When I was up last weekend to see the girls, I brought their Easter baskets and thought long and hard on how to run an Easter game of any size. The only table in the entire home is a small round one, so I figured to use the chick erasers and have the Germans attempt form square to hold off the attacking Chicka Zulus.
In my attempt to hit multiple stores in Albany before I drove home to Pennsylvania, I need to make one logistical adjustment to plan: Zombie Planet Comics and Games closed at 5pm, and it was already 4:15pm where I was at.
Greeting: My latest pet peeve, and thus the box on my internal checklist. The staff was handling customers when I walked in, and I don't expect some muscle memory response when the door opens. I was greeted by an employee after the customers were taken care of, as they walked past me in the role-playing section. ✅
Cleanliness: The ground floor is chock full of product, floor to ceiling with full shelves and somewhat tight spaces for a man of sizable girth. That being said, everything was organized and dust-free.
CCGs: Magic, Lorcana, Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh! Star Wars Unlimited, and Riftbound and one of the healthiest and concentrated spots for supplies.
Board Games: A great assortment of board and card games taking up more of the back of the store.
RPGs: This is hit hard, because it appeared to be the largest and most diverse selection of RPGs I've seen in a long while. Although I was pressed for time, I forced myself to peruse the titles and realize that this might be the first time I've seen a number of these games in their physical form. The biggest thing that made me grin? Multiple copies of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Transdimensional Adventures Redux Edition Hardcovers, from the recently fulfilled Kickstarter. I had finally seen the GM screen at another store and snagged that up quickly, and I almost plopped down a credit card on the spot here.
Miniatures: A massive display of Games Workshop on the right wall, but the true treasure were in the back left of the store. D&D minis, of course, but a beyond healthy display of figures and boxed sets: Star Wars Legion, Team Yankee, Heroscape, Battletech, even a number of the Song of Fire and Ice boxed sets. Heck, I thought I was having a fever dream when I found Wargames Atlantic boxed sets, plus a small selection of discount minis!
Comics: I'll leave this spot empty, because I never got to go upstairs where the comics are!
Other: GW/Warhammer/Citadel and Army Painter paints and accessories. Solid dice selection. The one thing here that made me smile? Zap-a-Gap!
Events: No gaming on site, although it seems like they coordinate all tournaments, pre-releases, and the sort with Fortress of Gaming, which is more of an open-space games cafe, less than five minutes away. Every event seems to have a great turnout.
The De Facto Explorers have discovered a facility that used to manufactured energy cells in the Glow Zone wilderness across the Big River. They've decided to rest and co-exist with their Hopper allies for the next two weeks and prepare for the a major foray into an alleged treasure lair.
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Lathar Bracken: A pure-strain human from River Bend. He's got the muscle, the face, and a mount for most encounters. Lathar's trusty beast of burden, No Name, travels wherever he does. Looking for trouble in all the right places. The two-time champion of the Fair-Town Queen's Joust. Recently married Thunnelda Haycock.
Sneaky Pete: A mutated weasel scout. Pete's telepathy and night vision take a backseat when he whips out his electrical powers. Apparently addicted to his newly uncovered yellow powder found at "The Pool House"
Sonny Helianthus: a nearly 10' tall sentient sunflower artifact examiner with four arms, and trusted Restorationist ties. Knowledgeable, but not a good one with device repairs or upgrades.
Slitheran Wurmtail (aka Squiggles): a mutated earthworm scout, in impromptu power armor, looking for trouble in all the wrong places, and finding it often. He has been subject to genetic testing and developed super-human strength, a more human body, and a thick coat of shaggy white hair. Recently gave birth to a pile of baby worms.
Luna of the Restorationists: Recent recruit of the Restorationists, who had uncovered artifacts across the River.
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From the Journal of Sonny Helianthus
"Day 1" - The rest of them claim they need to hibernate for many days before venturing down to where some treasure is supposed to be. I'm not going to argue with them, it would be nice to find some clean soil and direct sunlight to sturdy my constitution.
I spent the evening meticulously cleaning the slug thrower we found in the fancy room. It took all night, but there's nary a spot of dirt on it.
"Day 2" - I've returned the shotgun to Squiggles, and begun researching the "Black Pistol." I believe this weapon has been passed through all the members of the party. It's a peculiar pistol with functionality I'm completely unfamiliar with. So far I've managed to disassemble it. Putting it back together might be more difficult.
While I'm enjoying planting myself, the others have begun going outside. No-Name, Lathar's overtly faithful staggon needs a steadier diet than Hopper root plants, the petrified forest is almost non-existent, so they travel aways, nears the caravan grounds, and the beast seems more agreeable.
