A Reaper Mousling Ad in White Wolf Magazine

Flipping through the Halloween issue #48 of White Wolf, circa 1994, I come away with a few things.

1. It was chock-full of edgy, pretentious BS back in the day.  It's pretty tame compared to the wackiness at the ends of the spectrum we're dealing with today.  That is neither a compliment towards their writing, nor of the current situation.  
2. $3.95 for a magazine was an acceptable price for a guy who just had gotten a job for minimum wage ($5/hr) at New Frontiers in the Phillipsburg Mall selling Magic cards.
3. Ken Carpenter was one of the only reasons I read this magazine at that point.  A Fantasy scenario and a review for Legions of Steel? Totally Sweet. 
4. A note that issue #45 had an editorial about the movement to remove lead from minis.  Oh the barbarity! 
5. The current reviews I post from time to time or little better than the schlock review for TWERPS Space Cadets 2nd Edition in the capsule reviews.  
6. The #3 best selling gaming product for that August was Jyhad Booster Packs.  The only two products in the top 20 that weren't Wizards, TSR, Palladium, White Wolf or FASA?  R. Talsorian's Castle Falkenstein.  I may post that list later.  
7. It was the glorious early days of Reaper Miniatures as they had commissioned Terry Williams to sculpt some of the original Mouslings (and the long forgotten Verminites).

Dollar minis.... oh the memories....

7. The dude reviewing TWERPS Space Cadets 2nd Edition was me...

Flipping through the Halloween issue #48 of White Wolf, circa 1994, I come away with a few things.

1. It was chock-full of edgy, pretentious BS back in the day.  It's pretty tame compared to the wackiness at the ends of the spectrum we're dealing with today.  That is neither a compliment towards their writing, nor of the current situation.  
2. $3.95 for a magazine was an acceptable price for a guy who just had gotten a job for minimum wage ($5/hr) at New Frontiers in the Phillipsburg Mall selling Magic cards.
3. Ken Carpenter was one of the only reasons I read this magazine at that point.  A Fantasy scenario and a review for Legions of Steel? Totally Sweet. 
4. A note that issue #45 had an editorial about the movement to remove lead from minis.  Oh the barbarity! 
5. The current reviews I post from time to time or little better than the schlock review for TWERPS Space Cadets 2nd Edition in the capsule reviews.  
6. The #3 best selling gaming product for that August was Jyhad Booster Packs.  The only two products in the top 20 that weren't Wizards, TSR, Palladium, White Wolf or FASA?  R. Talsorian's Castle Falkenstein.  I may post that list later.  
7. It was the glorious early days of Reaper Miniatures as they had commissioned Terry Williams to sculpt some of the original Mouslings (and the long forgotten Verminites).

Dollar minis.... oh the memories....

7. The dude reviewing TWERPS Space Cadets 2nd Edition was me...

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Apathy of the New Releases (Sep '17)

ViscountEric's Want List 
Reaper Miniatures
War Dog (RPR 77422) .......................................................................................   $2.79
Yeti Warrior (RPR 77435) .................................................................................    $3.49
Halfling Cook (RPR 77462) ..............................................................................    $2.79
The Bones 3 figures are getting solicited individually, as well as the remaining boxed sets from the Kickstarter.  The July through October releases have $10 worth of minis that I want out of the Core Set that was $100 on Kickstarter.  I've chosen wisely. 

My Imaginary Store (The Peg Leg Gnome) List
ALC Studio BVBA
Jim Henson's Labyrinth: The Board Game Deluxe Game Pieces ........................ $100.00

Asmodee
Conan:  Khitai Expansion ..................................................................................... $59.99
Nomads ................................................................................................................. $29.99

Catan Studios
A Game of Thrones Catan:  Brotherhood of the Watch ....................................... $79.99

Corvus Belli
Infinity:  Beyond Icestorm Expansion Pack ......................................................... $49.00
Infinity:  Beyond Red Veil Expansion Pack ......................................................... $49.00

Creative Goods Companies
Catan Embroidered Resource Caps ..................................................................... $24.00
Clay, Grain, Ore, Sheep, Wood

Days of Wonder
Ticket to Ride:  First Journey - Europe ............................................................... $34.99

Fantasy Flight Games
Mansions of Madness 2nd Edtion:  Streets of Arkham Expansion .................... $59.95
Star Wars Age of Rebellio - Cyphers and Masks HC ........................................ $29.95
Star Wars Dawn of Rebellion HC ...................................................................... $39.95

