Rule of Carnage - Designing Better Miniatures Games

In Episode 133, the guys have been thinking about "cursed problems", and when they think about such things, they talk about them. First up, putting differing experience levels together, proscription VS prescription and making impactful failure without creating a win-more. The Boarders and Black Flags Landing Page:https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/manokentgames/boarders-and-black-flags...

In Episode 132, the guys have been thinking about "cursed problems", and when they think about such things, they talk about them. First up, "its possible to win until the last roll of the dice" vs "every decision matters" and then "list building matters" vs "you can't lose before getting to the table". You can pick up Pukeapocalypse from Exalte...

In Episode 131, Glenn recently released Pukeapocalypse, a punk skirmish game, with Exalted Funeral, here the guys talk about it. You can pick up Pukeapocalypse from Exalted Funeral here: https://www.exaltedfuneral.com/products/pukeapocalypse Or if you're in the UK you might prefer to get it from Glenn here: https://www.manokentgames.com/product-page/pukeapocalypse The Boarders and Black Flags...

In Episode 130, since Mike just opened the Space Gits Pledge Manager for late pledges, the guys are having a chat about Pledge Managers. The Boarders and Black Flags Landing Page: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/manokentgames/boarders-and-black-flags If you enjoy hearing our game design advice, why not read it also in our upcoming book about designing miniatures games, available here: www.rou...

In Episode 129, Glenn's new game Pukeapocalypse has just come out from Exalted Funeral, so Mike is asking him a few questions about it. The Boarders and Black Flags Landing Page: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/manokentgames/boarders-and-black-flags If you enjoy hearing our game design advice, why not read it also in our upcoming book about designing miniatures games, available here: www....

In Episode 128, okay, we've been away for a while partly this is because we've been running a couple of Kickstarters, the other is that we recorded several episodes on running a Kickstarter that I wanted to edit together into one episode. So, here we're back with an absolute monster of an episode going into everything you need to know about running your own Kickstarter. The Boarders and Black Flag...

In Episode 127, the guys wrote a book, which they've mentioned once or twice, about how to design miniatures games. Since its just lauched, they're going to talk a bit about it. If you enjoy hearing our game design advice, why not read it also in our upcoming book about designing miniatures games, available here: www.routledge.com/9781032324012 Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manoken...

In Episode 126, the guys finally actually have the conversation about hidden movement that they've been constantly implying but never having. Its really hard to do hidden movement in minis games, but there are ways and means of representing it to some degree. Pick up Hobgoblin here: https://www.electi-studio.com/store/p/hobgoblin-standard-harcover If you enjoy hearing our game design advice, why n...

In Episode 125, the guys have returned to thinking about mechanics that are common in boardgames but rarer in minis games, this time its Push Your Luck mechanics. What are they, how do they work, and where do they fit into your game? If you enjoy hearing our game design advice, why not read it also in our upcoming book about designing miniatures games, available here: www.routledge.com/97810323240...

In Episode 124, we've been thinking a little about the sheer length of rulebooks for minis games. Partly because of the one box wargames challenge, and partly because of our own designs. Why are they so long? Why are boardgame rulebooks so short? Let's chat. If you enjoy hearing our game design advice, why not read it also in our upcoming book about designing miniatures games, available here: www....

In Episode 123 Mike and Glenn recently played the boxed non-violent minis game Redwood. They filmed themselves doing it and you can see the playthrough on YouTube. Sadly, their discussion of the game was lost due to technical issues, so they're discussing it again, here. Redwood playthrough video: https://youtu.be/3RS07WwdtJs Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com Check ou...

In Episode 122 its been a while since we last caught up with what the guys are currently working on, so this seems as good a time as any to do it. Mike has been contemplating a Gaslands RPG and a Gaslands Board game while Glenn is putting the finishing touches on Boarders and Black Flags. Follow the Boarders and Black Flags Kickstarter here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/manokentgames/board...

