Another Month of Gaming (May 2025)

 After a month of wild and crazy tariffs, smaller companies shutting down over costs, and more than a few Kickstarters in complete panic, I truly wonder how many of these products are going to actually show up on shelves.

Issue #303 of Game Trade Magazine can be found at your FLGS, or in pdf online here

ViscountEric's Want List
Osprey Games

Hairfoot Jousting ........................................................... $30.00

I already mentioned this in the blog, and despite the scale disappointment, I'm at least getting the rules.

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

Exalted Funeral 

Weird Heroes of Public Access RPG ............................... $35.00

Wizkids

D&D - Potato Head Beholder Boxed Miniature ....................... $24.99

The Imaginary Store List (The Pegleg Gnome)

25th Century Games

Big Sur ............................................. $19.99

Grand Central Skyport ..................... $39.99

Liars Dice ......................................... $24.99

Red Letter Yellow Letter .................. $24.99

Sand Art ............................................ $39.99

Alley Cat Games

Timber Town .................................... $29.99

Bandai

Dragon Ball Super Fusion World TCG Set 7 Boosters

Dragon Ball Super Masters TCG: New Series Set 1 Boosters

One Piece Premium Boosters V2

Bezier Games

Scream!  .......................................... $14.95

Capstone Games 

Raising Chicago .............................. $64.95

Catalyst Game Lab

Thunder Rift/Misery ........................ $39.99

Twycross .......................................... $39.99

Critical Kit

Be Like a Cat RPG ...........................$24.00

Be Like a Crow RPG ....................... $20.00

Punk is Dead RPG ........................... $38.00

Cubicle 7

Warhammer Fantasy RPG: High Elf Player's Guide HC ........... $39.99

Collector's Edition is $79.99

Draco Studios

Dodos Riding Dinos: First Race ............ $29.99

Polaris .................................................... $39.99

FASA Games

Leviathan Core Rulebook ..................... $24.99

Leviathan Power Allocation Tokens ..... $20.00

Leviathan: Academy Set ........................ $99.99

Leviathan: Academy Set Card Deck ...... $10.00

Fireside Games

Please Don't Burn My Village ................ $24.95

Floodgate Games

Hedge Mage ........................................... $39.95

Free League Publishing

The Lord of the Rings RPG: Starter Set (5e) ... $24.99

The One Ring RPG: Starter Set - Over Hill and Under Hill .......... $24.99

Gate Keeper Games 

Eclipse Dice: Joker .................................. $15.99

Grim Rabbit Games 

Superfight 2nd Edition ............................ $20.00

Hatchling Games

Cryptid Creeks RPG ................................ $45.00

A game that draws from Gravity Falls and the Goonies.  High bar for entry. Moderate Price Point.  Still doesn't end up on my "Money is no object" want list.

Kids Table Boardgames

Oh My Orchids ........................................  $16.00

Kobold Press

More Prepared!  HC ................................. $39.99

Konami Digital Entertainment

Yu-Gi-Oh!  Battles of Legend Monster Mayhem Boosters

Yu-Gi-Oh!  Duelist's Advance Boosters

Last Night Games

Mystic Manor ........................................ $44.95

Legendary Games

Asian Monsters (Tales of the Valiant ) .... $29.99

Sea Monsters (Tales of the Valiant) ........ $21.99

The Dragon's Hoard #51 (5e) ................. $11.99

Hoard Monsters (5e) ............................... $16.99

Hoard Monsters (PF) ............................... $15.99

Mantic Entertainment

Halo: Flashpoint and Basilean figures of Kings of War.

Champions-- Rulebook and Tokens ....................... $45.00

Champions-- Double Sided Gaming Mat .............. $65.00

Champions-- Faith & Fury 2 Player Game ............ $125.00

Champions-- Terrain Box ...................................... $40.00

Champions-- Talensen Core Box .......................... $55.00

Champions-- Voidheart Core Box ......................... $55.00

Modiphius

Forgotten Ruin: The Adventure Wargame ................. $45.00

Mongoose Publishing

Traveller RPG:  Clans of the Aslan ........................... $49.99

Monster Fight Club

Cyperpunk Red: Combat Zone boxed sets out the ying-yang.  For a storefront?  There's some cool stuff I'd like to pick up personally, when it's on 75% off clearance.

Monte Cook Games

Cash and Chrome ............................................ $17.99

Cypher System: Neon Rain ............................. $49.99

Cypher System: High Noon at Midnight ......... $49.99

Cypher System: Wanted Hexed or Alive ......... $17.99

North Star Games

Nature ........................ $39.99

Nature: Jurassic Module Expansion ............ $29.99

Nature: Flight Module Expansion ............... $19.99

Not one for new games and expansions coming out at the same time, but if I'm drawn by the artwork, the average board game customer is doomed!

Osprey Games

Line of Fire: Burnt Moon ............................... $35.00

Pacific Command ........................................... $25.00

Paizo Publishing

Pathfinder RPG: AP MythSpeaker 1 of 3 - The Acropolis  ............. $29.99

Pathfinder RPG: Adventure - Gatewalkers HC ............................... $69.99

Special Edition $89.99

Pathfinder RPG: Deck of Endless Treasure ................................... $29.99

Pathfinder RPG: Flip-Mat - City Districts Multi-Pack .................. $29.99

Pathfinder RPG: Lost Omens - Shining Kingdoms Poster Map Archive .... $34.99

Starfinder RPG: Flip Mat - Cityscape Multi-Pack ......................... $29.99

Pinnacle Entertainment Group

Pathfinder for Savage Worlds - Advanced Player's Guide 2 ........... $29.99

Pathfinder for Savage Worlds - Bestiary 2 ...................................... $29.99

