(Kickstarter) Illuminati Confirmed by RadioFree.net

 Illuminati: New World Order (INWO) is my favorite collectible card game of all time.  Decades later, the boxes of cards are gone, but the appeal to play (and my "Chaos Locksmith" deck) is still there.  

Derek Pearcy, original creator of INWO, has now launched a Kickstarter through RadioFree.net for an updated computer game version of INWO.

While I can't confirm the Kickstarter allegations that games of INWO took 3+ hours (I think one game of the original Illuminati took four, usually we were bloodthirsty and efficient), I gratefully appreciate a program to do all the calculations, keeping track of changing alignments and bonuses.  

Thanks to the wonders of computers, changing alignments can now change the artwork on the cards.

My Gamified Self, Year Nine

Nine years in, and I continue to cobble together a gamified dream journal and translate them into character points for a GURPS (3rd Edition) version of myself I set up almost 30 years ago (The Red Dawn rip-off games were horrible... horribly awesome!)

I continue develop into Tom Arnold's character Albert Gibson in a post-True Lies timeline. 

ST: 10 DX: 11  IQ: 13  HT: 12

Advantages:  Charisma +2 (I'm a heckuva guy), Common Sense, Luck, Voice, Light Hangover (50)

Disadvantages:  Bloodlust, Near-Sightedness, Gluttony, Stubborness, Sense of Duty (Friends) (-35), Dependents (Family) Enemy: LDS Cabal

Skills:  Skills in bold received points, but not increase.  Bold with a (+) indicates an increase in skill.  New skills to the list for this year are in bold with (New).  Not exactly rocket sciences

Acrobatics   9 +

Accounting 11 
Acting 13 
Administration 20   + 
Animal Handling 11 
Anthropology 11 
Archaeology 10 
Area Knowledge: Baltimore 11
Area Knowledge: Iceland 13 
Area Knowledge: Lehigh Valley 14 
Area Knowledge: Michigan Upper Peninsula 11 
Area Knowledge: New York City 13 
Area Knowledge: South Africa 13 
Bard 20 (let me...entertain you!) 
Bicycling 11 
Boating 9 
Boxing 10 
Brawling 13 
Camouflage 14 
Carousing 12 
Climbing 10 
Club 11 
Computer Ops 13 
Conspiracy Theory 11
Cryptography  10
Dancing 10
Demolitions 12
Diplomacy 13 
Drive Tractor Trailer 11 
Drive: motorcycle 9 
Driving: Auto 14 
Driving: Diesel Locomotive 11 
Economics 12     +
Engineering 12 
English 14 
Fast Talk 13 
First Aid 13 
Forensics 12 
Forgery 10 
French 12 
Geology 10 
Guns: Pistol 14 
Guns: Rifle 14 
Guns: SMG 13 
Hiking 11 
History 17 
Hobby gaming 14 
Hobby: Models 12 
Intell Analysis 11 
Interrogation 11 
Judo 9 
Law 12 
Leadership 12
Literature 10 (New) 
Mathematics 10 
Mechanic 
Merchant 11
Meteorology 11
Naturalist 10 
Navigate 10 
Occultism 14 
Performance 13
Physician 
Politics 14 
Psychology 10 
Punning 11 
Running 13 
Savoir Faire 17 
Saxophone 12 
Scrounging 13 
Sex Appeal 15 
Sport: Basketball 10 
Sport: Football 9 
Sport: Golf 11
Sport: Ice Skating 8 
Sport:Volleyball 9 
Stealth 12 +
Strategy 11 +
Streetwise 11 
Survival: Mountains 12 
Survival: NBC 13 
Swimming 10 
Tactics 13 
Taxidermy 11 (New)
Theology 11  +
Wrestling 10 

It's amusing that I've had some incredibly deep sleep during these trying times, yet my dreams are almost pedestrian.  What originally was a secret agent continues to to turn into mid-level management, perhaps Assistant Director of Counter-Terrorism Analysis - Personnel, or perhaps still in Operations Support.  Those guys always have a weird hobby like Literature or Taxidermy or building a boat in their basement.  This year was a lot "normal" management activities, with just enough times for some hobbies.  With the increase in Acrobatics, I assume I dodged out of the way of some runaway car, and then the true heroes of the True Lies universe take over.

301 points.

Virtual SATLOF 2020!

Things are getting pretty bad out there.  I'm not a medical professional, but I get daily clinical updates due to my position.  Our issues are spreading throughout the community, the majority (80%)  of which are outside of nursing homes and the traditional comorbidities normally associated with the pandemic.  Heck, my alma mater (Easton)'s 114th annual Thanksgiving Day football game with Phillipsburg, New Jersey was outright cancelled.  The last time the two teams haven't played was 1912.  Yes, they played during the Spanish Flu. 

