Craig Andrews

is proud to present for the benefit of several audiences...

The 2019 Advent Calendar Recap

Being in the main a collection of the plethora of brand new original, exclusive and archive articles for a selection of much beloved and respected wargame rules.

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A Little Q&A on Orcs in the Webbe's Advent Calendar

What is Orcs in the Webbe?

In short its an independent gaming website comprising of old articles unearthed from the internet and old magazines alongside newly written articles for a variety of new, classic and forgotten game systems. It was setup way back in 1996, yes it was that long ago, to form a repository for information as older style websites started dissapearing taking thier content with them. Back then the sites focus, as was mine, was primarily Alternative Armies' Flintloque. Since then the site has grown, along with my technical ability in all things web related, and has gone through manay regenrations and expansions and now includes content for over a dozen wargames systems, board games and card games as well as several stand alone original games.

What is the Orcs in the Webbe Advent Calendar?

Back in 2007, as a Christmas gift to its readers, Orcs in the Webbe became an Advent Calendar of sorts, counting down the days remaining to Christmas. However, instead of chocolates or sweets, every day from the 1st through to the 25th of December it published an article of interest to its readers. These started off as a mixture of old articles alongside newly created content but over the last few years many people have stepped up allowing me to publish many brand new articles every December.

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Editor's Note aka "Aren't there 24 days in most Advent Calendars?"

Well, normally yes. However Orcs in the Webbe is a fan site run by one chap (me) with submissions ranging from new authors cutting thier teeth on the international stage to fan-favourite authors from years gone by (and a whole host of other definitions in between). It's becomng harder and harder with each paassing year to get people to write content as most people who do so these days have thier own creative outlets; Facebook groups, traditional blogs, YouTube channels, BoardGameGeek entries, etc. Each year in September I ask about 40 people to submit articles and usually get a yes from around 30 people that drops off to about 20 who actually submit things. Some of those things arrive in my inbox in October, some of them are still not written the day before they're due to go live.  All of this is fine, OITW's Advent Calendar is something I enjoy doing. Don't get me wrong it's a huge amount of work what with all the editing, reformatting, chasing etc. but I do enjoy the process. Each year I review how things went, 2018 being a particulary challenging year (see last years Advent Calendar Recap for details) but despite not getting all the promised submissions and coming up ever so slightly short of the full 24 in 2019 I've decided to go ahead with 2020's Advent Calendar. More on that in the coming weeks.

Without further ado, here's the 2019 summary, a table of contents if you will, to Orcs in the Webbe's virtual Annual :)

Keep the Flag Flying!

Craig Andrews
September 2020

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Sunday 1st December - A Game for Two Players
An Orcs in the Webbe Original !
"Revenge of Tiddy Mun" by Matthew Hartley
In this year's exclusive free game one player takes on the role of the Dutch Engineer Cornelius Vermuyden as he struggles to cross the Fens in safety to give his report on drainage to the agents of King Charles I. Can the local Fenfolk, aided by the legendary Tiddy Mun, protect thier livelyhoods and stop him... 

Monday 2nd December - A Flintloque Tale
An Orcs in the Webbe Original !
"The Doily Cart Gift Aid Scam" by Tony Harwood
Cryptmass wouldn't be Cryptmass without Foul Mouth Freddy! This year Freddy's creator, Tony Harwood, recounts a tale of how notoriety can lead to fortune. If you have a mind like Freddy's that is...

Tuesday 3rd December - A Shadowrun Duels Scenario
An Orcs in the Webbe Yahoo Groups Rescue!
"Face to Face" by Matt Yanek
Mr. Johnson is looking to hire runners. He wants the best. You just need to get one of your own to his underground safehouse to meet him face to face. You’d better do it quickly too; yours is not the only team to arrive! Includes conversion notes for Alternative Armies USEME

Wednesday 4th December - A 7TV Expansion
An Orcs in the Webbe Exclusive!
"Radland Races" by Helena Nash
Helena Nash brings us a selection of published and unpublished articles for Crooked Dice's 7TV Apocalypse giving you a feel for one of the lost shows, Radland Races.

Thursday 5th December - A Flintloque Scenario
An Orcs in the Webbe Original !
"Blayderunner" by Gavin Syme
A small game in its own right using Flintloque rules or as part of a scenario for Flintloque we present 'Blayderunner'. Can your officers spot the Repents and retire them or will they be retired instead?

Friday 6th December - A Shadowrun Duels Scenario
An Orcs in the Webbe Yahoo Groups Rescue!
"Infiltrator" by Matt Yanek
Magic is real now. It used to be that magicians were nothing more than parlor tricksters using slights of hand and mirrors to create the illusion of otherworldly power. Still, even in 2060 there is something to be learned from these shysters. Often it is useful to draw attention one way while your hand goes another.

