WargamerX's Game Blog

I am still subject, even in my mid-40s to uncontrollable urges. The latest example is my decision to sign up to host three games at the next Cold Wars in Lancaster, PA.  http://hmgs.site-ym.com/?CWHome The theme for this year's convention is the American Civil War (ACW), so right up my alley, right?  We'll see. The first game, I had run before - using the awesome Brother Against Brother rules and 15mm skirmished based figures, and a historical battle from Sherman's early Atlanta Campaign.  Except...for this scenario - I wanted to switch to 25mm figures.  The switch has been a long process for me. I'd painted the 15mm guys in the early 2000s when I was just getting back into wargaming as a quick solution. A few years back, I decided that I would stick to 25-28mm scale for skirmish fights and 15mm for big battles...mostly.  But... Lucy, you got some painting to do... The second scenario was a little different, but still using the...

While not normally a wine drinker, I (and my lovely redhead) have fallen for the Barefoot Merlot and Cab-Sav> And at 9.00 at the Class VI, just our style! I recommend it! http://www.momswhoneedwine.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/BAREFOOT-MERLOT-250x460-163x300.jpg Also, while I watch the Bengals-Broncos game (and wish my Ravens could play like either!) I am working on my One Sheet ACW rules...shared here with you loyal reader - for comment!

New Star Wars movie trailer. Radical thought - Lando Calrissian's backstory? Episode VII Trailer Why do I think so; - Stormtrooper armor looks like a mix between the Ep. 1-3 (Jar-Jar series) and 4-6 (real Star Wars). - The Falcon looks new. - The Tie fighters are of the old model (Episode 4: New Hope) not the streamlined versions you start seeing in Empire Strikes Back - Lando was short changed in the original series, and we know that he was the original "owner" of the Falcon. He was an outsider until Empire so any Lando stories wouldn't change the 4-6 episodes - The X-wings look odd too - origin of rouge squadron? Early rebels? Biggs and crew could get play. Thoughts?

I've started playing and running Joseph Goodman's excellent Dungeon Crawl Classic Role-playing Game (DCC RPG for short). Its a wonderful mix of old school rpgs, modern (ie functional) game mechanics, and a weird fantasy fiction feel. I recommend it - for what that is worth. An interesting item in DCC, other than fantastic artwork, is the listing of Appendix N - an inspirational reading list originally from Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson's First Edition Dungeon Master's Guide. An admission; I've always been a fan of reading lists, and miss the one's that Amazon used to have. You can tell a lot from the book content and Appendix N is no different. The list is by the main fantasy novels from the 1970s and earlier - written before most of the stereotypes of modern fantasy were set. As a result, drawing from these inspirations, adventures, characters and creatures have a different feel than later fantasy. They also formed many of the games played in the earl...

House of Dust and Ash Chapter II Deep Cover - Keeping a Low Profile So, where were we? Shortly after waking Trantor and hearing his story of a visit by Inq. Malignus and mind washing (or so he says), Adept Wheezy from Inq. Rathbone’s office shows up at the door with three gun servitors (lobotomized humans with firearms grafted to their bodies) carrying boxes. Wheezy is wearing a nose cast from where Barbossa punched him (last episode) and has one of the gunservitors cover Barbossa while the others set down the boxes. Wheezy hands the fake IDs to the well dressed stranger in the room (Draco) and states that only swords and pistols will be allowed on the skyship to the Burning Isle.  Draco gives a “Huh?” while Barbossa tries to pick a fight (while staring down a servito’s autogun barrel). Wheezy explains that Draco will be faking the Rouge Trader Hermes Sunder and the rest of the acolytes are his entourage – they will travel to the remote “Burning Isle” and bid on the curi...

House of Dust and Ash Part I of the Season Finale: False Redemption Surviving their release of the Dei-Phage (demon lord), activation of the Pax Machiana, the ravaging of Kephistron Altis, melting of the Most Holy Gilded Cathedral of Baraspine, and the discovery that the “Pope” of the Callaxian Church is, in fact, a heretic…well, let’s say our Murder Hobos have a “mixed” reputation…(although Drustos seems to have made out well enough…) It has been a month since and the Acolytes are abruptly ordered off planet.  As the adventure begins the Player Characters are transferred temporarily into the service of a shadowy and notorious figure in the Holy Ordos, Inquisitor Lady Oriantha Rathbone, on the bleak and poisonous industrialized hive world of Solomon. There is a trip on the Lamentations of the Flame Princess which allows some new artificial limb work. Littlus replaces his pipe-like robotic leg (courtesy the Dei-Phage) with the “Major Award” leg from Christmas Story…fish...

A hundred years ago, when I was incarcerated in the Benning Penitentiary for Recidivists, a fellow Recidivist stated that "in every attack someone is making a frontal attack." I would love to believe that this wisdom came from the be-spotted lips of James "Shitmouth" Murphy...but honestly, that may be wishful thinking. At this stage, I can't really be sure. As is, instead of the expansive, "love everyone" bullshit of the day; I would like to honor the 1% of soldiers, airmen, sailors, and marines of the 1% that have actually served of the US population, that have had to be that someone making a frontal attack. God bless you. Your country hasn't a clue what you have done for them.

Finished painting my US Army (or Marine) and Imperial Chinese artillerymen for the Boxer Rebellion. Pictures due out. Also realized I need to update the Dark Heresy logs. No game this Friday, but then it will be off to Detroit for me until the next Friday. So maybe I'll catch up while in a hotel room.