With that being said, it's no surprise that our annual Saturday After Thanksgiving Leftover Feast (SATLOF) is not occurring today.  Let's be serious, we're a pretty obnoxious folk that like to skirt the rules, and if we haven't been comfortable setting up face-to-face gaming since March, it would be ludicrous to have friends and loved ones from five different states converging on one site.  

All is not not lost, we're turning SATLOF virtual this year.  We're hoping to catch up with everyone via Skype, with a beverage in hand.  

Of course, I'm still "visiting" my mother today, albeit solo, and hopefully through a window.  She has a few outside tasks that I need to do, so I'll drop off some cards, a few new pictures of the kids, and get the house ready for winter.  I'm not stepping foot in the house.  I will have an opportunity to stop at some some shops on the way home (Trains and Lanes, Steel City Comics, The Portal) before arriving home with Wawa to celebrate SATLOF.

Black Friday Shoppers! Don't Get Your Game Requests Confused!

Last Few hours for the Legions of Steel Kickstarter

I didn’t realize it at the beginning of the campaign, but Legions of Steel Operation Anvil Kickstarter ends today, Thanksgiving (US), in just a few short hours. If they don’t get a few more backers, it appears to be coming up a bit short. 

Happy Thanksgiving

https://www.facebook.com/dndmemes/

Christmas Sale at Battle Valor

 I've been quite pleasantly surprised with Battle Valor Games.  Their Kickstarter for 28mm Sci Dwarf Miner Warriors wasn't flashy at all, no hi-tech 3D sculpts of the figures, or insane stretch goals, but it delivered early, and it exposed me to their back catalog of pulp, sci-fi, and fantasy figures.  Again, nothing that someone would paint and put on the cover of a magazine, but they're affordable, easy to paint, and owner of the proud fact that I spent more on that campaign that I have on any other Kickstarter in years.  

With that being said, Battle Valor is having a holiday sale!

From now until midnight on December 16th, take 30% off your orders on their 15mm fantasy range and the 28mm fantasy, Pulp and sci-fi ranges!  This is on top of any discount you normally receive!

Free shipping on international orders of $125 USD or more.

Enter coupon code 30OFF at check-out to get the free shipping.

For more fun, Battle Valor is offering a free 28mm Santa & Alexa figure with any order of $50 USD or more!

Free pack of five 15mm Halfling swordsmen and a free 28mm Santa & Alexa with any order of $100 USD or more!

Free pack of 15mm Dungeon Accessories with any order of $200 USD or more!

I certainly don't need any more Space Dwarves to further swell the unpainted ranks of the Gnomish Space Marines, but their individual sci-fi and pulp figures are just too fun to avoid.

Who am I kidding, of course I'm grabbing more figs for the GSM!

(BECMI) Adventures in Gulluvia #1 - A Poorly Planned Foray

5 Mai 543 - Village of Mere, Barony of Gulluvia
The locals who frequented Ye Olde Falling Noble Spoon were caught off guard by the passionate ravings of local scholar, Hugo Swam 'Pas.

He claimed his dear friend Marleen Furribottom had been captured by a heavily armed contingent of green skinned monsters, armed to the teeth within the abandoned Mentzer Gem Mine. The Baronial Guard could easily handle it, but they weren’t scheduled to arrive for at least another month. If only the bravest and finest of the village could assemble to rescue her!!!

Hugo's famed combat maneuvers...

I recruited two halflings and.... a..... a thing.  Beulah Cragbottom and Bodo were two resourceful halflings around town, but Hugo also acquired the services of Slothina, a hulking mass of (allegedly) woman who liked to wear an executioner's hood and swing a giant maul.  Her conversation was about as good as her rumored looks, so away they went, back to the old mines.

GM Notes:  Gulluvia is a fast paced world played over Roll20, not one of my long-winded tales.  Hugo and Marleen were two characters rolled up by Steve, who attempted to investigated the old dwarven mines that had been shut down for generations, only to be beset upon by a small gang of goblins.  Hugo left Marleen for dead, although he's suffering from the pangs of this adventure... perhaps it's what guilt feels like... and why he recruited others to rescue her... or at least finish exploring the ruins.

Next:  #2 - A Veritable Invasion!

(Painting) Look at the Flowers

I didn't anticipate getting any painting done, but after a weekend of yard work and the girls' basketball, I got some time at the painting bench and knocked out two small figures.

BG-APC105-6 The Kids - Henry and Lilly

The kids are Henry and Lilly, part of Brigade Games' Post-Apocalyptic Minis.   My daughter picked them out at Historicon 2019 at the same time she picked up a copy of Last Days, and said "Daddy, we should start playing this."

We've gotten one game done thus far. 

I love the game, but it just hasn't been on anyone's immediate radar, before or during COVID.  

