Feature Friday premiere - With Alessio Cavatore!

This week we had a chance to talk to River Horse Games developer, former contributor to White Dwarf, and author of some past Codices and Army Books, Alessio Cavatore!  Alessio has been hard at work with his new game Shurro and its expansion Turanga. 

These awesome games are a cross between traditional chess, and tabletop miniature gaming!  Just think, all of the strategy (and then some) of Warhammer, without the tedious painting of miniatures to take away from your “gaming” time. (Unless of course, you like the painting aspect of the hobby, then this is a good diversion for a bit.)

 For those of you in the UK on the 4^th of April, visit http://www.riverhorse.eu/shuuro250-eye-of-the-storm.htm for a 250-point tournament taking place at Malestrom Games!

Thanks again to Alessio, and here we go!

Digital Waaagh: If you could choose any character to be from any science fiction or fantasy setting, who would you choose and why?

Alessio: Cool question! From a fantasy setting: Legolas! From a sci-fi setting: James T Kirk! 

DW:   When did you first get involved with the hobby of miniature wargaming, and what was your first miniature that you painted?

AC: I got involved in playing Warhammer after breaking my leg while I was at university (so I could not do Kendo for some time!). I was twenty-two. The first miniature I painted was a Skaven Plague Monk (or was it a Censer Bearer?). Then I painted a Doomwheel, then I stopped painting for the rest of my life! I found it took time from gaming!   ;-)

DW: Over the past battle reports you participated in for Games Workshop, is there one in particular that you recall?  Was it your favorite?  Why?

AC: Oh, way too many... I guess I fondly remember the first one, ages ago, when I pitched my Wood Elves against the Lizardmen of the current Warhammer champion... seeing my own army (and myself!) in the pages of white Dwarf was a real thrill. As they say, you never forget the first one...

DW: What do you like to see in a tabletop strategy game?

AC: Simple rules. Complexity coming from the army lists.

DW: Is playtesting really as boring as one would think?

AC: It's not boring at all. It's actually a very enjoyable part of the job. It is however unbelievably tiring, as you play the game having to navigate through loads of paper and scribble notes all over the place. By the end of a playtest game you feel like your brain is melting!

DW:Have you any tips for any would-be games designers?

AC: Yes, write your own rules and play them with your friends, play many different games on the genre you're writing and then get into a company like GW with any job you can find, don't wait to make it in first as a designer. The reason is that it is a lot simpler to get to a position from the inside of a company than the outside.

Thanks again for your time Alessio!  Be sure to check out Shurro!  If your FLGS doesn’t carry it, ask them!  If they don’t know what it is, send them to http://www.riverhorse.eu/shuuro.htm.  Then, have them contact their distributor and ask for it!  Also, as an interesting side note, you can see a vid of Alessio talking about Shurro here.

Next week we will be sitting down with Black Library author, and former Games Developer, Andy Chambers!  Tune in next week!