Sunday, January 7, 2007

Games links

Looking back over my humble blog I noticed I hadn't updated my links. I'll begin to change that, starting today. Over the next few days I'll outline the main sites I use and tell you why I think they are valuable.

The first site I have linked to is the obvious one, Games Workshop itself. The site isn't one that I frequent all that often, as a lot of content is aimed at younger, newer gamers, rather than crusty old veterans like myself. If you don't know your lasgun from your boltgun or why the Horus Heresy happened you can find the official answer here. I use the site for a couple of main resources. The first is for errata. Games Workshop write superbly evocative background for Warhammer 40k and sell some visually stunning models but most people would agree that their editing, proof-reading and rules writing can let them down on occasion. The errata documents aim to put this right.

The other reason I visit this site is to keep up to date with events and tournaments. I went to my first 40k Grand Tournament last year and enjoyed it immensely, so I plan to go to more events in the coming year. The next one in my sights is the Dark Stars campaign weekend.

Back to Warhammer Fantasy, I have just undercoated my new 10 man Warrior unit. Like most modellers I have struggled with priming my models over the years. Most of my problems stem from the fact I live in northern England. I just laugh when people recommend you spray undercoat your models outside. Between rain, wind, snow, sleet, hail, dark nights starting at 4.00pm and extreme cold that would mean I could prime models on two days per year. So I have painted undercoats (too slow), sprayed on newspaper (you end up with hard lines of undercoat on the wallpaper and very angry parents) and sprayed in boxes (you almost choke on the fumes). In the spell between rain showers this morning I tried out a new method utilising double sided tape.


The tape held the plastic models very securely, although I'm not sure how it would cope with metal models. The only problem I had was with the wind, meaning I had to spray at 45 degrees to the models.

Now I just need to get onto the painting.

Saturday, January 6, 2007

The army musters

I'm writing this post with twisted and gnarled fingers following the construction of my Chaos Warriors. The bodies were easy enough for my stubby fingers to put together but it took ages to file the mould lines off the weapons. The heads were even worse, and sent me scuttling around on the floor more than once as they acquired a life of their own and leapt from my hands in a bid for freedom.

You may notice from the photo below that I have slightly converted the heads by taking off all the horns. Real Vikings didn't have horned helmets, so neither do mine!


You may also have spotted that the vast majority of my Warriors use hammers and axes rather than swords. This is due to my army background, where the army leader, Sigurt Volsung, has been trained in combat by a (Chaos) Dwarf, and has passed this training on to his followers.

Here is a pic of my previously completed Warriors.


I'll post other photos of my completed units soon, along with regular updates on my progress on the new units.

Friday, January 5, 2007

Selling my RPG soul

I've already posted a giant list of models I want to keep. Today I'm posting a list of the gaming gear I want to sell. Most of it is role playing stuff I sadly no longer have time for, along with some other random stuff. It'll all appear on e-bay in the near future.

RPG magazines
  • Dragon 180 Vol XVI, no 11 April 1992
  • Dragon 186 Vol XVII, no 5, October 1992
  • Dragon 187 Vol XVII, no 6 November 1992
  • Dragon 204 Vol XVIII, no 11 April 1994
  • Signs and Portents no 2, September 2003
  • The Last Province rpg magazine, issues 1-5, 1992-1993
  • Pyramid rpg magazine, no 19, 1996
  • Gamemaster rpg magazine, no 5, December 1990
  • Gamemaster rpg magazine, no 8, March 1991
  • Adventurer rpg magazine, no 1, April 1986
  • Adventurer rpg magazine, no 8, March 1987
  • Arcane rpg magazine, issue 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 1996-1997
  • GM rpg magazine, volume 1 no 5, January 1989
  • GM rpg magazine, volume 1 no 7, March 1989
  • Roleplayer Independent rpg magazine, volume 1 issue 5, April 1993
  • Roleplayer Independent rpg magazine, volume 1 issue 10, September 1993
  • Roleplayer Independent rpg magazine, volume 2 issue 1 no 13, December 1993
  • Roleplayer Independent rpg magazine, volume 2 issue 3 no 15, 1994
  • Roleplayer Independent rpg magazine, volume 2 issue 4 no 16, 1994
  • Challenge rpg magazine, no 56, January 1992
  • White Wolf rpg magazine, no 44
  • GM rpg magazine, volume 1 no 6, February 1989
  • GM rpg magazine, volume 2 no 2, October 1989
  • Valkyrie rpg magazine, volume 1 issue 4, December 1994
  • Valkyrie rpg magazine, volume 1 issue 10 (or 7), December 1996
  • Valkyrie rpg magazine, volume 1 issue 11
  • Valkyrie Quarterly rpg magazine, no 22
  • Valkyrie Quarterly rpg magazine, no 24
  • Valkyrie Quarterly rpg magazine, no 26
RPG games and supplements
  • Middle Earth Roleplaying ICE July 1986
  • Mirkwood The Wilds of Rhovanion (ICE MERP campaign supplement Northern and Southern Mirkwood combined) Oct 1988
  • Sea Lords of Gondor (MERP & Rolemaster) 1987
  • Darker than Darkness, Lord of the Rings adventure, 1991
  • Dungeons and Dragons players handbook 3rd edition, Core rulebook 1, D20 system, 2000
  • Judge Dredd rpg, D20, 2002
  • Mega-City One's Most Wanted, supplement for Judge Dredd rpg, 2002
  • Apple Lane, 2 Runequest adventures, Greg Stafford, 1980 (+Basic roleplaying introductory guide)
  • Delta Force rpg, 1986
  • Everway rpg, Jonathon Tweet, 1995
  • Dungeoneer, Jackson and Livingstone, 1989
  • Maelstrom rpg, Alexander Scott, 1984
Books
  • Fantasy Wargaming, Martin Hackett, 1990
  • The Making of Starship Troopers, Paul M. Sammon, 1997
  • The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy, a trilogy in four parts, Douglas Adams, 1993
  • The Official Batman Batbook, Joel Eisner, 1987
  • The One That Got Away, Chris Ryan, 1995
  • The Wasp Factory, Iain Banks, 1997
  • REM Documental, Dave Bowler and Bryan Dray, 1995
CCG's
  • Middle Earth CCG, The Wizards Companion, 1996
  • Star Trek ccg cards
Board Games
  • Hexagony, Oriental Strategy and Conquest game, Avalon Hill, 1980
Computer games
  • FIFA 2006, PSP
  • LMA Manager 2006, PS2
Comics
  • Warrior monthly, volume 2 number 6, no 18, April 1984
This is just the most accessible chunk of my collection. There are certainly more comics and RPG's tucked away somewhere (I may have to don a miner's lamp and climb up into the loft to investigate).

