Thursday, December 31, 2015

Nostalgia Thursday - Ancient, Medieval, & Viking Games

Over on mentalfloss.com, they share "11 Ancient Board Games" here.


Also, on medievalists.net, they tell us of "Five Medieval Games to Get You Through Long Winter Nights" here.


Finally, on tafl.cyningstan.com, they look at the "Four Schools of Hnefatafl" here.


Focusing on the roots of current tabletop gaming
with an eye toward the last century and before.
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Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Wargaming Wednesday - Bolt Action (2012)

I got down into Illinois recently to push some minis around with my buddy Floyd using the rules for Bolt Action (2012).  To say that Floyd knows how to set a table is an understatement.  He's an enthusiast for a handful of game systems and has a diverse collection of minis and terrain, much of which is useful from one to another, so gameplay is always very visually appealing.  Although it has been some time since I have played using any post-gunpowder rules, I jumped at the chance to roll some dice using Bolt Action with him.


The description from Board Game Geek is as follows:
Written by veteran game designers Alessio Cavatore and Rick Priestley, Bolt Action provides all the rules needed to bring the great battles of World War II to your tabletop. Using miniature soldiers, tanks and terrain, you can fight battles in the shattered towns of occupied France, the barren deserts of North Africa, and even the sweltering jungles of the Pacific.
Players get to decide which of the major or minor World War II powers they would like to represent, and then construct their armies from the lists provided. Army options are almost limitless, allowing you to build the kind of army that most appeals to your style of play. The choice is yours.

It's a system that's easy to learn and quick to play that was greatly enhanced by the squad cards Floyd had printed up in advance.  His figure collection represents the squads we had at our disposal, so choosing sides and setting up our armies via point buy was simple.  We jumped right in after only a short time going over some particulars in the rules.  Some bad luck with air support put the Germans on their heels in the early going but it proved to be less troublesome than putting forth specialists more so than grunts.  The Germans needed more guns if they were going to overcome their early misfortune and numbers proved to be the deciding factor as the opponents engaged more closely.  There are ways to mitigate some potential losses that will definitely be employed in future conflicts.  This is a fun system I hope to play again soon to help Floyd gain even more experience before he gets into some tourneys in 2016 at conventions he has lined up.


A closer examination of board and miniatures Wargaming.
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Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Terrain Tuesday - Fat Dragon, LEGO, & Hoth

Over on drivethrurpg.com, there's still time to take advantage of the year-end Fat Dragon Games terrain sale here.


Also, on m.warhistoryonline.com, an article highlighted "Massive WWII Dioramas Built With Lego" here.


Finally, on TheBeastsOfWar YouTube channel, they shared a video featuring a "Star Wars Battle of Hoth 28mm Gaming Table."  Enjoy!



For purposes here, the term Terrain is used broadly
to cover 3D and 2D maps, foam, felt, and such.
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Monday, December 28, 2015

Minis & Modeling Monday - Contest, Owlbears, & Dungeon Saga

Over on thepaintingchallenge.blogspot.com, they remind to join in the Painting Challenge and show off the work of Adam Carriere here.


Also, on darkswordminiatures.com, they show off the work of Tony DiTerlizzi in their Masterworks line with an owlbear and her cubs here.


Finally, on the Talk Wargaming YouTube channel, they give us a "Dungeon Saga Tutorial: How To Paint Madriga."  Enjoy!



A look at prepping and painting Miniatures,
crafting buildings and paper Models,
and other non-terrain stuff for the tabletop.
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Sunday, December 27, 2015

The Sunday Miscellanea - Foam Weapons & Armor

Over on forgedfoam.com, check out the assortment of foam weapons, to purchase or to scavenge for ideas, here.


Also, on TheBlasphemingTomatoGuy's imgur.com pages, he has a "DIY Foam Shaping Guide" here.


Finally, on the epicfantasy YouTube channel of StormtheCastle.com, he shows us how to "Make Foam Armor Greaves (Legs)."  Enjoy!



