The shocking photograph above shows AT Founding Father Robert Martin caught in a compromising position playing LIEBE & INTRIGE, a game that he has on public record called the "German Barbie Game" and which he has publically lambasted members of the Atlanta board gaming community for playing and enjoying.
The admittedly poor photo shows Mr. Martin clearly playing LIEBE & INTRIGE while drinking and likely consulting the internet via the Blackberry on the table for strategy tips. If you look closely, you can probably ascertain the stats of the daughters that he is trying to find suitors for.
This isn't the first time that Robert Martin's strident, sometimes volatile commentary on board gaming has led to the scandalous exposure of his hypocrisy and double standards. Once again, myself and the rest of the Atlanta board gaming community is shocked and saddened to see such a titan of the AT movement felled by controversy.
First, it was Fruitgate. Robert Martin made several comments suggesting that he would (quote) "...rather die than play a game with cherries in it" after playing a game of CAVEMAN. Previously he had condemned MANIFEST DESTINY for its depiction of fruit, I think they were crates of oranges or something. Then it was revealed that one of the five games that Robert Martin actually likes, MARE NOSTRUM, contains fruit cards that clearly say "Fruit" on them and have an artist's rendition of several varieties of fruit on them. And beyond that, the wine card pretty clearly depicts grapes. Allegations that Robert Martin played HI HO CHERRY O as a child have been unsubstantiated but widely assumed.
Then it was Countergate. Robert Martin again made brash claims about how card games should never include counters of any kind while playing a game of LIFEBOAT. An audit of his game collection revealed that one of his favorite games, the Avalon Hill card game GUERILLA, contains hundreds of counters. And his copy of DRAGON MASTER, a trick-taking card game also includes counters in the form of those counting gems. And he has tried on several occassions to convince me that TURN THE TIDE is a good card game, and it includes several counters that look like life preservers.
Then Cubegate shocked us all. Prior to playing LIEBE & INTRIGE, Robert Martin attemptted to hide a single green cube by sticking underneath Steve Avery's chair- a place no one would dare venture to look. He thought that Frank Branham, the game's owner, would fly into a rage and sweep the game from the table at the thought that one of his 15,000 games was missing a piece. With the recent revelation of Robert Martin's interest in LIEBE & INTRIGE, it seems clear that he was simply trying to keep up appearances as it were.
I'm not sure what Robert Martin's stance is on rock n' roll or playing a little Rock Band after board gaming, but the photograph below shows him as the frontman for Frank Branham's Swamp Castle Jugband Blues Band and Revue Experience Explosion. He is singing The Pretenders "Brass in Pocket". The lazy man in pajamas is a famous game designer that has made millions of dollars off a food-themed game. He's probably thinking about his next smash hit game design. The lady drummer is Sandi, Frank's wife. I think she used to be in Girlschool. Branham is on the right, looking omnious and shady, as usual. That's Johnny Marr on the left, playing guitar.
Johnny Marr my ass.....
Barnes did do creditable vocals on "Monkey Gone to Heaven", however.