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April 2009 Blog Posts (43)

ATS?

Ok, I want to get into ATS.

Problem is the base game is sold out at a reasonable price everywhere. While I want to pick up Dien Bien Phu and the Choson module I really should get a ETO base game first. The Facing the Blitzkrieg expansion requires one to play and I think it would be a good module to play as well. Anybody know if the Stonne Heights box has all the units required for this?

Added by Justin Fro on April 30, 2009 at 8:22pm — 2 Comments

Some Immodest Proposals to Save the American Defense Establishment

America is trouble. I read it in the New York Times, so it has to be true. And after minutes of careless deliberation while inebriated, I think I know the reason.

We are let down by those who establish our defense policy. These policies just don't reflect the realities of a modern world, reflecting a kind of Neanderthal, pre-2009 reality that many people would like to forget, and others never knew a damned thing about.

Therefore I've come up with some really good… Continue

Added by Jim Werbaneth on April 29, 2009 at 2:27pm — 7 Comments

Not sure if this is the right forum -- crunchy stuff about Avalanche Press SWWAS

I haven't subscribed yet (shame) but had something worth sharing and I can't wait!

A month back on Consimworld's Avalanche Press Second World War at Sea someone asked what the odds

were of the Bismark (10-4-3 gunnery) sinking the Hood (10-0-2-3, 18 hull boxes) in a single salvo.

I just finished enumerating the probabilities and I think it shows a hole in the system. Allowing for spillover damage and also allowing for plunging fire, I get the following net chances for… Continue

Added by Jeff Larsen on April 28, 2009 at 10:57pm — 5 Comments

Saving Private Obama?

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Flyover Fallout: Obama Orders Review Of His Own Incompetence

After weakly pretending he had no knowledge of Monday's terrifying flyover of lower Manhattan, the grossly incompetent Barack Obama will now compound the error by wasting more taxpayer money on a "review" of this man-caused disaster.

President Barack Obama has ordered an internal review to determine how the decision was made to send of one of his official… Continue

Added by Smitty on April 28, 2009 at 8:00pm — 11 Comments

ConsimWorld and Blue Oyster Cult in the Classroom

I continue to use ConsimWorld as a classroom resource in my undergraduate history and political science classes. Today I finished off a series of classes on terrorism and 9/11, and wanted something to grab peoples' attention and get the discussion going.

I started things off with Blue Oyster Cult's song Divine Wind. It was written for the Iranian Hostage Crisis and released in the summer of 1980, then in 2001 an online… Continue

Added by Jim Werbaneth on April 27, 2009 at 12:25pm — No Comments

Political decisions of Ici, c'est la France!

One of the aspects of an insurgency is the political war. In Ici, one of the tough decisions that you have to make is what political chit to play.

Will you play something that will affect the hotheads among elite forces and the pied-noirs (local French)? This is important, if they run amok they will seriously lower the political will of the armed forces (which will result in less amount of operation points each game turn).

Will… Continue

Added by Kim Kanger on April 25, 2009 at 5:00pm — 1 Comment

Hobkirk's Hill Sale!

Hobkirk’s Hill Sale…

To commemorate the April 25, Battle of Hobkirk’s Hill, we are putting Flintlock on sale for 50% off for a very limited time. Get yours now! (http://www.locknloadgame.com).

Added by Mark H. Walker on April 24, 2009 at 3:38pm — No Comments

My First Hornet Leader II Demo Playthrough

Vassal demos sell games.

Well, that's the effect they have on me any way. In the Hornet Leader II demo, you get a walkthrough and a playable version of the game? How could I resist? I just had to give it a go.

The Vassal log demo did a great job of demonstrating a game of HLII from start to finish. Afterward, I read the rules to catch the finer points and I was ready to play. I decided to try a single test flight instead of starting a campaign because I knew… Continue

Added by Josh "Der Spieler" Spillers on April 24, 2009 at 2:56am — No Comments

A Game to Play

http://www.abc.net.au/science/planetslayer/greenhouse_calc.htm

Added by Smitty on April 22, 2009 at 8:32pm — 5 Comments

ANOTHER INTEL FAILURE

Culture of Corruption: Pelosi Knew of Harman's Espionage Interference

Harman is meanwhile pushing her out-of-control NSA defense.

Despite the fact that there were warrants for the wiretap, and the espionage perps were wiretapped, not she herself.

Hey, talk on the phone with espionage suspects and you're likely to get wiretapped, eh?