Essentially, a clearinghouse for topics on MFWARS.com
not covered elsewhere or wanting a particular focus.
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Saturday, December 26, 2015

Systems Saturday - Raiders of the North Sea (2015)

Our friend Wendy got a handful of games recently and brought Raiders of the North Sea (2015) last week for us to try.  We've played Shipwrights of the North Sea (2014) before, which she also has, but I enjoyed this one even more.  I am also looking forward to the third game in the trilogy, Explorers of the North Sea (2016).


The description on Board Game Geek is as follows:
Raiders of the North Sea is set in the central years of the Viking Age. As Viking warriors, players seek to impress the Chieftain by raiding unsuspecting settlements. Players will need to assemble a crew, collect provisions and journey north to plunder gold, iron and livestock. There is glory to be found in battle, even at the hands of the Valkyrie. So gather your warriors, it’s raiding season!
Aim of the Game
The aim of Raiders of the North Sea is to impress the Chieftain by having the most Victory Points (VP) at the game’s end. Victory Points are gained primarily by raiding Settlements, taking Plunder and making Offerings to the Chieftain. How players use their Plunder is also vital to their success. The game ends when either only 1 Fortress raid remains, all Valkyrie are removed, or all Offerings have been made.
Gameplay Overview
Proceeding clockwise from the starting player, each player takes his turn in full. On his turn, a player may choose to Work or Raid. Players continue to take turns until 1 of the 3 end-game conditions has been met. Regardless of choices, each turn follows the same pattern:
1. Place Worker and resolve its action 
2. Pick up a different Worker and resolve its action
Working 
Having a good Crew and enough provisions are vital to successful raiding. So before making any raids, players will need to do some work to prepare their Crew and collect supplies. This is all done in the Village, at the bottom of the board. There are 8 different buildings, with various actions. Players must first place their one and only Worker in an available building (where there is no Worker present), before picking up a different Worker from a different building (where there is a Worker present).
Raiding 
Once players have hired enough Crew and collected Provisions, they may choose to raid on their turn. To raid a Settlement (Harbour, Outpost, Monastery or Fortress), players need to meet 3 requirements. They must have:
1. A large enough Crew. 
2. Enough Provisions (and Gold for Monasteries/Fortresses). 
3. The required Worker colour. 
Raiding offers various ways of scoring (Military Strength, Plunder, Valkyrie, etc.). This is also how Grey and White Workers enter the game.
End of the Game
There are 3 ways the game can end:
1. There is only 1 set of Plunder left in the Fortresses (1 of the 6 Fortress raids remains). 
2. The Offering Draw Pile has been emptied. 
3. There are no Valkyrie left on the board.

The random placement of the plunder at the start of the game seems to be a big factor in determining your strategy.  Losing too many Viking Crew early on to Valkyrie or not getting out on multiple Raids often enough because of lost Crew can stall your progress despite the end game benefits of having collected some of those Valkyrie.  Spend some time while learning the game going over the various Crew types and what they do, it might help prevent the analysis paralysis some players can experience if they fill up their hands with cards hoping that the options in-hand will offset getting boxed out of ideal worker placement locations.  This is a deceptively complex game and potentially much more interactive depending on the group playing it.  However, you primarily effect only the player following you (except a bit more in the end game), so in three and four player games it seems difficult to do much to catch those you follow if they get out ahead or affect their strategy much during the game.  I'll need to play this more, and will if I get the chance!


A look under the hood of various Games, Rules and Systems.
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Friday, December 25, 2015

Tabletopper Friday - Mogul (2015)

Ernie, Tom, and I got together to play a Christmas game on the eve of the holiday and share a little cheer.  Although we topped off the afternoon with some Liar's Dice, we first played a couple of games of Mogul (2015) which Ernie had recently picked up.  It turned out to be a wonderful way to start off the holiday.


