Sunday, January 31, 2016

The Sunday Miscellanea - LEGO Tolkien

Over on designtaxi.com, over 150,000 LEGO pieces went into recreating the Battle of Helm's Deep here.


Also, on Michał Kaźmierczak's flickr.com albums, he's got a LEGO version of Erebor here.


Finally, on the WBGAMES YouTube channel, check out the video they entitled "LEGO The Hobbit First Official Trailer."  Enjoy!



Essentially, a clearinghouse for topics on MFWARS.com
not covered elsewhere or wanting a particular focus.
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Saturday, January 30, 2016

Systems Saturday - Motivations & Money

Over on ravensquill.blogspot.com, AKA "From the Raven's Quill," Anthony Edwards kicked off his blog this year with a post asking, "Where did simple go?"  Find out his conclusions here.


Also, on quanticfoundry.com, they've built a Gamer Motivational Model here.


Finally, on campaignmastery.com a few years back, Mike Bourke wrote and excellent two-part article on "Value for money and the pricing of RPG materials" here and here.


A look under the hood of various Games, Rules and Systems.
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Friday, January 29, 2016

Tabletopper Friday - Boardgaming Pros & Cons

Over on popmatters.com, they stand "In Defense of Board Games" here.


Also, on mentalfloss.com, they tell us of "6 Games You're Probably Playing Wrong" here.


Finally, on cracked.com, they expound on "6 Board Games That Ruined It for Everyone" here.

Mostly about card games and board games,
unless they have a decidedly wargamey feel.
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Thursday, January 28, 2016

Nostalgia Thursday - Go, Hnefatafl, & Chess

Over on wired.com, we were greeted with the news this week that "In a Huge Breakthrough, Google's AI Beats a Top Player at the Game of Go."  Learn more here.


Also, on aagenielsen.dk, did you know that you can play the classic Viking game of Hnefatafl online?  Find out how here.


Finally, on headsortalescoin.co, they are running a sale on "The Frank Frazetta 32-statue Solid Silver Chess Set - Heads or Tales Coin & Collectibles" here.


Focusing on the roots of current tabletop gaming
with an eye toward the last century and before.
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Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Wargaming Wednesday - Battle Reports

Three wargaming battle reports from the blogosphere this week with the first being from AJ's Wargaming Blog where he gives us "HATG Scenario Play Test at Ralph's" report here.


Also, on Mark D's Gaming Site, he tells us of "Bolt Action Moderns" here.


Finally, on Cardboard Campaigns and Metal Melées, he sat down to a hex and chit game with Mr. Invisible in "Starting Off the New Year with a Bang!: Ukraine '43" here.


A closer examination of board and miniatures Wargaming.
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Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Terrain Tuesday - RPG Genius, Fairyland, & the Marmoreal Tomb

Over on etsy.com, check out the terrain from RPG Genius here.


Also, on io9.gizmodo.com, they tell us "This 1917 Map of Fairyland Is Like A Where's Waldo of Fantasy Easter Eggs" here.


Finally, on the Benoist Poiré YouTube channel, GP Adventures shares "The Third Dimension in the Marmoreal Tomb dungeon maps."  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, January 25, 2016

Minis & Modeling Monday - Roundels, Halftrack, & Army Men

Over on the PLASMO - plastic models YouTube channel, a new video highlights "How to paint and create stencils RAF roundels - Great Guide Plastic Models."  Watch and learn!



Also, on the Squidgy Bidge YouTube channel, a video from late last year shows a "M3/M3A1 or M3E2/M5 Halftrack Unboxing - Rubicon Models."  Check it out!



Finally, on the BlackStarInitiative YouTube channel, check out the "Army Men: Modern Warfare | Plastic Apocalypse."  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, January 24, 2016

The Sunday Miscellanea - Greedy Billionaires by Tom Wham

Tom Wham has been a fixture of game design in the industry for about four and a half decades with dozens of game design and artistic credits to his name.  You can see the full list of his work (not including the many advertisements he designed for magazines!) in game design here.  As an early employee of TSR in Lake Geneva, his easily-recognized artwork has graced boardgames, many on which he shares design credit, as well as card games and RPGs like Dungeons & Dragons.


