Three Moves Ahead

Bruce, Julian, and Rob host board game designer <a href="http://www.warfroggames.com/" target="_blank">Martin Wallace</a> to ask him that timeless question, "How awesome is your game?" The crew discuss A Few Acres of Snow, the card-based board wargame that has consumed their lives, and dissect how it handles its subject: The French and Indian War. Martin explains why a game about 18th-century colonial warfare was originally conceptualized as a game about interstellar warfare. How does Martin approach his various subjects, and why does he think that is distinct from how most wargames are designed?

Rob, Julian, and Hasbro's <a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/105134/risk-legacy" target="_blank">Rob Daviau</a> are marooned in rural Massachusetts. To avert cabin fever, they gather 'round the fireplace with a few microphones to talk about whether gaming gives them any carry-over skills for other activities, like cooking and work. Do games make us better at reasoning and problem analysis? Do they provide the same kind of perspective as an econ or stats course, for example? Julian is convinced he's a better negotiator because of games. Are we talking about gamification as opposed to achievement-ization, and is it helpful to try and perceive an underlying system to everyday tasks?

The original cast, gets together to look at the strategy games they liked in 2011. We focus on the positive and talk about Atom Zombie Smasher, Shogun 2, Unity of Command, Men of War and lots of other names are dropped. Also a preview of the games we are looking forward to in 2012.

Rob hosts a conversation with <a href="http://www.catalystgamelabs.com/battletech/" target="_blank">Catalyst Game Labs'</a> Randall Bills and <a href="http://mwomercs.com/">Piranha Games'</a> Russ Bullock and Bryan Ekman. Such a group can only mean one thing: BattleTech discussion. Does the BattleTech board game hold up after all these years? Do the various BattleTech and MechWarrior games and books create difficult expectations for what a mech game "should" be? What are the benefits of having a gameworld with so much history, and how do BattleTech-related games tap into it? How do the board games influence the upcoming MechWarrior Online?

Rob and Troy talk about 2x2's new entry-level wargame, <a href="http://matrixgames.com/products/417/details/Unity.of.Command" target="_blank">Unity of Command</a>, and why it is such a huge success. How does it stack up against Panzer Corps, and why is it more a wargame than a puzzle game? Why is its treatment of supply so important? Can you make a really challenging wargame without implying puzzle-like solutions?

A heavily medicated Rob hosts Julian, Troy, and Bruce to explain what's so boring about peace, love, and understanding. Why does strategy gaming usually come back to armed conflict, with the exception of city-builders? Do most people really even want games about other subjects, and can designers make good games out of them? What ever happened to <em>A Force More Powerful</em>, and why does it make Bruce want to punch Troy? How do board games handle these subjects, and do Eurogames get them right?

It’s more a fancy lecture and masterwork design class than a bunch of guys guessing about what works when board game desiger <a href="http://www.airbattle.co.uk/" target="_blank" class="liexternal">Lee Brimmicombe-Wood</a> sits down with Troy and Bruce to talk about his history of making games about air power, the challenges in getting all the cool technical bits down and the difficulties in making the bombing of civilians a game factor you cannot ignore. Can you make a strategic game about an air war still be about flying? What limits do you put on the player to make Luftwaffe raids roughly historical?

When you're too busy for a real topic, it's good to have listeners that are ready with questions. Rob and Troy take some time to answer your queries. Games we hate, the definition of RTS, whether Paradox has a subgenre monopoly and much more.

Friend of the show and returning guest Rob Daviau joins Rob and Julian to talk about his new game, <a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/105134/risk-legacy">Risk: Legacy</a>. They talk about how Legacy uses unlocks and persistent changes to deepen the standard Risk experience. Daviau describes lessons learned during playtesting about how players learn games and fail to make good long-term decisions. Why have some gamers been so resistant to the changes in Legacy? Does Legacy suggest a line of development for board gaming? Is it all a nefarious plot to make people buy more games? Risk: Legacy is available right now at game stores, and on Amazon next week.

