Eschaton, Cult Strategy Deck Building Game, Game Review

The time of the Dark One's rising is getting closer. As Armageddon looms, the factions are striving to gain the glory of being the true followers. Building the cult by gaining worldly and other worldly followers. Looking for artifacts. Battling other cults. Preparing for the day of reckoning where one cult will be raised above the others to be the chosen of the Dark One.

Eschaton is a deck building game, from Archon Games, pitting the players against each other in a dark fantasy world. Each player starts with a deck of seven cards and play a hand of five cards. Unlike some deck building games Eschaton does not rely on building connections between the cards. Instead, there are four attributes that different cult members represent. The hand is built, the scores for each attribute being played out in order.

Zeal allows the player to add more cards to their hand. No one starts with zeal. And certain cultist inspires more zeal in followers bring them out, in turn, making a player's hand bigger and adding to the scores of the attributes, if more zeal is added in the draw, then more cards are added.

Divination allows draws on the Arcana deck. This additional deck includes artifacts and other worldly followers that can be added to your deck. These build on your attributes, count for victory points, and affect play in other ways. In our game, my friend was able to add a card that every time it came into his hand he was able to curse another player, giving them a penalty.

Me taking some notes at the start of the game

Influence brings in more followers to your cult. The greater your influence the stronger the followers you can attract. This allows you to gain greater ability scores from a single card.

Aggression brings in the game board. The cults share the known world and it is through a player's aggression score that they are able to manipulate events on the board by adding and moving their own forces, or removing another person's markers from play.

Since the cards are score keeping your abilities, we found there is no reason to hide your cards when it becomes your turn. We started drawing the five and turning them over. This allowed for some quicker play because you weren't needing to look at the combinations that could be created. This was a great advantage also for learning the game.

A player can also shrink their deck. Along with building your deck you can sacrifice cultist and remove them from your deck. This is an interesting strategy that allows players to manipulate their deck to bring the stronger cultists into play more often by sacrificing the weaker ones needed earlier in the game. You don't have to sacrifice them and doing so doesn't count for or against any final scoring. It is a strategy move a player has to decide on doing to manage their deck.

The final deck used, the Event Deck, is the time keeper for the game. This is a semi-random deck that is built with Event and Omen cards. At the start of each round a card is turned over. Event cards effect play for that round. These can be random twists causing adjustments in strategy to cope with the event. Omen cards are longer term strategy changes that earns favor with the Dark One, victory points. Those stay in play until the next omen card, or Armageddon. Near the bottom of the deck, the Armageddon card announces the return of the Dark One, at the end of the round points are tallied and main cult is raised to glory while the rest are cast down.

Our game in progress

Two of us were able to sit down with one of the developers, Adam, to play Eschaton at Salt Lake Gaming Con this year (2017). The game was quick to learn and we were quickly into the full swing in the first round. Our event deck hit Armageddon on the seventh round, with two Omens going into play earlier. Our Seven round game went a few minutes over one hour. Our final scores were within seven points from high to low. And my friend came out on top of the developer.

Strategies

In our initial game three different strategies were being used. I was building world forces (aggression), my friend was building on divination, and the developer started out with zeal. As the game progressed I could tell there are other strategies that could be used. Strategies would also work differently with the number of players.

We had three players and there was limited contact on the game board. Eschaton is designed for up to 6 players, and the more there are the great the contact, and therefore, the aggression level. Strategy must take into consideration the number of people in the game.

Replay-ability

The variation in the artifacts deck and the event deck means that every game is going to have something different players have to deal with. Competition for the scoring from the Omen Cards will increase with more players. Personal decks will vary as different cards are added to reflect different strategies.

By changing the size of the Event Deck the length of the game can be varied, which will also impact strategy choices. We played 7 rounds, and the game definitely would have played out differently if we played with a deck that allowed for twice that number of turns.

Artwork

Some of the cards

The majority of art is done to match the theme of evil cultists. Most everything is done in black and white. However, the stronger cultists are done with more color, making it easier for them to be identified and advancing the feel of the theme presented. The art on the cards provides eye appeal during game play.

Overall

Eschaton is a good strategy game. It provides replay-ability and variations to the strategies used and how those strategies develop.

The setup and cleanup of Eschatonwas easy. The only constructed decks are the Event Deck and player decks. Cultist and markers are set out and the Divination Deck is shuffled.

The game is designed for ages 14+. I am sure this is because of the theme of the game. The rules were easy to learn and because you can play with an open hand on your turn, younger players can be helped without worry of over influencing their choices.

Eschaton is designed and produced by Archon Games (Web Page) (Facebook page)for 2–6 players, ages 14+. A game is designed to last 1–3 hours (and this is in controlled by how big you make the Event Deck).

Armageddon has arrived. Each cult bares themselves to the Dark One to see which one will be raised up. Fire blazes out consuming those judged unworthy while you and your fellow followers look on.

If you have a comment, suggestion, or critique please leave a comment here or send an email to guildmastergaming@gmail.com.