Pathfinder for Savage Worlds - Bestiary Cards Pack - Packs 1-5 ......... $24.99 each

Rowan, Rook, and Decard

Die RPG: Quickstart ........................................................... $19.00

One Page Games - Volume 7 ...............................................$33.00

Signal Interruption

Velvet Generations RPG ..................................... $45.00

Smirk and Dagger

Boom Patrol ......................................... $39.99

This Game is Killer: Frozen Horror .... $14.99

Steamforged Games

Bridge of the Duergar Cult .................... $59.99

Circle of the Demon Prince ................... $49.99

Th3rd World Studios

Canvas Critters ....................................... $24.99

Digging for Dinos .................................. $19.99

Wizards of the Coast

Magic the Gather Final Fantasy Bundle ............................... $69.99

Magic the Gather Final Fantasy Bundle - Gift Edition  ........ $89.99

Magic the Gather Final Fantasy - Commander Decks, Starter Kits, Boosters, Play Boosters.

Just duplicate and change the name for the already released Takir Dragonstorm products.

Wizkids

Deep Cuts: Bigfoot ......................... $8.99

Deep Cuts: Skeletal Raptor ............  $8.99

Star Trek Into the Unknown - Rising Tensions Expansion .................$99.99

(Gamma World) This is Not a Test #74 - Waffles and Contemplation

Our heroes, the De Facto Explorers,  were spending the winter scouting around KIA Academy, until they went AWOL escorting some the "enemy" blue-skinned Kirothian people around the KIA territory, and an arrival in Fair-Town.  They are injured from an encounter with a "Demon" in the deep inland hills, but have finally arrived in Fair-Town

================= 

Sneaky Pete: A mutated weasel scout.  Pete's telepathy and night vision take a backseat when he whips out his electrical powers.  

Sonny Helianthus: a sentient sunflower artifact examiner with trusted Restorationist ties. Knowledgeable,  but not a good one with device repairs or upgrades. Just went out of his comfort zone to rescue Lathar from becoming a human sacrifice to "The Beast." 

Slitheran Wurmtail (aka Squiggles): a mutated earthworm scout, in impromptu power armor, looking for trouble, and finding it often.   He  has been subject to genetic testing and developed super-human strength, a more human body, and a thick coat of shaggy white hair.

Lathar Bracken: A pure-strain human from River Bend.  He's got the muscle, the face, and a mount for most encounters.  Lathar's trusty beast of burden, No Name, travels wherever he does.  No Name has recently been fitted for a artillery device of the Ancients that chucks spears further than any human.  Looking for trouble in all the right places.  Former jousting champion of Fair-Town.  He had fallen in love with Elona, the leader of the blue-skinned Kirothians, until he was ceremoniously dumped by her once they reached Fair-Town. 

================================================================

Pete just couldn't stay comfy.  

It had been weeks since he had a clean sheets and a warm room to sleep in, but his feral nature meant he woke up at the crack of dawn. He looked over to see Squiggles in his own bed.  He wondered how exactly worm physiology allowed him to snore like that.  

The warm room of the inn in Fair-Town allowed his animalistic instinct to lower after a good night's rest, but it amplified the aches of his wounds and the rumbling in his stomach.  It was time to go downstairs and find some breakfast.

Going downstairs of the main room of inn.  His mutant sunflower friend, Sonny was "planted" in his pot full of his own soil.  Pete has seen Sonny "resting" with his flower drooping down towards his chest.  He had never seen him slumped forward, his head clumsily propped up by a chair.

Pete ran over to check his flowery friend. He appeared alive but his greenery appeared... torched and singed.

"Sonny, Sonny, are you okay??? You look really bad, what happened???

Sonny opened his sunflower eyes to a sight of a weasel nose-to-bloom with him.

"Who did this to you?"

"Some guys in the woods...."

"Guys in the woods, where were you last night?'

"Let's just same I'm a good team player... we'll need to stay a few extra days to heal up... maybe buy a new frockcoat."

"Team player?  Where is Lathar?"

Sonny stared at Pete, "He better be in his god-damned room."

Pete ran over to fetch a pitcher of water for Sonny. 

Meanwhile, Squiggles finally woke up.  The worm's first thought?

"I've got my mind on waffles, and waffles on my mind."

Squiggles arrived downstairs to see Peter hastily water the sunflower.   The worm shook his head...

"I need some java and some waffles before I hear what happened last night."

One Save vs Waffles roll later, the worm housed every waffle they could make.  Well-fed and covered with a fine layer of syrup all over his fur, he was ready for a tale.  

Sonny did not disappoint, regaling his role as concerned friend, following a drunken Lathar out of the inn, preventing a duel to the death with Lathar's ex-girlfriend, Elona, the subsequent kidnapping by locals, the exciting fight with the said locals while dangling off the edge of the high speed woodland vehicle, the fiery encounter with "The Beast", the encounter with the town guards, and Sonny tossing his sorry butt back in his room.

Squiggles:  "Lathar does NOT take break-ups well..."

Pete: "Wait do humans usually duel after they stop relations?"

Sonny:  "Not often enough..."

Pete thought to check up with the guards but it was decided interviewing Lathar was the next best option.  

Squiggles thought it would be best to find a lady of the evening who was willing to work the afternoon with Lathark, but he accompanied Pete up the stairs.  

Squiggles and Pete went upstairs to check of Lathar.  Both looked at each with disbelief, as they both realized they missed the mess on the door to Lathar's room.  Mud was smeared across the wall and door.  Two wedges had been hammered into the door from the outside.  They weren't in the correct spot, but they were driven in enough to create a problem for someone coming out.  

With no answer, Squiggles knocked the door in.  Lathar lay spread-eagle in his bed, naked as a jaybird.  Despite dirt all over him, his uncovered skin appeared clean and shiny.  He was definitely alive, although his skin seemed damaged from the cold.  

