WargamerX's Game Blog

So, I am running a play-by-post of 12 to Midnight's Last Rites of the Black Guard. Lots of open story and plenty of handouts and detailed information, maps, etc. Perfect fit for me, since I've never run a published adventure "as written".  Anyway, they just found the "occult basement" And the zombie living there... As I said; 12 to Midnight and I share a fetish for maps...good stuff and plenty of them! And in my World's Largest Dungeon game...we are still on the third ring of rooms, level 1...

Confession. I am a fan of the Batman mythology, the extended story, and  of writers and directors and actors who DO their homework.   As a result. I have found new nerd love in the Fox series Gotham. 1) I am convinced that Castle is now insane with jealousy of Jim Gordon, regardless of whether Inara turns out to be Mrs Gordon or Harley. 2) Whether or not he is up to the awesomeness that is the Joker, Cameron Monaghan and/or his director or writer earns my regard for the filming of this scene, or well, the entire scene...of Gordan's interrogation of Jerome. In two screen shots, watch them, Monogham subtly channels first Jack Nicolson's Joker, THEN in the next  camera shot Heath Ledger's lip smacking Joker. Well done sirs, Well done. Slow clap.

Yeah. Its winter, Again. I think that dark fantasy must often be written in winter,  The author, an indoor occupation, must often get the extra dark of a good winter season. I certainly feel it. Long nights, and darkness. Very depressing. Inspiring,

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...