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Heroes of Darkwell, Game Review

Monsters are threatening the town of Darkwell. They are moving closer and it is up to someone from Darkwell to protect the people from the creatures that are attacking. There are no adventuring heroes, so it is up to some of the town folk to take up arms and battle the monsters before the town is overrun. And, if you succeed you will be known as the Heroes of Darkwell

Heroes of Darkwellis a fantasy themes cooperative board game. Two to four players must work together, battling the advancing monsters before the town is overrun, or the boss monster makes it into town.

Each player takes on the role of a character. The characters are all peasants of the town of Darkwell who accept the challenge of defenders. Battling the monsters earns the character experience and gold. Experience allows the player to advance their character into a hero (a choice between two options) and to improve their skills by buying cards to build a deck. Gold can be used by the individual, or more appropriately, used by the group to buy the equipment that best suits the each character.

There are several decks used to advance the game.

Individual player decks are built by defeating monsters, which earns treasure and experience. There are also side effects that can occur which make situations harder. Each player builds a deck of from the skills they buy, by spending the experience they earn, and side effects they are enduring.

Equipment, which is purchased with the gold collected as treasure, goes into play. Equipment and gold can be passed around (in our game it was mentioned that some groups combine their gold and we did that, which made it a lot easier to track) so it is on the right player, or, for ready use to remove those problems, like poison or fear. Since each player is building their own deck, consideration needs to be given on which player should be purchasing the skills to get the card into the right deck. Also, strategy needs to be developed to allow the person to be able to defeat monsters so everyone is earning experience to buy the skill and advance to hero. In our game we had to set a monster up so our cleric would be able to defeat it and earn the experience to become a hero.

Our game in progress

A monster deck times the game. The monster deck is built so as the game progresses the monsters become stronger. Somewhere near the end of the deck is the monster boss. The monsters win if three lower level monsters or the boss inhabit the town. The players win if the boss is defeated. The boss requires cooperation between the players to be able to defeat it.

The strategy through the game is to build the characters in a manner where they all are equivalent to each other. The more heroes fighting the boss gives you a better chance of defeating it. It is about preparing for that last major encounter.

I can see where there could be some added variation to the game by mixing up the monster deck or making it shorter, giving some harder challenges at different times which would require the players to change up their strategy.

We were able to play Heroes of Darkwell at the Salt Lake Gaming Convention this year (2017). We had three players and the game took about an hour and forty-five minutes. Heroes of Darkwell was easy to learn and the only questions we had after the first turn was some minor clarifications on some of the cards.

Me on the left and Rob "the photographer" on the right

The time frame is 60-120 minutes, roughly a half an hour for each player in the game. Our first game was close to this scale.

The designer wanted to create a board game with the flavor of early role-playing games. The artwork reflects that desire and is fun.

Heroes of Darkwellis designed for ages 12+ and I think that younger players would be able to be involved because of the cooperative nature of the game.

Heroes of Darkwellis from Exalder Games (Facebook Link) and is schedule for a Kickstarter for mid to late October 2017.

The monsters have been defeated and the citizens of Darkwell are cheering their new heroes.

If you have a comment, suggestion, or critique please leave a comment here or send an email to guildmastergaming@gmail.com.

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Wargaming the Barbarian Kingdom Period (6th century AD) - Part 1, Ostrogoths

The story of the Ostrogoths is a very interesting one, including their origin, and how they became to be considered a single people, but from a military/wargaming perspective, their war against the Romans (especially the Eastern Romans, or the Byzantines, as their identity was coalescing following the fall of Western Rome) in and around Italy is the most interesting, and where we find some potential scenarios and campaigns for good games.

The eastern Goths had come into Italy in the previous century, and held (as the result of a number of successful sieges and sacks) many of the key cities of the peninsula.  In a period of almost 20 years, under Justinian, the Byzantines waged the "Gothic War" in order to restore these areas back to Roman (Byzantine) rule.  This lasted from 535 to 554 AD.  Some Gothic strongholds in Northern Italy would hold out for another 8 years, not falling until 562.

The earlier period is the successful sweep of the Byzantines up the peninsula, crossing from Africa, and securing a number of strong strategic points up the Italian peninsula.

Early Phase of the Gothic War

Battles of this period feature an early Ostrogothic army, against a Justinian Byzantine army.  The fighting is suitable for somewhat larger battles, and also (due to the rough country and terrain of Italy) for smaller raids and skirmishes, that no doubt took place between Byzantine forces, and smaller Gothic strongholds and military units.  Eventually the Gothic stronghold at Ravenna would be conquered by the Byzantines in 539/540.

This leads to the second phase of the Gothic War (540-554 or event 562) where a revived Gothic push back against the Byzantines takes place under the Gothic leader of Totila.

Totila, painted by Salviati in 1549

During the push back phase of the Ostrogoths reclaiming the initiative from the Byzantines, the great Byzantine general Narses would suffer because he also was dealing with encroachments from the Franks and the Alamanni.  In 554 AD, Narses was succesful against the Goths, at the battle of Vesuvius (also known as the Battle of Mons Lactarius), by defeating the army of Totila, and also killing the king.  The Goths, after this, retreated north into Austria.

In the end, however, Byzantines were successful against the Goths in Italy, but it was a fleeting victory.  First, it kept the strength of the Byzantines from dealing with problems in the north and the east.  Second, once the Goths were subjugated, the area was swept over again, by another German group, the Lombards, who would prove to be a lot harder to dislodge (that task being left to the Carolingians).

