New Additions

 Two new additions to the War College arrived yesterday afternoon from White Dog Games---R. Ben Madison's The Mission and Michael Kennedy's Loyaulte Me Lie.  

Post-on-the-Run

I have been neglecting posting lately because I've been busy.  I am refurbishing our bedroom and the en suite bathroom, which involves all manner of activities.  My gaming time at present is limited to play-testing another game for Joe Carter (my previous being Devil Boats), and I am also doing research for a historical paper for publication.  I am also in the design stages of a game of my own, and doing preliminary research work for a possible trilogy of wargames set in Serbia.  So, my time for purely recreational wargaming is currently nil.

I have found time, however, for adding some items to the War College (my study).  Two arrived over the last month, and two more will be arriving by the end of this week.  It will be some time before I can break the shrink wrap on them, but they are worth the wait.  

Banned at BoardGameGeek

For some years, I have been participating/posting/discussing gaming issues at the large online site BoardGameGeek.com (BGG).  Over time, I have enjoyed the interactions with fellow war-gamers and game-designers, and have re-posted some of the reviews I have written here.  They were well-received, for the most part.  I liked the interface of the site, so much so that for several years I have even donated during their annual fund-drive.  

That has now come to an end. 

For some time now, there have been signs that BGG was going the way of the "woke," banning some long time users and even well-known game developers for comments the current Twitteratti consider 'hate speech' (i.e. anything outside of the Newspeak of the Left).  

When the original, cool logo (top) became the weird, abstract entity below in order to foster "inclusiveness," you knew the end was coming...

Over the past year, the Admins have fallen all over themselves furthering the cause of Cultural Marxism, plastering the intro pages with virtue signals during "Black History Month," "Pride Month," and all the other pseudo-religious holiday cycles celebrated by Marxist marionettes.  During that time I held my tongue, for I was there to enjoy wargaming discussions, not debate ideological cheerleaders.  

Today, however, I reached a limit, and I spoke out in a forum about the recent brouhaha surrounding the "refounded" TSR and one of its founders, Eddie Gygax, Jr. (son of the great E. Gary Gygax, original creator of Dungeons & Dragons).   When one poster called him a "bigot" for taking the very logical position that neither man nor woman can change their sex just by saying so, I spoke up and responded, "Yes, who would've thought anybody would take the logically-supported, scientific position that changing your sex just by declaring yourself "X" didn't actually make it so?"  Someone had to have reported me (probably the fool who called Gygax a bigot, since he didn't get banned), because within an hour I had been permanently banned from posting comments on BGG.  Here is my appeal of the decision, and the response of the upper management of the site:

Blake Lindsey

Jun 28, 2021, 11:14 CST

I have just been notified that I have been permanently banned from posting of any sort on BGG. I would like to know why. While the "offending" post in question tended to the political, there was nothing objectively false or offensive about it. The equally-political post above mine, referring to Eddie Gygax as a "bigot" for denying the objectively false premise that individuals can change their biological sex simply by stating they are doing so, was *not* removed. Is there a double-standard in play, or was I banned by the personal bias of the Admin who made the call? I don't know, but I would like a justification for it.
My contributions to BGG have always been intelligent reviews, discussions, and occasional criticisms of games and game design, and they have always been well-received. I have supported the site through contributions, because I think it is a great forum for gamers and designers both. I ask that you restore my posting privileges, or at least limit the time-frame of the ban if you insist on maintaining it.
Respectfully,
Blake H. Lindsey

Matthew M. (BoardGameGeek, LLC)

Jun 28, 2021, 11:18 CST

Hi Blake,

Our moderator team has decided that your recent comment conflicts with the values of our community - that is why your account has been permanently suspended. I understand this is a frustrating outcome, but we believe it is best for everyone involved to part ways completely in terms of forum participation.

-Matthew M.
(Octavian)
Community Manager
BoardGameGeek.com
RPGgeek.com
VideoGameGeek.com

So, no justification was offered other than "We don't like what you said," and for my apparent thoughtcrime I have been prevented (permanently) from doing anything other than spectate---no more reviews, comments, discussions with designers, or posting game mods.  I doubt I will be on there much, anymore, as there is little point.  ConsimWorld and The Armchair Dragoons are better sites for wargamers, in any case.  

