The convention site this year was the La Quinta in Somerset NJ.  The lighting was good and the on site facilities were better than I expected.  More importantly there was a wide range of games for con-goers to try out.  The small venue works to NJ Con’s advantage.  If you are in the NJ area you have no excuse not to miss this budget priced convention.

A Scheduling Controversy?

I had reports from the field that some of the afternoon games started earlier than their posted 2PM times.  At least one potential con goer was upset at missing the start of a few games and left disgruntled.  For the record all BattleTech games started at their prescribed times.  Not an issue for most but something the convention staff should seek to nail down.  I’ve heard countless stories of games starting late in my day but early starts are a rarer beast.

BattleTech Gaming

Jim “RatBoy” Williamson was on hand from Time Warp Comics and Games to host two QuickStrike games based on the Fall of Terra scenario book.  Both games were great and made use of a custom generated record sheets which may be seeing a more formal release in the near future.  They certainly helped the game along and proved super easy to use.  Expect two after action reports in the future here at the ScrapYard!

ScrapYard contributor SaxyWolf hosted a Grinder Saturday evening that was well attended and a lot of fun.  By the end of the night the players had only gotten up to Heavy ‘Mechs but they made sure to blast apart almost all of the Medium units before they got there.  Copious tons of armor were reduced to slagged over the 4+ hours of Grinder mayhem.  We used our usual setup of MechWarrior figures and 2 inch hex terrain with homemade hills and trees.  New this year is heavy duty laminated record sheets which worked quite well.  Players used dry erase markers to mark damage making the whole set reusable.

After a day of sitting in the car after the con, the record sheets were a tad stubborn to get super clean.  A little bit of baking soda on a damp paper towel was enough to scrub them new as the day we made them.

Operation Mallard Freedom

Between games while getting a breath of fresh air outside, SaxyWolf came across just the cutest duck family you ever did see.  Momma duck was carefully leading her brood of twelve ducklings around the parking lot.  After snapping a few pictures it was back to gaming.  What could possibly go wrong?

A little while later, on another break from the games SaxyWolf heard a duck in distress.  When he found the mother duck she was frantically quacking and flapping her little wings back and forth over top a storm drain with only a single duckling left beside her.  Disaster had struck.  The ducklings were in danger.

SaxyWolf sprang into action and called up the local animal shelter who told him to call the local police who then transferred him to another police department who said they would call the shelter.  Would the ducklings be saved after being given the run around?  Does hope yet exist in the Inner Sphere?

Well it appears that someone heard the call for help because after about 30 minutes the hotel parking lot was filled with Animal Control, Police, Fire Department, Ambulance and Search and Rescue.

After a concentrated rescue effort the ducklings were saved and returned to their mother who led them away from the dangerous storm drains.

Other Gaming

NJ Con boasts a wide array of games from several eras.  Here are a few pictures from the convention games being played.

It’s finally here and it is fabulous.

Reviews

• Critical Hits
• Arm Chair General
• Mythreal Blog
• Geek Planet Online

The Maps Are Awesome

The box set includes two double sided maps made from thick game board.  They’re really good looking and feel sturdy and high quality.  They gave me a little trouble lying flat right out of the box but I think a little use will help them stretch out a bit.

This is a huge improvement from the thin paper maps of old.  They are vastly better than any other map done for BattleTech which makes a great case for the Hex-Pack series.  If there ever was a good reason to update your maps, you have it.  Pick up the box set for four of the most ubiquitous fighting environments in the game.  Included is the Standard BattleTech map, Open Terrain, Lake Area, and a dense Urban map.

Glossy Paper Everywhere

The rulebook and the universe book are redone in a high quality glossy paper.  They look great and fit with everything else in the box set.  The entire package screams quality on par with any other manufacturer in the business today.

Miniatures

The usual suspects from the original box set are all included and are done in a slightly harder plastic.  I found it a little tougher to work with an exacto knife but I think it would end up improving the long term stability of any paint job.