<a href="http://poisonedsponge.wordpress.com/author/xthepoisonedspongex/" target="_blank">Phill Cameron</a> comes back for a conversation with Rob, Troy, and Julian about how personality and persistence change our relationship to strategy games. Troy reveals the depths of his callousness to tiny, computerized men. Julian points out that Dwarf Fortress is the pinnacle of this approach, but Troy explains why it frustrates him. Rob is stunned to learn that he is apparently the only one who had a pet dwarf in the <em>Myth</em> games. <a href="http://flashofsteel.com/index.php/2011/11/10/november-19-local-meetup-location/" target="_blank">Toronto FoS meetup</a> <a href="http://www.chicagolootdrop.org/" target="_blank">Chicago Loot Drop</a>

Julian hosts Bruce and editor-podcaster extraordinaire, Ryan Scott, of <a href="http://www.geekbox.net/" target="_blank">Geekbox</a> and <a href="http://www.geekbox.net/archives/category/podcasts/comedy-button/" target="_blank">Comedy Button</a> internet fame. They talk about the lure of League of Legends, whether these DotA / MoBA games are even strategy games, and how Valve's and Blizzard's attempts at the DotA genre will fare against the LoL powerhouse.

Rob summon Troy and Julian for an emergency therapy session about how many strategy games simply cannot get their acts together when it comes to basic standards. The panel discusses busted cameras and mouse controls, disastrous campaigns, and nonexistent endgames. The beginning of <a href="http://forums.introversion.co.uk/introversion/viewtopic.php?t=566" target="_blank">the Subversion saga</a>

Jenn Cutter comes back for a discussion of <em>F1 2011</em> with Rob and Troy. Learn about exciting rules changes, the difference between a racing game and a motorsports game, and some of Codemasters crucial fumbles that keep <em>F1 2011</em> from being a clear-cut improvement over its predecessor. Also, tire strategy means <em>F1 2011</em> is a strategy game, and is therefore a totally valid topic, and not pure self-indulgence from Rob.

A well-rested Bruce rounds out a full panel of Rob, Troy, and Julian as they discuss <em>Memoir '44 Online</em>, convenience, and the simple pleasures of light board gaming. It's a straightforward episode with the regulars at the top of their game. <a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/36/federation-empire">Federation & Empire</a> <a href="http://www.starfleetgames.com/" target="_blank">Star Fleet Battles</a> <a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/wiki/page/Command_and_Colors_system" target="_blank">Command and Colors System</a>

The Escapist's Greg Tito joins Rob and Troy to talk about <em>A Game of Thrones: Genesis</em> and to tell us about the Escapist's epic <em>Napoleon in Europe</em> match. In the first half of they show they talk about how <em>AGOT's</em> deception and diplomacy mechanics succeed in channeling aspects of Martin's novels, and in the second half they get into the ways that <em>Napoleon in Europe</em> models the cycles of war, peace, and negotiation that marked Napoleonic Europe. Troy then tells Greg that the Escapist should be a wargame site. Then he explains why you should give 3MA money. <a href="http://www.gamepro.com/article/reviews/223988/review-a-game-of-thrones-genesis-pc/" target="_new">Rob's <em>AGOT</em> review</a> <a href="http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/editorials/reviews/9169-A-Game-of-Thrones-Genesis-Review" target="_blank">Greg <em>AGOT</em> review</a> <a href="http://flashofsteel.com/index.php/2011/10/05/brilliance-encumbered/" target="_blank">Troy's <em>AGOT</em> impressions</a> <a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/3518/napoleon-in-europe" target="_blank">BGG's <em>Napoleon in Europe</em> page</a>

<a href="http://www.richardcobbett.com/" target="_new">Richard Cobbett</a> bravely joins Rob for a conversation with <em><a href="http://www.achrongame.com/site/" target="_new">Achron</a></em> creator Chris Hazard, despite the fact that Richard is weak as a kitten and sick as a dog. They talk about the difficulties indies face in the RTS genre, whether reviewers should make allowances for coarse but inspired games, and how Hazardous software has reacted to weak reviews. They also dig deep on <em>Achron's</em> mechanics and how they developed over the course of the project. Along the way, they prove once again that Achron is one of 2011's most fascinating RTS games. This is kind of a "deep-end of the pool" discussion. You might find these resources helpful: Giant Bomb's "<a href="http://www.giantbomb.com/quick-look-achron/17-4954/" target="_new">quick look</a>" video Richard's <a href="http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011/09/05/wot-i-think-achron/" target="_new">RPS review</a>

Soren Johnson quits in a huff and leaves podcasting so he can try his hand at making games. But first, Soren, Rob, Julian, and Troy talk about franchises and how they develop, or don't. Rob tries to make the case for considering Paradox-developed games as a single franchise, but Troy explains why that doesn't work. Soren talks about the Civilization series, and why it has evolved the way it has. The panel considers franchise exploitation, and the Blizzard model.

