Fighting Arcade Games, The First Person You Should Design For, Dark Guide Tony’s Trash Can, Moar Blood, and more!

In this newsletter

Tiger Wizard

Fighting Arcade Games

Who was your favorite character to play in the arcade? I was absolutely in love with Scorpion, but Raiden had easier moves. These reboot movies seem cool too. I mean, I’ll always be a fan of that JCVD and Raul Julia (rest in power), but the new Street Fighter jam seems legit.

On Wednesday, 8/19, Exalted Funeral will host our annual Summer Sale.

It’s an arcade fighter game themed. Every year there are a bunch of free items you can pick up, and they go fast. See the picture above. The sale starts at 12:01 am Eastern time. More free stuff will drop later in the sale, too.

Let me draw your attention to this silly thing I made.

It’s a short, free zine for OSR games, with drawings, romance, magic ninjas, and more. These go fast, so try to snag one. I have a lot of fun making these every year, and this one is particularly dumb.

Everything in the Exalted Funeral store is on sale, so get yer freaky game on.

Also, my small Ennie-Loser TTRPG Dungeon Cats will be restocked for the sale. It’s been out of stock for a while, so if you haven’t grabbed a copy yet, this is the time.

Hope you’re having a great email reading experience today!

Cheers.

Alewood Games

The First Player You Should Design For Is You

Last week, my friend made her boss cry by simply explaining the premise of my new game, “A Most Brilliant Spark.” The week before that, two playtesters told me they had a moment of silence at the end of their game and then shed a few tears for their doomed character. I was told that they loved the melancholy and needed the cry.

“A Most Brilliant Spark” will be my 5th publication, and it’s only now that I’m beginning to really see the connective tissue between all of my games. It’s good ‘ol trauma, folks! So, let’s explore what the heck that even means. How did I get here? Have I always been here?

Back in Chicago, I was a sound designer for film; I spent 15 years adapting my craft to someone else’s vision. I was a chameleon. Each film had a performing version of me in it, but it was never truly me. When I look at my personal work from that time, they all had an air of whimsy to it in order to appeal to as many folks as possible, and even the sad pieces were tailored to be ironically cute.

I was safe. I was digestible, but I was hiding.

Then, I moved to Baltimore to work for PBS, where most of my efforts went to episodes of Frontline, POV, Independent Lens, and other high-stakes social/political coverage. Witnessing the horrible things we do to each other and to this planet literally became my day job. I made my living by not looking away, like a public broadcasting Ludovico technique where they “flashed nasty bits of ultraviolence,” but that form of trauma didn’t keep me in line; it made me angry. And let me tell ya, Baltimore knows how to organize people who are angry at the status quo. That’s when I started self-publishing zines. That’s when I found the indie TTRPG community. That’s when my other voice started to reveal itself.

I was vulnerable, but I was unapologetic.

Each game ultimately asked, in some form, “who are you and what are you gonna do about it?” I don’t know if this form of expression came about purely from external influences or if it’s been slumbering within me for years. All I know for sure is that it feels right. The games I publish are deeply personal, which makes playtesting exciting and a little scary. I have turned my insecurities and fears into game mechanics, and truth be told, they always play out way more fun than the actual experience! It’s been a transformative journey. The connections I make with players and my fellow designers feel real, not transactional. I’m incredibly fortunate to have found a creative community that encourages me to truly unmask, a punk community that inspires me to keep fighting. While trauma initially sparked the revolution, the community gave me direction. 

So, make your thing and make it yours. I guarantee someone out there needs it more than you, and you have plenty of folks to help you along the way.

“A Most Brilliant Spark” will be crowdfunding on BackerKit later this Fall 2026!

Mystic Punks
Dark Guide Tony’s Trash Can

Ah, trash comix. Whenever I’m low on inspiration, need a break, or an equally important whoa! moment, I can always turn to b/w 80s and 90s comics to rekindle my love of the DIY spirit. 

As I work through my tsundoku (Yes! I get to use the word! Thanks, Jert!) of comics, I finally got around to reading Nathan Impaler, Monster-Hunter. Dating from 1990, Night Realm Publishing put out this gem of pure, uncut B-movie-inspired bliss. 

Cover by Ron Kazman

Here’s the skinny: Beefy bandolier-strapped Nathan Impaler and his supernatural cat-dog-rat, Nickle, hunt monsters for profit, and the unchecked, wanton violence they can wreak on the urban landscape. So Nate gets a contract from a vamp who pays him in a literal coffin load of 24K 99.99% bullion (ha!) to kill his master, Dracula. 

Alright. I’m in. And jealous I didn’t think of that for a Mystic Punks adventure. 

Over the thirty pages, we are treated to what Nate does best in an abandoned warehouse littered with hot band graffiti and an unprecedented amount of Misfits love. As Nathan knifes and blasts his way through the undead, we are left with a mild twist ending that honestly plays out better than it should. 

Fred Diana is on writing duties, but the real standout is Yan Rozentsveig’s art. It looks like a stiff fever dream of an outsider Tim Bradstreet. And I’m gonna say this loud and proud: THAT’S NOT A BAD THING. This is where the heart of trash comix really shines, with cartooning that shows an unbridled idgaf attitude. For naysayers out there who scoff at this, I don’t know what to tell ya. I can’t save ya. 

But! If yer even slightly interested in going down this trash hole, I can’t recommend Power Comics enough to help ya on your journey.

Solarian Games

Moar Blood! MOAR BLOOD!

Moar Blood is an over-the-top miniatures skirmish game set in a gonzo future where cloned gladiators battle to the “death” (they’re synthetic avatars; there’s always another waiting) in front of a bloodthirsty crowd on the game show to end all game shows. Points are earned for eliminating rivals in the most theatrical manner possible, even for dying spectacularly. That’s right, you can even win if you die!

We’ve been playtesting and refining Moar Blood at game conventions and gatherings for quite a while, and it’s finally time to make it a reality.

To make the game available to as many people as possible, we’re not just going to do one big expensive box set that costs hundreds of dollars because of all the terrain and miniatures inside.

Moar Blood will be available as a simple rulebook on its own, either as a PDF or as a hardcover (with the PDF included). You can play it with the minis you’ve already got or anything else you choose.

Of course, if you do want the bleeding cool goodies to go with it, we’re selling the terrain and miniatures as well, as STL files you can print on your own 3D printer or as physical pieces that you can just set up and play with. 

The rule system is fast and easy to learn, another thing we’ve refined over many game sessions with people who’ve shown up at game conventions and learned everything right on the spot. It uses a system by Peter Bryant called Razer that lets you use literally any dice you happen to have with you.

If you’d like a sneak peek, there’s a free beta preview available on our Patreon. It’s part of the free tier; you don’t have to pay anything to join and check out the beta. Of course, the full game will be more refined and full of content we haven’t shown anyone yet.

Moar Blood launches on Kickstarter on October 6th. Tap the button below to get notified at launch and be one of the first to back us. Early birds will get extra goodies!

Analog Union

Join the Analog Union subreddit

The Analog Union subreddit has launched, and it’s starting to grow! Join us in our new community where you can tell us what you really think of all these shenanigans we’re getting up to. We listen, and we care. And I really want to see what you’re up to in your gaming world.

It’s easy to find; it’s literally r/AnalogUnion.

Get in now so you can say “I was there before it was cool.” (Spoiler alert: we’ll never be cool)

ShireCon

North Canaan, CT – September 25th & 26th

ShireCon is celebrating its 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.

If you enjoy the Analog Union newsletter, please tell your friends to sign up at AnalogUnion.com.

Until next time!

—JHM