Rindis

@rindis

Old-time wargamer, and into all sorts of geekery.

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Rindis@rindis· 5d

Patch and I recently played the final scenario from Hatten in Flames. Patch had a slow attack, but finally got past my defenses in the last turn, at the cost of four Shermans. @multimanpublishing.bsky.social #wargame #ASL Session report: www.rindis.com/blog/9204

VASL screenshot showing the situation and early movement in Advanced Squad Leader scenario HF8 "Fahrenheit 352".

Rindis@rindis· 7d

Osprey's book on the castles of Prussia is well-done and informative in a small space. I'd love to see more technical detail on actual layouts and the like, but there is plenty to start with, including lots of good photography. @ospreypublishing.bsky.social #booksky Review: www.rindis.com/blog/9196

Cover of Crusader Castles of the Teutonic Knights (1): The Red-Brick Castles of Prussia 1230-1466. It features a reconstruction of Marienwerder by artist Peter Dennis, and the usual gray-blue trade dress of the Fortress series.

Rindis@rindis· 8d

Designing Wargames is available in PDF on Wargame Vault! This collection of essays from nine wargame designers was written in 1976 and published in 1978. #wargames www.wargamevault.com/en/product/5... www.rindis.com/fox-den/desi...

Cover for Designing Wargames, a collection of essays originally written in 1976 by Richard Berg, Tom Dalgliesh, John Hill, Don Lowry, Mike McGuire, Al Nofi, John Prados, Randy Reed, and Lou Zocchi; edited by Dana Lombardy and Don Lowry.

Rindis@rindis· 13d

In the middle of my Danger Forward game with Mark, I introduced Jason to BCS with the same scenario in a FtF day. @multimanpublishing.bsky.social #wargame #BCS Session report: www.rindis.com/blog/9189

Battalion Combat Series; Danger Forward. This shot is at the end of July 10 from the Axis perspective (looking south). Americans are making headway, and PG KG was completely immobilized by a failed SNAFU roll.

Rindis@rindis· 15d

Mark and I had a far more successful second try at BTS with Danger Forward on Vassal. It's a nicely small set with good variety of units (including Gruppo Mobile's Fiat 3000s). @multimanpublishing.bsky.social #wargame Session report: www.rindis.com/blog/9226

A shot of nearly the full BCS Danger Forward map as of the end of day/turn 1. The Americans are just starting to head inland, while elements of the Herman Goering division are still stuck away from the main action.

Rindis@rindis· 19d

Jemisin's Killing Moon is not everything it's cracked up to be. There's plenty of good, but the plot is big without enough engine to get it moving well, and I'm left with a lot of questions on the metaphysics. #booksky Review: www.rindis.com/blog/9201

Cover of the The Killing Moon, by N.K. Jemisin, showing what I assume is supposed to be royal palace of Gujaareh.

Rindis@rindis· Jul 10

Unmanned, generally deployed in lots of five (two high orbit, three low). Generally TOS-era.

Clip of SFB Ship System Display for photon torpedo-based planetary defenses. Full sheet shows five DEFSATS, and six ground-based photon launchers (one per hexside). Originally from Advanced Missions.

Rindis@rindis· Jul 7

I found Geoffrey Parker's biography of Charles V less engaging that I had supposed. The subject is good, and what he said was good, but it did not capture my attention well. #booksky www.rindis.com/blog/9187

Cover of Emperor: A New Life of Charles V by Geoffrey Parker, Yale University Press, 2019. [I am not sure about that "Y"; it is sticking up above the rest of the name for no reason....]

Rindis@rindis· Jul 5

Issue #7 (late 1973) of Lowrys Guidon magazine is now available in PDF on Wargame Vault! #LowrysHobbies #wargames www.wargamevault.com/en/product/5... www.rindis.com/fox-den/lowr...

Cover for the seventh issue of Lowrys Guidon, a supplement for the Lowrys Hobbies Catalog, giving updates, and additions.

This one is from around November 1973, and includes a Gary Gygax article recounting a _Don't Give Up the Ship_ battle.

Rindis@rindis· Jun 8

Osprey's Campaign #271 actually covers a number of campaigns between the Franks and Saxons, and therefore also two different battles. This is a major part of the Carolingian legend, and worth a look. @ospreypublishing.bsky.social #booksky Review: www.rindis.com/blog/9183

Cover of The Conquest of Saxony AD 782-85, Campaign #271 from Osprey Publishing by David Nicole. Cover is by Graham Turner, and is from the two-page spread "Carolingian Forces Are Defeated By Saxon ‘Rebels’ In the Suntel Hills in AD 782".

Rindis@rindis· Jun 2

Issue #51 (Jan-Feb 1972) of Panzerfaust magazine is now available in PDF on Wargame Vault! #Panzerfaust-magazine #wargames www.wargamevault.com/en/product/5... www.rindis.com/fox-den/panz...

