The Grumpy Gnome‘s Fantasy Projects Blog (latest update on page 61)

[Grumpy Gnome]

Another progress report…

https://thegrumpygnome.home.blog/2021/11/12/a-few-things-finally-finished-and-new-arrivals/

As always feedback is welcome. I am happy to discuss things here if folks do not want to leave a comment on the blog.

[Cat]

I like the red striped spiders!

[Grumpy Gnome]

Thanks! So you do not think they look too cartoonish?

[Cat]

Thanks! So you do not think they look too cartoonish?

No, they look nicely buff.
 
You are right though that the WizKids ones are creepier!

[Grumpy Gnome]

Our latest update… this time focusing on a big game of Frostgrave using DF caverns and burrows….

https://thegrumpygnome.home.blog/2021/11/19/we-few-we-happy-few/

[Hobgoblin]

That's an amazing set-up!

[Chief Lackey Rich]

Sounds like quite a big and complex game.  I've never actually used the Ulterior Motives cards, although I'm prett sure I have a set around here somewhere.  Perhaps I should fix that.

[Grumpy Gnome]

That's an amazing set-up!

Thanks mate. I would have preferred a different game mat but we had to make do with what we had at hand. Otherwise it was pretty cool to finally put this stuff to good use.

Rich, Ulterior Motives is brilliant to add some tension and mystery. Something Silver Bayonet needs more of.

[Grumpy Gnome]

My latest blog post…

https://thegrumpygnome.home.blog/2021/11/22/bittersweet-nostalgia/

Thinking about Expedition to the Barrier Peaks, Twilight 2000 and the Wheel of Time.

[Chief Lackey Rich]

Rich, Ulterior Motives is brilliant to add some tension and mystery. Something Silver Bayonet needs more of.

I haven't seen the full rules yet so I'll forego comment beyond saying that homebrewing something similar to Ulterior Motives for SB shouldn't be too difficult.  Still can't find my set of UM, maybe I sold or traded it off.

From the blog:

And thereby learning that I only really like the early versions of Gamma World. For some reason I just do not like the later artwork and plotlines.

I was mostly a 1st and 2nd edition GW player, and positively put off by 4th.  The much later WotC version that used the D&D 4e engine remains weirdly appealing though - it's very tongue in cheek and doesn't take itself at all seriously, and had very little support material, but the idea of the apocalyspe being the result of the Large Hadron Collider breaking spacetime is so crazy-conspiracy-theory-come-true it makes me smile.  Certainly less grim than the traditional nuclear exchange with a leavening of biochem warfare for spice.

Metamorphosis Alpha I've enjoyed in every incarnation I've owned (which doesn't currently include the Goodman Games one), even the oddball Amazing Engine: Metamorphosis Alpha to Omega book.  Quite liked the Amazing Engine range overall, although I don't think it ever sold well for TSR, adding to their woes in the 90s.

This reminds me of how the Kickstarter for the latest version of Twilight 2000 did not appeal to me in the same way the original version did.

Left me cold too, although I was no big fan of the old GDW version either.  More of Striker/High Guard/Traveller guy back then.  And honestly, I'd spent so much of my life at that point expecting one of our lunatic presidents to trigger a real-world nuclear war that the idea of gaming an unrealistically optimistic version of the aftermath was distasteful.  My opinion on that hasn't changed with the passage of years - it's not like all those nukes have gone away, nor have international tensions decreased.

[Grumpy Gnome]

As usual a joy to read your input Rich. It is a shame we can not game together, I think we would both have a blast.

My opinion on Silver Bayonet may change with some playing but right now it is looking like more of a starting point for something else. Modified Gothic Horror Sharp Practice will likely give me more of what I am after.

Zany does help take some of the grimness of Post-apoc.

MA may be a bit too ambitious for me but one day…. maybe…

At the time I was heavily into Twilight 2000 I expected to be dead by the time I was 30, and to have been a Captain in the 75th Ranger Regiment fighting Soviets on the Moon.

[CookAndrewB]

Man, that is a fantastic-looking table, Rick. I don't share your lamentations about the mat. I think that it actually makes the DF stuff pop since it doesn't blend too well with the table below.

[Cat]

My opinion on Silver Bayonet may change with some playing but right now it is looking like more of a starting point for something else. Modified Gothic Horror Sharp Practice will likely give me more of what I am after.

That may be a good option in any case.  I generally prefer somewhat higher figure count games. 

To date, I've been using Donnybrook for my French Indian War Gothic Horror games in Sleepy Hollow.  There has been rumoured work on Donnybrook Dark for years now, but it's been so long that I'm not sure it will ever see the light of day.
 
It does look like there's enough interest in The Silver Bayonet to get some regular play going at the FLGS, and that will be fun if we can get an ongoing campaign with a number of players.
 
A Sharp Silver Bayonet may be an entertaining way to go for running bigger convention games though.
: 3

**edit**
Or perhaps a Muskets and Tomahawks blend...

[Sunjester]

That is a spectacular dungeon layout!

[Chief Lackey Rich]

It is a shame we can not game together, I think we would both have a blast.

Alas, wrong continent.  Perhaps if I become an expat following (say) the 2024 elections I might wind up over there, although fleeing to an English-speaking country seems more likely.  Like many US citizens my language skills are appallingly bad.

My opinion on Silver Bayonet may change with some playing but right now it is looking like more of a starting point for something else. Modified Gothic Horror Sharp Practice will likely give me more of what I am after.

I'm planning to buy a copy and take a look, but I may or may not keep it long term.  Still have my copies of Chaos In Carpathia/Cairo and Vampire Wars, etc. and even they haven't seen a ton of use in recent years.  Not sure I need a third Gothic Historical Horror rule set sitting around, even with McCullough's name on it.  Mostly interested in the game mechanics for maybe reverse engineering some of them into the earlier games.  I've grown to tolerate the d20 in them but I'm sure not in love with it.

MA may be a bit too ambitious for me but one day…. maybe…

The Goodman version of it is rather expensive unless you know for sure you're going to use it.  Their stuff is usually pretty good (especially D&D material) but you do pay for it.

At the time I was heavily into Twilight 2000 I expected to be dead by the time I was 30, and to have been a Captain in the 75th Ranger Regiment fighting Soviets on the Moon.

Well, there is GZG's Moongrunt range for that these days. 

I wonder how long it'll be before some prat from Beijing notices that range and demands an apology from Jon.  Don't think he does a ton of business with Red China so unlike (say) Hollywood he can probably just tell them to shove off if/when they do.