With these tykes finished, I daresay that there's a Christmas game on the horizon.... with zombies

I also managed to snag a Sunday paper yesterday evening, not just for the pre-Black Friday sales flyers, but for fresh newsprint to cover the painting bench.   Our foster kittens have discovered the bench and wreaked havoc upon it.  I'm back to pouring it into a wastewater jug after each session, but the previous cat-induced spills, both water and basing material,  have given me a great opportunity to clean up and reorganize everything. 

I confirmed it needed it, as the earliest layer of paper covered the Patriots and Eagles in the Super Bowl! 

Yes, that's a tank up against the wall.  It's not even the tank I just got online...

After six years of my spice rack shelves, I finally decided to re-organize my paints to make regular colors quicker to reach.  My rainbow life is focused on drab colors and I've always had them at the four corners of my shelves.

I'm hoping it's easier for me to paint, and the spray cans dissuade the kittens from shenanigans (all of them are afraid of spray paint cans for some reason.  Let's hope that continues for awhile.  

NEXT:  Lots of role-playing actual play write-ups dominate my holiday weekend, but with a fresh and clean painting bench, I might work on that damned Nauvoo Legion that haunts my dreams.  The Gnomish Space Marines universe gets their first crime gang, and not one, but TWO tanks are in the long term pipeline.  

Risus Moving to Itch

Risus (and Cumberland Games products in general) have transitioned from DriveThruRPG to itch.

Since discovering Cumberland moving from their own website to DriveThru, I've linked to the main rules a couple dozen times.  Can't wait to hunt them down and apply the universal address which will route to the itch site.

More details on the transition can be found on S.John Ross' website here.

My only pickle.  DriveThruRPG is a safe site for work, itch is definitely not.  

Optimus Primaris

Not only another great idea for a color scheme, put a far better design that 90% of the canon Space Marine chapters....

Project 350:   519 (355/164) from 521 (356/165).  Still have a backlog of the Star Wars d6 campaign actual plays,  the painting table, and even some general writing projects.  The extra time over the holiday is cancelled out my the sheer madness at work.  Next update 12/4, and I'm hoping we might be near 510 for the first time since forever.

Fun fact, as I peruse old posts lamenting Project 350, I found a rant from a year ago, when I only had 471 (352 drafts and 119 posts).  The big difference?  I was still under the delusion that my Lost Dispatches Actual Play would end in May with the episode numbering in the 70s  (it ended November 3rd with episode #100).  That's a half a year backlog for other Actual Plays (Gulluvia, then Star Wars).  There's a year's worth of Gulluvia and Star Wars coming!

Gnomes in Space....

No, I don't have any Gnomish Space Marines to post on Painting Friday.  Things are progressing slowly and there should be a bunch of posts after the holidays.

No, how about an actual gnome in orbit?

Yesterday, an Electron rocket by Rocket Labs was launched in New Zealand.  Strapped to the kick stage of the rocket was a 5-inch titanium garden gnome.

The gnome has video game connections, and according to this article, his fate was not kind.

Gnome Chompski

Pulp Figures 2020 Movember Promotion

For the eighth year running, Bob Murch of Pulp Figures is raising money for Movember, and offering a figure for a ten dollar donation.  

This year's figure is Master Fan.

Previous years' figures may still be available, contact Pulp Figures directly for details.  

Of course, S&H is separate on the figures, or it can be included with any new Pulp Figures order for no additional charge.

The Mike Lung Gallery #77 - Shadow Deep and Gnomerdammerung (Twilight of the Gnomes)

Mike's at it again, although I must say, I don't think the quarantine warped his thinking one bit.

His current focus is fleshing out his Gnomerdammerung (Twilight of the Gnomes) setting.  Set in the Third Age of Gnomekind, where gnomes are now quite rare, and sentient animals now truly reign supreme.

Below are his Range-Hares of Shadow Deep:

(BECMI) Adventures in Gulluvia #0 - Welcome to Gulluvia

Gulluvia is a small, remote barony located at the foothills of tall mountain range. It was once a prosperous little barony, until the dwarves exhausted all the gemstone mines and left, leaving the largely human population at a bare subsistence survival.

Despite its prior value to the Kingdom  Gulluvia's untamed borders are days from the nearest civilization. The citizens of the barony persevered with only a few trade caravans venturing into the territory.

Ruler: Lady D'hmis, whose husband was killed in a freak werewolf attack while she was hosting a ball. Inexperienced with governing, she has done a fine job stabilizing the realm, starting with enforcing the ages old traditions that have kept the peasants safe.

The oldest and most enforced law:  All men must remain inside from dusk until dawn, unless escorted by an adult (over 16) woman.  The woman are largely immune to the lycanthropy curse, while men quickly succumb to the disease and pass away.

