Another Month of Gaming Solicitations (May '22)

Issue #267 of Game Trade Magazine can be found at your FLGS or online in pdf format here.


ViscountEric's Want List

Mantic Entertainment

Forge Father Strike Force MGE MCFFF101 ................................. $100.00

ViscountEric's Money-Is-No-Object Want List

Catalyst Game Labs

Battletech: Clan Invasion Salvage Blind Box Display........ $7.99

The best picture I could find of the product was on the Battletech sub-Reddit.

I don't remember seeing these solicited in months prior, so I'll post them here, even if they are out for sale already. I think this is all we really wanted out of WizKids Mechwarrior Dark Ages clicky era.  Actual 'mechs at a reasonable price.  And if they're Clan mechs, pulling ten of one type can't be all that bad.

Modiphius

Kult - Divinity Lost - Core Rules (Bible Edition - 2nd Version) ............... $57.00

I'm still a sucker for a Bible-styled Edition (see The End's last physical printing).  Plus I've never owned a copy of Kult.

Solo Game Master's Guide ........................................................................ $35.00

In a post-COVID world, I think I'd snag this book off a shelf if I saw it. 

The Imaginary Store Ordering All the Other Cool Stuff (aka... The Pegleg Gnome)

25th Century Games

Gartenbau ...................................................... $59.99

2Tomatoes Games

New Corps Order ........................................... $35.00
Peak Oil .......................................................... $40.00
Peak Oil is approaching and, as the president of a major oil company, you need to find a way to keep your company afloat! To do this, you’ll have to extract the last reserves of black-gold to raise the money needed to invest in the new technologies that are sure to soon replace oil. Of course, you’ll attempt to survive this crisis using legal means, but the competition won’t be so honorable. So maybe you’ll have to get your hands dirty as well Scheduled to ship in August 2022
Peak Oil: Profiteer .......................................... $45.00

Peak Oil: Spillover Expansion ........................ $11.00

9th Level Games

Mazes: Fantasy Roleplaying ............................ $39.99

Alderac Entertainment Group

Wormholes ........................................................ $49.99

Alley Cat Games

Eternal Palace ................................................... $54.99

Ares Games

The Shadow Planet ........................................... $59.90

Bandai Co.

Digimon TCG: X Record Boosters 

Digimon TCG: Jesmon Starters

Digmon TCG: Ragnaloardmon Starters

Dragon Ball Super TCG: New Series - Set 01 Boosters

Dragon Ball Super TCG: 5th Anniversary Set 

Also solicited were Starter Decks 17-20, as as History of Son Goku and History of Vegeta.

Capstone Games

Terra Mystica: Big Box ............................................ $149.95

Terra Mystica: Automa Solo Box ............................. $19.95

Catalyst Game Labs

Battletech: Interstellar Operations Alternate Eras ............................ $44.99

Battletech: Interstellar Operations Battleforce ................................  $49.99

Shadowrun RPG: Shadow Cat ......................................................... $49.99

Chessex Manufacturing

The former game store employee in me gets giddy everytime a company like Chessex solicits bulk dice, particularly when their samplers with counter displays.  Sure it's not the lighted up displays that one company offers, but in a world were everyone wants a digital point of sale system, but no one actually knows how to use it, these bulk items are godsends.  Also solicited were mini-polyhedral sets, starting at $5.98.

Compass Games

Enemy Action: Kharkov ............................................................... $82.00

Imperial Tide: The Great War 1914-18 ........................................ $69.00

Paper Wars #99: Rommel Triumphant ......................................... $22.00

Cubicle 7

Doctor Who RPG 2nd Edition: Starter Set ................................... $29.00

Doctor Who RPG 2nd Edition: Collector's Edition ...................... $99.99

Warhammer Age of Sigmar RPG - Champions of Death ............. $39.99

DPH Games

Usurp the King ........................................................................... $24.99

Evil Hat Productions

Thirsty Sword Lesbians RPG HC ............................................... $39.00

Free League Publishing

Death in Space RPG .................................................................... $39.99

Mork Borg: Cult Heretic ............................................................. $24.99

Mork Borg: GM Screen .............................................................. $24.99

Goodman Games

DCC #101: The Veiled Vault of the Onyx Queen ........................ $9.99

5e Fantasy: One Night Inside the Sinister Citadel ....................... $9.99

MCC #12: When Mammals Attack .............................................. $9.99

Grail Games

Fjords ......................................................... $50.00

Green Couch Games

Darwinauts ................................................. $44.95

Kobold Press

Tome of Heroes (5e) HC ................................. $44.99

Special Edition HC $74.99

Konami Digital Entertainment

Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG: 2022 Tin of the Pharoah's Gods .................... $21.99

Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG: Speed Duel GX - Midterm Paradox Mini Box

Legendary Games

Boricubos: Latin American Monsters and Adventures (5e) ............ $79.99

The ironic thing is that in my Hackmaster days, this would have been an instant off-the-shelf purchase.  More ironic is that I planned on putting this on my money-is-no-object list, until I saw the price for a 264-page book.   This would need to have near artbook-level quality illustrations to justify that price.

The Dragon's Hoard #15 ...................................... $11.99

The Dragon's Hoard #16 ...................................... $11.99

Faerie Mysteries (P2E) ........................................  $13.99

Treasury of the Pharaohs (P2E) ...........................  $10.99

Magpie Games

Root the RPG: Core Book ..................................... $39.99

Root the RPG: Travelers and Outsiders ................ $39.99

Root the RPG: Denizens Deck .............................. $19.99

Root the RPG: Equipment Deck ........................... $19.99

Root the RPG: Faction Dice Set ............................ $24.99

Root the RPG: GM Accessory Pack ...................... $24.99

Mantic Entertainment

This month is the big push for the new Firefight boxed set and factions.  For those that want to play 40k (complete with Squats and sci-fi Skaven) but only want to pay a fraction of the fortune GW charges, it's a great alternative. 

