Last year I did an interview about my games and thoughts about game design with the group “Anti-Imperialist Action Ireland” (because they asked nicely). I prefer to do interviews by email but they would have liked a live event, so we compromised by having a computer voice read the transcript quickly while a Terry Gilliam drawing wobbled its jaw up and down.
If this is too alarming an image for you, you can read the transcript at anti-imperialist-action-ireland.com/blog/2022/01/03/political-military-board-game-design-with-brian-train/
[EDITED TO ADD: here is the video of our very pleasant chat!]
Once or twice a year Harold Buchanan holds the San Diego Historical Games Convention or “SDHistCon”. The last while it has been an online event perforce, and so is this one, coming up next weekend.
Early next Saturday morning Harold and I will spend a pleasant (it’s always pleasant) hour or so chatting about whatever comes into our heads, gamewise. If you would like to listen in, it is $10 to get a badge for the Convention but all the convention events are free!
There are dozens of events – panels, interviews, demonstrations of games and seminars. All free (but you have to reserve a ticket). Some of the notable ones that caught my interest include:
0900 Fri 12 November: Harold Buchanan interviews Phil Sabin
1800 Fri 12 November: Designer chat on John Company with Cole and Drew Wehrle
0900 Sat 13 November: Harold Buchanan interviews me
1100 Sat 13 November: Panel introducing the finalists of the Zenobia Awards
1300 Sat 13 November: Panel on “History as Tourism in Modern Strategy Games” panel with Liz Davidson of Beyond Solitaire
1700 Sat 13 November: “Inside GMT” night with company principals and designers
plus demos of various upcoming games I’m especially interested in (Cross-Bronx Expressway, In the Shadows, Order and Opportunity, The British Way, and various Zenobia Award finalists) throughout the weekend.
Today’s interview with Dan Pancaldi of “No Enemies Here” podcast with special guest Aardwulf. Special event as part of the Armchair Dragoons online con: Intvw w/ NEH, @ ACDC, 1400 16 JAN 2021
Many meandering anecdotes and fragments of tales: my dad’s very short film career helping to kill off the “Mountie Western” film genre; the development and combat history of the Pantzooka; fanboy squee about James F. Dunnigan; thoughts on border wars and sunlight; firm statement that I will never do a naval or air game; and much much more!
It was lots of fun. I hope to talk with Dan again one day!
The Regiment of Armchair Dragoons, an organization of strategy gamers only partly corralled by Brant Guillory, is having a virtual convention in mid-January!
As part of this event, on Saturday, January 16, from 1400 to 1500 Eastern Standard Time, I will be on Zoom for a 60-minute interview with podcaster Dan Pancaldi (of No Enemies Here). We’ll talk, we’ll scratch each other’s backs, we’ll take some questions….
Tickets required, and there is a limit of 100 (like all seminars on this event, I gather this is some kind of license-imposed limit; nothing personal).
It’s only 3 bucks to participate all weekend, and there is a LOT going on besides this meeting -board and miniatures games played via ASCBI, Discord, Roll20, Tabletop Simulator, Tabletopia, Vassal and Zoom; and online seminars including two presentations from the Georgetown University Wargaming Society.
Over at The Players Aid, an interview about the provenance and mechanics of Civil Power.
In this interview I was glad to have the chance to point out some of the obvious bits:
that while the technology might change, riots are still much like ancient/medieval battles;
even though it is a battle, it is still a confrontation with citizens in a relatively civilized overall situation and you cannot shoot your way to victory (except in the 1944 Warsaw scenario of course); and
using the idea of an Engagement Level to acknowledge that there are two mobs at every riot: the civilian and the non-civilian, and that while they have different structures they feed off each other’s energy.
We’re getting into the final stretch of Getting It Ready For You, laying out rules and player aids.
Fight the Power!
(or be the Power, or both… there’s no solitaire AI or anything like that)
Coming to an Orthicon Tube near you: John Kranz of Compass Games does a live online interview with me!
Mostly we will be talking about the Brief Border Wars Quad, coming out Real Soon Now from Compass, but maybe other things if John lets Unca’ Gran’pa’s mind and mouth wander….
Sorry, I seem to have missed posting this in the relative tumult of end-of-year 2019 (though relative to the tumult of now, it was not that tumultuous).
Lengthy interview with Grant Kleinheinz at the Players Aid, all about China’s War 1937-41! Originally posted on his website 30 December 2019.
Just posted: Grant Kleinheinz’s interview with me on the Brief Border Wars quad, which is now available from Compass Games! (or so the website tells me)
Any curiosity you might have about this set of smaller, simpler games should be satisfied here, if not please ask!
I’d also note that today, 17 February, is the 41st anniversary of the start of the Sino-Vietnamese War, one of the games in the quad.
brtrain 
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