Top 7 Board Wargames | With Designer Mark Herman (Full Version)

[@riccardodegirolami7305]

Mike This was a fabulous interview. Mark is a terrific guy and I’ve known him for 40 years. Great job!

[@ZillaBlitz]

It was a pleasure spending this time with Mark, and I'm glad you enjoyed the video. Thanks!

[@robertdelaney4332]

Great that he listed Brazen Chariots. I just started Arracourt this past weekend to learn the system BUT its Brazen Chariots on my shelf which is why I am learning the system

[@ZillaBlitz]

Very nice! Arracourt is proceeding well I take it?

[@ThymeKeeper]

Excellent. Thank you. Mark is never shy to speak about pretty much any topic and it's always fascinating. They say about people sometimes "If they hadn't existed it would have been necessary to invent them," but Mark is one of those people who spends their entire life inventing and reinventing themselves. Those are my favorite types of people.

[@nathanielmerchant3286]

I mean, who could have seen Versailles 1919 coming? Not me!

[@ZillaBlitz]

Really fascinating for me to listen to Mark talk about his game designs and the games he's played as well. I really enjoyed making this. :)

[@DertGames4U]

I love that observation: it's the civil war, it's a bloody campaign, what do you think that looks like?!

[@ZillaBlitz]

Yes, that part was one of my favorites too. :)

[@jimhero1]

That was a great interview. Good job Mike, and always great to learn from you Mark, and really sweet to see you interact with your grandkids. A proud grandfather.

[@ZillaBlitz]

Thanks Jim! Happy to hear that you enjoyed it and most definitely they are some very adorable and kind grandchildren. :)

[@danielkasprzycki8087]

Excellent interview Zilla Blitz. Mark Herman is great.

[@ZillaBlitz]

Thanks! It was an honor having Mark on the channel, super appreciative of his time and energy. :)

[@stuartashley6118]

Very enjoyable, Mark is a unique thinker and also a good communicator!

[@ZillaBlitz]

I'm happy to hear that you've enjoyed it! It was great having Mark on. :)

[@robertmoffitt1336]

Tower of Skulls was tremendous, eagerly awaiting the next volume. The Unauthorized History of the Pacific War Podcast is the modern day Victory at Sea/World at War series. Mark Herman is just super, I love watching interviews with him, they're so engrossing and interesting! Loved the out takes!

[@Socialdogma]

Great interview. Mark Herman is a treasure.

[@ZillaBlitz]

I second this! :)

[@SoloBattles]

Great interview, Mike. I got into wargaming in 1976, so I kind of grew up with Mark in this hobby. It was so cool to see this game designer who was always just a name on a box in my world.

[@ZillaBlitz]

I was surprised to see that in my pile of S&T Magazines, that I had Frederick the Great! :)

[@SoloBattles]

@ZillaBlitz I had, and played, the AH version. I remember I really enjoyed it.

[@jona826]

Great call out by Mark H for "Harsh Rules". It has many great game teaching videos.

[@ZillaBlitz]

Yes, a couple of people have guided me to them for learning ASL as well. I'm going to check the channel out. :)

[@12600Grey]

Mike and Mark, thank you for sharing a great hang out & chat with you. So my challenge is set, to see if this year I can learn and play Empire of the Sun along with Mike! Thank you both.

[@ZillaBlitz]

It's time! Tora tora tora! And I'm glad you enjoyed the interview, thanks. :)

[@johnsy4306]

Cannot get too much Mark Herman

[@ZillaBlitz]

:) It was a great honor having Mark on and I hope you enjoy the discussion, John. I learned a lot and had a good time doing it. :)

[@johnsy4306]

@@ZillaBlitz His granddaughters are absolutely adorable

[@ZillaBlitz]

I know, right? I should have Claire on for her Top 7 Toys. :)

[@johnsy4306]

@@ZillaBlitz Not too late! Just get her grandpa's permission

[@tommcfly2731]

Great interview, thank you so much, Guys, you must watch till the end of the video, there really is something special at the end!

