Wargaming on the Road: Travel Painting Kit

 

Look at that!  A brand new banner for the blog!  You know, I have a few of these banners now.  They cover a few topics: 

1. On the Painting Desk

These are posts that usually cover what I am painting now, techniques I am using, updates on newly finished projects, and other thoughts on painting.  It helps me keep track of what I am painting in a year.  The frequency various based on how much painting I am doing.   

2. Wargame Design

When you see this header, the focus is on a discussion about various wargame design topics.  I try to post one of these a month, but I am not always consistent.  Some months have more, but more likely it is less.  

3. Wargaming on a Budget

These are sporadic posts.  However, they focus on how to indulge in the wargaming hobby on the cheap.  There was a long period of my wargaming career where money was absolutely a limiting factor in my wargaming life.  These are tips and tricks to make the hobby more affordable.  

4. Random

As the name implies, these cover a few different types of posts that do not fit any other category.  Random thoughts about wargaming adjacent topics, Goals and Objectives, round-ups, etc.  

Obviously, I have a lot of other content but they do not tend to have special headers. Reviews tend to have a picture of the game in question.  Battle Reports tend to have a picture of the game we are going to play.  No special headers for those.  

Now this header is going to focus on the challenges of being a wargamer in small spaces or travelling.  Since the moving to a more "mobile" environment this has become a "Hot Topic" for me.  How do I keep active in the wargaming space while living in a contained space on the road?  

Today, we are going to focus on my mobile painting station.  I have always had a relatively portable or condensed painting station.  Unlike many folks, I actually never really kept my projects out.  It was part of my painting routine to pull out my painting gear, set it all up, paint, and then store it all away when a painting session was complete.  This routine helped me get into the right mindset to paint.  Once I had everything out and set-up I was committed to paint!  This approach does NOT work for everyone but it worked well for me! 

Therefore, moving to a more mobile painting station was not a huge transition to me.  The biggest change was condensing my painting supplies into a single portable container rather than keeping them in scattered boxes of supplies in a single storage place.  Historically, I had a few boxes of paints, a container of brushes, a container of basing materials, a box of construction equipment, etc.  I kept them all in one place together but I had several, individual boxes based on the stuff that was in it.  However, I consolidated all of this material into one portable carrying case.  

Let's take a look at what's in the box!  For the case itself, I found an empty Plano tackle box that I had in my garage.  I have probably had it for at least a decade and had completely forgotten about it.  I thought it was full of miniatures!  I was wrong.  The tackle box is pretty standard with a large open middle center at the bottom, and then fold out trays, three on each side at the top.  

Pretty much looked like this one: 

Inside, I started by filling in the base with the biggest items I was going to need.  I put in 2 Grey Seer spray primer and 1 spray enamel.  I also put in my case for my magnifier glasses that I got for Christmas.  I have found the built-in lights very useful, even if my eyes are still good enough to see up close with.... for now.  On top of those I put my two green cutting mats that I use as the base for my painting projects.  Next, I made sure there was a space for my pop-and-lock palette.  With the spare space, I put in my basing materials such as some bases, washers, super-glue, and other detailing tools.  I also put in two wooden dice holders and a small case with my metal Heroforge D&D figures a friend got to represent my wife and I.  Finally, I put in a solar-powered battery pack in case I needed to charge my glasses up.    

Guess which one I am! 

From there, I had the folding trays to fill in.  In the larger trays, I started by putting in my big-box retailer brushes.  In the area next to it I put in my sculpting tools like exacto-knife, clay shapers, and dental tools.  Above those I used an area to put in my washes and another for my Metallic speedpaints.  The final rows had some individual Flesh colors and traditional armypainter paints I like to use such as Voidshield Blue and Daemonic Yellow.  

On the other side, I put in my Big-Box retailer acylics I used the most so White and Pewter Grey,  I also put in a few blacks from various manufacturers.  I then filled out the rest of the box with the rest of my speedpaints with 1 or 2 paints per slot.  Finally, I had some long slots on the top tray.  In those I put my better quality brushes.  I also put a few cutters in there.  

It all closed up tight as a drum and fit nicely under the queen-sized bed in my bus.                   