Squiggles:  Wait, why does he have fur... there???

Pete strolled up and tossed a pitcher of water onto Lathar.   

Lathar woke up abruptly, he denied most of Pete's claims, found some clothes, and showed the guys his weapons of the Ancients were safely under the bed.  He seemed very confused, finding pants, but walking down the stairs au naturale, holding the pants in his hands. 

Once pants were placed on Lathar, Sonny learned the concept of "Tag, you're it!" and ran out the door for some early morning drinks at the Wrong Celery, leaving Pete in charge.    Lathar left a few moments later.

Pete continued to interrogate Lathar as he scarfed some waffles, all of Lathar's answers seemed to contradict Sonny's account.  Pete was particularly inquisitive about his shiny skin, even when covered by mud.    Lathar was no help, and soon returned to his room.

In the afternoon, Squiggles returned to the inn with someone special.  She was a woman who performed as a jester during the Fair-Town festivals, but over the winter made due by any means necessary.  

He escorted the woman up the stairs and bumped open Lathar's door with his shoulder.  

"Lathar, this woman would like to talk to you... her name is Rosalind...."

The human's eyes perked, despite her festive make-up.  Squiggles closed the door behind him. 

Rosalind the Jester

With Lathar's soul restored, the DeFacto Explorers sat and healed for many days.  They had brought the biggest news of the winter (the Kirothian refugees), so they were treated like kings, as Pete purchased a better mandolin from the Silk Bazaar in town to entertain everyone. Twelve days of respite in Fair-Town, the weather getting warmer, they finally left the town for KIA Academy, more than a month after they had left it for a few short days of reconnaissance. 

Next: #75 - The Pharoah

(Painting) Cutting Through Miscellaneous Terrain

Here's where I try to capitlize on a mistake.  I only wish now that I did this for the three or four errors prior.  

When I moved out of the house three years ago, I took very little from the kitchen, save a set of Corningware that was passed down the generations.  A lot of the utensils were either dollar store or stuff my mother assembled for me.  

Recently I got his with a rash of 60+ year old steak knives snapping trying to tear off cellophane.  They all landed in the trash pretty quick... except this last one.  It's know some battle damaged piece of terrain.

Ignate Perditius probably caused this damage... 

(Painting) Blood Nebula Mercenary by Reaper Bones

Knocking out some more figures as the long-term projects keep progressing. Another disappointing Reaper Bones Black Figure.

Blood Nebula Mercenary was a cheap ($3.49) figure and pretty uninspiring.  I should have known better when I couldn't find any finished figures where that took advantage of the line work.  The line work was so shallow on the model that inks and washes didn't hold, or if they did, it smoothed over the figure.  

RPR 49017

To make matters worse, despite priming and sealing figures in sub-zero temps all winter long, I hit a catastrophe with the sealant, and the now the merc looks like it got hit with high-speed wet sand.  Still might find a use for him in the Fistful of Lead - Galactic Heroes game at Historicon.

(Painting) Stormwing, Corrupted

 My God, has it really been a decade since Bones 3?   I didn't start pledging to the Reaper Kickstarters until 2 and I have never done the base $100 pledge for an exponentially exploding piles of figures.  I simply used the a la carte option.  

The biggest one I invested in was Bones 3, mostly for a bunch of giants I have NEVER painted.

And one dragon.  

Stormwing came out really nice.  It had a use in a mousling/giant Ragnarök concept game that never came to fruition (only it's still hiding in my drafts here on the blog).  

Of course, with a mini that size, there was no good place to store it.  When I was still at the house, it sat on the top shelf in basement.  It suffered the slings and arrows of curious cats, although never getting knocked over, plus a few overhumid basement floods thanks to some hurricanes, and, of course, the move to the apartment.  

But even before most of that, the "dragon rampant" pose began to sag, to the point now that it looks like Stormwing is looking for a lost contact lens in a shag carpet.  

Worst yet, despite three or four heavy layers of lacquer, the paint has chipped and peeled off in numerous locations.  

For the sake of repairing it, I removed the surrounding areas, did a coat of primer and two standard coats of paint with a little detail.  Stormwing has changed a bit, corrupted by something.   

The goal was to cover up the damaged parts, throw some lining on it, and get it a spot on a shelf.

But the second I hit it with sealer, despite all the layers of paint, despite no reactivity before, the old paint on other parts of the figure began to curl.  

In hindsight, I would completely avoid the Reaper Kickstarters, and my investment in all of them were minimal.  From the stock skeletons to Stormwing, they don't handle general use, heck, the skeletons in Bones aren't handling individual spots in a Chessex case in a dry, room temperature area, where I've only needed to touch up one metal Reaper skeleton after heavy play... and I've owned them for over 25 years.  And while my "Blue Martian" goblins have mostly held up.  There's stress marks on bows and other flexible parts.  

I went to my FLGS this past week, and they have a full line of Bones dominating a wall.  I had a crazy concept of starting with #77001 and just painting stuff for fun, but the costs have now gone up enough that I can still find appropriate figures in metal through a different manufacturer at a similar, if not cheaper, price.  

I will say that off the three recent Reapers I painted, I assume the Ghost (old  white Bones) is going to degrade, and the Rand figure (black) lost considerable detail from the metal version, but I have hope to the two Androids (black) will hold up.  Compound everything else going on with my personal life and family, and most of the unopened blisters will now go on a shelf.... of items ready to go to the flea market at the next con

And if true hindsight could be acted upon?  I would have invested in the Grenadier dragons back in the day, they were affordable and I appreciated the economy of scale now more than ever. 

