Magic Realm continues to frustrate me. How in the world can you combat specifically, effectively, and with good result? It’s nigh on impossible. I just don’t get it. I continue to die, day after day, never giving up, but no closer to success. (Additionally, I still love Realm Speak, and you should too.)

Firefly the board-game I also find combatively difficult. Sure I’d love to draw a single Misbehave card for a simple mission that will unlock the three story goals so that I can compete to win. Sure I’d love to draw a Misbehave card that requires only a single die roll, a single roll that needs to be two, or more. I literally need to roll anything other than a one. Those percentages are really damn good! The chances of me flipping the table 30 seconds later when I fail the roll would be much better if I wasn’t an atrophied weakling.

Merchant of Venus however, there’s a game that loves me, and that I love back. Good rolls, bad rolls, it’s all about how you’ve built your trading empire and that traitorous gigolo Luck can screw off, you don’t need his help.

I even went so far as to open the box for Republic of Rome this week. It’s a bit lonely running the Roman Empire as six different political factions, but I roll equally bad for all of my imaginary opponents so there’s that. It also takes me back to some lonely, lonely days as a teenager.

It’s been a good week for games.