The resin Loki and Thor are a great addition and just add to the set’s phenomenal value.

Get Yours

Whether you are a new comer or a grizzled veteran, you will find something to enjoy in this box set.  The miniatures alone were a great reason to buy the old box set.  The addition of the two high quality Clan OmniMechs and the new board game quality maps make it a must buy.

BattleTech fans who frequent the CamoSpecs website already know how cool these effects can be.  From the GenCon dioramas to the Starterbook stock images the artists of CamoSpecs are magicians at crafting the cinematic effects into creative and imaginative pieces.

You don’t have to be a CamoSpecs artist to enter.  The more BattleTech entries the better.  Anything to advance the game and put it into the public spotlight.

See the full details at the ArmorCast blog.  You have until June 1 to submit an entry which is plenty of time to cook up something good.

I hope that a lot of the CamoSpecs guys enter but I hope most of all to get my own entry in and to see the works of others included in the mix.  Don’t be shy.  Give it a try and help raise BattleTech up a notch!

I’m a big fan on gaming year round but there is something special about conventions.  Here is a quick run down of the events I am planning on attending.

Cold Wars, March 11 – 13, Lancaster Pa

http://www.coldwars.org/

The Lancaster Host is a staple of wargaming on the east coast.  The venue is great despite it’s age and the Catalyst crew running the BattleTech show are the best out there.

Despite recent HMGS drama, the gaming is good and the dealer room is excellent.  You will not be disappointed, especially if you are a BattleTech fan.

NJCon, May 13-14, Somerset NJ

http://njcon.org/

NJCon is back after a hiatus when they ran into venue difficulties.  This convention has a distinctly cozy and familiar feel.  Despite it’s small size there is plenty of great games from a dedicated and varied group of gamers.

The convention price is the most affordable on the list making it a great choice for gamers on a budget.

Historicon, July 7 – 10, Valley Forge Pa

http://www.historicon.org/

The big daddy of wargaming is back at Valley Forge.  While the venue missed a few steps last year, the familiar HMGS crew will be in full force with ample reasons to take in the weekend to smash ‘Mechs for king and country.

GenCon, August 4 – 7, Indianapolis IN

http://www.gencon.com/2011/indy

While HMGS conventions are a laser focused on wargaming, GenCon remains a perennial melting pot of every gaming variety under the sun.  If you like gaming, GenCon will have it.  Catalyst always puts on a good show and is sure to have a few tricks up it’s sleeve for eager fans to snap up.  Being the epicenter of the gaming world has many perks, and it is worth a trip at least once for every gamer.

For the first time since I have begun attending back in 2008 GenCon is in flux for me.  I still have to figure out my schedule in August.  I’m hopeful, but can’t say for certain just yet.

CarnageCon, November 4 – 6, Fairlee VT

http://www.carnagecon.com

This is a new convention for me and is uncharacteristically well into the colder winter months.  It is a bit farther North than I usually wander but from what I’ve heard it is worth the trip.  Unfortunately the on-site hotel is already sold out but there are more than a few alternatives within an easy driving distance.  I’m looking forward to the opportunity to try something new.

For those who have not seen the news, Randall has posted a number of pictures of the final proofs for the 25th Anniversary Box Set.  This has been a long time coming and I am ecstatic at the opportunity to be able to point new players to this product.

A Second Renaissance

The first renaissance of BattleTech occurred under the aegis of FanPro with the re-branding of the BattleTech line.  The re-branding campaign launched the core rule book series and shortly thereafter, Catalyst Game Labs.

With the re-launch of the box set comes new chances to point prospective players to a proper introduction and help to steady a shaken foundation.  BattleTech needs some good news and this new information, released in spite of a well exercised policy not to divulge information on unreleased products, is very well received.  Thanks to Randall for bucking the status quo and giving the community a glimpse of this gem on the horizon.