The description from Board Game Geek is as follows:
In the 1920s, the U.S. stock exchange experienced a period of growth previously unknown. Everyone speculated, and many become millionaires overnight.
In Mogul — a revised and expanded version of the 2002 game of the same name — players buy and sell railway stock, trying to outsmart both the opponents and the market. Each of the five railroad companies has five to eight shares [the copy Ernie has had 6, 7, 7, 8, and 9 shares for the five railroads. - ed.], and in addition to being a share of the company, each share card has a box on it that indicates another company. Players start with particular stock holdings based on the number of players in the game and their position in turn order.
Each turn, one stock card is revealed from the deck. Players earn $1 for each share of this color that they own, then an auction ensues. Turn by turn, players must drop one of their bidding chips into a bowl in order to stay in the auction. When a player passes, whether by necessity or choice, they take all of the chips from the bowl, thereby earning bidding power for future auctions.
When all but one player has passed, this last player wins the auction and has the right to either keep the share or sell stock matching the color of the company depicted on the bottom of the share; the player who dropped out of the auction last takes the action that the winner didn't take. If a player sells stock, they either sell all shares of this color that they own, earning as much for each share as the number of those stock cards face up on the table or they sell none of them; in the latter case, the player places a station depot in their color on an empty space of the appropriate color on the game board. This game board has multiple networks in the five colors of the game, and at game's end each depot has a dollar value equal to the number of that player's depots in the same network.
When the crash card is revealed from the deck, the game ends. Players earn $1 for each share still in front of them and each five bidding chips they hold, in addition to the value of their depots. Whoever has the most money wins!

With just two pages of rules and a few options to take on each turn, it seemed like it would be simple enough.  It was simple enough to play but the strategy in this game can run pretty deep.  One definitely needs to make a move at just the right time and be ready for others to try and thwart you.  Just as with the real investors in in the early railroads, overextending oneself can be disastrous.  Fast and fun!

Mostly about card games and board games,
unless they have a decidedly wargamey feel.
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Thursday, December 24, 2015

Nostalgia Thursday - Liar's Dice (1987)

A game that gets to the table fairly often round these parts is Liar's Dice (1987).  Its simplicity and quick play, combined with fun interaction, makes this a party game with a little something more to it.


The description from Board Game Geek is as follows:
Liar's Dice is a dice game where each player is given five dice and cup to roll and hide them with. Players make successively higher declarations regarding the results of all the dice remaining in the game, e.g. "there are ten sixes". However, someone can always contest the bid. When that happens, all the dice are revealed and either the bidder or the caller loses dice, depending on who was correct. The last player with dice is the winner.

Despite all of the dice rolling, this bluffing game is largely about reading the room.  And the more players involved, the less important the dice rolling becomes.  It should be noted that a lot of folks don't take full advantage of their turn by revealing some of their dice and re-rolling the remainder.  This is especially effective if you have at least four dice and are revealing two of them, I have found.  Our buddy Ernie has two sets of this game which are combined so that a massive game of Liar's Dice can be run with a dozen players.  Great fun!



Focusing on the roots of current tabletop gaming
with an eye toward the last century and before.
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Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Wargaming Wednesday - Warhammer 40K (1993)

Last week, Norm broke out some of his old Warhammer 40,000 (1993) stuff, though we played a more recent edition (4th?).  Most of the group hadn't played a lot of Games Workshop systems but we all had enough experience to jump on in with a brief primer.  We utilized the tabletop boards and some of the scenery available at the excellent Lake Geneva Games and sent the Space Marines up against some Orks.


The description from Board Game Geek is as follows:
Warhammer 40,000 is a table-top miniature-based war game set in a dystopian future. Although usually played by two players, theoretically any number of players can participate at once.
Players can choose one of a number of factions from within the Warhammer 40,000 universe - examples include, humanity's defenders, the Space Marines and Imperial Guard, the nearly extinct race of Elder, the all-consuming Tyranids or the corrupted once-human forces of Chaos. Each race also how their own sub-groups and flavours - for example there are Chapters of Space Marines with their own specialisations, whilst a Chaos army that worships the war-god Khorne would look very different to one worshiping the pleasure god Slaanesh.
Players select their armies based on the miniatures they own. To ensure balance each miniature is assigned a points value (with the value rising for optional upgrades) and players usually agree a points limit for each army before play. Similarly, players will agree the rules and victory conditions for a specific scenario.
Each turn proceeds in phases covering movement, melee combat, ranged combat and so forth. No game board is used, players make or purchase their own scenery. Physical measurement is used to determine movement and weapon range, with dice used to calculate everything from damage to morale and the effectiveness of physic powers. Special 'scatter dice' are used to calculate random or quasi-random events such as the movement of a gas cloud or fire.
Games usually last for a specified number of turns, after which the player who has accumulated the most victory points (by achieving pre-set goals and destroying enemy miniatures) is the winner.
Expansions and new armies are regularly released for Warhammer 40,000, with new editions of the game itself being released roughly every four years.

