BattleTech Demos

by on January 27, 2025 at 12:01 am
Posted In: Diaries

I ran a BattleTech Classic and BattleTech Alpha Strike demo this weekend at a local convention. I’ve been doing Alpha Strike demos for years now, and was possibly the first Demo Agent to start demoing it under its original name back when I was a Demo Agent. It really is a quicker and easier way to play BattleTech. As I said back then, “this is the future of BattleTech.” And the movement and TMM mechanics are one of the big reasons for this. This weekend was the first time I’ve demoed Classic in years. It’s been over a decade since I’ve taught new gamers on Classic, and it was the movement and TMM that confused the gamers more than anything else. The idea that MP allowed you to move, but what counted for movement was actual hexes traveled, that you then converted to TMM was the single biggest hangup new gamers had. Over and over again. Many, many new gamers. It was the single biggest mindjob they had. Obviously I’m going to have to come up with a new way to explain since it was such a recurring issue. It is just an interesting take to take away from a convention. While many of us may consider Alpha Strike’s movement and TMM mechanics too simple and too abstract, I’m now firmly in the camp of considering them to be far superior mechanics when it comes to introducing new players to the game. And we HAVE to consider introducing new players to the game if the game is going to survive.

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Castle Con

by on January 26, 2025 at 7:18 pm
Posted In: Diaries

Castle Con is over. I planned to post that i was at the con and ready to take players again, but the players were there and ready. I lost track of how many people i ran through demos od BattleTech and Alpha Strike. Literally lost track. On the plus side, both demo kits came home with all their dice and other pieces. Two demo kits spent threed days at a con and came back complete. And I was giving demos to both experienced gamers and to kids. Sometimes kids of experienced gamers who saw someone doing demos of a game they fell in love with as a kid and wanted their kid to experience it. It was a good three days and I am tired. Castle Con is over, the people did an amazing job running it, and I look forward to the next one.

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Castle Con

by on January 25, 2025 at 12:01 am
Posted In: Diaries

I am running BattleTech demos at Castle Con in Rochester Minnesota today and tomorrow. I am running BattleTech grinder and Alpha Strike and BattleTech Encounters demos. Come on over today or tomorrow if you are interested.

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From the Brim to the Dregs

by on January 24, 2025 at 12:01 am
Posted In: Diaries

Drinks! Since humanity first began, we have been experimenting with beverages beyond simple water. Fermenting fruit, milk from various mammals, mashing berries…and later experimenting with getting desired effects by mixing things together in different ways; potions concocted to evoke certain feelings, heal an ailment, erase memories, or inspire strong emotions. Across many cultures & oceans we find different myths of fountains of youth, elixirs of life, amrita, blessed mead, holy ale, love potions, sanctified wines, & potent poisons.

Come! Drink from a cup of stories varied! Dare to follow these epic quests, potions with unintended consequences, ales holy, wine deadly, and toast…to adventure!

Tell me, friend, will you drink?

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From the Brim to the Dregs

by on January 23, 2025 at 12:01 am
Posted In: Diaries

From the Brim to the Dregs from Raconteur Press is coming out this weekend. Toil and trouble and crazy things come when you try out that strange mixture. Captain Bill Carter and Joanna return from previous adventures in the Old West within its pages, whether you get the electronic or the dead tree version. But if you want to check out their previous escapades, check between the covers of Coffee Adventures. Joanna makes a cup of coffee that will make you… ah… but why spoil it?

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