Challenges Loom

And now the most important part and potentially the hardest, this box set must remain in print.  The box set is a treasure for collectors and faithful gamers looking for cheap miniatures.  From the old guard to the newly initiated, there are plenty of prospective buyers out there.  It is imperative that this set remain in print and available.

Without a keystone product for BattleTech the game will be hard to impress upon the masses.  From local gaming groups to crowded conventions, the box set is the product pitch we have been waiting for.

Strike the right tone with a prospective gamer and you may very well capture that person’s imagination for life.  Those are the moments that this box set will help create alongside the efforts of the Demo Team.  Hopefully Catalyst has wrung out the kinks and can keep this fantastic product in steady supply.

BattleTech is a game that gets better the more people play.  Ultimately it is up to the players to make that happen, so get out there and play.  Start a campaign, relive an epic battle, or settle a grudge in the arenas.  BattleTech has plenty of sandboxes to play in.  Time to kick it into high gear and enjoy the game.  It’s worth it.

It was a late night and thus a relatively late morning on Sunday.  I had a short list of games to demo and things to buy.  Sunday is the opportunity to shop for all the items that caught your eye during the weekend.

Iron Wind Metals with all the archive figures available (at regular retail prices) and newly organized Battle Armor was too much for me to ignore.  I stocked up on a few archived Solaris ‘Mechs and augmented my supply of Battle Armor.  Shame that some of the Word of Blake Battle Armor were sold out.  I came just a bit too late to snag them.

The Iron Wind Metals booth was being mobbed in the morning.  There were a lot of people who had the same idea as I did and planned to do their shopping on Sunday.

The Iron Wind Metals crew were doing a great job getting product into the hands of happy gamers.  Each had access to alphabetized product list to quickly point gamers towards their desired forces from the neatly organized product shelves.  Well done by all.

After getting my fill of ‘Mechs and BattleArmor I wandered around and got in a few more demos before being forced to wrap it all up and head to the airport.

Hell Dorado

Hell Dorado takes place in the 16th century where mankind finds a way to open a portal to hell.  And then someone had a great idea to try to colonize the place.  Mayhem ensues.

While the story is compelling and the miniature range gorgeous, the combat rules were a very vanilla D6 system.  The command and faith stats and related abilities gives a certain amount of uniqueness from other games, but not enough to redeem the system.  It was fun don’t get me wrong, but like most other games I had the opportunity to demo, it lacked a hook to differentiate it from the crowd.

Super Dungeon from Soda Pop Miniatures

The crew from Soda Pop Miniatures was in a booth with Cool Mini Or Not with their lineup of products and a curiously delicious looking 3D game board (I swear it looks like cotton candy from a distance).  This game had the best pitch of any game I demo’d while at the con.  That’s pretty good considering this was the last day when most vendors have lost their voice and perhaps some of their motivation.

So I approach the booth interested in the colorful table and the miniatures.  The vendor asks me if I have time for a demonstration and I say yes.  Last day of the convention, why not?

“You’ve already played this game.”, he says to me.

I pause long enough to give him a funny look.  He senses my confusion and goes in for the kill.  This game is the physical embodiment of the 8-bit/16-bit classic dungeon crawls we all grew up playing on our Nintendo and Sega machines.  From the heroic party to the Kobold hordes, every miniature and gameplay mechanic has a nostalgic purpose.

In the quick demo, I chose two heros (the dwarf fighter and the mage) and my mission was to knock out the two monster generators on the board.  Each generator spawns up to four Kobolds each turn.  Hilarious combat and gratuitous loot gathering ensues.

For every three monsters you kill on your turn you get to pick out of the loot deck.  Each card has it’s stats in a particular orientation to denote its slot.  A fully loaded hero can use four items, one on each of its sides.