In addition, I had a small, foam lined, latched wooden case that I put all my Work-in-Progress models into.  For my initial efforts, I decided to pack my Heroquest: The Frozen Horror expansion models to paint.  The key thing is that this box lays relatively flat and actually slides right under the cupboard in my shuttle bus for easy storage.  

To test my painting kit out, I took it to a local painting social with the True Crit Gaming Guild just before I left to hit the road.  First, I made sure that all the models from The Frozen Horror expansion for Heroquest.

Then, I painted a couple of Yeti.  I painted this in a table for two, with another Guild member on the other side of the table.  My painting space was just a bit wider than my green cutting mat that I use as my base.  Then, next to it I had a small pile of brushes and my paint palette what I also used as my water dish.  I put my WIP book upright on one side of me against a wall, and the other side I put my Plano tackle box.  I tried to take out and put back any materials I was using as I went to keep my work space open and clear.  I managed to stay in a space equivalent to half-of-the-table in my bus.  Therefore, I think my efforts to condense and reduce my painting sprawl worked.  

For those interested, here are the Yeti that I painted.  

Pretty straight forward minis.  For the skin-tone I used a mix of Magic Blue, Holy White, and three drops of Medium thinner.  The horns, teeth, and claws were Pallid Bone.  The fur was watered down Sand Golem that was then dry-brushed back up with Holy White.  Then, I hit them with a Light Tone Wash, and dry-drushed them up with cheap, acylic White again.  I wanted one to be whiter than the other in case I needed to differentiate on the table top.  

Finally, their bases were a quick Runic Grey and a black rim.  The usual basing I use for Heroquest minis. 

The next things you see painted on this blog will have been painted while "on-the-road".  Until next time! 

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Blood and Spectacles Patreon! 

You can follow Blood and Spectacles Facebook page or Instagram for more fun! 

Check out the latest publications and contact me at our Blood and Spectacles Website

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Wargame Design: The Osprey Wargaming Series Strikes Again!

Hello faithful readers.  I have some MOAR news to share with you all.  I know, you are still reeling from last weeks reveal.... but wait..... there is more! Most of you probably follow me because I have published a few books in the Osprey Wargaming Series.  Those books were Men of Bronze, Wars of the Republic, and Castles in the Sky.  Of course, I have also released several wargames and RPGs independently as well.  That includes supplements to those Osprey Games and original works too.  

Drumroll please.......

.... Osprey Games has decided to contract me to write a set of game rules for Late Roman Warfare from 240 CE to 480 CE.  That is the Crisis of the Third Century through the Fall of the West.  These will be part of the Osprey Wargame Series so about 28,000 words. 

These rules will feature core rules based o refinements to the nWars of the Republic which is built on the Men of Bronze engine.  Unique, period specific lines-of-battle, new special rules, new campaign rules, period specific Historical scenarios, and new Advanced/Optional rules.  If I am really lucky I can add some Solo-rules to it as well?  With the added word count, I also look forward to adding some historical detail and a Quick Reference Guide in the book.  

I need these rules completed and sent to Osprey by May of 2028.  Therefore, we have plenty of time to Playtest and develop these rules.  My Patrons have a copy of the draft rules at their fingertips.  

Going into these rules, I have some simple Design Goals that are aligned with what I have done with my Historical works in the past: 

1. Scale and Model Agnostic
2. Large Battles with Small Model Counts
3. Keep Players Engaged Through Out the Game
4. Unit vs Unit Gameplay
5. Balance between the War and the Game
6. Historical-esque Outcomes

With some added page count, I am hoping to make the design goals and objectives more explicit at the beginning of the game.  Men of Bronze and Wars of the Republic both suffered a bit from mis-alignment between expectations and the experience the rules delivered.  Therefore, I want to be as clear as possible in the opening pages about the design goals and what they mean in this book.  

Of course, if I do not need to deliver the final draft until 2028 that means this book is still a long ways off.  I do not know the exact release date, but I would think late 2029 is realistic.  That is a long time away still.  

In the meantime, I need to track down 30 pictures of Late Roman miniatures in action.  If you have a favorite range, some figures you are very proud of and want to share, etc. please let me know in the comments.  I plan on getting at least two forces painted up myself in the meantime but I would love to feature YOUR work with full attributes or at least showcase the miniatures you want to see in the book.  I am tentatively planning on 28mm Victrix and Gripping Beast plastics for my own forces but am open to suggestions. 