Firefight: 2-Player Set (Marauders vs Enforcers) ......................... $130.00

Firefight: Book and Counter Combo ............................................ $ 45.00

Firefight: Command Dice Pack .................................................... $ 15.00

Asterian Strike Force ........................................... $100.00

Enforcer Strike Force ........................................... $100.00

Forge Father Strike Force ......................................$100.00

GCPS Strike Force ................................................ $100.00

Marauder Strike Force ........................................... $100.00

Plague Strike Force ............................................... $100.00

Veer-Myn Strike Force ........................................... $100.00

Metallic Dice Games

16mm Resin Poly Dice Sets (7) "Layered Stardust"................................. $15.99 each

Modiphius

Conan: The Shadow of the Sorcerer .............................................. $49.99

Dune: Adventures in the Imperium - Agents of Dune Box Set ...... $84.99

Infinity RPG:  01-12 Files ........................................... $22.00

Infinity RPG: Acheron Cascade Campaign ................. $22.00

Judge Dread and 2000AD: Rogue Trooper .................. $49.00

Judge Dread and 2000AD: Strontium Dog .................. $49.00

Mongoose Publishing

Traveller: 2300AD Referees Screen ............................ $19.99

Traveller: Errant Lightning Adventure ........................ $19.99

Onyx Path 

Deviant RPG:  The Renegades ...................................... $55.00

Mummy: The Curse ....................................................... $55.00

Legendlore (5e) .............................................................  $55.00

They Came From Beyond the Grave! ...........................  $55.00

Paizo Publishing

Pathfinder RPG: AP - Blood Lords - Part 1 - Zombie Feast .......... $26.99

Pathfinder RPG: Dark Archive  HC ............................................... $54.99

Pathfinder RPG: Dark Archive Pocket Edition .............................. $26.99

Pathfinder RPG: Dark Archive Special Edition ............................. $74.99

Pathfinder RPG: Flip Mats Classics - Theater ............................... $16.99

Pathfinder RPG: Lost Omens - World Guide HC Special Edition ... $62.99

Starfinder RPG: Adventure - Redshift Rally .................................. $24.99

Starfinder RPG: Flip Mat - Star Knight Starships .......................... $16.99

Starfinder RPG: Pact World Pocket Edition ................................... $24.99

Pokemon USA
Pokemon TCG: Sword & Shield - Astral Radiance Booster 

Pokemon TCG: Sword & Shield - Astral Radiance Battle Box

Pokemon TCG: Sword & Shield - Astral Radiance Elite Trainer Box

Pokemon TCG: Sword & Shield - Astral Radiance Sleeved Booster

Rio Grande

Power Grid: The New Power Plant Cards - Set 1 ............... $14.95

Power Grid: The New Power Plant Cards - Set 2 ................$14.95

R.Talsorian Games

The Witcher RPG: A Tome of Chaos ................................. $35.00

Steamforged Games

Dark Souls RPG ................................................................. $49.95

Steve Jackson Games

Turtle D6 Dice Set .............................................................. $ 8.95

Troll Lord Games

Castles & Crusades NPC Almanac - Register .................. $29.99

Castles & Crusades NPC Almanac - Sketches ................. $29.99

Wizards of the Coast

Magic the Gathering CCG : 2022 Starter Kit Carton

Magic the Gathering CCG - Commander Legends - Battle for Baldur's Gate

Bundles, Collector Boosters, Gate Commander Decks, Draft Boosters, and Set Boosters

Wizkids

Aspect of Tiamat ............................................. $129.99

Yeenoghu, The Beast of Butchery ................... $ 79.99

Ogre Warband .................................................. $ 64.99

Adult Silver Dragon ........................................ $ 99.99

Unpainted Version available for $89.99

Pride of Faerie Dragons .................................. $39.99

D&D Icons of the Realms Set 23 - Mordenkainen Presents Monsters of the Multiverse

D&D Blue Dragon Trophy Plaque .................... PI

D&D RPG: Onslaught Core Set ........................ $139.99

"A new way to play set in Dungeons and Dragons."  It's an overpriced board/skirmish game.

Marvel: Remix .............................. $19.99

(Kickstarter) GI Joe Mission Critical Miniatures Game by Renegade Studios

Renegade Game Studios was already on my radar for the GI Joe RPG, but they recently launched a Kickstarter for their second step towards world domination, the GI Joe Mission Critical miniatures game.

PROS: 

I do find it amusing (and fitting) that the core boxed set comes 29 Cobra figures and just 5 Joes.  I also  appreciate that this is compatible with the Power Rangers game that Renegade released.  

CONS: 

I honestly don't want the game and its components.  I just want the damn minis.   And to complicate things, to get Destro, you need to further invest in the Heavy Firepower expansion.

The Legend of Millie Rock

 Three weeks after the first tournament, the kid's AAU program is going local to Lancaster for one of the regular tournaments, but even that might be a misnomer.  Their New Jersey competition was light years tougher than what they played against a year ago, and if the last two weeks of tournaments are any indication, things are going to be a lot tougher this spring. 

While all the kid's game videos uploaded onto Youtube, there is sometimes parent footage that makes me giggle.

So I present 20 seconds of "Millie Rock" my daughter's basketball alter ego.

(Kickstarter) Roknaut SpaceDwarf 28mm Wargames and RPG Miniatures

I know I'm not the demographic for just about anything anymore, but some awesome concepts don't survive my initial contact. 

I had seen the early promotion of the Röknaut Space Dwarf 28mm Sci-Fi Wargames and RPG Miniatures by Chris "Curis" Webb and was immediately enamored by the project.  

Once the campaign launched on Monday, I immediately flew over to the page and got hit by a gut punch.  

They're resin figures.   I have nothing against resin, it just adds to the cost.  These five figures, with shipping from the UK, would cost about $11 per figure.  I love my Squats, Space Dwarves, and Gnomish Space Marines, but for roughly $55, I can get 25+ space dwarves from Battle Valor's sale here in the States.  True, those are not nearly as nice as the figures above, but I'm trying to fill out an order of battle for the GSM, not a super-awesome elite squad of heavies.    I must pass with reservations.

(Kickstarter) Land of Faires Vol 1 - Pay What You Want

 I don't own a 3-D printer, so I rarely mention the various STL file Kickstarters.

This one fits the theme very well and warrants a mention.  

Monica Keerthipati has launched a Kickstarter for Land of Faires Vol 1 - Pay What You Want, a collection of Fairy houses and other scenery STL files for 3-D printing.