In Episode 121 the One Box Wargames Challenge has been going great guns on our Discord with over 100 entrants. We've tried to take a look at some of them, this week, Mike has cast his eyes over Hakkiyoi, Circo Tartarus and Adventure Quest and Glenn has been checking out Gatling Camel Riders, Crazykoala Rampage and Scurrmish. They have a bit of a chat about them, if you like the sound of them or an...

In Episode 120 thanks to our Discord member Malev, an amazing challenge has been running in the Rule of Carnage Discord server. The challenge is to select a single box of minis and base a game around it. Mike decided to base his game around the Black Seas Frigates and Brigs Flotilla set so he and Glenn started having a discussion on how that might look. Check out Wargames Atlantic to vote for Rad...

In Episode 119 Part 2 our weird little niche channel has recently hit 2000 subscribers. In celebration of this occurring we have asked our discord channel to come up with some intelligent questions. They did this in fine style and now we have enough of them for several videos. Well, three. This is the first one. Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com Check out Planet S...

In Episode 119 Part 1 our weird little niche channel has recently hit 2000 subscribers. In celebration of this occurring we have asked our discord channel to come up with some intelligent questions. They did this in fine style and now we have enough of them for several videos. Well, three. This is the first one. Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com Check out Planet S...

In Episode 118 Mike has been thinking about how some games hand out pre-set and created narratives in their lists and scenarios. He chats with Glenn about whether or not this is a good idea. Glenn has doubts. Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games The Rule of Carnage discord server: https://discord.gg/Gb4a...

In Episode 117 Mike has been thinking about games that use multiple different forms of movement, combining and contrasting them and considering their strengths and weaknesses. Probably some other c words too. Glenn was also there. Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games The Rule of Carnage discord server: h...

In Episode 116 the guys has been contemplating using a range of mechanics that are common to boardgames but unusual in minis games. Specifically this time, Mike has put a whole bunch of dexterity mechanics into his new game, Space Gits, about drunk ass orcs Shootin', Scootin' and putting the Boot in on each other, but also, balancing and sliding dice all over the place without their towers...

In Episode 115 Mike has been trying out some new games and in so doing has encountered a bag pull initiative system that he found interesting. Glenn is unsure about bag pull systems, and voices some of his concerns. Then they talk about it. This is what we do here. Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com Check out Planet Smasher Games here: http://planetsmasher.games Th...

In Episode 114 the guys have been out and about selling Hobgoblin, Gaslands and other games at gaming conventions in the UK for the past few weeks, and they've been thinking about how exactly to do that well. Also, about when sometimes they've seen it done badly. Here they lay out a few of the points behind getting it right. And for once it actually is three steps. Check out Man O' Ken...

In Episode 113 the guys has been contemplating using a range of mechanics that are common to boardgames but unusual in minis games. They thought other people would like to contemplate it also, so they decided to record them doing so as part of what will hopefully be a series of conversations beginning with Deck Building. Hearts of Plastic: https://www.heartsofplastic.com/ Check out Man O' Kent...

In Episode 112 Mike has been getting some feedback on his recent game Flagstone, specifically some interesting feedback on the length of the game. It has been mentioned that the game is lots of fun, but too short, which has led Mike to wonder, what exactly is the perfect length for a game? Can it be too short? Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com Check out Planet Sma...

In Episode 111 Glenn has been considering what we mean by the social contract in tabletop games. Quite a lot actually. When we play games we need to understand and agree to what degree we expect the game to offer us different social relationships and perspectives, but they very rarely actually tell us. Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manokentgames.com Check out Planet Smasher Gam...

In Episode 110 Mike has been playtesting Pacific Command, and he's been doing it solo mode, as much playtesting is, and has developed a set of rules for doing that. So he's been wondering, is a solo mode that you use for playtesting the same as one you should present to your players? And if not, why not? So the guys chat about that. Check out Man O' Kent Games here: https://www.manoken...