Three Moves Ahead Episode 168: Return of Bomber Command

[Troy Goodfellow]

Lee Brimmicombe-Wood returns to the podcast so Bruce Geryk can talk more about bombers and commanding them, in the recently released board game Bomber Command. And unlike last time, we let them talk it all the way through! More on design decisions, simulating the air war and balancing history and play. Plus a detour into sci-fi.

Listen here.

Wages of Destruction

Targeting the Third Reich

Simulating War

StarForce Alpha Centauri

Victory at Midway

[Jim Profit]

ha. loved this episode. fantastic

[MikeO]

I loved this one, thanks for doing it, Bruce. I noticed that you used a more 'BBC' voice while hosting this episode!

Still have not had a chance to play BC, but I have read the rules, and it seems pretty playable. I was interested in 'Downtown' and 'Burning Blue' as each was in development, but I could tell just by looking over the rules that I would probably never get around to actually playing them. Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure my first playthrough will have to be solitaire.

Agree with Lee that Victory at Midway did the double blind naval game probably as well as it can be done. I have 'known' Markus Stumptner (just from his online posts) for a long time, but never got to play Solomon Sea. Glad to hear it's likely going to actually be released by a publisher.

[Erkki]

Awesome episode. I haven't played any wargames (is Pacific Typhoon a wargame?), but I love hearing game designers talking about their craft.

Also it's interesting that Lee is working on Far Cry 3.

I loved this one, thanks for doing it, Bruce. I noticed that you used a more 'BBC' voice while hosting this episode!

Hehe. I noticed that too.

Edited May 14, 2012 by Erkki

[Skyrider68]

It was a great podcast, as was the other one Lee participated in. For some time I have wanted to buy one of this gentleman's games, and I am now figuratively kicking myself for not yet having done so. I had a true sense of the "real deal" in listening to him discuss his designs, both existing and on the drafting board.

I like that the show continues to give a coverage nod to the board gaming side of strategy. Would like to see the trend continue

Edited May 12, 2012 by Skyrider68

[Troy Goodfellow]

When I started listening and heard Bruce introduce himself as "stand in host", my first thought was I can never mock Rob's NPR voice again. Bruce is the new model.

It was a great episode, and I have four books to buy now. Damn this show.

[Skyrider68]

When I started listening and heard Bruce introduce himself as "stand in host", my first thought was I can never mock Rob's NPR voice again. Bruce is the new model.

Well, vocal analysis aside, I thought Bruce did a pretty good job as the spot starter. Even when things drifted out on a tangent once or twice, there was still some good fruit at the ends of those vines. In this instance, I'm glad he let Lee talk a bit beyond the scope of just Bomber Command.

Good stuff. Good job, Bruce.

[MikeO]

It was a great podcast, as was the other one Lee participated in. For some time I have wanted to buy one of this gentleman's games, and I am now figuratively kicking myself for not yet having done so. I had a true sense of the "real deal" in listening to him discuss his designs, both existing and on the drafting board.

I like that the show continues to give a coverage nod to the board gaming side of strategy. Would like to see the trend continue

I would recommend 'Nightfighter', if you want to try one. It's actually really simple to play, but still delivers on the flavor of the theme.

Lee is the kind of person whom I'd like to buy beers in a pub and just listen to him chat. This podcast was the next best thing.

[spacerumsfeld]

Thanks, everyone. And thanks to Lee for being on again. He's easy to talk to because he has a lot of interesting things to say.

The "BBC voice" may have also had something to do with the fact that I was using my Blue Yeti mic instead of my old headset for the first time.

[Troy Goodfellow]

I like that the show continues to give a coverage nod to the board gaming side of strategy. Would like to see the trend continue

Board gaming has become something we've covered a lot in the last year or so - and a great deal of that has to do with Rob taking over the number one chair and Bruce recommending some really great topics.

I think it's a great direction for us so long as we keep the video game side strong as well - the two do complement each other, we love to talk about mechanics and representation in general and board games have always been a part of our mandate. Only now we give them 90 minutes at a time.

[Chris]

Really liked this episode. Brimmicombe-Wood is a man who is interesting by way of being interested about things, and that's the sort of person I enjoy listening to. I also appreciated Bruce's interviewing, which was very low key and restrained while supported by plenty of knowledge about the subject matter.

[Dantes]

Very interesting discussion. Thanks to Bruce for letting the conversation follow its natural flow, a steering job as a stand-in host.

In case it is of interest to anyone, New Haven, Parramatta, and Whanganui are towns (or a suburb in Parramatta's case) in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand respectively. The names were chosen I assume to reflect the fact that a large part of Bomber Command, and indeed the RAF, was made up of Commonwealth airmen serving alongside their British counterparts.

[Chris]

Really liked this episode. Brimmicombe-Wood is a man who is interesting by way of being interested about things, and that's the sort of person I enjoy listening to. I also appreciated Bruce's interviewing, which was very low key and restrained while supported by plenty of knowledge about the subject matter.

Very interesting discussion. Thanks to Bruce for letting the conversation follow its natural flow, a steering job as a stand-in host.

In case it is of interest to anyone, New Haven, Parramatta, and Whanganui are towns (or a suburb in Parramatta's case) in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand respectively. The names were chosen I assume to reflect the fact that a large part of Bomber Command, and indeed the RAF, was made up of Commonwealth airmen serving alongside their British counterparts.

I found myself looking those terms up this morning. It's amazing how uncommon information about that meaning of those terms is--unsurprisingly, it gets pretty drowned out by information about their respective namesakes.

[Iain Cheyne]

Yes that was another excellent episode. Bruce did an excellent job at letting Lee talked about whatever he liked, but still managing to ask good questions.

I'm very excited about an LBW Falklands game. If it can stay under 3 hours and 20 pages of rules then I'll preorder.

[corto]

Loved this episode, even though I will only experience these types of board games vicariously through the stories of TMA members. Loved listening to Lee talking about the design hurdles these games need to overcome, the history from which they're based of, and even his failed/postponed projects. And I also have a few books now to add to my reading list after listening to this. Thank you for making me spend more money.

And Dr. Bruce Geryk was indeed a wonderful host.

[Roderick]

Holy cow, Lee sure knows a LOT about all these wars! It's really great to hear someone so knowledgeable dig into the meat of developing these games and the specific experiences that he wants to produce. Even if you disagree with the opinions on display, you can't argue with their validity.

Had a bit of a 3MA binge today to be honest, listening while I was grinding Diablo 3. Super fun, it would've been an intellectually boring time without it.

[sclpls]

This episode was wonderful. I hope Bruce can do an episode on Andean Abyss (which should be shipping soon!) since I know he has mentioned on previous episodes that it's a board game he has been excited about.

[spacerumsfeld]

In case anyone wants to see the game in action, I recently played @AleccMG via VASSAL and we streamed it. Two parts;