Sample 3-D printed pieces 

A pledge as small as one Euro could net you the files.  While I love the widening of gnome-related terrain, it's the walking bridge that has me in awe.  

(Star Wars d6) #35 - Beware the Pengo

 The Current Crew of the Pretio

Ne'vets Aharo - an exotic animal broker, both legal and otherwise, majority owner in the Pretio.

Evus - Twi'lek free mercenary, Ne'vets' armed muscle with a keen eye and a tendency to shoot first.
Tarrie - Human pilot "under contract" to fly the Pretio, and drive the Piscopo.  Brother of potential terrorist, rebel  Latorna Savvn.
Frokazza - Wookie co-pilot, mechanic, and unarmed muscle. Very distrustful.

Duk'k - Sipsk'ud Bounty Hunter, recently rescued by the crew.  Offering his services in order to get off this barely existing hunk of mud.

Kafla Thingvellir - Billionaire entrepreneur turned zoological enthusiast, in search of the Translucent Chromatic Trapper.

The Mission at Hand

After escaping from a cult deep within the recesses 

Of the safair planet they are searching, the crew of the Pretio, 

Has befriended a Sipsk'ud, Duk'k: The Bounty Hunter. 

With Forty-One days to go before the deadline, they have returned to the initial 

Mission, as hired by billionaire entreprenuer Kafla Thingvellir, 

Find a Translucent Trapper and transport it to the Core Worlds, 

For fame... and profit.

As Tarrie Prolek piloted The Pretio across the Great Sea, towards a new location for the great search for the Translucent Trapper, Duk'k was offered a more thorough walk-through the ship.  

"What's your deal?" Duk'k asked, looking directly at Ne'vets.  "Is this just your ship and it's purely for selling weird animals."

"Well, it's not just my ship, it's our ship, we all own a share.  And you're pretty close, we do fly around the galaxy, searching for people who like exotic things.  We go out, find the creature, and bring it to them, at substantial profit.  Usually, when we're searching for something like a trapper, we have a bit more intel."

"Why is there a problem with our line of work?"

Duk'k squinted his eyes, "Yeah, it seems a little flippant.  I think I know now what brought you to a death cult situation." 

"Yep, looking for a spider-like creature."

"I'm not judging, I'm just trying to understand."

"I mean, it's not all fun and games.  Sometimes we do have to call in an Imperial Star Destroyer to save our asses."

"You have that sort of pull?" 

Tarrie interjected, "Yeah!  We've commandeered battledroids, we've... had a long road here."

Kafla provided an overviewDuk'k was stunned by the primitive methods of searching for and capturing a Trapper.  

Over the next three days, there was digging.. and surveying...and searching the landscape for the Kafla's folly, the infernal Translucent Trapper.  Duk'k was unimpressed, but since he wasn't on the guaranteed payroll, it was understandable.  Ne'vets would occasionally grab a random blue moth or small creature and documented it and stowed it away on the Pretio... for science!  Once even, Ne'vets thought they had uncovered a Translucent Trapper, but it was more of a cockroach.  Kafla was not amused, as he didn't want his name attached to a cockroach.

After the synthesizer themed montage.  It was day 38, Kafla emerged from the ship and asked the crew how their progress was in an ancient dung pile.  

Duk'k could only reply, "We ain't found shit."

Kafla joined the group's search for potential habitats.  

Tarrie was wandering about, doing his tasks/and doing nothing at the same time.  He was caught off-guard by the large flightless bird rummaging around the low areas.   It was adorable, wadding to and fro, reminder him of his own children/pets, still living on Voluturnas.   This distraction was enough to let the overprotective mother bird near him, all three meters of her.

Tarrie was trained for these exact scenarios, so he stared down the Momma bird, grabbed his communicator, and broadcast his distress call.

"Ooo-Wee, Ooo-Wee, Ooo-Wee, Ooo-Wee...."

"Frokazza, go find what trouble your buddy thinks he got himself into. Probably BS again."

The Wookie jogged over the hill to find his friend.  A few moments later, Frokazza was running back over the hill, much faster than before, followed by Tarrie.

Everyone else wondered why the duo barreled over the hill, since they never even ran for chow.

"What did you do???" was all Ne'vets could get out, before an angry, terrible three meter tall  flightless bird quickly waddled in pursuit.  Ne'vets figured pursuing the Wookie was a smart idea.

Duk'k already had his Heavy Blaster pulled out, and fired a warning shot at the beast, mere inches from the creatures, but missing.... and nailing its trailing offspring square in the chest.

The mother looked back to see its child laying lifeless on the ground.  Before it could turn around and face the child-murderer, Duk'k already ignited his jetpack and began to take off, cursing at it, "Screw you, Pengo-wannabe.  Their death is on you!"

Then the pengo shot its tongue out of it's razor-sharp mouth.  The tongue wrapped around the ankle of Duk'k for only a moment, causing some superficial pain and damage, but let go, to let out a shrill cry only a parent could understand.

Tarrie was still in retreat, and decided tossing a flash grenade behind him blind was a good idea.    The grenade flew just inches above Ne'vets' head, bouncing off the ground twice until coming to rest at the feet of a clamoring Kafla.  *Sizzle..... KA-BOOM*

With Kafla blinded, and the Pengo disoriented from the explosion, Duk'k needed a moment to gather his senses, and his scrambled helmet electronics from the flash.    Helmet doffed, and still hovering above the ground, the bounty hunter fired another blaster shot...

...killing the mother Pengo.

"Is a dead one of these valuable, Ne'vets?"

With the smell of ozone in the air, Evus came staggering out of the Piscopo, rudely woken up from his nap....

Their day of work ruined, it was deemed proper to perform some basic taxidermy to store the items back in the cargo hold.  

... no one was an experienced taxidermist.  It was a messy affair in the cargo hold.  The baby's damaged feathers were repaired, and proper spot in Ne'vets' quarters.  The mother was quartered, all of its organs cleaned and cooked into a hearty haggis.  The ice machine was emptied to preserve the body parts, but not before a few holopics and and notations were made.  

