08/29/16

Tracer Rounds: The C2E2

Revisiting an older concept to reinvigorate the re-conversation ~

Brant, 29 August 2016

So, about 5-6 years ago, I started playing with an idea for a game/system.  The idea was a basic unified set of rules for current events conflicts, with regularly-released updates that would provide unit information and updated map details for the current world situation.  This would allow any player to just grab the current update, and “play forward” from there, to see how the various conflicts might shape up over the next few months or years.  When the next update rolled around, the players would have the option to either reset to the current world situation, or adapt the update to their own ongoing conflicts and continue an “alternate future” using the update components.

It’s not like I was breaking any really new ground with the idea, but I had a pretty high-minded concept for how I wanted it to happen, but got quite bogged down in the actual execution of it all.

What I’d like to do here is reopen the discussion and attempt to reinvigorate the participation in the development of the rules and current updates, in the hopes that many minds are smarter than mine, and we can collaboratively move forward on an open-source set of rules and initial process for putting these kinds of tools in the hands of gamers with an interest in current events.

Continue reading →

08/29/16

Order of Battle Pacific: US Marines – AAR, Scenario 1 Part 3

Wrapping up the first mission in Airboy’s extended AAR ~

Avery Abernethy, 29 August 2016

This is an AAR of Order of Battle Pacific: US Marines on Captain level difficulty. Our first scenario is taking Tanambogho and Tulagi. I picked a large proportion of my core force in the first scenario over three attack waves.

Turn 12 Reinforced and Marching Towards East End of Tuguli
Turn 12 Reinforced and Marching Towards East End of Tuguli

Continue reading →

08/28/16

Order of Battle Pacific: US Marines – AAR, Scenario 1 Part 2

Airboy’s extended AAR for his adventures across the Pacific continues ~

Avery Abernethy, 28 August 2016

This is an AAR of Order of Battle Pacific: US Marines on Captain level difficulty. Our first scenario is taking Tanambogho and Tulagi. I picked a large proportion of my core force in the first scenario over three attack waves.

Turn 6 - Yellow is Weak Supply
Turn 6 – Yellow is Weak Supply

Continue reading →

08/27/16

Order of Battle Pacific: US Marines – AAR, Scenario 1 Part 1

Airboy gives us an extended AAR for his adventures across the Pacific ~

Avery Abernethy, 27 August 2016

This is an AAR of Order of Battle Pacific: US Marines on Captain level difficulty. Our first scenario is taking Tanambogho and Tulagi. I picked a large proportion of my core force in the first scenario over three attack waves.

Campaign Start
Campaign Start

I chose Marine infantry without transport to save command and supply points. US Infantry has slightly more firepower but must land in a port to avoid heavy disorganization penalties. Heavy terrain also makes it difficult for tracked or wheeled vehicles to move quickly off-road. The difficulty of spotting Japanese units makes fast travel over unsecured ground a recipe for disaster.

Tulagi
Tulagi

Continue reading →

08/22/16

Tracer Rounds: I Know What I Did Last Summer

Game Camp, for the win! ~

Brant, 22 August 2016

GameCamp-65_n-cropThis past summer, I spent a week at a local game store (shout out to The Gamer’s Armory in Cary, NC) running a one week day camp for gamers.  This was not a GrogHeads-sponsored event, just Brant renting out some space from a local game store for a week of summer camp for kids, in an air conditioned and weatherproof environment.  The focus was on playing games – as many as they could in the week they were there – with an intent of trying a lot of new stuff.

We got a late start advertising the camp, in large part because we got a late start even deciding that we were going to do the camp.  For future summers, assuming I’m not working a day job somewhere, the plan is to start advertising for the camp much, much earlier.  Like March.  Seriously.  Parents around here get their kids scheduled out for the summer by the time the kids are on Spring Break, so that they can arrange family trips, parent vacation requests, etc well before Memorial Day hits.

Continue reading →