Reporting for duty

As well as being a toys nerd I'm also a bit of a part-time comics fan-boy.

Despite being somewhat of a fair weather comics geek i've always had a continuing interest in all things 200AD, it's newsagent availability being where I cut my printed teeth as such.

Along with "Old Iron Chin" and Slaine one of my great favourites has always been Friday the Rogue Trooper. I've avidly his adventures with Gunnar, Eightball and Bagman over a number of years.

So when I read an article in WI by Kevin Dallimore painting up some of Copplestone Casting's sweaty mercenaries as GI Genetic Infantry I simply had to follow suit. Originally for some games of THW's Chain Reaction they also saw some table-time as a Necromunda gang.

Recently, they're providing a plot point for the Star Wars roleplaying as the eponymous clones. Recent scavenger purchases have been for this purpose and the first three have been painted this weekend;

The, erm..... brains trust of Johno Rott'n, The Kid and Dok Apocalypse. I've really enjoyed painting these guys and can't wait to put them to use.

Some of the troopers of A Section including Venus Blue-Genes and The Big Blu.

Added as Necromunda Juves, I borrowed the idea from Jon, the youth section add an extra element of mobility.

So, another 6 P-Points duely earnt. The only slight thing is having added three new figs they're making the others look a bit ordinary. Nothing terrible just that one extra highlight that I missed first time round. No worries :)

It's all in the bones

The randomness of dice that is.

Uncharted Seas:

The Bone Griffins performed pretty well last night, though Jon's Orc fleet wasn't helped by the wind direction being totally against them.

Luck see-sawed for both of us. The all catapult battleship sank a cruiser on the very first turn. I, or my dice, then failed to take advantage of it's long range firepower and it quickly became a bit of a white elephant. All broadsides is temtping but 1 catapult with 2 broadsides seems more effective currently.

The Orci proved very effective in the ramming and boarding stakes. I preferred the fast cruisers simply based on speed and they should do well operating with the Orci.

The luck element was ably demonstrated when my last remaining cruiser tried what I felt was an ambitious ram on Jon's slightly worn battleship.
For the boarding action, even with a card giving me +2 bonus dice it was six dice each at 4+ to hit, 6's counting double and giving a re-roll. I rolled yahtzee and apologised through my grin.

I really like the "bonus 6" mechanism and it produced several wince enducing results across all four games played.

Star Wars:

Previously, in a galaxy far far away, the latest Send in the Clones session happened last Thursday and required the "heroes" to secure three cargo crates from a fortified gas mine.

An unexpected amount deal of stealth and guile was deployed to the point where I was quite concerned as to wether we'd see any violence at all!!

Thankfully, ideas eventually stalled and after a good healthy dose of laser-play the group limped off all nursing wounds with one of the skiffs rather battered.
The lady de luck was particualry fickle with the Jedi whose lightsaber would seem to be a more ornamental than practical weapon. Thankfully, for him, his opponent was equally inept.

The opening mission is now almost complete and i've been, relatively, busy sorting out the over-spanning story arc, ....eh?, but do need to finalise some finer details....... such as the choice of next mission.

My the farce be with you,... always :)

Shiver me timbers

With the girly away I ended up working this weekend so had Friday and today off instead.

Having picked my Bone Griffin fleet up form the Post Office first thing Friday i've got them all painted in time for the club tomorrow night. I've gone for an Egyptian look to go with the whole galley thing.

The battleship can be fitted out with whatever combination of broadside and / or catapult decks which fit snuggly so i've been able to paint them seperately and leave them inter-changeable.

The slow, heavy, cruisers with an additional catapult lashed to the deck adding some long range firepower.

The lighter cruisers. Faster but dependant on the wind conditions, unlike the rest of the fleet oar-powered fleet.

Three of the six Orcus. So is the plural Orci? Who couldn't be excited by 1/600 scale resin undead whales? No...really!!