Battle of Mons Lactarius in 554AD, painted by Adolf Zick (~1900AD)

The representation of the Ostrogoths in miniature wargaming is pretty interesting, even if the army only has a few distinctive troop types.  The DBA rules give a pretty good indication of what we can surmise from history (and how rules writers interpret that history into wargaming terms).  DBA (original) has Army number 86 (Italian Ostrogothic 493-554AD) with 6x elements of Knights, 4x elements of Psiloi, or skirmish infantry, and finally 2x elements which could be either formed as 2x more Psiloi elements, or 2x spear elements.  

Before looking at how they are represented in other rules, it is worth considering the basics presented by the DBA list.  First, is the cavalry. In a gothic army, that is the Ostrogoths that settled in Italy, or the Visigoths that settled in Spain, and the various places these two broad groups came from (stretching all the way back to Northern Eurooe, in what is modern day Sweden), the army was mainly focused on the Warriors being mounted, and fighting in a close order, for shock value.  The other members of the population, as well as absorbed and allied peoples, would generally fight on foot.  Mainly these were loose order skirmishes, designated to a role supporting the mounted warriors. But in the case of some absorbed peoples (like the remnants of local Romanized infantry, which would fight in a dense shielded formation, with sword and spear) the foot troops might actually fight in a formed up formation, not entirely unsuited for a place in the battle line.  Still, however, the main branch is the mounted warriors.

 This is very much the same as what we find in the original 1982 WRG Army List Book Two entry.  There, the army gets a mandatory 44-72 Gothic Cavalry (start at Heavy Cavalry, but some portion can be upgraded to Extra Heavy Cavalry, all with javelin/light spear and shield).  Add to those figures, up to 90 additional Gothic Cavalry (which start at Medium Cavalry, but can up upgraded to Heavy Cavalry, and can be upgraded to match the morale grade of the earlier lot, Irregular B).  This makes for a very strong cavalry section (as you would expect, given the history of the army at battles like Taginae and Mons Lactarius, where the Ostrogoths fought against Byzantines and Germans that countered them with a reinforced infantry center), but without infantry it will have problems against a mixed foe who can reinforce a central battleline of heavy infantry.  The only real infantry presence the Goths have is that of the Gothic Archery (presented in the WRG list as up to 100 Light Infantry, which can remain as Irregular D or be upgraded to Irregular C).

This is a very interesting army, for a wargamer, because of it's strange mix of troop types.  The heavy cavalry is very good, and may be a precursor for later armies in the post-dark ages period.  But, as it is only supported by light infantry archers, it might be tough against some armies.  Where this will do well (a-historically) is in games the give too much credence to archery, and games that do not provide structural problems to cavalry fighting deep formation infantry without support.  I own (and fight with) an Ostrogoth DBA army, but I have not yet tried it with Might of Arms, or Terry Gore's rules.  It should be (at least) an educational matchup against a sixth century Byzantine army.

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Creating a Dark City, of Orcs

Orcs from Lord of the Rings

Many campaigns touch on the idea of having a non-human city, a dark city, a city in the underdark. Creating these cities are really no different than creating cities game masters (GMs) create along the surface of their worlds. And, they don't have to be fantasy settings.

Dark cities can exist on other worlds, in other dimensions, on the space station orbiting the planet, or the island of pirates. Every one of them will have a reason for starting and flourishing. But, the reasons may be a little more nefarious. The same elements come about in the many of the same ways. The trade goods are probably different and acquired in a different manner, but, if the basic elements of the city aren't there the location wouldn't last.

In a recent conversation several GMs of different levels of experience were discussing some of the differences between a dark city and a regular city. in the conversation it was mentioned that several would like to have a dark city established in their campaign, but didn't want to put the time into its creation.

I've covered some basics about creating a location—how a town starts, then grows. I don't think it would do any good repeating those articles with just twisting it to a darker location, so I plan on approaching this in a different way.

I present to you the city of Hork. I have worked on Hork for over the years and have used it to one degree or another in different campaign.

You can use what I present, but I doubt I will be able to ever present it all, just like the other locations I have done, but I can hopefully give you a feel for the general atmosphere of the city and a number of locations and people (creatures) that live there. I understand time constraints and therefore give you the option of using what is presented as is or interweaving it into your locations.

Background of the city of Hork

Hork is a rough translation of the word home in the orcish language. And, for a number of generations now thousands have called the city their home. Just like in cities created by other creatures, some residents of Hork are born in the city and live out their entire lives there. It is a city of many races, a place where the differences might be more tolerated, in exchange for the "good to the society" they provide.

How the orcs came to live in the city is under some speculation as there are different histories, depending on who you talk to.

Orc history

A number of generations ago the chief of the Black Fang tribe, Kurruck, was given a vision of becoming a great tribe by overpowering the tribal enemies, dwarves. He took his vision to the tribal shaman who spoke to the strength and the truth of the vision from the orc gods, for it was the will of the gods for the orcs to be triumphant. Kurruck shared the vision not only to his own tribe but also to other tribes. Other shamans spoke to the truth of the vision and the leaders of the other tribes made Kurruck the Great War Chief, without a fight between the tribes.

