Precinct Omega
80 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 1 month ago - ★★★★★ - 1 ratingWeekly Wargaming Miniatures News & Discussion
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Episodes
Precinct Omega Podcast - Design Discussion #4 - Random Number Generators
January 11, 2021 12:00 - 1 hour - 159 MBI spend an hour mostly talking about dice. I spend as little time as possible looking at the numbers and probability curves (but have to spend some time talking about them) and then go on to talk about how those apply, how dice can strip agency from players and how to avoid that happening. I also do a big breakdown of what you can do with playing cards and why, sometimes, you shouldn't. I touch upon a lot of games, including Under Falling Skies, Warhammer 40,000, Savage Worlds, Dystopian...
Precinct Omega Miniatures News #29 - 2020 News Round-Up
January 04, 2021 12:00 - 15 minutes - 34.5 MBIn this episode, I do a round-up of news from 2020, looking at Asmodee Games's handling of Fantasy Flight, new edition releases of flagship games from GW and Corvus Belli, the end of a flagship game at Steamforged Games, big money still struggling to make an impact at Privateer Press and Para Bellum, and more besides. This episode is dedicated to the memory of Walt Langhan and all our fellow wargamers who didn't make it to the end of 2020.
Precinct Omega Podcast - Design Discussion #3 - Cyberpunk
January 01, 2021 11:14 - 38 minutes - 88.3 MBI TOTALLY FORGOT TO PUBLISH THIS EPISODE ON MONDAY! So you get two episodes close together. There'll be a new episode out on Monday with my round up of news from 2020. * After seeing all the hype about Cyberpunk 2077, and also watching the Tabletop Minions video about wargaming cyberpunk, I thought the subject deserved a deeper analysis of the challenges involved in designing tabletop cyberpunk experiences. I also take the opportunity to wax just a little bit philosophical about the ye...
Weekly Miniatures News #28 - The Tabletop/Digital Hybrid, with Dr Tomas Rawlings
December 21, 2020 12:00 - 55 minutes - 126 MBBernard's back! This week's episode is a longer one, stretching out to just shy of an hour, but I was absolutely stoked to welcome Tomas Rawlings of Auroch Digital (and a patron), who brought me news of emerging devices for hybrid tabletop/digital gaming that I found absolutely fascinating, and it was terrific to get Tomas's insight into how these could transform our tabletop experience. I start as a skeptic, but really found my enthusiasm growing as Tomas explained what could be done with...
Weekly Miniatures News #27 - Adverts and Advertisers
December 14, 2020 13:25 - 21 minutes - 23.2 MBFirst of all, my deepest apologies for my recent absence. If you follow Precinct Omega on Facebook or are a Patron, then you'll be aware that I had some problems getting my hands on a part to effect a straightforward repair on my laptop. But it arrived this morning, so I'm back, baby! However, while things weren't working, after radio silence for a few weeks, I finally gave in and recorded an episode on my smartphone. So, no Bernard. No music. No special effects. Just me, talking. Th...
Precinct Omega Podcast - Games Design #2 - Rambling about Stats
November 16, 2020 12:00 - 36 minutes - 83 MBHaving forgotten to upload the script to the last design episode, I decided to embrace it, this week, and just no bother with the script. The result is more rambling and less structured and possibly less coherent. But hopefully still interesting. Let me know in the comments: stick to unscripted (and maybe do a video version as well) or go back to scripting and the hours-long preparation each episode demands... Can you tell my heart's not in it?
Miniatures News #26 - Stuff vs Good Design
November 10, 2020 14:38 - 27 minutes - 62.8 MBApologies for the late posting. I had a bit of a burn-out and needed to take a day off. Back to normal service! Back to the news, we look at Knight Games's Harry Potter: Catch the Snitch Kickstarter Privateer Press's Warcaster: Neo-Mechanika: Collision Course Kickstarter Firelock Games's Blood & Plunder: Raise the Black Kickstarter and, because why stop when you're on a roll, Blacklist Games's Dire Alliance: Horror Kickstarter And I take a look at why we are so often fo...
Precinct Omega Podcast - Games Design #1 - Conceptual & Physical Efficiencies
November 02, 2020 12:00 - 20 minutes - 47 MBIn the first in the new series, I start by talking about conceptual efficiencies and physical efficiencies - what are they, and why do large game companies like physical efficiencies so much?* Link to the panel. *Answer: because they make them more money.
Weekly Miniatures News #25 - Will Stargrave Be the Death of Me?
October 26, 2020 11:01 - 21 minutes - 49.6 MBSo Osprey announced that 2021 would see the release of Stargrave, the much-anticipated sci-fi twist on Joe McCullough's smash-hit, Frostgrave. What does that mean for smaller indy publishers and their sci-fi skirmish properties like, y'know, Horizon Wars: Zero Dark?
Weekly Miniatures News #24 - 16th October 2020 - Will The Big Bang Theory Blow Up Knight Models?
