Blog Archives
Space-Cast! #27. No Rethemes
Dan Bullock is one of a handful of up-and-coming wargame designers determined to do things a little differently. A few months back, we down to chat about some of his games, including No Motherland Without, 1979: Revolution in Iran, and the yet-unpublished Blood & Treasure. Sadly, this was recorded before I’d played Bowie. Although maybe that’s a good thing, since otherwise that’s all we would have talked about.
Listen here or download here. Timestamps can be found after the jump.
And Iran, Iran So Far Away
Dan Bullock caught my attention with No Motherland Without, an examination of national security bogeyman North Korea that was simultaneously thoughtful, gut-wrenching, and possibly the reddest board game ever inked. What impressed me was Bullock’s insistence on making you stare the victims of your geopoliticking in the face. Rather than seeing its people as geography, crowds, or spy-plane images, here was a game that put its humans front and center as elites, escapees, refugees, and prisoners.
Bullock’s 1979: Revolution in Iran is similarly thoughtful. This time, his target is the barbed nature of political allegiance, temporary allies, and changing leadership.
SPACE-BIFF! 