The army of orcs marched on the city of dwarves and the dwarven gods left the short people because of the fear of the orc gods. The outer doors were torn asunder and the orcs marched in slaughtering the short warriors that stood against them while the women and children fled out secret passages.

The city was claimed and the tribes claimed the halls as theirs. Kurrick was made the first Great King of Hork. Guided by the shamans, Kurruck created the ruling council of kings, the leaders of the tribes that fought to capture the halls. Since then the orcs have ruled the area, above and below the surface.

Drawf by babagannoosh99 of deviant art

The Black Fang tribe is still one of the strongest orc tribes in the city, and seldom has it been out of the Great King's throne. And, then, only for a short period of time.

Dwarven history

Several generations ago during the time of transition between two kings in the halls of their ancestors the city was betrayed by an evil priest, legends now call him Pyrite, whose plans were thwarted by the dying king and the son who was to replace him.

Pyrite opened the gates of other planes while his servants worked at opening the gates of the city both to the lower caverns and to the surface, allowing hordes of enemies to swarm in. It was only through the work of the evil priesthood on the inside of the gates that allowed the city to fall. Most of the warriors, and many of the women and children, were killed by the advancing forces along because of the treachery.

Dark Elf history

For many years the high priestess Shebet worked to influence the dreams and demeanor of the weaker minded races around her city.  With her underlings and the wizards she slowly influenced the orcs, the dwarves, and several races in the deep caverns. Her goal was to accomplish put her own home in a state of relative safety. She manipulated specific individuals of the lesser races to believe they were on a holy quest of their gods, when, in fact, she they were doing her biding at the request of her god.

The dark elves watched as the races clashed, and relished the destruction that was created. They only threw in at the last when it appeared the dwarves might be able to secure the lower gates and consolidate their lines of fighting.

The dark elf wizard released their magic to unleash dark creatures into the city, creating more chaos for all the races in the battle. Each of the dark forces in the battle claimed it was from their gods, while the dwarven defenders cursed the traitor Shebet had nurtured.

The dark elves allowed the orcs to claim the city. Hork provides a buffer between the surface world and the dark elves. It is now a place the dark elves feel they can more easily manipulate. The orcs love to trade for the goods and services the elves can provide, even when they don't fully understand the price they are paying.

Who lives in Hork

The city is a mixture of races like most major cities. There are members of what most consider the dark, or monstrous, races. There are also those who come from the fairer races who live in the recesses of the city of Hork. Those who are drawn to the darkness or just hiding from the light.

Welcome to the city of Hork. Make sure you can show your strength because the weak die, or worse.

If you have a comment, suggestion, or critique please leave a comment here or send an email to guildmastergaming@gmail.com.

You can also join Guild Master Gaming on Google+, Facebook, and Twitter (@GuildMstrGmng).

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Witchy Eye by D. J. Butler, Book Review

In his latest book, Witchy Eye, D. J. Butler introduces us to an alternate history of the North American continent in the 1700s. It is hard to describe the book in much detail without giving spoilers (and I don't want to repeat the book jacket), but here are a few things that can be said.

The Alternate History Twist

How would events have progressed differently if magic and religious mysticism existed throughout the recorded history of man?

It is easy to tell that Butler created a rich backstory. Thankfully, he doesn't reveal it all at once to the reader. The bits and pieces are doled out in bits, snippets of information are used to create a foundation the story is built on.

There are parts of history most people are knowledgeable about, which provides the familiar. Then, his historical twist is applied. An example is knowing that Isaac Newton was a great wizard.

The Setting

Witchy Eye takes place in the lands east of the Mississippi River. What we know from our world is presented as the story starts in Nashville, then down to New Orleans, then back up the river. The geography is the same. Everything else, politics, economics, and people are different because of the work that went into creating the events of the world leading up to the current "present."

The Characters

The reader is introduced to the main and secondary characters who become easily identified as the story unfolds. Each has a strong presence and is relatable.

When a character takes over the role as narrator, with the shift in point of view, it was easy to recognize whose eyes I was seeing the events through. The individual histories of the characters influenced what they saw and how they reacted, giving the story another level of depth as the individual's story became part of the greater one.

Every character has their own agenda. Each is traveling their own story arc. They are intertwined without being lost in the general story or the main story of Sarah.

The Plot

Sarah is on a journey of discovery, but this isn't the main theme, but it carries the story well. It is relatable from the beginning as her hopes, along with the hopes of the other characters, progress.

Dave Butler

There are a number of twists that kept me wanting to keep turning pages. I found them well foreshadowed without being blatant. Butler provides great explanations of the religious myths and how they tie into the story he is telling.

The plot built to the confrontation I knew must come. Not everything presented is resolved in that conflict (it is clear this is the first book of a longer story), but don't be dismayed, this book stands on its own. This part ends with the promise of more, not an ending that left me wondering why it ended there.

Summary

Witchy Eye is a wonderful story that is unique and refreshing. From comments made to friends while I was reading, I know several who have already started reading Witchy Eye, or have added it to their reading list.

The lead character is fifteen years old and it is appropriate for young adult readers, however, don't let that fool you. Witchy Eye is a good read for all ages. It might not be as graphic as some novels that are pushing back for the adult audience of readers, but the story is strong and holds its own.

I am ready for the sequel.