I think i've decided to base the fleet, probably using some very tightly cut flat bases. I picked up some of GW's water effect over the weekend and given the price i'm hopeful of it turning in a good result.
An enjoyable project but not massively demanding, so for Painting Points i've decided 1 for each Orcus, 2 each for the Cruisers and 4 for the Battleship giving a whopping total of 18 PPs. Nice :)

Anyway, newly painted figures on the table tomorrow night so I'm already getting that sinking feeling!!

Monsieur Oddleg, trois points

So, ...(dramatic pause)... painting points!

As with all good / interesting / bizarre ideas I have acquired this one from elsewhere, namely Shaun. Shaun has previously been accruing painting points as part of the 1000 point painting pledge organised on The Miniatures Page website.

Hopefully obvious is the fact that you are awarded points for each figure you paint as a motivational device, though i'm sure there's an element of "healthy" competition.

I wish to do something similar, but probably not on the same scale. I wish to dip a toe and see what it gets me,... other than wet toes.

A points scale is required and i've decided that a single 15mm figure, as the smallest thing i'm likely to paint, is worth 1pt and a 25mm figure 2pts. Everything else is scaled up from there.
I intend to work on the basis of how much work goes into any figure rather than use pure size, though I have an idea of modifiers, for example;

Vehicles; small gets a modifier of x3, medium x5, large x8. A complex model / paint scheme adds +1 to the modifier cumulatively.
Cavalry; gives a x2 modifier.
Scenic basing; gives a +1 modifier.

For now I'll keep a set of monthly totals and should I be bored enough at some point in January I can analyse the results and set myself a 2010 target. Feel the Gs baby!!

So, for August 09 I have currently painted one blood-bowl ogre which, though enjoyable, wasn't particuarly demnding.
Monsieur Oddleg, trois points!

That was the week that was

So, 10 days work free and what have I achieved?

A wedding, a day at the cricket, a day on Margate beach, more of a tan, some shopping and plenty of girly time.
I've also painted SOME figures and played a few games, and by doing so I've tweeked the scope of my "hobby" and made some decisions.

I've re-confirmed that as I establish more of an apparant life, the more effort I have to put in to maintain my hobby. Not a problem, the more you put in them more you get out, I just have to manage what I need to put in, if that's not too negative!?

As such I continue my move away from GW and have decided that the Fantasy armies need to go, I gave up on 40K some years ago. I just don't have the time / effort / outlet required for a game I now find hard work to play.

I'll be keeping 2000pts of Empire cavalry just in case but everything else must go. I, currently, couldn't face just binning it all so my first foray into e-bay selling is on the cards.
There are a number of decently painted Empire units, plenty of built Orc and Goblin units and two big boxes of unit boxes and sprues. It'll be bargain basement but, with luck, they can recycled into a Valkyrie or two :)

But two of four initial projects have been, technically, completed. The clones will continue, the archers will wait on a back burner. Meanwhile I have been e-notified that my Bone Griffin fleet is winging it's way to me and will form project 3. Project slot 4 is earmarked, but not to be billed until I get a decent sized project completed.

As mentioned previously, I love the galley look and who could resist undead whales. I finally played a game on Tuesday using a Dwarf fleet and really like the game. Having finally browsed the Bone Griffin's rules they're a bit "different" with the whales having a plethora of special rules.

With luck, I can have them good to go for the next club night and i'll get to try them out.

Chin, chin.

Gonk SMASH!!

Aloha,

As to once again score a quick result I have today painted the Blood-Bowl ogre to, finally, complete my human team "Franks Freaks".

Made up of all classic figures picked up many years ago during a metal pick I recently acquired Gonk, the ogre, via e-bay as only a classic Morg 'n Thorg would do the job.

I continue with these guys because I love the figures and thier travelling freak show background. Having taken part in one GT and many leagues they've always been rather unlucky for me, or I for them........ you decide.

The brains trust consisting of Sin-D-Rella, Frank and Capt Krunch.