[@ZillaBlitz]

Might be my favorite part. Getting ready for a "Top 7 Toys" video next. :)

[@kevinb9675]

Thank you for this Zilla, Mark is an absolute legend.

[@ZillaBlitz]

My pleasure, it was great having Mark on the channel. I had a fantastic time talking with him. :)

[@apocalypticbluegrass]

Oh my gosh what a delightful treat to wake up to this 1-2-1 with MH. Fascinating and a pleasure to listen to his insight. Having recently rediscovered my collection of SPI games (some good, some not so much) I found myself replaying War in the Ice by Phil Kosnett and Art of Siege - codesigned with Mark. I reached out to Phil on BGG and learned he is back into game design after a long hiatus, not sure what he is working on but would LOVE to see him and other legendary designers make an appearance on your channel. Please make this happen!

[@ZillaBlitz]

Thanks so much for the kind words. This was great fun to do. I'm thinking to continue this series for a bit, the next designer is scheduled. Probably aim for one every month or so. :)

[@JeffEdwards-x6j]

Zilla great interview. This goes into your all time great broadcasts list. I echo many of the comments that have been made by others here. Your interview and production of the video was awesome. I liked that even though you were talking about Mark’s Top 7, you talked about many other games that really added to this discussion. Thanks for a very enjoyable video.

[@ZillaBlitz]

Thanks very much Jeff! It did take a while to edit so I'm glad to hear that it came across well. :)

[@stampdealer]

Fantastic interview, Mike! I really enjoyed watching/listening this morning at work.

[@ZillaBlitz]

Very happy to hear that, thanks for the kind words. :)

[@ParkeraNZ]

Gosh I really do enjoy these interviews and this Top 7 format really works. Excited to hear about what he said about Army of the Potomac he is working on. Great interview mate!

[@ZillaBlitz]

I think you would really enjoy it, and the first game, Rebel Fury, is coming out on Steam in the next few months. We can play against each other if you pick it up. :)

[@ParkeraNZ]

@@ZillaBlitz Just added it to my Steam wish list

[@coyi51]

Excellent interview & some great games talked about. Many thanks Gentlemen.

[@ZillaBlitz]

I'm glad you enjoyed it coyi! Thanks as always for stopping in. :)

[@laufetc]

I TOTALLY agree with Mark's comments about calling games "unbalanced" after a couple of plays. It is very important to play good games a lot. (Of course, if it isn't fun/interesting, let it go...)

[@ZillaBlitz]

Another factor is that a game can have a dozen scenarios, and to evaluate a scenario set clearly you'd want to repeat that multiple play process over at least a representative portion of them.

[@markherman50]

Thanks for doing such a professional job on the interview, I enjoyed the outtakes of our first three tries to begin...

[@ZillaBlitz]

Thank you again for all your time and energy for this, Mark! It was great meeting your grandchildren and their dinosaurs too. :)

[@lordoffake]

very nice conversation, mark is a charismatic guy

[@ZillaBlitz]

And it was very kind of him to take the time to do this too. :)

[@meenki347]

Across Suez is amazing. I was playing my brother and he wanted to give up. I said, "Let me take over your side". And I won.

[@ZillaBlitz]

Fun to think that it was designed in a mere 7 hours, too! :)

[@allynvannoy4743]

Interview with a legend. Great job.

[@ZillaBlitz]

This was great fun to do, thanks for stopping in. :)

[@strelnikoff1632]

Gotta be one of your best, maybe THE best.

[@ZillaBlitz]

Aw, thanks very much! :)

[@RobertO-ly5tb]

Thanks for another great video. Thanks to Mr. Herman as well. Fwiw, I think when Mr. Herman refers to “Decision at Kasserine,” he is referring to “Baptism by Fire: The Battle of Kasserine” from the BCS series; not “Decision at Kasserine” from Compass Games. Just trying to help. Thanks, again. Cheers.