UPDATE

I decided it was time for BGG and I to go our separate ways.  I pulled all of my reviews, then posted the following letter:

Blake Lindsey
Tue 6/29/2021 7:48 AM
To: BoardGameGeek, LLC

Matthew:

In answer to the form letter you sent a mere two minutes after I posted my appeal, I find I agree with you: I most definitely do not share the "values of the community," since logic and actual tolerance are not among them.
Over the last two years, I have seen numerous long-time users and designers either silenced by a ban such as mine, or leave for reasons of conscience in the face of increasing politicization of the site in favor of the so-called "woke." I now count myself among them, and I will be deleting my account within minutes of this posting.

I did so; everything is gone.  It is a shame, but it was time to take another stand against those forces that are striving to destroy the fabric of American culture and government.  Like so much else on the Net these days, BGG is in the hands of people who view culture and language as weapons, and have no desire to embrace classical Live-and-Let-Live liberalism.  So be it.  

I took my stance in the Cold Civil War we now find ourselves some time ago, and this is just another skirmish.  

Mystery Muzzle-Loader at Middle School

This piece is a muzzle-loading field cannon on an iron carriage.  It is on the grounds of Fort Miller Middle School in Fresno, CA, a school with a gated, fenced campus.  Although the piece is easily visible and photographed from the street, close access was denied.  

No markings are visible, but the piece is preserved with a heavy coat of black paint which may have obscured them. The carriage appears to be undersized for the weapon, and is likely not the original. Although I was unable to measure the bore I estimate that it is a 6-pounder, although that may be inaccurate.  

Years ago I was told the cannon came from Fort Miller, a cavalry fort in the San Joaquin Valley that is also the school's namesake.  Fort Miller was founded and built in 1851-52, and housed at various times elements of the Mariposa Battalion, the 1st US Dragoons, and the CA 2nd Infantry.  The post was abandoned by 1866.  

Surviving documents from Fort Miller mention only "two 12-pounder field howitzers," which given the fort's role were probably Model 1841 Field Howitzers (or, "Mountain Howitzers") which were common in California up to and during the Civil War.  This gun was not mentioned in any surviving military documents, so its provenance cannot be stated with certainty.  

A Bit of Crafting

 I took some time out between the end of one game and the start of another to craft a home-built dice tower.  

In Process

I retrieved a very good design off of Instructables.com from the user "Whamodyne."  He created a dice tower using materials designed to be quiet, eliminating the constant rattling made by towers made of wood or acrylic. 

I used foamcore for the basic material: easy to work, easy to cut, and good for softening sound.  I deviated from Whamodyne's plan a bit, substituting foam padding (he used felt) to line the dice steps.  I believed foam pad would create more friction when the dice are rolling, eliminating the possibility of "sliders," and my belief was correct.  It also is more effective at quieting the dice as they drop down the steps.  

In Process II: Dice Tower Boogaloo

When I first found the plans I was worried about the finished tower's sturdiness, but as it came together according to instructions I realized just how tough the thing was.  Short of weakening the glue joints by submersion in water, it's not going to come apart without cutting or hammering.  

When it was completely assembled, I spray-primed it and painted it using a partial can of "flek stone" paint I had laying about, the color being Desert Sunrise.  Since I do a lot of naval wargaming I wanted the final product to have a nautical theme, and I believed the flekstone would give a sandy texture to the surface.  It did, even though it came out a little more pink than I intended.  

The Finished Product

I used shells from an old shell lei my wife had laying around, and the pebbles are all from Moonstone Beach on the Central Coast.  The "rope" is cotton line purchased at Hobby Lobby.  Finally, the nautical items are leftover cast lead fixtures from a pair of RC ship/boat models from the mid-1950s made by Sterling Models of Philadelphia (they weren't cannibalized; they are from two boxes left in a garage drawer by the previous owner of our house when he and his wife moved out).  

I am happy with the end result, and I look forward to using it in my next game.