(Painting) Colonel Hans Von Guulfling - Southern Province for Wars of Ozz

There was a time where I thought Wars of Ozz was going to be my second fantasy wargame behind Gnome Wars, or at least assimilate some of the figures into the game.  Alas, the difference in scale proved just difficult enough, but I did pick up some individual figures when I had the chance.  

I finally got Colonel Hans Von Gulfling finished, ice cream cone and all...

Colonel Hans Von Guulfling

The Spoils of Birth

I celebrate 51 years around the sun this past Easter Sunday.  With one kid in a different state, and the other in a whole different country this past weekend, I took up an offer to be a hermit and dog-sit for a friend.

But the week prior I did manage to connect with them for a night Easter gaming, and a night with cake and presents.  

Amongst Millie's friends, I am "Big Cat."  Better than "Fat Lion"

I don't ask for much, and expect nothing, so long as the girls are happy, so anything is more than enough. 

I'm very amused that out of 8 bottles of Americana paint, I don't own four of them, needed fresh bottles for two, and the other two?  It never hurts to get more shades of brown, even if I'm at an amusing surplus.

The girls also didn't pull a coup and shower me with the ultra-rare, ultra-pricey 30-year old Reaper Mousling and Verminite mounted figures.  I actually got the rare eBay steal for all five packs, and turned the barely opening shipping box to them to wrap up as gifts.  I was happy enough to get older Mouslings done earlier this month, but with the submission of my Historicon events, they'll take a short-term hiatus off the painting queue... and we all know they're doomed in limbo.

(Gamma World) This is Not a Test #73 - Servants of Sirinx

The sun was finally burning off the poisonous fog that pooled in the lower areas, but the High Inquisitor Lucius could sense that the lowly scavengers were already out in force.  He had traveled far into the Glow since he was a child.  The ruins of of Glaeve had many treasures, if one was true and brave.  

The Temple of Sirinx tasked him with one job and one job only, recover as many artifacts from the wastelands that he could gather.  Supplies and food were always welcome to avoid utter failure, but the Grand Inquisitor himself would review each artifact brought back to the temple.   Lucius had earned many of those favors over the years.  He only hoped his crew of neophyte acolytes was up to the challenge.  The ruins seemed to be teeming with life.  Regardless what type, the Servents of Sirinx would kill them and seize any ancient treasures they might possess. 

So it was spoken, so it shall be done.  

High Inquistor Lucius (far left) and his Servants of Sirinx

A mixtures of gunfire, blasterfire, and howling could be heard off into the distance.  Lucius immediately dispatched Brothers Silas and Malfoy to higher positions.  

Malfoy immediately noticed a lot of activity. He flashed a series of complicated hand gestures down to his leader.

***TWO GROUPS LEFT FLANK.  MUTANTS IN BUILDING. NO SHOT.  KNIGHTS OF GENETIC PURITY NEAR CITY CENTER.  DESPOILING THE GLOW.***

While the nearby mutants seemed to know how to act in their station, the Knights were gleefully destroying things.  They ripped apart an old chemical dump, sending out swarms of mutated rats.  The Knights set the dump on fire and fled.  

The Knights of Purity terrorized the Lost City 

Brother Silas was desperately trying to identify the noise coming from their right flank, but the buildings hid the carnage.  It was Brother Marcus, heading straight forward, that caught a mutant scurrying through the rubble, trying to survive.

So he promptly shot it with his Beamer Rifle, wounding and dropping the foe.  

Brother Marcus spots a mutant.  He hates them already

Brother Malfoy continued to peer down from his position.  He didn't have a clear line on the mutants or range on the Knights, but there was even more activity past them.

A group of scavengers have been searching a series of containers the Ancients called "Dumb-Stars"  Lucius knew better than to search that area, for that area was well known as the home of the terrifying O-Skar. 

Wasteland warriors woke up a very grumpy O-Skar.

The being was angered and emerged from its lair, pummeling one scavenger to death, ripping another in two, and chasing off the Knights venturing too close.  

Despite his lack of shooting, and total silence, something could smell Malfoy's presence, and denizens of the glow clamored up to his position. 

Ghouls clammer towards Brother Malfoy

Lucius cursed himself, he searched a "Dum-star" that he though was safe.  It appeared empty at first, but he foolishly left the side door open, allowing the Giant Flies sleeping inside to awaken and burst out. 

Foul beasts inhabit the container....

Lucius could sense problems coming their way  "Get whatever artifacts your can find back to the temple at all costs!" 

Brother Verint was relieved no one could see him sinning, hiding behind a barrier, rather than engaging the mutant barbarians that were within his sight.  It allowed him enough protection to uncover an artifact and briskly run back to the temple. 

Brother Silas proved useless as a spotter for the others, but his futility would come to an end as the ground beneath the shattered building shook and an infamous Glow-Worm burst out of the ground.  His death was slow and painful, as we was swallowed whole, forced to be slowly digested for weeks... while still alive. 

Unspeakable horrors eat Brother Silas.

The mutants on the Servants left flank were finally flushed out by spider-goats, their poisonous glands just dripping its ichor on their mandibles.  

Spider-goats attack an opposing mutant.  Sirinx smiles brightly.

Brother Malfoy shot the first ghoul in the head, but the others were scaling the building too quick.  He was never bitten while alive and possibly cursed with the ghouls' gift of madness and eternal life, one of the creatures pulled him off his position, and the subsequent fall killed him. 

Brother Marcus had found an artifact, but it's exposed position allowed him to get shot, luckily the fall off of the top of the truck granted him enough cover to crawl further away on his hands and knees.  

Brother Marcus, left for dead.. and ignored by the other groups of sinners.

There is something comforting about listening to a spider-goat feast on the flesh of its victim.

