100th World War I Anniversary, Germany in 1918: From the Acme to the Abyss: NSDM
Summary:
Germany’s 1918 offensive, fed by troops freed from the Russian front, was stopped in July. Discusses Allied counteroffensives, German response, collapse, & how this aided the rise of the Nazis.
Description:
With the dawn on January 1, 1918 came Germany’s last best hope of winning the Great War. Turkey had turned Britain back at the Dardanelles, Russia was out of the war, and America’s troops were still months away from engaging effectively. With troops freed from the Russian front, Germany began to attack on March 21, but in July was again, as in 1914, stopped in the Battle of the Marne. On July 18, the Allies launched their counteroffensive, continuing to hold the initiative up until the 11th hour, on the 11th day, of the 11th month – November 11, 1918. This lecture will focus upon the Allied counteroffensives, the German counters, the retreat and the collapse. This will include discussion of the legendary ‘stab in the back’ that would become a Nazi mantra. Presenter: Robert Mosher, retired US State Department Foreign Service Officer, now on the NSDMG staff.
100th World War I Anniversary: Canadian Corps and the 100 Days: NSDM
Summary:
The last 100 days of World War One saw the Canadian Corps in nearly continuous action. An examination of key battles & tactics to show how this Corps became “The Shock Army of the British Empire.”
Description:
The last 100 days of World War One saw the Canadian Corps in nearly continuous action on the Western Front. Despite having a maximum strength of 120,000 men, the Canadians were at the forefront of British Empire forces pushing German forces out of the Hindenburg Line and back into Belgium. This lecture discusses key battles, tactics and innovations that led the Canadian Corps to become “The Shock Army of the British Empire.” Presenter: Mike Tucker of the NSDMG staff.
Join designer Rob Heinsoo & art director Michael O'Brien for a jaunt through the many Gloranthas that helped create this labor of love.
Description:
13th Age Glorantha brings class-based d20-rolling mechanics to Greg Stafford's beloved world of richly imagined cultures and colliding mythologies. Join designer Rob Heinsoo and art director Michael O'Brien for a jaunt through the many Gloranthas that helped create this labor of love, and for discussions on using the 466-page book and the rest of the 13th Age line to create many new campaigns.
Join seasoned 13th Age designers to build a brand-new monster that takes advantage of the game's mechanics to deliver some nasty surprises at the table.
National Security Decision Making Game staff led discussion of global hotspots, things to watch out for next year, including hotspots: China, Europe, Syria, Iran, Israel, Russia, North Korea.
Description:
Continued discussion of current military/political/economic topics of interest/concern, analysis & insights on current/future world affairs. This seminar led by the National Security Decision Making (NSDM) Game staff, explores current, and potential future, problem areas around the world. Want to know what to expect in the next year? What might happen and what are the implications of it? What are drivers, what indicators to watch for, and how might events be affected by the U.S. and the West? What potential catastrophes is CNN missing?
Join the National Security Decision Making Game staff to review recent changes & things to watch next year, including hotspots: China, Europe, Syria, Iran, Israel, Russia, North Korea...
Description:
Overview, analysis & insights on current/future world affairs. This panel discussion and seminar, the signature event of the National Security Decision Making (NSDM) Game staff, explores current, and potential future, problem areas around the world. Want to know what to expect in the next year? What might happen and what are the implications of it? What are drivers, what indicators to watch for, and how might events be affected by the U.S. and the West? What potential catastrophes is CNN missing?
Graeme Davis, one of the original creators of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay and the Enemy Within Campaign, talks about the game, the campaign, & the last thirty years.
50th Anniversary of Sinking of Nuclear Submarine USS Scorpion: Theories and Evidence: NSDM
Summary:
Sinking of the Scorpion: theories fill an information vacuum, from internal torpedo detonation to Russian ambush. Lecture covers history, Cold War backdrop, predominant theories & makes conclusions.
Description:
The nuclear sub Scorpion was lost with all hands in the North Atlantic 50 years ago. A months-long Navy inquiry gave no cause in a heavily-redacted report: long on possibilities, short on evidence. Some possibilities were thought more plausible than others, but in historical Silent Service tradition these were not discussed, and the initial conclusions remain official. So theories filled the information vacuum over the years, from warhead detonation in the torpedo room to premeditated Russian ambush. This recalls the history of the sinking and investigation against the Cold War backdrop and the associated technology race, predominant theories and relevant data, and makes conclusions regarding the most likely cause. Presenter: Capt. Mark McDonagh, USN/ret., a submarine officer with 12 years’ experience at the Naval War College and with BS and MS degrees in physics, now on the NSDMG staff.
Gen Con's longest running Kickstarter Seminar: a Q&A event with top industry experts across design, publishing, manufacturing, pledge management, fulfillment, distribution, & retail sales. 1 day only!
Description:
A Q&A-based panel discussion featuring the best industry experts across design, publishing, manufacturing, pledge management, fulfillment, distribution, and retail sales. Every event has a new panelists, and new questions. Past panelists include: Jamey Stegmaier (SM Games) Michael Lee (Panda GM) Fabian Louton (Panda GM) Lance Myxter (Undead Viking Reviews) x2 Michael Mindes (President of Tasty Minstrel Games) Seth Jaffee (Designer at TMG) John Coveyou (Got Genius Games) Jeff King (All Us Geeks) Adam Clark (Creator of Kicktraq) Forrest Bower (Bower’s Game Corner Reviews) Joel Eddy (Drive Thru Reviews) Max Salzberg (Co-founder at Backerkit) Dan Halstad (League of Nonsensical Gamers) Greg Spence (Owner at Broken Token) and Jonathan Liu (Geek Dad). Come see the new faces for GenCon 50!