Year Two

Me and Roman are planning to celebrate Tally-Ho Corner’s second birthday in the traditional Hampshire manner. In the very early hours of Sunday morning, Little Nell, our Bedford Rascal, will quit her cosy horsebox and commence a pell-mell tour of the lanes around Bramley End. Who’ll be driving and who’ll be using the office .410 to pepper any passing road sign that sports a number ‘2’ has yet to be decided. In the light of what happened to a local Jane Austen statue during our last birthday ‘thunder run’, I’m rather hoping I get to ride shotgun this time.

For new and irregular readers, here are some of the quintessentially THC things you may have missed during the past twelve months.

2022 was the year…

  • Twenty-one games underwent trial by 3×3.

  • Steel Beasts, Silent Storm, Hidden and Dangerous 2, and Iron Warriors were inducted into the Dusty But Trusty hall of fame.

  • I penned approximately 250 separate A2Z stories.

  • Cornerites crowded into three Mark 2 carriages for a two-part rail sim tour of the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads (Wherry Lines – the add-on used for this trip – is half-price on Steam until Jan 5)

  • We were introduced to Das Football Boot, “a leisurely WW2 U-boat sim in which real-world football matches act as dice, and the phrase “His number came up” is more than just a figure of speech.”. DFB’s inaugural season has revealed the odd rule flaw, but the fact that there are still players diligently logging results and setting Caution levels, suggests the concept has sea legs. Cederic (U-50, Liverpool, 58400 tons, 10 ships sunk) has topped the tonnage table since Week #1 but a World Cup-induced sabbatical means his lead is narrowing fast. If this weekend’s encounters go well for Whistler (U-34, Guildford City, 52400 tons, 9 ships sunk) or mverdo (U-30, Derby County, 47800 tons, 9 ships sunk) we could have a new tonnage king by Monday.

  • And indefatigable foxer fount Roman crafted over one hundred puzzles.

None of this would have been possible without the kindness of the airlifters – the readers whose monthly subscription payments and one-off donations keep me and Roman fed, warm, and industrious. If you’re a member of this small but vital cadre or have aided the site in other ways during the past twelve months (all mentions on forums and social media are much appreciated)…

14 Comments

  1. As “a member of this small but vital cadre” I have to say it’s always money well spent Tim. I rarely comment or get involved in things, but I always look forward to my once a week read of the site. The comment commander sessions were a particular highlight for me this year.

    Please keep it up!

    • Same!

      And by the way I write this from the other side of the pond as I’ve finally gotten over here for the first time in my life- I am about to alight upon the cliffs of Dover and imagining what it must have been like to run Operation Dynamo (speaking of which, why has there never been a strategy game about this- either from the Allied side to get your troops off, or the Germans to race ahead of your supply lines to cut them off before they can escape?)

      • Eh, too niche even by the wargames standard. Let alone general population. Also there probably wheren’t that many options how succesfully execute it or prevent it so, it would just boil down to puzzle game where you are trying to find the proper solution.

        • That’s just the point, there is no “proper” solution. There is a historical outcome, against which either side could do better or worse.

          And there are so many elements of such a game- how much time do you want to spend trying to impress boats as the Allied commander, time vs. goodwill tradeoffs rescuing your own troops vs. the French, do you want to deploy new troops to protect the old ones. As the Germans, do you risk defying Hitler’s orders to smash the Allies on the mole, do you risk outrunning your supply lines and your Panzers running out of fuel against fierce Allied resistance, etc. I think it would have fantastic potential for all the directions in which you could take it. Much like the recently THC’d game Sagger’s treatment of the 1973 Yom Kippur War.

  4. Tim,

    You’re a wonderful writer and games journalist. I look forward to your Friday postings more than any other site I visit.

    That I don’t contribute in a meaningful way to your cause is a shame I endure every time I read another of your exquisite articles.

    That will change immediately following this writing. I swear on it.

    To the rest of you — of us — looking forward to reading Mr. Stone in the new year, I implore you to resolve to toss a few bucks his way. There’s no one else on the internet doing what this guy does, and he doesn’t get nearly enough credit.

    Signed,

    A 40 year old American wargaming nerd

  5. Can I just chip in to say how much I appreciate this site? I get a warm feeling from subscribing and consider it great value for the time spent.

    Great work Tim.

  6. Congrats for those two years! For sure, times flies.
    Thanks Tim & Roman for your work, it’s always a pleasure to read it.

    All the best for 2023!!

  8. Congrats Tim, looking forward to seeing what 2023 will bring!
    (btw dunno if it got back-burnered because of the dev being a bit tetchy, but would love to see the part 2 of the Second Front editor analysis, the first part was great. Really love getting in-depth writing on the editors and other tools you get with some games and you just don’t get it anywhere that I’ve seen)

    • Part III of my Second Front preview and the ‘AI Olympics’ article I had planned were kiboshed by expiring preview code. When I get my hands on the full game, both projects will be de-mothballed.

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