-120 minutes - which is rare for such kind of games. So it might be also a good choice to start with if you are new to (block) war games, maybe it's even interesting for Euro gamers.
Great and exciting game with the typical "Fog-of-War" feeling already known from the other fine Columbia block games.

Fromt the publisher: Richard the Third is an epic two-player game that recreates the 15th century, bloody dynastic struggle between the royal houses of Lancaster and York for the throne of England. Will the mad-king Henry VI and his Queen Margaret keep the throne or will the Duke of York recover it for the Plantagenets. Also strutting across the game's stage are Edward IV, Richard III, Henry VII, and Warwick, the notorious "Kingmaker".

The object of play is to eliminate all five enemy heirs and/or win control of the powerful nobles of England. The Lancastrians start the game holding the throne, and the Yorkists are in exile ready to invade. Kingship can be won or lost several times during the game. Will Richard III emerge triumphant, or will he perish in battle as he did historically.

2 players, 120 min
author: tom dalgliesh, jerry taylor
publisher: columbia games
category: wargame

rules

buy the game online @ coolstuffinc.com

richard III @ boardgamegeek.com
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The Sandman IV & V

2010-05-16T11:34:00.007Z

The outstanding series goes on...

THE SANDMAN: SEASON OF MISTS
Ten thousand years after banishing to Hell a woman who scorned him, Morpheus, the King of Dreams, has decided to free his former lover. But when the Sandman arrives in the realm of eternal damnation, Lucifer, the first fallen angel, notifies him that he is closing down Hell and he wants Morpheus to have the keys. Now in charge of the gates of Hell, the King of Dreams is bombarded with requests for possession of the empty kingdom by Norse gods, homeless demons, Egyptian deities, Faerie ambassadors, the lords of Chaos and Order, and Japanese divinities. Realizing too late that Lucifer's gift was a veiled curse, Morpheus is forced to make a decision that will affect every plane of existence as well as the universal balance of power.

THE SANDMAN: A GAME OF YOU
...tells a fascinating tale of lost childhood dreams and the power that they can wield over reality. Since she was a child, Barbie has dreamed of a world in which she was a princess. But after separating from her husband, she has ceased to dream and her fantasy kingdom has been savagely overrun by an evil entity known as the Cuckoo. Now as elements of her fantasy world cross over and begin to drastically affect reality, Barbie and her friends venture into the realm of dreams to save its peaceful inhabitants. But against the power of dark and dying dreams, even the combined might of a witch, two lesbian lovers, a transsexual, and a decapitated talking head might not be enough to save two different planes of existence.

publisher: dc comics (english), panini comics (german)
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Cthulhu Now (RPG) - Nocturnum

2010-05-02T12:50:00.005Z

The Nocturnum adventure trilogy for the Call of Cthulhu role-playing game is already a classic and might be an interesting opportunity to start your Cthulhu role-playing career. On a journey around the whole globe your goal is no less than to save the world...

More than 350 pages of horrific conspiracies, clues, and breath-taking, terrifying adventure - coming in three volumes detailing the events and characters of the Nocturnum campaign. Enjoy the acclaimed Nocturnum campaign in its entirety. Do not wait for the night to fall.

A conspiracy of destruction. A blast of ill will from an ancient god. A hunt and a chase from the heartland of America and into the doom that waits in the East. A horrific jouney to the brink of sanity that lingers at the end of the world.

Night falls.

Setting
The setting of Call of Cthulhu is a darker version of our world, based on H. P. Lovecraft's observation (from his short essay, Supernatural Horror in Literature) that "The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown." There are three primary eras of the original (BRP) game: the 1920s, the setting of many of Lovecraft's stories; the 1890s Gaslight supplements, a blend of occult and Holmesian mystery and mostly set in England; and modern conspiracy (Cthulhu Now). Recent additions include 1000 AD (Cthulhu: Dark Ages), 23rd Century (Cthulhu Rising) and Roman times (Cthulhu Invictus). The protagonists may also travel to places that are not of this earth, represented in the Dreamlands (which can be accessed through dreams as well as being physically connected to the earth), as well as travel to other planets or the voids of space.

Gameplay experience
The players take the roles of ordinary people drawn into the realm of the mysterious: detectives, criminals, scholars, artists, war veterans, etc. Often, happenings begin innocently enough, until more and more of the workings behind the scenes are revealed. As the characters learn more of the true horrors of the world and the irrelevance of humanity, their sanity (represented by 'Sanity Points', abbreviated SAN) inevitably withers away. Call of Cthulhu has a reputation as a game in which it is quite common for a player character to die in gruesome circumstances or end up in a mental institution. Unlike in most other role-playing games, eventual triumph of the players is not assumed. [wikipedia]

Cthulhu Now
In 1987 Chaosium issued the supplement titled Cthulhu Now, a collection of rules, supplemental source materials and scenarios for playing Call of Cthulhu in the present day. This proved to be a very popular alternative milieu, so much so that much of the supplemental material is now included in the core rule book. Pagan Publishing has released a series of supplements in a similar vein, by the name Delta Green, that is also set in the present day

publisher: pegasus spiele (germany), fantasy flight games (us)

buy "nocturnum" online @ pegasusshop.de

Conflict of Heroes - Awakening the Bear!

2010-04-05T15:48:00.007Z

Introduction/Topic
Conflict of Heroes is a strategic wargame covering the years 1941-42 in World War II. The game comes with ten scenarios (called firefights), which are very different in terms of complexity and which are offering lots of exciting challenges.

Components
All of the components are of high quality. The boards for the firefights are made of thick heavy cardboard, as well as all the tiles. The artwork is appealing and clear, which helps to further deepen the gameplay and atmosphere.

Gameplay
One of the many great things about this game is the fact that the rules are relatively simply and consequential. They are introduced step-by-step, so for the first scenario you just have to read through the first three chapters, and this is done quite quickly. Despite the fact that the game covers all the well-known aspects of a wargame, like having different units (and abilities), varying terrain, line-of-sight rules, scenarios with objectives and many things more - the gameplay is pretty straighforward and offers a lot of strategic depth. Combat is resolved quickly and clear by a modified dice roll. Furthermore the turn sequence is amazing, as a lot of interaction is guaranteed as you can react on each action your opponent takes.

Conclusion
Conflict of Heros is one of the best boardgames I've played in a long time, and I plan to play through all of the scenarios included. The game is not only easy to learn (step-by-step approach), it also offers great depth and strategy without making the gameplay too complex or longbreathed. A tense and exciting experience - congrats to the designer Uwe Eickert, very well done. I'm already looking forward to the 2nd part of the series (Storms of Steel), which has been released a couple of weeks ago, and about which I will hopefully write here sometime soon.

From the publisher: The year is 1941. Germany has defeated Poland, Denmark, Norway, and France with ease. Now the Fuehrer attacks Russia on June 22, 1941 under the code name Operation Barbarossa. He thinks the Soviets will fold like a house of cards. Its officer cadre has been massacred by Stalin, training is poor, and morale is low. The blitzkrieg catches the Soviets by surprise and they lose over 1.75 million men in the first two months alone. The Germans are unstoppable, their panzers pushing to the very gates of Moscow. But the winter comes and the Soviets begin to counter attack. The bear awakens!

Conflict of Heroes is a scenario-based World War II game of platoon-sized engagements that pits players against each other in epic battles. Tactics used by the Germans and Soviets are introduced and must be employed to win. Many firefights last less than 60 minutes and can include anywhere from 2-4 players. Each firefight presents the players with different objectives. During the game, players use their army’s units to fight for those objectives. Whichever side meets the firefight’s victory conditions at the end of the game wins.

2 (up to 4) players, 120 min
author: uwe eickert
published by: academy games, phalanx games (german version)

category: wargame (world war 2)

buy the game online @ coolstuffinc.com or phalanx games

conflict of heroes @ boardgamegeek.com
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Meine Küche der Gewürze

2010-03-28T19:50:00.005Z

If you like cooking you should have a basic idea of spice. A basic idea of the different kinds available, how to use them for delicious meals and a clue of the positive effects they have on your health.

All this information is provided by the well-known cook Alfons Schuhbeck in a great manner. In the first part of the book a lot of spicery are described in detail, in the second part you will find instructions for preparing your own tasty spice mixtures and last but not least the book comes with fine recipes where the spicery described before can be used.

Bon appetit!

Alfons Schuhbeck was born on 2 May 1949 in Traunstein, Upper Bavaria, Germany. He is one of Germany’s top chefs, as well as being a writer, restaurateur, TV cook and businessman. (Wikipedia)

author: alfons schuhbeck
publisher: zabert sandmann verlag (german)
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Miniature Painting

2010-02-12T06:59:00.004Z

I already wrote about the fine miniatures game Hordes twice (see links below) - but both times I concentrated on the game itself (rules, gameplay) or on putting together a powerful army. This time I want to focus on how to paint the plain miniatures. I want to point out that I'm neither a talented nor an experienced painter, but nevertheless I think it's possible to beautify your miniatures and add to the overall experience of gameplay. And anyway it's a nice thing to paint the models you want to play with on your own...

After mounting the miniatures I used a black primer to prepare the models for the paint. Afterwards I looked up some pretty pictures of already painted models and decided which colors I want to use. Then I started with painting the bigger areas, until after some drying phases I finished the models with small stuff like painting eyes or armor (special metal colour available for that purpose). I definitely can recommend Valllejo colors, as they are of great quality and stick very well to the miniature. For beginners I think it's a good idea to start with some set of colors (16 different colors are in there), for me it was definitely enough.

There are a lot of online tutorials available for improving your paining skills (a google search should proof this), e.g. how to paint shades. To be honest, for the beginning I just wanted to have some simple painted models - without spending huge amounts of time and effort on this subject. So I just focused on some quick and straight-forward painting, which I not only enjoyed doing but which fully served my purpose. So, just give it a try - you will see it's fun!

You can buy these fine stuff @ fantasy-in.de

Vallejo Game Color: Intro Set
Vallejo Primer
Hobby Brush - Starter Set

Other articles about Hordes:

Hordes: General Introduction
Hordes: Trollblood Army
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Dungeon Twister 2: Prison

2010-01-14T10:41:00.008Z

I already wrote about the great game "Dungeon Twister" (see links below), now Asmodee relaunches the game and prolongs an exciting series. The great thing is that the basic game and the expansions can be used also in the future, as the basic game mechanics didn't change. "Dungeon Twister 2: Prison" contains 16 miniatures, new rooms/new characters and even rules for solitaire play, which works extra-ordinary well!

Read about Dungeon Twister (basic game)
Read about Dungeon Twister (expansion one)

Dungeon Twister is a strategy game for two players. You control a team of eight adventurers with varied and necessary abilities. Your objective: to escape from the Dungeon.

Unfortunately, in front of you lies a vast labyrinth of dangerous rooms which can rotate thanks to the astonishing mechanisms constructed by dwarves. These deadly traps and twistings to prevent you from escaping would be enough of a challenge by themselves, but you also face another group of adventurers with the same goal as yourself.

Without relying on dice, Dungeon Twister calls upon all of your tactics and strategies, your ability to bluff, your anticipation of the danger and your management of combat and action cards.

Dungeon Twister 2: Prison will re-launch the Dungeon Twister franchise with second edition rules, It will contain 16 miniatures, new rooms, new characters, a tutorial in 5 scenarios, a larger box and best of all, rules for Solitaire play!

Solitaire play features six levels of difficulty to provide a challenge to even the most experienced of players.

The Second Edition rules include a 5-step scenario-based tutorial. The introductory level is simple enough for an eight-year-old to learn. This product will be backwards-compatible with all existing Dungeon Twister products.

Fight, get out or die!

1-2 players, 60 min

author: christophe boelinger
publisher: asmodee
category: fantasy, exploration, fighting

buy the game online @ coolstuffinc.com

dungeon twister 2 @ boardgamegeek
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Ancient Mayas and Egyptians

2009-12-28T09:55:00.009Z

Discover the great civilizations of ancient Mayas and Egyptians - by reading the books mentioned below. It is an exciting journey to read about these amazing ancient civilizations. And it is often unbelievable what has been achieved by them thousand of years ago.