About half way through the dungeon my Dwarf was taking heavy damage and was having a difficult time dealing with the Kobold Shaman and Knights.  I needed potions in a bad way.  And now for a hook.  Each attack has a particular color describing a custom die to be thrown.  All die have stars that indicate how much power an attack does but there are also hearts on red dice and potions on blue dice.  If you manage to do damage to a monster with hearts or potions showing on other dice, you get healed or receive potions!

My choice was clear, equip a staff of thwacking (+3 blue dice) and bop all of the weakest Kobolds on the head until they spit out enough potions.  My newly healed Dwarf cleaved his way into the pack giving the Mage enough time to sneak into range of the last generator and blast it for the win.

All together this was a super super cute game.  I think even my wife would love to play it just for the aesthetics.  The combat system is unique and has a fresh nostalgic feel that you will instantly understand and make good use of.  The standard game will have one player play the Heros while the other takes the role of the Dungeon Keeper.

I had lots of fun in the brief demonstration and a refreshing break from the QuickStrike beatdown I received late last night.

The Tower of Gygax

Before leaving the convention my arm was twisted and I begrudgingly took a turn in the Tower of Gygax role playing game.  My thief character lasted a whole 32 minutes before being killed by a blind Gargoyle.

Admittedly it was a good bit of fun and the money generated from the tickets will go to charity which is another bonus.  Not a bad way to kill the last hour or so of GenCon.

Game Over

GenCon this year was great.  Part of the fun I had was just knowing my way around and using my time wisely.  I think I saw and did more and had more fun this year due to my knowledge of years past.

I hope everyone enjoyed the BattleTech and non-BattleTech pictures and information.  I hope that I will have the opportunity to make it next year.

The BattleTech Open

I participated in the open this year and had a blast.  Each round features a choice of six ‘Mech pairings.  The first round is Inner Sphere Introductory Tech.  The second round is Inner Sphere Tournament Tech and the last round is Clan.

My first game I won with heavy losses.  Early in the game my opponent set up his Hammerhands on a map edge.  I took a chance and lined up my Chameleon for a push.  I survived weapons fire and made a 7 in the physical phase.  Poof, no more Hammerhands.  The Chameleon’s luck ran out quickly and was de-legged in one last gasp by the Hammerhands. The rest of the match was a slug fest by the two remaining units.  My slightly better pilot and heavier ‘Mech was the decider and I moved on to the next round with a win.

Not a great start but good enough to still be in the running.

My second match was a nail biter.  The battle was played on only one mapsheet which made it fast and brutal.  The TSM on my Vindicator was not the game changer I thought it could be and in the final three or so turns, my opponent deftly maneuvered his last mobile ‘Mech into positions where I could not get shots to his front or side arc.  Having not finished off an earlier tactical kill, I got the short end of the points.  Still a close game where both players got decent scores.

The last game was a matter of dice rolls.  What would we expect from Clan Heavies and Assaults?  I took the pairing with 3 ERPPCs and 2 Large Pulse Lasers.  The pulse weapons did not turn out to be the boon I was expecting.  After killing one ‘Mech each, we brutalized each other until each of us had a single ‘Mech with an ERPPC and an AP Gauss Rifle each.  For at least three rounds we circled each other until the final blow was delivered.  This was the closest game and could have gone either way with one fortunate dice roll.  It was a defeat but a high scoring one.

I know I didn’t win but I’m anxious to see how my final score compared with the rest of the field.  Supposedly this will be posted on the forums.  I can’t wait.

The tournament was good fun but could have been better prepared.  All of the record sheets for the pairings were not available at the start of the tournament.  Spots at the provided tables and chairs could also have been sectioned off in some way to guarantee space for the pairings to play their games.

Finally there has to be a way for the Demo Agents running the event to communicate information to the players without straining their already frayed voices.  By Saturday every other Agent had lost their voice from yelling over the crowds of Battletech fans.  Maybe a projector or a bull horn would help them herd the cats necessary to pull off the tournament efficiently.

Diorama Take Two

Each day the diorama takes on a slightly different layout as pieces are moved around and put in different places.  There is so much detail to see that I don’t always catch everything the first time.  Here are a few more pictures of the display for those unable to be here to see it in person.

