Tales & Tactics

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Welcome to Tales & Tactics, where we dive into the fascinating world of tabletop games. From well-known classics to the more obscure and bizarre, we explore their rules and delve into their rich histories. Join us on this journey as we approach each game with the enthusiasm of a book club, unraveling their stories and strategies.

  1. 6 gg fa

    RaW: Men of Iron - Norman Conquests

    In this episode of Rules as Written we ride into the age of Norman expansion with Men of Iron: Norman Conquests from GMT Games. Covering battles from Civitate in 1053 to Evesham in 1265, the game explores the rise of the Normans and the military legacy they left across Europe. We examine the Men of Iron system's approach to command, activation, shock combat, morale, and battlefield momentum, and discuss how these mechanics capture the realities of medieval warfare while remaining fast and approachable. Does Norman Conquests successfully model the tactics and leadership challenges of the Norman era? Join us as we take a close look at the rules and ask: How well do the rules model the history?

    55 min

  2. 26 mag

    BtB: Vibe Games

    In this episode of Beyond the Book, we look at a growing trend in tabletop gaming: the rise of the "vibe game." From art punk RPGs and rules light indies to beautifully designed passion projects, vibe games prioritize mood, aesthetic identity, and emotional experience over complex mechanical systems. But where is the line between elegant minimalism and incomplete design? At what point does a game stop providing procedures and start relying on GM fiat, player assumptions, and cultural expectations to fill in the gaps? We examine what defines a vibe game, why they have become so popular, and how they compare to more procedurally robust systems like B/X Dungeons & Dragons, and other classic designs. Along the way, we explore the relationship between aesthetics and mechanics, whether strong vibes can compensate for weak structure, and why some games thrive as inspirational toolkits while others succeed as complete gameplay ecosystems. Are vibe games a new evolution in RPG design, or are they outsourcing game design to the people at the table?

    51 min

  3. 19 mag

    RaW: Mork Borg-verse

    In this episode of Rules as Written, we dive into MÖRK BORG, PIRATE BORG, Forbidden Psalm, and the rise of the modern “vibe game.” These visually striking indie RPGs helped define a new era of tabletop design built around mood, aesthetic identity, and fast improvisational play. But beneath the doom metal art, apocalyptic prophecy, and brutal minimalism lies a major design question: how much procedural game structure is actually there? We examine MÖRK BORG’s mechanics, themes, and OSR roots, discuss why PIRATE BORG may be the strongest and most complete version of the formula, and explore how Forbidden Psalm adds the kind of tactical and campaign scaffolding many Borg style games lack. Along the way, we ask whether these games are streamlined masterpieces of minimalist design, or whether they rely too heavily on GM fiat and inherited play culture to carry the experience.

    53 min

  4. 12 mag

    BtB: Written Orders

    In this episode of Beyond the Book, we dive into what happens when players must commit to plans before the action begins. From classic hex and counter simulations of naval warfare and air force games to the game Diplomacy of 1959 and more modern board games, pre planning systems force players to think like real commanders. Orders are written, actions are locked in, and once the turn begins, events unfold simultaneously. We explore how simultaneous activation changes the psychology of play compared to traditional I go You go systems, why hidden planning creates uncertainty and friction, and how different games handle the challenge of prediction, initiative, and command control.

    50 min

  5. 5 mag

    RaW: Talon

    In this episode of Tales & Tactics, our Rules as Written series covers Talon from GMT Games, a tactical sci-fi fleet combat game pitting the human Terran Confederation against the alien Talon Empire across a series of ship to ship engagements. We discuss how the game’s impulse based turn structure creates a tense and interleaved flow of action that will feel familiar to veterans of Starfleet Battles, while remaining accessible enough to bring new players into the fold. We also highlight one of Talon’s smartest design decisions in placing all essential game information directly on the counters themselves, keeping the action on the table and the rulebook on the shelf. Clean, tactical, and rewarding, Talon earns its place as one of the more elegant entries in the space combat wargame genre.

    54 min

  6. 28 apr

    BtB: Sports Simulation

    From dugouts and playbooks to stat sheets and dice rolls, this Beyond the Book episode dives into the world of tabletop sports simulation. We look at how designers have tried to capture the drama and strategy of real world sport without requiring players to throw a single punch or swing a real bat. From classic replay games to modern fast play designs, we explore what makes a sports sim feel authentic, what gets abstracted away, and why these games have such a dedicated following. If you have ever wondered how a tabletop game can recreate the tension of a full season or a crucial fourth down, this episode is for you.

    53 min

  7. 21 apr

    RaW: Deadball

    In this episode of Rules as Written, we step up to the plate with Deadball by W.M. Akers, a fast, elegant tabletop baseball game that turns statistics, scorekeeping, and a handful of dice into a tense pennant race drama. We dig into the history behind the term Deadball, explore the real life Deadball Era of baseball, and look at how Akers translates that low scoring, small ball style into tabletop form. Along the way, we break down the game’s core mechanics, its evolving editions, the charm of the fictional Southern Circuit, and how it compares to other tabletop baseball classics. If you love sports history, clever design, or games that capture the feeling of their subject with surprising precision, this one’s for you.

    47 min

  8. 14 apr

    BtB: Hidden Information

    In this episode of Tales & Tactics, our Beyond the Book series turns to hidden information and randomness as design tools in tabletop gaming. We explore how fog of war and hidden unit mechanics in board wargames create authentic battlefield uncertainty, forcing decisions under incomplete information, and how random tables and GM driven dice outcomes in RPGs produce genuinely surprising results that no amount of preparation could script. Across both genres, the throughline is the same; well designed uncertainty doesn’t undermine player agency, it deepens it.

    51 min
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Trailer

Descrizione

Welcome to Tales & Tactics, where we dive into the fascinating world of tabletop games. From well-known classics to the more obscure and bizarre, we explore their rules and delve into their rich histories. Join us on this journey as we approach each game with the enthusiasm of a book club, unraveling their stories and strategies.

Informazioni

  • Creatore
    Neonlithic
  • Anni di attività
    2025 - 2026
  • Puntate
    103
  • Classificazione
    Contenuti adatti a tutti
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Neonlithic
  • Sito web del podcast
    Tales & Tactics
  • Fornitore

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