Computer and boardgame designer Paul Sottosanti joins up Soren, Julian, and Rob to discuss how board games are evolving, and how their design philosophies differ from computer games. Is the popular success of games like <em>Catan </em>something that will lead to wider acceptance of board games in general? Why do Julian and Paul love drafting mechanics so much? How does the transparency of board games change our relationship to them in comparison to computer games?

Zynga's Brian Reynolds makes Planetfall on Three Moves Ahead and, along with Soren, Troy, and Rob, founds a discussion of <em>Alpha Centauri</em>. He explains what went wrong with the "<em>Civ </em>in space" idea, and the role of the game's fiction. He and Soren talk about how <em>Alpha Centauri </em>changed the <em>Civilization </em>series, and take a look at some of its strange features, like the design workshop and climate change. Brian reveals he used the cast album of <em>Les Miserables </em>for inspiration as he wrote for the game, and Troy immediately proposes marriage.

<em>Tropico 4</em> gets Rob, Troy, and Julian talking about city-builders and their quirks. Why are their politics so artificial? Troy notices that videogames say the business of cities is business, but at least they give strategy gamers something to look at. <a href="http://www.designer-notes.com/">Soren</a> joins midway through, because he can't stay away, and Julian wonders where the genre should go. <a href="http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011/09/08/tropico-4-review/">Rob's Tropico 4 Wot I Think</a>

<a href="http://www.designer-notes.com/">Soren Johnson</a> and <a href="http://www.quartertothree.com/fp/">Tom Chick</a> join Rob for a discussion of Age of Empires Online. Tom opens by short-listing the game for "worst RTS ever made" and it's rough-sailing from there. Soren marvels at the disastrous interface, while Rob wants to napalm those cutesy Smurf villages. Then the panel talks about how AoEO could be redeemed, and finds there are some simple changes that could make AoEO a very good game. Tom's GameSpy <a href="http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/robot-entertainment-project-1-untitled/1188178p1.html">review</a> Rob's GamePro <a href="http://www.gamepro.com/article/features/222168/one-week-later-age-of-empires-online/">impressions</a> and <a href="http://robzacny.com/index.php/Index.php/2011/08/cutting-room-floor-age-of-empires-online/">additional notes</a>

<a href="http://www.designer-notes.com/">Soren Johnson</a> kicks off an extended visit to 3MA by joining Rob, Julian, and Bruce to talk about smaller-scale strategy games, and how they compare to their more traditional cousins. Julian thinks they let developers play to their strengths, while Soren worries about their potential to be ephemeral. Bruce suspects that if great games are ephemeral, that says a lot more about gamers than it does about games. Rob wants to like "big" strategy games more than he does, but likes the more contained experience that smaller games, and board games, increasingly offer. Bruce reveals that his gaming habits are stranger than anyone imagined.

Troy takes a victory lap after finishing his <a href="http://flashofsteel.com/index.php/2010/11/05/national-characters/">National Character series</a>, and together with Rob delves deeper into some of the themes he brought up in the series, and considers some stray ideas that didn't quite make the final cut. Can stereotypes ever really be escaped, and do we even want to escape them when they provide such a reliable shorthand in strategy games? How would national character be portrayed by someone other than Anglo-American game designers, and does national character find a compelling expression in peaceful pursuits?

<a href="http://irrationalgames.com/">Irrational Games'</a> Ken Levine join Rob and Troy for a discussion of the <em>Combat Mission </em>series, realism, WEGO turns versus continuous time, and what we'd bring back to the future. Tim Stone on <a href="http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011/06/20/heavily-engaged-ignorance-is-bliss/">"Ignorance Is Bliss"</a>

Freelance writer <a href="http://poisonedsponge.wordpress.com/">Phill Cameron</a> joins Rob and Troy for a discussion of the games they've been playing that haven't quite fit into recent writings or podcasts. New <em>Men of War</em> DLC, Troy and Rob's changing views on <em>Panzer Corps</em>, RTS time-traveler <em>Achron</em>, high-level <em>Blood Bowl</em>, <em>Out of the Park 11</em>, and racing games all come up for discussion in this open-ended discussion.