The null sig Executioner was custom cast out of an Alumilite mold.  The acrylic casting material was supposed to be clear but the catalyst agent used to make the mold (which is yellow) leached into the finished product.  It still looks amazing and I wouldn’t have known it was an undesired effect without having talked to the CamoSpecs guys.

Flight School

Flight school, the introduction to low altitude fighter combat was a small draw this year.  Part of the low turnout was due to a scheduling error but certainly there was not as much interest in fighters as there was for the grinders.  That said, I hope they don’t get discouraged from offering it next year.  Variety is a strength of the BattleTech system that should be promoted.

Battle The Masters

This year the format for the game changed and for the better.  Instead of one massive game that lasted only three short turns, this time around the Masters were split up across five different games.  The fans banded together to take on the Masters and show them what for.

The event had a rocky start and did not begin until a full hour after it’s scheduled start.  Setup wasn’t even begun until 10PM which is a shame.  Catalyst owes their fans better, especially when most have paid quite a bit to get themselves to the convention and entry into the event.  I’m sure most had a good time despite, but I would rather see the Demo Team deliver on the expectation of well prepared and on time events.

I don’t think that is too much to ask.

Appropriately enough, the game ended with a tactical nuke strike on one of the battles courtesy of “Teh Pope”!

Mini Contest Results!

The CamoSpecs crew did a great job this year and took a first and fourth place finish.  It wasn’t the sweep of years past but still a great showing from some great artists.  The exposure for Iron Wind Metals is fantastic.  Seeing these ‘Mechs painted so well is inspiration for  gamers such as myself that even ‘Mechs can be beautiful.

Return of Late Night Quick Strike

One night of QuickStrike just isn’t enough especially when we are in the late hours of a GenCon Saturday.  This mission featured two Inner Sphere companies and one Clan Binary per side.  That would be 68 units in total.

By the end of the night it was seven on about fourteen (~70% casualties).  The game was fast paced and lots of fun.  If you have not played QuickStrike you need to.  It is the highlight of Strategic Operations.

The terrain for this event was provided by Wild Child Gaming, a new terrain company that is in the process of forming.  I can’t say enough about their work, the game looked fantastic.

GenCon Moment

It’s around dinner time and I’m running around dropping stuff off at the hotel.  For those who have experienced rush hour convention hotel elevators, you know it can be a mess.  They are crammed with people all trying to get from point A to point B and it always takes longer than you ever think possible to get to the damn lobby.

So I finally get into an elevator packed with people and am heading down to the ground floor.  I look left, I look right, and I realize that I am in an elevator with the entire cast of The Guild!  I geek out and am able to take one poorly framed picture before I reach my destination floor.

Of course they were busy with their own conversations/phone calls, so there was no time to ask questions or say more than a quick greeting.  Still, I was in an elevator with The Guild at GenCon.  Sweet!

Claustrophobia

Back to some non-BattleTech games.  I originally saw an online video for Claustrophobia and liked it enough to give it a try at the demo tables in the Asmodee booth.  The game has a similar feel to Decent.  It’s a dungeon crawl game where one player plays the heros trying to escape the dungeon while another plays the monsters, intent on killing the dungeon divers at all costs.

The game plays fast once the rules are taught and the damage and dice initiative system is unique and refreshing.

I don’t know that I would run out and buy it today, but it is an interesting game with a lot of promise.

Dark Age

Dark Age is a far future skirmish game on a distant planet long forgotten by a collapsed galactic empire.  The story and the miniatures are excellent.  The visuals are stunning and the game has a distinct flavor to it that is unique.

However the actual combat system is a bit mundane.  It’s a D20 system with the usual stat lines you would expect from the genre.  Par for the course unfortunately.  The one interesting element I took away from the demo was the possibility of cascading charges.  Whenever a unit bases another, it gets a free action to attack (charging).  Units with several actions can bounce from one enemy to another assuming they kill each in succession.

