Unsinking the Atlantic: Building Worlds at the End of the World

While things have moving along swimmingly in the hobby department a bad dose of writer's block spent the better part of this month ruining my blogging goals for 2018.  It's already late in the month, and it's a short one!  To make the grade I have to crank out two articles in the week.  I have some models I could have posted much earlier but wasn't able to find the literary chops to produce any better than a photo bomb.  If worst comes to worst that isn't beneath me.

The art in this book is beautiful and evocative!  It fits the content perfectly.

That really wasn't what broke the block.  I owe that to Joseph McGuire of World's End Publishing who just released The Wasteland Compendium, a substantial supplement for, This is Not a Test!  I can't give you a full review and even if I was able to digest it all I'm not much of a rules guy and wouldn't be able to give a comprehensive mechanical breakdown.  I can say that there it is chock full of new material that expands most areas of the game with more choice. For story driven skirmish games that is pure gold.  If you would like to take your wasteland skirmishes to the next level check it out HERE!!

Half the cars and some of the minimal real estate.

There is also a section dedicated to exploring and fleshing out the Tri State Wasteland, Joe's own post apocalyptic setting.  This is probably my favorite part, even if I have no intention of playing in the Tri State region.  I'm more partial to the North Atlantic Wastes;  You probably haven't heard of that, but considering it is composed of ten or less miniatures, a couple 1:43 cars and scant miniature real estate I'm not surprised.  The point is  as a world builder I love to read other people's bible.  Comparing ideas, finding inspiration, even validating your own ideas when you discover someone else thought they were good enough to pursue as well.

 

For Realsies;  The Takers are on the, " Finish this project" fast track.

Another boon to world building is collaboration.  I'm drawn to gaming (more modelling and painting) by way of storytelling.  If I'm going to be gaming with someone it makes sense they should be part of the storytelling too.  If you are a primarily a gamer use this to make your opponent want to play more.  Creating stuff invests people in it.  Working together on a narrative encourages playing together in those games.

 

Goblyn.  It's almost her birthday and it's better than adding unrelated painted models.

I'm a closet egomaniac.  Thinking that everyone who makes stuff thinks that makes me feel better.  I think most of my ideas are the bomb.  Having someone creating a story with me teaches me some humility and helps me, "Kill my Darlings"; All those bomb ideas that look like torn ass from the outside.  Seriously; Sharing builds stronger ideas.  Having a good sounding board asking you, "Why?" beyond the echo chamber gives ideas substance, makes them real.  I have plans to play Necromunda and This is Not a Test this year and will be trading ideas with my "nemesis" to build us better worlds.

NUKEMAP by Alex Wellerstein projection.  As "sciency" as my research went.

The bare bones of the North Atlantic Wasteland are somewhere on the Lead Adventures Post Apocalyptic forum.  I will probably reread it and see how some of the ideas held up before running them past my gaming buddy.  I don't want to bring too much to the worldbuild because I need to collaborate, not dictate or be too attached to my own ideas; Just keep it bare bones.  I've always believed that settings are secondary anyway.  Stories are driven by good characters.  When I want to unleash my unilateral, inner control freak I'll go to town on my warband and make them as awesome as I possibly can.  That's my little part of a shared world I have absolute control over and the rest of the world will likely be better for it.