I plan on keeping most of the Development content on my Patreon for this one.  Therefore, if you want to follow along with the Development, try it out early, give playtest feedback, etc.  that is the place to be.  Here, I expect to keep going with my normal painting, reviews, bat reps for games and other unrelated content for these Late Roman rules going forward.  

Therefore, I will be returning to my normally scheduled content.  

Until next time! 

Become a Patron and get access to all the cool stuff, a peak behind the curtain of Blood and Spectacles, and early-access to playtest games!  

Blood and Spectacles Patreon! 

You can follow Blood and Spectacles Facebook page or Instagram for more fun! 

Check out the latest publications and contact me at our Blood and Spectacles Website

Or purchase all out games at the Blood and Spectacles Publishing Wargames Vault Page!   

Posted by Blood and Spectacles Publishing at 1:20 AM No comme       

       

Random: There is Going to Have to Be Changes Around Here

Greetings faithful readers!  As you look at the past few months on the blog, content has been the usual fare.  We've had some painting, some reviews, some new releases, and some battle reports.  Just another year in a long line of years at Blood and Spectacles Publishing.  However, things are going to have to change around these here parts.  I have some big news that will impact the business side of things, as well as the personal side of things.  

Many of you probably recall that last year my Skumgrod and main wargaming compatriot packed up and headed off to college.  During that time, my family and I packed up a lot of stuff and downsized our lives.  There was talk about moving the war room out of the workshop and even moving it inside.  However, as time passed my wife and I decided on an even more radical choice.  It was clear that we no longer needed a 3 bedroom and 2 bath house with a small homestead to go along with it.  I had not gone into the upper story in months!  

Mini versions of my wife and me.  A gift from my RPG group

Therefore, we decided to sell our house.  However, that was not the radical change.  We managed to do this in Mid-January and have been packing up and getting ready to move since.  The content on the blog has been steady all through March.  It is pretty normal as the content on the blog tends to lag behind what is actually happening real time by a month or two.  However, in real-life we spent all of February and early March moving.  There was almost no painting, gaming, or much of anything hobby related happening at all!  The magic of the Internet!  

Now, here comes the real radical part of the plan.  Everyone is asking me where I am moving too.  The answer is that I am not moving anywhere.  I am going mobile for a bit.  I have a converted shuttle bus.  My real, everyday corporate job is remote.  I have the luxury of working anywhere there is an internet connection.  Now-a-days, internet connections can be mobile too.  I am taking Blood and Spectacles Publishing on the road!  I plan on doing this until I get called back to an office, I get sick of roaming around and being homeless, or I find a place I want/need to settle.  I expect we will mostly be the RV equivalent of couch surfing with friends and family across the continent.   

Just an ordinary looking Shuttle Bus

Now, this means that my wargaming lifestyle will have to change considerably.  Before I had the luxury of a permanent wargaming room with an 8 by 4 table with storage space below.  I could set-it up and play whenever I had a chance.  I had plenty of room to store and display miniatures, play games, and store terrain.    

Nearby, I and a few others had started a rather successful wargaming group called the True Crit Gaming Guild.  In that time, three local stores had sprouted up to help support tabletop gaming and painting.  I also had a weekly RPG gaming session, and access to a Board Gaming Night every quarter.  Going mobile would cut me off from all of that infrastructure that I had worked very hard to build.  In fact, this would be the third or so time I had built up such a solid gaming support network local to me.  It is not easy to do! Now, all of that is gone!

Of course, this big life change leaves me and probably you with a lot of questions?  How will I continue to paint stuff?  How will I be able to make games?  How will I get to playtest and review games?  How will I be able to do battle reports?  All great questions that I do not know the answer to yet. 

My WIP bin for travelling

Well, the easiest way we can help each other is by becoming a Patron.  One of the biggest issues I will have while on the road is getting help playtesting games.  I normally had a tiered approach where my Skumgrod and Local club helped iron some of the details out.  With access to those resource reduced or gone, that leaves me in a bit of a pickle.  However, I have been posting WIPs and early releases to my Patrons.  They have been very helpful with editing, playtesting, and other post-production feedback.  Plus, I post a lot of playable games that will never get further than a draft stage for a lot of reasons.      