Games Workshop
Talisman ............................................................................................................. $59.95
Talisman: The Blood Moon Expansion ............................................................. $24.95
Talisman: The Dragon Expansion ...................................................................... $39.95
Talisman: The City Expansion ........................................................................... $39.95
Talisman: The Harbinger Expansion .................................................................. $24.95
Talisman: The Reaper Expansion ....................................................................... $24.95
Talisman: The Woodlands Expansion ................................................................ $39.95
Codex: Space Marines HC ................................................................................. $50.00
Datacards: Space Marines .................................................................................. $15.00
40K First Strike Starter Set ................................................................................ $40.00
40K Know No Fear Starter Set .......................................................................... $80.00
Path to Glory ....................................................................................................... $35.00

Goodman Games
Fifth Edition  Fantasy #11  The Archmage's Lost Hideaway .............................. $9.99
Mutant Crawl Classics:  Grakk's Rad Dice ......................................................... $24.99
Mutant Crawl Classics:  Kilra's Glow Dice ......................................................... $24.99
Adventurer's Almanac (RPG System Neutral) .................................................... $24.99

Iello
King of Tokyo: Halloween 2017 Edition ............................................................. $19.99
King of Tokyo:  New York King Kong Monster Pack ......................................... $ 9.99

Kobold Press
5th Edition:  Courts of the Shadow Fey ............................................................... $24.99
5th Edition:  Streets of Zoebeck ........................................................................... $24.99

Konami Digital Entertainment
Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG Circuit Break Boosters
Yu-Gi-Oh!  TCG  Legendary Dragon Decks

Mantic Entertainment
40mm Movement Tray Pack ................................................................................ $17.99
50mm Movement Tray Pack ................................................................................ $17.99
Kings of War- Edge of the Abyss Summer Campaign Book ............................... $19.99
Battle of the Glades Two Player Battle Set .......................................................... $79.99

Modiphius
Conan: Dice Set ..................................................................................................... $19.99
Conan: Player's Guide ............................................................................................ $18.00
Freeway Warrior 1:  Highway Holocaust ............................................................... $19.99
Space 1889:  London Bridge Has Fallen Down ..................................................... $  9.99
Space 1889:  Marvels of Mars ................................................................................ $19.99
Star Trek Adventures RPG: Core Rulebook ........................................................... $57.99

Star Trek Adventures Core Rulebook Collector's Edition ........................................ $76.99
Star Trek Adventures: GM Screen ............................................................................ $37.99
Star Trek Adventures: Command Red Dice Set ........................................................ $22.99
Star Trek Adventures: Operations Gold Dice Set ...................................................... $22.99
Star Trek Adventures: Sciences Blue Dice Set .......................................................... $22.99
Star Trek Adventures: Next Generation Starfleet Deck Tiles .................................... $37.99
Star Trek Adventures:  Klingon Warband Minis Boxed Set ...................................... $49.99
Star Trek Adventures:  Next Generation Minis Boxed Set ........................................ $49.99
Star Trek Adventures: Original Series Minis Boxed Set ............................................ $49.99
Star Trek Adventures: Romulan Strike Team Minis Boxed Set ................................. $49.99

Monte Cook Games
Cypher System RPG:  Unmasked HC ........................................................................ $44.99

Osprey Publishing
Bolt Action:  Campaign:  The Road to Berlin ............................................................. $30.00
Frostgrave:  Ghost Archipelago - Fantasy Wargames in the Lost Isles ....................... $30.00
Frostgrave:  Ghost Archipelago - Accessory Pack ...................................................... $20.00
Gaslands: Post Apocalyptic Vehicular Combat ........................................................... $19.00

Paizo Publishing
Pathfinder Adventure Card Game:  Hell's Vengeance Character Deck 2 .................... $19.99
Pathfinder RPG: AP - Ruins of the Azlant Part 4 - City in the Deep .......................... $24.99
Pathfinder RPG: Campaign Setting:  Construct Builder's Guide ................................ $22.99
Pathfinder RPG: Module - Cradle of Night ................................................................. $24.99
Pathfinder RPG: Flip Mat - Sunken City ..................................................................... $14.99
Pathfinder RPG:  Pawns - The Ironfang Invasion Pawn Collection ............................ $24.99
Pathfinder RPG:  Player Companion - People of the Wastes ....................................... $14.99
Pathfinder RPG:  Ultimate Wilderness HC .................................................................. $44.99
Starfinder RPG:  Pawns- Alien Archive ....................................................................... $44.99

Pelgrane Press
Timewatch RPG:  The Valkyrie Gambit ....................................................................... $14.95

Reaper Miniatues
Bones 3 Core Set ........................................................................................................... $190.00
Bones 3 Graveyard Set .................................................................................................. $80.00
Bones 3 Mythos Set ....................................................................................................... $50.00
Bones 3 Stoneskull Expansion Set ................................................................................. $80.00
Mal'al Drakar the Dragon Tyrant Boxed Set .................................................................. $149.99
Obsidian Crypt Boxed Set .............................................................................................. $29.99
Didn't get a chance to snag up Bones 3 on Kickstarter?  Moping about the "lack of value" in Bone 4? With these prices, it's a reality check.

