Tuesday, June 23rd

In this newsletter

Solarian Games

Nominations are open for the 3rd annual Golden Fez Awards

The Golden Fez Awards are held every year at TotalCon gaming convention in Marlborough, MA. The 3rd annual awards are open to any tabletop RPG published in 2026. You can nominate your own game, or submit one that you just happen to be a fan of.

The Golden Fez is a tribute to Solarian co-founder James Carpio, who passed away in 2024. James loved all sorts of tabletop games, and we’ve crafted the categories to represent the qualities that he loved most in games. 

Categories include:

The Holy Hand Grenade Award

Given for best new game mechanic.

The Pick Up and Play Award

Easiest game to learn.

Honey, I Shrunk the Dice Award

For micro-RPGs that will fit on one page or less.

The Velvet Smooth Award

For best design and production.

The Hack the Planet Award

Presented to the most unexpected idea. Originality in any form, whether it’s rules, setting, design, or anything else.

The Bucket of Blood Award

Best combat rules

The Golden Fez Game of the Year

Game of the Year is given to the one game published this year that we feel best embodies all of the things about gaming that James loved.

Nominations will be open from Tuesday, June 23rd, through Monday, November 20th, 2026. You can suggest one or more categories for your nomination, or let the judges decide. 

Go to GoldenFez.com to nominate your favorite TTRPG or submit your own!

Ham & Egg Publishing

Secret Country Rides Again!

Today is a big day for your ol’ buddy HB! First up, it’s release day for Secret Country’s 4th full-length album, Word To The Wise, from Killing Horse Records. I am really proud of this record. After a two-year recording process–still 12 shy of Chinese Democracy, take that G’n’R!–Word To The Wise feels like a natural progression of a sound that has one foot firmly planted in country and one foot in rock n’ roll. It is available today on all streaming platforms, so please check it out if you will. 

We are Secret Country, and we play Outlaw Rock n’ Roll!

Secondly, and to me, the most important thing, today I am seven years sober!

My life has changed in the most profound ways since I prioritized myself, my mental health, and my well-being. Hell, part of the reason why I am in the hobby at all is that I finally made the choice to live, and to do so without alcohol. 

I’m not one to preach and I also won’t deny I had a hell of a time until I didn’t. But that long weekend I took over two decades definitely went on way too long. For me, I knew I needed to get off the ride about two years before I finally was ready to speak the words. It wasn’t easy, dear reader. Because I know sometimes in life it might feel like we’re stuck, trapped even, but we never really are. There is help if you need it, and no shame in asking for it. I am glad I did. 

Be excellent to yourself and each other. 

-Hammy

Stillfleet Studio

Looking Under The Hood: Designing Games Together

Even though our tiny company focuses on making TTRPGs using a common system, we are firm believers in experimentation. Every time you sit down to write a game—to create a new shared experience at the table—you can approach the tasks involved a little differently, from a new perspective, leading to new results.

With even a small team, differences in styles (of writing, art, mechanical design, emotional goals, etc.) become obvious. Part of the fun of collaboration becomes comparing notes and forging consensus to create final products.

Recently, the Stillfleet Studio held a little symposium to compare some of our own intra-Grit System Game Jam experimentations. We offered sneak-peeks of several summer 2026 zines, games, and game aids. And we talked a lot about cats (ugly, strangely named, magical, existentially cursed).

In addition, we believe in constantly learning from others. The real reason to host a podcast about TTRPG design is, in some ways, to learn from our guests.

This summer, we kicked off a short series about the development and launch of a new Forged-in-the-Dark-ish game by our friends in NYC called Road Warriors in which players are struggling stand-up comics. It’s not a game about telling jokes: it’s a game about being the butt of the joke, and it’s both brutal (your “hit points” are self esteem!) and funny to play in an easy, no-need-to-try way.

Check out our chat with one of the creators (we talk about the Grit System and the Agon System) and our actual play of the game (comedy set at a funeral). You can hear how the game is still evolving in small ways as it heads toward publication.

We’re excited to have a final interview with the whole team and get into the weeds of FitD mechanics (clocks, risk management) and/versus the ancient art of open-mic joke delivery.

ShireCon

North Canaan, CT – September 25th & 26th

ShireCon is cleebrating it’s 8th year! Two days of role-playing and board games in the Berkshires! Come for a day and a half of OSR and modern gaming. Visit our vendors selling old and new games and enjoy the local fare in North Canaan, CT

Under The Dice Fest 

Enfield, CT – October 2nd, 3rd & 4th

Under The Dice Fest returns this October 2nd- 4th! 

UTDFest is focused on independent tabletop gaming, with a focus on miniatures and wargames! The New England Mordheim Open returns, along with roleplaying games, game tournaments, workshops, live music, and more! You don’t want to miss it!

ArcaneCon

Northampton, MA – October 16th & 17th

ArcaneCon is returning October 16th & 17th, 2026. Join us in a celebration of indie, old school, and old school-inspired RPGs, miniature games, board games, and more! ArcaneCon is Western Massachusetts’s premiere tabletop hobby convention! Game submissions are open now!!! See more information at Tabletop Events.

Your editor this week has been Hambone of Ham & Egg Publishing. 

Keep on emailing us at hello@analogunion.com to let us know what you’d like to see more of/less of and to share ideas.

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Until next time!

—JHM