Witchy Eye is written by D. J. Butler and published by Baen Books.

Witchy Eye is available on Amazon (link).

If you have a comment, suggestion, or critique please leave a comment here or send an email to guildmastergaming@gmail.com.

You can also join Guild Master Gaming on Google+, Facebook, and Twitter (@GuildMstrGmng).

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A move, a return, a restart, and a resumption

Recently, the staff and adjutants at Gaming with Chuck HQ have undergone a move.  This is a return, in a way, back home.

Five years ago, upon completing my PhD, I went off into the world as a new professor, and after teaching for a few years, and serving as a research professor for a few years, Providence has brought us full circle, and we are now returning back to Newport News.

I will be teaching at a local university, and my daughter will be attending my alma mater, Christopher Newport University.  And, I have fallen back into step with my old wargaming club.  There is also talk of regular game days at GwC HQ, and also (gasp) rumors of regular roleplaying.  Where will all the time come from?  Still it is good to be coming home.

Soldier from the wars returning,

Spoiler of the taken town,

Here is ease that asks not earning;

Turn you in and sit you down.

Peace is come and wars are over,

Welcome you and welcome all,

While the charger crops the clover

And his bridle hangs in stall.

Now no more of winters biting,

Filth in trench from tall to spring,

Summers full of sweat and fighting

For the Kesar or the King.

Rest you, charger, rust you, bridle;

Kings and kesars, keep your pay;

Soldier, sit you down and idle

At the inn of night for aye.

      - A.E. Housman, 1922

I mentioned that I have fallen in with the old wargaming club, Old Dominion Military Society, which is now actively gaming again on a weekly basis.  Our summer convention (Guns of August) is being hosted at the Virginia War Museum.  We have plans underway for the new winter convention (Williamsburg Muster), returning to its regular February timeslot.  The local club is also talking about monthly game days (game nights?) where we rent out or acquire access to a large venue, for some big, serious, miniatures gaming.  Maybe at the Museum?  Maybe at a local community hall?  Still working the details.

Miniature gaming, so far, has been of the Thursday night variety.  Which means, typically, smallish games.  Some ODMS members have hosted great things - (The Rules with No Name, FrostGrave, Wings of Glory, DBA, etc etc), and this week we have some Ancients happening, and next week we have some Napoleonics happening.  All very good.

Boardgaming has been quite fun, and with our new game room (the den, or family room, in our new house is dedicated as a game room, with storage for all our board games, and a nice game table, some chairs, a couch, and a computer desk), we have been playing on a regular basis, as a family, and with some guests.   During the move, the inventory and packing/unpacking experience showed us that we have a lot of games that we really like, but haven't played in a while.  And some that we have never played.  To address those issues, we made a list of "games we have not played lately, but want to" and will be using that to schedule Wednesday night family game night. Several recent games of Fantastiqa have been quite fun, and looking forward to some Terra Mystica and maybe some Archon and/or Tempus.

Roleplaying has been discussed, especially with our return to the old stomping grounds, and so many of the players we love playing with from years ago.  There is talk of "getting the band back together" with some of the our old regulars, in an old fashioned roleplaying game (either fantasy, or maybe sci-fi).  Nothing yet, but details will appear in this fine publication.

Planned upcoming game activities -

Guns of August is going to be in a public place - so it will be a little bit different.  I am treating this as a recruiting and/or community outreach opportunity for both wargaming in general, and for the game club (ODMS).  I will be hosting four (introductory level) wargames, and am in the process of preparing handouts for each, to introduce some history, wargaming, and the rules being used.

1. Introduction to Medieval Wargames - very similar to the games I hosted at Guns of August 2016, with two games going on at once (maybe, Vikings/Saxons, and Crusaders/Saracens).  I'll be using the Neil Thomas introductory rules, and am working on a handout for this game.

2. Wargaming the Revolutionary War - I will probably use a smaller version of the scenario I ran at Thanksgiving 2015, which was a fictional Southern Campaign battle, set in South Carolina 1780.  I won't be using Black Powder for this, because I want it completely friendly to newcomers and kids.  Either some homebrew rules (Patriot's Blood) or Neil Thomas Napoleonic rules adapted for the purpose.

3. Introduction to Renaissance Wargaming - This one will be a lot like the first one, with two battles (four armies), and using the Neil Thomas rules.  One of the battles will most likely be French/Imperialist vs. Italians.  The other might be English Civil War.  Again, similar to the solo Renaissance game I did back in 2016.  The main feather here is the history of the period, and trying to get people interested, so I am working on a nice handout.

4. Introduction to Medieval Wargaming - This one is a conundrum for me.  I have a couple of ideas.  The first is to do the same thing I plan for number 1 above, but maybe with different armies.  The second is to do a 28mm scale game using Lion Rampant, to show what medieval games are like, at that weird mix between skirmish and full army battles (such as LR, but also Saga and some others).  The third idea is to use the Chainmail rules such as my recent games supporting the Lord of the Manor project, and use the handout session to show the connection between miniatures games and the later roleplaying game revolution.  Still deciding this one.

Lots more coming up, including finishing some of the projects here (dark ages wargaming, retro reviews, etc).  Watch this space.