The story starts in the village of Mere, a small hamlet populated by both halflings and humans. Despite its proximity to the Misty Swamp there are few reports of the dreaded lycanthropes, there are few patrols of the Baronial Guard.

This village has two taverns: Elle's Leaping Strong Moon, Ye Olde Falling Noble Spoon, one general store, and an inn.

Other Towns:
Gulluvia:  The namesake of the barony is also the capital, and the closest thing to a large town the barony has.  It has ten foot walls, and most merchants and services adventurers require.

Dead Mule: This little shire was once a peaceful place, named by the group of miners who settled here after their pack mule died.

N’Sau: This farming village is so small that there is no tavern or inn here. A small general store doubles as a tavern or meeting hall when needed. The main crop grown here is wheat.

Thorold: This lovely little village prides itself on the fact that it raises the best horses in the Kingdom for the Barony of Gulluvia.

Velders: This hamlet is under the protection of Gulluvia, though this does Velders little good. The Gulluvian guards fear the Abaddon Woods and do not like to travel through it to reach Velders except in large groups. Foul races such as orcs and kobolds make periodic raids on the small farms on the outskirts. There is only a trading post in the center of town.

Misty Swamp: No one knows exactly what lies behind the veil of ever present mist that hovers over the swamp. Some old timers say that the old dwarves who make Anterian Brandy live in the swamp near their secret ingredient, the swamp water. This is speculation, as no one really knows what the secret ingredient of Anterian Brandy is. Others whisper tales of an evil wizard living there in a massive tower of shiny black stone. Sometimes, in the dead of winter, fierce thunderstorms can be heard near the swamp, but no one ever sees any lightning. The only thing people who live near the swamp will agree on is that most magic users had best stay clear of it or they will find that their spells will not function properly.

Abaddon Woods: This is a desolate place inhibited by evil beings, but was once believed to be filled with unicorns, elves, faeries and other fair creatures. Many expeditions attempting to destroy the evil lurking here have ventured into the woods, but have never returned.

Moorfowl Mountains: This ugly, dead, tall range forms a protective shield that keeps the mist from Misty Swamp from spreading into the neighboring farmlands. Most folks don’t venture into the mountains much any more except to hunt for certain types of moss used by local healers. Evil creatures now roam the mountains freely and inhabit the mines once worked by the dwarves.

Thunder Mountains: These low pine-covered mountains see the sunlight infrequently. Most of the time thick storm clouds linger on the mountain tops — clouds that often erupt into violent thunder storms. An evil wizardess is rumored to live in the mountains in a giant hollow oak she uses as a lab. It is believed that it is she who keeps the thunder storms alive, partly because she fears the light and partly because it keeps away the curious. Local people don’t recall anyone ever going into the mountains, and if anyone ever did, they never returned to tell about it.

NEXT: #1 - A Poorly Planned Foray

(Gnome Wars) The Tree Demon of the Lower Sierras

While I am a huge supporter of Brigade Games Gnome Wars, I have a little secret:  Most of the "Stout Gnome" supporters augment their forces or personal campaign worlds with other lines of figures.   I've personally incorporated the old Eureka Teddy Bears, and others have fallen hard for Alternative Armies' Flintloque/Slaughterloo figures.  

Sure, Gnome Wars' Great War setting does not match up with Flintloque's Napoleonic era, but with older British Marines, and the Civil War style Americans (not to mention the Gnoman Legions), there's enough anachronism with fantasy races to make everything cool.

That being said, I'm very impressed by the amount of support material that Alternative Armies pumps out to support their lines, and not always new figures.  

With a Sunday afternoon break from the kids' basketball, I took it upon myself to try out a recent scenario they posted on their blog (and a download on the website), "Stick it to the Dogs."

You can click on the link for the original version, but I managed two playtests with each of my daughters, using Gnome Wars rules and minis.

Background: Dry air and high winds had plagued most of the Imperial Republic of California, nowhere worse than the Sierra Mountains.  Budget issues and a general neglect of Native traditions of forest maintenance had led to large wildfires raging across the range.  

The Imperial Guard of the Republic (IGR) was the first line of defense to combat these fires.  The hours long and dangerous, the support minimal.  And to make things worse, there was a reason the original inhabitants induced controlled burns: They prevented the larger fires from occurring and awakening the vengeful nature demons sleeping under the mountains.

Imperial Guard (Five Riflemen and One Officer)
Set-up: Within 7 inches of their tent, no more than 2 inches apart from one another. 

Objective:  Kill the Tree Demon while keeping at least two IGR alive.

Special Rule:  There's so much smoke that firing at any range has a -1 penalty (base for standard weapons should be 4+).  

Tree Demon

Set-Up: Will randomly appear in one of the nine groupings of trees, at least 7 inches away from any IGR.

