My 10 favorite albums released in 2025…

Potluck

Bruiser Wolf

CHOROPHOBIA

Weval

Eyes Of The Living Night

Jonathan Hultén

Spun

Wavves

Blackbraid III

Blackbraid

You’re Weird Now

Guerilla Toss

Aylar

Şatellites

22:22

Polo & Pan

Trash Classic

Frankie & The Witch Fingers

Later Than You Think

John Maus

My 10 favorite albums released in 2024…

Lost Themes IV: Noir

John Carpenter, Cody Carpenter & Daniel Davies

Direct Inject

Zombi

BRAT

Charli xcx

Hyperdrama

Justice

Mount Matsu

Yin Yin

Talkie Talkie

Los Bitchos

Time II

Wintersun

Ill Times

GUM & Ambrose Kenny-Smith

ILION

SLIFT

Sub Rosa In Æternum

Tribulation

Sized to fit BCW Dividers, but should work with any vertical dividers.

1. Print on full sheet sticker paper.
2. Cut.
3. Attach to dividers.

Enjoy!

Size is 20 x 20, compatible with the Custom Board Game Mat by Inked Gaming.

Download includes a print-ready full resolution JPG, and a layered PSD file if you’d like to make any changes.

Enjoy!

My 10 favorite albums released in 2023…

Chillin Island (OST)

E.Vax

Just chillin.

Teenagers

French 79

Introspective synth journey.

Aşk

Altin Gün

The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons

The Hives

The Silver Cord

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard

Synths and ancient mythology in space.

SCARING THE HOES

JPEGMAFIA & Danny Brown

Loud, chaotic and weirdly fun punk rap collab.

Simplicity

Matt Berry

Radical Romantics

Fever Ray

Masterful synth-pop.

Data Doom

Frankie and the Witch Fingers

PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or, Dawn of Eternal Night: An Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard

Gila! Gila! Gila!

My 10 favorite albums released in 2022…

Eyes of Oblivion

The Hellacopters

New classic rock.

Impera

Ghost

Papa IV goes full 80s arena rock.

Spirituals

Santigold

Introspective lyrics and post-punk beats.

Screenlight

Hot Sugar

Dynamic electronic soundscapes.

Zeit

Rammstein

A sharp and focused metal album.

Omnium Gatherum

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard

Amazing collection of diverse tracks from the Gizz.

Famously Alive

Guerilla Toss

A glittery explosion of psych-pop.

Multitude

Stromae

Belgian electronic dance pop with meaning.

Shredder’s Revenge (OST)

Tee Lopes

The Dying Option

MCC [Magna Carta Cartel]

A masterpiece of atmospheric rock music.

Original art is from a map commonly used in the community. I added site icons, region movement paths, and space above and below for two player games or solo play.

Size is 24 x 28, compatible with the Custom Two Player Playmat by Inked Gaming.

Download includes a print-ready full resolution (3675 x 4275) JPG, and a layered PSD file if you’d like to make any changes.

Enjoy!

My 10 favorite albums released in 2021…

Lost Themes III: Alive After Death

John Carpenter

God Is Partying

Andrew W.K.

How about some operatic synth-metal?

Dope Game Stupid

Bruiser Wolf

Nobody sound like this.

L.W.

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard

E.Vax

E.Vax

Loud quiet beats.

Yol

Altin Gün

Dutch Turkish synth grooves.

Yeti Season

El Michels Affair

Fuzzy eastern retro funk… for Yeti’s?

Where the Gloom Becomes Sound

Tribulation

Cyclorama

Polo & Pan

French electronic mastery achieved.

VISUALS

KUNZITE

Intergalactic guitar beats.

Then back in April, Team Covenant streamed a six hour learning game of MECCG.

I was super impressed with just how well it represents Tolkien’s world in game form. Much like the Star Wars CCG, lore and storytelling drive the game design. They are prioritized above all else, including mechanics and probably balance – something you don’t really see in modern games.

I mean, the game essentially requires a detailed map of middle-earth in front of you to truly appreciate the scope and possibilities of what you can do.

Open world solo mode

Later in the year, Zach shared his rules for an open world solo mode of the game. This variant re-works the game into a fun solo experience that seemed like the perfect way to finally try it for myself.

So, I ordered the pre-constructed challenge decks from a player-run web store, printed a custom map playmat (Inked Gaming), and started building decks for open world mode.

