RPGnet Newsletter #180

[RPGnet Forums]( RPGnet Newsletter #180 August 6, 2019 {NAME}, here is this week's RPGnet Newsletter! New Columns [Top Ten Reasons the DM's Eyebrow is Twitching]( is this week's Fuzzy Thinking comic from artist Christopher Cecil. And, Iustum used a hacky Tolkein quote to title his article about travel scenes in PbP games in the newest Words on A Screen: [Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost.]( New Reviews Antonios S stole the starting spot with a review of [Conan the Brigand,]( a supplement for the eponymous hero's RPG line that offers a useful balance of fluff and crunch. Antonios also reviewed [John Carter Miniatures: Heroes of Barsoom,]( which provide fine sculpts, full of detail and spunk. Antonios then reviewed a bevy of non-RPG tabletop game products: - The [Star Wars: Legion Neutral Expansions: Priority Supplies Battlefield Expansion and Downed AT-ST Battlefied Expansion]( - each of these expansions has its own strengths, with Priority Supplies offering versatile scenery that can be inserted practically everywhere, while the Downed AT-ST will cause the envy of your fellow players for the possibilities it opens. - [Horrific Journeys]( is an expansion for the Mansions Of Madness (Second Edition) game line that takes the game on the road, but for a price. - [Aerion]( is a luxurious solo dice-rolling and card-drafting game that is tight, challenging, and captivating when it comes to gameplay, and whimsical and playful when it comes to the art and feeling. - [Unlock! Exotic Adventures]( provides enjoyable puzzles, rewarding adventures, and one cringe-worthy end of a plot. - [Terraforming Mars: Venus Next]( might not offer ground-breaking wow! moments, it is however a solid expansion with quite some thought behind it. - [Codenames Duet XXL]( looks better, is easier to handle, and is prettier on a table than its smaller brother. - [Catan Scenario: Crop Trust]( is an interesting Catan scenario but may not make the point that it thinks it does. Edward A Kabara reviewed the [7th Sea (2nd Ed.) Core Rulebook,]( which is great if you like story, bad if you need hard rules. Endzeitgeist reviewed [The Nagual Roleplaying Game,]( a mesoamerican-mecha storytelling-focused RPG. The week wrapped up with Endzeitgeist's reviews of two installments in the Psychedelic Fantasies series of OSR modules. [Beneath the Ruins]( is an aborted mega-dungeon attempt with plenty of tired tropes and nothing special. [Within the Radiant Dome]( is a solid science-fantasy/gonzo-yarn that can can be used to transition between campaign settings. Threads You Might Have Missed Initiative systems are a frequent topic of discussion and analysis in tabletop RPGs, and for good reason. Check out some [Thoughts on Simultaneous Combat]( for a discussion of one type. Unfortunately, many playgroups will need to deal with this from time to time: [Responding to player cheating.]( And, I got a bunch of ideas for alternate history and fantasy settings out of this thread, and maybe you will, too: [Anachronistic combinations of technology in settings.]( Sign Off Have a good week, everyone. - Iustum Newsletter Editor [Unsubscribe from mailing list]( [Visit RPGnet Forums](