Saturday 7th December - A Flintloque Short Story
An Orcs in the Webbe Original !
"Freedom - A Tale of Stoneheart the Slayer" by Jaffa Holland
Stoneheart's tale, now in its ninth year, sees Stoneheart find a reason to carry on living at the dawn of the Third Age of Valon...

Sunday 8th December - A Flintloque Scenario
An Orcs in the Webbe Original !
"The Hunchback in the Dark" by CJ Hooper
In a tale of Tarrwen Harbour previously untold the Hunchback Quidimodo, driven from city of Abertowie, has come to Tarrwen Harbour and mistaken a Nun's kindness for affection and carried her away to the church chased, as is often the way, by a baying mob...

Monday 9th December - A Shadowrun Duels Scenario
An Orcs in the Webbe Yahoo Groups Rescue!
"Planting the Virus" by Matt Yanek
A group of Shadowrunners have snuck one of their own into a corporate building in order to plant a virus which will wipe out the corp’s main datastore. Opposing the runners is a team of hired corporate muscle anxious to repel any assaults on its employer.

Tuesday 10th December - A Flintloque Tale
An Orcs in the Webbe Original !
"The Ferach Faery Flag" by Tony Harwood
Tony Harwood's Ferach Officer, Errole Flynne, returns in this cracking tale about the origin of Flynn's regimental standard and its unusual properties.

Wednesday 11th December - A Shadowrun Duels Scenario
An Orcs in the Webbe Yahoo Groups Rescue!
"Retrieval" by Matt Yanek
A wealthy businessman’s child has rebelled against the cushy life into which he was born by joining a street gang.  A team of shadowrunners has been sent to forcibly retrieve the wayward son and bring him back to his father intact.

Thursday 12th December - A Game for Two Players
An Orcs in the Webbe Original !
"Love Bytes" by Michael White
Michael White turns his attention to 4999AD when in the grim twilight of a stupidly implausible future, there is only L.O.V.E. . . .

Friday 13th December - Playing Solo Games of Doom Squad with your Flintloque Miniatures
An Orcs in the Webbe Original !
"Doomloque" by Gavin Syme
Doom Squad is a solo play set of rules for special forces warfare covering 300 years of history including the Napoleonic Wars.  I wonder if I can use my Flintloque miniatures with it?

Saturday 14th December - A Spot the Difference Quiz
An Orcs in the Webbe Original !
"The Inaugural Christmas Spot the Difference" by Craig Andrews
Once again capturing the spirit of annuals from when you were kids, OITW brings you the inaugural Christmas Spot the Difference, Flintloque: War in Catalucia.

Sunday 15th December - A Shadowrun Duels Scenario
An Orcs in the Webbe Yahoo Groups Rescue!
"The Scientist" by Matt Yanek
In 2060, the most valuable commodity is information. Individuals with intimate knowledge of biotechnology or cybernetic theory can be a corp’s greatest asset… or greatest threat!

Monday 16th December - A Wordsearch
An Orcs in the Webbe Original !
"The Second Christmas Wordsearch - Writers & Games" by Vraig Andrews
Once again capturing the spirit of annuals from when you were kids, OITW brings you the second Christmas Wordsearch, this years theme... Orcs in the Webbe writers and Game Systems.

Wednesday 18th December - A Shadowrun Duels Scenario
An Orcs in the Webbe Yahoo Groups Rescue!
"Rival Gangs" by Matt Yanek
Outside gated communities and the protection of corporate-backed private security, street gangs rule the city.  Rumbles with other gangs are common when one has something the other wants...

Saturday 21st December - A Pocket Landship Expansion
An Orcs in the Webbe Exclusive!
"Pocket Landship - The Delivery" by Mark Rapson
Word Forge Games' CEO Mark Rapson has created an exclusive play set for Scott Allen Czysz's Pocket Landship. In "Pocket Landship - The Delivery" you command a small ‘transportation landship’ and its two minitank support units, called Corvettes. Your job is to get the transportation landship through the enemy line, the Corvettes, their drivers and even Commander Laws can be sacrificed. So long as that transportation landship gets through that’s all that matters.

Sunday 22nd December - A Flintloque Scenario
An Orcs in the Webbe Original !
"Londinium: The Hit" by Craig Andrews
Cutter, one of the Rogues of Londinium has been granted permission from their leader, the nefarious Colonel, to assassinate the Baron Petrochemicoli on his ‘Diplomatic’ hush hush mission to Albion. Will they succeed and more importantly to The Colonel what secrets will they uncover…

Christmas Day - A Flintloque Scenario
An Orcs in the Webbe Original !
"The Spy Who Cwtched Me" by CJ Hooper
Austin Powys, International Hobgoblin of Mystery in his latest Christmas Adventure!

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Merry Cryptmass !