July 28, 2009 Sometimes a last minute topic change actually goes somewhere. Troy, Tom and Bruce have a long and detailed conversation about the challenges wargame and strategy game designers face when they try to capture the essence of an historical moment. How do you model insurgency? What makes WW2 the default combat model if not the default topic? Why are Tom and Bruce still scarred by Combat Mission Shock Force? Also a discussion of reading material, how Twilight Struggle works, and whether Balance of Power is a terrible game. Troy also manages to confuse two Middle East themed games. (Here’s the one Tom was talking about, here the one Troy was thinking of.) Then a long update on Dominions 3 and why Bruce is afraid. Norm Koger’s current project The new version of Dragoon Battlefront GDW’s Assault Tom’s Call of Duty 4 review

July 21, 2009 After a month of absences, Bruce Geryk more than makes up for it in a tour de force conversation with special guest Bill Abner as they relive the fun of 1970s baseball simulation games. We open with a discussion of Blood Bowl, which Julian finds too difficult and Troy finds too easy. Then Tom, Julian and Troy sort of fade into the background for an hour.Listen to learn what kind of person replays historical seasons, why Blood Bowl is really a wargame, and whether sports simulations can ever measure up to the beauty of Championship Manager.Also an update on our Dominions 3 game, a promise to eventually get Bruce's side of the story, a quiz game from Tom Chick and a hip hop conclusion.

July 14, 2009 Soren Johnson drops by to talk to Troy, Tom and Julian about how the future of strategy games is online - whether you like it or not. He drops some hints about what he is working on at EA, talks a little bit about Civ and why RTSes have to die in order to be reborn. Julian sells iPhones to everyone, too.We also conclude with our regular Dominions 3 update - there could be a war a-brewin'. Tom predicts the future course of the game.TravianIkariamQuarantine 2019Nile OnlineLeague of LegendsSoren's Blog

July 7, 2009 The panel returns to game design territory with a discussion of the problem of runaway winners in strategy games. Can you design around it? Should you? How do you keep a game interesting for everyone?Also, a progress report on our Dominions 3 game.

June 30, 2009 Troy, Tom and Julian look at the year so far and look ahead to see what games they liked and what they are anticipating. Detours into diving, naval warfare and whether Starcraft 2 will appeal to the masses.Stay tuned to the end for a look at who chose which race for their Dominions 3 multiplayer match and why. (Troy butchers his race name over and over, too. It's very stupid.)Fourmageddon Map for Dominions 3Tom comments on Starcraft's single player plansBill Abner's "Blood Bowl" BlogTroy's Half Year Round Up

June 24, 2009 This week, the panel takes the pulse of strategy franchises. What makes you strong? What makes you weak? And is any particular franchise in trouble?We also give you a preview of our next epic multiplayer gaming experience. Will Tom and Julian redeem themselves after such a terrible showing last time? Not with this game.

June 16, 2009 This week is all about Bruce as he goes on and on about how hard it was to write the manual for Dominions 3. The panel talks about how a manual is not the same as documentation, how even good games could be better with a paper friend and lots of other commentary that only reveals just how old we four actually are.Rome on 640KMy thoughts on the Dominions 3 manualGMT GamesBill Harris on Dwarf FortressBill Harris on Armageddon Empires

June 9, 2009 Bruce shows up late, but we do get a full panel to talk about The Sims 3 and the franchise in general. Tom gets all artsy, Julian makes an odd comparison and Troy is a cheater. One of the four panelists hates The Sims, by the way. No prize for guessing who.And be sure to check out Crispy Gamer for Tom's Sims 3 RTS Challenge. Can you turn his loser into a success?Robin Burkinshaw's sad story of Alice and Kev

June 4, 2009 Tom and I sit down with Johan Andersson of Paradox Interactive and Kim Soares of Nitro Studios to talk about Hearts of Iron 3, East India Company and what it's like for a hardcore strategy publisher at the new E3.Please excuse the background noise. E3 is a noisy place and Paradox had no ceiling on their meeting room. Context important links to follow.

May 26, 2009 The panel jumps the gun a little bit and talks about maps before Troy can finish quite his series, but they have good reason. The team goes over an hour this time so Bruce can call Civilization IV's map dead, so Tom can regale you with his wilderness adventures and so Troy can listen to his colleagues say nice things about him.Source of the Nile on Board Game GeekTroy's Map Series from the beginning.

May 19, 2009 Four men enter, two men leave as Tom and Bruce welcome their podcast partners into the oldest continuous rivalry in strategy gaming. In the first official multiplayer recap session in TMA history, the panel talks about Dawn of War 2, how the multiplayer experience holds up under the pressures of age and infirmity.Bonus files include a replay you can load into Dawn of War 2 to see us flail about and an audio of us setting up the game and playing.

May 12, 2009 So what happens when an emergency derails a scheduled topic for a podcast? People scramble, that's what. Listen as Troy, Tom and Julian spend half the podcast debating and discussing how diplomacy is best represented in strategy games, and the other half catching up with topics previously covered, with shoutouts to a Flash of Steel commenter, a Qt3 poster and Julian's daughter. Also, bonus references to 17th century English philosophers, JRPGs and the time Tom sulked because he was a poor loser.Troy's Crispy Gamer article on games and foreign policyDokapon Kingdom at Qt3Free RealmsDawn of War II patch notes

May 5, 2009 This week, the panel uses Popcap's Plants vs Zombies as a jumping off point to talk about defensive games in general - tower defense, grid defense and wargames. Bruce hates playing the Reds, Julian talks about his iPhone, Tom comes with another list and Troy is probably stressing the wrong syllable in Omdurman. We also announce the winner of the Demigod CE.Desktop Tower DefenceJulian's Plants vs Zombies article at GWJMore from Tom at FidgitDowntown at Board Game GeekAmbush at Board Game GeekCarrier at Board Game GeekRAF at Board Game Geek

April 28, 2009 A disorganized and rambling panel deals with multiplayer gaming in general and some war stories is specific. Bruce and Tom give the not-so-secret history of Tom vs Bruce. Julian sings the praises of the Gamers With Jobs community. Troy explains how he and Bruce used to spend lazy Sunday mornings.And Tom outs himself as a cheater. A dirty, no good, cheater.The Story of the Crispy Gamer FiascoQuarter to ThreeGamers With JobsBrettspielwelt

April 21, 2009 This week, the panel has a special guest. Stardock's Brad Wardell joins Troy, Tom, Bruce and Julian to explain just what was up with Demigod's botched multiplayer launch. We also get a little bit of information on Stardock's upcoming fantasy turn based strategy game, Elemental: War of Magic.And stay tuned to the end, where we give the details for a prize drawing.