38 Days to Go....

The following morning, Duk'k was interviewed for the data report on the Pengo.  Nev'ets stood around the corner, caf in hand, admiring the charisma and storytelling of the Sipsk'ud.  He was almost as good as Abel, the big game hunter extraordinaire.  

Completing the interview, Kafla panned away, out the cockpit window.  Outside the ship were at least a dozen of the strange shrieking creatures they had encountered on the opposite side of the planet.  The creatures appeared to be wearing red ribbons in critical locations.  One creature in particular appeared to be standing on an odd pair of stilts. 

The shrieker on stilts. 

After quickly catching Duk'k up to speed on the creatures, it was decided to simply not engage with the creatures and fly off to the next search site...

Next: #36 - The Rainbow Canyon

Battle Valor Monks with Guns on Youtube

Battle Valor Games Easter Sale has transitioned to an Inflation Sale, with all 15mm and 28mm codes getting a 25% discount through Midnight, Monday May 2nd.

With that in mind (and the tax return possibly arriving this week), there was a fun little video by Mini WarMutt posted about their  PULP 16 - Monks with Guns $13.75 figures.  

Not An AAU Rant - Mid-Atlantic Power Rankings 4/24/2022

 Yeah, I've become THAT father....

Some yell during games, some personally take over practices, or run at-home drills that resemble Marine Boot Camp.  

Me?  I like to crunch numbers and track tournament results, 

Our program tends to follow one of tournament organizers that do present a ranking system.  This early in the season, things are tenuous at best, but the entire 5th-8th grade rankings are ludicrous.  I've put it upon myself to review all the apps, enter the results in a spreadsheet so brittle, it's held together by scotch tape and the Holy Spirit, and generate a Power Index for 5th and 7th Grade girls.

Yep, it sounds as bad as it is.  

For the sports buff, it's essentially 80% an RPI index, and 20% bias.   

A 4-game minimum for ranking (there haven't been as many 5th grade tournaments) makes thing as tenuous as the tournament organizer rankings.  Strength of schedule and the opponent's strength of schedule are taken into consideration, so you have scenarios like PA Fusion behind Keystone Hoops, although both traded losses, and PA Fusion won the tournament championship (actual championships are not taken into consideration.  In some tournaments, they're a dime a dozen).  Keystone Hoops' opponents have played elsewhere and fare a little bit better, thus putting them slightly ahead of PA Fusion, but I can't put them as #2 with two superior teams with undefeated records.  As the season progresses, I'll feel more comfortable relying on a true RPI.

To show the index's effectiveness, the #12 team on the index came into the weekend 11-0 with three championships under their belt in the past two months.  Their power index was under .500, due to host of inferior teams whose only quality opponent was this undefeated team. This weekend, they lost a pool game to a team that's 5-6 for the season, playing far rougher opponents.  They're now 13-1 and they're Power Ranking actually went UP because of the better opponents they played.  

Disclaimer, Millie's 5th grade team is somewhere on that list.

For 7th grade,  you needed six games to crack the Top Ten, despite the 5 game minimum.  I flip-flopped #9 and #10 because I know the one program pits them against weaker teams in the program, who are spoon fed rec league opponents to bolster their record.  #10 has beaten two quality opponents, although the rest are inflated a bit.  

Another idiosyncrasy with the index and teams with 10 or fewer games, Maja's team is 1-3, but based on the superior teams they played, would hold a .505 ranking  (fair or just above average compared to other teams.)  There's a local team that's  8-0 with two championships, but the quality of opponents is so poor their Power Index rating is .480! 

Necromunda Was Always Set in Florida

 I mean, in all seriousness, Florida is just a sunnier version of the 40k grimdark universe.  Most of the 'Munda gangs already have a place in the state.  

Goliaths are beach dudes, Orlock can take West Florida by storm, Delaque make meth, Redemptionists are born again Christians. Spyre Hunters are either New York snowbirds or Miami high society (although Pit Bull's music would be required to be played at every game if they were).  A couple options are there for Disney gangs (Perhaps the Mouse, er... Ratskins live in the true underhive beneath Disney World. 

Throw in some gators, and we have ourselves a historical campaign setting.  Give it a few weeks, and the Reedy Creek Marauders might be a real thing.

Gnomish Space Marines Biker Scout Upgrades?

As I'm working developing units for the Gnomish Space Marines, trying to differentiate between organized biker scout units and the more rag-tag biker units known to roam the plains.  

Adding to my choices for organized scouts who fit within a combined arms mentality, I present the Houran Enforcer Monowheel Squad from Gydran Studio.  

These look clean, look high-tech enough for GSM Scout "regulars", and I dare day at £30 ($39 US), I only have to worry about S&H from the UK.

(Painting) Hultr Halftrack #3 from Mantic

I still stand by that my Best Minis purchase for my 2020-21 gaming year were four Hultr Halftracks from Mantic at a dirt cheap rate.  Knocking out halftracks #1 and #2  were quick successes for my Gnomish Space Marine project, but with every other project on the bench, I had no immediate need nor desire to finish out the set.   I did discover, however, a cool painting scheme/technique hiding in my drafts/ideas, and moved it up in the queue.  

The entire inspiration for the change in paint scheme came from Tales from the Man Cave's guide to painting a 28mm Puma (and vehicles in general).  

I came upon a snag in the process when I realized I only had a red 0.05 micron marker for the lining.  While it's not perfect,a dollar-store fine tip did most of the line work adequately, with a few minor errors that don't jump out at me. 

I now have four armored vehicles for a (thus far) tiny Gnomish Space Marine force, and that including the local police force I painted up. 

The fourth and final Hultr is not even in the queue, but it will be the only one with the energy weapon for its turret.  The other energy weapons are being reserved for an even deeper project into the GSM.

PROJECT: 350 -  An ever-so minute change to 456 (302/154) from 457 (303/154).  The holidays always replenish my supply of gnome art, so a few new pieces went into holding, and a few pieces were scheduled for future holidays (First Day of Spring, 2026 will be bitchin'!).  Star Wars Actual Plays continue to worry me.   I finish two and outline one more in the time I add more episodes to the queue.  Currently six behind, but I can finish those up, I might break the 300 drafts/projects for the first time since forever.  Trying desperately to get some games in this weekend, but I've already been forced to "stretch out" the dates to avoid overwhelming anxiety of 15 games I should get done in April.  

