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Gary Bunker @andysocial.com · 01/10/2026

September games played. I really enjoyed March of the Ants.

BG Stats 4 x 5.
Play count:
5: The Blessed Dark;
4: King of Tokyo;
4: Panda Panda;
3: Faraway;
2: 11:59;
2: Dice Forge;
2: Diced Cheese;
2: Enchanted Ivy;
2: March of the Ants: Evolved Edition;
2: Pies;
2: Space Base;
2: Trapwords;
2: Viking See-Saw;
2: WIN;
1: Chicken!;
1: Container;
1: Solar Titans;
1: Viticulture Essential Edition;
1: Wingspan;
1: Wingspan Pocket.

Gary Bunker @andysocial.com · 24/09/2026

Many years ago, the DoD explicitly allowed Facebook to be accessed from government computers at work. Since then, the ability to get to FB or other sites has varied wildly. This morning, it appears they have blocked the reCAPTCHA tool, effectively blocking access to FB. Your tax dollars at work.

Part of a web page. The top line reads Meta. After that, an iframe with "Website blocked by USAF" and then a description of what reCAPTCHA is.

000

Gary Bunker @andysocial.com · 16/09/2026

An underground MegaDome in #PlanetCrafter is just odd.

Rocky ceiling on a curved wall. Bed in background, display case foreground.

000

Gary Bunker @andysocial.com · 12/09/2026

Just chilling on Selenea, vibing with the lava lamp.

000

Gary Bunker @andysocial.com · 03/09/2026

My August #Tabletop plays. My favorite of the "new to me" games is Rolling in Wonderland. Tenpenny Parks is also really fun.

BG Stats 4 x 4.
Play count:
5: Wingspan Pocket;
4: The Blessed Dark;
4: Rolling in Wonderland;
3: Chicken!;
3: Long Shot: The Dice Game;
3: Tenpenny Parks: Collector's Edition;
2: Azul;
2: Sagrada;
2: Snakes of Wrath;
2: Stamp Swap;
2: Thunder Road: Vendetta;
2: Wingspan;
1: Dice Forge;
1: Space Base;
1: Tapestry;
1: Valley of the Kings: Premium Edition.

050

Gary Bunker @andysocial.com · 23/08/2026

I liked how my skyway on Toxicity, so once that planet was done, I popped over to Prime and built something similar. 3x3 stack for the production zone, and then three rounded habs to act as the hub for the domes that will extend out for creating tree bark and other bio stuff.

001

Gary Bunker @andysocial.com · 31/07/2026

July games played. Only two new entries this month, with Wingspan Pocket being the best.

BG Stats 4 x 4.
Play count:
7: Panda Panda;
6: Herbaceous;
4: The Blessed Dark;
4: Chicken!;
4: Wanted Wombats;
2: Pairs;
2: Reforest: Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast;
2: Twin Palms;
1: Anachrony: Infinity Box;
1: Cat in the Box: Deluxe Edition;
1: Wingspan Pocket;
1: Enchanted Ivy;
1: Excalibur;
1: Faraway;
1: Mountain Goats;
1: Pacific Ocean.

010

Gary Bunker @andysocial.com · 09/07/2026

Inspired by @boardgamehottakes.bsky.social top 50 list, I did a massive PubMeeple comparison of all games I've rated over 8.0 on BGG.

020

Gary Bunker @andysocial.com · 01/07/2026

June #boardgame plays. Two new-to-me games, and I have to say I understand why Container gets so much love. Great supply chain economics game.

BG Stats 4 x 4.
Play count:
4: Space Base;
4: Wingspan;
2: Chili Mafia;
2: Dice Forge;
2: Dice Miner;
2: Emberleaf;
2: Heat: Pedal to the Metal;
2: Mining Colony;
2: Panda Panda;
1: Anachrony: Infinity Box;
1: Container;
1: Deadfall;
1: Endearment;
1: Ricochet Poker.

140

Gary Bunker @andysocial.com · 01/06/2026

May was varied, if not terribly full of games. I think I'd put Excalibur at the top of my "new to me" list, but Huang was pretty good too, if a lot more complex.

BG Stats 4 x 4.
Play count:
2: DNA: The New Origin of Species;
2: Excalibur;
2: Forage: A 9 card solitaire game;
2: GROVE: A 9 card solitaire game;
2: HUANG;
2: Latice Hawai'i;
2: Orchard: A 9 card solitaire game;
2: Pies;
2: Space Base;
1: Deep Regrets;
1: Dice Forge;
1: Moon Colony Bloodbath;
1: Valley of the Kings: Premium Edition.

010

Gary Bunker @andysocial.com · 22/05/2026

I've hit "terraforming complete" on all available planets and moons in #PlanetCrafter - there is a mysterious planet in the sky that can't be reached, so I guess there's another DLC coming eventually.

Aquatic futuristic island with domed building and rock spires in background.

010

Gary Bunker @andysocial.com · 18/05/2026

Still plugging away on this resource-starved moon. I'm leaning heavily on animals to accelerate the terraforming. More islands keep growing out of the sea, which is different. #PlanetCrafter

Aquatic scene with buildings on a sandy island and larger rocky islands looming in the distance.

