Last Friday, Triple Ace Games received the terrible and tragic news that Hans-Wilhelm Bothe had passed away. We don’t have any details of his passing, save that he left us on March 4, apparently of natural causes.

Some of you knew him as a fellow gamer and a strong and passionate voice in the Savage community. Others knew him as an editor and others as a friend. We knew him as all three.

Wiggy worked closely with Hans for several years, so we’ve asked him to say a few words.

“I can’t remember when I first met Enno – his username on several forums and the name I always called him by when communicating with him – but it would have been on PEG’s forums back in the early 2000s. He was among the first Savage.

“He joined the TAG forum early on and soon made his presence felt by his willingness to answer questions and help others. He could be brusque at times, but he was never intentionally rude to anyone. Indeed, he went out of his way to help his fellow gamers. His knowledge of the Hellfrost setting was encyclopedic, and it wasn’t long before we began conversing off the forums. He went from fan to friend.

“It wasn’t long before his name became part of the Hellfrost canon, with several NPCs carrying his name in one form or another – a small thank you from us for all his assistance, support, and friendship.

“When it came to searching for a line editor for Hellfrost, Enno was the obvious choice. Not only did he know the setting in and out, but he was never afraid to speak his mind and keep us honest – admirable qualities. He worked tirelessly behind the scenes for many years – far more than many fans will ever know – before accepting public acknowledgement of his position with the company. Likewise, when we needed help with the forums, Enno was happy to become the moderator.”

“I’d like to add something truly personal about Enno, but the honest truth is that those things never cropped up in all our years of working together. We never spoke of family or religion or politics – gaming was our medium and it was pretty much all that we spoke about. Judging by the links he’d send, he had a good sense of humor. I never heard his voice, as all communication was by e-mail. We were hoping to add him to our team at Essen back in 2017, but he wasn’t available.

“We’re leaving Enno’s company profile on our site unless his family decide otherwise. He may be gone in body, but his spirit will live through his friends and family and the body of work he helped produce (not just with us, but with other RPG companies). He’ll always be part of the TAG family and always be part of the Savage community.

We have just learned that Hans Bothe, known to many of you as Enno, has sadly passed away. Many of you knew him for his encyclopedic knowledge of Hellfrost, his presence on the forums, and as one of our lead editors. We was also a strong voice in his native German gaming community. He was all those things, but far more than that he was a good friend, someone we were proud to know.

This has hit us hard, as it has his family and friends. The next issue of TAG Talk will be dedicated to his memory. For now, though, I leave you with The Empty Chair (by Kenzer & Co.).

The Empty Chair

Eulogy for a Gamer

There is an empty chair,

at the table this day.

A hallowed place where,

a friend once played.

The roll of his dice,

my ears long to hear.

Or perhaps it would suffice,

if he should suddenly appear.

With character sheet in hand,

and a bag of Cheeze-doodles to share.

All his friends would stand,

as he sat in the empty chair.

I hear his voice a-callin’,

and it ties my heart in a knot.

For he cries, “Though a comrade has fallen,

You must play for those who cannot.”

We conquered worlds on the run,

he and I in the name of fun.

And as others may come and go,

I make both both friend and foe.

But what I long for most,

is our past now long a ghost.

Welcome to our Kickstarter for a set of hard enamel badges featuring some of the most wicked and insidious Cthulhu Mythos cults ever known!

Last year we produced a beautiful set of Mythos book badges, and we’ve returned with a fresh new take with these cultists badges.

Display your cultist status with these fabulous Mythos-themed Cthulhu badges! Ideal for displaying on your person, dice bag, game gear, or even a hat!

We have just one pledge level for this Kickstarter. If you’re quick to the party (or cult gathering, if you prefer), you can get the badge set at a small discount! This early bird will not be available after 100 backers have pledged for them!

Ubiquity

850 pages of Ubiquity goodness for just $30 (RRP $131.86)!!

http://www.rpgnow.com/product/245048/TAGTEN-Ubiquity-Bundle

Savage Worlds

As of the end of May 2018 we will no longer be able to send you the week TAG newsletter unless you have re-registered. This is a European Union directive and applies to all companies. In order to continue receiving the newsletter, which features news of coming Kickstarters and new releases, among other things, please click the link below and enter your e-mail address.

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Exploriana the game of exploration and discovery is now live on kickstarter!

This awesome push you luck style game features some georgeous artwork and we hope you’ll support us on this campaign!

Triple Ace Games has teamed up with Choas Publishing and Counters Out (the Bristol based board game cafe) to help get the game produced. Its a truly fabulous game and we are looking for your support to get it manufactured.

It’s almost the winter solstice and that means it’s time for us to shut down the office until the new year and go make merry with friends and family.

The most memorable aspect of 2017 has been the “firsts” – our first trip to Essen, our first miniatures game (full game coming next year!), and our first foray into the Lovecraft Mythos with the release of the Leagues of Cthulhu (although the book was funded last year) PDF. None of this, not to mention all the other product releases, would have been possible without the support of our fans, so thank you one and all! We’d also like to say thank you to all our artists, editors, volunteers, and business partners who have made this another great year.

CHRISTMAS SALE

Have you been naughty or nice this year? We’re not judgmental like Santa, so our Christmas sale is open to everyone! Until the end of the year we’re offering 30% discount on most of our PDF titles! Whether you want epic fantasy, sc-fi, horror, or pulp, we’re got something to dispel the winter chills.

IMPORTANT: The RPGnow and DriveThru sale begins TOMORROW (16th December)

Dragondaze Saturday 30th September

TAG is once again attending Dragondaze in Newport, South Wales this Saturday! We’ll have a small trade stand with a selection of products. Rob and Dave will be running demos all day of our upcoming miniatures game Ironclads: Space Battles in the Victorian Aether.

Have you got what it takes to command the indomitable Kaiserliche Aethermarine (Imperial German Aether Navy) or the heroic Royal Aether Navy? Take command of mighty battleships, armored cruisers, nimble destroyers, and swarms of fighters while maneuvering through asteroid fields! Your country needs you!