If High Inquisitor Lucius had a more experienced band for the mission, it was certain his lookouts would detect the Mutant Chickens, death dogs, and living metal engaged in a life-or-death fight.  Unfortunately the Giant Flies took up his whole attention.  He was wounded twice, and flailed with his machete while laying on the ground, unable to get up.  He was able to kill both of the monsters, but the cost was already too high.  

If he hadn't been bleeding out, he would have showed pride in Brother Marcus.  Not only did he record his first kill, but the young acolyte prayed to Sirinx and found the strength to finally regain his footing  and return to the temple with his artifact.  

High Inquistor Lucius bleeds out next to a dumpster.  A fitting end.

As High Inquisitor Lucius' eyes closed for the last time..... a blast of cold air opened Sonny's 

"Sonny, Sonny, are you okay??? You look really bad, what happened???

Sonny opened his mutant sunflower eyes to a sight of a weasel nose-to-bloom with him.  It was his friend, Sneaky Peter.

Dr Sonny Helianthus, the Restorationist Mutant Sunflower, defacto leader of the De Facto Explorers had lost consciousness again.  He was safely in his pot in the main room of the inn.... the slight smell of sulfur lingered on his body.

"I'm fine... it was just a long night with Lathar..."

Sonny looked away from his worried friend.  The city looked familiar, and the deeds he had dreamt, felt like they hadn't occurred yet...

GM Notes:  Sonny's dream sequence mirrors my success and failures playing Mike Lung's Fistful of Lead Wasteland Warriors game "Return to the Forbidden City"  at Historicon 2024 .  Sonny's previous dream sequence can be found in Episode 29. 

Next: #74 - Waffles and Contemplation

(Gnome Wars) Bunny Raid

I really didn't expect an Easter game this year.   One child was in upstate New York, the other in Quebec for the weekend, and with basketball next weekend, even my prayers to kidnap them  this upcoming Wednesday for belated a Easter baskets and a game were foiled with the eldest going to NYC for a play. 

Such is the life.

All of these signs from the universe were somehow thwarted with available kids last Wednesday, and I quickly had both in my possession and setting up the tables.  

I had barely pondered the concept for this years game, but as I emerged from the office from an after-hours work call, I realized the ladies knew what they were doing and had already set up:  

The Chicka Zulus were dusted off, and preparing a raid on the Gnome town for Easter bunnies, both full sized and ones that hadn't hatched (They're hiding in the plastic eggs, silly!)

The major stockpile, complete with the Golden Duck.  Very Ten Commandments.

One of my biggest fears came true, as the Chicka Zulus had learned how to drive....

Millie's not my regular wargamer anymore, and had to keep prodding to move all the Chicks. She normally focused on the one skirmish or objective on the table, or one storyline she was developing.  

Most of the fighting occurred along the river in the center of the board,   The gnomes putting up a valiant fight keeping the Chicka Zulu from crossing.

All Gnome Wars games with trucks end badly but very cinematic, and this one was no exception,  Millie attempted to use a ramp to launch the truck, and it made the distance, but lost control and crashed into the treasure trove.  

And about an hour into the game, sisterly bickering kicked in, laughing accusations of cheating, and suddenly Katy Perry came out of a miscellaneous bin on the side of the Chicks. 

After a second failed dive bombing raid my the gnomes' pet pelican, we called it a night.    The only true casualty was my blood sugar for the night as I devoured a bunch of peeps while cleaning up. 

To be honest, it was a good concept, that needed more edible troops and different deployment, but they did a great job.

Of course, on Friday I got a late night update on previous news: Previous job interviews which initiated a potential move up to Albany came up empty, but with two interviews on the third stage, their mother decided to sign a lease, effective 7/1/2025.  Three hours forty minutes away.  These games are gong to be even fewer and farther between...

Father's Day?  I've already got that one covered and ready three ways to that Sunday.

Happy Easter 2025!

Happy Birthday to Me, Time to Cosplay!

 

(Gamefound) Escape from Stalingrad Z - Reloaded by Raybox Games

 Raybox Games has launced crowdfunding through Gamefound for its latest and expanded version of it's WW2 zombie game, Escape from Stalingrad Z - Reloaded.

🪷(Georic Gazetteer) Kingdom of Khaziria

 Kingdom of Khaziria

Ruled By:  Kagan Olmar
Capital:  Seral 

Other Cities: Aroska (40,000), Chelkan (20,000)

Language:  Parthian dialect

Flag/Emblem:  Bi-colored black and white vertically, with a horsehead counter charged and manned red and breathing fire.

Coinage:  Kazirian Standard 
Important Personas:  Governors, khans, officials, priests, merchants.

Alliances: Hyrkanis, Azur-Khai, Gnomish City States (all trade)

Hostilities:  None

Open Warfare/Skirmishing: Serious efforts to curtail piracy and slavery in the area.  

Intrigues:  Barthey influence to get Khaziria involved in a war with Hyrknaia 

Demi-Humans:  Gnomes (5%), Halflings (5%) , many half-races are noticable. 

Magickal Devices:  The Cloud Gallery, Gar's Circle of Nullity, the Firetome of Eld, and the Talons Appartatus.

Thumbnail Sketch:  Situated at the southern terminus of the Kuh Mountains, and position in the middle of the northern coast of the Mer Kasp, Khaziria is largely considered the last nation in the continent of Talaishia.  It is a vast territory, bridging the civilized lands of Talaishia with the primitive outposts of Azir.  With such territory, there can be a mixture of extreme weather, as well as huge herds of deer and antelope, with plenty lions, bears, and wolves.

Many of the buildings in the cities are Talaishian brick-and-mortar, although the Parthian influences shine through with roofs  and detailing, 

Religion: The Parthian Mythos is the state religions, although there are temples of other faiths as well, certainly gnome, halfling, and dwarf shrines can be found.  

