Didn’t even know it was nearby. A collegue pointed out an ad in the base newspaper that advertised the event. The RockyMountainNavy Boys were most interested, so we traveled down for a look.
This past weekend a seemingly random tweet appeared in my feed. It showed several gentlemen playing Flames of War at The Games Tavern in Chantilly, VA. Chantilly is just around the corner from my house but I had never heard of it! So I just had to check it out.
The Games Tavern (thegamestavern.com) is run by Warrior_Streak (@reiddenton on Twitter) and is adjacent to Covert Intervention Games. The Games Tavern is a new shop that looks like it specializes in Gale Force 9 and Battlefront products. There is a large bright open gaming area (large tables) and a small stock area. The products are mostly Flames of War and Team Yankee. I was a bit surprised not to see Tanks there. They do stock the GF9 Firefly games. As a matter of fact, Reid brought out the store copy of Firefly: The Game and made the sale! They also have many miniatures painting and building supplies. At least one of the staff is a transfer from the now-closed Piper Hobby so there is some modeling expertise available. We took at quick look at what their distributor can get in the way of plastic models (a high interest item for the RockyMountainNavy Boys).
Good to see a new FLGS in the area. Looking forward to doing business (and gaming) with Reid and The Games Tavern gang!
First off, understand that I am a tabletop gamer. To me this includes RPGs, wargames, and family boardgames. So in a given week I play more than just RPGs.
My game week starts on Monday. This is a day where I select the games for the week and start any relevant research.
Tuesday is either #TechTuesday or #ThreatTuesday for my blog. Here I look to find interesting technology for my science-fi games or explore the "threats" in wargames.
Wednesday is #WargameWednesday. This is my day for usually a solo wargame from my grognard collection.
Thursday is #RPGThursday. This is the true prep evening for the upcoming weekend.
The Cepheus Engine Vehicle Design System is Cepheus Engine RPG successor to The Vehicle Handbook for MgT1E. I have had the CEVDS for a while now and decided to try to recreate something close to a Slammer’s hover tank.
TL-12 Heavy Plasma Hover Tank
Using a closed 5-ton chassis (3 Hull, 3 Structure), Armor 25, the Heavy Plasma Hover Tank is a main battle tank. It has the Hostile Environmental Protections System. It carries a Fusion power plant, Code K, and a hover propulsion system, Code K, giving it a top speed of 150kph, a cruising speed of 112 kph, and an Agility DM of +1. Three kiloliters of hydrogen support the power plant for 1 week of use. This vehicle is equipped with the Advanced Vehicle Control System, Class II Laser Comms (LOS or 50 km), Basic Military Sensors (-2), and a Model 2 computer. There is a Basic Cockpit for the Driver and a Standard Seat for the Gunner/Tank Commander. The vehicle has one weapon points. A large, heavy turret carries a TL-12 Rapid Fire Plasma Gun. Cargo capacity is 7 spaces. The chassis is armored with Superdense (x5). It also mounts an Explosive Belt. The vehicle costs 690.12 KCr and takes 1,125 hours or 47 days to build.
Category
Component
Spaces
Price (Cr)
Notes
Chassis
Base
60
7800
Code 9
Configuration
Closed
Armor
-15
7800
Superdense (Armor x5)
Reinforced Hull
11200
Hull +2
Reinforced Structure
Structure +2
Power Plant
Fusion
-3
4500
Code K
Propulsion
Air Cushion
-4.5
112500
Code K
Fuel
Hydrogen
-3
120
Fuel Capacity = 1 Week
Controls
Advanced
-2
10000
Agility +1
Communications
Class II Laser
-0.04
3000
Laser LOS/Very Distant (50 km)
Sensors
Basic Military
-12
20000
Comms DM 0, Very Distant (50 km)
Computer
Model 2
1000
Options
500
Hardened
Accommodations
Basic Cockpit
-2
1000
Driver
Standard Seat
-2
1000
Gunner/Commander
Armaments
Turret (Large Heavy)
-3
93000
Rapid Pulse Plasma Cannon – TL-12
-3
90000
ROF 1/6, 12d6 Dmg
Explosive Belt
15000
Cargo
-7.1
TOTALS
0
690120
Total time to create this design was about 30 minutes. This is still a lot more time that a GM wants to take to create a vehicle at the table, but fine for a prep session. The design is not a Slammer’s blower tank – it doesn’t have a powergun nor the armor to match. But it was a good exercise of the CEVDS and an encouraging start to designing vehicles for Cepheus Engine RPG adventuring.
After getting Jim Day’s MBT for Christmas 2016, I wrote that I wanted to get the new version of Panzer. It arrived this week. I remember opening my first Panzerbox at Christmas in 1979. I eventually got the entire Yaquinto First Edition series all of which I still own.
Now in 2017 I am opening the new box, but this time I sat on the floor with Little RMN. He is into Tanks: Panther vs Sherman as I recently showed. When we got to the scenario book, he asked about recreating the same battles in Tanks. This is a good sign that he wants to play more. It also tells me that it is probably time to teach him Panzertoo!