Once we picked our sides and got the minis moving things developed rapidly.  My Orks kept Norm's Marines pinned down on a ridge while John's Orks crept up along the board edge to close with Will's Marines and corner them away from any support.  Although the early long range shooting favored the Marines, once John's Orks were able to close, the slaughter began.  With some from some mid-range shooting my Orks were able to develop later in the game, Norm's Marines were unable to make a closer assault and take advantage of the damage he inflicted in the early going.  By the end of the night, the Orks were able to prevail after their own heavy, heavy losses.


A closer examination of board and miniatures Wargaming.
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Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Terrain Tuesday - Bits Hovel, Theban Maps, & Display Plans

Over on fencingfrog.blogspot.com, Adam Carriere features his "Scavenger's Hovel" which is made from various leftovers from his bits box.  Learn more here.


Also, on thebanmappingproject.com, you can find out all about and even support the "Theban Mapping Project" here.


Finally, on the Terranscapes YouTube channel, a couple of videos outline his "TerranScapes - Orc Display Board Plans - pt 1 -- Warhammer Fantasy."  Enjoy!




For purposes here, the term Terrain is used broadly
to cover 3D and 2D maps, foam, felt, and such.
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Monday, December 21, 2015

Minis & Modeling Monday - Vertical Dwellings, Wet Palettes, & Solvent Abuse

Over on thisiscolossal.stfi.re, they share "Micro Matter: Vertical Dwellings Inside Glass Test Tubes by Rosa de Jong" here.


Also, on arcanepaintworks.blogspot.com.au, they give us "Wet Palettes: Everything you need to know" here.


Finally, on the SolventAbuseUk YouTube channel, he has uploaded a video titled "Minis i am painting."  Enjoy!



A look at prepping and painting Miniatures,
crafting buildings and paper Models,
and other non-terrain stuff for the tabletop.
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Sunday, December 20, 2015

The Sunday Miscellanea - Beginner Artists, Human Figures, & Melting Carpets

Over on design.tutsplus.com, they give us "7 Sins of Beginner Artists: What Keeps You From Being Good."  Learn more here.


Also, on creativebloq.com, they show us "How to draw the human figure" here.


Finally, on smithsonianmag.com, "This Artist Makes Traditional Carpets That Look Like They Were hit by a Software Bug."  See more here.


Essentially, a clearinghouse for topics on MFWARS.com
not covered elsewhere or wanting a particular focus.
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Saturday, December 19, 2015

Systems Saturday - Alien Frontiers (2010)

I've managed to get in a handful of games of Alien Frontiers (2010) each month since September this year with about a dozen people in three to five player games.  It's proven to be one of my new favorites.  I've been taught the game and played with all of the expansions and even returned to the base game and taught a few new players myself.  Most recently, I taught two new players for a three player session of the base game.  Even with new players, it was challenging for all of us and great fun.


The description from Board Game Geek is as follows:
Do you have what it takes to be a deep space colonist? An alien frontier awaits the brave and daring! This new planet will be harsh, but if you have the skills to manage your resources, build a fleet, research alien life, and settle colonies, the world can be yours.
Alien Frontiers is a game of resource management and planetary development for two to four players. During the game you will utilize orbital facilities and alien technology to build colony domes in strategic locations to control the newly discovered world.
The game board shows the planet, its moon, the stations in orbit around the planet, and the solar system’s star. The dice you are given at the start of the game represent the space ships in your fleet. You will assign these ships to the orbital facilities in order to earn resources, expand your fleet, and colonize the planet.
As the game progresses, you will place your colony tokens on the planet to represent the amount of control you have over each territory. Those territories exert influence over specific orbital facilities and, if you control a territory, you are able to utilize that sway to your advantage.
The planet was once the home of an alien race and they left behind a wondrous artifact in orbit. Using your fleet to explore the artifact, you will discover amazing alien technologies that you can use to advance your cause.
Winning the game will require careful consideration as you assign your fleet, integrate the alien technology and territory influences into your expansion plans, and block your opponents from building colonies of their own. Do you have what it takes to conquer an alien frontier?
Roll and place your dice to gain advantages over your opponent and block them out of useful areas of the board. Use Alien Tech cards to manipulate your dice rolls and territory bonuses to break the rules. Steal resources, overtake territories, and do whatever it takes to get your colonies on the map first! Don't dream it'll be easy, though, because the other players will be trying to do the same thing.