Troll Lord Games
5th Edition Adventures:  A10 - The Last Respite ............................................................ $ 9.99
5th Edition Adventures:  A9 - Beneath the Helm of Night .............................................. $ 9.99

Wizards of the Coast
Magic the Gathering:  Duel Decks:  Goblins vs Merfolk.
Magic the Gathering:  Unstable Boosters
It's been awhile since they had silver bordered cards in the spirt of Unhinged and Unglued
Magic the Gathering: Explorers of Ixalan ......................................................................... $64.99
Magic the Gathering: From the Vault - Transform ............................................................ $34.99
Magic the Gathering: Gift Pack ......................................................................................... $19.99

Wizkids
D&D Fantasy Minis:  Icons of the Realms Classic Creature Box Set ............................... $79.90
Heroclix:  Train Station/Train Yard Map ............................................................................ $19.80
Marvel Heroclix:  X-Men First Class Booster Bricks
Marvel Heroclix:  X-Men First Class Dice & Token Pack (Modern) ................................. $ 9.99
Marvel Heroclix:  X-Men First Class Dice & Token Pack (Time Displaced)  .................... $ 9.99
Marvel Heroclix:  X-Men First Class Fast Forces ............................................................... $16.99
Star Trek Attack Wing:  Federation vs Klingons Starter Set ............................................... $44.99

ViscountEric's Want List 
Reaper Miniatures
War Dog (RPR 77422) .......................................................................................   $2.79
Yeti Warrior (RPR 77435) .................................................................................    $3.49
Halfling Cook (RPR 77462) ..............................................................................    $2.79
The Bones 3 figures are getting solicited individually, as well as the remaining boxed sets from the Kickstarter.  The July through October releases have $10 worth of minis that I want out of the Core Set that was $100 on Kickstarter.  I've chosen wisely. 

My Imaginary Store (The Peg Leg Gnome) List
ALC Studio BVBA
Jim Henson's Labyrinth: The Board Game Deluxe Game Pieces ........................ $100.00

Asmodee
Conan:  Khitai Expansion ..................................................................................... $59.99
Nomads ................................................................................................................. $29.99

Catan Studios
A Game of Thrones Catan:  Brotherhood of the Watch ....................................... $79.99

Corvus Belli
Infinity:  Beyond Icestorm Expansion Pack ......................................................... $49.00
Infinity:  Beyond Red Veil Expansion Pack ......................................................... $49.00

Creative Goods Companies
Catan Embroidered Resource Caps ..................................................................... $24.00
Clay, Grain, Ore, Sheep, Wood

Days of Wonder
Ticket to Ride:  First Journey - Europe ............................................................... $34.99

Fantasy Flight Games
Mansions of Madness 2nd Edtion:  Streets of Arkham Expansion .................... $59.95
Star Wars Age of Rebellio - Cyphers and Masks HC ........................................ $29.95
Star Wars Dawn of Rebellion HC ...................................................................... $39.95

Games Workshop
Talisman ............................................................................................................. $59.95
Talisman: The Blood Moon Expansion ............................................................. $24.95
Talisman: The Dragon Expansion ...................................................................... $39.95
Talisman: The City Expansion ........................................................................... $39.95
Talisman: The Harbinger Expansion .................................................................. $24.95
Talisman: The Reaper Expansion ....................................................................... $24.95
Talisman: The Woodlands Expansion ................................................................ $39.95
Codex: Space Marines HC ................................................................................. $50.00
Datacards: Space Marines .................................................................................. $15.00
40K First Strike Starter Set ................................................................................ $40.00
40K Know No Fear Starter Set .......................................................................... $80.00
Path to Glory ....................................................................................................... $35.00

Goodman Games
Fifth Edition  Fantasy #11  The Archmage's Lost Hideaway .............................. $9.99
Mutant Crawl Classics:  Grakk's Rad Dice ......................................................... $24.99
Mutant Crawl Classics:  Kilra's Glow Dice ......................................................... $24.99
Adventurer's Almanac (RPG System Neutral) .................................................... $24.99

Iello
King of Tokyo: Halloween 2017 Edition ............................................................. $19.99
King of Tokyo:  New York King Kong Monster Pack ......................................... $ 9.99

