STALKER7

Work has been slower this past month, as my recovery has taken a lot longer than usual. But I’ve been making incremental progress nonetheless.

Game-wise, John S. of the Cape Cod Wargamers has taken the lead on mastering Bolt Action 3E, while I work my way through the first phase of compiling the Exploit Zero Omnibus.

Of course I dusted off my collection of WWII figs and got a copy of BA3E too. John’s plan is run a large demonstration game for the entire group, and it helps if two people are familiar with the basics. (that was my excuse, anyway.)

Learning Curves and New Editions

I’m glad this is my first experience with Bolt Action. A competitive game with a healthy tournament scene, I understand there was a fair amount of fuss over the new iteration and I’m not keen to stick my hand in the middle of a dogfight.

While I won’t embrace the competitive/tournament side of it, I’m looking forward to the banter and drama of a large-scale game with the whole group. (and fielding my German Veteran Grenadiers with a Sd.Kfz. 234/2.)

Going through the BA3E rule book, I can’t help but admire the heft as I ogle all the pictures and illustrations, and pour over the tables and charts. It’s been easy getting the hang of the game. I don’t know about the first two editions, but I think Warlord Games did a fine job with this one.

The BA3E book does a solid job of presenting a massive amount of information. I find it to be a clear format that I can readily understand and navigate – which is a fine example as I compile a new edition of my own little cyberpunk game, Exploit Zero.

The original game was titled ‘Hardwired’ and was offered free, back in 2019; a few pages sketching a simple framework for running quick and bloody missions in a generic cyberpunk landscape. Now, several supplements, a name change, and five + years later, it’s time to incorporate the feedback, the critiques, the suggestions from players around the world into a new edition.

Best Writing Advice I Ever Got

Was from a gracious and patient guy named John H who helped me with Nightwatch Blood and Bone a couple years ago. “You’re capable and confident writing prose. Instructions, not so much.”

It was a good point. Valid. It made me realize the critical distinction between the two and that I needed to up my game if I was going to take writing/designing war game rules seriously. Like learning a second language, I needed to be far more articulate and specific if I was going to communicate effectively. Fortunately/unfortunately, that process takes time, experience, instruction, and requires different techniques.

And so here I am, going into 2025, hammering out a new edition of my own war game with a new perspective. As a compilation, the book will be bigger, heftier, than the original core rules. There will certainly be some changes, lots of adjustments and clarifications, as well as some new options for gear, generating missions, and suggestions for porting the EZ system into other cyberpunk settings. (shadowy ones) I genuinely hope purveyors of cyberpunk espionage and mayhem will take it and run with it into bold and bloody dark ops all over the world.

Signing Off

I’ve read that new editions of war games are nothing but cash grabs. Forced upgrades to sell product, milk the fan base, and keep the money train rolling. Some of them are – or least really, really, really feel that way. Particularly when a recurring pattern morphs into a business model. (Not judging. We all have bills to pay. Well, maybe a little judging.)

From where I sit, the new BA3E – and if I may be so bold, the upcoming Exploit Zero Omnibus – are really just two examples of the Learning Curve. Admitting you’ve figured out how to offer something better, more effective, fun, and efficient to an audience.

Maybe I’m wrong. Naive. It’s certainly possible.

All I know for sure is I’m really looking forward to both.

Thanks for stopping by. Have an excellent day.