Objective:  Prevent the IGR objective by killing five IGR.

Special Rule:  First round surprise, Move 8", d10+2 for melee.  TEN WOUNDS.

Game One:  Lieutenant Ailepoulet coughed from the smoke in the air as he barked orders at his napping men.  The rest wouldn't be enough, but it was all the time they had before they jumped back into fighting the fire....

Meanwhile, the Tree Demon manifested just outside the camp perimeter.

The Tree Demon swarmed the three IGR guarding the nearby wood.  Two died before they knew what was occurring, the third parried a terrifying attack from the Demon's branch, breaking it (one wound!).  Still, the poor Private screamed and ran away as fast as he could.  

The others scurried out of their tent and fired repeatedly at the beast, barely hurting it (three wounds)

Further carnage ensued, as the Demon finally closed in (Six Wounds), leaving the Lieutenant and the poor screaming Private.   The Private regained his senses while hiding behind the ruins, but what of the officer?

He was not the foolhardy type to lead into battle, rather he hid for the first few rounds, and by dumb luck, the Demon ignored him in his hiding spot.

The Tree Demon moved closer to the Private, but fell just short of being able to grapple him.  A point-black shot of the rifle hurt the creature (seven!), followed by two shots to its back from the Lieutenant's revolver (nine).  

Right before the beast could reach over the rubble wall and end the Private, his aim proved true one last time, striking the creature in the face and turning it into a stack of dry, gnarled wood.  

Gnome 1, Tree Demon 0

Game Two: We switched sides.  My daughter Millie (age 9) would take over the Tree Demon, and I would have a better organized (and braver) officer.  

It was a slaughter.  My slaughter.

The tree demon spawned a bit further away, but thanks to cover and some great initiative rolls, lurched upon my properly lined up IGR with a fury few have seen.

Private Luis never stood a chance.

Thanks to the smoke modifier to fire, I could not generate enough firepower to fell the Demon.  I got to five wounds before it killed my fifth man, making my objective impossible.  

It was determined that the Tree Demon's d10+2 melee value was too high. Removing the extra +2 would have made most of the attacks still in the Demon's favor, but would have made the fighting a bit more interesting. 

Game Three:  My eldest daughter, Maja (age 11) tagged in to replace Millie and took over the IGR.  

The gnomes stood their ground, used the stone ruins as defense, and scored a solid victory, only losing two soldiers.  This confirms the reason the only structure in the original scenario is the tent.  

Game Four: We switched sides, and once again, the Tree Demon manifested far away from the camp.  I had the IGR ready to concentrated fire before retreating to prepare an additional volley.  

The IGR got seven wounds on the Demon before initiative failed me and the deformed maw the abomination devoured the soul of the Lieutenant.  

The surviving gnomes were face to face with the creature and did what any brave Californian would do.

Fail morale and run away.  

Despite the lack of leadership, I allowed two more morale checks to see if they could recover, but alas they fled the board.  

To steal the slogan from Savage Worlds, this scenario was fast, furious, and fun!  Each scenario took minutes and the random set-up and ten wounds of the Tree Demon really set the right amount of tension.  

Plus, this should have been the weekend for Fall-In! and the gnomes needed to make an appearance.  

I may have used a WizKids Treefolk to represent the Tree Demon, but the Alternative Armies one looks great, even if it's no longer the free figure with any order...

Feel free to try this scenario, mix in melee and grenadier forces, and see if the results stand true in the Swiss Alps, or Black Forest, or Aokigahara.  If the Demon seems weaker, feel free to use the multiple demon optional rule in the scenario.  

(Kickstarter) WILD: Dream Dive Training Simulation RPG by Stoo Goff and David Chapman

 If you enjoy the concepts of movies like Inception and the Matrix, you might be interested in a current Kickstarter, WILD: Dream Dive Training Simulation from Stoo Goff and David Chapman.

It's not my usual cup of tea, by the author, David Chapman, is a pretty prolific author in the RPG industry, More importantly, he's the driving force behind the annual #RPGaDay, so he's always worth a mention.

Future Changes to Google Photos Storage Policy

 This week, Google announced changes to their storage policy on Google Photos. 

Starting June 1, 2021, new photos & videos that you back up in High quality will count towards your free 15 GB of Google Account storage. We wanted to let you know well in advance because you have backed up photos & videos in High quality and will be affected by this change.

Check the backup settings on the Google Photos app or website on each device you use to see what devices are backing up in High quality. This change does not apply to Pixel 5 and earlier devices.

If we've learned anything from these past four years, data and context are everything.  For a blogger who uploads photos, those are put into a Google Album Archive which isn't easily accessible from Photos, but still are part of the limits, both current and future.  Barring another future change down the road, I know my 4,700+ photos in that Archive are safe. Outside of a few early pictures straight from a digital camera or iPhone, most of those pics fall under the "High Quality" (re: reduced) category, but I'm having difficulty figuring out how much I've used over a decade of blogging.  

