tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34455640106394515352024-03-13T17:28:54.919-05:00The Blue GnollModeling, gaming, movies, books, always infrequent, always worth a lookAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160230067937554668noreply@blogger.comBlogger62125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445564010639451535.post-17825904952608241972013-09-02T15:34:00.001-05:002017-08-07T21:26:24.333-05:00Warhammer 40K Campaign: Retake Amerigo Chorale part 2Last game is documented<a href="http://www.bluegnoll.blogspot.com/2013/08/warhammer-40k-campaign-retake-amerigo.html" target="_blank"> here</a>. The results dictated the forces of Chaos would either hunt down who was responsible for the planetary laser's destruction -- because let's face it, on a Chaos ruled world, one faction screwing around with another would NOT be unusual -- or, a portion of their fleet would poke around the immediate area and see if the Imperium had arrived in system.<br />
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The Chaos player decided on the latter, so it's off to space for Battlefleet Gothic!<br />
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<strong><u>Storyline</u></strong>: The small Chaos task force did indeed discover a rather sizable Imperial presence in system, just beyond an asteroid belt to mask their approach. With some quick thinking on the part of the navigators and Admiral, the Imperial ships were able to block psychic and practical transmissions from the Chaos vessels back to <a href="http://www.bluegnoll.blogspot.com/2013/08/long-overdue-warhammer-40k-campaign.html" target="_blank">Amerigo Chorale</a>. The Chaos fleet had to run in order to warn the planet.<br />
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<strong><u>Setup</u></strong>: The Mission is adapted from page 147 of the <a href="http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/content/article.jsp?catId=cat480005a&categoryId=6700003a&section=&aId=21500018a" target="_blank">Battlefleet Gothic Armada rule book</a>. The "PlanetKiller" and the Mars classd battlecruise have been omitted from the scenario.<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wixkMpPJB8I/UiUHZkPom0I/AAAAAAAAAdQ/-Qn0qXNZ6Xg/s1600/DSCN3672.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wixkMpPJB8I/UiUHZkPom0I/AAAAAAAAAdQ/-Qn0qXNZ6Xg/s1600/DSCN3672.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
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Chaos fleet: Slaughter Class cruiser -- Lamb's Head<br />
Devastation Class cruiser -- Rabid<br />
Iconoclast escorts (x3 squadron)--The lepers <br />
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Imperial fleet: Tyrant Class cruiser* -- Hernando de Soto<br />
Gothic Class cruiser -- Froom<br />
Cobra escort (x4 squadron) -- Ice Squadron: Nervy; Fearless; Stalwart; <br />
St. Beard<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">*We don't have a Tyrant class cruiser so we are substituting a Dominator which looks very similar.</td></tr>
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<strong><u>Objectives</u></strong>: Chaos: For every ship that flees off the Imperial deployment side of the board, 2<br />
randomly rolled planetary defenses will be maneuvered into place to engage <br />
the Imperial fleet when they arrive to make orbit and invade.<br />
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Imperial fleet: Prevent Chaos vessels from leaving the area and destroy them.<br />
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<strong><u>Gameplay</u></strong>: Turn one saw the Chaos cruisers head directly for the asteroid belt in the center of the board. Leper squadron headed away 90 degrees from the cruiser to go around the asteroids. The Imperial Captain of the Gothic cruiser Froom attempted to lock on to the Devastation class and failed, wrecking the special orders for the imperials that turn. Ice Squadron fired torpedoes into the Leper squadron, knocking out two of their number immediately.<br />
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Turn two the Lamb's head Slaughter class cruiser rolled awesomely on the "all ahead full" orders, getting to scream away a full 46cm. (Only 21 more cm to go to the end of the table!) The last of leper squadron cut loose with it's weapons battery, annihilating The Nervy from Ice squadron outright. And the Rabid put a critical hit on the Gothic Cruiser Froom, crippling it's engines. In response, every Imperial Captain achieved their "Lock-on" orders, prompting the Lamb's head crew to roll for "Brace-for-Impact". The tyrant was able to hit the Lamb's head, but no critical damage was scored. In the meantime, the torpedoes of the Gothic cruiser permanently dropped the shields of the Devastation class cruiser. At the end of the turn, the Gothic cruiser Froom repaired it's thrusters.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rSlamxq5HlM/UiT0k8Eh0BI/AAAAAAAAAcw/LN_1AF-fE3Q/s1600/DSCN3695.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rSlamxq5HlM/UiT0k8Eh0BI/AAAAAAAAAcw/LN_1AF-fE3Q/s200/DSCN3695.JPG" width="200" /></a>The third turn saw the Lamb's head get away from the scene, score chaos team. The remaining iconoclast escort turned and threaded the needle of Ice squadron, running right past them. They turned to follow, but awkwardly, their fire ineffective against the running Chaos escort. The Devastation class ship would not get away, taking the fury of two Imperial cruisers and exploding into a debris cloud. <br />
In the end, Ice squadron couldn't turn in time to pursue the remaining iconoclast and Chaos earned another two defense satellites.<br />
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<strong><u>Next game</u></strong>: Either a kill team to knock down some of the defense satellites, or the invasion begins with Battlefleet gothic...<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160230067937554668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445564010639451535.post-67523342611042759392013-08-21T11:57:00.000-05:002013-08-21T11:57:03.719-05:00Warhammer 40K Campaign: Retake Amerigo Chorale<div style="text-align: left;">
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The first game of the campaign is a game of Kill Team a-la 4th edition as determined by the Imperium. The forces of Chaos decided on this map tile as the start location of hostilities:<br />
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<strong>Imperial Guard Kill Team:</strong><br />
Taken from the Troop/Veteran squad entry of the IG codex.<br />
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1 veteran sergeant<br />
9 Veterans 70point base<br />
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Sergeant: Power weapon +10<br />
Plasma Pistol +10<br />
1 sniper rifle +5<br />
1 autocannon* +10<br />
1 grenade launcher +5<br />
3 Shotguns free<br />
3 lasguns <u>free</u><br />
110 points<br />
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*The autocannon, while only strength 7, is a second heavy weapon choice for the squad and violates the "Immutable Laws of Kill Team" page 218 of the 4th ed. rulebook. This gives the Chaos player 2 additional brute squads at the beginning of the game, and also and additional 25 points to spend on his officer or team gear.<br />
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It was decided not to use the codex doctrines for the veteran squad, but instead choose "Specialist Kit" from the Kill Team rules as it is an ongoing campaign they will be involved in and the kits stack game to game. This squad took "Backstabbers" which allows them a generous d6 roll of 2-6 to avoid awarding the brute squad player a warning klaxon if they are able to wipe out a squad in an assault. With two extra brute squads starting on the Chaos side, this would come in handy. At 10points, this brings the squad's total to 120 points, 40 points below the 160 point max.<br />
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<strong>The Chaos Traitor Guard Brute Squads:</strong><br />
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We have a partial, working <a href="http://www.bluegnoll.blogspot.com/2012/03/40k-traitor-guard-fast-attack-entry.html" target="_blank">traitor guard codex of our own design</a>, but went with a WYSIWYG and Dark Vengeance stat line approach for the brute squads.<br />
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Base number: 10 squads of 3 models<br />
Additional: +2 squads for rules violation<br />
Base boss points: 20 points<br />
Additional: +25 points for rule violation<br />
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Keeping the junior officer fairly generic, the Chaos player spent 40 points of "Reinforcements" from the Brute Squad Specialised Kit page 226. This meant as soon as the Chaos player collected 3 klaxon counters, he would gain another "aware" brute squad every turn after. With 12 brute squads already crowding the 4x4 play area, this wouldn't be a long process.<br />
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<strong>Objective/Storyline: Sabotage</strong><br />
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The Kill Team has been inserted in secret to silence a major planetary defense laser in anticipation of a larger invasion now that the Imperial fleet is amassing just outside the system. By rules of the campaign this first battle took place here on the first map tile from Planetary Empires: A fortress was placed here though does not play a factor in this kill team mission.<br />
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<strong>Summary:</strong><br />
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While the insertion went unnoticed, the Kill team wasted no time closing with their first victims, quickly wiping out the unsuspecting brute squad, but failing their Backstabber roll with a "1". Not the silent start they'd hoped for an a klaxon was awarded to the Chaos player. The Chaos player rolled "6" to activate squads on his side, but only controlled 3 after the control rolls were made. The imperium player moved the brute squads he controlled away from the defense laser of course, closer to the ruins bordering the western table edge. The other three squads made moves to pinch the Kill Team and force them to run a gauntlet of guard posts where inactive squads waited dutifully. Shooting in this turn saw the loss of the Kill Team's grenade launching grunt -- per 6th edition rules, closest to the firer takes the hit. This same squad died in the following close combat, but again the Kill team failed their Backstabber roll and another klaxon went to Chaos.<br />
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The Chaos player consistently rolled "6"'s to activate squads, and while the Imperial player was able to keep two squads from ever participating, Chaos did succeed in bottle necking the Kill Team into the gauntlet leading to the cannon, acquiring 3 klaxon counters by turn 4, engaging his "Reinforcements" specialist kit. Also, in turn three another of the Kill Team fell to enemy fire.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wveEaYB06AM/UhTwfI0minI/AAAAAAAAAb0/kf-GEBiNfoM/s1600/DSCN3661.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wveEaYB06AM/UhTwfI0minI/AAAAAAAAAb0/kf-GEBiNfoM/s320/DSCN3661.JPG" width="320" /></a>In the end it was a race to the cannon, but the Kill team was able to set their charges and protect them for a full turn.<br />
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<strong>Results:</strong> Victory Kill Team.<br />
<strong>Consequences</strong>: No defense laser fire in Battle Fleet gothic game representing planetary invasion<br />
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The Chaos player now had a choice to do a second Kill Team game to exact revenge and wipe out the kill team, or do a Battlefleet Gothic game to determine if there was actually an enemy fleet on their doorstep. Battlefleet Gothic was chosen! Battle report #2 on the way!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160230067937554668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445564010639451535.post-37292315027395988002013-08-11T00:49:00.001-05:002013-08-11T10:56:06.026-05:00Long Overdue Warhammer 40K CampaignI <em>finally</em> got on board and purchased 6th edition of Warhammer 40K by way of the box set: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvwM-utebd0" target="_blank">Dark Vengeance</a>. As always,<a href="http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/" target="_blank"> Games Workshop's</a> boxed sets are a generous miniature give-away and could act as a stand alone tabletop game. But the "need" for more is built into the system in general. It's just that trying to keep up with the seemingly never ending alterations and price increases that more-and-more define Games Workshop's Warhammer 40K, seems to drown out what's important. SO, we've decided to do something retro and actually have fun with the hobby. It's campaign time!<br />
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Our campaign will use: Battlefleet Gothic, Warhammer 40K 4th edition Kill Team, Planet Strike, Warhammer 40K 6th edition, Cities of Death and Planetary Empires for mapping purposes.<br />
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<strong>BACKGROUND</strong>:<br />
<br />
Year: 999M41<br />
Segmentum: Pacificus<br />
Planet: Amerigo Chorale<br />
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Amerigo Chorale had been hidden from the Imperium by a millennia long warp storm, completely cut-off and presumably lost to mankind. In response to a final entreaty for assistance, early relief efforts ended in the loss of a partial fleet and Imperial Guard task force. (The Inquisition suspected treachery in this matter but were unable to pursue a rigorous follow up.)<br />
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With the advent of <a href="http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/13th_Black_Crusade#.UgbxwSMo7IU" target="_blank">Abbadon's 13th Black Crusade</a>, the warp storms obscuring Amerigo Chorale suddenly dissipated and the planet started screaming...<br />
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...literally.<br />
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In the warp, the planet's signature became a navigational hazard to reinforcements rushing to aid Cadia and stem the flow of Chaos forces from the <a href="http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Eye_of_Terror" target="_blank">Eye of Terror</a>. Disparate Imperial elements were redirected to silence Amerigo Chorale if possible, pending an Exterminatus Action by the Inquisition. (There is rumored to be Xeno tech or ancient STD human tech on the planet, so the Inquistion and Mars both were interested in reclamation of the planet if possible.<br />
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<strong>CAMPAIGN OBJECTIVES</strong>:<br />
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Imperials: 1) Reclaim the planet for the glory of the Imperium; 2) Find and "silence" the 8 psychic choirs sending out their disruptive navigational influence into the warp 3) Confirm existence of STD or Xeno Tech, locate and secure.<br />