GWJ's Cory Banks finally dips his toes in the waters of turn-based wargaming with Matrix / Slitherine's new <em>Panzer General </em>remake, <em>Panzer Corps. </em>He joins Julian and Rob to talk about wargaming-lite, whether this really improves on <em>Panzer General</em>, and <em>Panzer Corps' </em>puzzle-based approach to scenario design. Rob realizes a newfound appreciation for daunting complexity.

<a href="http://www.pcgamer.com/">PC Gamer</a> EIC Logan Decker joins Rob and Julian for a discussion of Christoph Hartmann's <a href="http://www.mcvuk.com/index.php/news/read/interview-christophhartmann-2kgames/082216/1">comments</a> that strategy is not a contemporary genre. They dig into his interview, and what he meant. They also cover other publishing models, and how they stack up to what game publishers do, and discuss how Hartmann's comments reflect a much broader struggle to figure out what people want in a new media landscape. Does being relegated to a smaller market actually make strategy healthier for those of us who still enjoy it?

Troy and Rob are over the moon about Longbow's <em>Hegemony: Philip of Macedon</em>, and invite programmer and writer Rick Yorgason to the show so they can ask that timeless question: "How awesome is your game?" The three go into detail on the game's simplicity, its superb camera controls and artwork, its integrated and effective tutorial, and the compromises and adjustments Longbow made to the design along the way. Then Rick says there are two copies of the game available to loyal 3MA listeners, and Troy promises to award them randomly to two people who leave comments on this episode. Deadline for comments is Wednesday, July 20th.

Taking a moment from their respective vacations, Rob and Julian pick up the pieces after a couple show ideas fall apart at the last minute. Julian wants to talk about card mechanics and why he likes them so much. Rob wonders if most PC games eschew cards because they tend to symbolize and abstract concepts, and the PC tends to place a premium on the literal. Julian also theorizes that poker's popularity changed games.

<a href="http://arstechnica.com/gaming/" target="_blank">Ars Technica's</a> Ben Kuchera visits Three Moves Ahead to continue a discussion he started about reviewing standards and practices. Troy and Rob try to keep up as the panel discusses how writers' relationships with their readers can affect their approach to reviews, what are a reviewer's obligations, and the value of genre expertise.

Mode 7's Paul Taylor visits with Julian, Rob, and PC Gamer's Dan Stapleton to talk about <em>Frozen Synapse</em>. They discuss the game's development, its lengthy beta process and how that has contributed to the game's success, and the decision to sell the game as a 2-for-1 package. Paul gets into the fiction a little bit, and how it has been received. Apologies for any audio issues. Some interference got onto Paul's audio track, and there were nearby lumberjacks chopping down trees with chainsaws.

Paradox France's Philippe Thibaut and GWJ's Erik Hanson colonize 3MA this week to talk about <em>Pride of Nations</em>, Paradox France's new grand-strategy game of imperialism. Erik and Rob are intrigued by <em>Pride's </em>cynical view of colonial competition and its novel mechanics. Philippe explains the game's origins and how it is at once a departure for Paradox France and a natural extension of their work as AGEOD. The <em>Victoria II </em>comparison comes up for discussion, and Erik and Philippe discuss the game design challenges of the Civil War.

Vic Davis rides back into town to talk about <em>Six Gun Saga</em>, his new solitaire card-based strategy game. Julian is mighty fond of it, but wants to play with the rest of his posse. Rob is curious how Vic's <em>Armageddon Empires </em>and <em>Solium Infernum </em>fans have greeted this unusual game, and where Vic is headed next.

An exhausted Julian and Rob welcome Cory Banks back to the show to go over what they played at Julian's board gaming retreat. Could <em>Agricola's </em>position be threatened by young up-and-comer <em>7 Wonders</em>? Why is <em>Battleship Galaxies </em>the best space game since <em>Sins of a Solar Empire</em>? Is <em>Castle Ravenloft </em>a baby game, or an appropriate introduction to strategy and wargaming for children and novices? On the other hand, why would you play that when <em>Last Night on Earth </em>and <em>Invasion from Outer Space</em> are so much better? All these questions and more will be answered for those who are... Three Moves Ahead.

