Weekender: Sinking Ships In UBOOT, Vietnam On The Tabletop & Win A Guild Ball Prize!
January 20, 2018 by brennon
Welcome to The Weekender where we've got two great interviews for you this week plus loads more!
Weekender Podcast Download
The first is with our Historical Editor as we talk about the Tet Offensive and a Vietnam article series starting next week. Then, we're catching up with the folks behind UBOOT: The Board Game to talk about their project.
Updates
Kicking things off, we fire off a reminder to not only go and check out the HATE Kickstarter but also the Livestream we did with Leo and Ben from Mythic Games where we learned a bit more about the game.
Competition - Win Limited Edition Guild Ball Set
With the news of the new Guild Ball team, the Ratcatcher's Guild, we thought it would be awesome to give away a prize too.
You can get your hands on The Dark Harvest: Zombie Thresher & Grave Harvest Markers and all you have to do is...
Create A New Guild & Name The 5 Members + A Mascot
...simple as that! Comment HERE on Beasts Of War and we'll pick a winner at random in a future show.
Tet Offensive - New Article Series!
We're now sitting down with Justin, Warren and Jim (oriskany) to talk more about the article series which is kicking off next week here on the website.
We'll be learning more about the period and of course how to wargame it as well in another great series.
News
Check back over the news we've covered from this week...
- Star Wars: Legion Previews - We take a look at the T-47 Airspeeder & AT-ST from Fantasy Flight Games.
- Vanguard Previews - Take a look at some of the new renders from Mantic Games.
- Warsaw Uprising - Watch out for this historically inspired miniature collection in February.
- Age Of Fantasy Terrain - The new ColorED terrain is now available for you to snap up.
...what caught your eye from this week?
UBOOT Interview
We sit down with Artur & Bartosz from Iron Wolf Studio to talk about UBOOT. Make sure to watch our Let's Play after you've checked out the interview too, it's a lot of fun!
Kickstarter
We also have a pair of Kickstarter projects worth checking out...
- Everdell - A rather cute tableau building game which features some amazing looking art too.
- Nemesis - Get hunted through the darkness in this Sci-Fi board game. Check out our Let's Play too!
...which of these two would you back?
Have a great weekend!
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Happy weekend. ..
Congrats on first, @rasmus ! I guess we “night owls” have an advantage here in the US. 😀
Watching this at 12:30am got me thinking… crap that’s a good idea… crepes, now I am thinking of breakfast but to have breakfast I have to go to sleep. Thanks guys I don’t think it helped. 🙂
Awww sorry @ghent99 <3 Az
Happy Weekend!
It’s the Weekend! Time to get hobbying… after a few chores and watching the Weekender (which isn’t usually a chore)
Watched the U-Boot video last night… wow! The discussion in this Weekender – especially about the role of the app. I work a lot with teams and business systems (I don’t mean IT, but they have their place) and from what I’ve seen so far find the balance of the sub as a system being operated by the players (but at a lower level the state of it is managed by the system) in its environment (also managed by the app). Event decks tend not to be able to react and adjust, so what the app is able to provide… Read more »
Okay I’ll bite… The Dominatrix Guild, the Leader is Mistress, we have Strap, Glove, Whip and Cuffs with the leather clad bunny mascot named Gimp
I’m so ashamed…
That guild right there would be enough to get me to play Guild Ball. 😀
Happy Weekend… You want a new Guild, you get one
Weaver Guild
Captain: Arachne
Striker: Loom
Attacking Midfielder: Shuttle
Defending Midfielder: Reed
Centre Back: Web
Mascot: Itsy Bitsy (Huge Spider)
Oh, and don´t forget the ball of yarn ^^
I love the smell of Weekender in the morning… Smells like victory…
Looking forward to the Vietnam article series!
Thanks very much, @neves1789 . The first one comes out Monday, I hope you (and the community members at large) like it! 😀
I know I will 😉 I still remember ‘Nam week from the old days! 😀
We’ll be adding a US Marine Corps perspective to the Vietnam picture (among others, like the ANZACs and *gasp* the NVA and Viet Cong as well)!