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Chaos forces: Kill the invaders and maintain psychic choir disruption of warp travel.<br />
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<strong>MAPPING</strong>:<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-slNWCyjPQfA/UgckjDVABCI/AAAAAAAAAZw/AStGcGZqQcQ/s1600/IMG_20130324_172524_777.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-slNWCyjPQfA/UgckjDVABCI/AAAAAAAAAZw/AStGcGZqQcQ/s320/IMG_20130324_172524_777.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fun, gorgeous, practical. These tiles rule!<br />
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</tbody></table>
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We will use Planetary Empires in reverse. This is a Chaos held world and has been for centuries, so our use of the tiles, with the exception of the first chosen by the Chaos player, will be random. (We have a d6 system worked out for this.) Turns for Planetary Empires will alternate, but will necessarily be kicked off by the invading Imperials.<br />
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To begin the campaign, the Imperial player(s) could choose from a game of Battlefleet Gothic or 4th edition Kill team to pave the way for invasion. Kill Team it was. Battle report pending.<br />
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Game on!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160230067937554668noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445564010639451535.post-22527923415528149622013-06-07T09:14:00.001-05:002013-06-25T14:36:15.935-05:00The "Female Doctor (Who)" Gimmick<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<strong>Jumping the Shark:</strong> definition 3 according to the <a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=jump+the+shark" target="_blank">Urban Dictionary.com</a> website:<br />
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<em>"...the point when a television series shows it has run out of ideas and must resort to stunts to retain viewer interest. Derived from a scene in the last years of </em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070992/" target="_blank"><em>Happy Days</em></a><em> when the Fonz waterskied over a shark."</em><br />
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And now<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jumping_the_shark" target="_blank"> Jumping the Shark</a>: from <a href="http://wikipedia.org/">Wikipedia.org</a>:</div>
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<strong><em>"Jumping the shark</em></strong> <em>is an </em><a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/idiom" target="_blank"><em>idiom</em></a><em> created by </em><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Hein" target="_blank"><em>Jon Hein</em></a><em> that was used to describe the moment in the evolution of a television show when it begins a decline in quality that is beyond recovery, which is usually a particular scene, episode, or aspect of a show in which the writers use some type of "gimmick" in a desperate attempt to keep viewers' interest."</em><br />
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Clever readers will be quick to point out that Happy Days lasted for years after this scene. This observation is true, but off point. The "stunt"/"gimmick" parts of the definitions are what count here. As the last several years have demonstrated, the writers for Doctor Who are hardly out of ideas, so changing the Doctor's gender -- an inexplicable desire on the part of a minority of "fans", that raises it's head everytime the character has a regeneration pending -- is simply that, a gimmick. It serves no narrative purpose in the revived series, or in the broader context of the show's half-a-century history; it does nothing to enhance, flesh-out or otherwise actualize a character that -- apparently surprising to some -- has continued to develop and grow as portrayed by "white" males from the U.K. <br />
<br />
I know there are some hardcore arguments for the sex-change like: "It's about time", "the show's about change" and my favorite: invoking the throw away line about the Doctor's Time Lord friend, the <a href="http://tardis.wikia.com/wiki/The_Corsair" target="_blank">Corsair</a>, in the 2011 "series 6" episode: <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1721226/" target="_blank">The Doctor's Wife</a>, about how he/she regenerated into a woman a couple times. It's a sign of our times I think, that this, coupled with his/her ritual tattooing of the <a href="http://www.answers.com/topic/ouroboros" target="_blank">ouroboros</a> on every one of his/her regenerations, doesn't indicate the Corsair may have had some unresolved mental or emotional issues... And we know, for Time Lords, this sort of thing can be brought on as early as the age of 8. Remember what happened to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master_(Doctor_Who)" target="_blank">the Master</a> when he looked into the "<a href="http://tardis.wikia.com/wiki/Untempered_Schism" target="_blank">untempered schism</a>"? Well, he didn't become a girl, anyway.<br />
<br />
Demonstrating "the female Doctor" as gimmick and nothing more is simple. How? We'll take the statement: <strong>"The next Doctor could be a woman!"</strong>, and play with it.<br />
<br />
<strong>"The Next Doctor could be blind!"</strong> Comedic and dramatic gold here! Not a lot of advocates though. Not as "sexy" or as part of the current cultural focus is it? Being blind...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mgDSd-TfVBw/UbFEf77idaI/AAAAAAAAAYE/8p9gFy4fTXw/s1600/1655_512x288_manicured__2uCy8ElCLkSUFX-dtPHseA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="112" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mgDSd-TfVBw/UbFEf77idaI/AAAAAAAAAYE/8p9gFy4fTXw/s200/1655_512x288_manicured__2uCy8ElCLkSUFX-dtPHseA.jpg" width="200" yya="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Damon Wayans as "Handi-Boy"</td></tr>
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<strong>"The next Doctor could be crippled!</strong>" Now THAT is jumping the shark. First off, no one under 40 knows what "crippled" even means and second, this is just a play on the disability mentioned above. Screw those disabled people! Let them get their own hero!<br />
<br />
<strong>"The next Doctor could have six arms!"</strong> He's an alien, right? The show is "about change" goes the online chorus, correct? Romana regenerated into a blue midget on a whim. (See<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/classic/episodeguide/destinydaleks/" target="_blank"> Destiny of the Daleks</a>). Eccelston's Doctor did imply he could have two heads after regenerating in the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUm5rM4fQxs" target="_blank">Parting of Ways...</a> but that was a throw-away line to ease Rose into the idea of him regenerating. The Corsair thing, THAT was meaningful!<br />
<br />
<strong>"The next Doctor could be a chain smoker!"</strong> THIS I personally would like to see. If you faced what the Doctor faced on a regular basis, you'd be lighting up too.<br />
<br />
<strong>"The Next Doctor could be Pixar animation!"</strong> Omg...that would be like selling <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/power-lawyers-how-star-wars-527383" target="_blank">Star Wars</a> to Dis... never mind. <br />
<br />
And on and on ad absurdum. (Actually, a few of those ideas are WAY better than a sex change for the Doctor...)<br />
<br />
Now, my own personal take on the Doctor's ability to regenerate is also simple. He sucks at it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VMnl-MyRgPo/UbHYGDD1OfI/AAAAAAAAAYc/wZW3aoXnduk/s1600/dog_suit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VMnl-MyRgPo/UbHYGDD1OfI/AAAAAAAAAYc/wZW3aoXnduk/s1600/dog_suit.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"That's the problem with regeneration. You never know quite what you'll get."</td></tr>
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Unlike other Time Lords like Romana or the Master or even the Corsair -- assuming he didn't have emotional and mental issues -- the Doctor really didn't have a handle on the physicality of his regenerative process until his 10th incarnation. And even then, he pushed himself past his limits and blew up the Tardis console room... kind of the explosive diarrhea of regenerations. "Held it too long... I can make it... uh oh...I don't wanna go!" BABOOM! Bang! BLAMMO! <br />
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So over the course of 50 years of show time and 750+ years of onscreen Time Lord lifespan, (assuming Hartnell's Doctor was around 500) the Doctor has "died" from old age, forced regeneration, radiation poisoning, being mashed to bits from a fall, blood poisoning, physical trauma, gun shot wounds followed by exploratory surgery, eating the time vortex energy, and radiation poisoning again... and none of those triggered his mythical estrogen reservoir to make his man parts go away in favor of being a female.<br />
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Here's another problem. Why the disrespect to women? Seriously. Why do they have to be used parasitically to alter an established, firmly male character and even spark a debate like this? Don't they rate their own hero? Are there no more Xena's, Buffy's, Lara Croft's, Scully's, Ripley's, Sailor Moons, She-Ra's, Kim Possible's, Bat Girl/Oracle's, Sarah Connor's Princess Leia's etc. in writers' imaginations? You can't tell me the Doctor needs a sensitivity make-over. He's more than made up for that in the last 8 years. He should grow and evolve as the Gallifreyan man he is and always has been. (Potentially with a human mother, but that's another debate over a throw away line)</div>
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There are plenty more stories and generations of writers to tackle further Doctor adventures, don't throw away the show on a gimmick or "just because".</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rLlfBVID3WE/UbApZulV8XI/AAAAAAAAAX0/FmZ2IMefbhQ/s1600/planetoftheapesending.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="233" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rLlfBVID3WE/UbApZulV8XI/AAAAAAAAAX0/FmZ2IMefbhQ/s320/planetoftheapesending.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"You Maniacs! You blew it up! Ah, damn you! God damn you all to hell!" Heston I'm telling you now...Don't Blink</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160230067937554668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445564010639451535.post-12199103736241846462013-06-03T10:15:00.002-05:002013-06-03T14:08:37.049-05:00New Scenarios for Fantasy Flight X-Wing 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="129" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vypkiBWvDyI/UZzkHThqlFI/AAAAAAAAAW0/1defv6MTFmY/s320/logo-SWX01.png" width="320" /></div>
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<br />
This scenario is pretty straight forward. No real consideration was given to point value because it can go either way depending on player skill and of course...the dice!<br />
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<strong>Mission: Escape from the Death Star</strong> <br />
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Obi Wan Kenobi has disabled the tractor beams and gave his life to ensure that Luke, the droids, Han, Chewie and the Princess could escape the Death Star. Now the Millennium Falcon and her crew confront the Imperial pursuit. (Mission assumes a playing area roughly 4'x3')<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kf3b_Ub3xPY/Uayvk7lllKI/AAAAAAAAAXE/gt00RSsqesw/s1600/Escape+Death+Star.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kf3b_Ub3xPY/Uayvk7lllKI/AAAAAAAAAXE/gt00RSsqesw/s320/Escape+Death+Star.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>Mission Set up:</strong><br />
<br />
Player 1 - Rebels: <br />
*Millennium Falcon<br />
-Han Solo<br />
-Chewbacca<br />
-Luke Skywalker<br />
Battle Honor: Expert Handling<br />
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Player 2 -- Imperials<br />
Black Squadron Tie fighters x4<br />
Battle Honor(s): Player's choice<br />
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<br />
<br />
<br />
The Millennium Falcon is Set up one full blaster template from the center of one of the short board edges. The tie's are not placed on the board for the first turn, and the Falcon player has one free turn of movement. On turn two, the Tie fighters move onto the board by placing their move template(s) directly on the same board edge the Millennium Falcon entered from.<br />
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<strong>Mission Objectives AND Victory Conditions:</strong><br />
<br />
This is a brawl. Either the Tie's are going down, or the Falcon is.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sPEMGT4dhzc/UayyOAZK3II/AAAAAAAAAXU/SnmL4iE79vM/s1600/tie-fighters-attack-falcon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="140" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sPEMGT4dhzc/UayyOAZK3II/AAAAAAAAAXU/SnmL4iE79vM/s320/tie-fighters-attack-falcon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K5JbUISEF0Y/UayyVY5pZNI/AAAAAAAAAXc/o2ASHABE-WE/s1600/obannon_tiefightertactical.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K5JbUISEF0Y/UayyVY5pZNI/AAAAAAAAAXc/o2ASHABE-WE/s320/obannon_tiefightertactical.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160230067937554668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445564010639451535.post-30238158024084206982013-05-14T12:01:00.000-05:002013-05-24T22:27:33.417-05:00New Scenarios for Fantasy Flight X-Wing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eFRv5YI_8jw/UZJa5cREsSI/AAAAAAAAAWE/n6A_AJmY46I/s1600/thCAFE3IRU.jpg" /></div>
<a href="http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_minisite.asp?eidm=174&enmi=X-Wing" target="_blank">Fantasy Flight's X-Wing Miniature game</a> is perfect. Straight out of the box, out of the packaging, it is perfect. An ideal marriage of tabletop logistics, balanced model stats, canon adherence for both movies and EU backgrounds, easy to learn, with all the fluidity of play from the original <a href="http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Star_Wars%3A_X-wing" target="_blank">X-wing</a> and <a href="http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Star_Wars:_TIE_Fighter" target="_blank">Tie Fighter</a> PC videogames. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ntYjjOry0oU/UZJhYCtKWyI/AAAAAAAAAWQ/B4pWZODtHSM/s1600/Star_Wars_X-Wing_screenshot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ntYjjOry0oU/UZJhYCtKWyI/AAAAAAAAAWQ/B4pWZODtHSM/s1600/Star_Wars_X-Wing_screenshot.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Do they "make it like the used to...?"</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SzKpqPQL_n0/UZJhcnlU_-I/AAAAAAAAAWY/Hb4vmuzjfzQ/s1600/star-wars_tie_fighter1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SzKpqPQL_n0/UZJhcnlU_-I/AAAAAAAAAWY/Hb4vmuzjfzQ/s320/star-wars_tie_fighter1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...for once the answer is YES!</td></tr>