Of course I have a whole raft of models I want to ditch too, but I'll sort through them at a later date. Note to self - if in doubt, chuck it out.

Thursday, January 4, 2007

What's on the workbench?

Since I'm inviting you all into my little corner of the gaming world I thought you would like a look around.


Here is my desk. As you can see I didn't tidy it up for the photograph. You might be able to make out a cup of tea, lamps for lighting my photo's (but all the bulbs are knackered), my laptop, a radio, fan and my Newcastle United season ticket, as well as my gaming gear.

So what is on my cutting mat?

I'm currently painting up my Chaos chariot. All the model needs is some detailing on the horses' barding.


I'm particularly happy with the wooden parts which is a real shame as it's the bit of the model you won't see once the crew are in place.


I didn't like the old hunchback crew so I used two plastic Chaos Warrior models instead. I pinned the original metal whip onto the driver and fashioned a halberd from a standard bearer.



I'm also putting the other 10 Warriors together. I'm still not sure whether to add them to my existing unit of 12 to create one mega unit, or to paint them as a separate unit. In any case I've got a bit of construction left before I'm forced into a choice.

On an entirely unrelated note I am going to quote Glen Roeder from the Newcastle United v Manchester United match programme.
Now it is very important that we do not just run on the spot, for if you run on the spot you are going backwards. Rome wasn't built in a day, but in professional football you have to be seen to be moving forward.
If anyone has any idea what that means, please let me know!

Wednesday, January 3, 2007

Give me 100 marines or failing that, 1000 guardsmen

As promised, here is the biggest 'to do' list I have ever written. Every model on the list needs to be built and painted - the full bifta. I've broken them down into categories because...well, because that's the kind of thing I do.

Space Marines
  • Techmarine and 4 servitors
  • Whirlwind
  • Rhino
  • Landraider
  • Landraider Crusader
  • 10 Scouts
  • 5 Honour Guard
  • 30 RTB01 plastic Marines

Orks
  • 8 'Ardboyz
  • Dreadnought
  • 3 Killa Kanz
  • 3 Mega armoured Nobs

Chaos
  • 9 Plaguebearers
  • 8 Deathguard
  • 8 Khorne Berzerkers
  • Fabius Bile
  • 9 Bloodletters
  • 6 Daemonettes (base coated)
  • Keeper of Secrets
  • Terminator Lord
  • 20 Chaos Renegade Militia

Sisters of Battle
  • 4 Arbites
  • Saint Celestine
  • 2 Vindicare assassins
  • Culexus assassin
  • Callidus assassin
  • Eversor assassin
  • Inquisitor
  • Uriah Jacobus
  • 3 Henchmen
  • Immolator
  • 20 Sisters

Tau
  • 2 Crisis suits
  • 16 Kroot
  • Hammerhead
  • 6 Vespid
  • 2 Broadsides
  • 3 Stealth suits (new plastics)
  • Sniper drone team
  • 3 Aircaste (forgeworld)
  • 10 Kroot hounds
  • Commander Crisis suit
  • 3 Pirhana
  • 24 Firewarriors

Eldar
  • Vyper
  • 4 Jetbikes
  • 30 Harlequins
  • 6 Guardians
  • Jain Zar

Imperial Guard

Praetorians
  • 5 Lascannon
  • Autocannon
  • 70 Infantry
  • 4 Command
  • Mortar
Catachan
  • 4 Lascannon
  • 6 Mortars
  • 72 Infantry
Cadian
  • Creed and Kell
  • Commissar
  • Rough Rider (converted)
  • Company Standard
  • 3 Psykers
  • Lieutenant
  • 2 Medics
  • Chimera
  • 13 Stormtroopers (part painted)
  • 12 Infantry
Others
  • 8 Vostroyans
  • 5 Tanith