If needed, the extra storage is only $1.99/month, and we're in a world were everyone's cut the cable/satellite cord, but are perfectly fine to pay for four or five streaming services.  Just another story to tell the grandkids from "Back in the day, Google would let you do anything, and it didn't cost ya a nickel!"

(Painting) G-Series Nightmare Variants from Legions of Steel

Continuing with some basic painting from Legions of Steel.  The Legions of Steel: Operation Anvil Kickstarter has about two weeks left and is only at two-thirds of its goal.  I've only put my dollar placeholder pledge in, so I need to figure out exactly what figures I'm interested in and kick up my pledge shortly. 

Following the often quoted, never followed rule, I'm trying to get at least one Kickstarter done before the next one finishes, I present more Nightmares from the Classic LOS Kickstarter I received over the Summer.

(L-R: G1C, G1A, and the regular vanilla G1 Nightmare)

The G1C Nightmare with Negasphere Generator is one of those figures that I never used when I regularly played.  My preferences are reinforced that the rules are only appeared in the original Advanced Rulebook and only appears in one of the unit types for the Machines (Command Unit). 

This projector unit creates a 2 meter diameter ball of negative energy. Once fired the "Nega Sphere" moves in the direction of launch until burning out or striking a large solid object such as a wall. It is carried by the G1C Nightmare variant.

G1C Nightmare with Negasphere Generator

The G1A Nightmare with Scattergun fires a spray of collapsed steel fletchette in rapid succession.  While it falls short of the United Nations of Earth blasters, it is still a remarkable upgrade of the traditional Deadbolt Launchers attached to standard Nightmares.

G1A Nightmare with Scattergun

I realized I made a mistake in not ordering a G1B Nightmare with Thumper Grenade Launcher.   I forgot that is doesn't just fire the usual Nachtmacher grenades, but Prometheus and Disruptor grenades as well.  Usually I can fare pretty well with the standard one Nachtmacher per Nightmare, so it wasn't a figure type I thought I needed to use.

I rarely mention my refurbs, but these fellas I picked up at a flea market a few years back.  Simple touch up on the paint jobs, with a few embellishments.   They might see action in pseudo Western horror game I never got time to run around Halloween.

Holy guacamole, I actually delivered on my "Painting on deck" from last week.  Will miracles never cease.

Basketball Diaries and Sportsball in General:  Flag Football is officially over.  It was a good experiment at the time when all other activities were non-existent, but with the onset of basketball, it was interfering with practices.  The first basketball game of the season was last night, so there will be a entire non-gaming post dedicated to that. The girls and the team didn't suffer the horrendous loss I feared, but there were too many big miscues and any chance of a tight game evaporated before halftime.   Despite the horrible uptick in COVID cases (and my wife working in a hot spot), proper precautions seem to rule the day at these sporting events, so I hope they can continue on through the Winter.

Beer!  The improvement on my alleged physical ailments is enough that I can enjoy the occasional beer.   Thank goodness, because my wife tortured me with numerous 4 -and 6-packs for our anniversary last month.  My goal is to accumulate the reviews into one post once I try them all, but that doesn't mean I can't offer a "Painting Bench Beer of the Week."

This week was Maple Mistress Ale from Saucony Creek Brewing out of Kutztown, PA.  

You try one hibiscus beer one time (and it was horrible), and that gave my wife carte blanche to pick up all the weird stuff.   I'm not one for fruity beers, much less overtly sweet, but the maple syrup flavor is noticeable with no horrific transition to or from the ale.  Not my cup of tea, but I'm drinking beer, not tea, so I'll take it.  

PSA: Don't put this on pancakes.

Project 350:  Trickling down to 521 (356/165) from 524 (357/167).   Another six scheduled posts will drop off by the end of the month, but will be quickly replaced with the Star Wars actual play write-ups that won't see the light of day until Christmas 2021!  

Like I just told an employee, everything in life is a balancing act.  

Next:  Gnomish Space Marines moving to the front of the queue!  Zombie Apocalypse Survivors!  That damned Nauvoo Legion!

I Love a Rainy Gnome

A good rainy day has been missing around these parts all year, so the past two days have been a welcome respite.  Events are cancelled, so it's a good time to put paint to figure or do a write-up or two from the Star Wars d6 campaign.   

Even Cossacks Give Wide Berth

Although I'm quite sure Cossack Telly Savalas would work out an arrangement with Mrs Caldwell.
He loves ya, baby!

        

Twenty Questions About My Campaign - Gulluvia Edition

Over seven years ago, I took the very FRPG-Centric "Twenty Questions About My Campaign" and interpreted it for my Call of Cthulhu 1920's campaign.