The heavy boys including The Mighty Gonk, R0-Jaws and Hel-Mutt.

The Seven Dwarves linemen. Sleazy, Knuckles, Doc, Surly et al.

The special teams. Big 'Ed, Whiplash, Four Ayes and Short-Round.

So, technically, that's two whole projects completed this week. The clones are coming along nicely and more importantly i'm getting back into the habit of painting which has been pleasing.

Probably got a day's painting Sunday so a weekly round-up will follow. Yee-hawww :)

Schnell, schnell, kartoppel-koffen!!

HUZZAH......, for this evening I have finally completed the German 105 howitzer platoon, namely four 105's two spotters, command and staff teams. I've also finished the pioneer platoon which also needed minimal highlighting and some varnish.

As mentioned previously this was a very easy hit but a good starter for ten and a bit of camera time :)

I've also finished the pioneer platoon which also only required basic highlighting. These have to be some of my favourite whermacht figures. A full platoon list exists........ somewhere!

Probably a bit keen to be claiming any painting points towards the 2010 total, more another time, but it's a start. No where's that, singular, ogre.

Whilst on the topic of jack-booted oppressors, I popped into GW Plaza this afternoon and spent £14.45 on a can of black spray and three paints :( As much as i've been assured that car spray will work fine, six years previous service within GW, more at a later date, leaves its foibles.

The blue shirt was a decent enough guy and I got got some good info on putting together and painting up the Valkyrie kit which WILL be happening once the current clones are done.

Anyway, a day of cricket at Lords tomorrow and then an evening of toys :)

I love Lords, an Middlesex vs Essex four day which will now feature Ravi "the big bopper" Bopara released for "time in the middle". Not sure that the Middlesex attack can offer too much of a challenge though.

We're playing through The Uncharted Seas for the first time. Should be good, will post.

What a difference a day makes

I hardly dare type this but as an apparant new man me and the LADY went and had manicures last night. First time for me and despite being told that I look scared I rather enjoyed all the pampering.

On the way I happened to pass Orc's Nest and being slightly early I slid in and picked up a couple of packs of Copplestone's Future Wars scavengers.




This was an officially sanctioned purchase under the "Current Projects" clause that we all know, love and abuse. Specifically the Star Wars: Clones project. The nails were entirely different and are very nice and shiny!

10 days leave from tomorrow which will feature a wedding, gaming, lots of cricket and SOME painting.

The German Artillery project has been selected for completion as it is the easiest / quickest hit available. The recent Star Wars purchases, thats a whole 12 figures folks, have also been selected as this is where my main enthusiasm lies currently.......... currently :)

Meanwhile I have recently ordered an Uncharted Seas Bone Griffins starter fleet. I really like the galley look to the ships and the destroyers are actually undead whales. Couldn't resist.
As, technically, they haven't arrived yet they're not, technically, on the list and should replace the kraut guns.

No project creep at all then.... technically :)

Let the wookie win!!

Ok, so i've knicked Aaron's title and the photos from his phone:

I actually managed to turn up at my own flat last night and we got the first session of Send in the Clones played using the new Star Wars roleplay system.

After we sorted out the loss of half the character sheets and Ian being down with pig flu we cracked on and had a pretty good session. It's a relatively diverse group with Charlie displaying a particuarly taut trigger finger to the chagrin of some and nonchalance of others.

After some initial trepidation a number of stunning persuade, bluff and perception rolls had the group well on thier way to recovering a number of mislaid crates. Displaying a ruthless guile the boys took out a supply convoy with one quick volley and then made use of the sole heavily wounded survivor to bluff thier way into the target facility.

With pizza boxes and choccy biccies similarly despatched the evening was drawn to a close. Next session will likely see the first mission completed so I need to read up how experience works and write some more missions.

Meanwhile, no progress with the paints, though I have a week off from Friday and delusions of what can be achieved!!