The Man Battlestations Podcast

Greg and Andy are here once again for another episode of the MBS Podcast! This time around, they are discussing the seeming explosion of new naval games that have recent arrived or have been announced. This then leads into a discussion about the ups and downs of the naval gaming market as a whole.  

It's time for Episode 41 of the MBS Podcast! This month, Greg and Andy dig into the new space combat board game RED ALERT, designed by Richard Borg and published by PSC Games. https://www.commandsandcolors.net/redalert/

At long last, Episode 40 of the MBS podcast has dropped anchor! First up, Andy pumps Greg for all the juicy details of his experiences at Adepticon 2019! After that, they discuss the current state of Halo Fleet Battles, which MBS last focused on all the way back in Episode 4. Adepticon 2019: 46 Min 2-Player Starter Sets: 1 Hr 30 Min  

It's been a while since we've done a Ruckdog's Report! However, Andy has been reading (well, listening via Audible anyway!) the "Expeditionary Force" series by author Craig Alanson, and he just HAD to discuss it with Greg (who's also listened to the first couple of books in the series). Check out what we think in this edition of Ruckdog's Report. BE WARNED! This episode is full of spoilers for the...

Episode 39 of the MBS podcast is here! This time, Andy has an interview with Ryan, one of the developers for an exciting new spaceship mass-combat game titled This Great War of Ours! Later, Greg and Andy discuss the pros and cons of two-player starter sets for miniatures games, and list off some of their favorites. Interview with Ryan: 53 Min 2-Player Starter Sets: 1 Hr 48 Min

Set Condition 1 Throughout the ship! Greg and Andy are back for Episode 38 of the MBS Podcast, and this time it's a Battlestar Galactica blowout! First up, Andy interviews Andrea, one of the main designers for the new Battlestar Galactica Starship Miniatures Game. Later, Greg and Andy do a full review of the game. Interview with Andrea Angiolino: 39 Min BSG Starship Miniatures Review: 1Hr 15 Min =...

Better late than never, Episode 37 of the MBS Podcast has arrived! Greg and Andy start of the show with a look back at the events of 2018. Later, they take a look at some of the generic conventions that they most associate with naval miniature games. 2018 Year in Reveiw: 47 Min Generic Conventions: 1 Hr 36 Min

Avast! It's time for Episode 36 of the MBS Podcast! First up, Greg and Andy interview Mike from Firelock Games about his company's latest game, the age of sail fleet combat game called Oak & Iron. Later, they dive beneath the sea with a bunch of drunken Gnomes and review the boardgame Red November by Fantasy Flight Games! Oak & Iron Interview: 47 Min Red November Review: 1 Hr 33 Min =Links Discuss...

Greg and Andy are back earlier than expected for Episode 35 of the MBS podcast! First up is a review of the game 5150 Star Navy by Two Hour Wargames. Later, Greg and Andy dig into how Electronic Warfare is portrayed in Space Naval Games! 5150 Star Navy Review: 58 Min Electronic Warfare: 1 Hr 23 Min =Links Discussed In the Show= Battleship Texas Foundation Star Trek TNG Honest Trailer Two Hour Warg...

Attention all hands, Episode 34 of the MBS podcast has arrived! This month, Greg and Andy discuss the changes that come with game editions, focusing on X-Wing 2.0 and Dystopian Wars 3.0. Later, they discuss a few of their favorite naval history books in a new segment called the MBS Bibliography! Edition Changes: 32 Min MBS Bibliography: 1 Hr 23 Min =Links Discussed In the Show= Starfleet Museum X-...

Greg and Andy are back with Episode 33 of the MBS podcast! This month, our hosts return to the Naval Game Mechanics topic to discuss Critical Hits and their role in Naval Games. Who doesn't like a good, old-fashioned Magazine Explosion now and then? Later, they do a review of the Solitare/Co-op board game Nemo's War by Victory Point Games, which is based on the Jules Verne novel 20,000 Leagues Und...

Better late than never, it's Episode 32 of the MBS podcast! In this episode, Greg and Andy sit down with Derek, the creator of Sky Relics. Derek provides some insights into the full story on the game's creation, some background on its setting, and the pros and cons of running a successful gaming Kickstarter. Later, Greg and Andy discuss the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of their own experiences as K...