I've had the pleasure the last few years of living in close proximity to him in Lake Geneva, WI, and gaming with him almost every week of the year.  It's been an education as a gamer and game designer, playtesting many of the games he currently has in development as well as playing scores of games he has worked on and those he loves from other creators that inspire him.  Recently, he broke out Greedy Billionaires, a game that has been in the works for a few years and which I have played with him on a number of occasions.


I don't want to give too much of this game design away but I will say it's like a bizarre version of monopoly on steroids with a humorous twist and some of Tom's coolest artwork and naming conventions.  Tom has his own website where he sells some of his games directly to the public.  These are handmade and sell at "boutique prices" but they are well worth it if you admire and love his work.  The website itself is a trip to visit, so check it out here.  Tom will be at Gary Con once again this year running some of his own designs including Greedy Billionaires.  Do yourself a favor and try to join him at his game table


Essentially, a clearinghouse for topics on MFWARS.com
not covered elsewhere or wanting a particular focus.
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Saturday, January 23, 2016

Systems Saturday - [redacted] (2014)

Nope, I'm not censoring the title of the game, it's actually called [redacted] (2014).  Players take on the role of a spy (or possibly a spy hunter) and attempt to complete a mission alone or as part of a team.  It's a clever game with some good play options and lots of opportunities to bluff.  John brought the game to the table for Norm, Will, and me, and our friend John Popson of Effin Cool Miniatures was in town to join us!


The description from Board Game Geek is as follows:
[redacted] is a game of spycraft, intrigue, betrayal, and bluffing set in the golden age of the cold war, when men knew how to drink a Martini, and women knew not to trust a man who claimed to know how to drink a Martini.
In the game, spies must infiltrate the embassy during the reception that the ambassador holds every year to show how important he is. Moving from room to room, they have to recover files and escape in the helicopter, or make sure that the other side's pilots have a really bad day.
While interacting with each other, the players seek to interrogate, steal or injure when they can. With a double-blind interaction mechanism that never really lets the tension ebb, a skilled agent will need to do a lot more than see through a bluff.

We were all learning the game together, so we spent a bit of time going over the rules and discussing some possibilities for play, then we played three fast games, though not without some difficulties.  Some of the interaction can be complex and requires players to keep their focus lest they accidentally break a rule and look at cards they shouldn't be seeing.  This happened a few times, all through the night, and we fixed the situation when we could so we could keep playing with minimal damage tot he outcome.  I think once folks get used to the game, this would happen less and less but it is good to have someone remind the current player what they can see and what must remain hidden.  Also, some of the icons on the cards are not as explicit as they could be.  Furthermore, we weren't sure why the game board was so small when a larger version could have easily fit within the box and made it less difficult for everyone to see without leaning in over the board and possibly giving away information about their plans.  Other than that, it's a pretty good game and I would enjoy playing it again.  We definitely had fun!


A look under the hood of various Games, Rules and Systems.
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Friday, January 22, 2016

Tabletopper Friday - Alien Frontiers (2010) with Factions (2012)

I've had four or five occasions to play Alien Frontiers (2010) , at least once a month since September, but recently when we played we added in the Alien Frontiers: Factions (2012) expansion.


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.
And the expansion description is:
Alien Frontiers: Factions adds a number of items to the Alien Frontiers base game:
Ship and colony tokens for a fifth player. 
Factions (thus the name), with each faction providing its owner a special ability and new orbital facilities under his control. 
Agendas, which are hidden objectives that allow a player to earn bonus points at game's end or when the agenda is revealed in-game. 
New Alien Tech cards, such as the Lunar Tunneler, which will allow its owner to pay one fuel to receive an extra ore when using the Lunar Mine. This card's discard power will send all ships docked at the Lunar Mine to the Maintenance Bay, which can be useful when the Mine is clogged with high-value ships.