Sunken cities in the jungle and towering temple pyramids reflect only a small portion of our knowledge about Mayan culture. These fascinating people achieved the landmarks of an advanced civilization in the classical period (AD 300-600), earning them a place among the greatest civilizations in the world. The contributions included in this magnificent volume range from the origins of the Mayan culture all the way to modernity, giving insight into everyday life and religion as well as the artistic accomplishments and intellectual abilities of this important culture.

author: nikolai grube
publisher: ullman

From our vantage point ancient Egyptian civilization, with its strictly hierarchic organization, can appear static through its three-thousand-year history. In his concise and authoritative introduction to that distant culture, a renowned Egyptologist reveals the turbulent events beneath the rigid facade. Erik Hornung begins his account by taking a brief look at the prehistoric era in Egypt. He then focuses on political events during the period beginning with the reign of "Menes" and closing with the conquest by Alexander the Great. Building on insights drawn from the civilization's surviving texts and monuments, he also describes significant cultural developments, such as changes in burial customs and the building of the Great Pyramids and Sun Temples. Originally published in German, this important and highly useful survey has been revised throughout for its publication in English. In addition, the English version features over fifty illustrations, an updated bibliography, a glossary, and a chronological table.

author: erik hornung
publisher: primus (german), cornell (english)
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Through the Ages: A Story of Civilization

2009-11-23T14:24:00.005Z

Introduction/Topic
Through the Ages is a story of civilization, spanning four ages (Antiquity, Middle Ages, Age of Exploration, Modern Age). As most of these type of games it is about resources, food, politics, leaders, science, development, war, culture and so on. But it doesn't come with a map (read more later on), which is not a big deal at all and might be one of the reasons why this game is often categorized as "CIV-lite".

Components
The game is basically a card game, so there are A LOT OF cards (more than 350!) - divided into civil and military cards. Additionally there's a big score board, little player boards, wooden cubes and a nice 20 page rulebook. All of the components are of high production quality, the layout is very clear and easy to access.

Gameplay
You can play the game in three different versions (introduction/advanced/full), which is a good opportunity to learn the game step by step. Each player starts with a little player board where he keeps track of the stats of his population. He develops certain buildings to gain food and resources, as well as culture and science points. Certain leaders and governments offer different special abilities and advantages. It's also important to take care of your military strength, and also World Wonders might contribute to a successful strategy.

Conclusion
I was really surprised how well this CIV game works without using some typical map of the world to mark the owners of the different territories. You develop your population just by using your player board and by laying out certain cards (buildings, military forces, leaders, government, World Wonders, and so on). Through the Ages is a well-balanced and quite heavy game, with a lot of choices and possibilities. Each game evolves differently and it is fun to see how your nation grows. Overall this game can definitely be recommended, especially as the playing time is much lower than for most of these heavy civilization games.

From the publisher: Through the Ages is a civilization building game. The goal is to develop your civilization, not to destroy other ones. Military strength is just one aspect of your nation, as well as population, production or science. It is up to you which aspect you will concentrate on, more or less, but you should not underestimate any of them while building your civilization.

Victory is achieved by the player whose nation produces the most culture during the game. However, there are many ways to produce culture: through religion, literature or drama, by building wonders, by utilizing cultural persons etc. Considerable amount of culture can be gained even via wars or aggression.

2-4 players, 240 min
author: vlaada chvatil
published by: pegasus spiele (german), fred distribution (english)
category: civilization building, card game

buy "through the ages" online @ coolstuffinc.com

through the ages @ boardgamegeek.com
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World at War: Blood and Bridges

2009-11-02T14:42:00.011Z

Introduction/Topic
Blood and Bridges is a complete stand-alone module in the World at War environment. It is basically a wargame with a fictional topic - NATO forces have to defend bridges in the Rhine River Valley against attacks by Soviet troups.

Components
The box comes with a huge map, a lot of counters, a pretty (and most of the time rather clear) full-color-rulebook and player aid charts. There are 12 scenarios included, which should ensure varied games.

Gameplay
The basic gameplay is not too complicated, especially if you are familiar with basic elements of war games in general. In opposite to most other games though, the activation order of units is decided by drawing markers. Each unit has different values for certain abilities (moving, attack, defense, amor,...) which shape the gameplay. Attacks are resolved straight-forward by rolling dice (including some modifiers). Headquarters are use to simulate the topic "supply", which is an elegant solution and adds another strategic element to the game.

Conclusion
It's not too complicated to get into the game, although not everything was quite clear at the beginning to me. Nevertheless the game plays fast, is exciting and doesn't take too much time to play (which at least for me increases the chance it hits the table more often). If you don't insist on a realistic simulation (which often comes along with a more complex and time-consuming gameplay), you should give Blood and Bridges a try - there's a pretty good chance you will like it.

The war is raging on and now it is up to the British and their formidable array of weapons systems to blunt the Soviet spearhead. Chieftain and Challenger tanks, Striker ATGM vehicles, FV-432 APCs, Lynx attack helicopters, Tornado fighter-bombers and others clash headlong with top-of-the-line Soviet Guards units outfitted with T-80 and T-64 tanks, BMP-2 APCs, MTU-55 Bridge layers, SA-13s, Hind E attack helicopters, Su-25 ground attack aircraft and many more. There is only one mission here. Hold the bridges or see Soviet armor on Channel coast. Are you up to the task?

World at War: Blood and Bridges is the latest complete game in the World at War series. It features 352 counters (we just added an extra half sheet of admin counter goodness), a mounted 22” x 34” map, 12 scenarios, two player-aid cards, dice, and a complete rules set.

2 players, 90 min
author: mark h. walker
published by: lock 'n load publishing

category: wargame, science fiction

buy the game online @ coolstuffinc.com or lock 'n load online store or udo grebe gamedesign

blood and bridges @ boardgamegeek.com
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Bluray: Wild China & Yellowstone Park

2009-10-21T11:49:00.009Z

Lately I had the pleasure to experience Blu-ray - this time with the appropriate equipment, that is a HTPC, Full-HD LCD TV, AV-Receiver and high-quality speakers. To be honest, it was stunning.

Both documentaries mentioned below are great - not only in terms of audio/video quality, but also when it comes to the content. It's very interesting to learn about the Chinese culture and history (on two Blu-ray discs) and not less fascinating to get to know the "Yellowstone National Park" without leaving your couch. And all of this with amazing pictures of beautiful spots.

Maybe you will get hooked, too.

From the publisher (Wild China): The amazing scenery and wildlife of China have always been closed to the prying cameras of Natural History filmmakers – until now. Given unprecedented access to this vast country, the renowned BBC Natural History Unit has produced a series full of breathtaking footage and amazing discoveries.

From the publisher (Yellowstone): Larger than some American states, Yellowstone National Park is one of the world’s last and most spectacular wildernesses. It is also home to some of the richest wildlife beyond the plains of Africa. Follow the fortunes of America’s wildlife icons as they face the challenges of one of the most extraordinary wildernesses on Earth in this three part natural history spectacular released on DVD from 23rd March.

Studio: Polyband
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Fables 1 & 2

2009-09-29T10:25:00.004Z

It's a great idea to make the characters of well-known fairy tales to the main actors in a comic. You will find the special (or typical) abilities of the different characters (which are known from the fairy tales) also in the tense plot of the comic, which is settled in New York of our time (and space) and where the fable characters have to live among "common humans". So, in my mind it's a really interesting mixture, which is entertaining and exciting - and not for nothing won a lot of awards yet.

From the publisher: In the same vein as best-selling "fractured-fairy-tales" such as Wicked and Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister is Bill Willingham's runaway hit graphic novel series FABLES. No longer just children's tales, Willingham has created a new world for these beloved fables...one that exists within our own.

When a savage creature known only as the Adversary conquered the fabled lands of legends and fairy tales, all of the infamous inhabitants of folklore were forced into exile. Disguised among the normal citizens of modern-day New York, these magical characters created their own secret society-within an exclusive luxury apartment building on Manhattan's Upper West Side-called Fabletown. But when Snow White's party-girl sister, Rose Red, is apparently murdered, it is up to Bigby, Fabletown's sheriff, and a reformed and pardoned Big Bad Wolf, to determine if the culprit is Bluebeard, Rose's ex-lover and notorious wife killer, or Jack, her current live-in boyfriend and former beanstalk-climber.

From the publisher: Collecting FABLES #6-10, the second story arc of the fan-favorite, critically acclaimed VERTIGO series. Travel to upstate New York, where the non-human Fable characters have found refuge on a farm, miles from mankind. But all is not well on the farm — and a conspiracy to free them from the shackles of their perceived imprisonment may lead to a war that could wrest control of the Fables community away from Snow White. Starring Goldilocks and the Three Bears.

publisher: dc comics (english), panini comics (german)
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Agricola

2009-09-11T07:06:00.005Z

Introduction/Topic
In this award-winning game you are a farmer - and that means that you have to take care of growing food, expanding your pasture, managing your family life and doing a lot of other things a farmer usually has to do. The topic has been adopted in a great way and lead to one of the most popular games of the last years.

Components
The box comes fully (!) packed. I've rarely seen so many different components in a box of this size. It's full of boards, cards, markers and wooden cubes - and the quality is appealing, also the artwork is solid (adequate to the topic).

Gameplay
Agricola is a turn-based game and consists of 14 turns (and 6 harvest phases taking place after certain turns). Each player starts with two tokens (= two family members) and therefore at the beginning can choose to execute two actions (enlarge the family, collect clay/wood/stone, improve the building, grow food, build fences for the cattle, and so on). Each available action can be chosen only once, therefore the turn order is rather important. As the game goes on more and more choices are available and also job-cards and item-cards can be included in the personal strategy. At the end your entire farm is "rated" depending on size and quality, and the player with the most victory points wins the game.

Conclusion
I like this game. I like the topic and the gameplay, it's a pretty good simulation from my point of view. The game comes with rules for beginners and for advanced play (adding job- and item-cards), and this ensures a simple and quick access. It also offers a lot of depth when playing with all the cards, enabling the possibility to adjust your strategy with different small choices. Meanwhile some expansions are available as well (Ö-deck, X-deck,...) which further broaden the gaming experience.
Agricola is fun, Agricola is exciting. I just can repeat myself: I really like this game.

From the publisher: In Agricola (Latin for "farmer"), you're a farmer in a wooden shack with your spouse and little else. On a turn, you get to take only two actions, one for you and one for the spouse, from all the possibilities you'll find on a farm: collecting clay, wood or stone; building fences; and so on. You might think about having kids in order to get more work accomplished, but first you need to expand your house. And what are you going to feed all the little rugrats?

Agricola is a turn-based game. There are 14 game turns plus 6 harvest phases (after turn 4, 7, 9, 11, 13, and 14). Each player starts with two playing tokens (farmer and wife) and thus can take two actions per turn. There are multiple options, and while the game progresses, you'll have more and more: first thing in a turn, a new action card is flipped over.Problem: Each action can be taken just once per turn, so it's important to do some things with high preference. Each player also starts with a hand of 7 Occupation cards (of more than 160 total) and 7 Minor Improvement cards (of more than 140 total) that he may use during the game if they fit in his/her strategy. This amounts to countless strategies, some depending on your card hand. Sometimes it's a good choice to stay on course, sometimes you better react on what your opponents do.

1-5 players, 120 min
author: uwe rosenberg
published by: lookout games (german), z-man games (english)
category: farming, economic

buy "agricola" online @ cosimshop.de or coolstuffinc.com
agricola @ boardgamegeek.com
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Cloer 6320 - Toaster/Grill

2009-08-28T06:54:00.009Z

If you like grilling on fine plates (meat, fish, vegetables,...) as well as preparing delicious waffles on your own, you should have a look at this comfortable griller from Cloer.

Not only the design is straight-forward and elegant, also the griller is easy to handle and it can be used for a lot of different purposes. The plates heat up pretty fast, but the grip always stays cool as it is insulated.

I tried simple cheese toast as well as fish - and both dishes worked out really fine. You can remove the plates pretty easy and so I also used the waffle plates, and the result was more then great. No sticking of the dough, good handling of the toaster and perfect consistency of the waffles. Delicious!!

A fine and multi-purpose appliance with fast and simple usage. Recommended.

- Fast and easy-to-use toaster/grill
- Nonstick cooking surface
- Compact
- Different plates
- Elegant and modern design (stainless steel)

The Cloer company began manufacturing electric irons in Germany in 1898. In the early 1900's they designed and marketed the first waffle iron. They have continued expand their brand with other electric kitchen appliances, survived two world wars, and grew to market to all of Europe from their manufacturing warehouse in Germany. They are well known for the durability and style of their electric kitchen appliances and truly create art for the kitchen. In order to remain competitive the Cloer company recently purchased Asian factories and hired their own Asian management to work under German engineers to competitively produce their high quality Cloer brand electric kitchen appliances.

Homepage: cloer.de

You can buy the series here: amazon.de
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Ticket to Ride: Europe

2009-07-21T11:01:00.007Z

Introduction/Topic
Ticket to Ride: Europe is a train game settled at the beginning of the 20th century in Europe (of course). It's about building the most rewarding tracks to win the game in the end.