Ralph Trickey takes a break from updating and improving <em>The Operational Art of War III </em>to talk about the series with Rob, Troy, and Bruce. They discuss how the game is changing through patches, and then debate whether <em>TOAW </em>is a game so much as it is a set of tools. They also talk about how scenario designers have put those tools to use, and what shortcomings afflict the system. Everyone shares his favorite scenario, but Rob cannot contain himself and names three. Ralph mentions plans for <em>The Operational Art of War IV</em>, but it'll be hard to sell that if he keeps making <em>TOAW III </em>better and better.

<em>Elemental </em>and <em>Civilization V </em>come in for a follow-up appointment with Julian, Troy, and Rob. Have the major changes that have been patched into these games translated into major improvements for the player? How much post-release support should players reasonably expect, and what can developers accomplish with it? What flawed games have become great with patching?

Here come the creeps, led by Rob and <a href="http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/" target="_blank">Rock, Paper, Shotgun's</a> Quintin Smith! Fortunately, they encounter a maze of discussion and towers of topics. Inspired by first-person tower defender <em>Sanctum </em>and tower attacker <em>Anomaly: Warzone Earth</em>, Quinns and Rob explore how these games change the tower defense formula, and what about that formula needed changing? Are we doing a disservice to a neat mechanic by insisting that it is a genre? Why are we continually drawn in by games we often find shallow and unsatisfying? Is tower defense really about destruction, or is there an under-served creative aspect to these games? A lot of games and pieces come up for discussion here, so brace yourself for a link attack. Quinns' <em>Sanctum </em><a href="http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011/04/20/wot-i-think-sanctum/" target="_blank">Wot I Think </a> <a href="http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011/04/20/wot-i-think-sanctum/" target="_blank"></a> Troy's <a href="http://flashofsteel.com/index.php/2011/04/11/anomaly/" target="_blank">reactions</a> to <em>Anomaly: Warzone Earth</em> Rob, two years ago, on <a href="http://www.ugo.com/games/a-defense-of-tower-defense" target="_blank">tower defense games</a> Quinns on <a href="http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011/04/13/10-reasons-you-need-to-play-ace-of-spades/" target="_blank"><em>Ace of Spades</em></a> 3MA on <a href="http://flashofsteel.com/index.php/2009/11/03/three-moves-ahead-episode-37-chris-park-and-ai-war-fleet-command/" target="_blank"><em>AI War</em></a> Rob's "excessively positive" <em>Dungeons </em><a href="http://www.gamepro.com/article/reviews/218200/dungeons/" target="_blank">review</a> The Verdun game Rob couldn't remember is <em><a href="http://www.thetrench1916.com/" target="_blank">The Trench</a></em> <a href="http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2008/09/29/itll-all-be-over-by-lunchtime-warfare-1917/" target="_blank">Kieron Gillen on Warfare: 1917</a>

Rob is pleasantly surprised by <a href="http://www.revolutionundersiege.com/revolution/en/wallrus_en.php" target="_blank"><em>Revolution Under Siege</em></a> and rounds up Troy Goodfellow and <a href="http://www.brokentoys.org/" target="_blank">Broken Toys</a>' Scott Jennings to talk about it. What is the context for a Russian Revolution game, and how does <em>Revolution Under Siege </em>communicate that? Is the AGE system a good one for this kind of game, and why is it such a turn-off for some people? Most importantly, how the hell does an armored train work? Why wouldn't you just stay away from the tracks? Seriously guys, what the hell?

Gamers With Jobs continues colonizing 3MA, but the natives still welcome Cory Banks because he brings whiskey and podcast topics. Fantasy Flight games is upset about an iOS game that bears a significant resemblance to Richard Borg's Command & Colors system, and Bruce, Cory, and Rob wonder what it all means. Before they reveal themselves as ignoramuses yet again, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.fg-law.com/williamwflachsbart.html">William Flachsbart</a>, intellectual property expert, arrives to tell them what it all means. How carefully must new products tread around the innovations of old ones? When does borrowing mechanics turn into theft? Is there any way we can send Troy to jail? What about the Vancouver Canucks? Here is Bill Abner's original <a href="http://nohighscores.com/node/565" target="_blank">No High Scores</a> story, and the <a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/1839/interview-ios-board-games-talks-with-johannes-paiv" target="_blank">interview</a> to which Wil is referring in this episode. Big thanks to <a href="http://flavors.me/michaelehermes" target="_blank">Michael Hermes</a> for helping us sort out numerous audio problems this week.