Kobold Press
5th Edition:  Courts of the Shadow Fey ............................................................... $24.99
5th Edition:  Streets of Zoebeck ........................................................................... $24.99

Konami Digital Entertainment
Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG Circuit Break Boosters
Yu-Gi-Oh!  TCG  Legendary Dragon Decks

Mantic Entertainment
40mm Movement Tray Pack ................................................................................ $17.99
50mm Movement Tray Pack ................................................................................ $17.99
Kings of War- Edge of the Abyss Summer Campaign Book ............................... $19.99
Battle of the Glades Two Player Battle Set .......................................................... $79.99

Modiphius
Conan: Dice Set ..................................................................................................... $19.99
Conan: Player's Guide ............................................................................................ $18.00
Freeway Warrior 1:  Highway Holocaust ............................................................... $19.99
Space 1889:  London Bridge Has Fallen Down ..................................................... $  9.99
Space 1889:  Marvels of Mars ................................................................................ $19.99
Star Trek Adventures RPG: Core Rulebook ........................................................... $57.99

Star Trek Adventures Core Rulebook Collector's Edition ........................................ $76.99
Star Trek Adventures: GM Screen ............................................................................ $37.99
Star Trek Adventures: Command Red Dice Set ........................................................ $22.99
Star Trek Adventures: Operations Gold Dice Set ...................................................... $22.99
Star Trek Adventures: Sciences Blue Dice Set .......................................................... $22.99
Star Trek Adventures: Next Generation Starfleet Deck Tiles .................................... $37.99
Star Trek Adventures:  Klingon Warband Minis Boxed Set ...................................... $49.99
Star Trek Adventures:  Next Generation Minis Boxed Set ........................................ $49.99
Star Trek Adventures: Original Series Minis Boxed Set ............................................ $49.99
Star Trek Adventures: Romulan Strike Team Minis Boxed Set ................................. $49.99

Monte Cook Games
Cypher System RPG:  Unmasked HC ........................................................................ $44.99

Osprey Publishing
Bolt Action:  Campaign:  The Road to Berlin ............................................................. $30.00
Frostgrave:  Ghost Archipelago - Fantasy Wargames in the Lost Isles ....................... $30.00
Frostgrave:  Ghost Archipelago - Accessory Pack ...................................................... $20.00
Gaslands: Post Apocalyptic Vehicular Combat ........................................................... $19.00

Paizo Publishing
Pathfinder Adventure Card Game:  Hell's Vengeance Character Deck 2 .................... $19.99
Pathfinder RPG: AP - Ruins of the Azlant Part 4 - City in the Deep .......................... $24.99
Pathfinder RPG: Campaign Setting:  Construct Builder's Guide ................................ $22.99
Pathfinder RPG: Module - Cradle of Night ................................................................. $24.99
Pathfinder RPG: Flip Mat - Sunken City ..................................................................... $14.99
Pathfinder RPG:  Pawns - The Ironfang Invasion Pawn Collection ............................ $24.99
Pathfinder RPG:  Player Companion - People of the Wastes ....................................... $14.99
Pathfinder RPG:  Ultimate Wilderness HC .................................................................. $44.99
Starfinder RPG:  Pawns- Alien Archive ....................................................................... $44.99

Pelgrane Press
Timewatch RPG:  The Valkyrie Gambit ....................................................................... $14.95

Reaper Miniatues
Bones 3 Core Set ........................................................................................................... $190.00
Bones 3 Graveyard Set .................................................................................................. $80.00
Bones 3 Mythos Set ....................................................................................................... $50.00
Bones 3 Stoneskull Expansion Set ................................................................................. $80.00
Mal'al Drakar the Dragon Tyrant Boxed Set .................................................................. $149.99
Obsidian Crypt Boxed Set .............................................................................................. $29.99
Didn't get a chance to snag up Bones 3 on Kickstarter?  Moping about the "lack of value" in Bone 4? With these prices, it's a reality check.

Troll Lord Games
5th Edition Adventures:  A10 - The Last Respite ............................................................ $ 9.99
5th Edition Adventures:  A9 - Beneath the Helm of Night .............................................. $ 9.99

Wizards of the Coast
Magic the Gathering:  Duel Decks:  Goblins vs Merfolk.
Magic the Gathering:  Unstable Boosters
It's been awhile since they had silver bordered cards in the spirt of Unhinged and Unglued
Magic the Gathering: Explorers of Ixalan ......................................................................... $64.99
Magic the Gathering: From the Vault - Transform ............................................................ $34.99
Magic the Gathering: Gift Pack ......................................................................................... $19.99

