What we learn

Lets talk about studying history for a minute or two.

I've picked up a book recently that makes me re-think why I enjoy studying history as a hobby. It's a biography of Sir Francis Drake by E.F. Benson (Harper & Brothers, 1927). Initially, I picked it up as part of my SCA research, but I've pulled a little more out of it.

The Drake biography is keeping me hooked. There's a portion of the book talking about Drake and Queen Elizabeth's involvement in the slave trade.

When did you learn about that in school?

Okay, to be honest, you probably didn't learn much about Drake in school. I didn't. I didn't take any interest in it until I started studying the Sea Dogs, and piracy in Elizabethan times. It never occurred to me to look at Elizabeth's involvement. But why not?

I remind myself that studying history is harsh and painful sometimes. Strip away the myth from your heroes, and see what's there.

New Year, new games

I've never been a big fan of boardgames. I never really enjoyed that they just existed in one particular point-in-time. There was no backstory, and the game itself just seemed too much like like a futile distraction of dice-rolling, space-occupying, and time-killing. I'd based this opinion of games from my childhood...the types of things we've all played over and over (Monopoly and the like). I enjoyed tactical wargames much more, because they existed in some kind of world (like either the real-world of WW II, like my old Avalon Hill wargames, or fictional settings like Car Wars or Battletech). Those never felt like boargames. My friends and I were playing scenarios that could have been part of a larger experience. Our experiences could connect to something bigger, and it made us feel like what we did mattered a little more.

Recently, though, I've been spending more of my afternoons at Natural 20 in Westmont (my favorite game store...go there and check it out). I've been swept into a few different games that have gotten me to appreciate boardgames a little differently. There are better reviewers out there who can give better descriptions of how these games are supposed to be played, =but I want to give my personal opinions about a few of them.

Battlestar Galactica. If you haven't played this yet, get to a game store on their boardgame night and try it out. Players work to get humanity's fleet to Earth, but Cylon's hidden in the players' ranks try to sabotage the effort. Times I've played, most people spend alot of time yelling, "You're a fracking toaster!" at each other. Great fun.

Neuroshima Hex: A tactical game from Poland. I enjoy it, but am horrible at playing it. Last night, the owner of Natural 20 told me that he spent three days yelling about how horrible I play. His words: "Its a great game, unless Goodman's playing. Then you get angry."

A couple of recent acquisitions: Call of Cthulhu: The Card Game, and Red November (the game of a sinking gnomish submarine). I would absolutely love to play either of these much more. Also got Munchkin Quest as a Christmas present from my Don. I'm still waiting for a chance to break that open.

Roleplaying games: I'm surprised at how much I like all of the stuff coming out for Star Wars Saga Edition. The core rulebook was nothign special, but every suppliment that's come out has been spectacular. My favorites recently have been Scum & Villany (playing scoundrels, smugglers, and the like), The Force Unleashed companion book (which includes a great deal of information on how to run a Dark Times game, set between episodes 3 and 4), and Starships of the Galaxy (which include further information on playing pilots and more starship combat rules). More setting books are coming out soon (The Clone Wars, this Tuesday, and the rebellion Era, a few months from now). I'm eagerly anticipating both.

I've been collecting and reading material for the Dark Heresy RPG (the Warhammer 40K RPG). I enjoy it. Although I have no idea where or when I'll get the chance to use the material, I eagerly await whenever the next set of books will come out. There's a great deal of setting information in them, and I enjoy what I read more and more. Its inspiring me more and more to work on my Space Marine army, too.

40K last Saturday

I had a nice little Warhammer 40K game last weekend at Natural 20. I brought out 1500 points of Space Marines, my opponent brought Guard. It was a nice way to spend an afternoon.

Game accessory round-up

There are a couple of gaming accessories that I've discovered (that most people discovered a long time ago) that look like they can do a really good job of making my games a little cooler.

1: Dungeon Tiles (Wizards of the Coast)/Game Mastery Map Packs (Paizo): Most of my players are perfectly content with using a grid map with wet-erase markers. People have liked me pulling out the Dungeon Tiles recently. I don't think they pull away from the imaginative role-playing at all. They're not indispensable, but they definitely add to the minis experience.

The Dungeon Tiles are nice and affordable (about 10 bucks a pack). The sets mix-and-match pretty well, so I've had some nice dungeon layouts with them. Its nice using the outdoor tiles as well, instead of drawing out wooded areas on the battle-mat.

The map packs just look neat. I only have two sets: a tournament field, and a graveyard. They look nice, but have to fit together, puzzle-like, to set the entire scene (buildings are divided up between several tiles, for example). They're a little more specific than the dungeon tiles, and you end up spending more for less (compared to the Dungeon Tiles), but they look nice, and have very specific set-dressing.

2: Chronoscope miniatures (Reaper): I like subtle genre-mixing in my games. My sci-fi games have a little cyberpunk-feel to them. My fantasy incorporates horror. The Chronoscope minis are a collection of minis sculpted to resemble either specific time-period characters (like 19th century British soldiers or 20th century James Bond types) or genre-mixed characters (like, my favorite, a dwarfish dude with a sword, leather-cap and gatling gun). I haven't painted any up yet, but they'll be next on the list after my 40K army.

HEY EVERYONE, WAKE UP!

Okay, everyone...don't panic. I've come to a decision.

Space Marines will be my first 40K army.

Okay, you can go back to sleep now.

Teaching historical swordsmanship classes at an SCA event this weekend

I'm teaching 3 classes this upcoming weekend at the East Kingdom University in the Barony of Iron Bog:

Wards and Attacks for Italian Rapier

English Culture and Italian Fighting

Gentleman's Quarrel:Dueling Across Europe

Go to http://eastkingdom.org/event-detail.html?eid=1617 for more information on the event (such as directions, cost, etc.).

Weekend gaming thoughts

Spent yesterday at my friendly local gaming store. I picked up the new Warhammer 40K boxed set (I'll be opening that sometime this week to start painting). I also got to play Dust, a board game that plays a little like a bastard child of Risk and Axis and Allies. Great fun.

I've been spending my Saturday's down at Natural 20 in Westmont. The nice thing has been that I've gotten to play games I'd never thought of playing before. Last week, I watched a game of AT-43(sci-fi minis combat), the week before, it was some other board game...great fun.

I've led a pretty insular life when it comes to gaming. I used to be very uptight about finding small groups to play with. Now, I really enjoy hanging out in a store, playing anything new that anyone recommends. I think that's why I enjoy playing Warhammer, too...I like the idea of just bringing an army to a store, and playing anyone who's up for a game.

I own so many games, its ridiculous. I recently had the revelation: if I'm not careful, I'll never actually get to play any of these. So now, I'm making an effort to play the stuff I have o9n my shelves. It may sound elementary, but with a collection like mine, you can kind of forget that they're supposed to be taken out and played and enjoyed.