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Now that it's been out for awhile, and<a href="http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_news.asp?eidn=4116" target="_blank"> wave 3</a> expansion is on the way, there should be more to do then just going head-to-head and bashing away at your opponents' ships and squadrons. There are events and tourneys and some great <a href="http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_foros_temas.asp?efid=254&efcid=6" target="_blank">forum postings</a>; but there could always be more.<br />
<br />
I'm going to post some more starting with this one, adapted from those classic 90's video games and play tested. Point values were actually a minor consideration, but the Fantasy Flight game designers were so skilled and true to the origins, that the values come out in the wash and each scenario is winnable by either side. These are written in as close to the style of the intro set's instructions pages 22-24, for ease of use. A play area of roughly 3' x 4' is assumed. (My illustrations are marginal, but serviceable.) <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P3raqwtLCTY/UZJndDE-MNI/AAAAAAAAAWk/HDTeBPcOgvE/s1600/Advanced+transfer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P3raqwtLCTY/UZJndDE-MNI/AAAAAAAAAWk/HDTeBPcOgvE/s320/Advanced+transfer.jpg" width="320" /></a><strong><u>Mission: Delivery Interupt (Part 1)</u></strong><br />
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There is an imperial admiral taking on a shipment of Tie Advanced from a factory's freighter. (The capital ship and freighter are assumed present, both off board). The star destroyer launches a patrol of 3 tie interceptors to supervise and guard the transfer. Player 1 and player 2<strong> both</strong> make up this patrol! However, player 1 is a spy loyal to the Emperor and this particular Admiral has his own plans for these Tie Advanced.<br />
<br />
<strong>Mission Set up:</strong><br />
<br />
Player 1: Tie interceptor x2 Saber Squadron <br />
Battle Honors: Player's choice<br />
Tie Advanced x3 Tempest squadron.<br />
* No missile load out/ only 1 shield <br />
Player 2: Tie Inceptor: Soontir Fel. <br />
Battle Honor: Player's choice <br />
**Turn 3 player 2 acquires two <br />
Tie fighters/Black Squadron.<br />
<br />
The Tie Advanceds are set up one (out of 3) fire range distance from the center of the short edge (in gray) and one size "1" movement template apart from each other in a row. Player one deploys two interceptors in region "1" facing the Tie advanced with Player 2 set up in the region marked "2". The additional green set up areas on the long edges are for the arriving tie fighters -- edge randomly determined by coin toss or other method.<br />
<br />
<strong>Special Rules:</strong><br />
<br />
*Tracking rounds: Game lasts 6 turns. Lay out 6 turn markers; remove one after every full turn.<br />
* On the top of the third turn, two Tie fighters from Black Squadron arrive from one of the long board<br />
edges to assist Player 2. They come on in initiative order by laying their movement template<br />
directly on board edge.<br />
* Tie Advanceds have full mobility, but no weapons and only 1 shield. They must get off the far short edge where the Players deployed from.<br />
* TA's left on the board after turn 6 do not count towards either side's victory.<br />
*Once the advanceds flee or are destroyed, the traitor interceptors are compelled to save themselves and try and flee off their deployment edge. (aka return to the star destroyer)<br />
<br />
<strong>Objectives:</strong><br />
<br />
<u>Player 2: Traitor Victory:</u> Get more Tie advanceds off the board then are destroyed. Kill Soontir Fel. Get Tie interceptors off the board -- and back onto the Star Destroyer<br />
<br />
<u>Player1: Imperial Victory:</u> Destroy Tie Advanceds before they flee. Survive.<br />
<br />
(Part Two will be posted here as an extension to this posting) <br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160230067937554668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445564010639451535.post-12413388183642081582012-08-27T07:56:00.003-05:002012-08-27T08:21:47.665-05:00The Secret DM's old-timey-feel, OGL playable Contest<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Write and submit a dungeon crawl dungeon -- without backstory, the dungeon itself will drive the narrative and old school feel-- and possibly win the 1st ed. AD&D core books from Wizards of the Coast, plus have it turned into a professional quality .pdf! See Link below:</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fl3Uq1qGPtQ/UDtr9nn0yGI/AAAAAAAAAVg/_bTBF1zX2ic/s1600/546507_10151115212231738_2101928044_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="185" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fl3Uq1qGPtQ/UDtr9nn0yGI/AAAAAAAAAVg/_bTBF1zX2ic/s320/546507_10151115212231738_2101928044_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.thesecretdm.com/2012/07/contest-time-super-secret-happy.html" target="_blank">Super Secret DM contest</a></div>
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All I play is original edition D&D, so "old" I can do. OGL I'll have study some. Playtesting D&D Next will help that learning curve hopefully!<br />
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From the Secret DM: PLEASE NOTE: This contest, while designed to honor the memory of <a href="http://gygaxmemorialfund.com/" target="_blank">Gary Gygax</a>, is not officially supported by either <a href="http://company.wizards.com/" target="_blank">Wizards of the Coast</a> or the <a href="http://gygaxmemorialfund.com/" target="_blank">Gygax estate</a>, so please base any items, monsters, encounters, etc on the OGL (<a href="http://www.d20srd.org/index.htm" target="_blank">Open Gaming License</a>.)</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160230067937554668noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445564010639451535.post-89477170289946978752012-08-08T14:19:00.001-05:002012-08-27T08:23:57.621-05:0040K Traitor Guard Progress Pics<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've posted a few times about kit bashing a traitor Guard force/army for Warhammer 40K. This is to show that I was not posting lightly. My son & I have been been working the Chaos loving traitors for a while now, we just paused for other projects, summer stuff, etc. Not everything is painted, or even cleaned of flash/mold lines, but we're having a good time doing it and here's some of our progress:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b2CrWpyvC8c/UCK7LlkqgnI/AAAAAAAAAVA/p1mIyeSx-OA/s1600/DSCN2799.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b2CrWpyvC8c/UCK7LlkqgnI/AAAAAAAAAVA/p1mIyeSx-OA/s320/DSCN2799.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"plucky" -- so named for his missing eye -- leads his cultists into battle</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-keXEQml4MV8/UCK2oZcfwOI/AAAAAAAAAUE/H-UlgRZq8w0/s1600/DSCN2789.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-keXEQml4MV8/UCK2oZcfwOI/AAAAAAAAAUE/H-UlgRZq8w0/s320/DSCN2789.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A little chopping & Defiler Autocannons make for a GREAT Leman Russ Extrerminator!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-polPUwK5GBg/UCK3Df7t_6I/AAAAAAAAAUM/0xr9tAJRFM8/s1600/DSCN2790.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-polPUwK5GBg/UCK3Df7t_6I/AAAAAAAAAUM/0xr9tAJRFM8/s320/DSCN2790.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I FINALLY have somewhere to put that old spikey searchlight!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ffvGY89UoG0/UCK3Sn_HVgI/AAAAAAAAAUU/BTJtAcPDBC0/s1600/DSCN2791.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ffvGY89UoG0/UCK3Sn_HVgI/AAAAAAAAAUU/BTJtAcPDBC0/s320/DSCN2791.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Well balanced squadron for Chaos unbalanced minds</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AiiM9x-9aA4/UCK3iXfMMyI/AAAAAAAAAUc/diUTbRqqxNk/s1600/DSCN2792.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AiiM9x-9aA4/UCK3iXfMMyI/AAAAAAAAAUc/diUTbRqqxNk/s320/DSCN2792.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The General & his Bodyguards. Total sleeper...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-D4TRqEbfznk/UCK3tFfl4OI/AAAAAAAAAUo/1UP7qd8YVZo/s1600/DSCN2795.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-D4TRqEbfznk/UCK3tFfl4OI/AAAAAAAAAUo/1UP7qd8YVZo/s320/DSCN2795.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chaos rough riders in a hurry drape det-tape over their lances</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SGTirQQl0hU/UCK6yLn-0FI/AAAAAAAAAU4/hlLFBJalK68/s1600/DSCN2798.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SGTirQQl0hU/UCK6yLn-0FI/AAAAAAAAAU4/hlLFBJalK68/s320/DSCN2798.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clear Coat over black primer = instant weathering for a great neglected look</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160230067937554668noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445564010639451535.post-90144440703461687362012-05-17T12:29:00.000-05:002012-05-17T21:02:53.926-05:00Aged Gamer and the Box of Love<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dEReRqFiorI/T7Uyg90rKKI/AAAAAAAAATQ/EK25AgyuVyg/s1600/CAT3500A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dEReRqFiorI/T7Uyg90rKKI/AAAAAAAAATQ/EK25AgyuVyg/s320/CAT3500A.jpg" width="252" /></a></div>
"They say you can't buy love... yet here is a box full of love" -- My friend Cain. What my friend was wisely referring to was the 25th Anniversary box set of Battletech. Truly, a box of love!<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-br5CyseU3w4/T7UyC6DSJpI/AAAAAAAAATI/GB6OSg1_DH0/s1600/1_dc146a591bfc8562f06304aa7c960922.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-br5CyseU3w4/T7UyC6DSJpI/AAAAAAAAATI/GB6OSg1_DH0/s200/1_dc146a591bfc8562f06304aa7c960922.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
The game turned 25 in '09, having begun life as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BattleTech" target="_blank">"BattleDroids"</a> in 1984 (until Lucas/Lucasfilm quickly got irritated with the use of the word "Droid" -- and yes, Verizon pays to use the term.) But the 25th Anniversary set hit the shelves in Feb of 2012. I thought Catalyst Games Lab had done a spectcular job with their compilation of the original rules sets and expansions in Total Warfare which is to this game what the Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia was to OD&D -- i.e.: the only book you'd ever need. Catalyst Games have really hit on a great visual layout and styling artistically for the rules and books, publishing them in what I perceive as an old school way. They're streamlined, not overbearing, and not dumbed down. Even the quickstart rulesin the box set need some study, but are totally solid. <br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XD4QODBe_8Y/T7UyrRNmFfI/AAAAAAAAATY/jD6o4ZflWIk/s1600/CATbtbox4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="168" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XD4QODBe_8Y/T7UyrRNmFfI/AAAAAAAAATY/jD6o4ZflWIk/s200/CATbtbox4.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-grOA46vpgwU/T7UzL6NQZBI/AAAAAAAAATg/mzSeFdi1IMA/s1600/CAT247121_lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="86" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-grOA46vpgwU/T7UzL6NQZBI/AAAAAAAAATg/mzSeFdi1IMA/s200/CAT247121_lg.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
This 25th Anniversary set is so piled high with gaming goodness, you can't help but love the contents:<br />
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<li>24 unpainted, ready-to-play plastic BattleMech minis</li>
<li>2 unpainted, premium-quality plastic BattleMech minis</li>
<li>One 12-page full-color quick-start rulebook will have players into the action in minutes</li>
<li>36-page book of pre-generated BattleMech Record Sheets</li>
<li>One 80-page full-color rulebook</li>
<li><em>Inner Sphere at a Glance</em>, a 56-page full-color book of universe<br /> background and BattleMech technical data</li>
<li>One 16-page full-color <em>Painting and Tactics Guide</em></li>
<li>Two heavy-duty cards of compiled tables</li>
<li>Two 18″ x 24″ game-board quality maps</li>
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<br />
True to it's roots as a board game, this (Heavy) box is a totally complete game with enough miniatures included that you'd literally never have to make another purchase for the product line again... but you will. You will buy more because the collected 1000+ plus game-world history that Battletech lore covers is fantasticlly detailed, interesting and supported. Unlike a Warhammer 40K or World of Warcraft timeline where additions of new models or races or incidents are retro-crammed into a tight period of time so the backstory sort of "evolves", but also becomes cluttered as it is altered, the Battletech timeline has been handled in such a way these snags are avoided. Solid!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DH3aBjcMlzI/T7Uz_-2-BFI/AAAAAAAAATo/PKy5D4bO7F8/s1600/necrons-150x150.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DH3aBjcMlzI/T7Uz_-2-BFI/AAAAAAAAATo/PKy5D4bO7F8/s1600/necrons-150x150.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We've always had these...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SLexAV1mYp4/T7U0D6BObGI/AAAAAAAAATw/akDAfMQtNLI/s1600/NecronPariahs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SLexAV1mYp4/T7U0D6BObGI/AAAAAAAAATw/akDAfMQtNLI/s1600/NecronPariahs.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...trust us... we're Pariahs...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KdaLyvLGUgw/T7U0G5fqW3I/AAAAAAAAAT4/YSX16Ho9s0E/s1600/P9FC3E4NQCZS1319203684760.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="123" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KdaLyvLGUgw/T7U0G5fqW3I/AAAAAAAAAT4/YSX16Ho9s0E/s320/P9FC3E4NQCZS1319203684760.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SURE I was there when you could walk through Thousand Needles!</td></tr>
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I played Battleforce in the late 80's -- being a FASA addict in general -- but never got into Battletech. Any regret that might have spawned has entirely evaporated with the purchase of this set. Well worth the price!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160230067937554668noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445564010639451535.post-63912221244700003922012-04-25T01:49:00.000-05:002012-04-25T17:13:50.925-05:006th Edition already? My Rant & What I'd like to see!2004 for 4th edition, 2008 for 5th... so yeah, following that trend, I guess Games Workshop is due for another revision of Warhammer 40K. Break out the administratum's best and brightest to tweak it yet again!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--QwreZpMcYA/T5eNVitE22I/AAAAAAAAAR8/jQT8-_RyYyE/s1600/scan0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--QwreZpMcYA/T5eNVitE22I/AAAAAAAAAR8/jQT8-_RyYyE/s320/scan0001.jpg" width="130" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yea!! C'mon lads! Let's do something about inflation besides raising our prices! Let's tweak the core rules!</td></tr>
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<br />
