Archive for the ‘ ludica ’ Category

Ludica Roma 2013: Ganesha Games

Last but not least, the part dedicated to Ganesha Games of the Ludica Roma 2013 full report.

Space is not a big problem in the pavilions of Ludica. So we obtained lots of tables to show rules and games. A DBA in 1:72 scale was organised by Diego.

On your wargame tables in 2016! One of the first playtests of some new ideas for a game by Andrea.

The first public preview of A Fistful Of Kung-Fu. Out by Osprey Publishing in February…

A photo from the first day in the fair. Building modular walls for my arena.

And after the masonry work, a chocolate snack. The candies stand poisoned the air with a terrible stench of chocolate. You couldn’t resist it for long. So I bought my waffel stick!

And here my arena. A lot of people appreciated it.

Those days my father was painting more spectators. However these are just all very active.

Among reenactors there were some involved in gladiatorial fights. A nice chap illustrated to people the specific disciplines of arena. I took advantage of the situation to brandish weapons and touch helms. So I could have a direct experience of what I studied and applied in Ferrum et Gloria.

Do you recognise the different kinds of helms? In Ferrum et Gloria you can understand why these are made in every specific way.

Shields and greaves. Due to hits, you can see as these are used in real fights.

In front of you an arbelas, with its crescent blade.

Back to Ganesha Games space. On the right a preview of the second volume of my rules: gladiatorial fights with ships.

A more detailed view.

An OGAM tournament was held the Saturday. I was very nervous because I only play it in playtests with Andrea mastering. Moreover I didn’t know the final version and how to build a winning strategy. Indeed this is my year: another great result, the third place! A Ludica gold dice and a book from Osprey as prize.

Another preview. I’m planning another game after Ferrum et Gloria. With this photo I suggest the topic of it. We knew in Ludica a reenactor of this historical period that is even a wargamer. An interesting meet.

Now we are waiting for Ludica Rome 2014. And the organisers are waiting for an analysis of the fair that I have to write to them. And you are waiting for other fair reports that still I have to write. In the meantime: Merry Christmas!

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Ludica Roma 2013: wargame

Still the Ludica Roma 2013 report. Aiming to our real interest: wargame.

Well, the thing that you can easily note on the photo is the candies stand. However we were there. Ganesha Games was situated where is the bunch of people at the extreme bottom, on the left part of the photo.

Another view. The previous photo was took on the balcony where are the escalators. The moment is dramatic: a lamp on the roof turned off so they are working on it.

A dream that we realise was the Samurai Robots Battle Royale game. Instead here we have a wargame by Bandai in the Gundam universe. The Italian Gundam club organised this display with gashapons, among other games and things. I’m almost thinking to join this club…

Two-dimensional wargame goes 3D! There was a large display with two-dimensional wargames like this.

Samurai. We all need some bamboo fences, Japanese houses and other related things: we have to be ready for a Japanese wargame, ever.

The last production by Torriani: rules for western battles with miniatures.

A huge scenario by Games Workshop staff. The colours of water were amazing.

Di Bartolo’s Napoleonic rules made their debut in Ludica, published by Chillemi editions. Here while a game was held.

Look at this vineyard!

Some time ago I saw the huge Napoleonic miniature collection by Di Bartolo’s club. Every time I wonder for their beauty.

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Ludica Roma 2013: modelling

In Ludica there were a painting competition and a lot of modellers, with stands and displays. I wish to show you some models that caught my eyes.

A Roman ship in 1/50 scale I think. You can add some 28mm miniatures, some other ships and that sort of things… to create a naval battle!

Italian transport ship during the WWII for amphibious assaults. If our high command was better, with these things we could capture Malta…

Italian assault ships: maiale, a torpedo for frogmen; barchino, a small motorboat with explosive warhead.

Ships from WWII Italian float. Still, if our high command was better we could obtain a lot of victories…

After real things a fictional one but based on WWII tanks, adding to them a mecha feel. So beautiful!

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Ludica Roma 2013: Lego

I like Lego so I’m happy when I see kids that play with it. A great way to conquest new people to this world is what this Lego group do: you can build something with available pieces, then you can bring it at home paying the price based on the weight of the final piece. Simple and fun.

Another thing that this group brought at Ludica was a modular mosaic with a view of Fontana di Trevi. Using a lot of Lego little cubes and a guide, the public could build this wall piece by piece during the days.

But the real impressive Lego kit (!) was this reproduction of the land of Game of Thrones. I forgot the number of bricks that they used, it was huge indeed. And thinking to the time and the skill for it, I could think about ages to realise it…

Troops to convert the diorama in a real wargame…

And now some photos to show you this table. Look at the details!

If you don’t like fantasy sets but real ones, think about what you could do with these tanks…

To the end, a photo of me on a wall made of Lego minifigs, a collection made of every kind of existing minifig, I think.

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Ludica Roma 2013: overview

And now the report about Ludica Roma 2013 convention, at last! Three daysv in Rome, my city, full of what you desire about games. They were the 29th & 30th of November and the 1st of December. Here we go…

The convention was held in 4 pavilions. We were in this one dedicated to wargames and boardgames.