This was the ranking Democrat on the Intelligence committee through 2006. But she didn't realize that maybe the NSA was… Continue

Added by Smitty on April 22, 2009 at 8:14pm — 2 Comments

Hellenes Online Demo

I attended the Hellenes Online Demo on Monday night, and I really enjoyed the walkthrough. My thanks to Craig and Joel; you guys did a great job showing the game off.

I'm familiar with Hammer of the Scots, so I was able to catch on to the familiar block game mechanics easily. I like what Craig has done with routing in the combat system. I really like the sea movement rules (including risky deepwater areas and the highly defensible narrows) and the ability to appeal to the the… Continue

Added by Josh "Der Spieler" Spillers on April 22, 2009 at 1:35pm — 1 Comment

Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more

I've dallied with war gaming before, but now I am going off the deep end. I have just ordered Field Commander: Alexander, Field Commander: Rommel, Fields of Fire, Silent War, and a pack of GMT counter trays from wargamedepot.com. I think I'm off to a good start.

There's not many war gamers in our group, so I'm going heavy into the solitaire games. I've always enjoyed solitaire gaming any how. I think I picked some damned fine ones to start with. I'm also on the lookout for the… Continue

Added by Josh "Der Spieler" Spillers on April 22, 2009 at 12:55pm — No Comments

A good film about the war in Algeria!

Added by Kim Kanger on April 21, 2009 at 4:55pm — 6 Comments

The iPod Goes to War

Apple is a real industry leader when it comes to design, and the appeal of the iPod and iPhone is undeniable. Even a PC person like me has to admit that they aren't just incredibly cool, but highly functional. The Coke bottle was once the icon of American design, but I think in time people might recognize the iPod as the quintessential design of this generation.

Now Apple's better products are heading to war. There's nothing inherently military about an iPod, but it's a civilian… Continue

Added by Jim Werbaneth on April 21, 2009 at 1:00pm — No Comments

Online HELLENES Demonstration Tonight! (9:00 p.m. EST)

Game designer Craig Besinque and I will be conducting an ONLINE demonstration of his block game,

b Hellenes (GMT)!

To join the demonstration, you will need to download the Playtest VASSAL Module.

We will be using GMT's Ventrilo Server for voice communications as well. See GMT's homepage or email me if you need help setting this up.

We Hope To See You… Continue

Added by Joel Toppen on April 20, 2009 at 10:41am — No Comments

Reality RPG?

Hmmm. "Screwball Romantic Horror Soap Opera" sounds like it would have all the ingredients for a great role-playing game. If that is, it didn't mirror real life as depicted here in Vic Lee's daily comic, Pardon My Planet...

Added by Ted Henkle on April 19, 2009 at 11:52pm — 3 Comments

Could This Be Progress?

In some ways, Baghdad is starting to sound more relaxed and enlightened than some of our more puritanical American cities, if you can believe this story, originally from The New York Times.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30289861/

Added by Jim Werbaneth on April 19, 2009 at 1:05pm — 1 Comment

In the works - Picket Duty - Okinawa: March - June 1945

This will be my next project and is currently under development. The alpha board and counters are done and I am currently compiling my notes, working them into rules and charts. This is proving to be the most difficult part to do so it is taking time to complete.

What is Picket Duty? It will be a solitaire game in which the player is the captain of a Fletcher Class destroyer while performing radar picket duty off Okinawa in 1945. The goal - survive the day as kamikazes try to sink… Continue

Added by Steve Dixon on April 17, 2009 at 6:17am — No Comments

CHECK TO SEE IF YOU PASS "THE YOU ARE A TERRORIST" TEST!

According to the Community Organizer in Chief’s Administration, you may be a “potential terrorist” if you believe, like the Founding Fathers did, in Federalism…

Rightwing extremism in the United States can be broadly divided into those groups, movements, and adherents that are primarily hate-oriented (based on hatred of particular religious, racial or ethnic groups), and those that are mainly antigovernment, rejecting federal authority in favor of state or local authority, or… Continue

Added by Smitty on April 16, 2009 at 8:08pm — 12 Comments

The RECOVERY BOONDOGGLE....

It's now been over two months since the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was passed. According to the president, here's what the act was supposed to fund:

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is an unprecedented effort to jumpstart our economy, create or save millions of jobs, and put a down payment on addressing long-neglected challenges so our country can thrive in the 21st century.

My hometown paper has an article that discusses how your tax dollars are being… Continue

Added by Smitty on April 16, 2009 at 7:58pm — No Comments