10/8/15

Birth of the Federation, an AAR, Part 16

CHAPTER XVI: MAKING FRIENDS AND INFLUENCING ALIENS

Well, I offered a Friendship Treaty to both the Edo and the Xindi. I didn’t expect the Xindi to offer me their own Friendship Treaty, which I accept heartily. I can now establish trade routes with them, and make even more money! Woo-hoo!

The Edo, unsurprisingly, rejected my Friendship Treaty. It’s going to take a little while before they’ll warm up. Usually, bribing a minor alien race is best done when you put about five turns between bribes, to ensure their effectiveness. So it’ll be about 20 turns or so before they warm up. Meanwhile, the bug-faces find themselves inundated by human trade ships, in something very akin to a California Gold Rush, or the Great Beanie Baby Scam of 1995.

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10/7/15

Tiny Epic Galaxies – First Look!

The Kickstarter sensation is starting to land on peoples’ tables. What’s inside? ~

Brant Guillory, 7 October 2015

We first brought up Tiny Epic Galaxies in our GARPA column, where we noted how quickly they blew through their initial funding goals in 90 minutes, and hit six-figures within their first day. Now that it’s arrived, here’s what finally shipped after all the stretch goals piled in.

TEG-1-Cover — The box. Standard size small Gamelyn box, but feels sturdier than the others like TEK.

TEG-2-Back — Nicely-illustrated back cover

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10/3/15

GrogHeads (Exclusive) First Look at Victory and Glory: Napoleon

What’s Glenn Drover been up to since he stopped by The GrogCast last Spring? Apparently he’s making more games ~

Jim Zabek, 3 October 2015

A new Napoleonic game for the PC is about to hit the shelves like a blast from the Grande Batterie.

Designed to allow the player to command at both a strategic and tactical level, the objective of Victory and Glory: Napoleon is simple – build the French Empire of Napoleon. Six full campaign scenarios will be included with Victory and Glory: Napoleon. They will each have a unique starting date and conditions. The first will be the 1800 campaign made famous by Napoleon’s brilliant victories in Northern Italy. The second is called 1805, The Dash for the Danube and starts with French troops poised on the English Channel but ready to drive toward Austria and glory at Austerlitz. Next is the 1806 campaign that starts after the Austrian defeat with the Prussians taking up the bayonet. Followed by the 1809 campaign where Austria re-enters the war while Napoleon is embroiled in Spain. The 1812 starting point campaign begins as Napoleon’s vast army prepares to invade Russia. And the last and most challenging campaign begins in 1813 immediately after Napoleon’s wrecked Grande Armee has struggled out of Russia.

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10/2/15

GrogHeads Advanced Research on Projects Advisory #78

Oh so much GARPA goodness for you this week…

Brant Guillory, 2 October 2015

Bear’s Claw 1941 (GMT Games / Consim Press)
P550 – not there yet

What the world really needs – just needs! – is another East front wargame, huh? Well, it’s printed by GMT and designed by CP, so it’s going to be a solid, quality production. And unlike those massive drive-to-the-Urals-at-company-level monster games, these battles are bite-sized games of specific actions. Over-runs, morale, unknown Soviet unit strengths, and air support all contribute to a solid level of detail. The counters are a little busy, but still gorgeous, so don’t hesitate to march off to GMT’s pledge site and get on board.

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10/1/15

Gaming Nostalgia – Up Front!

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--1 — Let’s face it – this might be as close to a reprint as we ever get.

click images to enlarge

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