Episode 31 of the MBS podcast has arrived! This episode, Greg and Andy discuss the pros and cons of "defined" movement systems (i.e. using a grid of hexes or other shapes) in naval games. Later, they talk about some of the amazing miniatures that are being produced that are not tied to a specific game or rules system. Defined Movement: 33 Min Games-Agnostic Minis: 1hr 14 Min Links Discussed: http:...

It's time for Episode 30 of the MBS podcast! This episode, Greg and Andy interview the "Two Johns," the fine gentlemen behind Topside Minis, and discuss all of the neat things they have planned over the next year. Later, Greg and Andy review World of Warships Blitz, the mobile version of the World of Warships game for Mac/PC.  TSM Update Interview: 52 Min WoWS Blitz Review: 1hr 34 Min Links Discus...

In Episode 29 of the MBS podcast, Greg and Andy are updating a couple of topics they last examined a year ago! First, the do an update on "Class B" games, and add a couple to the list as well. Later, they go back to the movies to discuss 4 new naval-themed films. Class B Game Update: 45 Min Naval Movies Pt. 2: 1hr 33 Min Links Discussed: Aeronef Conn..Sonar! The Final Countdown Crimson Tide The En...

Dale is back on Ruckdog's Report to discuss The Expanse, an awesome book and TV series! They first do a spoiler-free discussion of the setting as a whole, and why you might want to check it out if you haven't yet. After a spoiler warning, they then discuss the impending Season 3 of the TV show, and how it might adapt some of the events from the books. Finally, after yet another spoiler warning, th...

For this month's episode of the MBS Podcast, Greg and Andy take their first ever in-depth look at a video game, BSG Deadlock from Slitherine Games. Later, they discuss the ways that stealth mechanics work in various naval games. BSG Deadlock Reveiw: 36 Min Stealth in Naval Games: 1hr 13 Min Links Discussed: BSG Deadlock 2018 MBS Painting Contest

Andy is back with Ruckdog's Report #5! The big discussion point this time around is on the trend of digital rule books. Do they make gaming experiences better? Pictures of Andy's Ice Maiden: http://www.manbattlestations.com/forum/index.php?topic=1920

Greetings! This month on the MBS Podcast, Greg and Andy tackle two great topics. The first is Ship Miniature Identification; how do you tell what ship is what and who it belongs to on the table? Later, our hosts discuss space combat in the Star Wars universe, and why it seems like Star Destroyers always seem to be exploding! Ship Miniature Identification: 44 Min Star Wars Space Combat: 1hr 23 Min...

This time around, I take a look back at some of the games from my collection that came out between 2010 and 2012. Was this a "golden age" of sorts for naval gaming? In addition to the audio format, I've also posted a video version to the MBS YouTube channel! https://youtu.be/TEz2kFXrnpk

It's the first episode of the MBS Podcast for 2018! In Episode 26, Greg and Andy welcome Josh Linde back to the show to discuss the Firestorm Armada and Halo Fleet Battles/Ground Command games he is going to be running at Adepticion this year. Later, Andy, Greg, and Josh do an in-depth review of Fleet Commander Genesis by Capsicum Games. Rounding out the episode, Greg and Andy take a look at how t...

It's time for the next Ruckdog's Report! This time around, Andy is discussing the challenges associated with trying to manage multiple content "streams." How does he decide what to post on the MBS Blog vice covering on an episode of the MBS Podcast? How does he figure out what should be in the next MBS Youtube video? Tune in and find out!

Greg and Andy are back in Episode 25 of the MBS Podcast with their second annual Year in Review! During their discussion, Greg and Andy touch on such topics as the health of the Class A naval game market, the continued viability of X-Wing and Star Trek Attack Wing, the sale of Hawk to TTC, and the fall of Spartan.  Year in Review Part 1: 47 Min Year in Review Part 2: 1 Hr 39 Min  

Greg and Andy are back in Episode 24 of the MBS Podcast! For the first segment, they discuss the recent trends with components (markers, dice, templates, etc) in naval gaming. Later, Greg and Andy discuss Shapeways and the impact it has had on the gaming hobby in general and naval gaming in particular Naval Components Discussion: 35 Min Naval Command Review: 1 Hr 22 Min   ==Links Discussed in Show...

Ruckdog is back with the second episode of the newly independent Ruckdog's Report! This time, he is joined by Dale, who was on the MBS Podcast back in episode 16 when he helped Greg and Andy review Star Trek Ascendancy. This time, Dale and Andy discuss all of the big news that has been happening with Star Trek over the last 6-7 months, including the new expansions for Ascendancy, the launch of Sta...