Geography of Note: 

The Grand Bazaar of Seral: Located in the capital city, Seral, the Grand Bazaar is a sprawling marketplace that exemplifies the cultural and economic heart of Khaziria. Here, merchants from across Talaishia and beyond trade exotic goods, spices, textiles, and rare artifacts. The bazaar is also known for its vibrant street performances and food stalls, offering a sensory overload of sights, sounds, and tastes.

Seral

The Cloud Gallery: This magical structure is a marvel of both architecture and enchantment. Created by ancient Parthian rulers, and situated atop the Kuh Mountains, the Cloud Gallery is a magical floating observatory that provides breathtaking views of the surrounding landscapes. The gallery is said to house ancient texts and magical artifacts, making it a destination for scholars and magicians alike. Visitors can reach it through a series of enchanted lifts and platforms.

Gar's Circle of Nullity: Located in a secluded area near Chelkan, this ancient site is surrounded by mystery and intrigue. Gar's Circle of Nullity is a large, circular stone structure with an eerie aura, believed to be a place where magic is rendered inert. Scholars and adventurers visit the site to study its properties and attempt to uncover its secrets. The Circle is also a popular spot for those seeking a break from the pervasive influence of magic in the region.

Mentions of the Country in the Blog: 

Burning Trogs Rule #21:   When Gwen escaped the dreaded Slavers of Roarke, she was separated from the others and wandered into Khaziria, experiencing the nomadic culture, the villages, and ultimately the granduer of Seral. 

Hairfoot Jousting

 In a world where we are still debating what we are running at Historicon, the Friday-night gnome joust is locked in.  So long as one of the Stout Gnomes is on site, the joust is always conducted at HMGS conventions. 

This just shook me to my mortal coil: 

Hairfoot Jousting is a whimsical game of halfling jousting, where are favorite non-hobbit folk ride chickens, pigs, dogs, weasels, geese, and even turkeys for glory and fame. 

The pre-order for the figures launched yesterday.  I'm hoping Brigade Games, who distributes a lot of North Star in the States, will be carrying this line. And at $7 or so a figure, if they're just a hair bigger than 25mm, they find their way onto the table at a certain Friday night Historicon extravaganza.

(EDIT: Despite my initial enthusiasm, the halfling (and goblin) miniatures are true 25mm.  They are tiny compared to Gnome Wars.  There will be no cross-content.   That's not to say Hairfoot Jousting figures can't use To Cry a Joust, or that Gnome Wars mounted figures can't use Hairfoot Jousting, but there will no rush to purchase them for use at HMGS cons... at least for the Stout Gnomes.)

(Gamma World) This is Not a Test #72 - The Beast

Our heroes, the De Facto Explorers,  have arrived back in Fair-Town, delivering a group of blue-skinned Kirothian refugees to safety.  Lathar has suffered an ignominious break-up and has been kidnapped by locals during his drunken, naked tirade.  Only the mutant sunflower artifact Sonny Helianthus was around to intervene, and now he's clinging to the back of an all-terrain vehicle speeding through the woods, it's occupants looking for "The Beast" and using naked Lathar as bait. 

This session's heroes: 

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Sonny Helianthus: a sentient sunflower artifact examiner with trusted Restorationist ties. Loves acquiring all forms of knowledge from the Ancients,  but not a good one with device repairs or upgrades.  

Lathar Bracken: A pure-strain human from River Bend.  He's got the muscle, the face, and a mount for most encounters.  Lathar's trusty beast of burden, No Name, travels wherever he does.  A lover, a fighter, a drinker, his very public break-up with the leader of the blue-skinned Kirothians, Elona, has sent him in a downward spiral. And now, he's allowed himself to be kidnapped.

================================================================

Sonny wasn't an impulsive sunflower, and his recent spat of rash actions justified that.  He was clinging to the back of an All-Terrain-Vehicle from the Ancients, speeding through the winter forest at night.  The vehicle had too open cockpits, one for the driver, one for a passenger to his right, and two young ne'er do wells from Fairtown filled them.  His friend Lathar had been strapped on the front of the vehicle, naked as a jaybird, a "totem" as some of the others called him, to lure out "The Beast" 

Sonny precariously climbed the flat surface of the back of the vehicle, finally getting his fronds on the back edge of the passenger's cockpit.  The noise of the ATV, the speed, and the night ensured that neither human noticed him.  Focuses on saving his friend, he flailed around a bit, taking off his frockcoat, and with amazing accuracy, tossed it over the drivers head.  As the driver fought his new blindness, he hit the center of the steering wheel, setting off an incredibly loud and catchy tune, ringing through the forest.  The steering wheel itself lit up in multiple colors.  The ATV maintained speed, but was now narrowly missing trees.  

Using the frockcoat on the driver's head for leverage, Sonny slid over to behind the driver and used the frockcoat to crawl into the driver's cockpit.  The passenger pulled out a flintlock, but Sonny was shielded by the flailing driver.

Sonny finally pulled out his hi-tech pistol, waving it at the passenger.  "We can end this without bloodshed."

The passenger thought otherwise, firing his flintlock pistol at the driver and Sonny.  It missed, but the blinded driver became even more frantic.  

The passenger drops his flintlock from hands, a sign of surrender, but he quickly looked forward and screamed, "TURN LEFT"  

The driver had almost removed the frockcoat from face, so it was up to Sonny to look forward and see a distressing sight blocking their path.  

Technically the "Beast" didn't have front arms, but it's a NightCafe AI pic. 

The reptilian beast had horns, wings, but no arms, just the two scaly legs.  Concerning Soony even more was that a portion of its body was glowing fire red.  Sonny hoped this was "The Beast," because he'd hate to conjure up something scarier.  

