(Kickstarter) Here Come the Rumpulans! 32mm Retro Style Sci-Fi Amazons

 In a world full of STL options, I feel I need to support any cool metal mini Kickstarter I can find. 

With Here Come the Rumpulans, here's a chance to get some cheesy 60's Space Amazons.  

We're looking at roughly seven bucks a figure for a single unit, but the flat rate shipping can drop the cost when pledging for multiple sets.  I particularly like the space imps that are available, the greys, and the Rumpulan Jet Scooters.  

Dire Gummy Bear by Reaper

 April Fools' passed without much incident, the continuing joke that the other 364 days of the year are unbelievable enough in recent years overshadowing the usual attempts at humor.  

Then I realized Reaper ran their April Fools' post with a real product.  

The Dire Gummy Bear is real... and full of warnings not to eat the damn thing.

RPR- 30227 - Dire Gummy Bear

I do want to know how big this guy is, at $8.99, but with some Reaper tinted gloss paint, or a contrasting company's, I'm hoping the translucent bear can fill in a squad of ogres in a Christmas, Oz, or Candyland themed game.

DO NOT EAT!

Mike Griffith - May 21, 1965 - February 26, 2025

 This weekend was going to be one a big trip back down to the Lehigh Valley for Mepacon 48 in Allentown.  New con site, tons of games, lots of faces old and new.  Unfortunately, with one child with a block of AAU basketball, and the other in the school musical, I drove nowhere in that direction.  

As I ate breakfast, I got a text from my friend Gerry.  He's one of the old guard of gaming in Allentown in the late 80's.  Nowadays, we only meet the the con, peruse the auction, gripe about bids and buyouts, and wax nostalgic about the good old days.  I figured he was texting to see if I was making it, and if not, if there was anything to snipe at during the auction. 

Alas, that was not the case.  

When the obituary for Mike Griffith appeared in late February, it mentions his career as a professor of communications, it dives into his love of writing poetry, and his collection of radio serials.  Outside of a love of playing board with his long-time partner, Sharon, there's no other mention of gaming at all.  For some of us, he was one of the most well-known gamers in the region throughout the 90's.

Mike had worked as an assistant manager at Imagination Workshop in Phillipsburg, NJ in the early 90s, moving over to New Frontiers in Phillipsburg Malls, and ultimately ran his own store, Griffon Games, in Wind Gap, Pennsylvania from 1997-2000.  I happened to be along for the ride with him at the latter two stints.

While he knew his products and ordering, it was organizing conventions where he was best known.  He was a member of the Lehigh Valley Gamers Association (LVGA), but original hosts of Lehicons, in the early 90s, but when they disintegrated, he eventually took over.  

His Bogglecon one-day conventions, usually held at the Wind Gap American Legion, were perfect one-day conventions for just over 100 people.   There was a nice blend of RPGs, board games, and usually a nice Battletech table or three.  He tried to institute conventions that hosted CCGs at the same time (CardCon), and a few other ideas, but the twice a year traditional con was always a winner.  

Many folks tried to duplicate the impact of Bogglecon on their own scale.  Many were forced to admit it wasn't as easy as it looked, most lost money, one turned a profit, and one I assisted with broke exactly even.

With the success of the one-days and his network of friends and volunteers, he was able to host three or four 3-day Lehicons in the mid to later 90's.   

When Mike own Griffon Games, he began having significant health issues, leaving me to the run the store.  The health issues were one of the reasons the store ultimately closed, and with the store, the ability to run cons was nearly impossible.  

Luckily a group of friends loved the Bogglecons so much they took up the mantle of running a one day show of their own, the Mid-Eastern Pennsylvania Gaming Convention, hence Mepacon was born. 

After trying to reconcile the closing of the store, I fell out of touch with Mike and he moved to New Jersey, and outside of the most random notes on Facebook, we hadn't communicated.

After talking with Gerry, it appears his health woes worsened over the years, but he was still doing the things he loved up until the end. 

Mike making an appearance at Mepcon 25, Clarks Summit, circa 2013.  Standing next to Ed Lehman, the man who took over the mantle and led to the establishment of Mepacon.

Mike was an avid gamer, a great gamemaster, a fun GM for new players, and was the reason the there was a tight knit gaming community in the Lehigh Valley during the 90's.  Most importantly he was a friend I will remember fondly and miss dearly. 

Mepacon 49 is this November 14-16, 2025.

Mepacon 50 is next April 17-19, 2026.  

It's less than 24 hours since I received the belated news, but I'm already scheming for ways to celebrate Mike at the cons...

Tariffs and Steve Jackson Games.

While we often use games in all forms to escape from reality, reality has encroached on gaming this past week.  

The original and reciprocal tariffs put in place to punish alleged unfair and uncooperative practices, impact the gaming industry, particularly the board game segment, which has exploded over the last twenty years thanks to inexpensive manufacturing in China.  