Cover of issue #51 (January-February 1972) of Panzerfaust. The first of two issues printed by offset press while it was still a wargaming fanzine run by Don Greenwood.

Rindis@rindis· May 27

Recently picked up a collection of various stories and other media. My first pick from it was a fun enough short-short story. There's some formatting issues, though I assume some of that is English is not May Barros' first language. @maybarros.com.br #booksky Review: www.rindis.com/blog/9181

Cover for the short short story Journey Home by May Barros.

Rindis@rindis· May 21

The third Expanse novel is a welcome change from the plot structure of the first two. The "physics" going on needed an earlier and better explanation; I had some misconceptions coming out of the briefing 1/4 through until I did a reread of the scene later. #booksky Review: www.rindis.com/blog/9177

Cover of Abaddon's Gate, book 3 of The Expanse by James S.A. Corey (Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck). Art by Daniel Dociu; looks Berkey-inspired to me, and shows... spacecraft? that might appear in the novel somewhere, but you'll never be able to tell.

Rindis@rindis· May 16

Just in from GMT! I am very glad to get this compilation of the first two Ancient World games, and the long-anticipated Second Punic War game. But it sure seems like this will be the last thing to come out for it, despite long-ago discussions of two other sets. @gmtgames.bsky.social #wargames

Components of the GMT game, Thunderbolt: Deluxe Edition, compiling all of the three releases in the Ancient World series. Top left is the box top and top right is the box back. The Spain & Mauretania map is spread out and largely covered by other components. The upper corners have army displays and reference cards; the left has the seven counter sheets (and a final half sheet in the top center); lower right is the two other maps (folded) of Italy and Carthage+Numidia; and bottom center are the five books giving the main rules, all the 'set specific' extra rules, and the scenarios.

Rindis@rindis· May 14

Ada Palmer's Inventing the Renaissance is surprisingly wide-ranging, even knowing that is an overview. I was initially hesitant, but it was an informative and highly inventive book. @adapalmer.bsky.social #booksky Review: www.rindis.com/blog/9169

Cover for "Inventing the Renaissance" by Ada Palmer (in particular, the U of Chicago Press Kindle edition). It features a photograph of Perseus with the Head of Medusa, sculpted by Benvenuto Cellini, and nicely Pinied by his sword and the typeface.

Rindis@rindis· May 9

Much of Osprey's Campaign #261 is already in Thucydides. But, as ever, there are good maps and photos of terrain. Shepherd does a good job enhancing the account with translation notes and expanding on what is glossed over. @ospreypublishing.bsky.social #booksky Review: www.rindis.com/blog/9162

Cover for Osprey Publishing's "Pylos and Sphacteria 425 BC", which is the 261st volume of their Campaign Series. Peter Dennis did four two-page spread illustrations, and the cover is taken from the last one, showing the Spartan last stand of the siege.

Rindis@rindis· May 8

Mark and I tried out latest ZOC-bond Italy '43 with the seven-turn scenario. It feels a lot like Salerno '43, though casualties can be punishing. The later portions have fortifications that will bring a new feel to the game. @gmtgames.bsky.social #wargame Session Report: www.rindis.com/blog/9155

Turn 3 of the "Across the Volturno" scenario in Italy '43. The Allies have a slow start, but the entire German inland/eastern flank is in bad shape (especially, since the unit holding Benevento gets removed right after this).

Rindis@rindis· May 7

Dreamsnake got multiple awards when it came out in the '70s, and generally deserves them. It's not a *great* novel, but it is a very effective one on the emotional level. #books #booksky #SF Review: www.rindis.com/blog/9152

Cover of Dreamsnake, by Vonda N. McIntyre, 2021 Open Road edition.

Rindis@rindis· May 4

Back on 4/12, had friends over to try the new Empire Builder: Europe from Kickstarter. Not as smooth as I'd hoped with three brand-new people. Also, the included crayons have trouble with the map surface. #Mayfair #railgame #crayonrails www.rindis.com/blog/9145

End of game for Empire Builder: Europe. I had just won with a delivery to Seville. Sadly, my note app did not save the end-of day money totals.

Rindis@rindis· May 1

Issue #111 (Winter 1983—last issue) of Campaign magazine is now available in PDF on Wargame Vault! #Campaign-magazine #wargames www.wargamevault.com/en/product/5... www.rindis.com/fox-den/camp...

Cover of issue #111 of Campaign, The Magazine of Strategy Games, Winter 1983

Featuring in this issue:
Three Origins Report, Strategies in Civilization, and a review of another Gettysburg game... more.

This would be the final issue, as it went out of business at this point, and no one ever picked it up. The just-released PDF version includes a two page editorial from me, and a page about the business from Don Lowry.

