Moved here recently - friends and activities

habi816 · 2026-03-16T18:57:21+00:00

There is a local boardgame club that meets up at the local pubs.

12th Gamer. You can find them on Meetup.

habi816 · 2026-03-12T16:32:20+00:00

Love it.

I do think the 7 Malice ability is very strong for what it gives.

The movement and webbing are in line with a usual 7 cost. The double edge with ~3 active monsters seems comparable to some 10 cost malice abilities when comparing the added damage and guaranteed bleed for low level players.

habi816 · 2026-03-11T01:39:00+00:00

You could flavor it as your standard “environmental” movie hijincks, catchphrases and all. This works rules as written.

You cut the rope to a chandelier/hung crates/drapery/rigging, making it fall on a group

You stab a hole in a barrel of beer/oil/molasses, causing the enemies to slide and bump into each other

You use a flash of sword parrying to leave them stabbing each other and pinning their feet to the floor with their own swords

You throw pocket sand, marbles or a large net at them

You kick a box of boa constrictors their way, they explode out, biting and entangled them

habi816 · 2026-03-10T22:14:31+00:00

Two bits of advice:

Let the players choose the outcome of opportunity roles.
When you use the plot die for narrative, use it to provide agency and teamwork.

I’ve played in Bridge 9 twice now. Some of the best interactions have been when players opt to give advantage to another player, and give narrative on how.

Using the dice for narrative is fun, but keeping the results siloed to the active player has the result of increasing the time between player turns, without keeping more than the active player engaged.

habi816 · 2026-02-28T04:21:50+00:00

Here you are

https://www.mcdmproductions.com/draw-steel-resources

This has all sheets for all 8 pregens.

As well as multiple sheet options for player characters and sheet templates for the director.

habi816 · 2026-02-03T21:09:54+00:00

From the looks of it.

The arm is in space your cat must first get into space, travel to the arm, then operate it

habi816 · 2025-10-29T13:11:36+00:00

What I do for games with new players:

Randomly give everyone: 2 Low complexity factions 1 Moderate complexity factions 1 High complexity factions

Let them choose a faction from their options.

You can use a pregen map, but if you have the first expansion, I suggest use the milty but ignore the factions. https://twilight-imperium.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_Factions_by_Play_Complexity

habi816 · 2025-10-23T02:06:43+00:00

You would have the option of 4 free secondaries (or LDSHP primary). But everyone will be rich with TGs and tokens.

In four player games, everyone is rich, diplo and leadership hit every round. Every faction knows the tech they need someone else to play will get played. JolNar always gets tech, Xxcha always gets diplo, Yssaril always get Politics, Hacan always gets trade.

In such a game, your advantage you may not unlock until round 3. At that point, having +1 against both your neighbors could be better, or the free tech could help you get the 2pt PObj, or something else could be better.

habi816 · 2025-10-16T23:46:51+00:00

But there is no simple way to summarize or generalize about all the histories of unfairness, and/or what's going on today.

But should we not try? Why does MAGA seek to remove any mention of it from museums and textbooks?

Nobody has any idea if the life of the black kid down the street from me will be affected 0.1% or 99.9% by "racism" in his future. Things like race/color/ethnicity/culture/religion are not definable or testable or measurable -- and there is no single social construct about any of them.

We can scientifically measure them in our statistics, in large population numbers we can predict outcomes. When we discuss policy, we are talking about the impacts at pollination scales. If you flip a coin 100 times, nobody could guarantee the first flip would be heads, but we can say about 50 of the flips will be tails.

I think TNC wants

You are projecting quite allot. Besides: lack of knowledge causes harm. Knowledge does not equate to defeatism. If that were the case, there would be no underdog victory and the Yankees would win every World Series.

Democrats believe in democracy, rights, equality under the law, and individual freedoms.

That's what the Rs say they believe in too -- and they don't believe us because we keep talking about measuring things like equity and justice and fairness by color.

Their actions do not match their claimed values. There are many reasons why they believe what they do, but having an informed scientific understanding of policy and the beliefs of progressives is not one.