Speculation and sleuthing and sifting through real and imagined hints is quickly becoming rampant. Me? I'm still looking up rules as I play. By no means do I have razor sharp mental acumen when it comes to the rules; I still like 3rd edition frankly... I make no apologies or excuses for that. 3rd edition was a radical departure from the tangle that was 2nd ed. Everything since then has been built off that 3rd ed. streamlining, tweaking it here and there. Well, and the "fluff" has become increasingly depressing. Chronically so. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2oskFyeFBZA/T5eQlri9x5I/AAAAAAAAASE/640NufAtoS4/s1600/Depression.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="299" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2oskFyeFBZA/T5eQlri9x5I/AAAAAAAAASE/640NufAtoS4/s320/Depression.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From the Age of Imperium to "The Time of Ending?" How do I go on? </td></tr>
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Still, the new rules are coming and I'm a sucker for the awesomeness of the 40K Universe and always have been! And because I have fun collecting, painting and converting GW's peerless, ever improving, excellent models, I'm relaxed in the notion that for another 4 or 5 years, I'll be leafing through another rulebook to lose properly to my opponents. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iAX0kcz1hbs/T5eTY9wAr_I/AAAAAAAAASM/i92U0DHOu6A/s1600/ManGiantBookSeoul.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iAX0kcz1hbs/T5eTY9wAr_I/AAAAAAAAASM/i92U0DHOu6A/s1600/ManGiantBookSeoul.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wow...this is almost as big as the 8th edition Warhammer rules!</td></tr>
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<br />
So truthfully, I care less about the rule changes (since all real innovation happened in '98) and want to present my wish list for a 6th edition:<br />
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<br />
First off, f--k Necrons. Seriously. I broke my own rule recently for a friend and played against Necrons (And when I say "played" I mean "got tabled by") Necrons -- an army whose capacity for shear nonsense and hip-deep bullshit knows no bounds. If this game has a joy vacuum, it's the Sci-Fi version of the undead: the Necrons. They ought to go away.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-26NIN4TbbPo/T5eWkMJ4baI/AAAAAAAAASY/xk_Cq2oYICc/s1600/Terminator_Endoskeleton_finger_by_jkno4u.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-26NIN4TbbPo/T5eWkMJ4baI/AAAAAAAAASY/xk_Cq2oYICc/s320/Terminator_Endoskeleton_finger_by_jkno4u.jpg" width="262" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shoot me again, I don't mind standing up a third time!</td></tr>
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The real kick in the ass though, is this should be the one of the easiest of all 40K armies to defeat, permanently. Here's 2 ways how via the fluff. On a forgotten agro world, somewhere in the old halo stars at the edges of the galaxy, some local hick falls into a hole and finds the Necrons master off switch. That's it, just a switch. Like the Borg in Star Trek, the Necrons are told to go back to sleep...galaxy wide. Ni-night, sleepy time!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ddpQly7_mTQ/T5eZPODtNZI/AAAAAAAAASk/_C0OhT-YfFA/s1600/eniac3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="264" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ddpQly7_mTQ/T5eZPODtNZI/AAAAAAAAASk/_C0OhT-YfFA/s320/eniac3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Huh huh, when I press this one it sounds like a fart, huh huh huh...</td></tr>
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<br />
OR while on a smoke break, one of Mars' finest Adeptus realizes he left out his Mango Guacamole near his mercury test kit... and inadvertently he's created a virus that attacks and kills living metal -- (<a href="http://tardis.wikia.com/wiki/Robot_(TV_story)" target="_blank">See Professor Kettlewell in Doctor Who: Robot 1975</a>) -- in a graphic, hyper rusty way. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sLk8Fc1VIpw/T5ea5MJwEXI/AAAAAAAAASs/8Z1SoePaDRM/s1600/3815962997_56946310ae.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sLk8Fc1VIpw/T5ea5MJwEXI/AAAAAAAAASs/8Z1SoePaDRM/s320/3815962997_56946310ae.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yeah, they WERE pretty dangerous, till the Adeptus there hit them with the spray bottle!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6nXXDUdJQmg/T5ebttsA0HI/AAAAAAAAAS0/1AXmKTLKt6Q/s1600/Duros.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="134" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6nXXDUdJQmg/T5ebttsA0HI/AAAAAAAAAS0/1AXmKTLKt6Q/s200/Duros.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm a Duro, not a pinko Tau, actually.</td></tr>
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<br />
Next on the list, the Tau. Get lost. You've had your 15 minutes, now go back in the time tunnel to the Cantina where you belong! <br />
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<br />These guys have what...a couple dozen planets and no real way to use the warp except like Buck Rogers did in the 70's? And the Orks are knocking on their back door? Later Space Commies.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DyD7LmkYTzw/T5ecNg4OsPI/AAAAAAAAAS8/ZH81V5F2aIE/s1600/26559_1374603931522_1424538730_1022593_792123_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DyD7LmkYTzw/T5ecNg4OsPI/AAAAAAAAAS8/ZH81V5F2aIE/s320/26559_1374603931522_1424538730_1022593_792123_n.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
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As George Carlin used to say, and I paraphrase: It's thoughts like these that kept me out of the really good schools...<br />
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<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160230067937554668noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445564010639451535.post-85671153182684407732012-03-15T09:52:00.001-05:002012-03-15T09:52:35.005-05:0040K Traitor Guard Fast Attack entry: Hellhound SquadronI first posted about a decent <a href="http://bluegnoll.blogspot.com/2010/11/40k-traitor-guard.html" target="_blank">Traitor Guard </a>Army list in November of '10, coming up with a <a href="http://bluegnoll.blogspot.com/2011/02/40k-traitor-guard-part-2.html" target="_blank">master list</a> the following February. In the next few weeks I'll endeavor to flesh that list out entirely. Today, we get a Fast Attack choice for those lost souls who have turned from the Emperor's Light: A Traitor Hellhound Squadron. While it goes without saying this entry is in no way tournament legal, endorsed or approved officially, it's strictly for fun -- which is what the hobby should be -- both for modeling and gaming!<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n9pBQfeXlJo/T2H4_ZiQLKI/AAAAAAAAARc/FHXQ7GJhzRo/s1600/1956540-529px_star_of_chaos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n9pBQfeXlJo/T2H4_ZiQLKI/AAAAAAAAARc/FHXQ7GJhzRo/s200/1956540-529px_star_of_chaos.jpg" width="188" /></a>This entry was compiled largely from the current Imperial Guard Codex, Chaos Space Marine Codex, Eye of Terror Codex and the Imperial Armour Renegades and Heretics...Defenders of Vraks list from Forgeworld. Again, as no true models exist for these choices, they represent a great kit bashing modeling opportunity and extend the tabletop threat of the Traitor Guard.<br />
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Any opinions, feedback or playtesting results are welcome!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PtEAAvWiLA8/T2IAZSbx-KI/AAAAAAAAAR0/zj1SNixR7_Y/s1600/IG5EHellhoundFlameTank.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PtEAAvWiLA8/T2IAZSbx-KI/AAAAAAAAAR0/zj1SNixR7_Y/s320/IG5EHellhoundFlameTank.jpg" width="236" /></a></div>
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<strong>FAST ATTACK:</strong><br />
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Hellhound Squadron <br />
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<strong>Composition</strong>: Vehicle squadron composed of 1-3 of the following tanks in any combination:<br />
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Hellhound 130points<br />
Plague Wolf 140points<br />
Howler 135points<br />
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<col style="mso-width-alt: 804; mso-width-source: userset; width: 17pt;" width="22"></col>
<col span="3" style="mso-width-alt: 768; mso-width-source: userset; width: 16pt;" width="21"></col>
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<td class="xl64" height="21" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: windowtext; border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt 0.5pt 0.5pt 1pt; height: 15.75pt; width: 62pt;" width="83"><strong><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></strong></td>
<td class="xl65" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: windowtext windowtext windowtext black; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-width: 1pt 0.5pt 0.5pt 0px; width: 17pt;" width="22"><strong><span style="font-family: Calibri;">BS</span></strong></td>
<td class="xl65" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: windowtext windowtext windowtext black; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-width: 1pt 0.5pt 0.5pt 0px; width: 16pt;" width="21"><strong><span style="font-family: Calibri;">F</span></strong></td>
<td class="xl65" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: windowtext windowtext windowtext black; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-width: 1pt 0.5pt 0.5pt 0px; width: 16pt;" width="21"><strong><span style="font-family: Calibri;">S</span></strong></td>
<td class="xl66" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: windowtext windowtext windowtext black; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-width: 1pt 1pt 0.5pt 0px; width: 16pt;" width="21"><strong><span style="font-family: Calibri;">R</span></strong></td>
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<td class="xl67" height="21" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: black windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 0.5pt 0.5pt 1pt; height: 15.75pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hellhound</span></strong></td>
<td class="xl63" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: black windowtext windowtext black; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 0.5pt 0.5pt 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3</span></td>
<td class="xl63" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: black windowtext windowtext black; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 0.5pt 0.5pt 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">12</span></td>
<td class="xl63" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: black windowtext windowtext black; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 0.5pt 0.5pt 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">12</span></td>
<td class="xl68" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: black windowtext windowtext black; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 0.5pt 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">10</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 15.75pt;">
<td class="xl67" height="21" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: black windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 0.5pt 0.5pt 1pt; height: 15.75pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Plague Wolf</span></strong></td>
<td class="xl63" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: black windowtext windowtext black; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 0.5pt 0.5pt 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3</span></td>
<td class="xl63" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: black windowtext windowtext black; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 0.5pt 0.5pt 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">12</span></td>
<td class="xl63" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: black windowtext windowtext black; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 0.5pt 0.5pt 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">12</span></td>
<td class="xl68" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: black windowtext windowtext black; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 0.5pt 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">11</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl69" height="22" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: black windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 0.5pt 1pt 1pt; height: 16.5pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Howler</span></strong></td>
<td class="xl70" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: black windowtext windowtext black; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 0.5pt 1pt 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3</span></td>
<td class="xl70" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: black windowtext windowtext black; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 0.5pt 1pt 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">12</span></td>
<td class="xl70" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: black windowtext windowtext black; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 0.5pt 1pt 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">12</span></td>
<td class="xl71" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: black windowtext windowtext black; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">10</span></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<strong>Unit Type:</strong><br />
Vehicle (tank, fast)<br />
<br />
<strong>Wargear (all):</strong> <br />
-Heavy Bolter<br />
<br />
<strong>Wargear Hellhound:</strong><br />
-Inferno Cannon<br />
<br />
<strong>Wargear Plague Wolf:</strong><br />
-Plague Cannon*<br />
<br />
<strong>Wargear Howler:</strong><br />
-Blastmaster**<br />
<br />
<strong>Options:</strong><br />
•Any Model may replace heavy bolter with:<br />
-heavy flamer Free<br />
•Any Model may take any of the following:<br />
-Searchlight +1point<br />
-pintle mounted heavy stubber +10<br />
-pintle mounted combi weapon +10<br />
-hunter killer missile +10<br />
-DozerBlade +10<br />
-Extra Armor +15<br />
-Dirge Caster+ +5<br />
•The entire squad may take:<br />
-smoke launchers +5<br />
-Camo Netting +20<br />
<br />
<strong>*Plague Cannon:</strong> Belches out a noxious, acidic cloud of hyper toxic bacteria so violently poisoness, it renders iteself inert, but not before inflicting horrific casualties.<br />
<br />
<strong>Range:</strong> Template <strong>Strength:</strong> 1 <strong>AP:</strong> 3 <strong>Type:</strong> Heavy 1/Poisoned 2+<br />
(<em>Targets with a toughness rating are wounded on a roll of 2+</em>)<br />
<br />
<strong>**Blastmaster:</strong> Focuses a basal note into an explosive crescendo that can burst eyeballs, rupture organs and warp armor. Varying the frequency changes the effects. Announce which frequency is employed when nominating the enemy unit targeted.<br />
<br />
<strong> Range Strength AP Type</strong><br />
Varied 36" 5 4 Assault 2, pinning<br />