Little I got Tanks: Panther vs Sherman (Gale Force 9) for Christmas. For his birthday, Brother T got him the Tiger I expansion. In a wonderful show of brotherly love, T not only gave him the model, but then built it and painted it up!
Little I is very excited as his collection is getting much more personalized. T also has shown a natural ability to paint miniatures. I have several old Mongoose Publishing Starship Troopers Miniatures Gamesets that I know I won’t get around too…maybe it’s time to turn them over to T and see what he can do!
I have been a grognard wargamer longer than I have played roleplaying games or family boardgames. However, in recent years I have fallen off in buying new wargames, partially because of the prices (generally expensive) and partially because I have spent more time and money on RPGs and family boardgames. With the rise of the online publishing industry, RPG games and supplements are way more affordable, and my family boardgames included game series like Star Wars X-Wing, Star Wars Imperial Assault, Memoir ’44, and more recently Tanks: Panther vs Sherman. These “light wargames” favor playability over complexity/realism, and in the case of X-Wing or Tanks are more akin to manual video games. These games sorta scratched my wargaming itch, mostly because I used them to introduce the RMN Boys to the hobby.
But although I was scratching the itch, I was not making it go away.
So in 2016 I made a concerted effort to return to true grognard wargaming. Looking back, my modest effort appears to have paid off.
Breaking the Chains: War in the South China Sea(Compass Games) [Naval Combat/Modern-era/Operational-level]. My effort to explore modern naval combat. Moderately successful; the game is a bit too simplified for my taste. Looking forward to the next (upgraded?) version the refines the combat system.
Plan Orange: Pacific War 1930-1935 (RBM Studio) [Strategic Pre-WWII-era]. Aligns with my interest in alternative naval war in the Pacific. Great use of the card-driven game (CDG) mechanic.
Wing Leader: Supremacy 1943-1945 (GMT Games) [Aerial Combat/WWII-era/Large-scale Tactical-level]. A different, and very interesting, look at air combat. A nice mix of tactical and operational-levels of aerial combat.
Breaking it down, of the seven wargames purchased this year:
Plurality are Naval Combat (3 of 7)
Majority are Operational-level (if one counts the large-scale tactical of Wing Leader as “operational” (4 of 7)
Plurality are are WWII-era (3 of 7)
Interestingly, I bought no space/science-fiction games this year. That is, unless one counts my pledged
I have to say though that my biggest wargaming achievement of 2016 was introducing Little I to miniature-style naval combat using my old copy of Battleship Captain (Minden Games, 2007). This is the game that really started Little I on the path to grognardia. He had played, and enjoyed, Memoir’44 but with Battleship Captain he started seriously studying the history behind the game. This Christmas season, his attention has been seized by the Gale Force 9 Tanks game and he is seriously studying WWII armored combat now.
Here’s to hoping 2017 is a year of many more wargame experiences.
All images courtesy BoardGameGeek except where noted.
Pacific Fury: Guadalcanal, 1942by Revolution Games. Originally published in Japanese and now translated into English. Emphasizes planning by using a very different system of assigning units to Task Forces and then resolving combat in sequence. Suffers from some production issues (very DTP-publishing feel) but nonetheless an interesting exploration of naval combat in and around Iron Bottom Sound.
The Space Patrol(by Richard Hazelwood, published by Stellagama Publishing). A 2D6 OGL Sci-Fi/Cepheus Engine RPG book for playing Space Patrol characters. Includes a very detailed discussion of legal terms and interstellar law. An interesting look at yet another career option. I try to support the Cepheus Engine system as much as possible since I disapprove of the direction Mongoose Publishing has taken the Traveller RPG rules.
Ships of the Clement Sector 16: Rucker Class Merchant from Gypsy Knights Games. Another in a great line of outstanding ship sourcebooks. Includes multiple variants highlighting the “odd job” characteristics of the ship. Topped off by evocative fiction this book will be very useful in the Clement Sector setting or any 2D6 Sci-Fi/Cepheus Engine setting.
We wouldn’t be the RockyMountainNavy family without the kids getting games for Christmas too:
RMN A got Command & Colors: Ancients (GMT Games). This is technically A’s first wargame that he “owns.” He is studying history and very interested in the period. Looking forward to facing off across the battlefield from him (but first he needs to put all those stickers on)!
RMN Little I got Tanks: Panther vs Sherman (Gale Force 9). This starter-set game plays to two of his interests; WW2 armor and models. The price entry point is very low ($19.99) but he will surely be spending a good deal of his earnings over the next year on the expansions (i.e. models). He already has several 1/100th scale Zvezda armor – look for him to make his own stat cards soon!
RMN Little I also got Memoir ’44: Breakthrough (Days of Wonder). Just remember, the battle always takes place at the junction of two maps! Between Memoir ’44 and C&Clooks like the younger gamers are fully-involved in Richard Borg war games.