October 19, 2020 11:00 - 29 minutes - 68.6 MBKnight Models released the cast of The Big Bang Theory in their Justice League Halloween costumes this week, to an extremely polarized response. But what lies behind this decision, and why is the anger of a good portion of their players so great? In this episode, I look at the history of Knight Models, their relationships with their licensors, and their (lack of) good customer service, quality management and business strategy and ask if there's any way back for them.
Weekly Miniatures News #23 - 9th October 2020 - Write The Game You Want To Play
October 12, 2020 11:00 - 25 minutes - 58.5 MBThis week, I look at some emerging miniatures wargames: Blood & Plunder: Raise the Black Flag Takkure Mighty Armies: Invasion HOF But wanting a bit of a break from the in-depth industry analysis we've been doing for the last few episodes, I thought I'd talk, instead, about the emotional bedrock of game design and, of course, how it applies to these four and to Precinct Omega. Also, I take an unscheduled side quest to look at translation and localisation of games.
Weekly Miniatures New #22 - 2nd October 2020 - HeroQuest & Hasbro
October 05, 2020 11:00 - 24 minutes - 55.5 MBIn August, Hasbro announced that their Pulse programme would run a "HasLabs" crowdfunding campaign for HeroQuest. But HeroQuest has an iconic and troubled history, and feelings about this sort of thing tend to run high. So for my listeners' benefit, I've dug through the history, the trademarks and the controversy to try to understand what's going on with HeroQuest, why it's happened how it has and what might, possibly, be coming next for the game. WARNING: total speculation ahead! Anyway...
Weekly Miniatures New #21 - Infinity 4th Edition & the Lifecycle of Wargames
September 28, 2020 11:00 - 25 minutes - 57.3 MBThis week, the only new worth talking about is the release of the latest (fourth) edition of Infinity. Actually, that's totally not true. We could also talk about the HeroQuest announcement. And the new Age of Exploration fantasy sailing game, Armada, from Mantic Games. But those will just have to wait, because this episode is all about Infinity. But you know me: I'm not just here to froth about a new product. In fact, although I will talk briefly about what's changed, we'll not be l...
Weekly Miniatures News #20 - Six Ways to Launch a Wargame
September 21, 2020 11:00 - 25 minutes - 58.8 MBWith six pieces of news plucked from what was a huge range of options (it's like the industry has woken up from lockdown), I look at: TTCombat Warploque Corvus Belli Steamforged Games Parabellum Wargames and Gripping Beast Then I unpack what each of these can teach us about the methods of brining a new game to the market.
Weekly News #19 - 11th September 2020 - Whither Miniatures?
September 14, 2020 11:00 - 24 minutes - 55.5 MBThis week I noted news from: Wargames Atlantic Wyrd Games TTCombat Warlord Games And this inspired me to take a look at how wargames miniatures manufacturers have approached the question of materials technology over the last thirty years, how it's changed and why; and to look ahead and ask how the new push for desktop 3d printers is going to change the market for wargames miniatures.
Weekly News #18 - AK-Interactive & Condemnation
September 07, 2020 11:00 - 22 minutes - 50.4 MBCONTENT WARNING - This is one of those episodes that needs a content warning. There is reference to war crimes, genocide and other nastiness. And a little strong language. I was all set up for a nice episode about miniatures manufacturing and how I was expecting to see things shift over the next few years. And then AK Interactive and their book, Condemnation, happened. On the plus side, it was genuinely nice to hear from more than one patron - and non-patron listeners - who wanted me to ...
Weekly News #17 - 28th August 2020 - Miniatures Board Games
September 01, 2020 09:13 - 19 minutes - 44.1 MBCMON's Massive Darkness 2 Kickstarter concludes with $3.8m in funding, while Core Clash scrapes in at $46k, and New Osaka has "successfully" funded at about $10k. Oh, and if that weren't enough giant robots, there's also Galaxy Hunters* which is about one-third of the way towards its funding goal. But rather than talk about Kickstarter, I'm interested in miniatures board games. For some reason, they rub me up the wrong way somehow and I'm not sure why, because on the surface they seem to ...
Weekly News #16 - 21st August 2020 - Is Wargaming For Everyone?
August 24, 2020 11:00 - 22 minutes - 51.8 MBWhen this article popped up last week, it predictably set the twittersphere alight. Having asked for thoughts on my Facebook page, I thought I'd take some of those and address the different aspects of the story that people have settled upon and, of course, give you the questionable benefit of my own opinion.
Weekly News #15 - Final Whistle for Guild Ball
August 17, 2020 11:00 - 28 minutes - 65 MBSteamforged Games has killed Guild Ball as a product, pretty much effective immediately. This is a story positively packed with industry significance and I couldn't possibly cover it all a half-hour slot, although I do my best.