Components
Great Components. The gaming material is of high quality - as known by most of the Days of Wonder releases. The box comes with a huge map (covering the whole continent), with cards, little train miniatures (for marking your tracks) and some cubes.

Gameplay
The rules are simple and easy to understand, you know about the basic mechanics in about 15 minutes. At the beginning of the game each player chooses the routes he has to complete with his train tracks later on during the game - each route completed successfully earns victory points. Then in each turn one of four different actions can be chosen: A player can either collect new train cards OR build a track between two cities with his train cards OR collect new routes to complete OR build a railway station (which makes connections between certain cities easier). The player with the most victory points wins the game.

Conclusion
What I really like is the fast accessibility of the game. You can teach it in 10 minutes and it often doesn't take longer than 45 minutes to complete. It it is a good mixture of luck, risk and the need for planning (light strategy aspect) - especially when three or more players are involved also interaction plays a role. A great choice to play between heavier games or with not so experienced gamers - if you nevertheless are looking for exciting gameplay.

Ticket to Ride: Europe takes you on a new train adventure across Europe. From Edinburgh to Constantinople and from Lisbon to Moscow, you'll visit great cities of turn-of-the-century Europe. More than just a new map, Ticket to Ride: Europe features brand new gameplay elements including Tunnels, Ferries and Train Stations. The game also includes larger format cards and Train Station game pieces.

Like the original Ticket to Ride, the game remains elegantly simple, can be learned in 5 minutes, and appeals to both families and experienced gamers. Ticket to Ride: Europe is a complete, new game and does not require the original version.

2-5 players, 60 min
author: alan r. moon
publisher: days of wonder
category: train, route building, hand management

buy "ticket to ride: europe" online @ cosimshop.de or coolstuffinc.com

ticket to ride: europe @ boardgamegeek.com
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Neil Gaiman

2009-07-13T13:03:00.008Z

Neil Gaiman is the well-known creator of the fine Sandman series and also the author of some great novels. I discovered two great pieces of his work lately:

In "Coraline" he writes about a little girl discovering some kind of parallel universe - intense, scary, exciting. A novel for all ages, even if it might be too dark for younger children.

The book "Creatures of the Night" contains two stories about animals and scary incidents. The first one is about a mysterious black cat, the second one about a foundling girl and an owl. I liked the stories - but I loved the artwork (done by Michael Zulli).

Coraline
The day after they moved in, Coraline went exploring....
In Coraline's family's new flat are twenty-one windows and fourteen doors. Thirteen of the doors open and close. The fourteenth is locked, and on the other side is only a brick wall, until the day Coraline unlocks the door to find a passage to another flat in another house just like her own.
Only it's different.
At first, things seem marvelous in the other flat. The food is better. The toy box is filled with wind-up angels that flutter around the bedroom, books whose pictures writhe and crawl and shimmer, little dinosaur skulls that chatter their teeth. But there's another mother, and another father, and they want Coraline to stay with them and be their little girl. They want to change her and never let her go.
Other children are trapped there as well, lost souls behind the mirrors. Coraline is their only hope of rescue. She will have to fight with all her wits and all the tools she can find if she is to save the lost children, her ordinary life, and herself.
Critically acclaimed and award-winning author Neil Gaiman will delight readers with his first novel for all ages.

Creatures of the Night
From the New York Times best-selling author Neil Gaiman comes this fine collection, featuring two magical and disturbing stories lushly adapted to comics by veteran painter Michael Zulli (The Last Temptation). Newly rewritten by Gaiman for this graphic novel, these two ominous stories from the author’s award-winning prose, Smoke and Mirrors: Short Fictions and Illusions, feature animals and people not being quite what they seem. In The Price, a black cat like a small panther arrives at a country home and is soon beset by mysterious and vicious wounds. What is he fighting every night that could do this, and why does he persist? The Daughter of Owls recounts an eerie old tale of a foundling girl who was left with an owl pellet as a newborn on the steps of the Dymton Church. She was soon cloistered away in a local convent, but by her fourteenth year word of her beauty had spread—and those who would prey upon her faced unforeseen consequences.

publisher: panini comics (german), harper collins, dark horse (english),

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Talisman

2009-07-09T18:08:00.006Z

Introduction/Topic

Talisman is an old classic, which has been re-released in these days by Pegasus Spiele and Fantasy Flight Games (4th Edition). It's a game full of heroes and villains, of sorcerers and monsters. It's a about fighting and surviving in a fantasy world, with the goal to finally claim the Crown of Command and become the true ruler of the kingdom.

Components
The (rather huge) game board is made of thick cardboard and will endure a lot of exciting sessions. The different characters are represented by fine plastic miniatures. Additional cards, coins, counters and a rules booklet comes with the box - whereas the rules booklet is clearly arranged. The artwork in general fits the fantasy theme quite well.

Gameplay

First of all you choose a character (out of twelve possibilities) for your adventure. Then an usual turn consists of two phases: movement and encounters. After moving to a new space (according to the dice roll) you can decide whether to encounter another character (usually meaning to attack him) or the space itself (meaning to draw adventure cards and act according to the instructions given). As the game proceeds you try to improve the abilities of your character steadily and to collect objects and spells, to be in a good position when fighting other characters or monsters, and to be finally well-prepared to capture the so-called "Crown of Command" (which basically means to win the game).

Conclusion

It's a lot of fun to work on surviving with your character in this fantasy world. It is an entertaining journey with a lot of diversity due to the different characters and the huge amount of objects, spells and adventure cards. If you don't expect this to be a pure strategy game and if you accept the fact that quite some luck (dice rolls as a means to simulate fate) is necessary in order to win, you will like this game. But be prepared that it can take some time until your character is strong enough to face the final challenge - but there are ways to speed up gameplay if you want to. Talisman is an old classic, and deservedly so. If you are interested in the fantasy adventure genre, you definitely should check out Talisman.

From the publisher: Talisman takes you on a journey through magical lands, as you endeavor to reclaim the Crown of Command. Each turn will see your hero advancing, battling, gaining knowledge and power necessary to defeat the guardians lurking between the Portal of Power and the Valley of Fire.

2-6 players, 90 min
authors: john goodenough, robert harris
publisher: fantasy flight games, pegasus spiele, heidelberger spieleverlag
category: adventure, fantasy, roleplaying

buy talisman online @ cosimshop.de or coolstuffinc.com

talisman @ boardgamegeek.com
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Memoir '44 - Campaign Book (Vol 1)

2009-06-11T18:08:00.003Z

The Memoir '44 Campaign Book is the next fine extension to the base game of Memoir '44. Instead of playing a single scenario (and maybe change sides afterwards) this campaign offers the possibility to play grand campaigns (also called theaters of operation) - which consist of different campaigns (and a couple of scenarios per campaign). The great thing is that the scenarios and campaigns are linked, meaning that the outcome of a single scenario determines which scenario has to be played next.

These three theaters of operation are included:
Battle of Normady (June-August 1944)
Unternehmen Fall Greb (May-June 1940)
Operation Barbarossa (June-December 1941)

Beside the base game of Memoir '44 you need the "Terrain Pack" and the "Eastern Front" extensions to be able to play through all three grand campaigns. For one of the twelve campaigns also the Airpack is required. The fact that extensions are needed shows that this campaign book is full of new ideas and exciting gameplay, also some interesting rules are introduced.

Additionally I want to point out that the "Eastern Front" expansion is definitely an interesting one, also if just considered to be played without the new campaign book. It contains a whole russian army set (soldiers, tanks, guns) and 8 historical scenarios - from Finland to Stalingrad and from Operation Typhoon to Barbarossa.

The Memoir '44 Campaign Book invites you to relive the conflicts of World War II in all of their staggering scope and intensity. Included are more than 50 new scenarios and advanced campaign rules covering three Theaters of Operations throughout the War: The Battle for Normandy in the summer of 1944, the Blitzkrieg to the West in 1940, and Operation Barbarossa on the Russian Front in 1941.

The new campaign rules let you play scenarios in succession, with the outcome of each battle impacting what follows: each success brings you closer to victory, while defeats will deal you temporary set-backs, or worse, the possible complete rout of your Army!

With the Memoir '44 Campaign book, you'll step into the boots of Montgomery, or head out at the front of a German column to try and throw the Allies back to the sea. Unleash your Panzers onto hapless Belgium and France, or advance into the frozen steppes of the Soviet empire.

2 players, 45 min
author: richard borg
publisher: days of wonder
category: wargame, world war II

buy "memoir '44" online @ cosimshop.de or coolstuffinc.com

memoir '44 @ boardgamegeek.com
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Nature wonders of earth

2009-06-08T13:55:00.005Z

The DVD package (2 discs) "Natural wonders of earth" contains six episodes of high quality films about the most beautiful spots on earth. Beside Alaska, Hawai and the Sahara, also the Great Barrier Reef and the Grand Canyon are featured. Not only the pictures are stunning, also a lot of interesting information about the formation of earth is presented to the viewer. The canadian extreme athlete Will Glad flys with a paraglider over Hawaian volcanos, skies in snow-covered mountains and climbes the sheer rock walls of the Grand Canyon. Great entertainment!

Studio: Polyband (German)

Buy "Nature wonders of the earth" online @ amazon.de
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Homeopathy

2009-06-01T13:51:00.013Z

"Homeopathy is a form of alternative medicine that treats a disease with heavily diluted preparations that are thought to cause effects similar to the disease's symptoms." (Wikipedia)

If you are interested in Homeopathy you should check out the books shown below. Two of them are written by Walter Glück, whereas one time he concentrates on things to do in case of an emergency (including a proposal which homeopathic medicine should be available at home). In the second book (which is also accessible easily) he writes about soft and alternative medicine for children - a very informative work, which I already consulted a couple of times.

If you are looking for a "Encyclopedia of Homeopathy" you should check out the book of Andrew Lockie. In there you find not only general information about the history and key principles of homeopathy, you also can read about how remedies are made and of which material they consist, and how homeopathic self-help could work.

Even if the books help to get a first impression about the topic, I strongly recommend to always align a treatment with a doctor.
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Homöopathische Notfallapotheke (Walter Glück)
Publisher: Orac
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Sanfte Medizin für Ihr Kind (Walter Glück)
Publisher: Orac

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Encyclopedia of Homeopathy (Andrew Lockie)
Publisher: Dorling Kindersley
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Call of Cthulhu LCG

2009-05-16T17:55:00.006Z

"The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown." - H.P. Lovecraft, Supernatural Horror in Literature

I already wrote about the the Cthulhu card game (back then called "Collectible Card Game), and there I gave an overview of the fine mechanics and the great theme of this game:

http://artofshopping.blogspot.com/2007/05/cthulhu-collectible-card-game.html

Now I want to point out that Fantasy Flight Games introduced their new concept of a "Living Card Game" (LCG) lately, which should avoid buying lots and lots of boosters unnecessarily. With this new idea each month a fixed deck with 40 cards (called "Asylum Pack") will be released, which should improve the situation and nevertheless offer the chance to enhance the game steadily.

Furthermore a new "Call of Cthulhu LCG Core Set" is available which comes with six awesome looking Cthulhu miniatures, a board for managing the story cards and lots of different cards from each faction - which is not only a great deal for new players in my opinion.

A typical game of Call of Cthulhu plays very quickly between two players and it has a high-level of player interaction, analysis of open information, planning and strategy. There is a wide variety of possible combinations of factions (Syndicate with Agency, Cthulhu with Hastur, etc.) and each combination will necessitate a different, challenging approach, providing high levels of re-playability.
One of the major appeals of the Living Card Game format is that it gives you not only a solid game experience, full of strategy and excitement, but it also allows you to customize your gaming experience to your liking. As you customize your deck from the Call of Cthulhu Living Card Game card pool, you get to build a strategy around your personal play style. Your options for deck-building are wide open and will continue to grow as we release more Asylum Packs, which will introduce new cards to the card pool every month.

The Call of Cthulhu LCG Core Set includes 155 cards split between each of the seven factions. It also includes 6 plastic Cthulhu domain markers, 24 Cthulhu story markers, and a game board. It is the best way to start playing Call of Cthulhu LCG.