In addition, I put together a "Mobile Painting Station" to help me stay on the backlog.  I will probably feature that a bit more in future Blog content.  However, suffice it to say I still expect to be painting even though I will be on the road.  I also packed a few games to read and review while on the road.  Plus, I am hoping to get more time writing as I spend less time doing chores on the homestead.  We will see!   

By being Mobile, I also hope that means I can figure out how to do some Meet and Greets, do some more events. go to Conventions and maybe meet some people "in the wild" to play more games!  I would love to tour and visit various stores.  I would love to partner and meet with various war gaming and RPG groups.  If you have any suggestions as I post about where I will be, let me know!             

The War Room all packed up! 

All of <Gestures around wildly> is going to have to change and evolve as I change and evolve.  That means the blog might look a bit different as we progress and move forward.  I am not done with Wargame and RPG design, because I can't help myself.  I have to make games and will continue making games.  Exactly how I am going to be doing that and all the work around the edges will be different.  

Anyway, I look forward to your thoughts and would love to hear about anyone with experience in this sort of thing! 

Until next time!

Become a Patron and get access to all the cool stuff, a peak behind the curtain of Blood and Spectacles, and early-access to playtest games!  

Blood and Spectacles Patreon! 

You can follow Blood and Spectacles Facebook page or Instagram for more fun! 

Check out the latest publications and contact me at our Blood and Spectacles website

Or purchase all out games at the Blood and Spectacles Publishing Wargames Vault Page!    

Review: G.I. Joe: Rumble at the Rift- Renegade Studios/Avalon Hill

 

My faithful readers know that I make goals and objectives for each year.  I typically try to stay close to what those goals say as I navigate all the twists and turns that happen over the year.  They are guidelines to help keep me "On Track" because a lot of new, shiny stuff comes out that can derail me from what I am trying to do.

If you squint and look sideways, you can see that picking up the new G.I. Joe: Rumble at the Rift boxed set for Heroscape was on my Goal list.  Honest!  Right there it says that I will be picking up a new wargame!  Heroscape is a wargame..... maybe.... I guess we are going to find out!  

This is a recent colab from Avalon Hill (Hasbro) and Renegade Studios.  This was not even on my radar when 2026 started and I was watching Gundam: Assemble and Wizards of Morcar in this category more than anything else.  However, I foolishly watched a review by Ash on Guerilla Miniature Games and.... well..... I ended up buying way too much G.I. Joe. 

I justified it because: 

1. It is small game that I can play in a small space.  Right?  Right?  I am not sure. 

2. I can use it to draw in future wargamers with a simple Dudes on a Board style game

3. I love G.I. Joe and I have wanted some minis to paint that could fit into my collection for a long time

4. I can use them in Model-vs-Model skirmish games, maybe even some I am making! 

5. I have the RPG! I can use them for that!  Right!  Right!  

Ultimately, the truth is that I was weak and I caved when I saw some of my old favorites available to purchase and go pew-pew with!  The nostalgia was strong. I know nothing about Heroscape except that it is a kinda wargame/board game hybrid that is NOT Heroquest.    

Are you ready to fight for freedom wherever there is trouble?  Do you know and that's half the battle?  Can the world oppose the deadliest of foes?  Let's find out.....

Things I Liked

First off, you can get this game one of two ways.  You can pay to get it in regular unpainted plastic OR you can pay a bit more for factory pre-paints.  The exception is Serpentor (which I got for free because I ordered too much stuff) who is only pre-painted.  Generally, Heroscape is always pre-painted.  You can see a sample of the Pre-paint up above and..... it's not bad.  It is three colors and a base.  Everything seems to go where it is supposed to go.  I think I could paint it better with some washes and some highlighting BUT if I was a noob painter I probably could not.  Therefore, it could be good for non-painters to get started.  However, I am glad I got the unpainted version so I can do it myself for the rest.  

As far as I can tell, this is the full rules for Heroscape in this box.  This is not an abridged or shortened version. The game also comes with a few scenarios to represent the Rumble at the Rift. 

The interlocking hex maps are pretty cool, and I could see them being useful for other games IF you get enough of them together.  The rules also use height changes to slow characters as they move, and you do get some minor bonus for attacking from higher ground. 