000

Gary Bunker @andysocial.com · 17/05/2026

I have now hit "Complete Terraformation" on four planets or moons in #PlanetCrafter and am beginning the final moon, Aqualis. Just for fun, I put together this little collage of the first four bases. As you can see, the "pave the canyon" project on Prime continues.

Four panels of alien worlds. Each shows a domed structure and other technology, as well as trees and some water.

101

Gary Bunker @andysocial.com · 10/05/2026

My Selenea base in #PlanetCrafter, after I hit fully terraformed. Includes a superfluous megadome on the right, just because it unlocked.

Science fiction landscape of rolling green hills, with glowing red objects in the left middle-ground, a giant dome in the right middle, and a base with multiple smaller domes in the background, nestled among some giant trees.

000

Gary Bunker @andysocial.com · 08/05/2026

There are boats on Selenea in #PlanetCrafter - you can't use them, but they are cool looking anyway.

Science fiction video game screen shot. Water, boat, towers, and plants

000

Gary Bunker @andysocial.com · 03/05/2026

Yes, Quora troll, that's EXACTLY how things work.

Quora question asking, "Is the pope in danger of losing his papacy by angering Trump?"

000

Gary Bunker @andysocial.com · 01/05/2026

April was shockingly slow for board gaming. Night shift and people having busy schedules... The only new-to-me game was Tacta, which is very clever.

BG Stats 3 x 3.
Play count:
3: Dice Forge;
3: Space Base;
3: Tacta;
2: The Gardens;
2: River Valley Glassworks;
2: Squatch & Seek;
2: Viking See-Saw;
1: Dustbiters;
1: Faraway.

020

Gary Bunker @andysocial.com · 13/04/2026

Building out a new base with more room to grow. Planning to use a LOT of iron to bridge multiple mesas. #PlanetCrafter

Multiple domes, block building, and rocket launching platform

Base in the distance, with a bridge connecting it to the main land.

000

Gary Bunker @andysocial.com · 11/04/2026

I think I may have placed the base in a location that is too tight. I am up to four floors now, because of the rocks blocking lateral movement. I've got rockets and algae, but haven't hit the "insect" stage quite yet. #PlanetCrafter

Foreground, astronaut. Middle distance, rocket launch pad. Farther back, a glass dome attached to a four-story blocky building. Background rocks like a Road Runner cartoon.

000

Gary Bunker @andysocial.com · 08/04/2026

Utter nonsense. Iran has given no indication it's going to let the USA rummage around in their country, and have made it clear for the past decade that they feel nuclear power is vital to their long-term stability. Meanwhile, Trump types like he talks - a toddler's level of attention span.

Donald J. Trump

@realDonaldTrump

The United States will work closely with Iran, which we have determined has gone through what will be a very productive Regime Change! There will be no enrichment of Uranium, and the United States will, working with Iran, dig up and remove all of the deeply buried (B-2 Bombers) Nuclear “Dust.” It is now, and has been, under very exacting Satellite Surveillance (Space Force!). Nothing has been touched from the date of attack. We are, and will be, talking Tariff and Sanctions relief with Iran. Many of the 15 points have already been been agreed to. Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP

020

Gary Bunker @andysocial.com · 01/04/2026

Game plays from March. Best "new to me" might be Reforest, or Button Men. Very different games, to be sure.

BG Stats 4 x 4.
Play count:
20: Knucklebones: Cult of the Lamb Dice Game;
4: Thunder Road: Vendetta;
3: Button Men;
3: Forest Shuffle;
3: Meat on Swords;
3: Myraclia;
3: Odin's Ravens (Second Edition);
3: Space Base;
3: Tiny Ninjas;
2: The Blessed Dark;
2: Dice Forge;
2: The Isle of Cats;
2: Latice Hawai'i;
1: Can't Stop;
1: Chicken!;
1: Expeditions.

010

Gary Bunker @andysocial.com · 08/03/2026

I've owned my own domain for 29 years. My ICQ number was 4092887. I was user number 18573 on LiveJournal. I once wrote a passionate essay deriding people who thought the Web was the entirety of the Internet. Go away or I shall replace you with a small shell script.

000

Gary Bunker @andysocial.com · 01/03/2026

February was pretty decent for #gaming. Inaugurated a new weeknight pub game night, which has been good. Best "new to me" game was Heat: Pedal to the Metal. #tabletop

BG Stats 4 x 4.
Play count:
8: Knucklebones: Cult of the Lamb Dice Game;
7: Pairs;
4: Heat: Pedal to the Metal;
3: Forks: 2nd Edition;
3: Herbaceous;
3: Snakes of Wrath;
2: Chicken!;
2: Flapjacks & Sasquatches Dice Game;
2: Space Base;
2: Thunder Road: Vendetta;
1: Can't Stop;
1: Dice Forge;
1: Embers;
1: The Isle of Cats;
1: Moon Colony Bloodbath;
1: Tacta.