Hazard decks

My hazard decks are a mix of hazard cards from the challenge decks and singles I’ve picked up along the way to make things more interesting.

There is room for improvement no doubt, but these should be a good starting point for anyone with a limited card pool to get started with the amazing open world solo variant!

Wilderness (28)

Creature (16)
2 Lesser Spiders
1 "Bert" - Bûrat
1 "Tom" - Tûma
1 "William" - Wûluag
1 Ent in Search of the Entwives
1 Giant Spiders
1 Wargs
1 Wolves
1 Lawless Men
1 Dire Wolves
1 Hobgoblins
1 Giant
1 Huorn
1 Thunder's Companion
1 Old Man Willow

Long-event (1)
1 Long Winter

Permanent-event (4)
2 Lure of Nature
1 Despair of the Heart
1 Enchanted Stream

Short-event (7)
1 River
1 The Ring's Betrayal
1 Veils Flung Away
1 Dragon-sickness
1 Lost in the Wilderness
1 Weariness of the Heart
1 Call of Home

Coastal Seas (15)

Creature (7)
3 Corsairs of Umbar
1 Marsh-drake
1 Rain-drake
1 Watcher in the Water
1 Sea Serpent

Long-event (1)
1 Noose of the Sea

Permanent-event (3)
1 Despair of the Heart
1 Lure of Expedience
1 Longing for the West

Short-event (4)
1 Muster Disperses
1 Dragon-sickness
1 Call of the Sea
1 Drowning Seas

Ruins & Lairs (22)

Creature (11)
1 Cave-drake
1 Chill Douser
1 Lesser Spiders
1 Neeker-breekers
1 Stirring Bones
1 Wisp of Pale Sheen
1 Land-drake
1 Light-drake
1 Orc-raiders 
1 Orc-warriors
1 Wild Trolls

Long-event (1)
1 Minions Stir

Permanent-event (1)
1 Lure of Expedience

Short-event (8)
1 Choking Shadows
1 Incite Denizens
1 Muster Disperses
1 Weariness of the Heart
1 Arouse Denizens
1 Call of Home 
1 Chance of Being Lost 
1 Greed
1 Slip Treacherously

Free-domains (16)

Creature (7)
4 Ambusher
2 Ent in Search of the Entwives
1 The Border-watch

Permanent-event (6)
1 Alone and Unadvised
1 Foolish Words
1 Lure of Expedience
1 Lure of the Senses
1 Rebel-talk
1 Stormcrow

Short-event (3)
1 Lost in Free-domains
1 Muster Disperses
1 River

Free-holds (14)

Creature (2)
2 The Border-watch 

Long-event (1)
1 Times Are Evil 

Permanent-event (6)
1 Alone and Unadvised 
1 Foolish Words 
1 Lure of Expedience 
1 Lure of the Senses 
1 Lure of Creation 
1 The Burden of Time 

Short-event (5)
1 Muster Disperses
1 Call of Home
1 Arouse Defenders
1 Incite Defenders
1 New Moon

Border-lands (23)

Creature (14)
2 Ambusher
2 Wargs
1 Abductor
1 Brigands
1 Lawless Men
1 Neeker-breekers
1 Slayer
1 Wolves
1 Crebain
1 Orc-raiders
1 Orc-warriors
1 Durin's Folk

Permanent-event (4)
1  Alone and Unadvised 
1  Lure of Expedience
1  Rebel-talk
1  Longing for the West 

Short-event (5)
1 River
1 Call of Home
1 Chance of Being Lost
1 Lost in Border-lands
1 Weariness of the Heart

Border-holds (19)

Creature (7)
1 Assassin 
2 Sellswords Between Charters 
2 Slayer 
1 The Border-watch
1 Thief

Long-event (1)
1 Fell Winter 

Permanent-event (4)
1 Alone and Unadvised 
1 Foolish Words 
1 Lure of Expedience 
1 Rebel-talk 

Short-event (7)
1 Incite Defenders 
1 Muster Disperses 
1 River 
1 Greed 
1 Weariness of the Heart
1 Arouse Defenders
1 Early Harvest

Shadow-lands (24)

Creature (16)
1 Barrow-wight 
1 Corpse-candle 
1 Dire Wolves 
1 Ghosts 
1 Ghouls 
1 Lawless Men  
1 Marsh-drake 
1 Orc-lieutenant 
1 Orc-watch 
1 Stirring Bones 
1 Wargs 
1 Wisp of Pale Sheen 
1 Lesser Spiders
1 Half-trolls of Far Harad 
1 Orc-patrol 
1 Winged Fire-drake