Sonny had a twinge of experience with these devices called "steering wheels" from the electric carts at KIA Academy, and wisely turned the wheel counter-clockwise to make the ATV go left.  As vehicle made a sharp 90-degree turn, the creature opened it's mouth and fire erupted from it. 

The flames hit the front of the vehicle, enveloping everyone.  As Sonny straightened our from the turn, the driver finally unmasked himself, and screamed, realizing he was sitting side-by-side with a giant sunflower.  He turned to his right to see his friend, burnt to a crisp in the passenger cockpit, and finally turning behind himself, saw the Beast, the forest on fire behind hit, trying to pursue the ATV in vain.  

Sonny pointed his pistol at the driver. "Take me and my friend back to Fair-Town, NOWWWW!!!"  The driver agreed and turned back towards Fair-Town proper.  

Sonny leaned forward to check on Lathar, it appeared that he didn't take damage from the Beast's fire.  

The driver took the ATV to the upriver entry gate for the town.  The gates were shut, but the ATV made enough noise to awaken the guard residing in the shack.  Throwing on a coat, a pulling out his secret blaster rifle.  

Seeing the ATV with a charred corpse on one side, a dude driving it with a giant sunflower in the cockpit with him, and a naked guy strapped to the front of the vehicle.  

"What in the nine blazes is this, Claude????"  

Sonny tried to pretend that he was just a normal sunflower plant, but failed mightily.  

The guard had many questions for the driver, Claude.  Why was Titus dead?  Why was there a dude on the front of the vehicle?  What's up with the sunflower?  

Claude tried to babble on about the Beast, but the guard stopped him.   The guard was more concerned when Sonny confirmed his take in a reasonable demeanor.  

"I just Claude, and he's pretty despicable, but he's not lying about the Beast.  'Tis true."

The guard made Sonny and Claude exit the vehicle and come in front of the ATV to take down Lathar.  Sonny got a first solid look at his friend.  It was true, there wasn't scratch on him... in fact, his body created a silhouette within the scorch marks that covered the front of the vehicle.  

To Sonny's surprise, the guard allowed him and Lathar to leave on their own recognizance, opening up the gate for them  Sonny placed his damaged frockcoat over his friend, to try to get  him warm. .  

They reached the inn.  With Lathar in bed, Sonny wedged something in the door to keep him inside.  He stumbled down into the darkened main room of the inn, found his pot of soil. and may have uttered a moan of relief as his tendrils found the soil.  With the embers of the fire in the hearth next to him, Sonny shut his optical sensors... for just a moment.  

GM Notes: I'm not sure whether to call the Dragon-like creature the Beast or Sonny himself.  There was a recent episode of Fear the Boot talking about Session 1 in RPGs an how that, no matter what's decided in a Session Zero, the actions, NPCs, and die rolls in Session 1 set the tone for a lot of characters.  

In this solo session with Hoyce,  at 70 sessions, Sonny the bookish, inventor/scientist type, has evolved into a bad-ass.  Creating a massive Death Blossom which impacted the entire episode in #70 The Murder Hole, to teleporting onto the back of an ATV and trying to save his friend Lathar, all while holding on for dear life, has been pretty impressive. 

The song playing from the horn....

Next: #73 - The Servants of Sirinx

Jo-Ann, I Barely Knew Thee...

 When I moved to my apartment three years ago, there was a host of new stores near to me, so I didn't need to traverse the highways to reach Wal-Mart and the malls.  Big Lots helped furnish the apartment, saving gas and car wear and tear.  Experiencing the last two months of the local location closing.  I picked up some cheap sheets and a comfy blanket one week, and everything just seemed to vanish.  I think a week before it closed I picked up some cheap off-brand batteries for pennies, but there had been nothing left for weeks. 

On the other hand, Jo-Ann Fabrics was a bit further down the road, yet for everything beyond fabric, I'd hoof it across the river to Michael's.  It might have had something to do with Jo-Ann closing 6pm weeknights and 7pm Friday/Saturday, but now, after weeks of missing their own Going Out of Business sale, I finally ventured in this weekend.

I wasn't surprised to see vast swaths of empty shelves.  At this point, I knew the craft paint and quality brushes were gone, but I was amused to find as many employees restocking barren shelves as there were folks checking out customers.    It made sense, there were signs around the store speaking "Come back, we're still getting inventory for the shelves..."  Certain things must be still filling out their warehouses, ready to go to the first stores that clear out their original stock.  

I picked up a bunch of felt squares, some cardstock for photographing minis, and a bunch of cheap brush set for a little over a dollar apiece.  Funny thing is, I grabbed similar items at Dollar Tree afterwards, and everything else was comparable, although Jo-Ann didn't stock gnome houses or glittered rubber ducks. 

The two amusing things that Jo-Ann Fabrics had in large quantities?  Fabric and glue.  It could be a supply chain thing, but in a store with stuff 40,50, 60% or more off,  fabric and glue remained at 20% off.  And since we all know the clearance sales' prices kick back up to full retail, the discount is off an inflated price to begin with. 

(Fistful of Lead) Last Train From Zulovo

 It's been rough getting the girls together to play some games, especially with Easter coming up, but with one at my place, we knocked out a quick zombie game... it's close to Easter-theme.

1936 - Zulovo, Soviet Union

"Four Hasidic Jews and a rogue Soviet agent enter an strangely abandoned research facility."  

Alexander Mikoyan rarely laughed, but that though elicited a smile.  He had travelled the Russian Empire, now the Soviet Union, meeting interesting people, killing them sometimes, uncovering secrets the party was not meant to know, and befriending a collection of individuals that would certainly get him killed in one of Stalin's purges.  Except, for good reason, Stalin knew why Mikoyan was scary and necessary for the survival of the nation.

