JeffCon 2024 Recap

JeffCon 2024 was once again held above the picturesque Lake Kachess, providing a beautiful backdrop for an exciting weekend of gaming. Six enthusiastic attendees gathered for the event, bringing with them a variety of board games to enjoy and explore.

Games Played:

• 7 Wonders: Architects
• Antike II
• For Sale
• High Society
• Lords of Waterdeep
• Ready Set Bet
• Reign of Cthulhu
• Santiago
• Star Wars: Unlimited Trading Card Game
• Trade on the Tigris
• Wandering Towers
• Welcome To...

A newer tradition at JeffCon is the Gaufre d'Or voting, where all participants cast their votes to select the best game of the event. The game receiving the most voting points is awarded the prestigious Gaufre d'Or, earning a place of honor in JeffCon history, often becoming a staple in future gatherings. 

This year's winners were:

Antike II - Gaufre d'Or Winner

"Antike II" is a civilization-building game where players control ancient civilizations, aiming to expand their territories, develop technologies, and achieve historical milestones. The game uses the innovative rondel mechanism for action selection, ensuring strategic planning and resource management. Players score points by building temples, creating cities, and achieving specific goals, with the player accumulating the most points winning the game. It was one of the longer games at JeffCon, involving quasi-alliances and learning as we went. A second playthrough would likely be quicker as known rules would change strategies.  

Trade on the Tigris - Gaufre d'Argent Winner

"Trade on the Tigris" is a trading and negotiation game set in ancient Mesopotamia. Players represent city-states trading goods, developing technologies, and expanding their influence. The game involves real-time trading, strategic planning, and civilization building. Players aim to accumulate the most wealth and influence, with the winner being the player with the highest score at the end. It’s a fun game with many different elements, and the five-minute trading round was particularly enjoyable, adding a more random factor to the game.

Santiago - Gaufre d'Bronze Winner

"Santiago" is a negotiation and tile-placement game set in the banana plantations of the Caribbean. Players act as plantation owners, bidding for plots of land and negotiating for water irrigation. The game involves strategic planning, negotiation, and tactical tile placement, with players trying to maximize the value of their plantations. The player with the most valuable plantations at the end of the game wins. The interesting mix of tile placement and bidding made for a fun time, and the screw-over factor was high!

In addition to board games, JeffCon 2024 featured a thrilling draft for the Twin Suns format of the "Star Wars Unlimited Trading Card Game." The draft allowed players to build unique decks from a selection of cards from the first two sets of the game, Spark of Rebellion and Shadows of the Galaxy. The Twin Suns format involved constructing a 40 card deck and playing it against all others. This format emphasized versatility and in-depth knowledge of the game, providing an engaging challenge for all participants. The winners of each Twin Suns game received a special JeffCon Champion promo of The Mandolorian card, sure to become a treasured keepsake.

Overall, JeffCon 2024 was a memorable event filled with games providing opportunities for strategic thinking, negotiation, and enjoyment, set against the serene beauty of Lake Kachess.