Some volunteers managed, with an explanation of rules, an area to play boardgames.

Other notable things: Rubik’s cube competitions as solutions with blinded eyes; painting laboratories; abstract boardgaming; Subbuteo.

Another pavilion, only for children. All kinds of games and experiences.

The modelling pavilion: cars, earth movers, trains, ships and more. The paradise of radio controlled models.

This rail modelling circuit is based about a road near where I live, at one of the external gates of Rome built inside one of the main Roman aqueducts. In this zone there was the Gothic camp during a siege of Rome during the Gothic Wars. Moreover here happened some fights against Allies by Italian soldiers in the defence of Rome in 1944.

Some vintage action figures in a vendor area in this pavilion.

The softair (and other ways to shooting people safety) and reenactment pavilion.

And after this “garibaldino” (a fighter of the independent and volunteer army who fought for the unification of Italy) I promise that I will continue with this report another day.

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Ludica Roma 2013 is coming

The last month was a wargame marathon with too many events. I’m tired but satisfied. And now, the last wargame convention of the year: Ludica. This is THE wargame convention of Rome. I was crucial to find the initial contacts for it. However the real work was made since beginning by a group that I admire for their efforts to create something for players and their families.

What can you expect from Ludica? Wargame, boardgame, cardgame, other kinds of games, roleplay, live roleplay, historical swordsmanship, historical and fantasy reenactment, various kinds of hobby modelling, games for children. All this inside 4 really huge hangars. To know more go to:
https://www.ludica.it/roma/
And this one is the page dedicated to Ganesha Games:
https://www.ludica.it/roma/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=733&Itemid=704

That is the advert about my presence in the convention. Tomorrow is the first of 3 days. An Of Gods And Mortals tournament will be held Saturday. I and Andrea, and a lot of friends, will be in the fair. Come to say hello to us.

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Fall season calendar

ganesha gamesThis Fall I have a very busy season about conventions, tournament and fairs. I play in tournaments or I run some demonstration games. In 3 months a total of 14 full days of wargames. You must add the necessary days for preparation, journey, rest. And remember that I have two real life jobs too. Well, this is like a third job, but without monetary earnings. This is the calendar:
7-8 Sep – Narnia Fumetto
21 Sep – DBA Rome
13 Oct – DBA Arezzo
31 Oct / 3 Nov – Lucca C&G
10 Nov – DBA Terni
16-17 Nov – GiocaPerugia
29 Nov / 1 Dec – Ludica Roma

ganesha gamesSome news about OGAM. Andrea sent to people the pre-ordered books, signed with his autograph and seal. He started a little promotional tour together with 2 tournaments. The first will be played the 16th of November in GiocaPerugia, the latter the 30th of November in Ludica Roma. I have ready lots of miniatures for Greek and Norse armies, but more armies are on arrival as Irish Celts and Egyptians, and I have plans for Sea People and Sumerian armies. At the moment we don’t know how the book is selling, but if we receive the green light from Osprey, new official armies will be developed. I’m thinking to a Roman army too, because there is a difference between Zeus and Iuppiter. However we will support the game. And now is available an official XLS spreadsheet for Of Gods and Mortals to build the armies that are in the book.

In the meantime, a work in progress image from the illustrations inside Ferrum et Gloria. Too many events these days and too much work. So I haven’t the right attention to examine the text after the first editing. I have to add some paragraphs too. I’m working on the second book yet. My father is involved with the building of a small arena and two vessels for gladiatorial naval fights. On these pages you will follow the development of these things.

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Ludica Roma 2012: 3D printing

Have you ever heard of 3D printing? We have saw it in the making! Unterwelt is a small company in Rome that love open source technology and had a stand in Ludica convention. They use a kind of DIY plotter with vertical movement in addiction to horizontal one. It is technologically based on Arduino platform. Over a heated plate this plotter start to draw a plastic flux from the base of the object, going up, building the object layer after layer. The head of the plotter is like a syringe. A plastic wire, unwound from a roll, feed the syringe. A computer control the flux and the plotter. It is like built something by a microscopic tube of toothpaste. The plastic is melted by heat and after is firm up by ambient temperature. They use various plastic materials. One of them is that used for Lego bricks. The only fault is the slowness of the process, we are still in a pioneering phase, these are not industrial machineries that can built at enormous speeds.

On the photo you can see some objects that the machine created. In the making is a green foot. The parts of this plotter are partially created by another similar plotter. The machine replicate itself! The only necessity is to have a CAD project. The structures of the drone in the other photo are build with this 3D plotter! Drones build by a CAD project downloaded by internet! Moreover, if you have a 3D scanner you can replicate every kind of object without CAD programming. The kit to built this plotter is only 750 euro. Materials are cheap too. Ideal for professional modelling.

There is another company based on 3D printing services. It is called
Shapeways. They have a small miniatures catalogue, CAD draws that can become 3D objects. People design their pieces, upload them, and people can buy the final product. I have ordered a not so cheap 28mm Dalek miniature, just to taste the water. The future of miniatures production? Imagine: you need a specific piece and you want to give it an unique pose or aspect. 3D printing is the solution.

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