The advanced game has an "Opportunity" attack mechanic.  When you leave a square adjacent to an enemy, they can attack you.  This means you can come and go in melee, but there is a cost to trying to leave before the foe is finished.   The idea of being "adjacent" to an enemy comes into play a lot in the rules.   

Trouble Bubble Sighted!

Things I Do Not Like 

Proprietary dice.  Boo!  They are similar but not exactly like Heroquest dice.  How do I replace these when they get worn or I lose them?  They have three skulls, two shields, and a blank face.  There is also a standard d20.  Skulls for attacks and shields for defense.  

The movement rates of the characters maybe too large for the size of board they provide.  For example, the board lay-out for Mission 2 is 14 hexes across, but Scarlet can move 6 per turn!  That means she can cover the whole board provided in two turns.  However, I also get the impression that you are suppose to use other Heroscape sets to make a bigger board overall.  Some players also move farther than their range!  Of course, changing heights can slow you down too.    

This game uses a hex based map with levels, but then uses True Line-of-Sight for targeting?  You do gain a +1 attack dice if you are attacking from the high ground.  I look forward to the Revenge of the Sith version of Heroscape!  

Despite my joking they do say that LOS is drawn from behind the model's head, therefore creating a subtle combat arc.  No measuring angles here, nice.  In addition, each unit has a "hit zone" that you have to be able to see to target.  Sadly, this zone is pretty much any part of the model that is not gear.... i.e. hands, feet, etc.  Therefore, you can target Duke's hand as he is pointing.  Instead, they should probably just have highighted their torsos.  That said, the base sizes may limit this.      

     

Meh and Other Uncertainties

The advanced rules add a lot of detail beyond the basics!  For example, they specify where you draw LOS from, how many stacks tall they are for hiding, order markers, special rules per models, squads, wounds, points, etc.  It is practically an entirely different game than the basic one.  The entire rulebook is 9 pages (4 Basic and 5 Master), but it packs a surprising amount into that space.   

Each model has a star-shaped card that covers everything you need to play the model.  It is even used in game by placing the activation token on the cards to dictate the activation in the game.  It is theoretically possible to have more cards in a force than activation markers, this would force you to prioritize who is doing what... in theory.  In practice, your best units would probably hog those, but I can see situations where you would have to decide who and what order.  Choices, choices, choices. 

There are special items called Glyphs that you can place on the board.  These are essentially "power-ups" that models can collect.  There are also two walls that are specified to be Height 7, so units with a height below that can use them to block LOS, bigger can not. All GI Joes are smaller than 7.   

Each model gets special rules that they can use to affect the game play.  For Example, Cobra Commander can move freely up to two spaces away from an opponent that injures him and does not kill him.  All the units seem to have some sort of "special" gotcha rule.

These nuances, special rules on each figure, and points system means that you could probably spend a decent amount of time and ink talking about combinations and "gameplay" tactics for such a simple game.  That alone could make this a very long-lived game.  Players can debate which units work best together, if something needs a nerf or is broken, and all the other chit-chat that games like D&D, Warhammer, and Battletech use to keep people engaged even if they are not playing.   

Final Thoughts

The game easily covers the 4Ms in basic ways.  Movement has some detail with adjacent squares and elevation changes.  Melee and Missile is treated exactly the same, but has some nuance due to being able to move away freely, obstruction, and wounds to avoid instant death. Morale is very basic with either being active or destroyed.  However, units with higher wounds can "stay" in a fight longer.  

In the advanced game, they add nuance with very few words.  These nuances add a surprising amount of subtlety to a relatively simple and straightforward game.  Things like activation order, LOS vs Target Zone rules, Adjacent rules are all good ways to force meaningful choices in an organic and simple way.  These rules are an exercise in KISS and all the "rules" come on the units you buy.      

Tournament ready?  No.  Good enough for mutual friends tossing dice?  Yes.  Siblings who always compete against each other to be the best?  Probably not.

I think I learned a lot as a designer from reading these rules.  I came into this review expecting to laugh the rules part of the game off but found myself impressed with the had managed to pull off in just a few pages.     

Until next time!

Become a Patron and get access to all the cool stuff, a peak behind the curtain of Blood and Spectacles, and early-access to playtest games!  