Single 48" 8 3 Heavy 1, Blast, pinning<br />
<br />
+The dirge caster is automatically included with the Howler. This is reflected in its point cost.<br />
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<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160230067937554668noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445564010639451535.post-67763998842494635502012-02-29T11:26:00.001-06:002012-03-15T08:56:52.951-05:0040K Traitor Guard Troop entry: Chaos CultistsI first posted about a decent <a href="http://bluegnoll.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00&updated-max=2011-01-01T00:00:00-06:00&max-results=13" target="_blank">Traitor Guard army</a> list in November of '10, so this is a little overdue... While it goes without saying this entry is in no way tournament legal, endorsed or approved officially, it's strictly for fun -- which is what the hobby should be -- both for modeling and gaming!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VeGxZFsoveI/T05YEBI-Q7I/AAAAAAAAARM/rEJcu5q2Zzs/s1600/Chaos_undivided_icon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VeGxZFsoveI/T05YEBI-Q7I/AAAAAAAAARM/rEJcu5q2Zzs/s1600/Chaos_undivided_icon.jpg" /></a>To get this unit right, I pulled & married material from as many sources as I could to keep it as game balanced and fluff rooted as possible. Without presenting an actual bibliography I read and compared entries for: Chaos Cultists from the 2nd Ed Chaos Codex, the Eye of Terror Mutants, the Forgeworld Seige of Vraks Workers Rabble, Chaos Cultists from the 2001 Chapter Approved volume and the Conscripts from The Imperial Guard Codex. The result makes a unit that should be interesting and dynamic to model and field in service of the Chaos gods.<br />
<br />
Any opinions, feedback or playtesting results are welcome!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Uv_68L79xBk/T05X4mmCa5I/AAAAAAAAARE/UMk7TNJXbnI/s1600/Chaos_Cultists_DOW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="228" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Uv_68L79xBk/T05X4mmCa5I/AAAAAAAAARE/UMk7TNJXbnI/s320/Chaos_Cultists_DOW.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cultists as seen in the Dawn of War PC videogames</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Troops:</strong></span><br />
<br />
<strong>Chaos Cultists:</strong> 80points<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 692px;">
<colgroup><col style="mso-width-alt: 4242; mso-width-source: userset; width: 87pt;" width="116"></col>
<col span="9" style="width: 48pt;" width="64"></col>
</colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="22" style="height: 16.5pt;">
<td class="xl69" height="22" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: windowtext black windowtext windowtext; border-style: solid none solid solid; border-width: 1pt 0px 1pt 1pt; height: 16.5pt; width: 87pt;" width="116"></td>
<td class="xl65" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: windowtext; border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt 0.5pt 1pt 1pt; width: 48pt;" width="64"><strong><span style="font-family: Blue Highway;">WS</span></strong></td>
<td class="xl66" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: windowtext windowtext windowtext black; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-width: 1pt 0.5pt 1pt 0px; width: 48pt;" width="64"><strong><span style="font-family: Blue Highway;">BS</span></strong></td>
<td class="xl66" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: windowtext windowtext windowtext black; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-width: 1pt 0.5pt 1pt 0px; width: 48pt;" width="64"><strong><span style="font-family: Blue Highway;">S</span></strong></td>
<td class="xl66" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: windowtext windowtext windowtext black; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-width: 1pt 0.5pt 1pt 0px; width: 48pt;" width="64"><strong><span style="font-family: Blue Highway;">T</span></strong></td>
<td class="xl66" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: windowtext windowtext windowtext black; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-width: 1pt 0.5pt 1pt 0px; width: 48pt;" width="64"><strong><span style="font-family: Blue Highway;">W</span></strong></td>
<td class="xl66" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: windowtext windowtext windowtext black; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-width: 1pt 0.5pt 1pt 0px; width: 48pt;" width="64"><strong><span style="font-family: Blue Highway;">I</span></strong></td>
<td class="xl66" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: windowtext windowtext windowtext black; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-width: 1pt 0.5pt 1pt 0px; width: 48pt;" width="64"><strong><span style="font-family: Blue Highway;">A</span></strong></td>
<td class="xl66" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: windowtext windowtext windowtext black; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-width: 1pt 0.5pt 1pt 0px; width: 48pt;" width="64"><strong><span style="font-family: Blue Highway;">Ld</span></strong></td>
<td class="xl67" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: windowtext windowtext windowtext black; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-width: 1pt 1pt 1pt 0px; width: 48pt;" width="64"><strong><span style="font-family: Blue Highway;">Sv</span></strong></td>
</tr>
<tr height="25" style="height: 18.75pt;">
<td class="xl72" height="25" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: black black windowtext windowtext; border-style: none none solid solid; border-width: 0px 0px 0.5pt 1pt; height: 18.75pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Chaos Cultist</span></td>
<td class="xl74" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: black windowtext; border-style: none solid; border-width: 0px 0.5pt 0px 1pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">2</span></td>
<td class="xl75" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: black windowtext black black; border-style: none solid none none; border-width: 0px 0.5pt 0px 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">2</span></td>
<td class="xl76" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: black windowtext black black; border-style: none solid none none; border-width: 0px 0.5pt 0px 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">3</span></td>
<td class="xl76" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: black windowtext black black; border-style: none solid none none; border-width: 0px 0.5pt 0px 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">3</span></td>
<td class="xl76" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: black windowtext black black; border-style: none solid none none; border-width: 0px 0.5pt 0px 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">1</span></td>
<td class="xl76" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: black windowtext black black; border-style: none solid none none; border-width: 0px 0.5pt 0px 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">3</span></td>
<td class="xl76" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: black windowtext black black; border-style: none solid none none; border-width: 0px 0.5pt 0px 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">1</span></td>
<td class="xl76" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: black windowtext black black; border-style: none solid none none; border-width: 0px 0.5pt 0px 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">7**</span></td>
<td class="xl77" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: black windowtext black black; border-style: none solid none none; border-width: 0px 1pt 0px 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">6+</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="26" style="height: 19.5pt;">
<td class="xl73" height="26" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: black black windowtext windowtext; border-style: none none solid solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt 1pt; height: 19.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Agitator</span></td>
<td class="xl70" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: windowtext; border-style: solid; border-width: 0.5pt 0.5pt 1pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">3</span></td>
<td class="xl70" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: windowtext windowtext windowtext black; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-width: 0.5pt 0.5pt 1pt 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">3</span></td>
<td class="xl70" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: windowtext windowtext windowtext black; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-width: 0.5pt 0.5pt 1pt 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">3</span></td>
<td class="xl70" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: windowtext windowtext windowtext black; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-width: 0.5pt 0.5pt 1pt 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">3</span></td>
<td class="xl70" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: windowtext windowtext windowtext black; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-width: 0.5pt 0.5pt 1pt 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">1</span></td>
<td class="xl70" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: windowtext windowtext windowtext black; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-width: 0.5pt 0.5pt 1pt 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">3</span></td>
<td class="xl70" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: windowtext windowtext windowtext black; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-width: 0.5pt 0.5pt 1pt 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">2</span></td>
<td class="xl70" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: windowtext windowtext windowtext black; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-width: 0.5pt 0.5pt 1pt 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">8</span></td>
<td class="xl71" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: windowtext windowtext windowtext black; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-width: 0.5pt 1pt 1pt 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">5+</span></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<strong>Composition:</strong><br />
20 Cultists<br />
<br />
<strong>Unit Type:</strong><br />
Infantry<br />
<br />
<strong>Wargear:</strong><br />
*Close Combat Weapon (Knives, pointed sticks, clubs, maces, swords, machetes, claws, etc)<br />
*Pistol<br />
(Though the pistols may be used in shooting phase, the wargear still only counts as one weapon for CC)<br />
<br />
<strong>Options:</strong><br />
*One Cultist may be upgraded to an Agitator for +10<br />
*The Agitator may exchange his pistol or close combat weapon for a mutation or power weapon +10 (Both count as a power weapon. No. of Attacks remains as listed)<br />
*Unit may include up to 30 addtional Chaos Cultists for +4 per model.<br />
*One Cultist per 10 may take one of the following instead of close combat weapon and pistol:<br />
-Flamer, shotgun or grenade launcher +5<br />
-Heavy Stubbber +10<br />
<br />
<strong>Special:</strong><br />
<u>Attention of the Warp</u>: Cultist units numbering 40 or more models may attract more attention from their chaotic patrons then was originally intended. Starting in turn two, before the player's movement phase, make a leadership check for the unit. If passed, nothing happens. If the check fails, 5 of the models are removed and replaced by a Chaos Spawn. This model immediately acts independantly of the Cultist unit and may not capture territory or objectives. These checks go on until the unit numbers less than 40 models.<br />
<br />
** Without an Agitator, Chaos Cultists morale becomes 1d6+4. This is rolled at the beginning of the game before deployment and is used as their morale for the rest of the game.<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nXAa5UvUX4Y/T05bHdKnTEI/AAAAAAAAARU/HWqDu8lWwBE/s1600/Chaos_Spawn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="139" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nXAa5UvUX4Y/T05bHdKnTEI/AAAAAAAAARU/HWqDu8lWwBE/s320/Chaos_Spawn.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
<br />
<br />
Chaos cultists are the useful idiots, willingly or unwittingly opening a door they can't close, behind which lies damnation. Following the lies and deceits of a disgruntled or power mad agitator, or gathering as a group apart, they delve, dig and probe the limits of societal decency and norms, until, maddened by their vile craft, they burst from their hiding places in a wave of violence at the forefront of a rebellion or full on Chaos incursion. Hunted by the Inquisition, shunned by the Imperial masses and despised by their own Chaos masters and patrons, they are utterly damned for embracing the path of Chaos.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160230067937554668noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445564010639451535.post-48986273196041294042012-02-13T00:34:00.000-06:002012-02-13T00:40:11.109-06:00I Have NOT been idle......neglectful to the blog maybe. But not idle.<br />
<br />
Actually, the year 2012's started out very well for gaming. I have no official New Year's resolutions per se, but so far this year, I've made good on past (and usually broken) promises to myself I would paint and model what I have in stock before taking on more, and expand my gaming horizons in general. To that end:<br />
<br />
The year began with several sessions of Z-Man's <a href="http://www.zmangames.com/boardgames/agricola.htm">Agricola</a> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WRD4S1KZGlQ/Tzid86eU2gI/AAAAAAAAAPQ/4WyzYColEUQ/s1600/zm_agricola.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WRD4S1KZGlQ/Tzid86eU2gI/AAAAAAAAAPQ/4WyzYColEUQ/s320/zm_agricola.jpg" width="226" /></a></div>A very easily learned tabletop version of... well, farmville I guess. Different everytime it's laid out and playable in around 90 minutes to 2 hours, it's worth it's price tag!<br />
<br />
Our <a href="http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/the-post-war-mydlands">D&D group </a>is still at it as well. As <a href="http://www.wizards.com/DnD/">WotC</a> reels from the success of <a href="http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG">Pathfinder</a> and contorts to redo/undo 4th edition D&D into a more palatable 5th edition, we persist with the original and best (in our opinion) from the Rules Cyclopedia:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BmmacliLGl8/TzihDDm2JTI/AAAAAAAAAPo/tdGYGazZnmQ/s1600/362628.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BmmacliLGl8/TzihDDm2JTI/AAAAAAAAAPo/tdGYGazZnmQ/s320/362628.jpg" width="234" /></a></div><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P5HNrB6aMKs/TzioUfqkeZI/AAAAAAAAAP0/2Av8XFP2hxo/s1600/DSCN2390.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P5HNrB6aMKs/TzioUfqkeZI/AAAAAAAAAP0/2Av8XFP2hxo/s320/DSCN2390.JPG" /></a></div>
Don't let the 4th ed. book in the pic fool you, we needed something to write on.