The post received some recent traffic, so I figured it's the best time to use the format to review my "Adventures of Gulluvia" BECMI D&D game, especially since the actual plays will be posted in the next few weeks.

What's the Deal?

The Barony of Gulluvia is a vast territory shut off from the rest of the Kingdom.  Lady D'hmis rules the barony with her Baronial Guard with an iron fist.  Life is hard but most get by if they follow the Primary Rule of Lady D'hmis:   All men must remain inside from dusk until dawn, unless escorted by an adult (over 16) woman.

The story begins in the village of Mere, the one community with a good mixture of halflings and humans.

Where can we go to buy standard equipment?
Rempart's Supplies handles the needs to the village in between the caravan arrivals.  Weapons and metal armor are double cost, while all non-human/non-halfling armor has a 20% chance of appearing at at least 3x the cost.

Where can we go to get the weird stuff I need for this ritual I found in the book?
Outside of old man Loprete and a few skilled grandmothers?  Better hope the right caravan comes through.

Who is the mightiest wizard in the land?
The Hedge Wizard of mystic arcane, Clifford Loprete has trained most of the frail children with a penchant for learning.  There's nothing to prove he's necessarily a bad teacher, just no positive track record with his pupils.    Of course, there are wive's tales of a powerful wizard controlling the weather around the Thunder Mountains.  Others whisper tales of an evil wizard living there in a massive tower of shiny black stone in the Misty Swamp.

Who is the biggest badass of them all?
Anything that creaks the night.....  Even with the men-travel-at-night-with-women law, the town shutters itself around dusk.  Most villagers consider the all-female Baronial Guard to be bad-asses.

What's the biggest monster to be faced?
Ogres?  Dragons?  Swamp creatures?

Who is the richest person in the land?
Lady D'hmis

Where is safe?
Mere proper is always safe.  As soon as you hit the larger farms, animals and monsters are known to strike, day and night.

Is there a magic guild that I can join in order to get more spells?
Ha!  Be happy Lady D'hmis doesn't care about spellcasters.  Perhaps you should study divinity and gain the favor of High Priest Carathmus in the city of Gulluvia?

Where can I find an alchemist, sage or other expert NPC?
A bigger town, teacher of the mystic arcane, Clifford Loprete, and some grandmothers in the village could whip up a few poultices, potions, and balms.

Where can I hire mercenaries?
Every two-bit militia member claims to be a mercenary.  They require a larger share of treasure than their ability should command.

Is there any place on the map where swords are illegal, magic is outlawed or any other notable hassles from Johnny Law?
All men must remain inside from dusk until dawn, unless escorted by an adult (over 16) woman

Which way to the nearest tavern?
Elle's Leaping Strong Moon is the famed watering hole, Ye Olde Falling Noble Spoon is renowned for its weekly Waffle Day.

What monsters are terrorizing the countryside sufficiently that if I kill them I will become famous?
Goblins have filled up the nearby mines that the dwarves abandoned years ago.

Are there any wars brewing I could go fight?
The Baronial Guard is spread thin, but easily keeps the peace.

How about gladiatorial arenas complete with hard-won glory and fabulous cash prizes?
Maybe a tavern brawl, but you're looking largely at something largely illegal.

Are there any secret societies with sinister agendas I could join and/or fight?
None that any average villagers knows about.

What is there to eat around here?
Ye Olde Falling Noble Spoon.  See Waffle Day!

Any legendary lost treasures I could be looking for?
None rumored around Mere, but the gemstone mines the dwarves abandoned generations ago could still hold a few more shiny objects.

Where is the nearest dragon or other monster with Type H treasure?
The forests and lowlands are pretty well-patrolled, so if there is some sort of massive creature with lots of treasure, it would be in the mountains.

Next: #0 - Welcome to Gulluvia

(Kickstarter) Soviet Dawn Solitaire Game by Old School Wargames

Old School Wargames has launched a Kickstarter for one of the larger solitaire wargame options using crowdfunding, Soviet Dawn: The Russian Civil War 1918-1921 Deluxe Edition based on the original game from C3i Magazine (which was a reprint of an edition from Victory Point Games).

From the Kickstarter:

Soviet Dawn Deluxe Edition brings Darin Leviloff’s novel States of Siege(TM) game system back for a much larger storytelling adventure covering the Russian Civil War from 1918 to 1921. With several enemy "Fronts" converging on Moscow, the fate of the revolution and the prestige of international communism rests on your ability to manage and resolve every crisis that the "Whites" can assail you with.

This is not a small pocket box or ziplock game with solitaire options (see my review for Lettow-Vorbeck for one of those).   This is a massive wargame with a MSRP of $75 (pledge level is $59).  

