Dragons Beyond RPG
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I have completed my proofreading of the POD version of Midwest Fantasy Wargame: The Primeval RPG. I am happy to report, I literally found hundreds of small errors!!! It's incredible what happens when you wait a few weeks and also read something in print with pencil in hand. Fortunately, none of these errors are going to require renumbering the pages. Inconsistent capitalization, repetitive words, minor grammar changes are all present. A few math mistakes, inconsistent table naming, and other nitpicks are also in play. But on the bright side, the product is as good as I can make it at this time. I'll be revising the digital version and then getting a final proof from Amazon before putting it in the wild.
A flip through of the Amazon print on demand proof of version 2 is now up on YouTube and Rumble:
https://rumble.com/v74zqua-midwest-fantasy-wargame-print-on-demand-flip-through....
I have published version 2 of Midwest Fantasy Wargame: The Primeval RPG. My suspicion is that I will have a much larger audience on that platform. However, I will look through my mailing list (based on the email associated with your itch account) and get a download file out to everyone who has purchased version 1 on this platform. If you want to share the new version of the game with friends -- or even kick in another $7.50 for the work cleaning up typos, converting the combat system away from Strategos, and adding the index (a huge slog to create!) -- the link is below--v
If you do not receive an email by Monday evening, please contact me here and I'll get it sorted out.
This is the last day to get Dragons Beyond before the sale ends. 5 bucks! And I put the GM screen on sale too. Get it while you can. Links below.
Dragons Beyond
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/464791/Dragons-Beyond?affiliate_id=2658330
Game Master's Screen
I'm making both Dragons Beyond and the GM Screen 50% off from tomorrow through New Year in honor of Dragons Beyond getting an advertising slot at the front of Cirsova #25 (a Magazine of Thrilling Adventure and Daring Suspense) https://www.amazon.com/Cirsova-Magazine-Thrilling-Adventure-Suspense-ebook/dp/B0...
Trouble Aboard Station Brown is now free. It was previously posted for $5. Any donation is appreciated. This is a turn-based -stein. It is possible to run this -stein with more than one group of players. There are elements the Referee can randomize before playing, though the secret identity of one character cannot be easily changed. One player from a previous session could re-play the game as this particular character without spoiling the fun.
Check out this 4 part series on reconstructing the original Blackmoor combat system and where I went wrong with Totten.
https://rhampton.substack.com/p/the-robot-is-the-key
https://rhampton.substack.com/p/a-tale-of-two-characters
After considerable additional research by numerous people during and after Arnecon this year, I am scrapping the idea of using Totten's Strategos as the basis for the combat system for Midwest Fantasy Wargame. Math nerds will cry. Normal people will rejoice.
Also received confirmation that I largely got it right with how Hoyt played the Medieval Fantasy Braunstein at DaveCon.
"But what will the new combat system be? " Stay tuned. I think I have figured it out -- finally. It's a lot closer to Chainmail than Strategos. Keep those d6 dice handy!
The premier of a true flip through of Move Out and Draw Fire. The rules for insurgency and counter-insurgency seem very relevant to today. If you'd like to participate in a play through with me, let me know. https://youtu.be/TkJtJP7poDA
Men in Metal is a Copper Best Seller on DriveThruRPG. You can purchase it here: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/437767/men-in-metal?affiliate_id=2658330
Kindle eBook https://www.amazon.com/Men-Metal-rules-medieval-miniatures-ebook/dp/B0F5QTWQBV
Print on Demand (POD) version https://www.amazon.com/Men-Metal-rules-medieval-miniatures/dp/B0F5RM23CC
QRS https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/438368/men-in-metal-quick-reference-shee...
Token Sheets https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/439358/men-in-metal-token-sheets?affilia...
Discussion board: https://rhampton.itch.io/men-in-metal
Campaign setup and character creation. Coming at this cold. Was on a work trip this week and had not looked at the rules in a week. Hopefully you will consider the use of the Aketon compatibility badge to be acceptable. If not, I'll remove it as the thumbnail. https://rumble.com/v6z76pw-aketon-gambeson-livestream.html?e9s=src_v1_mfp
On twitter (X) I made the claim yesterday that the situation in this picture could really happen. How you might ask?
This is quite simply a mage who has been polymorphed into Great Ape. The mage also happens to be the owner of a Revolving Wand along with a leather bandoleer (containing pellets that "recharge" his wand) and a holster for it.
For anyone who has read Blackmoor Foundations, the inspiration for the Revolving Wand is found on pages 45, 52-53 and the drawing on page 60. Essentially, a party of adventurers arrive at an island in the Lake-in-the-Heavens via raft. There is a castle on the island. The castle's master is Oleg, Protector of the Mountain Wizards. Oleg is also a giant who is hostile to the approaching party and attacks them by hurling a giant arrow. The members of the party happen to be from our world and are armed with 2 pistols (a Griswal[d] & Greer horse pistol and a .22 with a 3" barrel). In the ensuring combat, they manage to bring down the giant with a lucky shot to the head. May all your adventures be just as gonzo as those Dave Arneson, David Wesely, Dale Nelson, Ross, and Dan Nicholson embarked upon sometime in April - June 1971.
Check it out here: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/437767/men-in-metal
There is also a set of token sheets to paste onto blocks, also a QRS. Enjoy! The print on demand is on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Men-Metal-rules-medieval-miniatures/dp/B0F5RM23CC
Too many to name. Here are a few influences: Bath (scouting game, NPC personalities, family and aging), Featherstone (matchbox method, higher level siege warfare), and Arneson's FFC (the investments and structure of the Blackmoor army campaign), AD&D 1st edition for the assassin and spying stuff, Barker (weather & siegecraft).
I've just re-published this set of medieval wargaming rules after some additional play testing and polishing. I've got a series of YouTube videos which cover some of these refinements. More coming soon (Army lists, etc.). There are already token sheets and a QRS available on DriveThru and WargameVault. Just today, I've made a Kindle eBook version available. Due to exclusivity requirements, this means I had to take down the DriveThru version of the rules. The POD is going to be proofed and available on Amazon soon too. If any of you have interest in the earliest WRG rules from 1969-1970, check out Men in Metal.

That's the problem. It's pulling from many inspirational sources from early wargaming as well as reconciling early RPG systems such as OD&D, Holmes, Moldvay/Cook, and AD&D 1e and 2e. Too many to list out. Bath and Featherstone and Barker will all be part of the DNA. I still need to dig into Diplomacy variants too. A lot of D&D founders were part of that movement and culture.
Learning some new skills. Publishing Men in Metal on Amazon as a Kindle and POD file. The Kindle formatting was very painful because you can't just use your own pdf. The POD does use your pdf. Hoping the formatting comes out ok. Setting up the cover was not bad. Men in Metal is much smaller than Dragons Beyond and Midwest Fantasy Wargame. So if I can figure this out for my miniatures game, I should be able to figure it out for a larger publication. Itch is probably best for pdf delivery though. Dead easy compared to DriveThru.