On a similar note, as I'm stretching out these drafts, and reorganizing pictures and long-standing projects, I've discovered and implemented the Emojis available.  I started with labelling my potential mousling games with 🧀, and progressed as follows.

📷 -  Photo/jpg/gif

📓 - Writing projects, 

🎲 - Generic Game Ideas

🗿 - Painting Projects and Inspiration

🔱 - Fantasy/Pulp/Gnome Wars Games

👽 - Sci-Fi Games

🧀 - Mousling Games.  

I plan on removing them once the posts are properly written up, but I wouldn't be surprised if a piece of cheese remains in a post subject eventually.

Next:  The Pulp Season 4 Project continues to move along nicely, and the single figures might need to be replenished soon (re: something posted soon as well), but I have a mini-diorama I'm finishing up to tie in this vehicle with current news.  

Edit: I find it incredibly amusing that the "dynamic emojis" offered behind the scenes on the blog turn into emotionless black-and-white sybmols.  The Mousling emoji I used is literally a perfect piece of swiss cheese, not whatever that symbol is.  The dice, trident, and alien as passable.

(Kickstarter) Children of Uma by John McGuire

 John McGuire, of Vintage RPG Podcast fame has launched a Kickstarter for his latest adventure Children of Uma, a love letter to classic (and not-so-classic) 70's and 80's post-apocalyptic shows and movies.

The adventure uses McGuire's own 3,2,1.... Action! RPG rules.  While the campaign offers pdf, softcover and hardcover options, I'm personally going for the Playing Catch Up - PDF level, where I'll get digital copies of Children of Uma, the 3,2,1.... Action rules, Escape from Point Nemo, Ski Quest, and Rocket to Russia. (the print version of that is $55).

It's Viscount Day 2022!

I don't feel any older today, possibly because I've been telling I'm 48 for at least nine months.    

I know 50 is the big number everyone looks at, but 48 is pretty significant, as it means I've been out of high school for 30 years (and a more relaxed number for the reunion versus 20 or 25.)

(Star Wars d6) #34 - The Book of Duk'k: The Bounty Hunter

The Background of Duk'k: The Bounty Hunter

Duk'k was born in a large village called Duk’b’rg on Sipsk to a family that had a strong religious heritage and studied both The Force and Vianism. In fact, his family was both well respected and deeply religious and Duk’k himself trained with the expectation to become one of the Brothers of Beatific Countenance. It was said that Duk’k’s great grandfather had even been a Jedi.

Duk’k’s family life was fairly happy, if very pious, and his parents S’kruj and B’zly were loving, and while his little sister G’oss, could be annoying they loved one another as well.

As part of this training, Duk’k was taught to serve the well-being of others, and to anticipate their needs, he was trained to read the body language of others, along with the religious doctrines of both Vianism and The Force. Throughout the years more than a few of the Sipsk'ud from his region went on to train for Jedi studies and thus either joined the Agricorps (if they didn’t make the cut) or even became Jedi Knights themselves, including Duk’k’s great grandfather.

However their religious beliefs did not come at the expense of being willing to defend themselves, the citizens of Duk’b’rg were well armed and ready to defend themselves from danger, and Duk’k was no exception and was trained in the use of weapons alongside his religious studies proving to have a knack for blasters.

As the Empire rose to power and began their efforts to purge any record or belief of the Force, however, Sipsk became a target and even with their preparations Duk’b’rg fell to Imperial Power along with the rest of the planet. Duk’k was 15 and his best friend, L’pad, was killed in the fighting.

Duk’k’s parents fled Sipsk as refugees ending up in Nar Shadaa and wound up poor and struggling to get by. S’kruj and B’zly both were forced to turn to crime, employed by one of the local gang lords, to get by. Even with their illicit income, however, life was a struggle to make ends meet. Duk’k himself took up work to help the family, though he sought primarily legal endeavors, in spite of the inferior pay.

Duk’k’s faith has been shattered due to the hardships they faced, which led to further tension between him and his family, who retained their faith. After a few years on Nar Shaddaa Duk’k decided to stake out on his own, and eventually fell into Bounty Hunting, a profession he was surprisingly decent at. 

Duk’k has spent the subsequent years making his way around the galaxy hunting this bounty or that for whomever would pay creds. He tried to send home creds when he could, hoping to get his family out of the slums they are relegated to on Nar Shadaa, but expenses are high and creds can be hard to come by.

Duk’k no longer holds the religious faith he once did, and shields himself with cynicism, but there is still a part of him that believes in fate and the higher powers of the Force and those taught by Vianism and he will sometimes find himself uttering a prayer to Via when surprised or under duress, even though such beliefs are forbidden by the current powers that be.

Duk’k has no love for the Empire, but creds are creds so he will bite his tongue and work for them when he has to. If given the choice, however, he will work for someone else.

Duk’k is hard-bitten and a bit surly, but the teachings of his upbringing run deep and he sometimes finds himself helping others when he doesn’t have to, even to his own detriment. He often ends up kicking himself for doing so, however, as there’s rarely much profit in it and usually it’s more of a headache than it’s worth.

He’s recently found himself in the Vendexa system, near Explorer Corps designated planet 576-908 on the trail of a bounty, however while there he saw a young woman who looked to be in a bit of trouble and his religious teachings got the better of him so he stepped in to help her, landing himself in a bit of hot water…

Next: #35 - Back to the Space Safari

Valley of the Peeps

Good Lord, it's been awhile since I've put figures on a table with the kids, school, work, basketball, and the kids being kids have negated any free time, but Easter always allows a little bit of down time.  

Sure, historically, I've been able to get the Easter game done on Saturday, but I wasn't going to argue with a swath of time after dinner Sunday.  

I had managed to pick up a few Easter game essentials the few time I remember while running into a store, so it was time to set up the gnome village.

Houdini the Wonder Cat inspects the battlefield before we can play

For a concept, I took directly from Valley of the Ape.  There has been no word from a remote gnome village for weeks.  Advance scouts report Bunny Peeps seem to have taken over, but they appear to be unarmed.  Something far sinister has driven the gnomes away, possibly an avatar of Chocco. 

