You know, it’s been a few years. The decision to cancel our little event was pretty soul crushing for an extroverted 18xx enthusiast such as myself. The last few years have done no favors for my participation within the hobby either, I am a bit of a luddite and shy away from online implementations of physical games I enjoy. I’ve thought quite a lot about what it is that keeps me from being able to enjoy online play and I’ve realized something pretty important. It doesn’t matter why I don’t like it, I just don’t. I have had a lot of people tell me to ‘try this one, it’s much better than those other ones’. and while I agree that some platforms do things better than others (of course), none of them are what I want because they just can’t be. There is no replacement (to me anyway) for getting together with friends, everyone agreeing to meet up, bringing your favorite snacks and drinks to share…. That shit is magical. Playing online is like looking at a photo of a good time you had once. It looks like the thing you had fun doing, you recognize the people, some feelings and memories flood. But it’s not the same… All that being said, I do rock PBEM, so if anyone wants to hit up a game on Rails, drop a line.

Anywho, I’ve missed out on a lot of possible gaming. Some other folks were playing several 18xx a week online, so I’ve got some lost time to make up for. For this years event, I have made a few changes to how I will spend my time. Historically, I would host/support the attendees with instruction, materials, resources or abject good natured mockery as the situations warranted. This would occupy the entirety of Friday and Saturday and my life was richer for it. Sunday was my day to do the stuff that usually no one would ever subject themselves to. In years past, I was able to table Federico Vellani’s 1827, and absolute monster of majestic, modular mayhem. (Extra points for alliteration) 2 other masoch….. players sat with me for that one and it is among my fondest memories of that years event. The following year, we tables 1899KP. Another giant with different but equally numerous barriers to entry, this session also has a special place in my brain.

This year will be a little different. Friday, I take the mantle of host throughout Friday and on Saturday, I will be able to free up for some open gaming. Sunday will remain the same, a selfish day where I subject some unwitting attendees to something I have been eyeballing but could not table throughout the ebb and flow of real life. This years selfish Tyler title? That will remain a secret until the day before. If you plan to come to Medicine Hat this year, I will disclose that information Saturday night and if you want a seat, let me know. One thing I will tell you is another of my secret dreams. I have always wanted to play a seven handed game of 1876 with the Cipero Tramroad expansion. Imagine an 1830 style game on a map of about a dozen hexes with seven players. The cert limit is 4! This will take place Saturday night, hopefully I can convince 6 other people that this ridiculous thing should happen. I can be charming when I have to be….

Now, this change is really only possible because of the great people I have so cunningly surrounded myself with. (Also, child labor in the form of a bunch of my kids, but mostly the cunning bit) While planning this thing, there’s been a bit of ‘oh yeah, that’s how you do that!’ and even more of ‘how did we used to do that?” I have no doubt these thoughts and feelings will surface at the table too, but by the end of the weekend, I have high hopes that my game will have returned to it’s former majesty. Last place or bust people!