Weekly News #14 - 7th August 2020 - Getting it Right
August 10, 2020 11:00 - 17 minutes - 41.1 MBI'm back! If you thought you missed an episode last week, you didn't. I was away on holiday and decided to spare myself the stress of recording. This week, I decide to look closer at three new-ish comers in the miniatures wargames market in the UK, and to explain how I think they're going about their business, how they are each different but how they are all, in their own way, doing things "right". Mantic Games TT Combat Warcradle Do you have any minis from these companies? I...
Weekly News #13 - 26th July 2020 - Problem Products
July 27, 2020 11:00 - 20 minutes - 46.5 MBCONTENT WARNING - SEXUAL THEMES In this week's news I look at new releases from: Battlefront Manufaktura Miniatures Limbo Division What these three have in common are problematic content and themes involved in their new releases. How should consumers identify, deal with and respond to problematic themes in their hobby? And how should manufacturers deal with the issue of what is, ultimately, a leisure game about warfare?
Weekly News #12 - 17th June 2020 - The Icarus Effect
July 20, 2020 11:00 - 22 minutes - 51.6 MBSo, Plast Craft Games looks like they're going under. How did this runaway success and tabletop tech leader get into such trouble? Well... I can't pretend I really know, but I'll take a good guess in this week's episode.
Weekly News #11 - 10th July 2020 - De-Fund TMP?
July 13, 2020 11:00 - 28 minutes - 65.4 MBThere was some excitement recently over a falling-out between venerable miniatures wargaming forum, The Miniatures Page, and respected historical game design partnership, Too Fat Lardies. You know this stuff always gets my little grey cells pumping, so I thought I weigh in some factual, legal and philosophical analysis. But it's not just theoretical. This is a question with some significant import in how Precinct Omega will do business in the future.
Weekly News #10 - 3rd July 2020 - Reasons to be Cheerful
July 06, 2020 11:00 - 12 minutes - 27.6 MBDue to the other stuff going on in my life, I pre-recorded this podcast, so it doesn't include some important things I'd like to talk about. I'll get to those next week! Companies mentioned: Artejoal Studios and their awful Kickstarter Wargames Atlantic Mantic Games Strato Minis Elladan
Weekly News #9 - 26th June 2020 - #MechWeek!!
June 29, 2020 11:00 - 12 minutes - 28.8 MBLast week was #MechWeek2020. Because I decided it was. First time ever. Decidedly underwhelming, I know, but whatever. So I have a chat about mechs, and why I think they're awesome, even when they're stupid. Farsight (Warchest) Monsterpocalypse Catalyst Game Labs (Battletech) Weta Workshop (GKR: Heavy Hitters)
Weekly News #8 - 19th June 2020 - Game-Agnostic Miniatures
June 22, 2020 11:00 - 18 minutes - 43.5 MBThere's been a lot of chat about miniatures-agnostic games, lately, so I instead take a look at game-agnostic miniatures instead, this week. Manufacturers mentioned are: Puppetswar Anvil Industry Hasslefree Miniatures Monster Fight Club - and their Kickstarter Acid House Terrain Troublemaker Games - and their Kickstarter I also mention GW, FFG and Corvus Belli, but you should all know where to find them, by now...
Weekly News #7 - 12th June 2020 - Why So Serious?
June 20, 2020 15:32 - 18 minutes - 42.3 MBI completely forgot to post this week's podcast on Monday! No idea how that happened. Won't happen again. But episode 8 will be up on Monday. A shorter episode, now, as I chill out a bit. Do we take our games too seriously sometimes? I ponder where such things can lead, why we shouldn't let it and look at a few new and emerging products that aim to help us keep a sense of proportion when we play with our dolls. Spellcrow Stickman Journey Rubber Duckie Dice TTCombat
Weekly News #6 - 5th June 2020 - Black Wargamers Matter
June 08, 2020 09:05 - 33 minutes - 75.8 MBTRIGGER WARNING: Race Yep. We're going there. I'm going to talk about race and wargames and you can't stop me. Manufacturers mentioned: Pulp Figures Guildhall Studio Corvus Belli Miniatures Building Authority
Weekly News #5 - 29th May 2020 - GW, 40k and the Elephant in the Wargaming Room
June 01, 2020 13:22 - 53 minutes - 122 MBWhen GW announces a new edition of Warhammer 40,000 it's hard for anyone else to get a word in edgewise in the tabletop miniatures wargaming world. In this episode, we look at why this is the case, why people play 40k at all, and how this affects small creators fighting for a slice of the pie.
Weekly News #4 - 22nd May 2020 - Chibi & Cuteness in Wargames
May 29, 2020 10:33 - 37 minutes - 85.1 MBI'll add links to the relevant manufacturers mentioned in the podcast at some point... TRIGGER WARNING: sexual content, child exploitation This week's discussion is about "chibi" - where it comes from, what its original purpose is and how that purpose is being misunderstood and misapplied by miniatures creators and what that means for wargames. Does "cuteness" have a role in making miniatures wargaming more accessible to people outside the traditional market? Or is it just making us look...