The gnome generals scoffed at the initial report, "We've fought Avatar's of Chocco before, in fact much bigger ones... We've always defeated them."

"But in all fairness, sir, this smaller one isn't hollow, it's solid chocolate."

The General dropped his tea cup, sending it shattering into a million pieces onto the floor."

"May God have mercy on our souls..."

It's surprising, given the recon, that only two squads of gnomes were dispatched, more surprising that they both chose a combined direct assault approach onto the town.  They were intrigued by the promise of ancient gnomish artifacts in the village, but those who defeated Chocco earned all the glory.

For the Redhats, stirring Chocco was of little concern, as they befriended a small pack of Peeps!

On the other side of the road, the Tanhats thought the heard similar songs of the Peeps, but unfortunately surprised a lone Fire Peep.  One gnome was not long for the world.

Not a Fruit Punch Peep, but rather a Hot Tamales Cinnamon one.

The Tanhats regrouped and quickly worked their way behind a row of gnome homes, but this Avatar of Chocco could sense them.  With the squad so densely packed, their was no escape from the evil of milk chocolate.

The Redhats quickly tried to surround the monster to destroy, it but the creature was simply a force of nature.  It almost toyed with the Redhats, whittling their numbers down, even feasting on the friendly Peeps!  Sugary goodness harmed no one today, all the harm was dealt in the name of Chocco. 

I knew there was a problem when both girls set up on the same end of the table.    I've run Valley of the Ape before, as part of our Pulp campaign, but there were three parties combatting the beast (and each other).  The Bunny God moved randomly with two options (a) move directly at the closest party, or (b) move to the party closest to the the statue in the center of the board.  

My birthday is this Wednesday, and although I'd love some time to try out Planet 28, we do have enough Peep "reinforcements" to re-stage this battle properly.  I may need to pick up toothpicks to properly arm the Peeps to defend themselves, or perhaps a plush Peep is in order.  

The one thing I couldn't find this year was a giant hollow bunny that wasn't outrageously priced from some "boutique chocolatier," hence the smaller, sturdier, and apparently, far deadlier version.  Luckily I grabbed various Peeps when I had the chance, but the shelves were mostly bare by the time I found time to do a final pass-over Friday. 

Happy Easter 2022!

(Kickstarter) Escape from Stalingrad Z by Raybox Games

 Years ago, when I acted as a Legions of Steel games demonstrator for Global Games, there was always talk of a pet project from the designers to take the LOS rules and use them for the Battle of Stalingrad.  I even managed to acquire a bound copy of the playtest rules (blue cover for anyone keeping score at home).  

Fast forward 25 years later, and the Global Games properties have made a comeback under former Global Games partner/designer Marco Pecota.   The LOS hunks of lead are available,  GRID modular terrain sets out of HDF make our distant dreams a reality, and Marco's Stalingrad project involved into something far, far different than a historical game using Legions of Steel rules.

With the Kickstarter for Escape from Stalingrad Z, the horrors of the Battlefield of Stalingrad are intensified by one of the few words that could make things even worse: Zombies.

Escape from Stalingrad Z is a 1 to 3 player solo/coop/versus narrative campaign game of tactical combat set in the horrific zombie plague of World War II. It has many features that separate it from most miniatures games.

​The game takes just 1 minute to set up, has a very compact play area (basically one open book), takes 20 to 40 minutes to play each scenario and is designed with a story matrix making it a true "Move your own adventure."

Regarding PLAYER count. The game plays true solo with a very good AI that is simple to implement. With two players you can play CO-OP or Versus. In CO-OP each player takes control of one or two characters. In Versus mode second or third player is the Zombie Master, controlling the zombies actions.

Mandatory AAU Basketball Rant: Tournament #1

This past weekend kicked off the third Spring AAU Basketball season for my family.  While my winter basketball rants ended a month ago, things never changed much.  The AAU tryouts were conducted, teams selected, and practices 2-3 times per week scheduled.  Even with Maja joining the Jr High Track team, there was no downtime to be seen, unless a freak snowstorm cancelled practice.  

Tryouts:  Two seasons of success last year, coupled with their players piling up championships and accolades over the winter school leagues meant a significant up swell in players trying out for the spring.  

Of course, while one of the stereotypes of AAU operations is a win-at-all-costs mentality (thankfully not from our program), our program's big issue is greed.  Instead of cutting girls who simply should not make any cut, they kept them on, offering spots on a B-team at the same rate, with barely any chance of success. 

Maja and Millie both retained their spots on their respective A-teams.  In reality, Millie's team suffered some attrition with their bench players all "defecting" to the neighboring rival AAU program for more playing, but gained with the influx of two players from the Dallas program, two players from the hated Wolfpack travel team, and the addition of her friend Jordyn, the extremely tall 5th grader who's only six months into basketball.  

Maja is playing with three of her Crestwood Jr High teammates, and all but one player from spring and fall ball, plus a forward/back-up center from Dallas.  Things looked pretty bright for both teams.

The first tournament was a return trip to Central Jersey and the Sportika complex.   Reviewing my rants from the Fall, Maja's team destroyed the opposition and Millie's team didn't even have a division to play on.  The 6th grade team in between the two of them had got yelled at for winning the championship game in single digits, when they blew the team out by 36 in pool play.

While no one could make up their minds about hotels, my wife made the executive decision to rent at AirBnB directly on the shore, for the same price as a hotel. While the schedule and weather only allowed a few quick walks on the beach, it was away from the craziness at the hotel everyone was staying at, and the 6:45 departure sunrises were pretty decent.   

Millie's team made up from their division's previous omission with an 8am start time on Saturday.  The opposing team was quite tall, with a simply ridiculous point guard, but it appeared they had things well in hand.  

Until, that is, the coach replaced the five Old Guard starters with the new girls, and the score was quickly tied up.  By the second half, the coach figured out a better rotation system to get the new girls comfortable with the Old Guard, and give the OGs some much needed rest en route to a 34-24 victory.

Millie was on the ground so much, we bought her new kneepads Sunday afternoon.

The rest of the games in pool play were cakewalks, leading up to a rematch with the first team in the championship, Even with the OG on the court, it took all of the first half to eke out their first lead of the 15-13.  

