Robotech RPG Tactics

Before we get started with today’s updates we need to get a few things out of the way.  We’re talking about Robotech.  Yes, I know Robotech was originally three cartoons before Harmony Gold combined Super Dimension Fortress Macross, Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross, and Genesis Climber MOSPEADA.  There may also be spoilers for a cartoon that came out in 1985, so if for some reason you want to view the series for the first time you probably want to skip the next paragraph.

I was 9 when Robotech started airing on television.  Despite the fact that my local television station didn’t always air the episodes in order I was fascinated by it.  It’s the first cartoon I can remember that didn’t talk down to the audience.  There was a lot going on in those plots and while the younger me might not have understood all of it, I was never lost.  I can still remember the impact Roy Fokker’s death had on me; people in cartoons weren’t supposed to die.  Most people think of the Macross saga when they hear the name Robotech.  My personal favorite was the New Generation but Macross saga has Khyron.  Khyron was so cool he made sitting through Minmay scenes almost bearable.

So why am I talking about Robotech today?  Palladium the long time holders of the Robotech RPG license have created a Kickstarter for a Robotech Tactics game.  When I say Palladium has had the license for a long time, understand that I used to play the Robotech role-playing game they created back in high school.  Their newest game is going to fill your table with Macross saga veritechs and Zentraedi battle pods.  As of this writing there are 20 days left to go in the Kickstarted and it is already fully funded.  They’ve actually made enough to fully fund the project 6 times.  Palladium is going above and beyond and adding stretch goal after stretch goal. 

There are numerous different levels that you can pledge.  The level I want to talk about is their Battle Cry level.  It isn’t cheap, that level will cost you 140.  But for that you’ll get a 90+ page rule book, 12 Zentraedi dice, 12 UEDF dice, 40 game cards, an art print, and 45 game pieces (including the Kickstarter exclusive Rick Hunter veritech).  That’s the basic set.  You also get another 14 game pieces that have been unlocked by the stretch goals.  Roy Fokker’s Veritech is included in those pieces, like Rick he is also a Kickstarter exclusive.

That’s a fantastic amount of plastic to move around your table.  You could have 10 Veritechs and 4 Destroids defending the Earth against 21 Regult Battlepods, 2 Reconnaissance Battlepods, and 2 Glaug Officer’s Battlepods.  If that isn’t enough for you there are plenty of add-ons to purchase.  You can buy extra Battlepods of all types.  Or extra Veritechs.  Or Gnerl Fighters. Want some real firepower?  The MKII Monster is available for 40 bucks.  If you’re a fan of tabletop war games or just a Robotech fan this is a Kickstarter you need to check out.  With 20 days left to go I’m excited just to see what else is coming.

Games Day 2013 Ticket

Brandon and I are going to Games Day again this year.  You may remember last year when I posted the unboxing of my 2012 Games Day ticket.  That was odd just because of the giant box used to send a matted print.  This time around I’m posting the ticketing package because it is awesome.

This plain white envelop came in a packing sleeve.  I didn’t really know what to expect inside it.  To be honest I didn’t give it much thought.

Inside was a ticket holder and yet another envelope.  Suddenly it was turning into the postal equivalent of a nesting doll.  Open a package to open an envelope; which opens to reveal a smaller envelope.   But wait, what is that horribly blurry smudge in my picture?  Why am I so bad at photography?

Oh, it’s just a wax seal of the Dark Angels symbol.  Yeah, that’s pretty awesome.  I know I’ll eventually end up throwing it away, but I didn’t want to break the seal just yet.  Remembering at a long ago convention I actually bought a Dragon Age letter opener I ran to my desk and grabbed my Grey Warden sword. 

Finally done with envelopes we have an embossed Imperial Aquila.  Not much to say here, but again it is just a gorgeous presentation.  Saying any more would turn it into that scene in American Psycho.

Finally inside the letter is my ticket and a thank you for purchasing it.  I’ve been to conventions all across the United States and I’ve never received anything even close to this.  Bravo Games Workshop.  You’ve certainly raised the bar this time.

Flash Friday: DC Super Friends Busy Book

Happy Flash Friday everyone!  I picked up the subject of this week’s Flash Friday a little while ago but every time I went to write about it something else exciting came up.  As a lifelong Flash fan I realize that Flash items are few and far between when compared to Superman and Batman.  Because of that I’m keeping an extra close eye on Flash merchandise aimed at children.  I want my son to be able to have his own Flash stuff.  I’m sure it won’t stop him from wanting to play with the things in dad’s glass display cases, but it can’t hurt.

With this strategy in mind I realize I’ll be buying things when they are available even if they aren’t age appropriate.  I can’t chance seeing something on the shelf and hoping it will still be there in two or three years when my son is finally ready for it.  So I’ll buy them early, stash them away, and just surprise him with them when he’s old enough.  The first of these is the DC Super Friends Busy Book.

I ran into these and Barnes and Nobles.  It was on one of their center tables and marked down for 10 dollars.  There were Busy Books for all sorts of different licensed characters.  I picked up the Super Friend set and flipped through it to make sure the Flash was in.  Once I had seen that I knew it was coming home with us. 