Cthulhu LCG - Minisite (Fantasy Flight Games)

2 players, 30 min
designer: eric lang, nate french
published by: fantasy flight games
category: living card game, horror

buy "cthulhu lcg" online @ coolstuffinc.com

cthulhu lcg @ boardgamegeek.com
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Batman comics - A fine selection

2009-04-25T12:08:00.014Z

Among other things especially the movie "Batman: The Dark Knight" is the cause for the high popularity of this topic. Despite the fact that I really liked the movie I want to focus a little bit on the roots of this success: great comics! I already wrote about Frank Miller's "Batman: The Dark Knight Returns", therefore I want to recommend three a other ground breaking Batman comics - written by three famous artists: Frank Miller, Alan Moore and Grant Morrison. One is about the early days of Batman, one about the early days of the Joker and one is about the most psychotic enemies of Batman - all three stories are exciting and profound, and have become classics in the comics genre!

Batman: Year One (written by Frank Miller, Art by David Mazzuccelli)
A young Bruce Wayne has spent his adolescence and early adulthood, traveling the world so he could hone his body and mind into the perfect fighting and investigative machine. But now as he returns to Gotham City, he must find a way to focus his passion and bring justice to his city. Retracing Batman's first attempts to fight injustice as a costumed vigilante, we watch as he chooses a guise of a giant bat, creates an early bond with a young Lieutenant James Gordon, inadvertently plays a role in the birth of Catwoman, and helps to bring down a corrupt political system that infests Gotham.

Batman: Arkham Asylum (written by Grant Morrison, Art by Dave McKean)
The inmates of Arkham Asylum have taken over Gotham's detention center for the criminally insane on April Fool's Day, demanding Batman in exchange for their hostages. Accepting their demented challenge, Batman is forced to endure the personal hells of the Joker, Scarecrow, Poison Ivy, Two-Face and many other sworn enemies in order to save the innocents and retake the prison. During his run through this absurd gauntlet, the Dark Knight's must face down both his most dangerous foes and his inner demons.

Batman: The Killing Joke (written by Alan Moore, Art by Brian Bolland)
For the first time the Joker's origin is revealed in this tale of insanity and human perseverance. Looking to prove that any man can be pushed past his breaking point and go mad, the Joker attempts to drive Commissioner Gordon insane. After shooting and permanently paralyzing his daughter Barbara (a.k.a. Batgirl), the Joker kidnaps the commissioner and attacks his mind in hopes of breaking the man. But refusing to give up, Gordon maintains his sanity with the help of Batman in an effort to best the madman.

publisher: dc comics (english), panini comics (german)
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2 de Mayo

2009-04-10T13:45:00.009Z

Introduction/Topic
This is a fine little wargame for 2 players, simulating the historical events happening in Madrid in May 1808 - when some civilians rebelled against the French occupation troops of Napoleon.

Components
The medium-sized box comes with a board (showing Madrid), wooden cubes (representing Spanish civilians and French troops) and cards (triggering adequate events). The game is bilingual (English, Spanish) and the rules are quite easy to understand, a complete example of gameplay is included as well as historical background information.

Gameplay
The gameplay consists of ten turns with four phases each. In the preparation phase you draw an event card, afterwards your write down the movement orders for your forces secretly. In the third phase the orders are revealed simultaneously (and carried out on the board), then the last phase (resolution) follows - where depending on the strength of the respective force the outcome of a fight is calculated. For each side different victory conditions are applied.

Conclusion
The designer, Mr. Daniel Val, already won an award for the game - and deservedly so. This is a real gem and hopefully will be noticed by a broad audience. The game plays quick (about 20 minutes), has a lof of tension and an interesting theme. Replayability is also high, as the game is very well balanced (although it is asymmetric) and as the event cards influence the flow of the game. Great!

The Game Dos de Mayo is a historical simulation of the terrible incidents that took place in Madrid on May 2nd 1808. On that date, civilians in Madrid - and a few Spanish army units - rebelled against the French occupation troops of Napoleon.

Dos de Mayo is a bilingual (English and Spanish) boardgame for two players, in which each player controls the forces of one side, either Spanish or French. The game lasts 10 turns and takes about 20-30 minutes to play.

At the end of Turn 10, the French player achieves victory if all the Spanish forces have been eliminated, all the access areas to Madrid are French garrisoned and has not lost four or more cubes. If a French victory does not apply, the Spanish player wins.

2 players, 20 min
designer: daniel val
published by: genxgames
category: wargame

buy "2 de mayo" online @ cosimshop.de or coolstuffinc.com

2 de mayo @ boardgamegeek.com
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Terrain for Miniature Gaming II

2009-03-27T09:38:00.008Z

As I already wrote in my first article about terrain for miniature gaming I'm convinced that good and varied terrain adds a lot to your miniature gaming experience. Trees can provide cover for your troops, which is true for hills as well - whereas hills and plateaus might also help to gain a strategic advantage.

ESLO is another company which produces really great stuff in high quality (handmade!). The modular boards are looking very realistic and are coming in different designs (grass, grass with stone, grass with ground, snow, ...) , therefore you can arrange your basic terrain just as you want. For a start the small hill (with a tree on top) or the death site might be nice obstacles to use in your epic battles, to make yourself comfortable with moving your armies (and fighting with them) in this new terrain. Additionally ESLO offers a lot of other stuff to put on your boards, from hills and craters through houses and ruins to rivers and ponds - you will find anything your heart desires.

From the producer: Every model is unique, everything is pure manual work. Thus you will always get a unique piece, which no one else has got. Even if you buy the same models, each will look somewhat different, so that you can arrange your playing field with all your phantasy.

- handmade in Germany
- ready to play
- high quality
- with static grass

producer: gelaendestuecke.de (ESLO)

buy the terrain items online @ gelaendestuecke.de:

- modular boards
- death site
- small hill
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Lighting Design

2009-03-15T21:32:00.008Z

If you are convinced that a good lighting concept definitely makes a change you should have a look at the books shown below. In my opinion lighting is a very valuable and versatile way of making a room, a house or a garden outstanding. It is often simple to create stunning effects and moods, and make you feel more comfortable in a certain space.

These two books offer a lot of inspiration how lighting can be used effectively by describing certain projects and showing wonderful photos. Additionally you can also find information on the planning process and some technical details as well. Enjoy!

176 pages

author: michele osborne
publisher: knesebeck (german)

Drawing on experience gathered from working with renowned architects of 250 projects, the authors have produced a handbook of all aspects of lighting, from the first designs to the completion of projects, charting examples from the US, Europe and the Far East. There are chapters on basic technical details and necessary instruments.

256 pages
author: ulrike brandi, christoph geissmar-brandi

publisher: birkhäuser (german)
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Hordes: Trollblood Army

2009-03-06T12:21:00.012Z

I introduced the great miniature wargame "Hordes" some time ago (find the link enclosed) - on the basis of a "Trollblood Warpack":

http://artofshopping.blogspot.com/2007/12/hordes.html

After a couple of games you might be interested in expanding your Tollblood army (as I was), and for that case you find some suggestions below. Personally, I don't decide exclusively only in terms of most value for a tournament for example - for me it's also important to have fun when playing with certain miniatures, and last but not least to "like" the miniatures (and their look).

To enhance the possibilities concerning warbeasts (and to add a powerful model which can absorb a lot of damage) I chose a Dire Troll Mauler - I REALLY like this model.

Regarding to the first units I suggest counting on the Trollblood Champions - they are tough and support each other pretty well, maybe one of the best units in the game. Additionally the Krielstone Bearer unit might be also worth to have a look at. Not only the idea of the Krielstone itself is great (find more information below), they also can boost the stats of the Trollkin Champions.

If you want to add a solo unit as well, mabye the Fell Caller might fit your needs - his fell calls are very useful (either for the Fell Caller himself or to help out warbeasts or any other warriors).

From my point of view these are some interesting proposals for enlarging your army and giving you a lot more options on the battlefield. Furthermore this selection also should support the well-known and often played "Trollblood Brick" quite well (a certain Trollblood strategy, where most of the models stick together and move slowly towards their enemies). Additional information as well as the complete rules and some background information can be found in the book "Hordes: Primal" (even if meanwhile two further books on Hordes have been published - "Evolution" and " Metamorphosis" - this will be a good start.)

Dire Troll Mauler
With bodies of thickened muscle and clawed hands nearly the size of a man, there are few creatures more awesome than the Dire Troll. When these monsters came from the forest in ancient days to stuff their fanged maws with screaming victims, it was proof to the primitive tribes of man that terror had flesh and walked among them. They bring tremendous raw power to the allied Trollkin Kriels.

Champions
The champions are hardened veterans, rising as the great heroes of their kriels. A tight bond links them to one another, an awareness that theirs is a greater destiny. They formalize these ties with the kulgat blood oath, learning to draw strength from their brothers and fight with seamless precision side by side. They distinguish themselves on the front line, hacking into enemies with a weapon in each hand, inflicting grievous wounds.

Krielstone Bearer and Stone Scribes
Among the Trollkin kiths, it is considered a great honour to have the strength to bear sacred Krielstones into battle. Powered by carefully inscribed runes immortalizing Trollkin heroism over the ages, the stones radiate powerful protection to the brave warriors nearby.

Fell Caller
Few trollkin warlocks willingly take the field without one of these peerless warriors. Incarnations of their culture, Fell Callers serve as rallying points that bolster their fellows with powerful fell calls and lay their enemies low with paired swords. No trollkin can resist following when a Fell Caller drives deep into the enemy.

You can buy these fine stuff @ fantasy-in.de:

Trollblood Dire Troll Mauler
Trollblood Champions
Trollblood Krielstone Bearer and Stone Scribes
Trollblood Fell Caller
Hordes: Primal - Rulebook
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Terrain for Miniature Gaming

2009-02-23T09:08:00.009Z

To deepen the experience when you fight epic battles with your miniature armies it's a great thing to play on nice and diversified terrain. There are a lot of different possibilities to achieve this, and it's definitely fun to build your own terrain - nevertheless there are also great pieces of ready-to-play terrain available. For instance Ziterdes produces really nice stuff - from a modular gaming table system with 12 different designs (all terrain items are produced in a light and stable Hard-Foam-Material and can be set-up in endless combinations) to trees, rocks and hills. You will have a hard time to choose from the broad range of goods.

In my opinion terrain is a really important enhancement for miniature gaming - it creates a special atmosphere and is nice to look at, but at least equally important: It adds a lot of possibilities and challenges in matters of strategy and tactics.

From the publisher: With our MGT's (Modular Gaming Tables) you are able to create your Playing Field just the way you need it for a new battle and you can change the field again and again. We offer 12 different Modules. Obstacles should not miss on your gaming table. Though you are spoilt for choice: Walls, hedges, fences, sandbags, barricades, wood- oder stone cairn and much more.

But obstacles are double-edged swords - on one hand they offer you shelter and defilades on the other hand they block troups and avoid a fast progress...but that is exactly what they stands for...so it's on you! Take the right choice for your troups and your advantage and the obstacles could be pivotal for your battle.

producer: ziterdes

buy the terrain items online @ ziterdes:
- modular gaming tables
- trees
- rocks/hills
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Pandemic

2009-02-13T12:25:00.008Z

Introduction/Topic
In this cooperative game 2-5 players try to find cures for different diseases that break out around the world. It's up to the players to save the world - and use the special abilities of the characters as efficiently as possible to stop the pandemic.

Components
The board shows the whole world, including the most important cities on each continent. Each player controls little wooden figures - also a lot of cards and some cardboard markers are used to play. Nicely done - not only what concerns graphics and design, but the quality as well.

Gameplay
Each player is dealt a profession card at the beginning, which allows him to perform some special actions according to his role (dispatcher, scientiest, researcher,...). All players start in Atlanta, where the first research station has been placed. In each turn every player is allowed to perform four actions (move to another city, treat a disease,...), afterwards he draws two cards and finally he has to play the infector - which means that the infections will be spread further around the world. In close cooperation all the players have to move between the cities and try to dam up the infections until enough specific cards have been collected to find a cure for the four different diseases.

Conclusion
Pandemic is a cooperative game - and from my point of view it is one of the best cooperative games available. It has great and very original mechanics, additionally it's also possible to increase the difficulty level steadily - which makes every new game challenging. It is fun with two players, as well as with three or four - and I'm definitely looking forward to the planned expansion "Pandemic: On the Brink", which is expected to be released in Summer 2009.

From the publisher: Four diseases have broken out in the world and it is up to a team of specialists in various fields to find cures for these diseases before mankind is wiped out.
Players must work together, playing to their characters' strengths and planning their strategy of eradication before the diseases overwhelm the world with ever-increasing outbreaks. For example, the Operation Specialist can build research stations, which are needed to find cures for the diseases. The Scientist needs only 4 cards of a particular disease to cure it instead of the normal 5.

