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Mark H. Walker's Blog (36)

The Monsters of Night of Man. Walker (Mechs) and Kaiju

When we demoed Night of Man at the World Boardgame Championships, players were especially excited about three aspects of the game.

1. The size of the components. More than a couple of folks asked if this was an enlarged demo version. Nope. The counters really are 1.375" square. Well, except for the Walkers and Kaiju. They are a whopping 1.5"! I'll do a video on this soon, displaying the counters so that everyone can appreciate the size.

2. The tactical detail. Sure this game…

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Added by Mark H. Walker on September 8, 2015 at 12:26pm — No Comments

Night of Man. The Feroxi. The Backstory.

Today I thought I'd share some more information on Night of Man's second alien race, the Feroxi. Read on.

They were ancient enemies, their war dating back to their early days of intergalactic travel. Two species as different as Ptah and Heka, technology and magic, individuality and collectivism, destined to fight. The Sons of Ra paid lip service to the spiritual, the descendants of the Great Mother lived their spirituality. And so they fought, across the galaxies. On hot, steamy…

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Added by Mark H. Walker on September 4, 2015 at 10:05am — No Comments

On Killers, Cards, and Creating. Night of Man Designer Notes

I’m not good at designer notes. To recount the ups and downs, trials, tribulations, and frustrations that have been part of Night of Man (and still are) would take up a book. I know, I’ve written several. I guess A Walk in Hell (AWIH), a game I designed for The Armchair General magazine, birthed the endeavor that was to be Night of…

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Added by Mark H. Walker on August 1, 2015 at 6:20am — No Comments

On Abstraction. Brian's Designer Notes for Uprising and Army of Shadows

Once again my blog has been hijacked by a more capable mind than mine. Today Brian Train discusses his views on abstract games, specifically Uprising and Army of Shadows, the games in Yaah! #2. And without further ado, walking across the stage, Mister. BRIAN. TRAIIIIIIIN!!! Give it up folks. …

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Added by Mark H. Walker on July 29, 2015 at 3:27pm — No Comments

Shayne Logan Dishes on Old School Tactical Design

Shayne Logan is the designer of Old School Tactical for Flying Pig Games. As we reach the final tweaking stage before sending the game to the printers, I thought it might be a good idea to let him explain his thinking in designing the game. Take it away, Shayne.…

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Added by Mark H. Walker on July 23, 2015 at 3:33am — No Comments

Hastings, Stamford, and the Shields and Swords System

Tom Russell and I have been working together since he designed Blood on the Alma for Line of Fire Magazine. He is a meticulous, aggressive editor, clever game designer, and all around easy guy to work with. I asked him for some designer notes on the Shields and Swords system, the engine that powered both Stamford Bridge and a Hill Near Hastings in Yaah! Magazine issue #1. Here's what I got. A…

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Added by Mark H. Walker on July 21, 2015 at 3:53am — No Comments

Into the Pocket: The TV Show

This is my first time. Please be gentle. I've never done a video blog before. I'm not even sure if this is a video blog. I do, however, promise that it isn't a 30 minute drone-a-thon, something that seems to be in vogue in gaming circles right now. Nor a recanting of my battle with serious depression. Something else that seems to be popular. I'm too stupid to be depressed.…

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Added by Mark H. Walker on July 18, 2015 at 5:20am — 3 Comments

Designing Into the Pocket -a Guest Post by Mark Stille

I've known Mark Stille for over twenty years. We met when we were both getting our masters at the Naval War College in Newport, RI. Even then we gamed together and talked game design. It's a pleasure to feature his game, Into the Pocket, in issue #3 of Yaah! Magazine. Originally posted on Over Da…

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Added by Mark H. Walker on July 15, 2015 at 4:00am — No Comments

Yaah! Magazine Why We Aren't Avalon Hill's General

Seems like there are a lot of gaming magazines on the market today, and many potential customers have asked me why I feel that our magazine, Yaah! Magazine, is different. Here are my thoughts, originally published at Consimworld, on the subject.…

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Added by Mark H. Walker on July 11, 2015 at 5:30am — 2 Comments

Ideas on a New Tactical Game System

It's been ten years since I designed my first tactical game system and sometimes I fantasize about designing yet another. One that uses all the designing tricks that I’ve learned, something that would give us all as much pleasure without any nit-picky rule pain. So what *might* a new Mark H. Walker tactical system look like? Here are some things I would and wouldn't include.…

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Added by Mark H. Walker on November 9, 2014 at 5:45am — 6 Comments

Line of Fire #13 on Preorder

Hi Folks,

Line of Fire #13 is on preorder. This magazine focuses on Nations at War with articles, scenarios, and a sneak preview of the East Front edition, Stalin's Triumph.

