08/27/13

Tuesday Screenshot – Divinity: Dragon Commander

A half-dragon’s work is never done.

Trying to save my father’s kingdom from the greed and ineptitude of my step-siblings has proven quite the task. Here I’m slugging it out with one of them on an island filled with valuable…stuff. Every territory I conquer brings me one step closer to crushing the insurgency and unifying the kingdom. Here my airships close in on the enemy’s forces. My ground troops follow behind as we prepare to punish them for aligning with the wrong side. Soon it will be done.

Game: Divinity: Dragon Commander

08/23/13

Book Review: House to House

“A riveting and sober account of war in all its horror and glory.”

Authors: SSG David Bellavia with John R. Bruning

Publisher: Pocket Star (Kindle eBook Edition Reviewed)

Reviewing Author: Jim Zabek

Many of the memoirs written by contemporary veterans have a predictable structure. This is especially true of the writings of elite troops such as Navy SEALs. They often open with a discussion of how difficult their training was. I believe many these accounts spend so much time focused on training not only because it is difficult and dramatic, but also because many of the operations the authors undertook aren’t declassified. It’s difficult to write a memoir about operations that aren’t supposed to have taken place.

SSG Bellavia’s book is different. He was a regular infantryman in the US Army. He allots most of his time not in avoiding his combat experiences, but rather in bringing them to the reader’s attention. In the Author’s Note he clarifies that some events have been slightly altered, either due to timing so that events can be better understood in context, or reconstructed as best he could when he wasn’t there to directly witness the action himself. The result is a riveting and sober account of war in all its horror and glory.
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08/20/13

Interview with Jim Crabtree of Lock’n’Load

When GrogHeads’ Editor Jim Zabek saw that Lock’n’Load redesigned their website last week and launched a new crowd-funding pledge system he knew he had to chat with Jim Crabtree, Lock n Load’s new Business Director.

Jim Zabek (JZ): Wow, so there are several big developments going on with Lock ‘n’Load. Let’s start with why you decided to get involved with Lock’n’Load. Did you wake up one morning and think, “I’m going to work at game company?” Why specifically Lock ‘n’Load?

Jim Crabtree (JC): No, I actually came across the opportunity by accident. I have been gaming since I was young and never stopped. One night I was out playing games with a few buddies, and I said, “I would love to do this full time”. My friend told me he knew a game company that was for sale, so I made a few phone calls and spoke with Mark Walker. Mark was a joy to talk to, and we were very excited about what we could do as a team. I really love LNL games, and I am really looking forward to see what the future of the company holds.

JZ: As the founder and driving force behind many of the game designs, what will Mark Walker’s role be going forward?

JC: I am running the business side of LNL, and making sure the day-to-day operations run smoothly. Mark is our lead manager of designers and developers. Mark is doing what Mark does best – designing and developing games.

JZ: Tell us about your new website!

JC: Our new website is lnlpublishing.com, and our old url will redirect you to the new site. We offer boxed and downloadable products.

Our systems will keep complete history of what the customer purchased, tracking numbers and access to download links. We also offer LNL Gift cards for download. The website features a Wish List, Customer Support Desk system, and forums.

We added an Article page to LNL that allows members to write strategies, reviews, create scenarios, and share them with other members on our site.

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08/15/13

Allied General Part 1

Developer: The Lordz Games Studios

Publisher: Slitherine, Ltd.

Panzer Corps is by now an established franchise. Aimed at entry-level wargamers it is a fun, light wargame which has attracted a lot of veteran wargamers who are looking for an uncomplicated game that is both challenging and fun. Allied Corps is a stand-alone game but can be combined with its German-oriented counterpart to open up a two-sided campaign where either the Axis or Allied side can be played. As a stand-alone game only the Allied campaign is available, though individual scenarios can be played by either side.

The game comes with five campaigns, each opens in 1940 – 1944. It also comes with 30 individual scenarios. Like its spiritual predecessor, Panzer General, the lure for the campaigns are the creation of a core force which the player shepherds over the course of the war. By the end of the war he has (hopefully) crafted a highly experienced lethal force that can smash through any encounter.

That’s all well and good, but I’m more interested in firing up a one-off scenario and letting the fur fly. After examining the various scenarios (including a hypothetical face-off between the Western and Soviet forces) I decide I’m in the mood to crush the Germans’ rockets in the scenario V Rockets Sites. It takes place just after the capture of the Arnhem Bridge and my task, simply enough, is to capture the rockets.

I fire up the game on default settings with medium difficulty (called “Colonel”) with Weather, Supply, Fog of War, and Undo all toggled on. Not that I like to use the Undo feature, but true fat-fingered mistakes can happy. I’ll try to avoid using it.

The AAR opens on October 8, 1944. My orders are simple. Capture and hold five objectives. OK, let’s see how this goes.

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08/6/13

Tuesday Screenshot

Being a powerful warmage has its privileges. It also has its bad days. A good day sees a Spike Wall trap flinging a Swamp Troll head-over-heels down a flight of steps.

A bad day? Well, a bad day has half a dozen Fire Ogres beating me like a drum while I frantically try to lay a charm trap to get a couple of them to fight on my side.

Game: Orcs Must Die! 2

GrogHeads

Keep Calm and Grog On!

Tag: Zabek