June 2017 Update

Wow...June 11th already...where has the first half of 2017 gone?  Part of me feels like I haven't accomplished much this year, but then I look at the number of games I have gotten in along with the time I have invested and the progress I have made on various projects and I may not be doing so bad after all.

One big thing I have been struggling with this year is Version 4 of Flames of War.  When this was first announced I was concerned that the change in the rules would put me off, but once I read through the rules and the freebie EW/LW conversion books and played a few games, the rules are actually good.  I like a lot of the changes (Recon got hosed a bit IMO, but I guess I can live with that) and the game flows well.  The issue I have with V4 is their army list model.  Battlefront has embraced the product model they first deployed with Team Yankee which is fine for new players (like I was with Team Yankee), but for players with large existing collections it stinks IMO.  The Afrika Korps and Desert Rats books contain only a portion of what the German and British lists in V3's North Africa book had, then they release cards with additional content that could have been in each book...so for your $50 you get part of what was in North Africa for 2 of the 4 nationalities.  This is a step backward in army list options AND existing players are being nickle and dimed.  That said, the answer for me is to play the V4 rules for all periods using the V3 army list books; the games are fine and though some points may not be properly aligned to the V4 changes, it is all relative in friendly games.  Unfortunately I think Flames of War will be seeing a bit less table time in the near future as the local players figure out what is going to happen.

All is not doom and gloom though.  As Battlefront turns off some players, it appears that GW is pulling others like me back in.  I haven't played 40k since 5th edition and the failure that was 6th edition at which time I got rid of my armies.  I also haven't played Necromunda in years.  That is all changing.  GW has done a better job of marketing their product and showing the changes in the upcoming 8th edition IMO; so much so that I picked up the Shadow War rules, have some 8th edition stuff on pre-order, and started collecting Space Marine and Genestealer Cult forces.   I really like the 30k models from the Prospero and Calth sets, and got the Overkill box as a start on the core GSC force.  Now I just have to assemble and get painting (along with acquiring more stuff of course...).  I also got in a game of CAV: Strike Operations which I really liked.  Unfortunately I traded off my stuff from the first Kickstarter because I thought the game was never going to get off the ground locally, so I will have to reacquire some figures to play that game.

I have also been laboring on painting an Ogre army for Kings of War. I like how the army plays on the table, and I like how it is turning out painting-wise, but painting them has turned into a chore.  THERE ARE JUST WAY TOO MANY STRAPS AND BELTS ON THESE THINGS!!!!!!!  I have come to loathe painting all of the belts and straps and am forcing myself to paint them and not just blow through with a quick paint job.  I also got my stuff from the Shield Maiden Kickstarter that Shieldwolf Miniatures (http://www.shieldwolfminiatures.com/) and these are amazing.  They will be the next fantasy army that I work on and I hope I enjoy painting them more than the Ogres.  Shieldwolf is going to run another Kickstarter later this summer which will include more heavily armored maidens along with Sci-fi options (think plastic Sisters!).

The rest of the year I will be focused on finishing the Ogres and getting a viable Space Marine force assembled and painted.  If I can do that and finish up a couple of other odds and ends, I will be happy.  Now, here are some pictures of what I have been focused on:

The start of my Space Marines

 Ogres

 Closer shot of the Beserker Braves and some Boomers

 Some characters, Boomers and Siege Breakers

 A couple of GW Mournfangs and some Fleabag riders used as Chariots

 Boom Wagon!

 Mirliton Mammoth with Shooters; Mahout and crew are not permanently attached - this will allow me to use the Mammoth with other riders for other armies

 Resin markers for Shadow War that a friend made and I painted up.

Kickstarter Plunge: By Fire & Sword

Well I finally took the plunge on a "kickstarter".  Earlier today I pledged "The Winged Hussar Retainer Level" for the By Fire & Sword miniatures rules (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1729776659/by-fire-and-sword-historical-tabletop-wargame).  I pledged $75 to cover the level of support I wanted along with postage.  Since the merchandise will be shipping from Poland I thought it a decent investment for a 400 page hard cover book.  The book is currently available in Polish, but after doing a small test batch of English copies that were released at SALUTE 2013 the company, Wargamer.pl, put up a "kickstarter".  You can find out more about Wargamer.pl and the rules at http://www.fireandsword.wargamer.pl/

Eventhough I have always loved this period and area when it comes to wargaming I had never done a "kickstarter" so I had reservations about the process.  After talking with some friend that had supported other "kickstarter" efforts and following the great write-ups about the rules on the Anatoli's Gameroom blog (http://anatolisgameroom.blogspot.com/) I finally through my support behind it.

Now I just have to wait for the rules.  This will probably push me into building armies for the game...sadly I sold off my Poles and Swedes years ago when I couldn't find any rules that I enjoyed and my gaming interests shifted; I wish I still had them, but this will give me an opportunity to start over and hopefully engage some of the other local players in the game.

2013 Posting Negiligence

So it's April 28, 2013 and this is my first post of the year.  Sad, but true.  So, where have I been and what have I been doing?  Well, the bulk of my free time for the first 3 months of the year has been directed to a remodel/refresh of the house...you know, demo some stuff, get dry wall fixed, lay some tile, move furniture, move furniture again, paint, paint some more, sell some furniture, buy some new furniture.  Anyone that has gone through this process knows it can suck up a lot of time.  I still have some new light fixtures to install and we've decided to paint another room.  The good news is those couple of things will finish off this phase and we won't be moving on to the next phase until next year most likely.

With my focus on that project and several significant projects at work, it has been difficult to focus on gaming, especially painting.  That said, I have painted up a few 28mm models for my Union ACW force and I've actually gotten some games in.  You can check out my less than stellar record for this year on the side bar.

I think I'm shaking out of this "slump".  A few of us are planning a game of ACW Black Powder for later in May so that gives me something to work towards.  I need to finish up my ACW Union force for that game.  I also have handed off some terrain and some odds and ends to Tim at Saguaro Painting Service and have some other things lined up to knock off quickly after finishing the ACW.

I did get rid of my 15mm DAK army.  I had generally poor luck with it and wanted something different, so I used the proceeds from that sale to help purchase a nicely done 15mm Italian army for the desert.  It works for the mid-war period for FOW  and I plan on adding to it in order to be able to use it for early war.

I'm looking into what I would have to be able to use my 28mm Viking army for Hail Caesar and from the looks of it I would have to add 60 or so figures, most of which would be thralls and bondi.  This would give me a 400 point force and I may give it a try using Gripping Beast plastics to fill in the ranks.  Also, I'm very interested in the By Fire and Sword Kickstarter for their English rules; I really like this period and this may be the first Kickstarter I participate in.

Coming soon will be some pictures of more 28mm ACW stuff...stay tuned.