Blood and Spectacles Patreon! 

You can follow Blood and Spectacles Facebook page or Instagram for more fun! 

Check out the latest publications and contact me at our Blood and Spectacles website

Or purchase all out games at the Blood and Spectacles Publishing Wargames Vault Page!                            

On The Painting Desk: Rise of the Dread Moon for Heroquest

 

My goals for 2026 was to get caught up on my Heroquest painting backlogs.  Once those were worked down, I would have some space for other projects.  Towards the end of 2026, I got a bit crazy and piled-up on the Expansions.  I wanted to make sure I had all the Heroes, and now I have a lot of enemies and furniture that needs to be painted.  As usual, there is no time like the present to get to work.  I still had some vague ideas about a "Big" project for 2026 so I had to get to clearing my painting desk if I was ever going to get to that "Big" project. 

Therefore, my first effort was going to be to finish off the last of my Elves first.  They were a mix of male and female elves.  Half were sword and board, the other are bow armed troops.  These came from the Mage in the Mirror and Dread Moon expansions respectively.  I had held off on them so I could paint them all at once.

I followed my usual process of undercoating of Grey Seer, Dark Grey wash, and white drybrush.  From there, I base-coated them using Armypainter Speedpaints and the new Speedpaint Markers.  The Markers were a different experience, but I could see where they would have their uses.  They were a lot easier for things like trim, scroll work, and edging.  They would also be really great on large, mostly flat pieces like..... oh..... I don't know..... Space Marines?

I used Hardened Leather and Crusader Skin boots, Camo Green trousers, Orc Skin Tunic, Stormcloud Blue cloaks, Pallid Bone armor and weapons, Hardened Leather again for bracers and belts. then a mix of colors for their hair.   

Then, I gave them a wash with a Light Tone.  From there I based them with Runic Grey and a Chaos Black base-trim.  Similar to how I have based all my Heroquest models.  It looked like this....

With those done, the only "elves" I had left were the 4 Cultist models.  Like an idiot, I decided to paint each one to go along with one of the Chaos powers; Tzeentch, Khorne, Slaanesh, and Nurgle.  This was a dumb idea but I had all ready done it with my Dread Warriors anyway.  So, I followed the usual process, so let's see how it turned out. I actually was able to paint these at a social painting event.

Can you tell which Cultist is aligned with which Chaos god?  See, I knew you would know which was which!  For Tzeentch I used Highlord Blue on the robe, Daemonic Yellow on the trim, Magic Blue on the tabard, and Aztec Gold bling.  Khorne was Crusader Skin robes, Blood Red Tabard, Brass trim and bling.  Nurgle was Malignant Green robes, Fiery Orange tabard, Orc Green trim, and Graveyard Grey bling. Slaanesh was an Alchemy pink robe, Imperial purple tabard, and blood red trim with Daemonic Yellow trim.  Of course, I also gave them all a light tone wash and finished the bases the usual way of Runic Grey and a Chaos Black base rim.  It filled far too many of the pockets on my bubble palette! 

From left to right: Khorne, Slaanesh, Tzeentch, and Nurgle

At that same Painting Social I also brought the transparent Specter and Dread Spirit.  I was not sure how to paint those, so bringing them to the Social was a great idea.  The Painted Dwarf was there and he knew how to paint transparent miniatures.  He had some special Gloss paints from Reaper for just this type of situation.  We started by giving them a few coats of blue.  This was followed by a drybrush of Armypainter Warpaints Fairy Dust which gave it a bit of sparkle.   Then, we gave it a couple coats of yellow Reaper gloss, which came out with a green tint.  Finally, we gave it a thin coat of a neon green color.  After some discussion, I decided to not paint the base with the usual style and to leave them transparent.  I was happy with them and they ended up looking like this.

Since I painted the table and statues earlier, that only left an Alchemist Table and Cupboard left to be painted to finish off my Rise of the Dread Moon box.  Sadly, I ran out of time to finish it at the Painting Social, but I had painted 9 miniatures in about 4 hours with chatting, eating a delightful snack, and drinking a cup of tea.  Not bad.  However, I had to finish these last pieces of furniture at home.  

