Leipzig Game approaches!

 At long last the dates for a multi-player Leipzig game have been set, May 15,16,17 (a Friday, Saturday, and Sunday affair)

Looks like at least 6 players per side (possibly more).

Some of my 15mm buildings will take part on the tabletop, as will my Napoleon's Battles rules set, as it is always good to have many copies on hand.

my Shako & Baton cards

 

I designed some "Shako & Baton" cards for use in the many 200th anniversary games played from 2006-2015 and now they will get a fresh run, as discussion about the need for 'free roll' controls began.

I have also suggested possible other cards, and maybe have some extra free rolls in a mix of cards to be drawn each turn?  Dunno there's a discussion to be had about it all.

more of the cards options

I have also put forward the use of a chess clock in order to introduce a time limit to the game activity.

The intention is to set a 'total time' for game actions/decisions/movement etc for each side and then stick to it as a possible game loosing element - for those who take too long to make decisions and move the minis ought to have something to get them going on with the action (even if it is a poor decision or other problem with it - just make a decision!) since we will only have so much time to run the game and we would really like to have the action happen.

the chess clock I have had since 2007 (?) 
will get another outing on the tabletop

The rules for Napoleon's Battles really do lend themselves well to a clock timer, since the overall game time has a limit, the turns have a limit and there needs to be something to help 'push' the slower players to keep the game action moving.

It might only account for a part of the victory conditions, yet I see it as vital to the simulation since real commanders would have less time to make the decisions (and less information often) than we do at the games table.  

The use of the time limit will also encourage everyone to stay focused on the game at hand since many other players (myself included) will be traveling some distances and taking hotel rooms in this multi-day event!

Paperwork

 re-setting games activities from many decades is no straight forward task

I have been involved in the organization of my own little table group and a number of convention organizations from the Comox valley to Halifax and many places and sizes in-between

 I stumbled upon this character sheet today in the process of re-packing and preparing to move on items and it reminded me of the blog today

the TOON character sheet

 I did some TOON games back in the 1990s and ran a few at convention events, something quick and silly to find friends with active imaginations.

The boys did some TOON games at the library, in the 2010s, now I have moved on the paperwork and only have the main rule-book (I think) and plan to get this heavier weight paper sheet included with whatever remains of the game set.

Parts FOUND!

 

wiping the brows ...

The video from the Eylau 2007 game (with the blowing snows effects!) has been found!

More images taken at the game from other players have also been sourced!

I shall finally be able to tell the full tale of that epic show effort.

Also:  More images from the Auerstadt 2006 game have also been sourced (the image above) is from that game, and I am now planning to make use of these images in a conversation regarding staging such game actions.

More to come.

image here captures two players who now
are gaming in our memories only

A Salute reminder. From 2017

 Got a little video reminder about the 2017 Salute event.

There's a general plan afoot to attend the 2026 version, I am not in a position to able to attend this time around.

Fascination with large round numbers: 1 million views & 20 years

 We have this strange fascination with large round numbers, I share it with my fellows I will not try to hide it.

Today this blog crossed the 1 million views threshold!

in my blog control panel as of noon PDT March 31, 2026

I'm also planning on some summary posts regarding things I found interesting in the past 20 years of blogging here, as the blog turns 20 in September 2026.

 

like a time capsule ...

 

I have found some lost video of the tabletop game that won an award back when I was just starting to chronicle my tabletop activity.  I have also been reliably informed that another player in that game has a load of photos that he took during the action.  

Now if I can just source some way to put this video into digital format so I can edit it into something memorable that I can share on the blog here ...

 

Fun finds - the joys of re-sorting a collection:: Battlestar Galactica Pyramid Game

 While re-sorting the many items I have, this one came to light in another forum and I decided to give it a feature here.

I have this 55 card set from a convention purchase sometime in the early 1990s, around the same time I came across the "L" cubit replica.

Sometime in the mid-1990s I learned how to make my own RTV molds and made a mold of that cubit.  

oh so many cubits now!

Since the early 2000s I found the other 'curved' symbol cubit at an expo in Victoria.

giving an impression of scale and color match
my rings are gold

After that event I made another better mold of both replicas (one was metal the other resin) and then turned out enough cubits to be able to play a reasonable 'game' of Pyramid.  I recall at least once playing for jelly beans in the later 1990s, then at least two runs of the game with the new cubits.

These cubits got a fresh coat of paint about two years (yharen) ago, though mostly poker with Jeff's old clay chips has been played.   

 

maybe it is time for a game?

Continuing commercial impact

 Again a topic found me today. 

I have many of these pulp figures by Bob Murch and since I live in British Columbia there’s no tariff nonsense going on. 

I can only imagine the interruptions of projects for both producers and the hobby users. 

Nonsense like these tariffs are just going to push more away from any of the hobby activities and that hurts everyone.