Tabletop Role Playing Games
Looking at my recorded plays over on rpggeek.com shows that I played eight rpg systems this year. Those systems were:
Delta Green
Pathfinder
Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles
Deluxe Tunnels & Trolls (solo adventures)
Call of Cthulhu 6th ed
D&D 5th ed
Mutant Future
The playtest rules for Star Trek Adventures
Looking at this list I realize that I did quite a bit more gaming this year than I thought. Also, I was a player just about as many times as I was a GM.
The new Delta Green is awesome. I can't wait for the final book be printed and to arrive in the mail. Playing Pathfinder was fun and brought back memories. I really like the aesthetic of Pathfinder and am itching to start a new campaign from level 1. Robotech was the first time that I ran a Palladium game for a group. I ran an adventure in my favorite setting, Invid occupied Earth. Deluxe Tunnels & Trolls is a great game that is simple and fun. The new edition has made some great changes to help players out and yet everything is compatible with older editions. I enjoyed introducing Call of Cthulhu to some new players via the introductary scenario The Haunting. I keep hearing good things about 7th edition but I will probably be a stubborn grodnard and continue to run 6th.
The game that I played the most was D&D 5th ed. A buddy has been DMing the Hoard of the Dragon Queen and I have been playing a warlock who has made a pact with Nyarlathotep. D&D 5th ed. is a great system and a lot of fun to play. The Mutant Future game took place at Brigadecon and was loads of fun. The basic rules are free so if you want to play an old-school Gamma World clone I suggest that you check it out.
Star Trek Adventures uses the 2d20 engine that runs Modiphius' house games, such as the new Mutant Chronicles rpg and the soon to be released Conan rpg. The 2d20 system is a paradigm shift for me and I don't fully understand how all the pieces work together. I found the playtest rules for the John Carter rpg easier to understand than these. However, I feel that Modiphius took pains to match the rules to the theme of a Star Trek adventure, in that overcoming problems is just as if not more important than combat.
Board and Card Games
According to my logged plays on Boardgamegeek.com, these are the following board and card games that I played in 2016:
Star Wars Empire vs Rebellion
Heroclix
Magic the Gathering
Scotland Yard: Die Jagd nach Mister X
Star Fleet Battles Cadet Training Manual
Dragonwood
Blunders
Rory's Story Cubes: Voyages
I will just give some highlights from these plays. If you are a comics nerd then you own it to yourself to try out Heroclix. One of the biggest issues that I have with the game is that the old design of the dials where sometimes difficult to turn. The new version of Heroclix has redesign the dials so that they are much easier to manipulate. This is the game where you can have the Hulk fight Superman! Plus, when you are tired of playing the game the minis are perfect for superhero rpgs.
Another highlight would be the Star Fleet Battles Cadet Training Manual. This is a free download that teaches you the Star Fleet Battles wargame in steps. I really like the rules, although after going through some of the scenarios I am trying to decide if I should follow up with Star Fleet Battles or the simpler redesigned version of Federation Commander.
I have a stack of unplayed games that I plan to attack in 2017!
Play by Mail
In 2016 I started playing play-by-mail games again. The main one that I am playing now is Duel2 run by Reality, Inc. My team of gladiators have graduated from the training arena and are now fighting in Aruak City. I appreciate that Duel2 still runs turns via postal mail as many play-by-mail games have moved to email. I have also signed up for a slow game of Hyborian War but I am still waiting for that game to start. Play-by-mail is fun and it helps me to get my gaming fix in while life is chugging along.
Interesting Acquisitions
Besides playing I am also a collector of games. I especially like to look for quirky, old, and out-of-print games whenever I am in stores. This year I found a copy of the Everquest Players Handbook at the local used book store. It is based on the D&D 3.5 OGL and probably has some interesting ideas that can be mined for other games. I also picked up a copy of the Force and Destiny core rules and a copy of The Black Crusade for $5 from the Fantasy Flight Games winter sale. The Black Crusade looks like a good game for those groups that just want to mess stuff up.
That is it for gaming this year. I will probably do another post covering cool books and comics that I have read this year. If you have read this far, go ahead and leave a comment. What was the coolest, most interesting, worst, or most noteworthy game that you played this year?