All together not a bad game but not one I would want to pick up.

I spoke with the Iron Wind Metals guys for a bit.  The smaller BattleForce Mechs are indeed going to be for sale sometime in 2011.  There are a few more sculpts being made to fill out the line before being offered up.

What’s Up with Catalyst and BattleTech

First up, Loren Colman took the floor and dealt with the elephant in the room.  There are lots of rumors flying around but it is not the intent of these seminars to confirm or deny rumors or missinformation.  Yes the company is having problems.  Problems they are dealing with.  They would much rather spend their time focusing on what is important, the fans and the game.

Topps is in fact flying in to GenCon to spend time with Catalyst and is in talks for a long term licensing deal.

On BattleTech:

The box set missed GenCon but as Brent the Art Director pointed out, “For what is worth, it’s not our fault.”  To which Randall had to add.

I’ve never wanted to punch a baby seal doll more in my life. -RB

That said, the box set is due in the fall.  A Time if War is due in the winter (December).  Era Report 3052 will be a sourcebook with roleplay support.  Moving into 2011 we are looking at two Jihad books, Reckoning and field manual 3085.  Reckoning will cover the founding of the Republic as well as Word of Blake weapons and systems that were not widely deployed and/or kept under wraps after the war.

2011 will also see the Liao Handbook, Interstellar Ops, the Clan Box Set, and Historical: Reunification War.

There was little revealed about the War of Reaving or the Ares class BattleMech.  That said, there was ample innuendo that after the Jihad wraps up, the Clan Homeworlds would be due for some attention.

One interesting note is the fact that the Starterbook line did not do as well as was hoped.  Future releases if any would most likely be a PDF release only.

On Leviathans:

It’s a cool game and Catalyst wants to be a cool company that makes cool stuff.  There is no release date yet.  Catalyst wants to make the box set the biggest and baddest box set they have ever produced.  That would make for a price point around $80-100 which is roughly on par with the biggest from companies like Fantasy Flight Games.

That could all fall through if they can’t make it all fit in that price package but they are striving for it.

Here are some fun quotes, paraphrased of course.

Herb is the Line Developer for BattleTech when I let him. – RB

Ergo, it’s like a BattleTech rules debate. -HB

Painting Contest

Here are the BattleTech entries I saw in the painting display yesterday.  No doubt they are from some of the best at CamoSpecs.  Lets wish them the best as the compete against the field in the Machines of War category.

Late Night Quick Strike

Late at night what else is there to do but bash ‘Mechs in an impromptu Quick Strike battle with the Camo Specs artists and a few battalions of our nearest and dearest ‘Mechs.  We were looking at around 50% casualties after the second turn and at the end there were far more broken ‘Mech carcasses than there were active.  It was a lot of fun and I hope that QuickStrike makes it into the official schedule next year.

Other Games

I can’t write about everything I do and see in the exhibitor hall but here are a few highlights.  I wanted to get into a few others but crowds made it impossible to squeeze into a demo.  I have two more days to get those in and I expect I’ll get my chance eventually.

AE-WWII

I took a quick demo to try out this game.  It features a D6 system similar to WH40K. Roll to hit, roll to save.  The miniatures look great and stat cards are not official but fans have found ways to make their own.  Not a bad game but I felt it lacked a hook to make it unique and interesting.

Castle Panic

Not every game has to be a dark and scary theme.  This light hearted co-op board game has you protecting the castle from a swarm of orcs, goblins and other monsters intent on sacking and pillaging.  The board is divided into rings and colors.  The players will take their turns using their hand to attack specific locations on the board to keep the monsters away.  You can also repair walls and fortify defenses if you fall behind.  A very interesting game and fun too.  Not for everyone but this is one you can bring home for younger children.