The Factions expansion adds an exciting wrinkle to the game creating new action opportunities and more ways to directly interact with opponents.  Not all of the interactions are detrimental to other players and sometimes even can help them with their resources, something that the base game is fairly lacking.  The hidden agendas also increase the tension of the end game, making the outcome less of a foregone conclusion.  I'll need another time through with the expansion before I can fully grasp the implications of the changes but so far I find it to be beneficial to an already robust and complex game.

Mostly about card games and board games,
unless they have a decidedly wargamey feel.
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Thursday, January 21, 2016

Nostalgia Thursday - Can't Stop (1980)

There is an old game called Can't Stop by Sid Sackson that sees a lot of play around these parts.  It's simple and has a compelling press your luck component that is fun and addictive.  I've blogged about it previously here.  Though designed for two to four players, with some added components from extra copies of the game, we often play it with as many as seven or eight players and just require two rows be captured for a win instead of three.  It plays about the same length of time that way as a game with fewer players.


The Board Game Geek description runs as follows:
In this Sid Sackson classic, players must press their luck with dice and choose combinations tactically to close out three columns. The board has one column for each possible total of two six-sided dice, but the number of spaces in each column varies: the more probable a total, the more spaces in that column and the more rolls it takes to complete. 
On their turn, a player rolls four dice and arranges them in duos: 1 4 5 6 can become 1+4 and 5+6 for 5 & 11, 1+5 and 4+6 for 6 & 10, or 1+6 and 4+5 for 7 & 9. The player places or advances progress markers in the open column(s) associated with their chosen totals, then chooses whether to roll again or end their turn and replace the progress markers with markers of their color.
A player can only advance three different columns in a turn and cannot advance a column which any player has closed out by reaching the end space; if a roll doesn't result in any legal plays, the turn ends with that turn’s progress lost.

This game never ceases to be fun for our group.  A lot of the same trash talk and jokes get repeated but they never feel old or stale.  A lot of other table talk can transpire during this game because it requires little focus when not your own turn and we're often coming up with ideas for house rules and modifications, so there is some game design undercurrents every time we play.  Great fun!


Focusing on the roots of current tabletop gaming
with an eye toward the last century and before.
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Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Wargaming Wednesday - Clockwork Wars (2015)

My friend Wendy recently picked up Clockwork Wars (2015) and brought it to the Burlington Gameday for us to try out.  Nancy, Kiff, and myself joined her in their endeavor.  Although Wendy had glanced over the rules and, I think, watch a brief video, we were mostly coming at this from scratch.  That was fine for the four of us playing since we were all in the same boat and all have logged plenty of hours trying out new games, together and with others, in the past.  While this is a recently released boardgame, I would call this a wargamey boardgame despite the very simple battle mechanics because of its area-control aspects and clear use of armies.


The description on Board Game Geek is as follows:
Clockwork Wars is an epic board game of conquest, discovery, and espionage from Eagle-Gryphon Games. In Clockwork Wars, 2-4 players command a unique race of creatures in a tense war set in an alternate universe where magic and steam-era technology collide. Take control of the human "Purebreeds", or one of three hybrid races (Troglodytes, Rhinochs, and Mongrels). Your goal is to vanquish your foes and accumulate the most victory points through seven turns of play. You earn points by fighting for control of territories that contain valuable natural resources. To win these battles, you need manpower gained by seizing villages and developing them into cities. Invest in research and discover astonishing new technologies, like magical Golems, an Analytical Engine, and the wondrous Spire of the Gods. Position your troops, research powerful discoveries, employ espionage, and conquer your enemies to win the game!

Once we learned the rules and leaving aside a couple of times we checked up on the details of a few things, I think we managed to play this first time through in a bit over two hours.  That's not bad, in my opinion, for a complex game that suggests 90 minutes.  The great variety of technology cards that can come up in many combinations in any given game means that this game will have a great deal of replayability.  I very much like the simple simultaneous deployment (movement) mechanic that reminded me of older wargames without being as complicated.  I'd like to try games of this with two and three players but can already imagine why a four player game is suggested as best.  I'm also curious about the expansions and when we next play will hope we add those in right away, even before we master the base game.  I don't think that would be problematic.