Wizkids
D&D Fantasy Minis:  Icons of the Realms Classic Creature Box Set ............................... $79.90
Heroclix:  Train Station/Train Yard Map ............................................................................ $19.80
Marvel Heroclix:  X-Men First Class Booster Bricks
Marvel Heroclix:  X-Men First Class Dice & Token Pack (Modern) ................................. $ 9.99
Marvel Heroclix:  X-Men First Class Dice & Token Pack (Time Displaced)  .................... $ 9.99
Marvel Heroclix:  X-Men First Class Fast Forces ............................................................... $16.99
Star Trek Attack Wing:  Federation vs Klingons Starter Set ............................................... $44.99

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

My Reaper Bones 4 Update and Want List

We're about halfway done with the Reaper Miniatures Bones 4 Kickstarter, and despite a significant amount of "meh" with the selections, I've found myself looking at more add-on items.

No matter if it's a 100 minis or a foot tall dragon for the "Core" pledge of $100, I really haven't had a need for any of base sets in Bone I-IV.  I'm what you might call an "a la carte" type of guy.   At this point in the campaign for Bones 3 (money-wise.  Bones 3 was only 18 days long!) , I was looking at three items (and duplicates thereof)

• Frost Giant Warriors (2 sets, 4 warriors total) $20.00
• Mouslings (2 sets)  $20.00
• and the Mystic Circle $15.00

To be honest, I ended up snagging the one group of Mouslings and the Circle with the Kickstarter pledge and added a lot more in the Pledge Manager through the following year. 

This time, one of the expansions is singing to me with a sci-fi siren's call, and I don't even play sci-fi right now!

And the regular add-ons hit the same demographics as last time:

Giants:

 More Giants:

 Mousling Equivilants:

 And cute widdle dwagons that my girls will still want to paint with their uncool father, even in the Spring of 2019.

That's $94 before S&H!  Thank God I'll have a few months to tack extras on via the Pledge Manager.

And if this Kickstarter stays to form, they will open up the "a la carte" option to the core set before it wraps up.  Methinks a few pig pumpkin carts are in order, plus some awesome femal warriors.  

We have another million dollars or so of stretch goals before this ends, so I might be even further trouble.

Of course, for the record, I'll include the very recent controversy about Reaper's employee participating in "questionable political discussions" on a personal social media outlet.  Some people have over-reacted and become outraged, pulling their pledges, others are over-reacting and become over-defensive, and the truth lies somewhere in the middle.  A tempest in a teapot compared to other factors happening around the country and around the world, and according to the campaigns numbers, people may have pulled out in protest, but not in numbers to affect this slow-crawling mid-campaign juggernaut.

More importantly, where are  the Mouslings already?

We're about halfway done with the Reaper Miniatures Bones 4 Kickstarter, and despite a significant amount of "meh" with the selections, I've found myself looking at more add-on items.

No matter if it's a 100 minis or a foot tall dragon for the "Core" pledge of $100, I really haven't had a need for any of base sets in Bone I-IV.  I'm what you might call an "a la carte" type of guy.   At this point in the campaign for Bones 3 (money-wise.  Bones 3 was only 18 days long!) , I was looking at three items (and duplicates thereof)

• Frost Giant Warriors (2 sets, 4 warriors total) $20.00
• Mouslings (2 sets)  $20.00
• and the Mystic Circle $15.00

To be honest, I ended up snagging the one group of Mouslings and the Circle with the Kickstarter pledge and added a lot more in the Pledge Manager through the following year. 

This time, one of the expansions is singing to me with a sci-fi siren's call, and I don't even play sci-fi right now!

And the regular add-ons hit the same demographics as last time:

Giants:

 More Giants:

 Mousling Equivilants:

 And cute widdle dwagons that my girls will still want to paint with their uncool father, even in the Spring of 2019.

That's $94 before S&H!  Thank God I'll have a few months to tack extras on via the Pledge Manager.

And if this Kickstarter stays to form, they will open up the "a la carte" option to the core set before it wraps up.  Methinks a few pig pumpkin carts are in order, plus some awesome femal warriors.  

We have another million dollars or so of stretch goals before this ends, so I might be even further trouble.

Of course, for the record, I'll include the very recent controversy about Reaper's employee participating in "questionable political discussions" on a personal social media outlet.  Some people have over-reacted and become outraged, pulling their pledges, others are over-reacting and become over-defensive, and the truth lies somewhere in the middle.  A tempest in a teapot compared to other factors happening around the country and around the world, and according to the campaigns numbers, people may have pulled out in protest, but not in numbers to affect this slow-crawling mid-campaign juggernaut.

More importantly, where are  the Mouslings already?

reade more... Résuméabuiyad