Long-event (2)
1 Foul Fumes
1 Worn and Famished

Permanent-event (3)
1 Despair of the Heart 
1 Stench of Mordor 
1 Lure of Expedience

Short-event (3)
1 Seized by Terror
1 Dragon-sickness
1 Lost in Shadow-lands

Shadow-holds (24)

Creature (15)
1 Barrow-wight 
1 Chill Douser 
1 Corpse-candle 
1 Ghosts 
1 Ghouls 
1 Little Snuffler 
1 Orc-lieutenant 
1 Pûkel-men 
1 Sellswords Between Charters 
1 Stirring Bones 
1 Wisp of Pale Sheen 
1 Crebain 
1 Orc-patrol 
1 Half-trolls of Far Harad 
1 Rogrog

Permanent-event (4) 
1 Nothing to Eat or Drink 
1 Alone and Unadvised
1 Rebel-talk
1 Doubled Vigilance

Short-event (5)
1 Stay Her Appetite 
1 Tidings of Bold Spies 
1 Arouse Minions 
1 Weariness of the Heart 
1 Incite Minions

Dark-domains (17)

Creature (11)
1 Barrow-wight 
1 Corpse-candle 
1 Ghosts 
1 Ghouls 
1 Orc-guard 
1 Orc-lieutenant 
1 Orc-warband 
1 Orc-watch 
1 Stirring Bones 
1 Half-trolls of Far Harad 
1 Orc-patrol 

Long-event (3)
1  Foul Fumes 
1  Minions Stir 
1  Worn and Famished 

Permanent-event (1)
1  Stench of Mordor 

Short-event (2)
1 Seized by Terror 
1 Dragon-sickness

Dark-holds (15)

Creature (10)
1 Barrow-wight 
1 Corpse-candle 
1 Ghosts 
1 Orc-warband
1 Orc-watch 
1 Half-trolls of Far Harad 
1 Olog-hai - Trolls 
1 Orc-patrol 
1 The Great Goblin 
1 Gothmog

Creature/Permanent-event (1)
1 Mouth of Sauron

Long-event (1)
1 Minions Stir 

Permanent-event (2)
1  Nothing to Eat or Drink
1  Worn and Famished

Short-event (1)
1  Arouse Minions 

There is one more hazard deck in addition to the region-based decks. Epic hazards. When rolling to determine if a hazard card is drawn, instead of using the opponent’s card draw number on the site to modify the result, I use that number + 1 as the low result that will trigger an epic hazard.

For example, if you are traveling to Moria, and roll a 4 or less for any hazard test, you draw from the epic hazard deck. Draw until you find a hazard playable at the current site/region type and resolve it!

Epic (23)

Creature (3)
1 Mûmak - Oliphant
1 Ice-drake
1 Sand-drake

Creature/Permanent-event (14)
1 Akhôrahil 
1 Indûr Dawndeath 
1 Witch-king of Angmar 
1 Dwar of Waw
1 Hoarmûrath of Dír
1 Khamûl the Easterling
1 Ren the Unclean
1 Shelob
1 Lord of the Carrock
1 Saruman the Wise
1 Alatar the Hunter
1 Pallando the Soul-keeper
1 Gandalf the White Rider
1 Radagast the Tamer

Long-event (5)
1 Bairanax Ahunt
1 Eärcaraxë Ahunt
1 Scatha Ahunt
1 Smaug Ahunt
1 Itangast Ahunt

Permanent-event (1)
1 Balrog of Moria

My 10 favorite albums released in 2020…

Ugly is Beautiful

Oliver Tree

Catchy alt-pop-rock-hip-hop by crazy meme kid.

PLANET’S MAD

Baauer

Huge dance beats, unreal visuals.

Emblas Saga

Brothers of metal

Viking power metal (with extra cheese).

RTJ4

Run The Jewels

Yankee and the Brave.

Vredesvävd

Finntroll

Troll metal returns.

HOUSE OF ZEF

Die Antwoord

Still ZEF af.

K.G.

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard

Best modern rock band.

Future Nostalgia

Dua Lipa

Disco pop perfection.

Hot Wet & Sassy

TOBACCO

Chill twisted synths.

Ultra Mono

IDLES

Aggressively positive punk music.