Ah, good day, Herr General. The General Staff have prepared this podcast analyzing the strength and dispositions of the <em>Panzer General</em> series. You will have access to some new units for this mission. Bruce will shatter its defenses with an explanation of why he is not very fond of it, and Julian and Rob will go through the gap with an argument for its simplicity and refinement. Troy can provide air cover by placing the series in a wider context of genre and gaming history, but be careful. He consumes alcohol at twice the rate of a normal unit. Brilliant victory: Complete the podcast in 55:39 Victory: Read Rob's love-letter to <em>PG2 </em>in the May issue of <em>PC Gamer</em> Tactical victory: Comment and re-tweet

On the 150th anniversary of the attack on Fort Sumter, Troy and Rob rally around the bonnie blue flag and find Gamers With Jobs' Erik Hanson waiting for them there. Then they march off to discuss the American Civil War and its gaming legacy. They discuss how changes in a game's scale also change how the war is presented, why the war has such a hold on the imagination, and what were its defining features. A Along the way, Rob calls the Shenandoah campaign the Cumberland campaign, incorrectly places Cutler in command of the Iron Brigade at 2nd Manassas, and leaves his window open to let listeners hear the sounds of the Cambridge police. Embarrassing errors, or a subtle homage to Burnside?

Bill Abner and Dan Stapleton arrive to help Rob sort out the long-delayed <em>Dawn of War II: Retribution </em>episode. Rob isn't wild about the campaign for a few reasons, and eventually he starts to figure out why. Bill dislikes Chaos Marines wailing on electric guitars, and he thinks that's indicative of the direction the 40K universe has gone. Everything goes brilliantly until the show ends and Dan asks, "Wait, was I supposed to be recording?" Then Rob executes him, inspiring everyone to greater feats of podcasting next week. <a href="http://www.gameshark.com/pc/reviews/3748/Dawn-of-War-II-Retribution-Review.htm" target="_blank">Bill's Retribution review</a>

GameShark's Bill Abner joins Troy and Rob to discuss<em> Shogun 2</em>, mortality rates among Japanese generals, and Bill's enchanted copy of <em>Shogun 2</em>, in which everything awesome that can happen, does. Rob's Gamepro series: <a href="http://www.gamepro.com/article/features/218512/the-first-three-weeks-total-war-shogun-2/" target="_blank">Part 1</a>, <a href="http://www.gamepro.com/article/features/218595/total-war-shogun-2-week-two/" target="_blank">Part 2</a>, <a href="http://www.gamepro.com/article/reviews/218691/review-total-war-shogun-2/" target="_blank">Part 3</a> Bill's <a href="http://www.gameshark.com/pc/reviews/3764/Total-War-Shogun-2-Review.htm" target="_blank">GameShark review</a>

After the panel completely falls apart on the eve of recording a <em>Dawn of War 2: Retribution</em> episode, Troy and Rob soldier on by themselves. Troy hasn't played <em>Retribution</em>, but he is happy to announce his upcoming marriage to <em>Field of Glory</em>. Rob forgets that he's on a podcast and just starts talking with Troy, and along the way he mangles a great Provost Zakharov quote and explains why he thinks refinement is undervalued compared to innovation. At the end, Troy talks about his upcoming meet-up, and Rob asks for listener input on a 3MA website. Then Audacity eats his audio file and the episode is produced from a Skype recording. The Zakharov quote: "There are two kinds of scientific progress: the methodical experimentation and categorization which gradually extend the boundaries of knowledge, and the revolutionary leap of genius which redefines and transcends those boundaries. Acknowledging our debt to the former, we yearn, nonetheless, for the latter." - Academician Prokhor Zakharov, "Address to the Faculty"