But the diseases are outbreaking fast and time is running out: the team must try to stem the tide of infection in diseased areas while also towards cures. A truly cooperative game where you all win or you all lose.

2-4 players, 45 min
author: matt leacock
published by: pegasus spiele (german), z-man games (english)
category: cooperative game

rules for "pandemic" can be found here!

buy "pandemic" online @ cosimshop.de or coolstuffinc.com

pandemic @ boardgamegeek.com
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Modern Family Houses

2009-02-11T20:20:00.004Z

If you are looking for some kind of inspiration concerning architecture of modern family houses, you should check out these books published by Callwey. They introduce a lot of different and stylish houses - each article coming with a couple of pictures (including a plan), some background information about the concept and some details about the technical solutions.

Great books for everyone interested in stylish architecture.

publisher: callwey (german)

buy the books online @ amazon.de
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Celestron Telescope

2009-01-25T14:46:00.007Z

If you always wanted to start watching the stars sometime, and if the wish to become a hobby-astronomer steadily grows - you should definitely have a look at this fine telescope. The Celestron Powerseeker 80EQ is a great opportunity for beginners to get a high quality telescope with a lot of features for a pretty good price - a lot of value for the money spent. It comes with a well-written manual and a lot of accessory - and the handling is quite easy. I was really, really impressed when watching celestial objects, including some deep-sky star clusters and galaxies. At the beginning it is a little bit tricky to orient oneself in the huge sky and really find the object you are searching for - but after some time it works out, and then you (and maybe your whole family) will spend nights watching and watching and watching.... the stars.

From the producer: Amateur astronomy is a great family hobby that can be enjoyed year round, and Celestron’s PowerSeekers are the ideal choice for families looking for an affordable and high quality telescope that will provide many hours of enjoyment for children and adults alike.

PowerSeekers are quick and easy to set up – even for the novice. No tools are required for assembly!

Their sturdy equatorial mounts are perfect for tracking objects in the night sky, and the collapsible alt-azimuth mounts are perfectly suited for terrestrial (land) viewing as well as astronomical use.

All of Celestron’s PowerSeekers include a full range of eyepieces plus a 3x Barlow lens that provides an increase in viewing power hundreds of times greater than that of the unaided eye!

General Features
- Quick and easy no-tool setup
- Slow motion controls for smooth tracking
- Erect image optics - Ideal for terrestrial and astronomical use
- Fully coated glass optical components with high transmission coatings for enhanced image brightness and clarity
- 3x Barlow lens triples the magnifying power of each eyepiece

Producer: Celestron

You can order this fine product at teleskop-express.de!

To make yourself familiar with all the different objects in the sky (and their position), I would recommend "Stellarium".

Stellarium is a free open source planetarium for your computer. It shows a realistic sky in 3D, just like what you see with the naked eye, binoculars or a telescope. It is being used in planetarium projectors. Just set your coordinates and go.

You can download Stellarium here.
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Memoir '44

2009-01-19T08:41:00.005Z

Introduction/Topic
Memoir '44 is a wargame for two players designed by Richard Borg (he also did "Commands & Colors: Ancient" as well as "Battlelore", both of them are based on the same gaming system as Memoir '44). In opposite to Commands & Colors (ancient wargame) and Battlelore (fantasy setting), in this game you play through different campaigns in World War II.

Components
The gaming material comes in high quality as all DaysofWonder-products. A double-sided map is included as well as really nice plastic miniatures (soldiers, infantry, tanks, sandbags,…), command cards and markers representing different terrain that can be placed according to the campaign on the map (rivers, forest, villages,…). The little cards with a summary of the most important rules are also very helpful, especially at the beginning.

Gameplay
After you have set-up the units according to the scenario you decided to use, the first player starts with playing one of his command cards to move his units. Depending on line of sight, terrain and distance to the enemy units, the player can start to attack the opponent. Combat is resolved in a straight-forward way by rolling dice, but nevertheless offers a lot of strategic possibilities by using modifiers for different conditions. After the attack phase the player draws a command card and the second player starts with his turn - until one army meets the victory condition of the specific scenario to win the game.

Conclusion
Memoir '44 is a rather simple, but exciting wargame - with an average game lenght of about an hour. Despite the fact that dice are used for resolving combat a lot of planning and decision taking has to be done, offering strategic depth that I didn't expect at first. I really like this mixture of not too complex rules and game play, with the need to nevertheless thinking hard about strategy and choices. It can be recommended wholeheartedly.

From the publisher: Memoir '44 ™ is an historical boardgame where players face-off in stylized battles of some of the most famous historic battles of World War II including Omaha Beach, Pegasus Bridge, Operation Cobra and the Ardennes.

Memoir '44 includes over 15 different battle scenarios and features a double-sided hex game board for both beach landings and countryside combat. Each scenario mimics the historical terrain, troop placements and objectives of each army. Commanders deploy troops through Command and Tactic cards, applying the unique skills of his units – infantry, paratrooper, tank, artillery, and even resistance fighters – to their greatest strength.

"By design, the game is not overly complex", says Memoir '44 designer, Richard Borg. "The game mechanics, although simple, still require strategic card play, timely dice rolling and an aggressive yet flexible battle plan to achieve victory." In addition to the large, double-sided gameboard, Memoir '44 includes 144 amazingly detailed army miniatures - including historically accurate infantry, tanks and artillery; 36 Obstacle pieces, 60 illustrated Command cards, 44 Special Terrain tiles, and 8 Custom Wooden dice.

2 players, 45 min
author: richard borg
publisher: days of wonder
category: wargame, world war II

buy "memoir '44" online @ cosimshop.de or coolstuffinc.com

memoir '44 @ boardgamegeek.com
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The Invisibles

2009-01-13T13:18:00.006Z

This comic is another fine product of Mr. Grant Morrison, who is well-known for his brilliant and extra-ordinary writings. This is also true for "The Invisibles", which is about a bizarre secret society fighting the established system. The book is full of intelligent and philosophical stuff, as well as strange and esoterical thoughts about life and theory of conspiracy. You have to read it twice to get all of it - and it's worth it in my opinion.

From the publisher: Throughout history, a secret society called the Invisibles, who count among their number Lord Byron and Percy Shelley, work against the forces of order that seek to repress humanity's growth. In this first collection, the Invisibles latest recruit, a teenage lout from the streets of London, must survive a bizarre, mind-altering training course before being projected into the past to help enlist the Marquis de Sade.

written by grant morrison
art by steve yeowell, jill thompson and others

publisher: panini comics (german), vertigo (english)
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Measuring the World

2009-01-11T15:08:00.006Z

This audio book tells the truly amazing story of two of the greatest scientists of the 18th/19th century - Carl Friedrich Gauss and Alexander von Humboldt. Daniel Kehlmann manages to write about their opposing way of doing research in parallel and in a very entertaining manner - Humboldt travels around the world to measure it, Gauss measures the world in his head. This seemingly contradiction makes this book so special, beside the valueable information about the discoveries of these great men. This audiobook can be recommended without reservation.

Loosely based on the lives of 19th-century explorer Alexander von Humboldt and a contemporary, mathematician Carl Friedrich Gauss, Kehlmann's novel, a German bestseller widely heralded as an exemplar of "new" German fiction, injects musty history with shots of whimsy and irony.

Humboldt voyages to South America to map the Orinoco River, climb the Chimborazo peak in Ecuador and measure "every river, every mountain and every lake in his path." Gauss is the hedgehog to Humboldt's fox, leaping out of bed on his wedding night to jot down a formula and rarely leaving his hometown of Göttingen. The two meet at a scientific congress in 1828, when Germany is in turmoil after the fall of Napoleon. Other luminaries appear throughout the novel, including a senile Immanuel Kant, Louis Daguerre and Thomas Jefferson.

The narrative is notable for its brisk pacing, lively prose and wry humor (curmudgeonly Gauss laments, for instance, how "every idiot would be able to... invent the most complete nonsense" about him 200 years hence), which keenly complements Kehlmann's intelligent, if not especially deep, treatment of science, mathematics and reason at the end of the Enlightenment. [amazon.com]

author: daniel kehlmann
publisher: universal music (audiobook in german)
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Power Grid

2009-01-08T13:31:00.010Z

Introduction/Topic
In Power Grid you have to buy and operate power plants to provide electricity for as many cities as possible. The game comes with two boards, so you can decide whether to play in Germany or in the US.

Components
The box contains a huge board (thick and mounted cardboard), a lot of wooden cubes and a set of cards representing the different power plants. The quality of all components is great, I also like the design which fits to the topic.

Gameplay
Each turn is divided into five phases. First of all the player order has to be determined, followed by the "auction phase" where each player can buy a new power plant. In the third phase resources have to be bought to be able to operate the power plants and afterwards (in the "building phase") each player is working on enlarging his network of cities on the map. Finally some bureaucracy has to be done - mainly the players receive money for all the cities they can supply with electricty. The game ends when the first player has built 17 cities.

Conclusion
The game is very well-designed and also well balanced. Basically it is all about optimizing your moves and using your resources as efficiently as possible - which is really a lot of fun. I also like the idea of the resource market, which is simulating supply and demand in a great way. If you don't mind a little bit of calculating to find the best way to build your network (especially later in the game) you will like this fine game for sure.

From the publisher: The object of Power Grid is to supply the most cities with power when someone’s network gains a predetermined size.

In this new edition, players mark pre-existing routes between cities forconnection, and then vie against other players to purchase the powerplants that you use to supply the power. However, as plants are purchased, newer more efficient plants become available so you’re potentially allowing others to access to superior equipment merely by purchasing at all.

Additionally, players must acquire the raw materials, like coal, oil, garbage, or uranium, to power said plants (except for the highly valuable ’renewable energy’ wind/solar plants), making it a constant struggle to upgrade your plants for maximum efficiency while still retaining enough wealth to quickly expand your network to get the cheapest routes.

2-6 players, 90 min
authors: friedeman friese
publisher: 2f-games, rio grande games
category: auction, resource management

buy "power grid" online @ cosimshop.de or coolstuffinc.com

power grid @ boardgamegeek.com
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Jamie At Home - Vol. 1 & 2

2009-01-01T21:23:00.008Z

I was not sure how much I will like this new DVD series by Jamie Oliver - but I ended up loving it. The fact I like most is that he focuses on the whole process of cooking. This means starting with growing fresh vegetables in the garden and using this high-quality ingredients for rather quick and delicious dishes. A big success is the selfmade tomato ketchup - we already gave this recipe a try at home, and it tasted awesome.

From the producer: Jamie Oliver goes back to his roots for a mouth-watering new series filmed at his Essex home. The chef has spent the last five years tackling school dinners and youth unemployment, so it's a treat to have him back cooking great recipes using ingredients straight from his own garden. From perfect potatoes to superb strawberries, and from tasty tomatoes to fresh pizza toppings, the 12-part series is a straightforward guide to getting the best from mother nature.

With the help of gardener Brian, Jamie has transformed the garden of his Essex house, and discovered a passion for growing his own produce. Now he wants to show just how easy it is to cultivate amazing fruit and vegetables at home. Even if you only have a balcony or back yard, Jamie shows how to grow fantastic veg and fruit and turn it into simple, tasty and delicious food. Packed with dozens of new step-by-step recipes, Jamie at Home is enough to get any cook's green fingers itching.

There are already two volumes of this fine production available.

Studio: Polyband
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The Minimalist Garden

2008-12-19T08:32:00.008Z

"Less is more." (Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, 1959)
This is the basic principle presented in this fine book (adopted to gardens of course). As minimalistic design is very popular right now, and more and more people begin to enjoy the beauty of simple things the author did the right thing by analyzing and explaining a lot of stunning minimalist garden designs around the world. You will find not only amazing photos but also valuable information about the philosophy of minimalistic gardening. This book will definitely provide a lot of inspiration for redesigning your garden.

Product Description
Minimalist gardens, with their emphasis on clean lines, pure form, and a strong sense of space, are closely related to contemporary architecture and lifestyles. This book draws together a wide variety of minimalist gardens from around the world - large and small, urban and rural. The projects are grouped into thematic chapters, and the designers represented include Vladimir Sitta, John Pawson, Luis Barragan, Seth Stein, Jacques Wirtz, Tadao Ando, Martha Schwartz, Shodo Suzuki, and Isamu Noguchi; the book looks at the inspiration behind each garden and the frequent use of unusual materials and imaginative planning. The author also explains the philosophy of minimalism in gardens and related arts, as well as parallel trends in relaxed and ecologically aware planting. Also included are directories of materials and suitable plants for the minimalist garden.