In the second half, the outstanding point guard got little help from most of her teammates , and Millie's team finally gelled.  Everyone was making shots, running down balls, and diving onto court for a 24-5 2nd half.  39-18 was not indicative of just how tough the game was happy they managed to mercy them for the last five minutes to avoid injury and further fatigue.  

Fun fact: it was a year ago that this crew won their first title together.  This one required a bit more work and a few new friends.

2021 (top) vs 2022

The high point of the tournament for most parents was after the buzzer of the championship game.  After handshakes, most of the girls crowded around to compliment the other team's point guard.  

Game recognizes game.

Maja's 7th grade division was a little bit different.  Her schedule started with an afternoon opener against the Comet 7th grade team.  The Comets are a well-respected program out of the Drexel Hill, Philadelphia the just manufactures quality D1 prospects.  The girls have played their various teams over season.  We sensed a problem, when I realized all their usual teams were playing at a different tournament on the outskirts of Philly.  Our first test of the season would be against the Comets National Touring team. 

It went about as well as I feared it would.  They put up a valiant effort, but the Comets were simply faster, smarter, and overwhelming in getting a 41-16 win. 

Immediately after that game, the girls moved over  to the the next court for another game, this time against the New Jersey Rise.  The two teams were pretty equal, and the game came down to the wire.  Maja's team's defense was able to stop everything but 3-pointers, and they rained down with painful accuracy to a last-second 42-40 win for the Rise. 

Going 0-2 on a Saturday is an oddity, but the level of competition was much better compared to last spring, and far more capable than all but two teams from the fall,  but their tough games were nothing compared to the B team. 

Like I said previous, the influx of new tryouts forced the creation of extra teams.  The 7th grade B team included a host of girls from other school, including two who go to school with Maja and Millie.  The B-team has gotten the short end of the stick in the way of communication and consistent coaching, but they were practicing with Maja's A-team, and multiple coaches on site provided individual coaching.

They played a back-to-back immediately after the A-team, and things were not pretty.  40-10 and 35-13 losses.  Heck, in the first game it was 20-0 in the first five minutes and those girls hadn't made it across half-court yet!

Sunday, Maja's team got a chance to go after the Bombers, the team that beat the B-Team 40-10.  It was entirely for pride, but it appeared if the Bombers won, they would advance to the championship to play a fantastic Mid-Atlantic Magic team that eeked out a victory over those terrific Comets.  The girls came to play, finally netting a convincing win, 39-17.  

Then the girls got the opportunity of a "lifetime."  Mid-Atlantic Magic had just finished demolishing the B-Team 47-4 on the adjacent court, and offered a predicament and a problem.  It appeared that, all the girl's efforts to knock the Comets into the finals were in vain.  The team played their 3pm game and no one stayed/came back.  With no opponent, and the refs standing around, they offered the A-team a chance to play, and bragging rights as the unofficial tournament champion.  The coaches agreed, and any chance of getting home before dark Sunday night simply vanished.

It wasn't ugly, but it was tough.  No one likes to lose 57-33, the same point differential as the NJ Pride lost by, but almost the same offensive output as the Comets.  Honestly, if they had held the lead against the Pride on Saturday, they could have said they were the 3rd best team, right after two nationally recognized programs.  

All in all, it was a good weekend for both kids, an eye-opener for some other kids and their parents, and the new additions to Maja and Millie's teams look to be acclimating themselves to their team mates.  We're back in Pennsylvania for the next tournament April 30th- and May 1st in Lancaster.

One final note:  In reviewing last year's near-joke of a tournament, I noted that I had been assigned iPad duty to record all the games.  This year I've been been promoted to "Stat-Dad" with the unenviable position of tracking stats on a phone app for the 7th grade A-Team.  I'm actually in my own personal heaven, with immediate access to weird facts like Maja only scored two points all tournament, but led the team in blocks.  

(Star Wars d6) #33 - Dip, Dive, Dodge

 The Current Crew of the Pretio

Ne'vets Aharo - an exotic animal broker, both legal and otherwise, majority owner in the Pretio.

Evus - Twi'lek free mercenary, Ne'vets' armed muscle with a keen eye and a tendency to shoot first.
Tarrie - Human pilot "under contract" to fly the Pretio, and drive the Piscopo.  Brother of potential terrorist, rebel  Latorna Savvn.
Frokazza - Wookie co-pilot, mechanic, and unarmed muscle. Very distrustful.

Kafla Thingvellir - Billionaire entrepreneur turned zoological enthusiast, in search of the Translucent Chromatic Trapper.

Unknown Parting Gifts

After completting a mission for some unknown Twi'lek, 

The crew of the Pretio has been awarded the custody of 

An unknown prisoner with unknown repercussions. 

The crew of the Pretio had completed an unexpected side mission, and as a reward, won the release of a prisoner within the Obsidian Cylinder. There were two problems: First, they had no clue who this prisoner was and (2) the alleged released prisoner was hurtling out a strange second story door directly on top of them.

Frokazza surprisingly stepped out of the way with some grace, leaving Evus, Tarrie, and Ne'vets to catch the brunt of their fallen prize.  They managed to break the person's fall, with Ne'vets catching a boot to the side of the head, knocking him out.  

Frokazza tried to get his friends up off of the ground, but he was focused on the still-conscious body of the prisoner.  Their head was covered in a sac, and their arms were bound behind their back, but it was the boots that drew the most attention, or better yet, the lack of boots.  Below the knee were avian-like legs, ending in wide, orange, webbed feet.  

Meanwhile, Tarrie tried to tend to the knocked out Ne'vets to no avail, and when presented with mystery prisoner, instructed the Wookie to "unmask" them, with he and Evus at the ready.

The sack came off the prisoner's head, revealing a lush white mane.... of long feathers, flowing down the back of their head. The alien was covered in feathers, with an orange bill for a nose//mouth.  Most surprising were the seven eyes centered in his face.

Staring back his Wookie "rescuer," the alien figured parlay was the best bet for the time being. 

"Who are you guys?"

"First," Evus interrrupted, "Who are you?"

Not willing to anger these men, the alien went into exposition.