My Elf furniture uses Sand Golem as the wood color.  Therefore, I started by getting that on as the base coat.  From there I used Plasmatic Bolt on the filigree.  That also matched my previous elven furniture.  I decided to use Runic Grey on the top of the Alchemical Table, you know like the stone counter-tops you see in modern homes.  

From there it was doing the detail work on the lanterns, book, skull, and crystal ball.  I used a combination of Plasmatic Bolt, Magic Blue, and Zealot Yellow on the table covering.  The skull was a simple Graveyard Grey and Hardened Leather horns.  The book stand was Aztec Gold, the cover was Dark Wood, the pages Crusader Skin, and the book mark was Alchemy Purple.  The Orb stand was Pallid Bone with Aztec Gold details.  The Orb itself used a watered down thin coat of Wizard Orb, thinned magic Blue, thinned Zealot Yellow, and a bit of very water down Voidshield Blue.  Voidshield Blue was also used on the lantern panels.  The end result for the furniture was this.

I think that pretty much finishes off my Rise of the Dread Moon expansion and all my Heroquest elves.  Now, I can leave the Elven realms and move to a different part of the Heroquest world.  I think next I will go to the land of the Barbarians and the Frozen North.  Onto the Frozen Horror expansion.  I think I will paint all those Mercs first......

Anyway, here is the finished shot of all my Elf stuff with parts from Rise of the Dread Moon and Mage in the Mirror. 

I think that puts me at 30+ miniatures painted for 2026.  Not a terrible start, but it is the end of March all ready!  

Until next time! 

Become a Patron and get access to all the cool stuff, a peak behind the curtain of Blood and Spectacles, and early-access to playtest games!  

Blood and Spectacles Patreon! 

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RPG Design: Super, Sexy Swingin' Spies

 

If you recall my goals for 2026, you will have seen that I had been working on a game called Super, Sexy Swingin' Spies.  This is an RPG that came about after a lazy day watching Matt Helm movies on TUBI.  Who and what is Matt Helm?  Well, he is a photographer/super-spy played by Dean Martin in a series of not very serious Bond knock-offs.  I watched The Silencers, The Ambushers, The Wrecking Crew, and Murder's Row over the course of a few days.  About half-way through the third one I thought, "Self, this could make some fun and light-hearted rules-lite RPG action!"   

As an added bonus, most of these movies are now old enough to be in the Public Domain!  That meant movie posters, screen caps, and similar media would be accessible to populate my game rules!  Photos and images are always a problem, so this made it much easier and helped this game jump the queue to actually get worked on and done!  

So, before I get ahead of myself let's start by laying out the design goals, and then we can take a closer look at how I went about making the game.  The Design Goals were: 

1. Simple opposed dice rolling mechanic built into the design

2. Ease of Character Creation that intuitively creates role-play opportunities

3. Make Gadgets relevant but avoid equipment lists

4. Lean harder into the narrative than the crunch

5. Create space for various levels of "Groovy", play it straight or as wacky as you want with space to tell 1960-esque spy stories

Those were my design goals going into this project.  You can find these rules on my Drive-Thru RPG page.  Also, a special shout-out to my Patrons who got early access to these rules!  Let's take a closer look at how I did it! 

Simple, Opposed Dice Rolling Mechanic

Typically, when I create a rules-lite RPG I do not like the GM rolling any dice.  I prefer the players to do all the dice-rolling and the GM simply interpreting the results.  The GM all ready has enough on his plate with everything else going on, so no need to burden him with dice rolls too.  

For this game, I slightly diverge from my normal method.  However, I still want any dice-rolling to be simple with the Players doing most of the heavy-lifting mechanically.  In this game, the Players use their Attributes and other aspects of their characters to create a pool of dice called Agency Dice when they are asked to resolve a challenge.  

The Handler (or GM) determines how hard the Challenge is and that difficulty is between a 1 and 7.  This number is the number of dice in their pool called a Danger Dice.  Both groups roll their Agency Dice and Danger Dice at the same time.  Any Danger Dice and Agency Dice that match are removed.  If any Agency Dice remain with a 4+ the Challenge is passed, if more than one  Agency Dice with a 4+ remains it is Critical Success.  All other options are a Failure.  If all Agency Dice are removed and a Danger Dice remains with a 4+ it is a Critical Failure.