030

Gary Bunker @andysocial.com · 18/02/2026

Well, that ended well for him.

John Zinser announcing that Ryan Dancey has been let go.

020

Gary Bunker @andysocial.com · 06/02/2026

Telling an LLM to use everything it knows about me ended up with a generic woman with vague geek imagery. I had to ask for what I wanted. Still slop, but mildly amusing.

000

Gary Bunker @andysocial.com · 03/02/2026

January plays. Spokes is the only "first played" other than the seasonal Jingle Bell Roll.

BG Stats 3 x 3.
Play count:
4: Snakes of Wrath;
3: Chicken!;
3: Ra;
3: Space Base;
2: 7 Wonders;
2: Chili Mafia;
2: Jingle Bell Roll;
2: Spokes;
1: Emberleaf.

020

Gary Bunker @andysocial.com · 28/01/2026

Got my new watch sized.

Watch with purple face and titanium case

000

Gary Bunker @andysocial.com · 20/01/2026

I recommend nobody leaves their homes on Saturday in San Angelo. Freezing rain Friday night, and lack of any cold weather equipment? Yeah.

Chart from National Weather Service showing dub-freezing temperatures all day Saturday and freezing rain Friday night and Saturday morning.

000

Gary Bunker @andysocial.com · 04/01/2026

Apparently there are cordless STE phones now. No power, no network connection...

Men watching TV outside of view. There is an unplugged landline phone on the table. A waiter is in the background.

Hegseth pointing, Trump dozing off, laptop open.

000

Gary Bunker @andysocial.com · 01/01/2026

Just to be super completionist, here is my Pubmeeple ranking of the top games played in 2025. I hope to play all of these many more times in the new year.

Castles of Burgundy, Emberleaf, Ra, Lords of Vegas, Herbaceous, Space Base, A Place for All My Books, Portents, Myraclia.

010

Gary Bunker @andysocial.com · 01/01/2026

December 2025 games played. Dice Throne is great, still - it was best new-to-me game in November. Only a couple new entries in December. Chili Mafia is awesome, but Horrified is a bit meatier so wins the new game prize for the month.

BG Stats 4 x 4.
Play count:
7: Wanted Wombats;
5: Chicken!;
5: Dice Throne;
4: Bah! Humbug! and the 12 Games of Christmas;
4: Chili Mafia;
4: Herbaceous;
4: Horrified;
3: Azul;
3: Dice Forge;
3: Latice Hawai'i;
2: Antinomy;
2: Faraway;
2: Hive Pocket;
2: Pairs;
2: Sagrada;
2: Space Base.

020

Gary Bunker @andysocial.com · 01/01/2026

2025 in board games (including BGA). Decent array, if not record-breaking. It's interesting to see it accelerate month-to-month.

BG Stats 2025

Plays: 389
H-index: 10
Games: 111
New: 62
Players: 189
Locations: 1

Can't Stop: 18
Portents: 18
Antinomy: 16
Herbaceous: 15
Chicken!: 14
Mandala: 14
Wanted Wombats: 14
Dice Forge: 13
Faraway: 12

147 designers:
Jamey Stegmaier: 3%
(Uncredited): 2%
Haakon Gaarder: 2%
Mark Tuck: 2%
Michael Kiesling: 2%.

010

Gary Bunker @andysocial.com · 09/12/2025

Not surprised that DHS doesn't know what a dictionary is. They do seem to spend a lot of effort trying to prove they're not being evil.

DICTIONARY OF DEPRAVITY.

DHS has launched WOW.DHS.GOV for Americans to see the criminal illegal aliens that we are arresting, what crimes they committed, and what communities we removed them from.

Find the WORST OF THE WORST arrested: WOW.DHS.GOV

010

Gary Bunker @andysocial.com · 09/12/2025

Android launchers other than the default have had themes and icon packs for years. Google added "themed" as an icon option recently. Oh, monochrome - how exciting.

010

Gary Bunker @andysocial.com · 01/12/2025

November games played. Dice Throne is the best new to me game, although Inis has potential - gotta play with more than two to check. #boardgames #bgstats

BG Stats 5 x 5.
Play count:
8: Ra;
7: Wanted Wombats;
4: Dice Throne;
4: Hats;
3: Dice Forge;
3: Knucklebones: Cult of the Lamb Dice Game;
3: Trust Me;
3: Tuned;
2: Antinomy;
2: Can't Stop;
2: Dual;
2: Emberleaf;
2: Faraway;
2: Graft;
2: Origin Story;
2: Portents;
2: Space Base;
1: The Castles of Burgundy;
1: Hive Pocket;
1: Inis: Legendary Edition;
1: Pillars of Fate;
1: Valley of the Kings: Premium Edition;
1: Villagers;
Happy Holidays!.

0100

Gary Bunker @andysocial.com · 26/11/2025

There's no such thing as the Department of War. There's no signature block at all on this memorandum. Free speech is free speech. You can't recall a retired servicemember for actions performed AFTER their retirement. Illegal orders are illegal orders. So much nonsense in such a short document.