Charlie's Take - '65: Squad-Level Combat in the Jungles of Vietnam Martin Luther King Jr. said "one of the greatest casualties of the war in Vietnam is the Great Society." This is a period of history that formed the inverse of America's triumph during the Second World War. It was like an enormous star-spangled balloon had been pierced, deflating in a long dejected tune of conclusion. This was one of the darkest moments of our society. For all that despair and hubris, this is an era that really appeals to me. It's a huge scar that I want to trace my fingers 02/12/2017
Martin Luther King Jr. said "one of the greatest casualties of the war in Vietnam is the Great Society." This is a period of history that formed the inverse of America's triumph during the Second World War. It was like an enormous star-spangled balloon had been pierced, deflating in a long dejected tune of conclusion. This was one of the darkest moments of our society. For all that despair and hubris, this is an era that really appeals to me. It's a huge scar that I want to trace my fingers
Spotlight - Fernanda Suarez Welcome to Spotlight! On this edition we are shining on Fernada Suarez, an illustrator and concept artist best known for her work on Dead of Winter and Ashes: Rise of the Phoenixborn. I spoke to Fernanda, mostly about her work, finding fame, the joys of chocolate, but also (and let’s be real honest here) as an excuse to showcase her ridiculous illustration skills. Content warning: Some images NSFW. Hi Fernanda! You are awesome! Please tell us who you are and why you are awesome. Thank you so 02/10/2017
Welcome to Spotlight! On this edition we are shining on Fernada Suarez, an illustrator and concept artist best known for her work on Dead of Winter and Ashes: Rise of the Phoenixborn. I spoke to Fernanda, mostly about her work, finding fame, the joys of chocolate, but also (and let’s be real honest here) as an excuse to showcase her ridiculous illustration skills. Content warning: Some images NSFW. Hi Fernanda! You are awesome! Please tell us who you are and why you are awesome. Thank you so
Episode 36 - Kingmaking: Real or Imagined Problem? Some new games, some old games, and a thoughtful discussion on the pitfalls and legitimacy of Kingmaking. Zen Bins (Rebellion) - 1:10 Zombicide Black Plague - 5:35 Haze Islands - 14:15 Fireteam Zero - 22:20 Assault of the Giants - 33:10 Kingmaking Discussion - 45:20 iTunes Soundcloud RSS Stitcher 02/08/2017
Some new games, some old games, and a thoughtful discussion on the pitfalls and legitimacy of Kingmaking. Zen Bins (Rebellion) - 1:10 Zombicide Black Plague - 5:35 Haze Islands - 14:15 Fireteam Zero - 22:20 Assault of the Giants - 33:10 Kingmaking Discussion - 45:20 iTunes Soundcloud RSS Stitcher
Raf Reviews - COIN Part 1 A two part series on my favorite game system. Part 1 is about why I like these games so much. Part 2 will be on which games to try to jump in and try to see what all the fuss is about. Board games are about people. With rare exception, I don’t enjoy playing games alone. The cardboard, the plastic, the wood...it’s all just stuff without friends sitting around the table with you. My favorite games are the ones that rely on your opponents to provide the challenge and the interaction. Even then, 02/02/2017
A two part series on my favorite game system. Part 1 is about why I like these games so much. Part 2 will be on which games to try to jump in and try to see what all the fuss is about. Board games are about people. With rare exception, I don’t enjoy playing games alone. The cardboard, the plastic, the wood...it’s all just stuff without friends sitting around the table with you. My favorite games are the ones that rely on your opponents to provide the challenge and the interaction. Even then,
Episode 35 - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shadows of the Past Review Description: A war, slasher, and gateway game before diving into Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shadows of the Past with a full review. The Great War - 5:30 The Last Friday - 13:20 Black Orchestra -24:50 StarFall -37:00 TMNT: Shadows of the Past Review - 46:10 iTunes Soundcloud RSS Stitcher 01/25/2017
Description: A war, slasher, and gateway game before diving into Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shadows of the Past with a full review. The Great War - 5:30 The Last Friday - 13:20 Black Orchestra -24:50 StarFall -37:00 TMNT: Shadows of the Past Review - 46:10 iTunes Soundcloud RSS Stitcher
Charlie's Take - Mafia City In the biz, as the gangster's say, games with a mafia setting are placed in the corner and given the cold shoulder. Everyone is shuffling about, making sure their 10 foot pole doesn't touch the red headed stepchild for fear of the stank rubbing off. Whether it's because the masses are unrefined blockheads or Sofia Coppola ruined the genre for everyone, it's a theme that simply doesn't sell. If that industry notion were flesh and blood I'd empty my Tommy gun’s drum into its rank carcass. Mafia 01/21/2017
In the biz, as the gangster's say, games with a mafia setting are placed in the corner and given the cold shoulder. Everyone is shuffling about, making sure their 10 foot pole doesn't touch the red headed stepchild for fear of the stank rubbing off. Whether it's because the masses are unrefined blockheads or Sofia Coppola ruined the genre for everyone, it's a theme that simply doesn't sell. If that industry notion were flesh and blood I'd empty my Tommy gun’s drum into its rank carcass. Mafia
Raf Reviews - TMNT: Shadow of the Past COWABUNGA! Look you don’t grow up with the name Rafael in the 90’s and not like the Ninja Turtles. Even if they hadn’t been awesome, the sheer number of toys I got for birthdays would have cemented them firmly in my developing brain. Luckily, they were awesome. Now, I was a 90’s kid and as such my association with them was from the campy TV show and not the comics. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shadows of the Past is technically based on the IDW comic series. But that’s ok. It’s still chock full 01/20/2017
COWABUNGA! Look you don’t grow up with the name Rafael in the 90’s and not like the Ninja Turtles. Even if they hadn’t been awesome, the sheer number of toys I got for birthdays would have cemented them firmly in my developing brain. Luckily, they were awesome. Now, I was a 90’s kid and as such my association with them was from the campy TV show and not the comics. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shadows of the Past is technically based on the IDW comic series. But that’s ok. It’s still chock full
Painting Twilight Imperium - Part 3 In the first article I went over all the steps and hurdles that I incurred while making these custom Twilight Imperium fleets. The second article was about my hardest problem: keeping 64 miniatures in a fleet organized and safe. This time around I want to give a few things I have learned and a few odds and ends. I think an important part of a large project like this is organization. I am by no means the best organizer but having a plan, timetable, and end goal really helped me power through 01/18/2017
In the first article I went over all the steps and hurdles that I incurred while making these custom Twilight Imperium fleets. The second article was about my hardest problem: keeping 64 miniatures in a fleet organized and safe. This time around I want to give a few things I have learned and a few odds and ends. I think an important part of a large project like this is organization. I am by no means the best organizer but having a plan, timetable, and end goal really helped me power through