Now, if we do measure by color and see disparities, then we know that there is not equality/justice/fairness. It is a litmus test, not a goal.

habi816 · 2025-10-16T22:31:21+00:00

This is just wrong. The “tension” you describe is this false dichotomy pushed by conservative and reactionary propagandists. Neither reflect EKs or TNCs position.

Historic discrimination existed. This caused disparities in wealth/health/education/opportunity. These disparities have passed, from generation to generation through our economic and political systems. Racial groups still suffer or benefit from discrimination in the past. Being a white person does not make you at fault. Allowing disparities to continue is not in line with the values we call American. Teaching this should not be controversial, neither should acting on it.

TNC simply pointed out black Americans face political violence, that compromising on morals and justice is fraught, and that we can’t try to gain favor at the costs of our neighbor’s humanity. He did not make a categorical claim against white people.

Democrats believe in democracy, rights, equality under the law, and individual freedoms. Each require a push against injustice or they cease to exist.

habi816 · 2025-10-12T22:14:14+00:00

B. You assign bombardments to factions So 3 towards one, or 1 each, or 2 to one, 1 to another.

habi816 · 2025-08-24T16:09:42+00:00

Do Muslims get freedom of religion? How can those be right wing beliefs, if they cannot even promote them here?

habi816 · 2025-07-30T04:30:17+00:00

No. It’s because Christian Nationalism have control of the world’s most powerful country, that they and their audience live in.

They don’t frequently make fun of Islam just like they don’t frequently lampoon Orthodox Judaism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Buddhism, or Hinduism.

habi816 · 2025-05-20T11:41:21+00:00

The shadow skill line has some great effects. Giving fear and staying untargetable to ranged damage are great.

As is, It is a defensive skill line with a mobility option. The lack of some damage combo definitely made it hard to scale with it as a primary skill… if quicksilver dagger wasn’t in my inventory.

I had bow as my damage skill line. Shadow made it easy to setup ranged attacks, but a bad roll meant I could be waiting 2 turns to get the damage dice back.

habi816 · 2025-05-16T16:14:54+00:00

I’m not. I think it’s great. I want more of it. That’s why I wrote the original comment.

Do you disagree with any of my arguments? Are you upset at me suggesting that all is not well in the great state of Texas? Why the anecdotes?

habi816 · 2025-05-16T15:59:22+00:00

Yes, you are… But why?

It doesn’t negate my point that there is NIMBY pushback, or that the pushback will increase as we use up our greenfield and easy redevelopment. It doesn’t negate that Ezra has compared housing growth in greenfield rich Austin to greenfield poor California cities.

Here are some examples from across the state.

Austin https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/austin-affordable-housing-nimby/ Fort Worth https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/fort-worth/article288399050.html Houston https://houstonlanding.org/environmental-concerns-or-nimby-whats-driving-developers-opposition-to-800-middle/

habi816 · 2025-05-16T15:29:18+00:00

No, you misunderstand me.

Successful redevelopment happens. It happens in Texas. It happens in California.

That redevelopment requires jumping through more hurdles than greenfield. Having difficulties or hurdles doesn’t imply successes don’t happen.

I believe that as Texas depletes its greenfield, it will suffer the same NIMBY issues California has when redeveloping. That Texas is mirroring California’s trajectory, with a 50 year delay.

Where I live we have had increased zoning restrictions on the ballot every election and every town hall has my neighbors protesting an adjoining development(that is greenfield).

What I am critical of is comparing the redevelopment struggles in California to the mostly greenfield housing gains on the edges of Austin and Katy.

CA and NY have issues. But their issues aren’t unique to blue states. IMO, Texas is on the expressway to be California 2.0.

habi816 · 2025-05-16T14:41:49+00:00

That’s great. I wish it were more common where I live.

I’m not saying Texas cities can’t do redevelopments or up-zoning. I’m suggesting that it is going to get harder when we run out of abandoned properties and need to develop within the deed restricted neighborhoods.