So much so the I found this message from Meredith Placko, CEO of Steve Jackson Games: 

An Important Message From Our CEO  Meredith Placko On April 5th, a 54% tariff goes into effect on a wide range of goods imported from China. For those of us who create boardgames, this is not just a policy change. It's a seismic shift. At Steve Jackson Games, we are actively assessing what this means for our products, our pricing, and our future plans. We do know that we can't absorb this kind of cost increase without raising prices. We've done our best over the past few years to shield players and retailers from the full brunt of rising freight costs and other increases, but this new tax changes the equation entirely. Here are the numbers: A product we might have manufactured in China for $3.00 last year could now cost $4.62 before we even ship it across the ocean. Add freight, warehousing, fulfillment, and distribution margins, and that once-$25 game quickly becomes a $40 product. That's not a luxury upcharge; it's survival math. Some people ask, "Why not manufacture in the U.S.?" I wish we could. But the infrastructure to support full-scale boardgame production – specialty dice making, die-cutting, custom plastic and wood components – doesn't meaningfully exist here yet. I've gotten quotes. I've talked to factories. Even when the willingness is there, the equipment, labor, and timelines simply aren't. We aren't the only company facing this challenge. The entire board game industry is having very difficult conversations right now. For some, this might mean simplifying products or delaying launches. For others, it might mean walking away from titles that are no longer economically viable. And, for what I fear will be too many, it means closing down entirely. Tariffs, when part of a long-term strategy to bolster domestic manufacturing, can be an effective tool. But that only works when there's a plan to build up the industries needed to take over production. There is no national plan in place to support manufacturing for the types of products we make. This isn't about steel and semiconductors. This is about paper goods, chipboard, wood tokens, plastic trays, and color-matched ink. These new tariffs are imposing huge costs without providing alternatives, and it's going to cost American consumers more at every level of the supply chain. We want to be transparent with our community. This is real: Prices are going up. We're still determining how much and where. If you're frustrated, you're not alone. We are too. And if you want to help, write to your elected officials. You can find your representative and senators' contact information at house.gov and senate.gov. Ask them how these new policies help American creators and small businesses. Because right now, it feels like they don't. We'll keep making games. But we'll be honest when the road gets harder, because we know you care about where your games come from – and about the people who make them. View email in browser Steve Jackson Games · 3735 Promontory Point Dr · Austin, TX 78744-1109 · USA  update your preferences or unsubscribe

It's going to be a not-fun ride as game manufacture adapt and probably scale back operations, while fighting inevitable rising prices.

(Painting) OG Mousling War Party by Reaper

 We're kickin' it old school for this week, and it only took a year and a half to finish these beloved figures. 

August 2023, I was picking up Magic commons for a Pauper League, when the daily searches scored some of the original Reapers, on what I believe are second generation cards.

Without further ado, most of the Mousling War Party.  

There's five in the eBay picture, and I'm not sure where that one disappeared to.  

My original Mouslings were from the first generation baggie/red placard line when I worked at New Frontiers in Philipsburg.  The Vermnites still show up on eBay, but are overpriced.  

My original Mousling Wizard, now long gone, has the distinction of being mounted on one of the figureless Reaper Scrye counters.  Same red robe this time, but slightly better job compared to 1995.

The original blister

Next:  Sci-Fi, Gnomes, Cultists, and Ducks

Project 350: Turning the previous trend, we're at 473 posts in the pipeline (297 drafts/176 scheduled posts) from 475 (301/174) .  I'm behind two Gamma World Actual Plays, one game AAR, and with no easy projects to lower the number for some time. If I get those caught one, there's a group of post around Easter.  

(Kickstarter) SagaBorn Dice: An Icosahedron D100

I love gimmicky dice, even if most Kickstarters are complete overkill.  SagaBorn Dice: An Icosahedron D100, now on Kickstarter, takes an old school staple and turns it up a few notches for a useful novelty.

What the heck is an Icosahedron D100?    In the somewhat early days of D&D, there was a d20, but it was numbered 0-9 twice.  The basic zero was considered a ten, but on the second group, there was a plus sign on them, denoting the die roll plus ten (0+ was twenty).

Thankfully, we got a properly numbered d20, but this campaign expands on utility and novelty.    

One these dice, one d20 is simply number 0-9 twice.  the second d20 is double number 00-90 for the tens place.  Price for these dice aren't any crazier than some I've seen, and for the games I play, the utility is certainly there. 

Donald Trump - Megalomaniacal Presidential Nilbog

It's not often that there's a gift that keeps on giving, but I should written this up in November....

Now, for the third time, I'm revisiting the current President, upgrading his stats using Risus: The Anything RPG.   He would have told you he had Boss-Level energy a decade ago.  Nowadays, it's a given.