Balance of Power

Balance of Power has super simple rules with very complex strategy.  There are three kinds of pieces; bankers, generals, and kings.  On your turn you can move or duplicate.  You gain points for taking over territories.  But you can only move one of each type of piece and you can’t have more than three units per territory.  My brain is spinning at the possibilities of this game.  When it comes out, it is sure to win over some fans.

Last Night on Earth

This zombie board game has been out for a while but I’ve never played it before.  They also had a martian invader themed addition which will be compatible with the original.  Long story short the zombies ate us in short order but we had fun splattering what brains we could.  A fun game and a worthy addition to a zombie fans board game library.

M.E.R.C.S Take Two

I did another game of M.E.R.C.S because I enjoyed it so much the first time.  We incorporated some advanced rules like bounding (coordinated move-fire actions to cover more ground than normal) and played two complete games in the time allowed.  Each faction won one game which I think is good news for game balance.

One of the most important features I saw was that an individual initiative system with over 10 figures on the board will work.

All The Rest

Conventions are awesome…

Catalyst Game Labs gaming area moved this year.  The Wabash room just a stones throw away from the exhibitor hall was the previous home for Catalyst as well as Privateer.  This year there is a long corridor that snakes its way behind the exhibitor room and out into an enormous gaming space known as Hall F.

Catalyst is tucked in the middle between Heroscape and Heroclicks.  Privateer our pseudo convention gaming competitor (all in good fun…) is within spitting distance.

Wabash was always a noisy venue.  It will be interesting to see if the new space changes the audio quality at all.  More on that at the end of the convention.

Catalyst and Iron Wind Metals

Catalyst Game Labs in in their usual location within the exhibitor hall in a huge space in front of the main doors.  Iron Wind is tucked into a nearby space which is small but jam packed.  The shelves are filled with thousands of ‘Mechs, Vehicles, and Infantry including every single archive unit at regular prices.

The only thing I really missed was the Introductory Box set.  It’s unfortunate that they could not get them in for GenCon but I’m sure they tried their hardest.

The seminars are tomorrow so perhaps there is still hope that they have a surprise waiting.

CamoSpecs Diorama

This years diorama takes place on Terra near Cairo.  It’s the Liberation of Terra and there is little else to talk about so lets just get to some pictures.

Other Games and More Pictures

There is more to GenCon than BattleTech alone and I made a full day of games and demos.  Here are just a  few highlights.

Leviathans

I took in a quick Leviathans demo for an hour outside the massive hall F.  The event was filled and at least three people turned away when they saw the huddle of gamers around the single map.

I like the basic system.  The attack and damage system is robust and unique.  It was very easy to learn and after the first turn, myself and the rest of the group were rolling dice themselves.  We had three chances to crack the keel on various targets but didn’t have the dice rolls to make it happen.  An enjoyable system and perhaps worth a box set purchase in the future.

The only thing I found lacking was the movement portion of the turn.  There was little to do strategically besides rotate your ship around to spread damage.  I’ve heard that torpedoes (damn the torpedoes!!!) and other advanced features would make the movement phase more interesting.  As it is, there is no terrain in the air.  No way to jump into woods for cover.

M.E.R.C.S

MERCS is a new gaming company who originally made miniatures alone but is now expanding with an infantry skirmish rules set.

I was late to the demo but still managed to get in a complete game from start to finish in under an hour all while learning the rules.

The premise of the game is small unit tactics.  Each unit has a card that has stats but also serves as a movement template.  Each stat card is packed with information which can be foreboding for a new player but it gets easy quickly.  I enjoyed the game and may look into getting some of the miniatures.  Some of them could be stand ins for light battle armor in a Time of War game.

Warlord: Ebentop Cavern Crawl

Like massive dungeon crawls?  This map was amazing.  The Warlord rules were simple and easy to learn.  The combat was fast and furious.  What else can you ask for?  ‘Mechs will always have their place, but sometimes you just need to bury a sword in the skull of a Gnoll.

All The Rest

Welcome to Cairo