Therefore, the higher the Difficulty the more Agency Dice you will want to make that roll.  The Handler (GM) tells players the Difficulty before rolling.  That way, the Player can choose a different course of action if they wish.  

This mechanic is harder to put in writing than to actually use.  Therefore, it is a very simple opposed dice pool mechanic.  This mechanic is very simple and intuitive during game play.   

Easy Character Creation

All of my games focus on easy Character Creation.  The reason is so that players can get into the action quickly and start playing.  In addition, if your character is knocked out of the game it is easy to get a new one worked up and back in!

This one is not an exception, with character creation taking about 10 minutes.  There is a minimal amount of record keeping and very little math.  However, it still encourages players to round-out what makes a character a character beyond the basic profile.  It includes guidelines for new role-players about personality traits, quirks, and other things that make it easier to bring a character to life in game.  A character fits completely on 1 page with no long lists of equipment, gear, or other mundanity.  

Make Gadgets Relevant

This is a rules-lite game.  Therefore, I did not want a detailed list of 1960's specific surveillance gear, technology, weaponry, and other details.  That is too cumbersome and ties the Players down.  Super Spies always seem to have the right gadget for the job when they need it.  Therefore, in this game the Characters will always have the right gadget for the job too!  

A Character can trigger the use of a Gadget at anytime!  However, there is a cost to do so.  Doing so reduces your overall ability to manipulate scenes by expending a resource called Plot Armor.  Plot Armor can be used to use a Gadget, add Agency Dice, re-roll Agency Dice, or Reduce Danger Dice.  Instead of managing a long list of complicated and variable 1960's gear, you only need to manage your Plot Armor.   

However, Plot Armor is also your "health" meter.  Once it is expended, your Agent is out of the Scene.  Get knocked out of too many Scenes, and you fail the Mission.  

Therefore, you can use a Gadget to get a Character past a sticky situation BUT to do so reduces your ability to interact with scenes later.  It is up to players to decided when a Gadget will benefit them versus hinder their overall mission.  

If you need access to a cool car for a car chase?  No problem, spend a Plot Armor and it is there.  Do you need a grappling watch?  You got it.  A parachute with the Union Jack on it?  It is yours...... if you have the Plot Armor that is.  

Yes, THAT Tina Lousie was in it!

Lean Harder into Narrative Than Crunch

As a Rules-Lite game, the focus of the game is helping the Handler set-up a scene so Players can take actions during those scenes.  The core of the game is about how to create the Core Gameplay Loop of Inciting Incident--> Player Action ---> New Situation.  In addition, the rules discuss the most common types of scenes in the game and what Challenge Checks fit into these scene types.  Therefore, the players and Handler have a great structure for what a game of Super, Sexy Swingin' Spies looks like.  

To help all players understand, the game also comes with an introductory Mission called; The Jet-Set.  There is also one pre-made character, a blank character sheet, quick reference sheets for both players and Handlers, and an Index to give you everything you need to have a great game.  

Creating 1960's Spy Stories

Spy stories in the 1960's ran a wide range of themes and tones.  They ranged from the very serious espionage thrillers like Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy to the adventure and action oriented From Russia With Love to the tongue-firmly in cheek stories of Get Smart.  Therefore, no two Spy-Fi films or shows were the same.  Each had their own mix of serious spying, action adventure, and comedy.  The rules written in Super, Sexy Swingin' Spies is designed to give you what you need to go from James Bond to Maxwell Smart and everything in between.  If you want to center a story around a defector from East Berlin no problem, if you want a madman with a Bikini Bomb, you got it.  You are encouraged to decide how much "Groovy" you want in any given Mission or Season.  

Final Thoughts

If you have liked my other Rules-Lite RPGs than you will enjoy what I am presenting here as well.  The focus is on working as a table to tell the story and find out what happens.  The rules are enough to help you build and overcome compelling challenges.  These rules are great for experienced RPGers looking for something quick and light for a short campaign, people new to RPGs who know the Spy-fi film/TV genre, or folks who want to have a low-intensity story-telling experience. 

You can find these rules on my Drive-Thru RPG page.  Also, a special shout-out to my Patrons who got early access to these rules!    

I look forward to hearing about how you saved the world in the 1960's!  

Until next time! 

 

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