Hobby Birthday

Ha, ha, I crack myself up.  Hobby Birthday, get it?

No?  Well, last weekend was one of those "milestone" birthdays.  So to properly celebrate, I hoofed it back up to D.C., to spend the weekend with all my peeps.  I managed to fit in a game-night (boardgames and Magic: The Gathering); a jam-night (playing music and playing party games); and an afternoon playing a miniatures game.  A jam-packed (ha, ha) birthday weekend full of fine friends and hobby goodness.

My rental car for the weekend.
As one friend put it, "the perfect mid-life crisis cruiser".

Mike Brandt of NOVA Open fame, who mastered guitar in just 6 months -- but who still needs to learn "how to rock"....

My buddy, Steve, of the Cheatin' Steve's blog, hosted a fantastic game of Chain of Command.

Steve knows how to set up a beautiful gaming table.
I'm playing the retreating Germans on the bottom half of the table. 
Steve is playing the advancing Americans on the top half.  (Guess who wins this game...)

This game was my first introduction to Chain of Command.  I was very impressed with the ruleset.  With 60 years of historical rule-sets rehashing the same ideas, I was intrigued with some of the innovations that Chain of Command offers.  I particularly liked the fresh take on deployment rules; the leader-influenced activation system; and the command-dice system, which allows you to influence key moments in the game in thematic fashion.

"We have 'em on the run, boys!"
I lost The Battle of the Hedge earlier in the game.

All of the individual mechanics are quick to resolve, and they fit thematically with what you would logically expect to happen on the battlefield, supporting realistic tactics.  Our only complaint is that, in aggregate, the rules are a bit "busy", and they require a bit of investment, before players achieve a smooth "flow" in the game-play.  But Steve and I agree that the investment is worth it.

"Hut, hut, hut,....."

"Come back to the villa!  We'll make our last stand here!"
How's that for a motivational speech?

Despite forcing a retreat of the American forces on the left flank, my Germans lost the Battle of the Villa.

So now that I have a taste of WWII-style battle, I'm ready to dress it up with some proper accoutrements:  werewolves, zombies, and walkers!

Here, I'm finally painting up some of my old DUST figures, in preparation for Konflikt '47.