I’d like to see the Locksmith Guild or maybe the Worshipful Company of Tax Inspectors 🙂
The Tabletop Wargamer’s Guild For a twist the big guy is also the captain Let’s call him Warren,.he has a many special plays all of which affect his players. Play one affects the Master assembler called “John” which is “Ball and Chain” and renders him incapable of being distracted,or removed from his set task until he dies. John is mounted in a tank has the special play “Tanks for the memories” where he ruthlessly grinds one opposition player under his tracks and occupies his space. Play two is Mercilessly Confuse which afffects the crowd favourite “Justin”. In this Warren tells… Read more »
Oh man, @beardragon14 – does this mean Dawn, Gianna, and I get our own miniatures? 😀
Of course … I mean you’d have to …. it wouldn’t be right otherwise 😀
I think the best Vietnam rules I’ve played is still Charlie company although deals a much smaller scale than would be required for the Tet offensive
I won’t lie, many of the battles we played were a little too big for Force-on-Force, so @aras and I were playing something of an “abridged” or “streamlined” version of the game. For the really large fights, Valor & Victory is a better fit. You can get an NVA or VC Main Force battalion (250+ men) on the map comfortably with just 30+ pieces or so. Originally written for World War II, we’ve reverse-engineered the math, plugged in 1960s weapons and OOBs, and run the math back forward again to come up with authentic, compatable squads, fireteams, and weapons sections.… Read more »
I would recommend having a look at Ken Burns Vietnam TV series . For those in the UK it was on BBC iPlayer recently though not sure if it still is
Yes last episode is on tonight at 11pm
Another solid choice is are documentaries like Battlefield: Vietnam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQdFGr7NQ4o&list=PL0679IGx8w0jpry6P-xHoqfoWrgbxUn03
12 parts, a lot more detail, a lot more fact-based objectivity, and no “personal” anecdotal stories that I’ve always felt gets in the way in a lot of Ken Burns material. Battlefield Vietnam also puts a little more focus on the communist side of the war, their perspective, command structure, planning, objectives, etc.
@Oriskany It’s interesting that you think that the presence of anecdotal evidence is less fact based. I would be interested in your view of what you mean by “fact” given many things in history are based on written accounts by those that were there and witnessed the events. My view is the personal side of history is what gives it interest. Admittedly I have not seen the documentary you have cited (on my list). I think the Ken Burns Vietnam documentary looked at the conflict from the wider Socio-political angle rather than just the military one, it balanced the views… Read more »
I don’t question that it’s fact-based. Maybe we’re talking about two different things. It’s the academic study of history that yes, I have done, yes, I have been published on, I have taught on, and yes, I do wholeheartedly respect. That’s my point, actually. It’s the “I still remember the day I shipped out. Mom was sad, she baked me a cake, and then drove me down to the train station …” this kind of testimonial “letters home” stuff that … it’s not that I have a problem with it, it’s just not what I’m interested in. It’s not driving… Read more »
From a certain point of view.
@azrael I had my eyes operated on and was awake right through the process. Most eye ops are done when awake. There are no nerves in the eye itself.
Az don’t pick on people with idetic memory,…….they will remember it! Rune wars boot camp you wore a yellow t shirt washed out loose fitting blue jeans brown trainers and were very tired as you had to come straight to the studio to demo the game after only just learning the game the night before. We are watching! Go Justin go! Hope to see all you at the next bootcamp whatever it is(Helena has threatened/ promised)
Runs to the hills, runs for his life…..
Gamers Guild
Leeroy
Snowflake
Backstabber
Solitaire
G.M.
Mascot: Ludo (a self propelling die)
Courtesans Guild
Captain: Madam
Striker: Sheets
Attacking Midfielder: Blindfold
Defending Midfielder: Red Light
Centre Back: Back Door
Mascot: 2Bits (Sheep)
Should include a nightstand with a wad of cash on it.
Still a bit 50/50 on Uboot. Seems like it may be a bit manic for my tastes.
Patisserie’s Guild
Mascot: Struesel (fox)
Captain: Religieuse
Roster: Coulis, Dacquoise, Fondant, Ganache
Goalpost: Stone Oven.