A closer examination of board and miniatures Wargaming.
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Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Terrain Tuesday - Water Effects, Accurate Maps, & Tourney Terrain

Over on cheatinsteve.blogspot.com, he gives us a "Water Effect Follow-Up" here.


Also, on discovermagazine.com, they discuss "The Mystery of Extraordinarily Accurate Medieval Maps" here.


Finally, on the GreenLeaf Terrain YouTube channel, they shared a video with a "Showcase: Tournament Terrain."  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, January 18, 2016

Minis & Modeling Monday - Effin Cool Miniatures

You might recall that I've mentioned Kickstarter projects by John Popson a couple of times on the Saturday Crowdfunding Roundup like the "Big Bastards:80mm Troll Miniatures for 28mm scale games" and "Metamorphosis Alpha™ 28mm Miniatures," both of which have successfully funded (and more).  Both are the works of Effin Cool Miniatures here.


John was recently in town on business, so I invited him to join our weekly group for a bit of gaming.  We had a game of [redacted] (2010) planned, something we'd tried to get on the table in the past but it hadn't worked out.  We got it on the table that night and I'll have a brief writeup on the game this Saturday.  Short version: We had fun!  While John was here, I was also able to secure a set of the Big Bastard minis for myself and plan to get them to the table soon.  More on that as it develops as well.


While they were early in production, John asked the fine folks at Pennyfew Painting to do a number on one (this one is called "Plash!") so folks could see how it turns out.  Here's a preview below, with a dwarf mini for scale (these trolls are huge!), but there are even more picutres here.


My sincere thanks to John Popson for his friendship and for joining us last week at the game table.  He is a welcome addition any time he is in town.  I know we'll enjoy getting to catch up again at Gary Con VIII!

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, January 17, 2016

The Sunday Miscellanea - Cardboard Trees, Dice Tower, & Tea-Dyed Paper

Over on creativeboom.com, they feature "Enchanted forests sculpted entirely from cardboard" here.


Also, on thingiverse.com, check out the "Dice Tower with Fold-Up Trays" here.


Finally, on the StampinStuff01 YouTube channel, they share a video on "How to Tea Dye Paper."  Enjoy!



Essentially, a clearinghouse for topics on MFWARS.com
not covered elsewhere or wanting a particular focus.
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Saturday, January 16, 2016

Systems Saturday - Innovation (2010)

On a recent Culver's day, Tom broke out a card game he'd been waiting to show us for some time called Innovation (2010).  As you can tell, it's been around half a decade and it surprised me that I hadn't heard of it before.  It's essentially a civilization building game with a lot of player interaction.


The description from Board Game Geek is as follows:
This game by Carl Chudyk is a journey through innovations from the stone age through modern times. Each player builds a civilization based on various technologies, ideas, and cultural advancements, all represented by cards. Each of these cards has a unique power which will allow further advancement, point scoring, or even attacking other civilizations. Be careful though, as other civilizations may be able to benefit from your ideas as well!
To win, you must score achievements, which you can attain by amassing points or by meeting certain criteria with the innovations you have built. Plan your civilization well, and outmaneuver your opponents, and with some luck you will achieve victory!

I like this game, in theory.  There are not a lot of rules but in a couple of places the rules stumble and make it tough to learn this game as swiftly as one might.  The cards could be more clear on what they do and the placard each player gets with rules summaries is incomplete in ways that give rise to rules confusion.  Despite all of that, I like this game.  I would play this game again.  I would love to see this game redesigned and re-released.  This game has a lot going for it and could be very popular as a fast-play cardgame if executed well.  Did I mention I like this game?


A look under the hood of various Games, Rules and Systems.
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Friday, January 15, 2016

Tabletopper Friday - Anticipated Games

Over on enworld.org, they feature "The 10 Most Anticipated Tabletop RPGs Of 2016," including a lot of retooled systems, here.


Also, on boardgamegeek.com, voting is open on "20 Most Anticipated Board Games of 2016," also including some reprints, here.


Finally, on io9.gizmodo.com, they tell us "This Is What a $1.5 Million Ghostbusters Board Game Looks Like" here.

Mostly about card games and board games,
unless they have a decidedly wargamey feel.
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