About the Author
Christopher Bradley-Hole was trained as an architect and received a graduate degree from the Architectural Association in London in the study and conservation of historic gardens and landscapes. His own garden designs range from small city courtyards to immense country estates.

208 pages
author: christoper bradley-hole
publisher: knesebeck verlag (germany), mitchell beazley (uk)
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PicooZ TandemZ-1 Helicopter

2008-12-13T13:19:00.011Z

If you liked radio controlled cars when you where young, you will love this RC helicopter. It's amazing how resistant it is - because during the phase of learning how to control it you will experience a couple of crashes for sure. Nevertheless you get used to fly this little helicopter after a couple of tries and it is really great fun. It also challenging to steadily improve your skills and pass more and more of your self-defined "missions". The set comes ready-to-fly and needs no further assembling, so you can already start with your new hobby after a charging time of 20-30 minutes.

You are looking at the world first mini chopper packed with twin rotor design, the Tandem-Z. 3 Channel helicopter (only 25 grams!). It is made from light foam material to withstand light collisions. This mini helicopter is packed with break through technology! It has twins rotor blade located at the front & rear end, when the two blades start to spin, it creates a sophisticated gyroscopic effect that makes the helicopter hover stably or to move in forward, backward, left and right direction. You must read the instruction very carefully to fully understand the myth of controlling this helicopter. Although the Tandem is too titchy to carry troops or heavy artillery, it's more than capable of lifting your spirits (groan!) as it aka-aka-aka's around the room. And that's no surprise because this is the world's first twin-rotor micro chopper. It's more fun than a Sea Knight load of fun things from Funville. [Amazon.com]

Product Features
* 6 ways direction movement: Forward, left, right, up, down and hovering
* Innovative gyroscopic rotor blade design & 3 Channels Digital Control
* Easy to operate, suitable for children 15 years old or above
* Made by foam material, can withstand light collision against wall while test flying
* Built in LED front lamp at the front for night time flying - Ideal for indoor flying

Homepage: silverlit.de or silverlit.com

The Red Dragon Inn

2008-12-02T14:56:00.009Z

The Red Dragon Inn is a simple, but nevertheless very interesting and entertaining card game for two to four players. The heroic adventurers meet in a pub (called "The Red Dragon Inn") and celebrate their survival in the dungeon - by drinking a LOT of delicious drinks. Your goal is to stay conscious (at least longer than the other players) and to be successful during gambling (to not loose all your gold).

The game mechanics take care of distributing the different drinks to the players (which can be influenced by the adventurers of course) and regulate the gambling-procedure, which is a kind of game-in-the-game. The Red Dragon Inn is easy to teach and really a lot of fun, especially for three or four players - as there is a lot of interaction, and future happenings are pretty hard to predict.

From the publisher: You and your adventuring companions have spent all day slogging through the Dungeon, killing monsters and taking their stuff. Now you're back in town, healed up, cleaned up, and ready to party at the Red Dragon Inn.

Drink, gamble, and roughhouse with your friends. But don't forget to keep an eye on your Gold. If you run out, you'll have to spend the night in the stables. Oh... and try not to get too beaten up or too drunk. If you black out, your friends will continue the party without you... after they loot your body for Gold of course!

The last conscious adventurer with Gold wins the game!

Take on the role of one of these heroic fantasy adventurers - Dierdre, Fiona, Gerki, or Zot - and enjoy an evening at the Red Dragon Inn!

2-4 players, 45 min
authors: cliff bohm, colleen skadl, geoff bottone
publisher: slugfest games
category: fantasy, card game, party game

buy "the red dragon inn" online @ cosimshop.de or coolstuffinc.com

the red dragon inn @ boardgamegeek.com
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Silit Elements

2008-11-13T11:42:00.011Z

If you like cooking - and if you are looking for the perfect utensils, please check out the cooking series Silit Elements. This series is stunning not only in terms of design and functionality, also the quality is outstanding. Find additional details enclosed...

Pure cooking enjoyment
Elements is versatile and flexible. The system elements are all completely compatible amd create totally new healthful possibilities for preparing foods. Various pots, inserts and lids all match perfectly and can be combined for different uses.

Simply practical
Elements is not only ideal for cooking, but also for serving and storing foods, for example in well-designed cook'n serve bowls. Elements is made of ultra-hard, extremely robust and anti-bacterial high-tech ceramic Silargan. With the cook'n serve bowls you can directly freeze in.

Ingeniously designed
The multifunction lid fits perfectly and is ideal for water-reduced cooking. It can be rested on the sides of the pots - table and stove stay clean. All system elements can be stacked to save space.

ELEMENTS is a well-designed comprehensive system. The perfect combinability of the individual elements guarantees versatility and the material ensures healthful dining pleasure. Whoever opts for ELEMENTS experiences first-class technology by Silit in its most attractive form.

Material: Silargan
Design: Liora Reich & Barro de Gast
Awards: reddot Design award 2005

Homepage: Silit.de

You can buy the series here: 1A-Neuware.de
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Arkham Horror

2008-10-22T11:43:00.010Z

Introduction/Topic
If you have neither heard of H.P. Lovecraft yet, nor read one of his books - I would recommend that you start with "The Case of Charles Dexter Ward" right now. HP Lovecraft created the Cthulhu-Mythos, and this game is settled in his universe. Basically it takes place in a dark and mysterious city called Arkham in the beginning of the 20th century. Different characters (= the players) explore certain spots in the city, trying to fight supernatural forces.

Components
I've rarely seen so many pieces of gaming material in one box. Also the board (basically presenting the most important places and streets of Arkham) is so huge, that we had to "enlarge" our gaming table in case to have enough space to put the board there. Furthermore you find a lot of markers in there, as well as monsters, event-/item cards, and last but not least pretty nice stat boards for the different investigators that can be chosen by the players. All material comes in great quality (mostly thick cardboard) and with a dark design fitting the theme perfectly.

Gameplay
Each player chooses one character (artist, adventurer, professor,…), and all people involved work together to finally defeat one of the Great Old Ones (who is threatening Arkham) by playing the game in a cooperative way. The gameplay consists of a lot of roleplaying elements and you have to improve your character's abilities steadily to make sure you will survive when fighting monsters or when visiting mysterious spots out of time and space. You will have strange encounters and obscure incidents will happen while you walk through Arkham trying to seal cosmic gates - to finally win the game.

Conclusion
A great game. First of all I like the theme, which has been adopted in a very authentic way. Secondly, the cooperative gameplay works pretty well (what I didn't expect at the beginning) - as each player takes his own decisions, trying to support the strategy of the group, which has to be agreed on together and adjusted quite often during the game. Furthermore the game is not easy, so you really have to take care of what you are doing - and even if it takes a couple of hours to complete the game, it doesn't get boring as the Cthulhu Mythos will fascinate you.

From the publisher: Arkham Horror was originally published by Chaosium, Inc. , in 1987. This new, updated edition features stunning new artwork and graphical design (including a new gameboard, counters, cards, and playing pieces) as well as revised and expanded rules from the game's original creator, Richard Launius.

Players can select from 16 unique playable investigator characters, each with unique abilities, and will square off against the diabolical servants of 8 Ancient Ones, including Ithaqua, Hastur, and the terrible Cthulhu! No fan of the Cthulhu Mythos will want to miss the opportunity to acquire this classic Call of Cthulhu board game!

1-8 players, 180 min
authors: kevin wilson, richard launius
publisher: fantasy flight games, heidelberger spieleverlag
category: horror, roleplaying, adventure, cooperative, cthulhu

buy arkham horror online @ cosimshop.de or coolstuffinc.com

arkham horror @ boardgamegeek.com
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The Elegance of the Hedgehog

2008-10-19T18:24:00.005Z

Renee is 45 years old and she is working as a concierge in a house where just rich families are living. She plays her role according to the expectations of society, even if she loves literature and art films - which is rather unusual for a concierge. Paloma is the 12-year old daughter of one of the families in this house, and she is very intelligent - widely above the average of girls of her age. She wants to commit suicide on her 13th birthday - as from her point view her life is determined, an she definitely doesn't want to end up like her mother or her older sister. The book tells the story of these two charcaters in a likeable and very appealing way, questioning the meaning of life as well as exploring the beauty of small things. Recommended.

author: muriel barbery
publisher: dtv (german), central books (english)
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Risk: Black Ops

2008-10-10T12:03:00.009Z

Introduction/Topic
There will be released a new version of the old boardgame classic "Risk" in autumn, and for that reason a limited prelaunch version (in a different design than the final one) has been produced to set the focus on the game even before "Risk: Black Ops" will be available officially.

Components
The overall design of the game is simply stunning - the design of the board and the cubes, as well as the beautiful cards and even the rules booklet. It is straightforward and elegant, black and grey are the dominant colors - although, when the board is setup you feel like sitting in front of a stylish chart, which makes you want to start conquering the world immediatly.

Gameplay
The basic gameplay hasn't changed - you have to roll dice to resolve attacks. But around this basic mechanism a lot of small changes have improved the game significantly. For example all missions can be seen (and chosen) by all players and are divided in major and minor objectives - the first player who fulfills three objectives wins the game. Futhermore new elements like capitols and cities are introduced, whereby each player owns one capitol and on certain countries cities are placed (making them more powerful).

Conclusion
I hadn't played Risk for a really long time before I discovered "Risk: Black Ops", and I wasn't sure how to feel about this new version - because I had a couple of somehow negative experiences with the old version. But I really have to admit that the relaunch has been pretty successful, as on the one hand the game lenght has been reduced (average: 1 hour) and on the other hand a couple of new elements and slight changes of the rules have lead to a significantly more strategic game - without losing the feeling of classic Risk. This game will hit our gaming table more often in the future for sure.

From the publisher: This is a promotional version of the forthcoming re-vamp of the Risk ruleset and game components. Introducing Capitals, Cities, Objectives, and Rewards the game has become about completing Objectives instead of Global Domination. Global Domination may still be played with the updated components. In the updated Risk, the Goal is to be the first player to complete 3 Objectives and be in control of your capital. Objectives and Rewards are broken down into minor and major categories. The new Goal of attaining Objectives provides much of the original Risk experience with a decreased time commitment and randomly selected Objectives changing the experience on each play.

2 players, 60 min
publisher: hasbro

category: wargame

buy risk games online @ cosimshop.de or coolstuffinc.com

risk (black ops) @ boardgamegeek.com
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John Woo's 7 Brothers

2008-09-28T07:27:00.005Z

7 Brothers is a comic about a powerful wizard (known as the Son of Hell) who tried to conquer the world in the 15th century by establishing magical spots in all parts of the world - which should enable him to rule the world. His plan failed back then, but the seed for his evil project has been planted nevertheless... Seven men and a female leader in our mordern world get to know that their fate is to fight against this reborn wizard "Son of Hell" - and have to be successful to prevent the world from collapsing.

Great story-telling, fantastic graphics and very special protagonists will make sure that you won't put that comic down. Ennis and Kang (together with the famous John Woo) at their best.

From the publisher: The first graphic novel from superstar action film director John Woo and written by Garth Ennis. Six hundred years ago long, before history's great explorers stole the credit for their feats, mighty Chinese treasure fleets set sail to reach every continent. These voyages of discovery left behind an evil legacy and a plot by a powerful Chinese sorcerer to dominate the world. The story begins in modern day Los Angeles where an ancient Chinese prophecy must be fulfilled. Seven men with nothing in common but their destinies must face the Son of Hell to save the world.

publisher: liquid comics (english), panini comics (german)
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Warhammer 40.000 - Battle for Macragge

2008-09-24T12:20:00.008Z

Introduction/Topic
Warhammer 40.000 is a rather famous miniatures wargame developed by Games Workshop. The box "Battle for Macragge" is the (fully-packed) introduction boxed set for this game, which is settled in the future in a dark and grim science fiction world. You have anything in there which is needed to start fighting with Space Marines and Genestealers.

Components
The box is huge and full of miniatures (Space Marines, an Imperial Pilot, Termagants and Genestealers) and a lot of other stuff you need to start. Terrain pieces of a crashed Space Shuttle are included as well as dice, a scenario booklet and a Warhammer 40K rule book. You can also buy a special edition of "Battle for Macragge" where even paint and brushes are included, so you can start immediatly to prepare your miniatures.

Gameplay
Warhammer 40K is about tabletop wargaming in a dark future age. "Tabletop wargaming involves two or more players fighting for dominance over a replica battlefield, with armies of painted miniature soldiers representing troops, artillery, and powerful machines of war." And that is basically what you do - you paint your miniatures and prepare them for the battles, afterwards you set-up the pieces and play through the missions provided. Each mission will add some new elements, so you will end up knowing about the rules quite well. The mechanisms of moving and fighting are not too complex, and this additionally ensures lasting fun with the system - as the missions usually also play rather quick.

