FIXED version of Episode 57. iTunes shows wrong audio length. This new entry is the full Episode 57. If you previously downloaded Episode 51 you got the bad version. Please download this version. This only impacts those who download episodes via iTunes. We are very sorry for the inconvenience this has caused.
Host Tom Barbalet and guest Neil Shuck, of the Meeples & Miniatures podcast, analyze Osprey Publishing‘s Force on Force rules. The duo provide an in depth review of that ruleset. Neil recommends Flying Lead‘s Hearts & Minds expansion by Ganesha Games and Charlie Don’t Surf by Too Fat Lardies as alternative modern age rulesets depicting insurgency warfare.
Tom and Neil briefly address the question “What is fun?” and the dynamic of wargamer vs. gamer. As part of this discussion Neil admits to having a secret dislike of Battlefront Miniature‘s Flames of War ruleset because, based on his experiences, it promotes powergaming and cheesy lists.
After bantering on the topic, Tom moves the discussion onto Salute 2011. Neil reveals his “survival rules” for Salute, which can be applied to any gaming con. The discussion flows into covering Beasts of War and Battlefront’s acquisition of Wargames Illustrated magazine. Neil uses that to explain the importance of independent gaming coverage.
The show winds down with the the Music to Game By segment with Bailey Records’ “Dogs of War” from Stratos’ album Cybernet Official Roleplaying Soundtrack and the new Battlegames Magazine promo.
As always we conclude with a message from our sponsor, 12-7-Games.com, contest sponsor Battlegames Magazine, our Creative Commons license and contact information (find us on Facebook and Twitter).
We hope you enjoy this episode of the CWF Game Cast and are eager for your feedback (both positive remarks and constructive criticism). Send it all to cwfgamecast at wargamingforums dot com. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, or Xbox Live with gamertag cwfgamecast.
Our intro song is “Downtown” by Matthew Ebel. Please give his other music a listen at www.matthewebel.com.
We received, via Neil Shuck, an e-mail from Shawn Carpenter of Ambus Alley Games regarding comments made in this episode concerning the “American-centric” focus of the rules.
Shawn says, “I was just listening to the CWF interview with you regarding FoF and I wanted to share an important fact with you: More Europeans were involved in the development of Force on Force than Yanks. We had a bucket of Brits, including Rich Jones, and folks from Germany, Portugal, France, and Ireland. We went to great lengths to be as even-handed in our treatment of the subject as possible, both because that was the right thing to do according to our sense of integrity and because more than 50% of our customers hail from beyond our borders.
That trend holds true for our companion books, as well. The lead author of Road to Baghdad, Enduring Freedom, and the upcoming Fallujah and Mogadishu books, for instance, is Leigh Neville – a gent who hails from Australia. The lead author on Ambush Valley is Piers Brand – I specifically chose a non-American to write that book in hopes of offering something that differed from the normal “Ballad of the Green Berets” or “Platoon” extremes found among so many of us Yanks.
There’s not a book that we’ve done (or will do) that doesn’t owe at least half of its flavor to non-US contributors.
Please take this in the right way: I’m not ranting angrily at you, I’m just sharing this information with you because I thought you might find it an interesting and factual counterpoint to the assertion that our rules are “America-Centric” should you be confronted with it again.
Best wishes as always!
Shawn.”