<br />
40K's back on the menu as well with a Saturday 6000 point Orks vs. Guard Ambush scenario from the <a href="http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Battle_Missions">40K Battle Missions </a>Book:
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uxZ98lt_toI/TziohZAGIxI/AAAAAAAAAQA/ac54O7CMVE8/s1600/DSCN2412.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uxZ98lt_toI/TziohZAGIxI/AAAAAAAAAQA/ac54O7CMVE8/s320/DSCN2412.JPG" /></a></div>
As far as painting, I've finished my recently acquired Dwarf <a href="http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/content/article.jsp?categoryId=cat480004a&aId=2600005">Blood Bowl</a> team:
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zOSPEM8sy8Y/TzipfW2hiKI/AAAAAAAAAQM/ERZbiyx6fxg/s1600/DSCN2421.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zOSPEM8sy8Y/TzipfW2hiKI/AAAAAAAAAQM/ERZbiyx6fxg/s320/DSCN2421.JPG" /></a></div>
Got my fleets and accessories done <a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/108722/dreadfleet">Dreadfleet</a>, started painting Chaos Cultists for a LONG planned Traitor Guard list for 40K that I will publish here soon; working on my new Dwarf Miners for Warhammer. Hell, after that last disaster I've got to give them SOME kind of help; Finally putting the brush to the Blood Angel Terminators in <a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/54625/space-hulk-third-edition">Space Hulk</a>; and back on the <a href="http://us.battle.net/wow/en/">WoW-crack</a> with an account renewal and the purchase of <a href="http://us.blizzard.com/en-us/games/war3/">Warcraft III</a> battle chest. I know it's 10 years old now, but it holds its own as an RTS and as great narrative for WoW.
Whew... so that's why I haven't blogged at all until deep into 2012's second month. Lots to do! Why isn't there more time? That I can't answer. But as a gamer, if you ever find yourself bored or with time on your hands, you're doing-it-wrong!
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-M0ACpKOqky0/TzitkOk1zbI/AAAAAAAAAQ8/3f52bf9f_Jc/s1600/DSCN2430.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-M0ACpKOqky0/TzitkOk1zbI/AAAAAAAAAQ8/3f52bf9f_Jc/s320/DSCN2430.JPG" /></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160230067937554668noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445564010639451535.post-3705541584074831852011-12-22T20:39:00.000-06:002012-02-16T00:59:00.605-06:00Virtual Con for Star FrontiersIn a few short days, TSR's classic Science Fiction RPG <a href="http://starfrontiers.info/VirtualCon/">Star Frontiers </a>turns 30. Click the name for info about the upcoming virtual con.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6bg8FwfRqRM/TvPpYlzpSyI/AAAAAAAAAPE/J4lJLoMJX20/s1600/sf_cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6bg8FwfRqRM/TvPpYlzpSyI/AAAAAAAAAPE/J4lJLoMJX20/s320/sf_cover.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160230067937554668noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445564010639451535.post-19250611960448542842011-12-20T22:21:00.000-06:002011-12-20T22:21:57.586-06:00Nifty timeline summarizing 48 years of Doctor Who<a href="http://www.cabletv.com/doctor-who-timeline"><img src="http://www.cabletv.com/images/cabletv/doctor-who-timeline-infographic.jpg" alt="Doctor Who Timeline Infographic" /></a><br />Via: <a href="http://www.cabletv.com">CableTV.com</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160230067937554668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445564010639451535.post-87038039702983268922011-11-28T01:37:00.001-06:002011-11-28T01:38:55.580-06:00So Beautiful, it's Stupid...I can't write intelligently about the gameplay yet. After several hours, not a few beers and lengthy good conversation with gaming mixed in, I CAN say <a href="http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/">Games Workshop's </a><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6m1t5hYvCLo">Dreadfleet</a> plays like a Seabound version of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battlefleet_Gothic">Battlefleet Gothic </a>if it were done by <a href="http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/">Fantasy Flight Games</a>. This is a round-about way of me saying I enjoyed it very much and am looking forward to learning the game more completely!<br />
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From a modeling/hobby standpoint alone, the game is worth the price of admission! The results are seriously beautiful: <br />
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Yes, I'm sure it's become quite clear from the pics which boat was mine... the one that sank first. THAT part of the game I'm solid on.<br />
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Speaking of Fantasy Flight-esque, the kids and I tackled FF's <a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/29294/world-of-warcraft-the-adventure-game">World of Warcraft Adventure Game</a>. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FnQuWtTAMM0/TtM5au1fzyI/AAAAAAAAAOs/H6ByD-V-Irk/s1600/pic346496_md.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FnQuWtTAMM0/TtM5au1fzyI/AAAAAAAAAOs/H6ByD-V-Irk/s320/pic346496_md.jpg" /></a></div><br />
This was also primarily a learning experience, but still fun. <br />
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What is it with all these cards necessary for games within the last decade or so? Do we have <a href="http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Summoner/">Magic</a> and <a href="http://www.pokemon.com/">Pokemon</a> to thank for this constant reliance on cards? I can adapt, but it makes for a busy, precarious tabletop.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160230067937554668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445564010639451535.post-47108050904327611502011-09-30T11:22:00.000-05:002011-09-30T11:22:27.118-05:00Every SeptemberSomeone said in conversation recently: "How many times do you really reread a book?" Well, I'm going on 16 times for one in particular. For 16 years, I've mentioned that: "it's that time again"! As Autumn rushes in with piles of cumulus fractus to cumulus mediocris clouds making flame colored tree leaves stand out stark against their blue gray masses, and cold, dry winds from the north make the change of season rains colder, and the scents more crisp, it's time to read Dragonlance: Dragons of Autumn Twilight.<br />
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First, Dragonlance fans will immediately know that 16 years is off. It's been around 27 years. The book's first printing was in 1984. So where was I? Slow on the uptake of course. <br />
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But why? 16 years, every year, the same book? Because it's THE definitive piece of 80's high fantasy literature? Because it's way easier and just as emotionally fulfilling as reading Tolkien's Lord of the Rings? Yes and yes, and more besides. Reading the book, you can tell two things: This was an early effort by the authors -- which in no way detracts from the tale told, and the absolute "life" of the characters within. The neat part about that is these characters were born from play-testing the game modules, and it shows. Not as a summary or best-of of an AD&D play session, but as storytelling born from a great time roleplaying the game! It immediately rounds out and animates Tanis, Sturm, Goldmoon & Riverwind, the Majere Brothers, Tasselhoff, Laurana, Tika, Fizban and all the rest in a way that is immediately effective without loads of flowery description. Dragons of Autumn Twilight is a fun, tense, satisfying read and I never get tired of it. It's a great way for fantasy readers or even just book/ereader fans in general to see in the change of seasons. <br />
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I'd like to convey a massive, heartfelt recommnedation to read this book, and ultimately the Chronicles Trilogy which it begins.(I'll admit here I have not yet read the Lost Chronicles Trilogy, also by Weis and Hickman that takes places within the time frame of the original trilogy and I'm not sure that I want to. Like Forgotten Realms or the Star Wars EU, I look at the Lost Chronicles with trepidation. Every last blade of grass and every time a character breaks wind doesn't need to be cataloged, honestly. Some mystery is good.)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160230067937554668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445564010639451535.post-70946357110608619712011-09-09T13:35:00.002-05:002011-09-09T13:44:07.696-05:00Cream City Blood Bowl Pitch ReadyThe Blood Bowl Pitch is finally ready for Play. The dugouts are in -- with a clearly human slant to the architecture, the "sponsors" have their ads placed, the lines are down and the grass is mowed. <br />
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Now, in this age of PC game awesomeness<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QZTndXOZVks/Tmpagr55igI/AAAAAAAAANc/HNhXnctKKqM/s1600/82fbf_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:right; float:right; margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="200" width="124" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QZTndXOZVks/Tmpagr55igI/AAAAAAAAANc/HNhXnctKKqM/s200/82fbf_.jpg" /></a></div><br />
how do you convince Blood Bowl players it's better to roll dice across the table from someone instead of sitting on your arse by a computer that does every and all in-game calculation for you? Shouldn't be too hard! See ya on the pitch!<br />
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Notes on construction: I tend to use a lot of throw away stuff when I build. Some people would call that: "garbage". The pitch itself was that pill-y styrofoam insulation from a crib and the pressboard supporting it I rescued from a dumpster, oddly enough it matched the foam. The score boxes, re-roll boxes and turns are all the 25mm sqare bases from GW topped with matting material that I rescued from an artist's scrap pile. The numbers are actually from a Michaels craft store that conveniantly came in blue and red. The dug outs are more foam cut to fit with a foam cutter, topped with an awesom product called "Woodsies" -- thin popsicle sticks basically, over wall made from card under a cereal box roofs. The white zone markings are 1/16" tile spacers and the movement box markings were done over the top of the paint and static grass with a green Sharpie.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160230067937554668noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445564010639451535.post-56750148351681143252011-09-05T22:50:00.000-05:002011-09-05T22:50:28.788-05:00Not in the face!!!You ever have one-of-those-games? Originally, this was going to be a simple battle report. Unfortuntely, it begins and ends just like this: <br />
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Spiders and hooves... you don't get it? <br />
<br />
These are the last things my Warhammer Dwarf army saw before being summarily annhilated by goblins and beastmen. <br />
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Mercilessly. <br />
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Thoroughly. <br />
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Completely. <br />
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They were beaten so badly the pulp that was my <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dwarf_(Warhammer)#Longbeards">Longbeards</a> unit -- the one with the "general" in it -- smelled strongly of brown ale urine. Even the undead my dwarfs had allied with for this game had pissed themselves we were beaten so badly. I know, I know, they would never ally with each other but that was hardly the point. It was a learning experience! And by "learning" I mean "<a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=schooled">schooled</a>". <br />
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Absolutely everything that could go wrong went wrong... but only for our side. I'm no stranger to losing games; <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--Wg4KCqOUh0/TmWOKWEU8qI/AAAAAAAAAMk/u54wOelZ1Cw/s1600/sad-crying-l.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear:right; float:right; margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="194" width="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--Wg4KCqOUh0/TmWOKWEU8qI/AAAAAAAAAMk/u54wOelZ1Cw/s200/sad-crying-l.png" /></a></div>I've lost an entire 2000point <a href="http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Space_Marines">Space Marine </a>force in less than 3 full turns, left to play 3 more turns with a single model. Sometimes, however rarely, I've even inlficted some suffering to a lesser degree on opponents. To be fair, these things largely go 50/50. Even power-gamers used to waving their pricks around in one hand with their supercharged army lists in their other, lose as much as they win, I'll bet. It's about what you emphasize.<br />
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But the staggering wave of crap dice rolls and just plain bad luck that dogged me and my fellow general Nick, from the very first turn's opening dice roll was nothing short of awe inspiring, or tear inducing, which ever comes first. <br />
