Category: Featured Posts

09/26/15

First Impressions of NWS’s Rule the Waves

Developed and published by NWS

Reviewed by Boggit, 26 September 2015

“They [the Sea Lords] must cease to say ‘This is the ideal plan; How can we get enough money to carry it out?’ They must say instead ‘Here is a sovereign; How much can we squeeze out of it that will really count for victory in a naval war?’” Lord Selborne, First Lord of the Admiralty. (Selborne to the Admiralty Permanent Secretary (16th February 1903) in “Distribution of Business 1904”, Adm. 1/7737 P.R.O.). (The quote refers to Selborne’s concern of impending financial crisis arising from the continued construction of modern warships in the numbers and varieties required to protect all of Britain’s maritime interests.)

The British Grand Fleet in WW1 (Courtesy: British Library)
The British Grand Fleet in WW1 (Courtesy: British Library)

Rule the Waves is the latest game presentation from NWS covering the naval arms race period of 1900-1925. The campaign map covers the entire world, portrayed as areas representing the spheres of influence of the Great Powers of the time. The scale of the game is in monthly turns, and your units range from little minesweepers to massive dreadnoughts. Working with a limited budget you face Lord Selborne’s dilemma of creating and maintaining a navy that will win a naval war.

Continue reading →

09/25/15

The Zombie Apocalypse, Part 5: Firepower

Starting a little late in the game

Jonathan Glazer, 25 September 2015

We have all seen movies where a threat to a town, the country or humanity in general causes the hero to open a weapons cache that would make any gun collector drool.  Belt fed machine guns, rocket launchers and Curios & Relics of all kinds come out of the subterranean vault ready for another shot at regaining their former glory.   There are those who do have a doomsday cache of weapons and gear which is not meant to see the light of day.  Then there are those who always thought it was a good idea and then suddenly find themselves in an environment which is not friendly to the accumulation of firepower.  What then?

Continue reading →

09/24/15

Gaming Nostalgia – Hornet Leader

Folks dug the Nostalgia ads so much that we’re keeping them around, and just changing the day. Look for our blasts-from-gaming’s-past to show up on #tbt from now on, and occasionally some other day, just to keep you on your toes.

Nostalgia--13
DVG’s original Hornet Leader almost qualifies for “antique” status.

click images to enlarge

Sound off below, or pop into our forums for a chat >>

09/18/15

GrogHeads Advanced Research on Projects Advisory #77

Hey now, it’s been a few weeks, so we thought we’d throw another GARPA at you.  Plus, y’know, we had it on the schedule and all…

Brant Guillory, 18 September 2015

 

Mech Deck (Patrick Fahy)
$19k of $75k, ends 1 October 2015

These guys may have over-reached with the funding goal, but it’s because they’re committed to the quality of the manufacturing.  “Manufacturing what?” you ask.  Customizable, multi-component, build-your-own mech-walker-battle-droid-giant-fighting-thingees (trying to avoid inadvertently violating someone’s copyright here, work with me).  It’s a hex-and-minis skirmish game, but with mech figures that you can literally assemble on-the-fly to customize your arms, torso, legs, and “backpack” (back of torso) to make your own mech and then duke it out for bragging rights, or beer.   There’s some card-based randomizing as well as a geomorphic map.  Stomp over to the campaign page and fire off your pledge.

g77-mech

Continue reading →

09/17/15

Gaming Nostalgia – SSI Computer Wargames

Folks dug the Nostalgia ads so much that we’re keeping them around, and just changing the day. Look for our blasts-from-gaming’s-past to show up on #tbt from now on, and occasionally some other day, just to keep you on your toes.

Nostalgia--6
Ah yes, the early days of computer gaming. Remember the TRS-80?

click images to enlarge

Sound off below, or pop into our forums for a chat >>