The Busy Book is a large book with about 10 pages.  They’re made of the thick cardboard type material used in kid books.  It’s glossy and has bright illustrations.  It also has a large box at the end of the book that contains a fold out play area and little figures.  What figures are included?  Of course it comes with Batman, Superman, and Robin.  To round out the Super Friends there is Flash, John Stewart Green Lantern, Aquaman, and Hawkman.  .  It’s surprising that Wonder Woman got left out here.  Instead of Wonder Woman we get an adorable little Krypto.  Of course you need villains so Lex Luthor, Joker, Penguin, and Riddler are thrown in

I can’t wait to see the play mat laid across the floor.  As I stated before, it’s too early for this set at the moment.  If I gave it to him now he’d enjoy turning the book’s pages.  The action figures would quickly go into his mouth.  Superman is tough, but I’m pretty sure he’d come out with some bite marks.  One day the Flash and Hawkman will defeat the Joker and Penguin at the abandoned carnival but for now the Busy Book will be up on the shelf until the time is right.    

Hangover Thursday: Maiden’s Kiss

It’s Hangover Thursday, how’s your head?  I spent Sunday with a good amount of Session Black so I haven’t really picked up anything new to drink.  I’m also made plans to be in Memphis at the end of July.  So if you’re familiar with the area and no of a good bar in the downtown Memphis area Brandon and I would sure appreciate the tips.

If you’re in Colorado you’re about to get one of the coolest looking beer labels I think I’ve ever seen.  Grimm Brothers Brewhouse is debuting their new Maibock Lager on May 1^st.  The beer is named Maiden’s Kiss and the kickoff event will be at the World of Beer in Glendale, Colorado.  After that it should be available in Northern Colorado on May 3^rd.

I am far outside the Grimm Brothers distribution area so I can’t really speak to their quality.  I shouldn’t want to try a beer just because of the name or label, but obviously I am easily swayed.  It isn’t just their newest beer either; the entire line has brilliant names and beautiful labels.  I’m a fan and I’ve never even tasted it.  If someone out that way wants to send a few bottles to Florida I wouldn’t complain.

Organ Trail Director’s Cut

I’ll admit it, my love for Oregon Trail is a nostalgia thing.     In middle school one of science classes had it on the computers.  It was a special treat to get on the game during class time.  I’d load up on bullets, give my family dirty names, and try to shoot dear until I died of typhoid.  For an extra giggle I’d write more profanity on my tombstone when I died.  Things like “Fucker died on me,” showed just how tough and edgy I was as a child.

Organ Trail takes that classic Oregon Trail feel and shoves zombies into it.  I know, I know, everything has zombies now.  I’m pretty over them too, but this is fun.  Instead of an ox driven wagon you’re now traveling cross country in a station wagon.  You don’t ford rivers; you have to sneak our shoot your way through giant zombie hordes.  The shooting mechanic took me a while to get used to.  Drag and release works great for slingshots, it made my head hurt using it for rifles.  Once I finally got used to it, I was making head shots like a pro.

Organ Trail was originally a flash game.   It was then moved to Facebook.  After that the game’s creators The Men Who Wear Many Hats took it too Kickstarter.  That’s how the Director’s Cut was created.  You can get the game on iOS and Android devices.  It’s also available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.  There is an expansion pack for a few dollars more, but I haven’t thrown down on that one yet.  I might pick it up after my current play through.  

DragonCon

Before I get to far into my topic today I have to give you some personal history so you’ll better understand everything I’m going to be covering.  DragonCon is a giant convention that takes place in Atlanta every Labor Day.  It’s Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Comics, and everything else you can think of crammed into three hotels.  The real appeal is that everyone is staying in these (and the surrounding) hotels.  Because it’s inside the hotels, and the hotels are more or less connected, it doesn’t ever really stop.  Sure the signing areas close down and the dealer’s room is locked up; but at night it becomes a drunken parade of cosplayers.

I first went to my first DragonCon 11 years ago.  I’ve met people there who’ve become such dear friends that I consider them family.  I met my wife there and drunkenly proposed to her to get her attention.  Years later I proposed to her there again; this time it wasn’t a joke.  I haven’t been the past couple years because of other life events, but we were planning on going back in 2014. 

Over the years DragonCon has gotten more and more successful.  That makes its founders quite a bit of money.  Ed Kramer is one of those co-founders and I knew he resigned from DragonCon in 2000.  You see that was when Kramer was first accused of molesting three teenage boys.  So while he wasn’t involved with running DraconCon he was still getting paid by them.  I didn’t know that part.  His 2011 dividend from the convention was 154,000.

DragonCon has been trying to sever ties with Kramer, including trying to buy out his shares.  Kramer is unwilling to do that and has filed litigation against DragonCon to stop any attempts to remove him.  So that’s where we are now.  Those 120 dollar weekend passes and DragonCon shirts add up fast and unfortunately part of that money ends up going to a child molester.  I can’t support that.  I’m not going back to DragonCon while he is still profiting from it. Maybe this Labor Day I’ll invite all my friends to my house, dress up silly, and drink till the sun comes up; that's pretty close to what I did at the con anyway.

Sleeping In

I’m still getting used to waking up early and not actually being at work on a Saturday.  Saturday updates are still going to be a thing.  This week I’m (hopefully) sleeping in.