RPG & WARGAME NEWSLETTER #114
June 16, 2025
Greetings, Gamers!
Take a look at the first image below. See anything unusual? It’s the shipping costs for a game coming from Germany called Space Qubes. It looks and sounds very cool. Check it out here. But here’s the rub. There’s no shipping estimate for the USA except for the Zone 6 “Rest of the World” option which is basically MORE than the cost of the game itself. Am I upset? Nope. This is the reality of our gaming hobby. For years and years, I’ve heard INTL backers complain about the high costs of shipping from the USA. It’s a legit gripe, but it’s just reality. If I want this game, I have to deal with the cost of shipping from Germany (where the game is being sold). I’m seeing some folks already comment that shipping is too high. Then do not buy it. Not every game made in the world is going to be available to you — maybe there isn’t a language translation for you OR maybe the game is only sold locally in one region. I think many of us in the USA have gotten so used to inexpensive shipping costs (relative to the rest of the world), and we somehow think we are owed low-cost shipping for everything. Not the case. And this won’t be the last time this happens either as more and more non-USA-based games are being advertised on Facebook and YouTube and other platforms.
Is there a solution? Well, you can ask your FLGS to buy into the Retail Option (if there is one) and ask them to put your name on a copy… OR you can just pay the shipping… OR you can go without. I like the look of this card and meeple game, but I’m not willing to pay $40 for shipping. I’ll save that money and look for something closer to home. Unfortunately, there are two losers — me, and the game’s seller. It’s just the economics of the big wide world we live in. Don’t let it get you down. There are WAY TOO MANY games to buy that (let’s be fair) we probably won’t play or open for a while. Tell me I’m wrong :)
Now, let’s get to the fun stuff.
GIVEAWAY - NOVEL
For this newsletter, I want to thank Titan Books who has graciously provided a free early-release copy of its upcoming novel, Fantastic Four: The Coming of Galactus. This is NOT an MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) novel, but a retelling of the original F4 story. 290 pages, paperback, written by James Lovegrove. The book releases to the public on July 8, 2025.
For a chance to win it, you must be in the Continental USA and respond (in the comments for this newsletter, #114) to the question: Who is your favorite comic book villain and why? Keep it clean and civil :) I will pick one winner at random from all who respond on or before Friday, June 20th at 11:59pm EST.
Thank you, Titan Books!
RPGs
Exalted Funeral has just announced a new fantasy RPG for kids called Land of Eem. When my boys were young, I was always on the lookout for simple RPGs that I could play with them, and this one would have been a good one. From the site:
Land of Eem: Dungeoneer Adventures is an easy-to-learn, easy-to-play, and easy-to-run tabletop roleplaying game (TTRPG) box set for kids. Players take on the roles of students attending Dungeoneer Academy, a school where kids train to become full-fledged adventurers and explorers in the fantastical Land of Eem.
WARGAMING (FREEBIE)
I remember decades ago reading Jurassic Park for the first time. This was before the movie, and all I had was my imagination for the setting and the dangers. Now, a new RPG will allow GMs and players to drop players onto a dangerous island filled with dinosaurs because… nature finds a way. Black Site Studios is well known for very creative skirmish wargames, and this one called We Played God looks amazing. BSS always provides great custom minis and terrain to support its rulebooks as well. I’m debating on this one, but man… look at that image below and tell me it doesn’t look fun. The game provides for solo and co-op modes and rules for 15 different types of dinosaurs. It also comes with a 16-scenario campaign. This one looks PERFECT for demo’ing at conventions… I think I’m in.
Modiphius is launching a new skirmish wargame called HARDWAR… 6mm battles: Hardwar throws you into gritty, hard sci-fi warfare in the 22nd century, with fast, tactical gameplay and a stunning range of mechs, armour, aircraft, and more. The [FREE] Quickplay rules are lean, mean, and built to get you rolling dice and blasting your enemies in no time. The upcoming Kickstarter will include the fully revamped Hardwar rulebook in a sleek digest-sized format, packed with solo and co-op rules, plus expanded content like Extended Hardware and No Heroes in print for the first time.
The KS launches on July 1. Click here for more info.
Tom over at Fat Dragon Games has released Expansion 6 for the Battlefront Valkyrie game. These pieces come with support for LED lighting! More info here.
MINIATURES
I just got finished gluing up my six guards for the game Guards of Traitor’s Toll. The minis come on a little pad that is somewhat difficult to separate from the feet/shoes, so I’m going to apply some Liquitex around the base to blend and cover up the little pad. I’ll share a status update and picture or two in the next newsletter.
CARD GAMES (FREEBIE)
If you’re here for my latest solo Boss Card for the Star Realms game, the link to download it is here. This week’s card is the Nebula Mercs Frigate. I fine-tuned it over about a dozen plays, but feel free to reach out to me if you have any thoughts or questions. Next week: The Nebula Mercs Corvette!
If you’re looking for a low-cost card game, you might be interested in Robo Rescue. The first deck is free, and the other 3 decks are just $1.00 each. You have to pay for shipping (estimated for USA at $15), but $18 for a four-deck game sounds pretty good. You can get more details here.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Southern Fried Game Expo is ALMOST here! This Friday, in Atlanta, gamers will gather to pay a single fee to play classic and new arcade games, pinball, retro consoles, card games, board games, RPGs and wargames, and more. It has become Atlanta’s go-to spot for all types of gaming. I missed last year, but not this one! If you’re going to be there, message me at jimsworkshop@fastmail.com so we can arrange to meet and say hello. More info on the event here.
See you next week!
Jim, The Tabletop Engineer
TO MY SUBSCRIBERS
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The YouTube Channel name is The Tabletop Engineer Plays
Not sure he’s my favorite but he’s my most hated-Thanos! He sucked as a Dad. He seemed all powerful and his catch phrase “I am inevitable” scared me for some
reason! The way Josh Brolin said it…chills.
When I read your question asking who is your favorite supervillain and why my mind went immediately to Dr. Doom. Was it because this question was in reference to winning a book about the Fantastic Four? Probably a little bit. In all honesty, I enjoy intelligent villains, who goals go beyond just chaos and classic cartoon ruling the world shenanigans. Magic users are always a step above as well.