Ok my Guild ball team
Wheelwrights
Captain – Hub
Roster – Spoke, Tyr, Axl (Muscle), Grease (Striker)
Mascot – Suspension (Mouse)
Goal Post – Wagon Wheel
Guild ball faction: The Clowns. Slapstick – Character that is good at prattfall dodges and dishes out punishment. Jongleur – Character that throws flaming clubs at the enemy, whilst juggling naturally. Farce – Tanky character that makes the opposition lose initiative because they are laughing at him so much. Agelast – Sinister character with a balloon who does not laugh. He can lay banana skins that move the enemy characters 2″ in any direction. Pastiche – More subtle character with the ability to mimic an opponents special abilities. Guffaw – The team Mascot – a performing seal with excellent ball… Read more »
Speaking of just grabbing a game and camera…i saw this the other day, and had a passed, guys trying out a game, chilling around it…..https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCnXKF-cdik
BATTLEBOYS – Necromunda
Fools Guild
– the heart of all comedy is pain, specifically others’ pain
Captain: Pune
Striker: Red
Attacking Midfielder: Nickelwise
Defending Midfielder: Pocket
Centre Back: Balloon
Mascot: Jack in the box
Goal post: Dunk tank
ball: Red nose
For TMD (The Mighty Dignity): I believe the Japanese drive on the left side. Ask Dracs, he´ll know. As for the UBoot Boardgame I watched the game played by Az, John, TMD and folks. An app as a key element is kind of strange for a board game. I didn´,t like it. At first. Random elements are always good to make your games better and why not make use of a “tool” that helps to include that element. A modern tool. So my second thought is, I DO like it. And instead of buying all the more cards, tokens and… Read more »
Thanks, @jemmy – yes, you are correct. The southern communists (National Liberation Front, or NLF, more commonly known as the Viet Cong) was basically smashed in the Tet Offensive, it technically survived but was really never the same. Meanwhile, the People’s Army of Vietnam (PAVN, more commonly known as the North Vietnamese Army or NVA) wound up taking over more of the communist war effort, and after Tet, would eventually win the war against the United States and the Saigon government in South Vietnam (and their Army of the Republic of Vietnam, or ARVN). In Part 05 we sink a… Read more »
Dear oriskany, miniatures for WW I is an issue. Of course there are many from Battlefront and similar companies. I went another way, however. There is a company you will have heard of, HÄT. They have soft plastic models for many kinds of participants of WW I. I have mainly WW I minis from this company. They are quite good value for money. And acrylics can be used quite well with those. I tried it. Old Airfix models for the French and, if you can still get hold of them, French Revell plastics are quite good as well. HÄT does… Read more »
This might be the movie you’re thinking of – “The Lost Battalion” on the Battle of the Argonne, October 1918.
Just asking, do you have any of these WW1 miniatures painted up? Have any good table photos or battle reports we could use?
I should attach the link … 😀
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYZNSY6SAYU
Tet killed off the ability for the South communists to stay in the field and allowed the North communists (trying to make the names easy 🙂 ). Many historians believe that this was the intent of the North in pushing for the Tet, it allowed them to take total control of the fight and then to also and more importantly take control of the peace process. Of course this will be discussed for many years to come. This is the beginning (again up for debate) of the end for the democratic forces, they win the battles but lose the war.
Great points, @ghent99 , and this disconnect, mistrust, and rivalry between the NLF in the south and the PAVN in the north is something we bring up in Parts 01 and 02 because you’re right, it does impact some of the planning for Tet, the initial targets, and the final outcomes. The Tet Offensive starts off as a “southern” idea, first proposed to Party Secretary Le Duan by the NLF communist leader in the south Nguyen Chi Thanh. The Defense Minister in the north, General Vo Nguyen Giap (who’d defeated the French at Dien Bien Phu) and other NVA generals… Read more »
You made my 2 sentence of thoughts look paltry
Lol
I am the master of verbose, bloated, and over-indulgent prose. 🙂 🙂 🙂
Brevity is the soul of wit, of course.
@jemmy and @dignity, here in Australia (and New Zealand as well) we also drive on the left side of the road. Which is really the right side of the road as far as we are concerned 😉
Lumber Guild
Axe
Saw
Timber
Branch
Twig
Haul – Small pony used for hauling the trees out once cut.
Vietnam War Guild
Huey
Zippo
Apache
Charlie
Uncle Ho
Lil’ Tet Mascot
Weekenderception 😀
I like it @neves1789 . Surprised there’s no “Blooper” on your team. 😀
He can be on the bench 😀
😀
Another great episode, really enjoyed the nemesis let’s play, despite being a little long the tension and “story” kept me glued until the end.
Guild Ball Team: The Hobby Guild
Captain: Epoxy – he holds the team together
Roster: Sable, Clipper, Emery & Pot
Mascot: Green Stuff – an animated blob of amorphous green goo
Great episode. Not currently a Guild Ball player, but here’s what I think would make a plausible team.
Miners’ Guild
Prop – big lad at the back
Dynamite – Captain (also lobs explosives at opponents)
Pick – striker
Hewer – defensive midfield
Trapper – attacking midfield
Mascot – Arthur: a canary
Damnit @somegeezer – you beat me to it.
For the Miner’s Guild I was going to go with:
Captain: Rock
Team members: Squeeze; Cage; Blast and Pick
Mascot: a canary, called Florence. (Not Nightingale.)