Conclusion
This boxed set (being just the tip of the iceberg of the Warhammer 40K galaxy) is a great opportunity to find out whether you like tabletop wargaming in general (and especially Warhammer 40K) or not, without spending lots of time and money. You can try to paint the plastic miniatures and realise that it is not too difficult (if your expectations are not that high), even if you always thought you have no talent for that. I really did like the painting, and I'm looking forward to prepare terrain boards on my own. The gameplay is solid stuff and is fun, especially if you are playing with people who don't argue about every decision that is taken. Decide for yourself if Warhammer 40K might be the spare time activity of your choice, in my opinion it's definitely worth it.

From the publisher: The Battle for Macragge is a great way to get started with Warhammer 40,000! This box is packed with all sorts of great stuff to introduce you to the grim darkness of the far future. Included are 10 Termagants, 6 Genestealers, 8 Spore Mines, 10 Space Marines, an Imperial Pilot, and a set of crashed Imperial Aquila Shuttle terrain pieces. Also included are dice, templates, a Battle for Macragge Getting Started book, and a digest-sized complete Warhammer 40,000 rulebook – the perfect size to fit into a figure case as you head out to a tournament or game!

2 players
publisher: games workshop
category: miniatures, wargame, science fiction

buy warhammer 40k online @ fantasy-in.de or scifigenre.com

warhammer 40k - battle for macragge @ boardgamegeek.com
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Hiking in Austria

2008-08-30T19:04:00.008Z

In my opinion hiking is a really underestimated leisure activity, it is not as risky and exciting as paragliding and maybe not as hip as well, but if you have a closer look you will find tension, beauty and in the end probably a glimpse of your pure self. For the beginning I want to introduce two promising areas in Lower Austria offering a lot of possibilities for nice day trips, and also some recommendations for longer trips taking a couple days.

In the first two books about the Wachau (an area located near Krems about 40 km west of Vienna, also known for their delicious apricots) and the area around Vienna (Rax, Wechsel, Semmering, Ötscher,...) you find at the beginning a detailed description of the respective region to get a first impression what to expect. The second (and main) part of the books consists of extensive explanations of beautiful day trips, including maps as well. You can find hiking tours in different lengths and difficulty in there, offering something for every taste and need.

The third book is a collection of well-known and even famous hiking tours in the eastern region of the Alps - most of them lasting a couple of days, recommendations for places (mostly huts) to stay at night are in there, too. Also you will find a broad spectrum of possibilities, offering something for beginners as well as for experienced hikers. The descriptions (and also the pictures) of the routes make you want to start the first trip shortly after reading them - the sooner, the better...

publisher: rother
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Death By Chocolate: Redux

2008-08-27T10:54:00.006Z

This collection of stories about Agent Swete (a rather extraordinary hero consisting of chocolate) covers almost all of David Yurkovich's stories written in this context. Not only the topic is outstandig, also the characters and the plots (about hunting criminals and clearing up crimes - mostly having to do with food in some way) will keep you engaged. The whole collection has been overworked and offers great value for little money.

Agent Swete - an unlikely hero comprised of organic chocolate and a member of the FBI's Food Crimes Division - and his sharp-tongued partner, Anderson, investigate a series of bizarre, food-inspired crimes. Along they way they encounter a variety of characters including an extraterrestrial canine named Geoffrey, writer Ernest Hemingway, an organized crime lord intent upon finding the life-enabling 'eternity pasta,' and an eerie, all-devouring trio known as The Metabolators.

author: david yurkovich
publisher: top shelf productions
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Junta

2008-08-10T18:49:00.006Z

Introduction/Topic
Each player is a representative of a corrupt and well-known family in a stereotypical "banana republic" (Republica de los Bananas) and tries to get as much money as possible (for his swiss bank account), when the yearly budget of the republic (consisting of foreign aid) is distributed between the players.

Components
The quality of the board and the other components (cards, tokens, little miniatures) is more than satisfying. Also the design reflects the satyrical point of the game pretty good and helps to create the right mood for the game, especially for the "revolt" part of the game - which is more or less a separate game in the game (for which the board is needed).

Gameplay
Each game turn represents a year, where first of all a president is elected. The player being president is now responsible for setting up the cabinet - by assigning a cabinet position to each player. Afterwards he distributes the budget for this year to his Ministers and Generals, just as he likes to. Before everyone tries to transfer his money to his/her swiss bank account (where it is finally save), each player can try to assassinate another member of the cabinet (to get to own his/her money this way) - additionally players can try to revolt to elect a new president. This steps are repeated in each turn until the foreign aid is finally gone - then the player with the most money in his swiss bank account has won the game.

Conclusion
This satyrical game is not only appealing because of its unique theme, also the gameplay is thought out very well - and guarantees hours of fun, especially if you play with people who know each other quite well. As a lot of bluffing and negotiating (and also some luck) is necessary to win, the game is exciting until the end - even if it lasts for a couple of hours. The game lenght of up to 240 minutes might be a slight disadvantage, which can be solved with some kind of house rule quite easily. Overall you should definitely try to become president in Republica de los Bananas and save a few million pesos for your retirement.

POWER! Who will be the next El Presidente of La Republica de los Bananas? With the Peasants and the Church on your side, plus a few million pesos to grease the right palms, it could easily be you...

MONEY! But where to get that few million pesos? Your Air Force was never on the receiving end when the former El Presidente distributed the yearly budgets, so you're broke. (He felt the budget money belonged in his Swiss bank account.) Perhaps if you can find a professional to assassinate the Admiral before he gets to the bank....

INTRIGUE! Assassins cost money too, but with the Monarchists on your side, something can be arranged. Now the question is, where to catch the Admiral? At home? At his mistress'? At the bank....

REVOLUTION! The Admiral didn't go to the bank, and someone else was elected El Presidente. As a loyal citizen, you order your Air Force to defend la Republica (and your power base) from another corrupt regime. As the planes fly overhead and the tanks rumble from the barracks, the coup is on! Will you triumph to become the new El Presidente for Life? Or will you be sent to the firing squad?

Junta is the game of power, intrigue, money and revolution in an all too familiar banana republic. In this multi-player game, the players, as the ruling families of la Republica, connive, cajole, threaten and ally their way to the fattest Swiss bank account.

2-7 players, 120-240 min
author: vincent tsao
publisher: pegasus spiele, west end games
category: diplomacy, bluffing

buy the game online @ cosimshop.de or coolstuffinc.com

junta @ boardgamegeek.com
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Johann Lafer

2008-08-09T06:25:00.007Z

Johann Lafer is a well-known and widely accepted cook, who appears often in some german tv shows. If you want to get an impression of his skills, I recommend these two of his books:

In "Meine Kochschule" he gives an introduction to cooking in general, writes about valueable ingredients and offers a complete course on cooking. Next to a lot of recipes you can find interesting and convenient hints, which will make your career as a hobby cook much easier.

Focusing exclusively on "Desserts", in the second book he recommends recipes which have accompanied him through his life. From simple desserts he got to know when he still was a child, to his award-winning and extraordinary creations from the later periods. Not only delicious, but also very likeable.

Celebrity chef Johann Lafer was born in Styria, Austria in 1957. He's the author of numerous books on cooking and the pleasures of good food. Johann Lafer now lives in Germany, at Stromburg castle in Rheinland-Pfalz, with his wife and two children. In 1980 he was named Germany's best pastry chef and a year later he was awarded his first Michelin star. A passionate helicopter pilot, Lafer also operates a gourmet cooking school near his home. But Germans only need to turn on the television if they want to get some tips from the master chef. Lafer is on air in his own cooking show around 180 hours per year.

author: johann lafer
publisher: bassermann verlag
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Planet Earth

2008-08-08T17:59:00.005Z

The first part of this great series covers mountains, caves, shallow seas and deserts - and has been produced in top quality, as known from several previous BBC documentaries. The pictures are amazing and you will be rendered speechless, believe me. Each episode focuses on a certain region, with the goal of covering the whole planet with the full series. From my point of view this is a very impressive advice to take care of our planet (without addressing this topic directly or in an aggressive and demanding way, as known from several other productions). If you like documentaries, especially about nature and wildlife, this series is definitely a must-have - and if you don't like documentaries you should get it as well...

From the makers of The Blue Planet: Seas of Life with an unprecedented production budget of $25 million comes the epic story of life on Earth. Five years in production over 2000 days in the field using 40 cameramen filming across 200 locations shot entirely in high definition this is the ultimate portrait of our planet. A stunning television experience that captures rare action impossible locations and intimate moments with our planet's best-loved wildest and most elusive creatures. From the highest mountains to the deepest rivers this blockbuster series takes you on an unforgettable journey through the daily struggle for survival in Earth's most extreme habitats. Planet Earth takes you to places you have never seen before to experience sights and sounds you may never experience anywhere else.

Director: Alastair Fothergill
Studio: Polyband
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FL/Y Icon

2008-07-27T20:31:00.007Z

The FL/Y icon suspension lamp designed by Ferruccio Laviani in 2002 belongs nowadays to the design classics manufactured by Kartell. Laviani seems to take reference to the flowerpot lamp designed by Verner Panton in 1968 although his design is an advancement. The FL/Y icon seems to be more airy, floating just like a colossal soap bubble dazzle in sunlight. The lamp, which is made out of transparant Methacrylat, feathery accents nearly every modern furniture not least because it's available in many different colors.

material: methacrylat
colours:
transparent - petrol blue, sky blue, red, orange, blue, yellow, scarlet, emerald green, sage green
solid-coloured - black, white
dimensions: Ø 52cm, H33cm; cable length 190cm

producer: kartell
designer: ferruccio laviani

you can buy the lamp @ ambientedirect.com
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Casper

2008-07-16T06:27:00.004Z

Casper (or Pharmakon) is the latest book written by Dirk Wittenborn, who might be already well-known for his successful book "Fierce People". Now he portrays a family living in the second part of the 20th century, struggling with a tragic incident. The youngest son dies in a homicidal rampage, committed by a patient of Mr. Friedrich (the father), who is working as a psychopharmacologist. The book is about drugs, about sadness and happiness and about expectations - family life with its ups and downs. All this told in an exciting but unagitated way, which made me read this book pretty fast.

In this ambitious but flawed novel about drug makers and drug takers, Wittenborn (Fierce People) unfurls the cautionary story of Dr. Will Friedrich, a psychopharmacologist at Yale in 1951, who teams up with a female psychiatrist to test an experimental mood-enhancing drug extracted from a leaf used by New Guinea witch doctors. Will tests the new med on a suicidal freshman, Casper Gedsic, and Casper's resulting homicidal outbreak will trouble Will for the rest of his life. Zach, the narrator and youngest Friedrich boy (conceived in the wake of Casper's freakout), comes of age during the tail end of the '60s, has a truncated brush with writerly success and cops a crippling habit. He and his three siblings end up disappointing Will as their lives run counter to his ambitions for them: daughters Fiona and Lucy forgo lucrative careers for more fulfilling lifestyles (Fiona becomes a painter, Lucy an aid worker), and Willy drops out of prelaw to study art. Unfortunately, the fates of the Friedrich children are of much less dramatic interest than that of their father, and as the novel shifts focus to their travails, this dysfunctional family narrative disappointingly peters out into irresolution.

author: dirk wittenborn
publisher: du mont (german)
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Mr. Jack

2008-07-06T18:57:00.012Z

Introduction/Topic
In this 2-player game, settled in dark and gloomy London, eight characters (investigators) try to identify which one of them is (the hiding) Jack the Ripper. The eight characters are controlled alternately by the the two players, whereby one player acts as a detective (trying to unmask Jack the Ripper) and the other one playing the part of the criminal (trying to finally escape).

Components
The design of the board and the tokens fits to the topic very well and is kept in an appealing comic style. The production quality of the whole gaming material is excellent, thick cardboard has been used not only for the board itself but also for the different tokens needed in the game.

Gameplay
In each of the eight turns each player has to move two (out of eight available) characters, trying to optimize the positions of the persons for the particular goal (depending on being Jack or being the detective). The characters can be moved around the board ending up either in the light (near a street lamp or another person) or in the dark - and at certain times during the game the Jack-player has to tell if the character who is Jack is standing in the light or in the dark, giving the detective player the chance to narrow down the possibilities and finally maybe even catch Jack.