Julian and Rob are at death's door following PAX East and a week of cruel beatings at the hands of <em>Men of War: Assault Squad</em>. Rock, Paper, Shotgun's Jim Rossignol, author of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/This-Gaming-Life-Travels-Cities/dp/0472116355" target="_blank"><em>This Gaming Life</em></a>, comes to their rescue, and together they try to figure out why this genre-breaking, rule-defying battlefield simulator exerts such a tremendous fascination. <a href="http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2009/03/27/wot-i-think-men-of-war/">Wot Alec Meer Thot of the original <em>Men of War</em></a> <a href="http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_226/6734-A-View-From-the-Trenches" target="_blank">Jim, in <em>The Escapist</em>, on <em>Men of War </em>and heroism</a> <a href="http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2009/11/03/wot-i-think-men-of-war-red-tide/" target="_blank">Jim on <em>Men of War: Red Tide</em></a> <a href="http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011/02/18/review-men-of-war-assault-squad/" target="_blank"></a> <a href="http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011/02/18/review-men-of-war-assault-squad/" target="_blank">Jim on <em>Assault Squad</em></a>

During GDC, <a href="http://www.quartertothree.com" target="_blank">Tom Chick</a> and Soren Johnson hosted <a href="http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/33374/GDC_2011_Strategy_Game_Veterans_Look_At_The_Genres_Biggest_Challenges.php" target="_blank">a talk that was so good</a> that a single panel couldn't contain them. They have invaded Three Moves Ahead to talk to Rob and Bruce about why strategy gaming is in a platinum age, how the business of development is changing, and the relative importance of AI in the development process. Then Tom, Bruce, and Soren freak out over <em>League of Legends</em>, although Bruce is convinced it's <em>Land of Legends</em>. Whatever it is, it sounds pretty good.

Paradox's Johan Andersson talks to Rob about <em>EU3: Divine Wind</em>, expansions, the design process at Paradox, and the newly-announced <em>Sengoku</em>. <a href="http://www.gameshark.com/features/808/Sengoku-Q&A-with-Producer-Johan-Andersson.htm">Johan's Q&A with GameShark</a>

In the wake of another successful Rabbitcon, Lara Crigger and Rob Daviau join Julian and Rob to talk about good luck, bad luck, and fun luck. Rob and Lara discuss her first wargaming experience, <em>Hold the Line</em>, and how it came down to a photo finish despite some unspeakably bad luck for her American forces at the start. Rob Daviau explains how luck aids the storyteller, and shapes game narratives. Then the panel considers why the sort of luck in a deck of cards is often more interesting than the luck in a roll of the dice, and how luck can shake up repetitive gameplay. <a href="http://yfrog.com/h73yi5j" target="_blank">Rob (Red) vs. Lara (Blue) at the Battle of Long Island</a>

Bruce and Rob welcome Troy back to the show by monopolizing conversation as they describe their reactions to <em>War in the East</em>. Bruce consults von Manstein's <em>Lost Victories</em> in the hopes of discovering where they went, but Rob is pretty sure the Germans dropped them somewhere in the Pripyat Marshes. All Troy knows for sure is that 2by3 scored a big win with this game. Then Rob takes a trip into <em>Dungeons</em> and finds a pleasant surprise, while Bruce is pleased by an invasion of Poland wargame with a marvelously bad interface. Show links: <a href="http://http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Smolensk_%281941%29" target="_blank">Battle of Smolensk (1941)</a> - The map may help you enjoy the show Rob's <a href="http://www.gamepro.com/article/reviews/218200/dungeons/" target="_blank"><em>Dungeons</em> review</a> <a href="http://whitedoggames.com/poland00.html" target="_blank"><em>September 1939</em></a>

Rob turtles up for a free-for-all discussion of RTS multiplayer gaming with <a href="http://www.quartertothree.com" target="_blank">Tom Chick</a> and <a href="http://irrationalgames.com/tag/chris-remo/" target="_blank">Chris Remo</a>. What really powers the <em>Starcraft II </em>community, and why can't other RTS games match it? It looks unstoppable, but does a challenger arise with <em>League of Legends</em>? 3MA favorites <em>Supreme Commander II </em>and <em>RUSE </em>depress the panel with their multiplayer front-end, but Chris cheers himself up by building a cathedral in <em>Dawn of Discovery</em>.