"I'm a bounty hunter.  I was in this sector in search of a particular bounty, when the ship I was hitching a ride to was attacked, I guess by these guys here.  The smugglers I was with were killed, but they kept me alive.  Thanks, I guess.  

Tarrie and Evus agreed to cut his bonds holding his arms and the alien stood up.  Frokazza walked over to check on the still-unconscious Ne'vets. 

Ne'vets finally came to, still in the arms of the Wookie, still in the same spot they had been sent to.  Seeing a Sips'kud amongst then, it was time to ask the tough questions.

"Are you the one who kicked me in the face."

"I wouldn't say as much as kicked, but was hurled in your general direction."

"Fair enough.  Do you mean to kill us."

"Your boy," motioning at Tarrie, "... looks a little ready for a fight, but I have no qualms with anyone."

"You know a way out of here?"

The Sipsk'ud ran his fingers through his feathery mullet, searched his cargo shots for a pair of sunglasses and put them on.

"I have have an exit strategy."

Ne'vets looked contented, "Here, have my blaster... You'll use it better than me."

The Sipsk'ud led them down numerous passages, narrowly avoiding the cultists and pirates alike, a few door proved troublesome, and while the alien zipped through the security, there were hushed whispers, everyone questioning the trust in the prisoner.

Evus was the loudest, "Seriously, he seems okay, but we don't even know his name."

The security door opened, the Sipsk'ud turned back, "How rude of me, I'm Duk'k: the Bounty Hunter."

Beyond the door was a motor pool, and a long tunnel heading further underground.  Obtaining a speeder transport, Tarrie piloting, and Duk'k navigating.  

Less than halfway through this tunnel, the back of the speeder burst into flames.  The rest ran back to find a a small child arsonist, who had set fire to equipment.  

"We stole a speeder with somebody's kid on it?  AND he's a pyro"

Ne'vets pulled the nine-year old kid out of the fire and applied some hasty first aid on his burns.  

Tarrie pulled over, grabbed his stretch coveralls out of his pouch, and instructed Kafla to use them to put out the fire. The kid was pushed out onto the edge of the tunnel and the speeder flew off.

At the other end of the tunnel, it opened up to a cavern, with an non-cultist directing the vehicle to wall with obvious parking spot.  Walking around the wall they hung a left and found themselves in a tiny underground hanger, with actual natural daylight down a further tunnel.  Two small stock light freighters were parked there, along with three small starfighters. 

A "Q" Ship

Tarrie and Frokazza looked at each other.  "Are those the space-worthy version of those ships we saw on Alcazzar?  Those might even have hyperspace capability."

A plan was hastily hashed together by Tarrie, "I'll take one of the fighters, somebody pilot the freighter out with everybody else." 

"Who else can pilot, Duk'k?"

"Hey," Frokazza interjected, "I'm the co-pilot and I'm right here!"

Evus seemed to develop motivation to gain access to the nearby freighter, "Those red flashing lights and distant sirens are not a good sign."

"Somebody probably abandoned a kid in a service tunnel," Ne'vets surmised. 

Tarrie dashed across the cavern to the Q-Fighter, the rest seemed to scurry up the ramp of freighter, while Duk'k appeared to wander off, apparently looking for something.  

Frokazza made it to the cockpit of the freighter, started turning things on, but looked back at the rest of the crew, "Do you think Duk'k is even a real bounty hunter.  Why, he didn't even say he owned his own ship.  What kind of bounty hunter is that?

"A poor one," Ne'vets retorted.

"Yeah," Kafla added, "I'm afraid he's going to crack up or some other foul play... AND WHY ARE WE STILL ON THE GROUND. GO GO GO!!!"

On the other side of the cavern hanger, Tarrie was attracting attention of pirates while access the hatch of the Q-Ship.  Upon powering up, he lifted off, turned around, and unloaded the ships weaponry on the other Q-ships and the service tunnel entrance.  

Mission accomplished, he landed the fighter, jumped out tried to make it back to the freighter, explosion ripping in every direction.  

Meanwhile, back on the freighter, the Wookie looked more and more panicked in his pre-flight check.  He even tried to initiate the hyperdrive... while ship was still on the ground.  

Duk'k finally walked up the ramp and reached the cockpit, fully decked out in his armor. He had found his captured equipment, exactly in the spot the pirates tossed it in.  All his stuff was intact, less one of his knives.  

Duk'k waltzed over to the co-pilots chair and started unpressing buttons and got the engines turned over.  

Ne'vets looked desperately for the ship's manual, finally finding the phone-book sized manual, none of the pages written in galactic common.

Halfway between the two ships, and attracting the blaster fire of the surviving pirates, Tarrie dodged fire in a stumbling manner, but could see the freighter lift off, with the ramp still down.  Smoke and fire clouded Frokazza's vision and with no sign of Tarrie in the freighter, he gave the controls over Duk'k and ran back to look for him from the ramp.  

Around then, Tarrie changed his mind, turned around and headed back to the surviving fighter. 

Frokazza finally made it to the ramp at the back of the ship, and could only see carnage, smoke, fire, and rubble everywhere. The starfighter was still grounded, and enveloped in fire.  Eyes tearing up, the Wookie let out a low cry and manual raised the ramp. 

Back in the cockpit, the neophyte pilot that Duk'k was was unable to keep the freighter steady, bouncing off all four of the walls, but still going forward towards daylight.  Frokazza was knocked in all directions while trying to return to the cockpit.    

Tarrie quickly powered the fighter back up and caught up to the bouncing freighter, worried that some shenanigans were occurring inside. 

As Frokazza got back to the cockpit, Duk'k opening up the ship's guns, blasting the tunnel a bit further until they emerged from another side of the big island in the Great Sea.  The Sipsk'ud could only grin.

"Where to now, brotha!"

Free of the island's caves, the crew was disoriented, taking three trips around the island before they found the Pretio.

Frokazza/Duk'k crashed the landing-gear-less freighter with no further injury.  Evus was able to get the Q-ship into one of the Pretio's cargo holds, although it obviously it couldn't be launched from there.  

Giving Duk'k a quick tour, it was decided to head west, across the Great Sea, and go back for the ecological expedition and mission Kafla had hired them for in the first place. 

41 days to go.

Next: #34 - Duk'k: The Bounty Hunter