Announcing Jozi's Tin Man Fall Tour 2017-18!!!!!

Apologies, I have been quiet for a bit.  Mrs. Tin Man and I took another cruise.  Nothing specifically militarily interesting, just sun, sand, steam room in the spa, and beaches.  Only two items of hobby note:

• I did write a simple Matrix Game simulating the politics of South Carolina between the end of the French and Indian War and 1776.  I am working this up for my wife’s classroom and she played all 5 factions (Low Country Rice planters, Backcountry farmers, Cherokee, Parliament, and the Royal Governor) and we got a nice conclusion in an hour.  It ended in 1776 with the Rice Kings having successfully allied with the back country farmers, after surrendering some minor political power.  But they completely bungled their attempt at revolt and their delegates to the 1st Continental Congress were even arrested by the British!  We ended in 1776 with the crown firmly in control of at least the low country and the Cherokee fighting the Creek with weapons that the British had originally provided for them to use against any rebellious colonists!  It was a nice diversion, as soon as I have it complete, I will post it here as well as how running it in the classroom goes.  Otherwise we swam in the ocean, sat in the steam room, and took in the sun one last time before she has to get back to the classroom.
• For more information in Engle Matrix Games, see:
• http://www.wargamedevelopments.org/matrix.htm
• http://balagan.info/wargaming/engle-matrix-games
• While lounging on deck, in addition to reading some more E. Hoffman Price occult detective stories, I also read Philip Sabin's Simulating War.  It is a fascinating read and I highly recommend it if you even have the least interest in game design.  He is primarily focused on using (mostly map and counter) wargames to teach college students and at staff colleges, but the design approaches are universal and he works within tight time and complexity constraints.  It comes with 8 different games from various periods, and I am already thinking about adapting "Angels 15" for use with Picoarmor WW2 aircraft

Meanwhile, I have gotten some great feedback on my Historicon post, I have just caught up with approving all of the comments.  Thanks for everyone who took the time to provide feedback and keep the conversation going.

Now for the important bit... I am also planning for Jozi’s Tin Man Winter Fall Tour 2017-18!!!!  As part of my promise to put my month where my mouth is, I have submitted games to the following upcoming events:

• Southern Front in Raleigh, NC
• October 6-8
• MACE in Charlotte, NC
• November 10-12
• Siege of Augusta in Augusta, GA
• January 12-14

I will be running both of these games at each event (except MACE, where I will just run “Death Temple of Sarnath)  Keep checking the PEL’s for each event, but for Southern Front, I will run games all day Saturday, MACE Saturday from 6pm to Midnight, and I am trying to do all day Saturday at Siege of Augusta as well.  Additionally, I am looking at MACE West in March.  I figure after that, I will want to work up another game or games for 2018-19.

I am looking forward to comparing how miniature wargamers play versus the ones at MACE, which will be a higher percentage of RPG players.

The scenarios:

“Trouble in Nyasaland, 1888”
Rules: The Men Who Would Be Kings (TMWWBK)
Players: 5
Description: 
(Inspired by actual events, an expedition lead by Captain Frederick Lugard against the slavers in 1888) 
Nyasaland in Central Africa is under the British sphere of influence and is suffering from the depredations of savage, aggressive tribes and Arab slavers who prey on the local population and are attacking missionaries and British trading posts in the Lake Nyasa region. 
One such mission station is that of the Unitarian missionary Reverend Pimplebottom.  Word has reached British authorities that the good reverend, his beautiful daughter, Alice Pimplebottom, and a hunting party led by Sir Archibald Hastings are besieged in the mission by marauding Arab Slavers and brutal Anzique cannibals.  The local authorities immediately dispatch a rescue expedition made up of a detachment of the Central African Rifles and a landing party from the gunboat HMS Indefatigable.
Will the relief force make it in time?  Or will the besieged make a heroic breakout attempt? Will a dashing young British Army or Naval officer win Alice’s hand? More importantly, what will the Anzique eat for lunch?
Rules are fast play and absolutely no experience with the rules is necessary. 

“Death Temple of Sarnath”
Rules: Astounding Tales 2!
Players: 8
Description: 
It is 1934, and Shirley Uoff, daughter of Canadian millionaire industrialist Ronald “Rip” Uoff, has been kidnapped by gangsters! Rumors abound that she is being taken to Africa for some nefarious reason connected with notorious scoundrel, cad, and cultist Allister Crawley.  Rip Uoff has hired famed detective Hercules Poirot to assist the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in retrieving his daughter.
Completely coincidentally, the German Institute for Teutonic Studies (GITS) is sending an “Exploratory” Expedition to perform “anthropological” research in Africa.  Rumors of other terrible events have alerted Doctor Clark “Doc” Savage and local British Colonial authorities to potential trouble in the region.
Will Shirley be found and rescued? What is that rustling in the jungle? And more importantly, what is that thing with all the tentacles on its face?!?!?!?!?!
No experience with the rules is necessary, action will be fast and furious, bring your funny accent!

I have a long list of things I am prepping for running these games, and I have started with a homemade business card to give to participants:

I am furiously preparing range sticks, QRS’s, extra terrain, etc, and I will post pictures as it comes together.  I will also get at least one or two play tests in, so stay tuned.  Let's see how well I can execute!

Until then, enjoy!