And speaking of the East Front...or at least the East Front before it was the East Front, this issue's complete game is Blood on the Alma. It's the Crimean War battle where the Brits learned the lethality of the Minie Ball. Also included is the second installment of the Chinese-Vietnamese modulette (With…

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Added by Mark H. Walker on October 6, 2012 at 11:11am — 1 Comment

Line of Fire Compilation Sale

Hi Guys,

This is the biggest Line of Fire CD sale that we have ever run. Well, at least it has the most options. You can buy a compilation of Line of Fire 1-6, or a compilation of 7-12, or all 12 issues. And they are all available at fantastic discounts. That's tens of scenarios, hundreds of counters, thousands of words, and our complete magazine game, Raid and Riposte. Shipping is free, and once the CD arrives, you just pop the CD in your computer and read, print, and play. The…

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Added by Mark H. Walker on September 29, 2012 at 10:55am — 3 Comments

Lock 'n Load: Honneur et Patrie Debuts New Preorder System Trial

Introducing our Guffless Preorder System

Okay folks. I’ve seen the immense success Kickstarter is having, and we are implementing those same ideas in a test run preorder funding project. I’m offering several levels of support for this particular project, Honneur at Patrie. I’ll list them below.

The…

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Added by Mark H. Walker on September 6, 2011 at 3:50pm — No Comments

BGG Wargame Rankings Are Less Than a Joke

Hi Guys,

Just dropped in on the wargame rankings for the first time in 3-4 months. I guess I haven't been there since BGG changed the system. What they have done is take a system that was an unmonitored joke, frequently hijacked by company fanboys (Yeah, including our own), and made it worse. Trivialized it in fact. Now, with the heavy emphasis placed on the number of ratings it is little more than a measure of company size.

There are numerous companies, and I hope that… Continue

Added by Mark H. Walker on February 1, 2010 at 6:24am — 9 Comments

Lock ‘n Load Publishing Announces the Release of Line of Fire 7

Lucky #7 is here! Fall into the season with the latest issue of Line of Fire. And with this issue it’s not only available as a downloadable, but as a hands-on printed magazine! Included in Line of Fire #7 are five new World at War (WaW) scenarios, two of which complete Arrigo Velicogna’s three-part serial WaW modulette, Munich’s Highway; plus two Mark Walker-designed scenarios that take place on a new, and included, 8.5” x 11” Bremerhaven City Map;… Continue

Added by Mark H. Walker on October 14, 2009 at 10:56am — No Comments

A Ring of Hills: British Air Support - Just in Time!!

Added by Mark H. Walker on August 4, 2009 at 9:08am — 6 Comments

More Ring of Hills Screens: Argies Seizing Stanley!

Added by Mark H. Walker on July 30, 2009 at 8:54am — 3 Comments

Not One Step Back Reprint is Close!

Our reprint of the Band of Heroes Expansion Mod Not One Step Back, which covers the Eastern Front of WWII, is just about set to go to the printer. The map and counter art will be a little different from the original, keeping them stylistically in line with the newer LnL titles that have recently come out, including Heroes of the Blitzkrieg and the soon-to-arrive Band of Heroes 2nd Edition. The map boards will be… Continue

Added by Mark H. Walker on July 29, 2009 at 12:31pm — 3 Comments

LnL: A Ring of Hills is close

The long-awaited LnL module A Ring of Hills, which depicts the ground combat during the Falklands War in 1982 between the British and the Argentines, will be going to the printer very soon. A Ring of Hills is an expansion module, and LnL: Band of Heroes is required to play it.

A Ring of Hills comes with 12 Scenarios, 5 gorgeous geomorphic maps, 170 counters, module-specific rules, and a player-aid… Continue

Added by Mark H. Walker on July 22, 2009 at 9:30am — 5 Comments

Heroes of the Gap on Preorder

Lock ‘n Load: Heroes of the Gap is now ready for preorder. Heroes of the Gap, is a complete Lock ‘n Load module (you need nothing else to play), which brings the Lock ‘n Load system to the environs of Eisenbach, Germany on the first day of World War III. No, this is NOT a World at War series game, but it does take place in the universe created by World at War. This is pure, impulse-driven, tanks vs. tank, squad vs. squad, leader vs.… Continue

Added by Mark H. Walker on May 18, 2009 at 12:22pm — No Comments