Conclusion
The rules for Mr Jack are simple - and after a couple of games you even know the special ability of each character by hard, so it is quite easy to start playing. Nevertheless it will take a lot more games to become a good player, and it is really fun to improve the strategy for both roles (Jack & Detective) each time you play. A thrilling game of deduction and bluffing with nearly no luck involved, offering endless different possibilities how gameplay unfolds.

The night covers the gloomy alleys with darkness and only a few corners are still illuminated by the gaslights. Eight investigators have gathered to catch the cunning Jack the Ripper. But Jack is in fact cleverly impersonating one of them.

In Mr. Jack, one of the players must help the investigators. By moving each character into light or shadow, the detective player makes successive deductions to uncover which investigator is in fact Jack, then he/she must try to catch the infamous ripper.

The opponent, playing Jack, must do his best to delay the investigation. He can even try to use the darkness to secretly flee the district!

A thrilling game for two players!

Winner of the 2007 International Gamers Award

2 players, 30 min
author: bruno cathala & ludovic maublanc
publisher: hurrican, heidelberger spieleverlag
category: deduction

buy the game online @ cosimshop.de or coolstuffinc.com

play online @ mrjack.biludi.de

mr. jack @ boardgamegeek.com
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Japanese Gardens and Teahouses

2008-06-22T18:41:00.011Z

I like to enjoy beautiful gardens, as well as I'm interested in Zen Buddhism and Japanese culture in general - so if you add up these preferences, sooner or later you will be dealing with Japanese gardens. What I like most about the book "Shaping Japanese Gardens" is the comprehensive view, so you won't learn only how to shape a Japanese garden and which plants you should grow, additionally you will be familiarized with the tradition and the culture behind, which mustn't be missing in that context and was (at least for me) very interesting to read about

If it's the case that you also love tea - especially green tea (as I do), then you should definitely follow-up on the topic checking out the book "The Japanese Teahouse". It's full about details (and amazing pictures) on the architecture as well as facts about the tea ceremony as such, held in unadorned teahouses built in Japanese gardens. Beside the huge knowledge offered by this book, it is also of high quality in terms of production and layout. Even browsing through the pages makes you want to participate in a tea ceremony.

japanische gärten gestalten
author: charles chesshire
publisher: christian verlag (german)

das japanische teehaus
author: wolfgang fehrer
publisher: niggli (german)
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The wonderful wizard of OZ...

2008-06-21T17:27:00.011Z

The series OZ by GSG CERAMIC DESIGN goes beyond simple „sanitaryware“, furthermore OZ sets itself apart from conventional bath ceramic by designing washing basins and shower trays that are kind of functional arty objects for your bathroom. They are obtainable in many colors, and you can find analogies to constructivism in art – remember for example Malewitsch.

The washing basins find their showy finish in the fitting, very straight top, kind of bauhaus style available in finishes light oak, wenge oak, white lacquered and gray lacquered. The ceramics are of high quality and easy to clean.
The products are really highly recommended!

GSG is a company specialized in the production of ceramic sanitaryware, and is to be found in the ceramic district of Civita Castellana. The gsg company has a long experiance in the foreign market with classic design, and now, a careful awareness of todays designs and styles, enlarging the gamma of products to combine a new way of living and concept of architectural bathrooms.

homepage: gsg ceramics design
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Twin Peaks - Gold Box Edition

2008-06-11T06:53:00.007Z

Twin Peaks is one of my favorite TV series - I like not only the plot and its tension, but also the dark and mysterious mood which has been created by David Lynch is in my opinion unrivaled. Also the actors have done a great job, and most of them became famous after being part of Twin Peaks. The experience when watching it enfolds "like a beautiful dream and terrible nightmare all at once", to speak in a character's words. The extra features on this Gold Box Edition (which includes both seasons and the long-awaited pilot) intend to draw you into the milieu surrounding the world of the story and you will find a making-of the series (and the sound) as well as a Special about David Lynch, some ads and some printed postcards. Simply well done, get it!!

* All 29 Episodes plus the Original Pilot
* Brilliantly Remastered Picture
* Deleted Scenes
* Exclusive documentary - exploring the show's origins, production and impact
* 'A Slice of Lynch'
* The complete Log Lady Introductions
* Interactive Map of the show's unforgettable locations
* And many Golden Nuggets: On-Air promos, TV spots, postcards and more!

Director: David Lynch
Number of discs: 10
Studio: Paramount Home Entertainment

The Sandman: Dream Country

2008-05-26T19:03:00.004Z

Dream Country is the third book in the Sandman series, and basically a collection of four short stories. Although Sandman, the King of Dreams, plays just a background role in the stories (and doesn't appear in one at all), they are fascinating and prove once again that Neil Gaiman is an outstanding storyteller. It's also interesting to see that less horror elements appear, but instead the stories drift a bit more into the fantasy and mythology genre - a fact which I really appreciate. One of the stories ("A Midsummer Night's Dream" ) also won the World Fantasy Award, and not only because of this circumstance this comic mustn't be missing on your bookshelf.

Featuring the tale that won the World Fantasy Award for best short story, THE SANDMAN: DREAM COUNTRY continues the fantastical mythology of Morpheus, the King of Dreams. In these centuries-spanning tales, the powerful entity known as the Sandman interacts with a diverse assortment of humans, fairies, heroes, and animals as he walks the mortal plane. Including an amazing encounter with William Shakespeare and an interesting take on the origin and first performance of "A Midsummer Night's Dream," this book depicts the dreaming world of cats, the tragic life of forgotten super-heroes and the folly of imprisoning and torturing a former lover of the King of Dreams.

publisher: dc comics (english), panini comics (german)

AT-43 Initiation Set: Operation Damocles

2008-05-20T18:08:00.008Z

Introduction/Topic
AT-43 is a squad-based miniatures war game (coming with prepainted miniatures), and is settled in a science-fiction universe. 43 years ago the Therians (an alien race) attacked an Earth-like planet called "Ava", but the attack was put down by the residents of Ava - more precisely the military army of "The United Nations of Ava (UNA)" - and now they are starting an offensive on a Therian planet...

Components
The box is really huge and is packed with a lot of stuff. In fact everything you need to play through the first missions (2 players), which are provided in the "Operation Damocles" rule book. The miniatures look more than great and are of good quality, from my point of view the prepainting is really satisfying - saving a lot of time, which can be used for playing instead. Beside containers, concrecte walls and generators, also a battle map, dice and even a tape measure is included.

Gameplay
The rules are introduced to the players step by step through the six missions of "Operation Damocles", covering the standard topics in miniatures gaming like movement, fighting, line-of-sight, damage and so on. They are simple and straight-forward, although enabling strategic battles - nevertheless I'm sure that the full rules will offer even more depth. The game plays fast and it is a lot of fun to control your squads and combat walkers (be it the Therians or UNA soldiers), and try to defeat your opponent in exciting battles - using concrete walls or containers as cover or try to destroy generators according to the respective scenario and its goals.

Conclusion
The Initiation Set "Operation Damocles" is a fine introduction to the universe of AT-43 and to miniatures gaming in general, as it is not only easy accessible for new players, but also comes with prepainted miniatures and simple rules. I'm really up for the full rules and for additional units (maybe I will write about them here soon) to expand the scenarios and battles, and increase the fun and tension when fighting bigger armies. AT-43 definitely has the potential to become the Sci-Fi miniatures game of choice for me. Anyway, thumbs up for Rackham and AT-43!

AT-43 is a science fiction strategy game played with miniatures. The game could be assimilated to a blend of chess, for its tactical side, and poker, for its luck and bluff components.
The game was designed to fulfill the expectations of the most experienced players but also to initiate the beginners who wish to discover the fun of playing out thrilling futuristic battles with a game that is easy to learn and ready to play.

In fact, all AT-43 miniatures are sold assembled and painted. This way it is possible to appreciate the finesse and beauty of the miniatures, while diving immediately into the game’s universe.

AT-43® is an intense, fast paced and captivating game, staging exceptional miniatures for immediate immersion into the inferno of battles. The Initiation Set: Operation Damocles box is there to help the new players get started as they learn the game progressively. Operation Damocles is a complete two player game, ideal to begin and discover science-fiction miniatures game.

2 players, 60 min
publisher: rackham
category: miniatures wargame, science fiction

at-43 homepage

at-43 @ boardgamegeek.com

you can order the game here:rrrrrrr
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Self-supply Gardening

2008-05-14T18:54:00.013Z

If you are interested in gardening in general and maybe planning to build your own fruit- and vegetable garden, then this is your book. You will find information about planning the garden, as well as building it and growing your own stuff there. A lot of vegtables- and fruit plants are described in detail (including what they like and what they don't like), and you also find instructions how (when) to finally harvest them and how to conserve them (if you want to).

A great and comprehensive guide to natural gardening.

256 pages

author: john seymour
publisher: urania (german)
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you can buy the book here:rrrrrrr

Shobogenzo

2008-05-01T15:38:00.010Z

The Shobogenzo is one of the most important writings in Zen Buddhism, done by Zen Master Dogen in the 13th century. This translation by Nishijima Roshi has been praised often for being very accurat and meaningful. I started reading in it - understanding just very small parts (at least I think that I got some points), in fact I'm convinced that the only way to understand more is to actually practice Zazen. I am sure that the Shobogenzo will accompany me for the rest of my life, and I am happy about this. In my opinion a must-buy for everybody wholeheartedly interested in Zen.

This translation, supported by the Japan Foundation, makes a strong claim to be the definitive translation of the 95 chapter edition of Shobogenzo, the essential Japanese Buddhist text, written in the 13th century by Zen Master Dogen. Following Shobogenzo Books 1 and 2, the third book in this four-volume set contains chapters 42 to 72 from the 95-chapter edition, including: Tsuki (The Moon); Kuge (Flowers in Space); Mujo Seppo (All Things and Phenomena Preach Dharma); Kajo (Daily Life); and Zanmai-O-Zanmai (Samadhi, King of Samadhis). Book 3 maintains the highest standards of translation, with a clear style that rigorously follows the original words of Master Dogen. 'The first Patriarch, the Venerable Bodhidharma, after arriving from the west, passed nine years facing the wall at Shorin-ji temple on Shoshitsu-ho peak in the Sugaku mountains, sitting in Zazen in the lotus posture. From that time through to today, brains and eyes have pervaded China. The lifeblood of the first Patriarch is only the practice of sitting in the full lotus posture.'

publisher: angkor (german), book surge (english)
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Steam over Holland

2008-04-27T20:19:00.010Z

Introduction/Topic
In this game (based on the 18xx series) you act as an investor in the 19th century in the Netherlands, trying to earn as much money as possible with buying and operating railway companies - and trading the shares of the companies at the stock market.

Components
The first print is limited to 1000 copies, and the quality is really more than convincing. Thick card board is used for the board - and the cards, the money and the wooden cubes fit to the topic pretty well and will also endure a lot of games. You will like the gaming material for sure.

Gameplay
The game consists of 15 turns, whereas one stock round is always followed by two operating rounds. In the stock rounds each player can buy and sell shares of more or less promising railway companies. In the operating round each player acts as managing director of the companies, where he owns the majority of shares. For these companies he has to purchase trains, build tracks, establish payable routes and decide if the profits are kept in the company or divided among the shareholders. Finally (after the 15 fixed turns) the investor with the most money (and valuable shares) wins the game.

Conclusion
Basically Steam over Holland is a light variant of some rather complex (and time consuming) games of the 18xx series. Nevertheless a lot of strategic decisions have to be taken and the game comes with a lot of depth in terms of gameplay. It's a good introduction in the mechanics of 18xx games,and gives you the chance to find out if you like these kind of games or not. I found out that I definitely do like them - as I really like the economic simulation aspects (stock market, buying and running railway companies).
So, if you are just slightly interested in the topic I really propose to give "Steam over Holland" a try.

"1839, The Netherlands. The new railways are the way to get rich. Invest your money in the best railway companies. Become the President of one or more companies and lead them to become the best earning companies of the game. Build new track and stations, buy the right trains and push the stock value to new heights. Who will become the most successful investor?"

Steam over Holland is an economics game in which the players invest in and control railway companies. The game is part of the 18xx family of games. The printrun is one thousand games and each game is numbered. The gameplay uses the same basic mechanics as other 18xx games. However the focus of the game is more on the operation of the companies, than on the stockmarket. The goal in the development of this game was to create a short 18xx game wich is also suited for players who are new to the 18xx system. For this reason the game was kept reasonably straight forward and there are no extra's, like mergers, loans etc.

2-5 players, 150 min
author: bart van dijk
publisher: vendetta games
category: economics, railways

homepage

order the game here!

steam over holland @ boardgamegeek.com
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