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Isle of Monsters, Game Review

The island is a peaceful place and the inhabitants like to keep it that way. They get few visitors because of the monsters that live on the island. Others wonder why the inhabitants stay on the island with such fearful monsters. But, they do, and, they don't seem to have any problems living with the horrid creatures.

Isle of Monsters, designed by Joshua DeBonis and Nikola Ristestki has artwork by Kwanchai Moriya and produced by Mayday Games, is about capturing monsters and caring for them so you can compete against the others players in scare contests.

Each player is working to become the Island Protector. This is done by catching and feeding the creatures on the island. Though the creatures look fierce and frightening, they are not. It is in how they are fed and presented that makes them look so ferocious.

Mechanics

There are several game mechanics taking place during the game. The first part of a round is spent gathering monsters and the food to feed them. Not all the monsters and food available on the game board are available to everyone, just those on the nearest outer islands and the center island. You need to keep an eye on what monsters your neighbor is feeding to see if there is the right food, and enough of it, for the monsters you have or want to capture.

After everyone passes from that phase the monsters that have eaten enough are matured and included into a deck used for the scoring phases of the round.

My hand early on

Scoring takes place in two levels. The first level is to present a single, or grouping of monsters of the same type (earth, fire, or water) to compete against the other players' monster(s) to scare the crowd in attendance at the Scare Festival. Individual monsters have scores from 1 to 9 and their scores are added together when they are played together. The card(s) are hidden so you don't know what others have chosen until everyone reveals at the same time. The person with the highest score on their cards wins the scare contest.

After the monsters have scared the crowd they can scare each other (fire scares earth, earth scares water, and water scares fire). This isn't worth as many points, but it is possible with a larger game that the person scaring other players earns more points than the person who won the contest.

The monsters used in that round of scaring are set aside and the next round starts with the players who have remaining cards. The scaring rounds continue until only one person, or none, has cards left in their hand. Additional scare points are earned for having extra monsters.

The monsters used in the scaring during the round do not leave the game, they just can only be used once a scare round. After the round they are returned to the deck the player is building. It is added to during the next maturing phase.

Strategy

Since each player is limited to the two piles of monsters on the outer islands to either side of them, strategy is limited to what is available. However, a player needs to be aware of the strength of the monster, higher points takes more food to mature, and what they eat. You also have to decide if you want to be able to combine monsters, therefore, they need to be the same type. You can also work at creating bigger or smaller monsters. (Early in the game there is not enough food to mature the bigger monsters.) Bigger monsters are better for winning the scare contests, but maturing more smaller monsters allows you to compete in more rounds.

Appearance

Some of the cards

During our play-testing it was the artwork that drew the attention of two of our players. The artwork is done by Kwanchai Moriya and one player mentioned that it reminded them of Pokemon cards. The artwork is fun and each of the monsters shows a different level of maturity for its type as it goes up in score.

The materials in the game are of good quality. The components are sturdy enough to withstand being played.

Re-playability

We were able to play a couple of games back to back without a problem. Younger players, or those who are not as adept at strategy, should be able to play this multiple times in a row without problems. It is also a game that could sit for a little while and be easily brought back to the table for another session.

Overall

Isle of Monsterswas easy to learn, and easy to teach. Set up and clean up was also quick. Although more experienced players have a slight advantage the advantage wasn't so much as to take away from the game.

Isle of Monstersis designed for 2–5 players. I played it with three players and it went well. There is a 2-player variation and I think the fun would increase as you add a fourth or fifth player.

Isle of Monstersis designed to last 20–45 minutes. Our games, even while learning took about 30 minutes. The time is controlled by the deck of monsters and the number of players doesn't vary the time much. The variable is more in deciding what you want to do.

Isle of Monstersis designed for ages 10+. Experienced younger players may be able to play this game. They may not catch all of the strategy nuances, but the artwork art is a draw for them.

A new Island Protector has been named. The others who vied for the title did well, it was a close competition. There is already talk of who is going to go for the title the next time the competition is held.

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Creating New Encounters by Providing a Twist to What You Already Have

Avid role-playing gamers are known to learn about the monsters they expect to encounter, especially players who also are game masters (GMs). This has made for a steady market for expansions for new monsters. But, then the race is on once again, as the players get a hold of the expansion and soon know about the new monsters. There are some "tricks" a GM can use to bring in "new" monsters their players won't know. Here are some ideas in creating monster encounters that will keep players guessing what they are running into.

I am not the only GM who has prepared a new role-playing game (RPG) adventure and wonder what monster I can use as an encounter that my players won't know. Since my gaming group has members who have been playing Dungeons and Dragons for over thirty years, and most of them over twenty, when we play they have a good understanding of the monsters in the standard works and many of the outlying supplements. Providing an encounter where they don't immediately know what the monster is, and how to defeat it, can be a hard hurdle to get over. This isn't just the long standing classic games either, players like to be prepared, and GMs can prepare as well.

Dealing with this escalation of knowledge can be handled in different ways. One of the popular ways is to buy another book of monsters for your game system. These books can be great resources for you to use and as long as there are enough people buying them, companies will keep writing them. These books provide a multitude of monsters to draw upon. For this to continue to work for surprising your party, you need to make sure others in your gaming group are not dipping into the pages. These additional books are great for games with complex creature building systems and you don't want to spend the time building up a new encounter.

