A New Look for the Blog --   

Well upon reading the latest post from the Grand Duchy of Stollen, wherein Stokes mentions that adding a photo to the top of the blog is easy, I decided to do so.


I will probably look at several different photos . . . so don't be surprised if there are some different looks here until I decide.

-- Jeff

How to Add a Background Photo

After the above post had been online for a few hours, it occurred to me that I should explain HOW to add a photo . . . it is very easy.

First -- Find the photo that you want to use . . . and look for one that doesn't have a "busy" top half, because you want your blog title to show against this background.

Next -- Go to your blog's "Dashboard".  There are several options --  New Post, Edit Posts, Settings, Layout, Monetize.  Click on Layout.

Now -- Right under the tabs at the top of the page are a number of Headings.  The first of these is "Page Elements" . . . click on it if it isn't already at the forefront.

Then -- Go to the first "block" right under the "Navbar" --  this should be your "Header" area.  On the far right there is an "Edit" link . . . click on it to bring up a window.  

 Now -- You should see a list of items you could edit -- "Blog Title", "Blog Description" and "Image".

 Wait -- Do not enter your chosen background image yet.  First, scroll down until you see the choice "Shrink to fit" and make sure that this it checked.  Otherwise your Header Photo may be way way wider than the rest of your blog.

Now -- Add your chosen background photo by either using the "Browse" feature OR the "From the web" button. 

Almost Finally -- Scroll to the right and click on the  "SAVE" button.

Now --  Click on one of the "View Blog" links to see how it looks.  If everything looks good to you, you're finished.  If you dislike the photo, go back to "Page Elements" and click on the "Header" "Edit" button, "Remove" that photo and try a new one.

But -- If the photo is fine, but the Blog Title and Descriptive text color doesn't show up well, is there another text color that would work better?  

If so -- On the "Layout" page, right next to "Page Elements" click on the "Fonts and Colors" heading.  The 9th color choice down is "Blog Title Color".  Click on this to then select a different color for both your Blog Title and Blog Description (I think that they are always the same -- but I could be wrong).  

Remember to SAVE!

Also -- If you scroll down farther you can change Font Size, etc. as well.

 I hope that this helps some of you . . . it is really very easy to do.

-- Jeff

 

(OT)  It's what?  SNOWING?  --  

Yes, I woke up today to discover that snow is falling from the sky and building up on the ground.

"Yeah, well you live in Canada, eh?"

Our only other real snowfall this season was on December 14, 2009 . . . that is three months ago.  Since then we've had the warmest January on record and a February where the temperature hovered aboud 50` all month.  Heck, right across the way, they had to truck snow in for a bunch of the Olympic venues.

Weird.

(note:  photo taken at 1 pm from kitchen window -- click on it for larger image.)

-- Jeff

Murdock's "Grizzlyville" Photos --      

My gaming buddy Murdock, who was kind enough to step in when I was ill and run my "Shootouts in Grizzlyville" game at our local convention has post many more photos, as well as accounts of the games, on his "MurdocK's MarauderS" blog.

Above is just one of the twenty photos he's posted on his blog.  As usual, click on any photo to view a larger image.

-- Jeff

My Perfect Rule Set --    

I've been reading the new "Black Powder" rulebook between naps (my bug makes me sleep a lot) . . . and this evening I took a break and read Phil Olley's article on his Thirty Years War project in the new "Wargamers' Annual -- Volume 1"

It got me to thinking about "my perfect rule set".  One of the things that concerns me is how units look on the table top.

The problem is . . . I really like the "no figure removal" concept of "Black Powder" and other rules . . . and I really like the individual figures (and figure removal) of "Charge!" and "The War Game", etc.

A bit of a problem, what?

I demand simple mechanics . . . but want a great deal of flexibility while maintaining proper period character . . . which usually means detail, not simlicity.

I do not want every unit to look like every other unit . . . I want units to have a variety of sizes.  Wow!  Guess what?  That one is pretty constant . . . what do you know?  There's at least one aspect that I'm settled on.

But not settling on the others makes it difficult for me to define my perfect rule set . . . and let me be clear about this, my perfect set isn't necessarily what anyone else would find "perfect" (or even acceptible).

One of the problems that I have with a number of periods I'd like to play is that I really can't decide HOW I would like them to look on the table top.  It makes things difficult . . . particularly in finding that "perfect rule set".

-- Jeff

Grizzlyville Goes with a Hitch --  

Well our local gaming convention, Dak-Kon XV, was this weekend and "Shootout in Grizzlyville" won the "Best Presentation Award for 2010".

Sadly I was not there to see it.  I came down with a ferocious bug and was too sick to attend (I could barely even talk).  Fortunately my gaming buddy, Murdock, was able to fill-in for me. 

Instead of using the MDF boards as previously reported, he used one of the Hotz Matz from Hotz Artworks.  Specifically it was the "One Horse Town Western Town Mat" and it is perfect for use with the "Whitewash City" buildings.

Murdock was able to run four games (the first simply a "training game") over an 8-hour time frame.  As previously indicated, he used the "Fistful of Lead" rules, which are very easy to learn and lots of fun to play.

In the photo to the right it looks like some British Colonial figures have somehow appeared on the table.  (By the way, click on any photo for a much larger image.)

Well, Grizzlyville is set in southeastern British Columbia, Canada . . . and the original uniform of the Northwest Mounted Police was in fact the British colonial uniform, including the very climate-inappropriate "pith helmet".

 I've only had a brief phone call from Murdock (and a few photos that he emailed me), but one of the highlights was when the NWMP appeared on the table.  One of the onlookers suddenly went, "ooh, I want to play them" . . . it turns out that he was a real-life Mountie!

Apparently the games were lots of fun . . . and lots of Dak-Kon attendees were excited about the buildings -- which are available as inexpensive .pdf files -- so it is a good thing that I had printed out about 50 fliers with the web addresses for the buildings and game rules.

-- Jeff

(OT)  "World's Greatest Athlete"  --      

The winner of the Decathlon is generally refered to as "the world's greatest athlete" . . . but is he really?

The Decathlon encompasses ten track and field events . . . but that is it . . . all are running, jumping, throwing events.  While decathletes may well claim the title of "greatest track and field athletes" they don't really have to take on so many other athletic disciplines.

Now let us consider the Pentathlete.  The modern Pentathlon is comprised of five athletic events from five totally different disciplines:

1. Shooting 
2. Swimming
3. Fencing
4. Equestrian
5. Cross-country Running

The Modern Pentathlon is based on the skills that might be needed by an Aide-de-Camp (aha!  a connection to our historical gaming).

The Pentathlete has to master such a wide variety of skills (with essentially no overlap -- remember eight of the ten decathlon events involve running).

Perhaps the Modern Pentathlete is more deserving of the title of "World's Greatest Athlete".

-- Jeff

Grizzlyville Playtest --

Well, Pete, Murdock and his son, Alex stopped by today (Sunday) to playtest the "Fistful of Lead" rules which I plan to use next weekend at our local gaming convention.  Unfortunately I was too busy to take many photos, but a fun time was had by all.

(Click on photo to see much larger image.)

This is a scene from late in the first game (won by Murdock).  You will note that the figure lying in front of the Grand Hotel's porch not only has a wound marker (the bloody washer) but is also "pinned" . . . and I thought that using a safety pin would be a fun way to indicate pinning.

While the mechanics of the rules worked quite well, the players had some good suggestions as to the layout of Grizzlyville . . . thus it may well change shape a bit prior to the Con.

-- Jeff