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You can talk about good sportsmanship, you can say our tactics weren't sound, you could even recommend how our set up could have been done differently,<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pSa0wyymH6U/TmWPfkY7UrI/AAAAAAAAAMs/JJhNQZCUzxA/s1600/250px-CrankPencilShapener.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:right; float:right; margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="114" width="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pSa0wyymH6U/TmWPfkY7UrI/AAAAAAAAAMs/JJhNQZCUzxA/s200/250px-CrankPencilShapener.jpg" /></a></div> but that would be like lecturing a pencil about how best to dive into a pencil sharpener. From the first entirely failed magic phase by my partner to my dwarf canon misfiring immediately, we were marked for doom. <br />
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My last standing unit needed to roll snake eyes to not run away like the sad sacks the rest of the army turned out to be and... After watching <a href="http://www.helium.com/items/1804496-tel-me-more-about-grave-guard-in-warhammer">graveguard</a> humiliated and made inept in the face of super-regenerative <a href="http://fc09.deviantart.net/fs24/f/2009/238/9/6/Warhammer_LCG__Troll_Vomit_by_Cryptcrawler.jpg">trolls</a>, after watching these same trolls make my dwarfs disappear by puking on them -- no really -- after seeing small goblin chariots rape and destroy undead and dwarf alike, at will, after suffering a <a href="http://warhammeronline.wikia.com/wiki/Bray_Shaman">bray-shaman </a>cast 3 times with irresistable force, neutering the <a href="http://www.heresy-online.net/forums/showthread.php?t=55767">runes</a> I took to dispell magic and NOT dying, after watching blood knights murdered by a fething doom diver, after seeing my longbeards unmanned and trampled, after all our attacks were made moot by well made saves, after every hopelessly lost close-combats against outrageous odds born of a clearly skewed point cost system, after I, myself as a player, was physically done and slapping myself and moving around like an ADHD poster boy to stay coherent... this one unit... <br />
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my original dwarf unit, bought on a whim... <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S4LCctthY98/TmWUFNNE-RI/AAAAAAAAAM8/sbEkoGfIAMY/s1600/image%2B%25282%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:right; float:right; margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="150" width="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S4LCctthY98/TmWUFNNE-RI/AAAAAAAAAM8/sbEkoGfIAMY/s200/image%2B%25282%2529.jpeg" /></a></div><br />
...rolled snake eyes and stayed in the game. <br />
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Well shit. If they're staying, I ain't going either. Write it in the <a href="http://warhammeronline.wikia.com/wiki/Great_Book_of_Grudges">book of grudges </a>and see you on the battlefield you bastards.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160230067937554668noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445564010639451535.post-29612595132213480162011-08-29T00:35:00.000-05:002011-08-29T00:35:44.366-05:00Sunday Night Blood Bowl<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n_R7TK0GSdg/Tlshk6hNQGI/AAAAAAAAAK8/0qaLr-lgaok/s1600/DSCN1947.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n_R7TK0GSdg/Tlshk6hNQGI/AAAAAAAAAK8/0qaLr-lgaok/s320/DSCN1947.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
Tonight, The Ironheed Manglers met the <a href="http://whfb.lexicanum.com/wiki/Mannslieb_%26_Morrslieb">Morrsleib</a> Manglers on the new Milwaukee Pitch to test it's suitability. Only about 2/3's completed, it held up just fine and there was much mangling up and down the pitch! <br />
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The dwarves stomped the <a href="http://bbtactics.com/chaos-beastmen/">Chaos beastmen </a> into the dust, sending 4 to the dugout in VERY short order: <br />
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one pushed right off the pitch, one K-O'd & two seriously injured for the rest of the game. But, a dropped ball just outside the Ironheed Mangler's End Zone...<br />
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...and some fast hoofwork and a great pass on the part of #4 saw the score 1-zip Morrsleib. </div><br />
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The perfect storm continued at the opening kick-off of the second half for Chaos as once again, #4 (Mugglwump), ran the ball up the center with plenty of protection to score again. <br />
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As the Dwarves tried to rally, time on the game ran out. (The building contractors got wind the pitch was in use and the two teams hightailed it out of there...) </a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160230067937554668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445564010639451535.post-89788227783823515692011-08-24T01:38:00.000-05:002011-08-24T01:38:25.172-05:00The BloodBowl Pitch takes shapeTo be fair, 1987 is when the first edition of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars_Roleplaying_Game_(West_End_Games)">Star Wars RPG </a>was released for the saga's 10th anniversary, so my meager funds at the time went heavily towards that instead of <a href="http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catalog/landingArmy.jsp?catId=cat1290318&rootCatGameStyle=specialist-games&_requestid=1062278">Blood Bowl</a>. However, now putting that 24 year old regret to rest permanently, my Blood Bowl pitch begins to take shape: <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H8nM2lDQSb0/TlSaeuleS0I/AAAAAAAAAKk/jPMBXViogKc/s1600/DSCN1931.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H8nM2lDQSb0/TlSaeuleS0I/AAAAAAAAAKk/jPMBXViogKc/s320/DSCN1931.JPG" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vr2Hco3Z_fI/TlSafPehf4I/AAAAAAAAAKs/CcZcbSwu39o/s1600/DSCN1932.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vr2Hco3Z_fI/TlSafPehf4I/AAAAAAAAAKs/CcZcbSwu39o/s320/DSCN1932.JPG" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ubvs-W9BxJc/TlSafdp6G4I/AAAAAAAAAK0/WFVLM-lBpY0/s1600/DSCN1933.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ubvs-W9BxJc/TlSafdp6G4I/AAAAAAAAAK0/WFVLM-lBpY0/s320/DSCN1933.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Love the weathervane... I ought to make that weather-VEIN and paint it purplish blue, eh? All hail <a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=nuffle">Nuffle</a>!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160230067937554668noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445564010639451535.post-34215240623842430272011-08-21T21:39:00.014-05:002011-08-22T22:52:38.448-05:00Don't know what it was...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5nfjgWqNU9c/TlHDnIHwZiI/AAAAAAAAAJk/AIzIUIrtxbk/s1600/DSCN1918.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 320px; height: 240px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643506885034272290" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5nfjgWqNU9c/TlHDnIHwZiI/AAAAAAAAAJk/AIzIUIrtxbk/s320/DSCN1918.JPG" /></a><br /><br />...seriously, no freakin' clue. It was in a lot I got off <a href="http://www.ebay.com/?ssPageName=ADME:B:TB1:US:1&rvr_id=258022113547&clk_rvr_id=258022113547&rawquery=ebay.com&MT_ID=8&crlp=60750331_23400&tt_encode=raw&keyword=ebay.com&geo_id=1">Ebay</a> when I "needed" some Mechs for Battletech. I don't even know if it's a legitimate mech from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FASA">FASA</a> or <a href="http://www.catalystgamelabs.com/">Catalyst Game Labs</a> or what...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XZZY5bGKPqQ/TlHDBVMOLAI/AAAAAAAAAJc/lQvi9l1MTTk/s1600/DSCN1917.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 320px; height: 240px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643506235707632642" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XZZY5bGKPqQ/TlHDBVMOLAI/AAAAAAAAAJc/lQvi9l1MTTk/s320/DSCN1917.JPG" /></a><br /><br />It's just sort of a blobby, crappy, robotnic-y kinda slab-o'-metal and I was sure I had a place for it in the depths of my garbage can! But wait!!! KIT BASH TO THE RESCUE!! First, lose the Hex base. Next cram some balsa bits under those wayward toes to balance it on it's original goofy base. (Much easier than trimming all that metal) Rip it in half and readjust like so:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c1uQO5ji6fI/TlHEJVu3W5I/AAAAAAAAAJs/lx6Vv8b_8R4/s1600/DSCN1919.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 320px; height: 240px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643507472803519378" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c1uQO5ji6fI/TlHEJVu3W5I/AAAAAAAAAJs/lx6Vv8b_8R4/s320/DSCN1919.JPG" /></a><br /><br />KIND OF looks like it really wanted to be a <a href="http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Dreadnought">40K Dreadnought</a> before it wound up as foul. We're gonna operate: Next do a little trim of a Chaos Space Marine vehicle combi-bolter's flamer half and cram it in there for stability. Add the creepy Chaos head from the command vehicle sprue...on a neck:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nhN8cHvyZBI/TlHFG-OiINI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/AQyML-p_2aM/s1600/DSCN1920.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 320px; height: 240px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643508531645784274" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nhN8cHvyZBI/TlHFG-OiINI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/AQyML-p_2aM/s320/DSCN1920.JPG" /></a><br /><br />Add some of this:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kJM2-vddyS8/TlHGke5g88I/AAAAAAAAAJ8/wUSiwExuvCE/s1600/DSCN1923.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 320px; height: 240px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643510138143830978" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kJM2-vddyS8/TlHGke5g88I/AAAAAAAAAJ8/wUSiwExuvCE/s320/DSCN1923.JPG" /></a><br /><br />Put these there...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2ZufaBxpIPY/TlHHFxQFncI/AAAAAAAAAKE/n1u3e_mZo5w/s1600/DSCN1925.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 320px; height: 240px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643510710006029762" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2ZufaBxpIPY/TlHHFxQFncI/AAAAAAAAAKE/n1u3e_mZo5w/s320/DSCN1925.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br />...and those there:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AehDtkUq_no/TlHHGPlra9I/AAAAAAAAAKM/WRZKKgFnIr0/s1600/DSCN1927.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 320px; height: 240px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643510718149651410" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AehDtkUq_no/TlHHGPlra9I/AAAAAAAAAKM/WRZKKgFnIr0/s320/DSCN1927.JPG" /></a><br /><br />"Hold it! Hold it! What's with the deadly-discs there. Fething lame!"<br /><br />No-no. No lame. First off, those are engine parts from <a href="http://cargobay.starwars.com/webapps/cargobay/item-detail/6811">Anakin Skywalker's podracer</a>. In their new home on that mounting they could be giant table-saws with a monomolecular edge, or they could be big electric heating elements that go through armor like an electric stove goes through a vinyl record, or they could generate a null field between them that just makes things go away -- the point is, if you were 28mm tall, you wouldn't want them waved in your direction by this thing.<br /><br />Where was I?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LXyJ99WwnIc/TlHIn5XXXgI/AAAAAAAAAKU/2y3VL503abA/s1600/DSCN1928.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 320px; height: 240px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643512395811216898" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LXyJ99WwnIc/TlHIn5XXXgI/AAAAAAAAAKU/2y3VL503abA/s320/DSCN1928.JPG" /></a><br /><br />A ChAoS Dreadnought!! All stretched out and crazy-bat-shit nuts about slaughtering whatever it comes across, "friend" or foe! How does it stack up against it's more noble and mentally stable counterparts?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NN4yYPbl-ds/TlHJRMempNI/AAAAAAAAAKc/CygiSSkjH8g/s1600/DSCN1930.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 320px; height: 240px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643513105316488402" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NN4yYPbl-ds/TlHJRMempNI/AAAAAAAAAKc/CygiSSkjH8g/s320/DSCN1930.JPG" /></a><br /><br />Not bad... not bad at all. Just big enough to menace even these two guys, yet not so big as to look out-of-place. Look at how close the legs are compared to the other two. It's like this Chaos one could run really really <a href="http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view?back=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%3Fei%3DUTF-8%26p%3Dostrich&w=160&h=106&imgurl=www.bing.com%2Fimages%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Dostrich%23focal%3D28e4edcb242a3f0963c6f65686666c3c%26furl%3Dhttp%253a%252f%252fsciencefun.files.wordpress.com%252f2006%252f11%252fostrich1.jpg&size=&name=search&rcurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bing.com%2Fimages%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Dostrich%23focal%3D28e4edcb242a3f0963c6f65686666c3c%26furl%3Dhttp%253a%252f%252fsciencefun.files.wordpress.com%252f2006%252f11%252fostrich1.