I think one of the reasons I keep coming back to this game is how easily a new player can compete with veterans.  That is due both to its balance at all levels of play as well as how easily even a new player can take to it and incorporate complex strategies.  While the Alien Tech cards have become more familiar, the various combinations that might become available during play continue to surprise me with their avenues toward alternate strategies.  I'm going to keep playing this one and report on it into the new year.


A look under the hood of various Games, Rules and Systems.
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Friday, December 18, 2015

Tabletopper Friday - Greedy Billionaires

Tom Wham recently asked us to do some final playtesting on his board game Greedy Billionaires.  He tells me that he has long thought that the infamous Monopoly needed some competition and some serious changes to make it more fun in his eyes.


The description is as follows:
Each player takes turns collecting business properties and attempting to get them to pay out as often as possible to finish with the greatest wealth.  Though roll-and-move, that mechanic can be mitigated by clever card play and discarding dividend cards to adjust die roll totals.

Once you get in the groove with this game, it's fast and fun.  The money and properties have that signature Tom Wham artwork with some fun game industry inside jokes for those who pay attention.  I can't wait for this one to get published!

Mostly about card games and board games,
unless they have a decidedly wargamey feel.
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Thursday, December 17, 2015

Nostalgia Thursday - Formula Dé (1991)

Joe was kind enough to bring out his Formula Dé (1991) game to the last First Sunday event.  He has all of the racetracks and picked one out that was fairly easy since the rest of us were very new to the game or complete novices.


The description from Board Game Geek is as follows:
Formula Dé is a fast-paced racing game in which the cars' top speeds are limited by having to end a certain number of turns in each curve of the racetrack. This can be tricky, because although players can regulate their speeds by choosing which gear to be in and each gear allows a certain range of movement, the exact amount is determined randomly. Great fun for a big group.

Joe gave us each an extra pit/repair token and we had a blast running around the track for three laps.  The weather was wet and rainy the first lap but cleared up swiftly and stayed that was the rest of the race.  One player stalled out at the start and never really recovered but ran a good race trying to catch up.  Only one player had any significant damage but managed to finish the race in second.  I had some very good luck and never pushed my vehicle to its limits, so I managed to finish without any real damage.  All in all it was a good time and I can see how this has been a longtime favorite of its fans!


Focusing on the roots of current tabletop gaming
with an eye toward the last century and before.
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Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Wargaming Wednesday - Strategicon, Ruined Temple, & Frostgrave Terrain

Over on alphaares.com, have a look at some photos from StrategiCon here.


Also, on wargamesillustrated.co.uk, they share some "Plans For Building A Ruined Temple" here.


Finally, on the terrainaholic YouTube channel, check out the huge Frostgrave full-table terrain set.  Enjoy!



A closer examination of board and miniatures Wargaming.
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Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Terrain Tuesday - Arkham, William Smith, & Sewers

Over on boingboing.net, Cory Doctorow tells us "Model railroader John Ott has devoted years to creating a fantastically detailed, HO-scale recreation of Arkham, the site of HP Lovecraft's horror stories, complete with model railroad engines and historically accurate cars."  Learn more here.


Also, on bbc.com, they tell us that William Smith's "Seminal geology map [has been] rediscovered" here.


Finally, on the Dungeonmaster Mark YouTube channel, DM Mark shows us a "Simple Sewer setup."  Enjoy!



For purposes here, the term Terrain is used broadly
to cover 3D and 2D maps, foam, felt, and such.
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