We have decided to try something a little different for a change, and that’s to introduce you to the people and players of Bushido. In a series we’ve called, Name, Rank, and Number, we’re going behind the curtain to speak to the modellers, painters, retainers, retailers, designers and players of the game. In short, everyone who makes it what it is. We plan to run this series of interviews over the following weeks and months. But enough from me, let’s get started!
Some of you may know him as the Daimyo of the South and scourge of tournament play everywhere, but we know him as a canny profiler and walking repository of all things Bushido...
Name, Rank, and Number!
Full name
No one uses my first name, so we’ll just stick with Andy Palmer.
How long have you been a fan of Bushido?
Shortly after New Dawn was released, so not a huge amount of time, it was pretty soon after Privateer Press had released both Gargantuans and Colossals, and that was the last straw for that game system from my point of view. I had heard that GCT had just thrown out their old rulebook and created a new one, so I thought I’d try it out.
What got you into Bushido in the first place?
Having heard that GCT had just redone their rule system. Anyone willing to do that told me that the iteration in game design should be quite substantial, and I was not disappointed. I also saw Ito Kenzo and was immediately sold.
What role -- if any -- do you play in the production of Bushido?
I collaborate with Jason on upcoming profiles and help with rules text. Overall, a very solid partnership.
Once in a blue moon, I have inspiration about a profile I’d like to see and send it over to Gordon, but those are rare since I can just incorporate most of my ideas into upcoming profiles. While I’m not very active in the gaming scene right now, I did patrol the rules part of the Discord to answer questions, but the player base itself has that covered these days. My final function is keeping track of lore consistency. While I have trouble remembering what I did earlier on any given day, I’m a walking encyclopaedia for game lore for just about any made-up setting I’ve touched.
Player? Painter? Or Collector?
I’m a player, though my painting skills are none-too-shabby. I like wet blending and use a two-brush technique, and I churn through mixing medium like no tomorrow. I’m not going to be winning any Crystal Brush awards, but generally, my stuff looks good.
Favourite Faction/s?
The Jung Pirates are my baby, though the Prefecture suit my playstyle – the Prefecture align well with the chess mindset and can both exploit any mistakes my opponents make and force my own agenda on the state of play. I’m enjoying playing the Savage Wave recently: mostly just the bakemono horde, but I tried out a warband of just oni and their slaves, and it is hilariously brutish to simply smash things.
Favourite Model/s?
Ito Kenzo was the miniature that sold Bushido to me, but the age of his sculpt is beginning to show. I really enjoyed painting Wei Shu and Jung Hibiki, both of which I like to play.
What specifically about Bushido drew you into the game?
Ito Kenzo being a cool model, and the melee exchange mechanics. The game felt very interactive for both players all the time.
Competitive Player? Or Harry Casual?
I am a competitive player, and I find it extremely difficult to make a play that is less than what I feel the optimal play is. At a fundamental level, I feel that it’s both insulting to my opponent to do so and would make the game extremely boring for me. I am not a good person to get casual beginners into the game. This is why I like playing in tournaments (when I can) as the calibre of player is usually very high, and you get to see lots of combinations that you would never have thought of yourself. As a side note, I am still the current Daimyo of the South, despite being one of the most northern players in the UK. I’m going to milk this trophy for all it’s worth!
Battle Plans for when the Plague is over?
There are a number of new competitive-type players in my local area, and they have been chomping at the bit for more games, so I’m looking forward to playing a wider variety of opponent here. Besides that, I’d like to learn British Sign Language. And maybe do either a computer science course or some basic legal studies in the background… I doubt I’ll work to get qualifications, but the knowledge gained would be very useful.
What’s on the painting station, hopefully not gathering dust?
Bakemono. Lots of bakemono. I really need the alternative sculpts for the bakemono horde to be done so that I can summon all the extra bakemono I need. For some reason, there is a single space marine from Games Workshop that has been on my painting table for no less than eight years. I have no interest in painting space marines; I have no idea why I have one.
Reading anything game or gamer related at present?
A lot of the Norse sagas and Eddas at the moment. I’ve been tinkering with a Norse-styled hex-based game, but it’s not really going anywhere besides being a side project to occupy my time.
Watching anything game or gamer related at present?
Fun fact: I have not owned a television since 2008. The last thing I watched that was remotely game-related was Queen’s Gambit. Why is it called Queen’s Gambit when Liz only used the titular move in the final episode?!