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bing.com%2Fimages%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Dostrich%23focal%3D28e4edcb242a3f0963c6f65686666c3c%26furl%3Dhttp%253a%252f%252fsciencefun.files.wordpress.com%252f2006%252f11%252fostrich1.jpg&p=ostrich&type=&no=4&tt=115&oid=http%3A%2F%2Fts1.mm.bing.net%2Fimages%2Fthumbnail.aspx%3Fq%3D1053960047306%26id%3D95b63e54b4aa959ad034fa8da4e901c7&tit=Ostrich&sigr=14u89ciur&sigi=14ngce4q4&sigb=11h1scsdq&fr=mcsaoffblock">ostrich</a> fast; like it could chase dudes down and then peer around corners, hunting with it's creepy, too-many cameras and eyes, seeing them pissing in their hiding spots before it flames them or cuts the overhead pipes down on them. And as it's running it's slipping and tipping off balance while it's blades screams against the steelcrete building and rubble...<br /><br />See, kit-bashing for Chaos is fun! And the moral of this story is never throw away your bits! There's always something else to be made or modified!<br /><br /><br /><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160230067937554668noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445564010639451535.post-40422622537838365352011-07-12T12:00:00.005-05:002012-02-13T00:05:12.583-06:00What's a third coat of paint?Been a pretty good year for gaming. Original D&D, Superhero RPG game based on the 4E Gamma World system, Battltech, free trial periods of World of Warcraft, Axis & Allies, AND I finally learned to play Warhammer. (Even built up a nice sized dwarf army thanks to E-bay and a <a href="http://jaysworkshop-agemmanjw.blogspot.com/">friend's</a> generosity.) <br /><br />Been a good year for modeling too. My $5.00 glue gun is the best modeling purchase I ever made! But that's for another post. This is a brief illustration of my turning back the clock as implied in my last post. <br /><br />Most of my original Space Marines were lost in a move, but were replaced and painted as quickly as possible. They've existed as two homemade codex chapters with wildly different paint schemes to match. (Silver & Brown and Viridian Green) and now are being made over in the colors of one of my favorite legions: The Salamanders. Despite the awful <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Salamander-Warhammer-40000-Nick-Kyme/dp/1844167402/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1310493386&sr=1-1">novel</a> bearing their name, they remain one of the noblest and humble of the Space Marine chapters. Guarding the rear, protecting the convoy, helping civilians, ruthlessly beating the living hell out of the enemies of the Imperium, they are one of the best faces of the Space Marines in the 40K Universe (even if that face is pitch black with glowing red eyes per their peculiar geneseed reaction to their volitile homeworld Nocturne.)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XWaI421mH5Y/ThyLZtcpJbI/AAAAAAAAAJU/MuEtnzc4qkE/s1600/DSCN1760.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 320px; height: 240px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628526908119000498" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XWaI421mH5Y/ThyLZtcpJbI/AAAAAAAAAJU/MuEtnzc4qkE/s320/DSCN1760.JPG" /></a><br />Showing their age for sure. Still, green's definitely their color.<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160230067937554668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445564010639451535.post-74795112636007240722011-05-19T23:41:00.011-05:002011-05-20T01:26:32.329-05:00All about the ValuesThis being primarily a gaming blog, how can I be the one to ignore the 500 pound gorilla in the room that is the latest price increase from: <a href="http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u3kvIQyryBs/TdX7FZOSslI/AAAAAAAAAI4/mJ_-o6_MN04/s1600/thumbnailCALWGCBY.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 160px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 66px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608664981048570450" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u3kvIQyryBs/TdX7FZOSslI/AAAAAAAAAI4/mJ_-o6_MN04/s320/thumbnailCALWGCBY.jpg" /></a></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WsR14CazRkY/TdXzc1TB_PI/AAAAAAAAAIY/woybkDQPTWI/s1600/Gorilla%2Band%2BBall%2B-%2BKnuttz.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 310px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608656587628608754" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WsR14CazRkY/TdXzc1TB_PI/AAAAAAAAAIY/woybkDQPTWI/s320/Gorilla%2Band%2BBall%2B-%2BKnuttz.jpg" /></a><br /><em>"You gotta pay to play with my resin balls, bitches!!"</em><br /><br />Although it would take ten times the space and take ten times as long to read, it would be easier to run through all the <a href="https://spreadsheets0.google.com/ccc?pli=1&key=tIytonRUpm6fRkxpIjqcDzQ#gid=0">prices</a>, illustrate all the increases and bitch and moan bitterly... but there's been plenty of that already, and not just by me personally, but all over the web and blogosphere. For all the relevant info, nobody summarizes the history, price increases and product releases better than <a href="http://jaysworkshop-agemmanjw.blogspot.com/2011/05/gw-what-did-you-do-now.html">Jay's Workshop</a>. Definitely read his take on this situation.<br /><br />While I did my minimal required reading on the subject trying to wrap my mind around all the moves Games Workshop is making, one financial expert set everything sharply in perspective. (For those of you in a traditional marriage, you're already way ahead of me on guessing that "expert" was my wife.) "The company hasn't changed it's practices," she said, "you've changed. You don't value their product like you used to."<br /><br />Well... ain't getting old a bitch.<br /><br />She's right... mostly. And I'll qualify that statement and the small dilemna that remains for me as to how to perceive all this.<br /><br />True, when I bought my first set of Space Marines in 1988:<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-re0nCHc2zcs/TdX3m2QsobI/AAAAAAAAAIg/LuDm-n3aXnI/s1600/rtb01coverx.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 190px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608661157732458930" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-re0nCHc2zcs/TdX3m2QsobI/AAAAAAAAAIg/LuDm-n3aXnI/s320/rtb01coverx.jpg" /></a><br /><br />And around the same time period I also picked up:<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-p5hirKPxYOI/TdX4N7KTjsI/AAAAAAAAAIo/dylexDaxnr4/s1600/skelarmyboxf.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 218px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608661829062725314" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-p5hirKPxYOI/TdX4N7KTjsI/AAAAAAAAAIo/dylexDaxnr4/s320/skelarmyboxf.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I wasn't a) Married, b) a father of three, c) Staring an upside down 30 year mortgage in the face, d)smothered in debt of all kinds, e) paying utilities, f) paying insurance premiums for health, life, car, homeowners, etc... you get the picture.<br /><br />Now that I DO have to consider those things, I don't necessarily value a single model the size and weight of a very fat paperclip. That, ofcourse, is my wife's practical point, and it does make a lot of sense. For example, if I remember correctly, this model used to cost 25.00 for three in a box set: <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pjjZ-nyuIuM/TdX6rRlXcGI/AAAAAAAAAIw/OPFHfnkOVN0/s1600/m2620114_99120105035_IGSentinel1MPPK_445x319.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 230px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608664532321267810" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pjjZ-nyuIuM/TdX6rRlXcGI/AAAAAAAAAIw/OPFHfnkOVN0/s320/m2620114_99120105035_IGSentinel1MPPK_445x319.jpg" /></a> Now, it will cost $30.00 (U.S.) for <strong>one</strong> model. Clearly, with the weight of my other considerations, I may not value this model like I might if it were 1988 or even if I were just 23 years younger, period. This logic extends to the entire product line, and I can also assuage my pride by conceding I own 3 versions of the game's rules and more models than I'll be able to paint any time soon. So if need be, as younger people with richer parents move on to sleeker and more expensive editions, I can happily exist in another era on the tabletop, much like I do with Dungeons & Dragons.<br /><br />But then, there's the side of me that breaks from logic and acceptance that says: $30.00 bucks for that?? Really? Are you F-----G kidding me you greedy s--t bag f---s!"<br /><br />My contention is, despite all the practical business considerations involved with GW's decision as a whole, I can't help but wonder at <em>their</em> values over the years. This was a company that captured not only my eye & imagination, but my loyalty for decades with things like this: <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xVC2OrwKjVA/TdX_I6mRrvI/AAAAAAAAAJA/rFYg4x2wNQU/s1600/grav2.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 295px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608669439593656050" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xVC2OrwKjVA/TdX_I6mRrvI/AAAAAAAAAJA/rFYg4x2wNQU/s320/grav2.jpg" /></a> Yeah, that's right, an underarm deodorant bottle dressed up as a "hover" tank, a few rules and a: "have a good time" philosophy. Now, in appearence and price they have the "cadillac" of miniature lines: <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jaLVZCCvVVA/TdX_1BGTSzI/AAAAAAAAAJI/RSaVyK_Uu2o/s1600/warhammer-40k-imperial-guard-shadowsword-stormlord_110646316133.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 283px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608670197252836146" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jaLVZCCvVVA/TdX_1BGTSzI/AAAAAAAAAJI/RSaVyK_Uu2o/s320/warhammer-40k-imperial-guard-shadowsword-stormlord_110646316133.jpg" /></a><br />and the increasingly limited customers who will be able to afford them. (As a side note, I can't help but remember right now that GM/Cadillac is sponsoring <a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/watercooler/2011/may/17/gm-sponsors-and-celebrates-soon-be-released-chi-co/">the movie </a>honoring China's Communist Party on their 90th year of "service" to the Chiniese people. Yeah. Great allusion there GW...)<br /><br />In the end, make no mistake, GW DOES have fantastic looking miniatures worth taking your time on to model and paint and stare lovingly at for a disturbingly long time, after you've sprayed that last coat of dullcoat. The rules to use those miniatures are now easier than ever to learn and are incredibly streamlined. Yes, they're designed for the "draw" as opposed to actual winning and losing -- but that symptomatic of the times we live in. Also, don't be fooled, their target market is not the Baby Boomers and Gen X'ers with a sense of permanance and nostalgia, but their kids, brought up on video games and "apps", the internet and TV programs we as children would have found unwatchable. Hell, there are services now like tumblr for people that can't be bothered with the amount of time it takes to "tweet" or blog. And yet, it's those little turds with their own waxing and waning values they need to snag, even at the expense of us "veterens" (i.e. old people) who have given to the point of giving-out when it comes to our cash for their stuff. Again, I don't know what that says about GW's values or if they're going to go full circle someday and be catering to underarm deodorant bottle converters out there, in an old age home, as art therapy or something, in some not-so-distant future.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160230067937554668noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445564010639451535.post-87404829646912112192011-05-04T09:09:00.004-05:002011-05-04T09:38:25.394-05:00Ain't she sweet?If I had only known, if I had taken two seconds to do the math... if if if.. bla-bla-bla. Better late than never, right? After roughly $22.00 and a total of 2 hours active work, help from a friend and a donation of felt from an art instructor, my gaming table is ready for the dice to start rolling! Yeah, there's still sawdust on the floor, and maybe some bits of glue, oh, and some Lego... but the table's good-to-go!<br /> <br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UtJWCbXA0Nk/TcFjB87GNMI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/ygTEMTQHz0k/s1600/DSCN1603.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UtJWCbXA0Nk/TcFjB87GNMI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/ygTEMTQHz0k/s320/DSCN1603.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602868296610624706" /></a><br /><br /><br />What should I call this space? <a href="http://bbwarroom.wordpress.com/">"Dork dungeon"</a> has already been taken -- and rightly so. Hm... "Nerd's nook", "dork den", "Geek's garden", "poindexter place", "The Alcove", "The Bastille"... ooh, like that last one. "The Bastille". Or maybe "the Cell", (or is that too <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0209958/">Jennifer Lopez</a>?) Or maybe my kids will come up with something... For now, the title of the room is up in the air. What's for sure is the house has gaming at it's heart.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160230067937554668noreply@blogger.com1