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! 

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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!