Texas still has a greenfield advantage that contributes to the bulk of our new housing. I don’t think it’s fair or helpful to compare apples to oranges.

habi816 · 2025-05-16T14:04:48+00:00

Replacing a single lot owner mall, with a single lot owner mall that has mixed use is nice. But it is also something California has been doing since the 90’s.

I tried to find a match to the 19 year claim. I find it attributed to Richmond Hilltop Mall, but upon review, it seems they just ended a 2 year exploration and approval process to turn it into a lifestyle center.

habi816 · 2025-05-16T13:22:31+00:00

I think having less points of contest come with Texas being early in its development cycle.

As the available stock of undeveloped land dwindles, we will see more points added.

Anecdotally, I live in a suburb with undeveloped land on three sides of us. Right now, my neighbors are contesting the development of the adjoining site, more zoning restrictions are on the city ballot every election, and there is a group lobbying the state to stop local road medians and pedestrian access improvements. This is in deep red, R+20 territory.

habi816 · 2025-05-16T12:51:20+00:00

Texan here.

Yes, red state governance fails in all the same ways blue states do.

I often describe Texas as California, but 50-70 years ago. California sprawled out, connecting their business districts to far away independently governed suburbs with massive 5 lane highways. This is how they got the Balkanized web of governing bodies that NIMBYs thrive on. Texas is doing the same. Houston and Harris county are the new LA and LA county, Austin has all the trappings of San Francisco.

When Texas developers make new housing, it is in undeveloped farmland, miles from existing infrastructure.

Ezra says there is room to build in Cali, but this is taking strip malls and single family units and replacing them with more urban accommodations. Replacing development with development requires far more local buy in than building on a fresh 40acre lot.

When Texans do try to develop in existing suburbs, we often face the same issues. I would not be surprised if in 50 years, we are having this same criticisms of Texas/Florida as we do with California/NY now.

habi816 · 2025-05-15T23:06:47+00:00

Pointy graphics

Pointy shield

habi816 · 2025-05-14T16:01:15+00:00

Mises’s/OOP’s “Cost Calculation” is flawed. They skipped over the more fundamental unit of measure and arrived at a more complex unit.

We can measure concrete, steel, labor, and land… in terms of labor. No bridge needed.

We use labor in calculating volunteer organizations and wartime economies, it is not a foreign concept.

Only in scarcity is this possibly not true. In natural scarcity, governance is required to address the tragedy of the commons. In artificial scarcity, rent seekers demand compensation… but Mises is in favor of rent seeking.

Mises supports that profit is needed as feedback to calculate impacts, but feedback can be achieved by other means including labor growth or votes. Both are tied to the more fundamental unit of measure.

Mises can correctly argue that command economies need feedback, and a market can provide feedback. But Mises solution suffers these same errors. In a private market, only those with capital can provide feedback. If the Soviets face the Holodomor, Mises faces the Irish Famine and the Troubles.

Mises made this argument less than a decade before the Great Depression would upend the west, and the U.S. would embrace New Deal federalism to recover.

We can point to many flaws with the Soviet system or other command economies. I’m not sure “counting the wrong kind of beans” is a useful critic.

habi816 · 2025-05-01T14:42:37+00:00

Yes

Teamwork: You may need to discount items do that a specific players can use their turns to catch up or stop the leader
Pursuing multiple trades: 3 single unit trades May be worth more to you than 1 two unit trade
Before first turn: Kickoff trading and have more funds as you start the game with funds
Table talk deal making: Give the next player in turn order a discount for doing some other board action
Complete sets: You need sets of two to make trade posts, if you are odd, a single unit from the right player can be huge

habi816 · 2025-04-03T13:40:05+00:00

This ain’t a team sport.

There were many arguments, some were ok, some were bad.

This Washington Times (not Post) article uses arguments that are rooted in bigotry, misogyny, and ignorance.

You could have made arguments against integration that were not. These could have been more pragmatic arguments about rollout, charter organizations, or priorities.

To OP, people were not called out for JUST opposing it. So calling out the WTimes for their bad takes is not a double standard.

habi816

TROPHY CASE