Many people like building new monsters. Building your own creations allows you to specialize the monster to the setting, adventure, and encounter you want to run. Another advantage of having the monster be your own creation is you control the information. Unless you give it out, no one at the table is going to know the monster they are encountering. The downfall for creating these monsters is the time involved in making your creation.

I have used another method of creating encounters which is quicker and easier, and you can still surprise your players. I use existing monsters and provide variations to the look, stats, or another factor of the monster already presented. This has worked with my home group and where I have GMed a game at an open gaming table. Let me provide a couple of examples of what I have done recently.

 

I was GMing a party beginning characters, with new and experienced players. I wanted to make sure the new players would get the awe factor of the encounter without the experienced players voicing their knowledge about what was happening. The group entered a swamp and a number of creatures were swimming up the open channels and surrounding the small island the party was camped on. I described the creatures as overgrown frogs of 3–4 feet tall when they stood on the ground. The experienced players were making judgements of what the characters were seeing based on the players knowledge of the monsters. None of them were able to discern what they were really encountering. The new players were given the opportunity to play out the encounter without corrections about how they described it, or the actions they chose. In simplicity, I had changed the description of kobolds and gave them claws instead of spears.

I did a similar twist with another group of experienced players. They party was moving along a road through a forest and found a small outpost besieged by short, odd-shaped lizardmen. These were lizardmen straight from the Monster Manual with a twist on their description and fighting tactics. Because they didn't fit into the knowledge some players already had about lizardmen, the players maintained a steady conversation about how to handle them. They started referring to them as prehistoric lizard folk, further back in the evolutionary line. (That worked well because I used that point further on in the adventure.)

This also works well for larger, bigger, and meaner monsters. In past adventures I have used the statistics from a race of giants and with only minor changes and presented them to the party without them knowing what to do. And, who says a dragon has to look like a giant lizard? Yes, it makes them look mean. But, Asian dragons have always been described differently. With a little bit of a change a dragon can appear like a giant dog, a long coiled snake, a lion, or even a ferret. The concepts of demons and devils also open up great tweaks to existing statistics. The main block of statistics can be used with only a change in the description.

Even with my most experienced players, the changes in description and minor adjustments to abilities has kept them guessing at what they are dealing with. The other important item I have learned is, even when players are not meaning to, a certain level of meta-gaming occurs. To provide an encounter that limits the meta-gaming, don't work straight from the books. Players who also GM know the books, if they see where you are referencing in the common book of knowledge, they will have ideas of what type of creature you are working with. This, in turn, will modify their play. Keep your monster notes on another piece of paper, notebook, or laptop away from view of the players. This will help keep the suspense higher, which, in turn, will modify how the players react.

Another easy way of hiding what the party is encountering is by hiding them in plain sight. Use the hidden traits of skill, feat, advantages, training, or whatever is available in your game and drop them on a monster. This can be done as easily as changing a movement from climbing to swimming. I also reuse other resources.

I have also collected character sheets of player characters and non-player characters to use. When I need an easy encounter I have one already worked up. A few fast adjustments and it's ready to go. I did this awhile back with an encounter with orcs. The main part of the encounter was the basic abilities of a past character party with the stats dropped on the orcs. I have also done this by recycling the stats of an encounter from modules others have written. There is a wealth of available encounters in adventures from the past.

Creating your own adventures is rewarding. When you're running a campaign and have a regular weekly game, there is pressure to create new and exciting things for the rest of the group. It takes time to create the wonders when you have to do them from scratch. Luckily, there are years of material you can use, adjusting it to meet your needs and desires. I have never had players complain about me using these tactics to create adventures. Many times they were pleasantly surprised when they found out what I had done. With this strategy of creating encounters, I know at least one person who has taken up the position behind the screen because it alleviated some of the fear of running a game.

Originally posted on Stuffer Shack.

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Salt Lake Gaming Convention 2017

There are different types of gamers who play a wide variety of games. Going into the Salt Lake Gaming Convention with that basic premise is enough to understand that every attendee would be looking for their own style of entertainment in the convention hall. I will not go as far as to say everyone in attendance found the specific item they were looking for, but I did not find anyone who wasn't enjoying themselves.

The South Towne Expo Center was the location for the 2017 Salt Lake Gaming Con. This is the third year of the convention and all have been at the same location. Last year shortly before the convention Salt Lake Comic Con took on part ownership of the convention and there were differences I noted where this convention was better with the input of their experience. But, the gaming was in the forefront, or more in lines with the layout, what bracketed this event.

When entering the hall, attendees had the main electronics gaming floor to their right. During the two days of convention the pre-set areas and the open gaming tables had a regular sense of buzz. A number of islands were set up where on each of the four sides games were being played which were sponsored. Open gaming tables were for participants who brought their own equipment and tapped into the event by finding other players and competing on different levels. Behind the players was enough room that fans of the games, or the players, were able to stand or sit. Some spots were three to four deep, and there was still ample room to move around without having to press through.

Professional gamers were present and where the tournaments. On the electronics side there were two viewing areas set up where fans could watch the action on projected screens. And everyone had the chance to participate in a tournament if they desired.