Warhammer Fantasy
  • 77 Wood Elves
  • Nurgle Palanquin
  • Beast of Nurgle

Necromunda
  • 3 Bounty Hunters
  • 8 Ratskins
  • 9 Escher gangers
  • Orlock ganger
  • Delaque ganger
  • Van Saar ganger

Bloodbowl
  • 2 Goblin cheerleaders
  • Jordell Freshbreeze
  • Dwarf Death Roller
  • Dwarf Coach
  • Goblin Coach
  • Dark Elf assassin

Battlefleet Gothic
  • Plastic boxed set

Inquisitor
  • Daemonhost
  • Death Cult assassin

Miscellaneous
  • Squat
  • Pilot
  • Navigator
  • Forgeworld abandoned Chimera
  • Forgeworld Chaos Marine bust
  • Forgeworld Bloodletter daemon bust
  • Limited edition Space Marine 'Iwo Jima' diorama
  • Limited edition Ultramarine standard bearer
Phew! That little lot will keep me busy for about a decade, I reckon. My hazy plan for getting them on the tabletop is to complete each batch of models as and when their codex gets a redo, but this must fit into my other objective of playing a new army for every gaming season.

I am currently playing Warhammer Fantasy with a Hordes of Chaos army and I am buying and completing the models as I go. Once I have reached 2000 points I will return to 40k with my Exigators Chaos Marines, so it would be a good idea to finish my Chaos models off next.

After that, it's all up for grabs and I'll be looking at a new 40k army.

Thanks for reading.

Tuesday, January 2, 2007

Gaming resolutions

Once the building work on my house was complete I had to unpack all of my gaming gear into my shiny new gaming room. I realised just how much I had and how much I am never going to use again. Most of it is role playing stuff but I also have some old books and models.

This realisation has led to my two New Year resolutions:

  1. I have more models than sense. I also have more models than I will ever use. The ones I want to keep are lying around in boxes, unassembled and unpainted. My resolution is to start putting these armies together. I will get rid of the rest on e-bay.
  2. I can only build and paint my existing models if I inoculate myself against 'new army syndrome.' It goes like this. A new army is released. I say 'ooh' and 'aah' at all the funky new models. I convince myself I could fit the army into my existing 40k background. I sketch out a play style and convince myself I could make it work. I spunk £200 on the army. The time frame for all of this is 3.4 seconds. The next day I look at the pile of unopened boxes, calculate it will take about four months to complete the army, then quietly pack it away into a cupboard. Sometimes I weep at the inhumanity of it all. Then I get distracted by the next new army. My resolution is to only buy new models with the money I make from selling my old gear, otherwise I'll just use my existing models.
Tomorrow I'll post a gigantic list of all the models I own and need to build and paint.

Monday, January 1, 2007

New adventures in gaming

Howdy.

Welcome to my first blog post.

As it is January 1st it seems appropriate to start with a look back over the last year. My home life has been about as peaceful as Pete Docherty's. I spent a wonderful three months living with builders, washing dishes in the bath and eating brick dust with every meal. It puts hairs on your chest.

I also got a new job which meant a lot of overtime. Deep joy.

All this upheaval has severely reduced my gaming time. I have only painted a handful of models all year and as a result I went back to 'refresh' my old Exigators Chaos Space Marines rather than muster a new 40k army. I played them sporadically, largely against my regular gaming buddy Gary, and while they were less than inspiring on an aesthetic level I did win a lot of games with them. I learned the sheer power of Obliterators and even got to duff things up in combat with my Daemon Prince and Daemons. In fact I came over so bloodthirsty I even started eating my steaks rare. The Exigators only let me down at the 40k grand tournament heat 2 where I finished 96th from 150 players. They were too static in a mobile firepower environment and their need for aggressive deployment to summon daemons meant they bled victory points in every game.

At the beginning of the year Gary and I finally completed our Bloodbowl season. Although it felt like a hard slog at times it was hugely enjoyable. I went undefeated in the regular season with my human team, the Wolfenburg Shadows, only to be knocked out in the first semi final. The Old Albion League title was won by the Skin Flayers, an undead team who really showed their ability over a long season. For the first season ever, Gary's Chaos team failed to make the knock-outs.

Following the grand tournament in November I was all 40ked out and wanted a break. With great timing, in strode Warhammer Fantasy 7th edition. In a sudden epiphany I realised that I had never, ever painted a dragon in my entire hobby 'career' and that I had to do it.

Immediately.

So Gary and I began to play Warhammer. He chose Dark Elves while I picked Chaos. I figured they were a small elite army, and therefore I'd have few models to buy, build and paint, and that I could include a stonkingly hard dragon. We're currently halfway through a series of escalating points value games. We started at 500pts and are increasing the points value by 250pts every two weeks. The aim is to stop once we reach 2000pts.

Well, that's all for now. I'll be back tomorrow with my plans and resolutions for the coming year.