When rumors rose of a vanished village... with a questionable state facility nearby, Mikoyan commandeered a train operated by some previous companions... and requested the aid of the four Hasidic Jews with experience in the occult.  

The mission was a partial success.  There was nothing pointing out to the abandonment of the facility, or the disappearance of the nearby townsfolk.  Mikoyan had uncovered some questionable documents and a very peculiar black statue, with veins of a bright green glowing material.  

They were almost back to the train, when Mikoyan was doubly annoyed.   Had they really been down there so long that Rudakov, the engineer, quelled the boiler.  Alexander could sense something was coming, and this was going to delay their escape.

Our heroes (L to R), Rudakov the Engineer, Aleksandrov the Fireman, Yevgeny the Conductor, Alexander Mikoyan, Avrum, Menachem, Yitzchak, and Tuvia

Secret Heroes of the Soviet Union 

1) Load up the statue: A two man job, both men loading it must succeed a task 5+ on a d8 on the same turn.  

2) Leave.  The engineer and fireman must succeed a task 5+ on a d8 on the same turn TWICE.  It does not have to be in successive turns. The following turn, so long as there is a crew member in the cab with a free action to push the lever forward, the train moves 6 inches each turn. 

Undead Enemy of the State 

Prevent the train from leaving the station, human deaths are a simple bonus (and more members to the army)

The pseudo secret railway station near the Zulovo research station (lower right).

Turn One:  With the swirling snow obscuring vision, Mikoyan knew he need to eliminate the threat close up and quickly, so he charged them.  Two of the jews had just stepped into the station to warm their hands on the dying embers of the fire the train crew set in the stove.  They were on the other side of the train, and couldn't see anything.  Yitzchak and Tuvia fumbled with the statue, and the train crew equally bumbled stoking the boiler and building up a head of steam to leave. 

Turn Two: Mikoyan swung his pick at the undead, ripping out a chuck of flesh.  The monster dropped to a knee but continued to attack and wounding the agent.   Meanachem ran around the back of the train and levelled one with his shotgun, although it required a double tab to put its out of everyone's misery.

Tuvia, armed with a submachine gun, stopped trying to lift the statue to fire at a closing zombie, a rip of bullets hitting a vital spot.

Mikoyan looks to be in trouble.

Meanwhile: the train crew began arguing with each other, not realizing that more zombies had assembled from behind the station.

Turn Three: With the luckiest roll, Mikoyan crawled away from the closing zombie, just enough for Tuvia to distract a zombie... and meet his own doom.   Avrum snuck between the rail cars and help Yittzchak secure the statue on the train.

The train crew rolled successes!  One more pair to go!

 

Turn Four:  Avrum and Menachem took two different approaches for the growing zombie mob behind the station.  Menachem climbed the last train car, missing every shot, but distracting the undead hadn't closed in on the locomotive yet.  

Having secured the statue, Avrum slid back to the other side, aimed at a zombie with the pistol 

*click click*

Weapon jam/Out of Ammo!

Avrum quickly climbed the tender to give him a moment to fix his pisol.

Alexander Mikoyan could feel his own blood coming out of his body.   

"I'm not going to die from some Trupokoldún (Corpse-Wizard's) plaything... and he willed himself to get and and stumble back to the train. (He pulled a Queen of Hearts, perfect to combat his faltering die rolls).

The crew finally got the locomotive ready, and the bell was pulled once to alert the others... and alert more zombies.

But they were already here. 

The first wave of zombies from beyond the station had reached the train.

The zombies tried to climb up the tender, but Alexandrov and Avrum beat them down.  One did manage to climb into the cab and wound the engineer.  

Turn Five: Rudakov regained enough composure in the locative cab to kick the zombie away, summon enough strength to pull the lever to start the train in motion.

Turn Six and Seven:  With the train in motion, it was unlikely the lone zombie on board would disable it, nor would any zombie after turn six even attempt to board.  But there is room to tell two more heroic tales.  

Yevgeny the conductor had stood in the front of the train, making sure the path was clear.  He was constantly distracted by the gunfire, so it was no surprise that was beset by a zombie.  The conductor must have learned something from his previous time with the rogue Soviet agent, as he quickly dispatched the creature.... only to see zombies walking alongside the tracks.  He pushed another zombie onto the tracks, slowly crushed by the wheels of the locomotive, before Yevgeny climbed into the locomotive cab and helped the engineer push the last zombie off the train.

Yevgeny in his the midst of his moment of heroism.  Aleksandov and Avrum stand in disbelief.  

At the back end of the train, Yitzhcak had found himself embroiled in a desperate wrestling match with a zombie, with three or four more coming at him.  Even Menachem's shots from atop the rail car were not helping. In fact, they were drawing more zombies towards them.  

At the last moment, he finally managed to push the zombie away, giving him just enough time to grab the railing of the last car... 

Alexander Mikoyan lay in the gondola car, clutching a wound.  

"You know, you could have come to help us?"  

"And scare your human allies?  Not likely at all Sasha..."

Mikoyan confers with his friend, Adric the Rusalki

Hiding in the corner, across from him, was a fishman, in a thick fur coat, reading an ancient tome while, trapsing its clawed fingers over the newly obtained statue.  

"I don't think your little incursion of Mertvyaki is associated with this little relic.  I am a bit perplexed though.  All signs point that this wasn't made by my people."

I think three simple zombie games let me realize that Fistful of Lead is certainly adequate for it, as well as help me determine how we're using the rules for some of our skirmish level gnome games.  It's refreshing to actually get a chance to use my Soviet-era figures (even if Mikoyan's figure is the lead character from Sisu), the Russian Deep One, and the Armed Jews from Battle Valor.