"Day 3" - Squiggles has made some new friends out of the Hoppers. He came to another carrot stew dinner proudly proclaiming himself the newest member of the Hopper drum circle, called Thumper Rex. The Hoppers are amazed at his ability play three drums simultaneously. The worm has not explained to them his mutant Telekinetic Hand power.
"Day 4" - No progress on the Black Gun. I've taken some time with Squiggles and Pete further exploring the stone forest... with three Hopper guards, per my request. Some of these junk piles are deeper than first glance. I might begin digging through them during my late afternoons.
The Hoppers report noises coming from the the other side of the door. We need to be prepared for the troglodytes setting up a whole host of traps once we return to the mines.
"Day 5" - I've decided to venture out on my own... and one Hopper guard. The digging seems therapeutic compared to my failures analyzing the Black Pistol... or Squiggles and his new friends' excessive drumming.
"Day 6" - I have made a breakthrough with the "parts" of the Black Pistol, while the energy cell that powers it looks similar to the ones used by blast and light weapons- different type of energy cell to power it. What is Hydrogen? It doesn't really matter if I don't know or can't obtain more of these, as the device still seems impossible to put it back together.
"Day 7" - Eureka! My digging in the stone forest had already netted me some parts that might work on the Black Pistol, maybe even the Children's Alchemical Laser. I've return to the burrow with some junk to the Hopper elders, even though they've no idea what they are.
The biggest discovery in the woods, that I could not hide, was the discovery of three foot long shiny metal cylinder, unblemished from the other junk that had been heaped upon it. I can only confirm that its display and buttons worked. I could set-up a timer with a countdown, nothing ever less than five minutes.
"Day 8" - No progress on the cylinder. The Hoppers did report loud noises outside. Reports of howling have varied to much to make it a legitimate threat.
Pete still patrols with the other Explorers, but he spend most of the time sitting in the cart, covering his face with the yellow powder of his addiction.
"Day 9" - Outside of Lathar's walk of No-Name, the human can be seen with a female Hopper named Lola. Not sure how this compares with other human mating practices.
"Day 10" - Pete has been out of commission for two days now, and I ascertain that he might have been the one holding me back. The Black Pistol is reassembled. I believe it's a weapon of sound, with two shots remaining.
Squiggles and Lathar finally travelled south and actually found the building the the facility is located in. We did find another door for access.
"Day 11" - My experiments with the cannister has grown a large following watching... from a distance. I'm even able to program words into the system for the machine to sound out! Removing the shiny casting, I found labels with the three triangles... although my trusty GlowCard comes up negative.
I have spotted Lathar with male Hopper named Jack. I'm even more confused as to his objective, although he's better than the weasel.
"Day 12" - I've realized the Black Pistol isn't a weapon of sound, but rather something even more devastating.
"Day 13" - We'll venture back into the facility tomorrow. I'm hiding the cylinder for future research.
"Day 14" - Healed up as best we could, we ventured back in. Concerned that the troglodytes probably had set up new traps, we decided to use the third door we everyone discovered earlier in the week. I was amused by a large painting... that transformed into a window looking down into the facility from a different perspective, but the rest wanted to proceed. We were all hit with a strange green burning mist coming out of the walls. Of course, everyone decided to call it a day.... More time with the cylinder!
Day 15 - No entry
Day 16 - No entry
Day 16 since the Explorers had needed to rest, Lathar was combing his steed, No Name, after a much needed ride and grazing away from the Hoppers and the Ancients compound that was taking over their lives. Even with the odd Hopper companionship, he missed his pregnant wife back home.
An entire swath of the petrified forest, 50 meters in every direction, was laid flat. Everything was gone, save the crater and the remnants of the mushroom cloud.
Next: #111 - We're Not Great
In my latest trip to Albany, I had some time to kill, so I figured it would be good to take a drive down to Clifton Park for the Warhammer store.
I showed up at 3:01, the scheduled and posted half-hour lunch. I do find it amusing that a major company that focuses on in-store play or tournaments, takes the time to make their employees take a lunch
I haven't been to a GW in a long time, and I found them over-efficient and lacking. The newest version seems even more spartan.
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| A picture of the store from the window... |
Let's be honest, Games Workshop has spent decades trying to cultivate the perfect GW (sorry.. Warhammer) store in the States. I'm sure there's overlap from the other nearby gaming shop, I'm sure there is when you calculate special events and exclusives. But Warhammer stores are designed for Warhammer moms: middle and upper class parents who want to walk in a safe and normal space to purchase the odd toy soldiers their kids clamored for. And if the true boutique look is what gets them in the door the second time, for the second boxed set, the it win.
The Warhammer - Clifton Park location is in the Village Plaza at 19 Clifton Country Rd, Ste 13, Clifton Park, NY
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