Rindis@rindis· Apr 27

The Entropy Effect has uneven pacing, and a few subplot problems because of that. But, I do like it, and you do feel for the wringer Spock is put through. #books #booksky #Trek Review: www.rindis.com/blog/9141

Cover for Pocket Star Trek novel #2, The Entropy Effect, by Vonda N. McIntyre. Second version - first was part of the Timescape imprint, and had a white background instead of blue.

Art by Wayne Barlowe. TMP Enterprise and uniforms are shown, but the book is more properly in TOS. Sulu has grown a mustache and his hair out in the novel, so he presumably did a read-through before doing the art (though by a end-of-book comment, that should probably be a more 'starter' mustache).

Rindis@rindis· Apr 24

Since SE is currently talking about the next expansion, and 7.5 is around the corner, I should say a few things about 7.4: www.rindis.com/blog/9130 #FFXIV #Dawntrail

Screenshot from Final Fantasy XIV, during the quest "A Need for Speed". My WoL Rylea is inserted into a grainy black-and-white Noir flashback wearing a trenchcoat, sunglasses and porkpie hat (and looking good). Nashu is in her suit at the right side.

Rindis@rindis· Apr 20

I've enjoyed the anime Ascendance of a Bookworm (haven't seen the current). I recently read and enjoyed the first light novel it's based off of, which covers up through episode 6. (Or the other way around; about the usual pace of adaption.) #book #anime #LightNovel Review: www.rindis.com/blog/9127

Cover of the translated book 1, volume 1 Ascendance of a Bookworm by Miya Kazuki.

Rindis@rindis· Apr 19

Mark and I tried out '80s WWI dogfight game, Knights of the Air recently. I'm certainly impressed by it. There's some rough places, but it puts the complexities of air performance into an accessible format. #wargame #WWI #dogfight #AH Session Report: www.rindis.com/blog/9122

Action during a game of Knights of the Air, with a Sopwith Snipe (blue "base") approaching a Fokker DVIII (tan base) while the latter is coming out of an Immelmann Turn.

Rindis@rindis· Apr 18

Robert Black makes an assertion that the Confederate Ranger units were forerunners of modern ranger/special forces units (his usual subject), but doesn't link them in the text. As it is, this three separate shorter histories that are a bit of a slog to go through. Review: www.rindis.com/blog/9117

Cover of Ghost, Thunderbolt, and Wizard: Mosby, Morgan, and Forrest in the Civil War, by Robert W. Black. Part of the Stackpole Military History Series (with a trade dress showing a medal and a gray-blue outer border [indicating ACW history]).

Rindis@rindis· Apr 17

Dragonbards was Shirley Rousseau Murphy's second YA fantasy series. It's tighter and more cohesive than Ynell, while keeping some of its tropes. However, it loses the parts of Ynell I liked better. #books #fantasy Review: www.rindis.com/blog/9110

Cover for The Dragonbards Trilogy by Shirley Rousseau Murphy, featuring Nightpool, The Ivory Lyre, and The Dragonbards.

Rindis@rindis· Apr 15

Patch and I's latest round of Command & Colors: Ancients, was River Sabis from Ex 3. The terrain is certainly interesting, and both sides have a camp to claim for a banner. @gmtgames.bsky.social @CCA #wargames Session Report: www.rindis.com/blog/9104

Final positions, Commands & Colors: Ancients Ex 3, River Sabis. Roman win, 7 to 3.

Rindis@rindis· Apr 2

Issue #110 (Jul-Aug 1982) of Campaign magazine is now available in PDF on Wargame Vault! #Campaign-magazine #wargames www.wargamevault.com/en/product/5... www.rindis.com/fox-den/camp...

Cover for issue #110 of Campaign: The Magazine of Strategy Games. Undated, inside, it is given as July-August 1982 (it ran late).

Featuring:
The Real Dark December: The First Winter in Russia, 1941
Review and Variant on The Third Reich '81
Review of Ironbottom Sound with Designer's Notes

Rindis@rindis· Mar 22

Bruce Catton's second volume of his Centennial ACW history is very good, and covers the heyday of McClellan (post-1st Bull Run to Antietam) while also giving good coverage of everything else and noting the steadily mounting pressure on slavery. #ACW #history #book Review: www.rindis.com/blog/9101

Cover for Bruce Catton's Terrible Swift Sword, part two of his Centennial History of the American Civil War. Pocket Cardinal edition, 1st printing, 1967.

Rindis@rindis· Mar 14

Mark and I tried Metagaming Microgame 2, Chitin I, recently. Not a bad little package, and you could do a lot more exploring of the unit relationships, though getting away from the middle of the CRT is hard. #wargame #game Session report: www.rindis.com/blog/9094