 

Donald J Trump

Megalomaniacal Nilbog (see below)  (6)

Narcissistic Windbag Politician (5)

Pompous Reality TV Entrepreneur (2)

Cartographic Pioneer (2)

Mexican Structural Engineer (1) 

 

Equipment:  Cheap Blue Suit, Red Trucker Cap (Made in China), Hairpiece of Shift Blame, Always escorted by 1d8 Trump-lings, Golf Cart, Occasional South African Techo Chaos Imp.

 

Just in case you don't know what a nilbog is, here you go.  Everything makes sense if he's a nilbog.

Does a political nilbog need to be ended with an overabundance of silent kindness?  

And if you need a miniature for him, I've had him made appearances as "The Mayor" in my "Egypt" game with the girls for years.

The Don from Brigade Games

(Gamma World) This is Not a Test #70 - The Murder Hole

Our heroes, the De Facto Explorers,  are spending the winter scouting around KIA Academy.  They continue to encounter and at this time, befriend the blue-skinned Kirothians, and have offered to rescue some kidnapped villagers from a "wizard" and his "demons" 

================= 

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.  Very interested in a "Children's Alchemical Laser" he recently acquired.

Slitheran Wurmtail (aka Squiggles): a mutated earthworm scout, in impromptu power armor, looking for trouble, and finding it often.  Previously "gave birth" to a litter of sentient earthworm babies, but recently 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 and has been awarded... a peacock he has named Chambray.  He's recently been struck by a weapon by a strange race of people and transformed into... something else... multiple times.

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

The gigantic demonic-looking beast ascended from the pit in the center of the cavern, flaming sword in hand....   Sonny, trapped in his invisible box, could see it rising up.  His compatriots back in the side passage could barely see a odd glow through the blue Kirothians staked around the top of the pit.  Until they heard the roar, they just knew SOMETHING was coming. 

"Big Ugly"

Pete noted the terrifying roar, and focused three individuals atop a cliff, pulling out his blaster.  He wounded one of the individuals was disheartened that the person grew....  The others followed firing at those odd humanoid shaped creatures, only to injure them and forcing them to grow...Their weapons, which had vaporized a lesser demons only a short time ago, was far less effective against these individuals.

The Demon entity finally emerged from the pit, knocked some of the captured Kirothians down into the pit, and used the newly empty space to land.  

Hollis, the Kirothian youth wielding the Children's Alchemical Laser, lowered the device and the fired his only shot at the Demon.  The shot went far left and slammed into the cliff face.  Suddenly the underground cliff face became alive with lush, green vegetation.  

Hollis the Kirothian

Sonny had played around with the invisible force around him.  The sunflower carefully pressed against it with his dagger, sending visible ripples across the surface but not penetrating or breaking.    Watching his friends engage the demon and his cronies, with pending doom, Sonny panicked, digging deep and letting rip his Death Blossom.

Sonny was shocked by the power of all his seeds exploding, especially since it seemed like far more seeds than normal.  He felt like the closest the plant could feel nausea, The force of the blast seemed to eradicate the box, and most of the surrounding area in a massive explosion.  

Many of the trapped Kirothians were killed and  some of the odd humanoids.  Chubby little Hollis took a lethal hit, killing him and damaging the alchemical laster.  

When the seed cloud dissipated Lathar stared down the 30-foot demon... and ran back down the tunnel.

Squiggles was confused, watching the barbarian turn tail, "Where is he going???"

The demon unleashed a fiery torrent upon the party, setting Pete on fire. 

Squiggles tried to lay down covering fire and put out the flaming weasel.   Neither was initially successful.  Lathar recovered his senses, but turned to see Squiggles running backwards, and the weasal on fire, trying to put himself by rolling on the ground.  Sonny was nowhere to be seen.     He layed down a barrage of blaster fire, most of the distant shots hitting the demon, but not doing any apparent damage to it. 

"It's over man,  it's over!"

The last thing the guys saw before turning tale was the demon devouring the crispy body of Hollis, and extending his sword down the passageway to no avail.   Finally putting Pete out, they climbed out of the side shaft and wandered back through the snow towards the Kirothian's village.  

Sonny's fate was unknown.

GM Notes:  This encounter, and the fleeing Kirothians below the bridge are part of a series Savage World Rifts "One Sheets" under "A Fine Solution."    All special effects were Gamma World mutations out of the 4th Edition rulebook.   What would be "spells" in other games were actually draining mental mutations which no one in the party realized were slowly crumbling.  The powerful mutant actually passed out, their underlings recovering their body and retreating, leaving "Big Ugly" and the cronies to clean up the mess.  A proper sacrifice would need to be set up during the next full moon.  

All mental mutations seemed to increased exponentially, hence Sonny's "Death Blossom" change from going nova to triple super-nova.  

Next: #71 - The Fate of Sonny Helianthus

Hipster Wookies are Dead, Long Live the Clean Shaven Wookie!