There was pinball (no quarters required). Around two dozen machines were set up back-to-back and there was competition play taking place. In my younger days this was more my style of arcade play and there were machines that I remember playing. There were even analog games dating back to the fifties. And, if you are fan of the pinball experience, they even had Captain Fantastic.

At the other end of the hall were the tabletop games and they had their tournaments as well. Starting on Friday was a Warhammer tournament. On Saturday there was a Star Wars Miniatures. Participants unloaded their armies and their fleets and the battles ensued.

There were other games available s people brought some favorites, or borrowed from the library of games provided by SaltCon. It didn't look like SaltCon had brought their whole library, but there was a large selection of games that people were not left with walking away without something.

A section of tables were also set up for role-playing games (RPGs). Both the Adventurers League and the Pathfinder Society were present and were running games from almost the time the convention started to the time the tables were closed. They were not alone. Tables were also occupied by conventioneers playing other RPGs.

Virtual Reality was represented by at least a half a dozen locations in the middle of the floor. They were mixed in with vendors covering what participants were looking for. Along with electronics and games was merchandise to remember the convention and to promote particular kingdoms of the greater realms of geekiness that we represent.

This wasn't just for the older geek either. Along the back of the hall were several areas of activities designed for the up and coming gamers of the next generation. A zone was marked off for younger players where they could play their own games. With them along the back wall was a nerf zone and a LARP arena where everyone was invited to step in and take up weapons in fun-filled battles.

Along the front of the hall was where you could find the guests of honor. The talent that brings the games to life were available to meet with and collect autographs and photos.

Just outside the main arena were additional rooms where panels and presentations were held. Having them outside wasn't an inconvenience because we are not talking about having to go on a hike to find the locations. And, they were away from the main floor so everything was at a level where people could be heard. These events covered aspects of gaming creation, artistic talents, voice artists, podcasting, and some other areas of interest. And one room hosted the Cosplay competition. But, cosplay is never limited to the stage during the competition.

Cosplay was present, like a constant thread, from beginning to end, from one side to the other. There were the professionals showing what they do with amazing talent. There were booths of cosplay organizations (Umbrella Corp., Jurassic World, Ghost Busters, Heroic, etc.) who were raising awareness to causes with their talents. And, those who were there enjoying sharing in the fun of their favorite fandoms. I think many of these overlapped for even those who said they were there just enjoying the fun had some great costumes.

Salt Lake Gaming Con is developing to showcase the different aspects of the gaming world. Where many believe there to be great gaps, here for two days those gaps were bridged. Old friendships were reinforced and new ones created. People were finding the joys they have come to expect from the games they already knew, along with finding new avenues of expression they hadn't realized they would enjoy.

I stopped for a few minutes at the end of the convention to "drop a quarter" into a pinball machine. As I walked up to one (Party Animals) which was just vacated a girl was asking her parents about the machines she had never seen before. They at first tried to explain. Then the man playing the game near where they were standing offered up his machine so she could experience a game. The family was playing pinball together when I finished my game and walked away.

For me that is what gaming is about, and that told me the convention was a success.

 

Photos were provided by Rob Sandberg.

You can also find more at Utah Geek Magazine.

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Cold Days, by Jim Butcher, Book Review

Cold Days is the fourteenth novel in Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files series. Harry Dresden is back on his feet after solving his murder in Ghost Story. And now that he is back among the living, he has some obligations to take care of.

Butcher picks up the story of Harry after the transitional last book. One major story arc ended, and at the end of the book Changes, which went through the aftermath of the conclusion of the story arc, readers were left with the wizard being shot in the chest. Ghost Storywas a transitional book moving from one story arc and putting in place the foundation of starting another one. I know several people who were not as pleased with the two books because it wasn't to the same standard as what they had come to expect from Butcher. But there was the wrap up and the transition from the completion of one major story to the start of another.

Cold Days picks up Harry's story and body slams it with authority. Of course, Harry Dresden is the main target. However, he is no longer the beginning wizard who started out as a Chicago detective all those years ago and he delivers punishment of his own.

The style of the early books is back in full force and fans of The Dresden Files will enjoy the pace, the style, and the insights from their beloved character.

By the end of the book, it is clear Butcher has more to write about. We are given additional backstory to Harry and his world, setting up a new story arc that is grander in scale than what has come before. Not everything is given, and, the information given raises additional mysteries to question and speculate about.

For me, I wasn't sure what was going to happen to Harry and his friends after the last couple of books. The series could have ended and it was wrapped up nicely, even though many felt the ending of the arc was abrupt and cruel (especially to them as readers). I recognized there was a transition taking place and picked up this book to see what direction the story was going, or if there would be any direction at all.

Weaving in the familiar history, Butcher starts us on a new journey, a new chapter, of Harry's life. We are drawn into grander schemes and greater encounters. Harry's world is larger, setting a stage for adventures to go places we haven't yet seen. We see changes in Harry, but also the other characters who so many people have come to associate with. There is a journey that is going to be taking place that will be more of the rollercoaster ride we have come to expect, and enjoy.

I am glad I read Cold Days. The fun of reading this book has revitalized my enjoyment of the series and I am looking forward to what's coming.

If you have a comment, suggestion, or critique please leave a comment here or send an email to guildmastergaming@gmail.com.

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