[@ZillaBlitz]

Oops! My bad, that makes total sense, yes. Thanks for pointing that out. Much appreciated. :)

[@Possumbaby1413]

Was hoping he would update his Mediterranean version of EoTS that he showed a sneak peek of a while back.

[@ZillaBlitz]

That does sound interesting. :)

[@e-4airman124]

thank you for the show very interesting

[@ZillaBlitz]

Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for stopping in. :)

[@ThymeKeeper]

"Now storming fury rose, And clamour such as heard in Heaven till now was never; arms on armour clashing brayed Horrible discord, and the madding wheels of brazen chariots raged; dire was the noise Of conflict..." - John Milton, Paradise Lost

[@ZillaBlitz]

Fitting quote indeed! :)

[@markherman50]

Thought, what could be interesting is after you get Empire of the Sun to the table, you play a game against the Solo 'Bot (Erasmus) which I would runfor you against whatever you want to do.

[@ZillaBlitz]

Oh, this sounds like a marvelous idea! I'd like this very much. :)

[@Kili121416]

Always such an interesting man to listen to on so many subjects.

[@BrianMarcus-nz7cs]

😂. Soon as mike says well take a look at the outtakes at the end of the video im syoked ,,, i love these designer interveiws , ,🎭😃

[@ZillaBlitz]

Hope you enjoy it! :)

[@biedawo]

Some games are fun because of the experience playing with buddies, the reward of others have been mostly in the anticipation of playing them (these are the ones that my buddies haven't gotten into)

[@laufetc]

And, I agree about BCS. Awesome and fun games. (And Panzer's Last Stand might be even better than the rest; mainly due to re-thinking about the situation when there are many formations on-map). I agree that it is Dean's best series - even though I have liked many of his other series.

[@ZillaBlitz]

I've heard so many good things about it as well. Can't go wrong with any game in the series, and Inflection Point is now on pre-order. :)

[@TheSadDane]

What an interesting, erudite, humane man. Good interview.

[@ZillaBlitz]

I'm happy you enjoyed it, it was great having Mark on the channel. :)

[@ArnoVdVelde]

Brazen Chariots is 3 maps, but it's still really big! Think eventually there will be a magazine game like OCS got to get people started.

[@ZillaBlitz]

Thanks for the clarification, much appreciated. :)

[@SundraTanakoh]

Original TSS was awesome

[@apocalypticbluegrass]

@@SundraTanakoh I have the original TSS and Bloody April. Both absolutely amazing games in my opinion but very difficult to get to the table. Might invest in the new GMT release and hope for more luck.

[@SundraTanakoh]

@@apocalypticbluegrass Sadly, I now live in Ukraine and had to leave ALL of my years and years of game collecting with the ex-wife. Started in 1964 :-(

[@apocalypticbluegrass]

@@SundraTanakoh So sad to hear this, I hope you are safe and well. If you want to play on vassal Id be totally up for a game!

[@ZillaBlitz]

Sorry to hear this! And yes, please stay safe and well. :)

[@SundraTanakoh]

@@ZillaBlitz Thanks you

[@user-ne1vx7mj1b]

Disagree about Atlantic chase, a ludicrous Lincoln log that doesn't reflect actual pursuit of the Bismarck at all.

[@markherman50]

Thanks for correcting me....

[@Ireton]

​@markherman50 The mechanics are great but the game is totally ruined because of unrealisticly overpowered Kriegsmarine and French ships. Atlantic chase maybe but it's the Kreigsmarine chasing the RN

[@Ireton]

Yup Dunkerque class better than Washington class, Bearn a slug faster than Ark Royal, Scharnhorst ridiculously overpowered and the worst light cruisers in History better than RN ones. Game stands reality on its head

[@ZillaBlitz]

:)

[@BrianMarcus-nz7cs]

@@Ireton🔭🌜 jàhwol das ist clar 😃