(Risus) Gritty - Paragon of Democracy

Full Disclaimer: I'm still allowed to hate groups of people in this country, and it shall remain the Philadelphia Flyers and their fans, but dammit if I find their mascot, Gritty, more creepily endearing, thanks to a deluge of memes this week for the presidential election.

I previously statted up Gritty after his debut, two years ago. I've also referenced him in some "fun" games that I've ran.

But I would never openly threaten the City of Philadelphia like a few Republican pundits and operatives did. That way leads to madness... and so many Gritty memes.

Without further ado, let's update Gritty, using Risus: The Anything RPG, to reflect his current status in short-term pop culture.

Gritty McFlyerssuck - 2020 COVID Edition

Perverse Deification of the Modern Spirit of Philadelphia (6)*
Feisty Over-aggressive Muppet Wannabe (4)
Fierce Competitor Who is Not as Nimble as He Thinks (3)
Googly-Eyed Flyers Mascot (1)**

*Gritty can summon one Grunt Squad: Angry Battery-Chucking, Pole-Climbing, Freedom Loving, Pissed-Off Philadelphians (4).  If the Grunt Squad is defeated, Gritty may summon another Grunt Squad with a strength equal to his Modern Spirit of Philadelphia cliche, minus two.

**Equipment: Dual-action hot-dog/t-shirt cannon

I'm hoping his biggest cliche drops before hockey starts up.  #GoPens

Election 2020 - The Wargame and My Usual Update

This year, 2020, am I right? 

Three days past Election Day here in America and we discover new ways to keep the tension going with (I hope) tens of thousands of mail-in ballots remaining to be opened in a few states.  

What we did benefit from was Al-Jazeera turning the US into a hexmap based on Electoral College votes.   #EveryChitCounts

The weekly update:

Basketball Diaries and other Sundry Items: I'd like to say the election kept me from gaming this week, but it has been a wild time at work (as expected), and the full fury of basketball has descended upon me.  Thanks to the local community league cancelling the season, I've been acting as a b-ball Switzerland with all the "independent" teams, scrambling to find more players.   There's one regional league left that needs a team, and a few girls got left out in the cold, but with no practice space, and the dreadful combination of loud-mouth parents and kids who just aren't good enough to keep a team together, I've lost the motivation to assemble that.   There are rumors of affordable gym rentals within a quick drive, so I might better organize some general practice time for all girls, rather than recruit another partial super-team that will still get slammed int competitive play.  These parents will never learn.

But on a brighter note, the games for my kids' leagues start next Thursday, finally ending the grand experiment of Flag Football.   I really can't complain too much about the boys not throwing to the girls, although mine have the longest touchdowns on each of their teams.  The fact that the boys can't throw (or block) makes that a difficulty for everyone involved.   Like all kid's sports (and I'm guilty of it as well), you should only take flag football so seriously.  Players, coaches, and parents shouldn't be whooping it up like it's some storied college football rivalry game.  I remember the majority of these parents as 90% of the football players in high school.  It was cult-like to that passionate as a member of team of teenagers, as adults, it's ignorant and surreal.  

Painting on deck:  That rant aside, I have a few more variant Nightmares from Legions of Steel to finish up, plus some refurbished figures I picked up at flea markets.  The regular stuff I always promise is there too...

MEPACON:  Our local con has gone digital for the second time, and it starts today.  Check out www.mepacon.com for details.  Don't know if I can make any of it, but you should try!

Project 350:  524 (357/167), inching up from  523 (352/171) two weeks ago.   A couple weeks of d6 Star Wars write-ups to finish (for next November!), a Christmas game to write for for next Monday, a Traveller min-campaign to finalize, and the regular slew of draft ideas I want to get done.  I still have some thirty-some odd items in the draft queue for the rest of the year, but also 21 posts already scheduled as well. Breaking 500 doesn't look encouraging (all my Star Wars posts stay on that number as scheduled posts).  Gotta get those games in whenever I can.

Mario Kart 40k

 I so much more enjoy the non-canonical 40k than the grimdark, overdone source material.

Space Orks are technically fungus, right?  Still makes sense to me!

(Kickstarter) Desert Adventures by Iain Lovecraft

 I'm not one for mentioning Kickstarters for STL files (to print miniatures using a 3-D).  I don't have a 3-D printer, some of the designs almost conflict with my tastes, and some of the price points for intellectual property seem to conflict with common sense (You want $15 single figs?  Cause those price points will get us $15 figs...)

I mention this because Desert Adventures by Iain Lovecraft seems to avoid my distastes.  I love the desert/Ancient Egyptian themes, the price point appears too good to be true, yet still so inexpensive anyone with access to a printer would seem foolish not to support, and best yet... one of my friends is pledging to it (and I now realize he owns a 3-D printer.)