2016 in Review

So here we are, approaching the tale end of one of the more interesting years in recent history. Mass celebrity deaths at start if year, storm recovery, politicians playing to the rule to win (gamey), unlikely sporting events (including me playing American Football) and my youngest (and last) going through her first year.

Anyhoo, with all this going on, my actual gaming time has been sporadic, with most games I've played being noted on here! Because of this, my painting tends to have been more a case of what I fancy doing at the time rather than completing projects and because of that I have multiple projects on the go at once.

Having said that; I am moving forward with getting my bolt action Fallschirmjager force complete asap (getting 500 points done first so I can play some kind of game in January). I also am slowly getting Vietnam forces done and I have got my storyline sorted for when I get this going (currently based off a 4 man campaign).

Other forces are on more of a slow burn - my SYW Prussians have no opponents yet, my 10mm WW2 (and Falkland War) forces aren't really a priority and I have enough Frostgrave models for the moment (although I intend to get what I have finished so I can tick that off).

I also hope to buy a lot of plastic boxes to hold my forces (and bigger ones for boardgames) so I can be more organised and therefore more efficient with my time.

I'm also going to try and be more interactive and attempt to go for polls and things as well as hosting more games (a lot easier now the boy can be put up to bed earlier). Alongside this I really need to build up my fitness for the new season (my core effectively doesn't exist at the moment).

Thanks for reading and I hope to share more with you in the new year.

Rogue 1 (No Spoilers)

I am not going to spoil Rogue 1 (because most people haven't seen it) and this won't be a proper review because I haven't had chance to process it all or talk it out but I do have this to say - IT WAS AWESOME!

#####Before continuing I have not written any deliberate spoilers and my opinion is based upon being born after the original films but before the prequel films. I have also watched both animated series so some comments only apply there.#####

• First of all, it is not a long film (2h12m) but it packs a lot in without feeling rushed. Scenes flow - there are no unnecessary scenes and wide lens shots are long enough to appreciate without dragging on.
• The graphics are great, makes the most of modern technology without making it seem "wrong" next to A New Hope. Some of the things they do in this film are a true nod to the original films to truly tie it in. (NOTE: Watch "A New Hope" shortly before or after "Rogue 1". Alternatively just have watched "A New Hope" a lot .
• This film ties in the whole Star Wars Universe (with an exception to Force Awakens) together with references to the original trilogy, prequel trilogy (thankfully minimal) as well as the "Clone Wars" and "Rebels" animated series.
• The 3D is good, not quite as mindblowing as Dr Strange, but not eyebreaking like "Days of Future Past".
• The storyline is what it should be. The characters have flaws and life isn't a perfect happy story.
• The Rebels are not perfectly equipped at all, its motley with all sorts of bits and pieces thrown together - exactly how it should be.

In a couple of weeks I might revisit this (more likely to when released to Blu-Ray) and actually review it properly, but for now - WATCH IT.

On a side note, I got 6 FJagers base camouflage colour on - going for a beige base followed by brown and green before a green wash, whilst the trousers shall be desert yellow.

28mm Mass Painting

As I've previously stated, I have large quantities of 28mm models to be painted and I need to stay motivated and do them. I am currently spending an hour or so a night putting together my Fallschirmjager and these are nearly done (just the Pak40 and Mortar to put together) - this is working well and its quite nice doing it whilst the missus plays Sims.

As such I will shortly have my Frostgrave Barbarians, Fallschirmjager and my Vietnam forces already to go  - its enough to be daunted - so I need timetables. I want to get my FJs to be undercoated by Christmas so I can paint a couple of squads before Rookie Day for Morecambe Bay Storm after which time may be more limited and hopefully get some games in.

With planning in process I therefore need to calculate which paints I need to paint them up for Monte Cassino.

Image from Warlord Games

I've used various paints in the past including FoW own ranges as well as GW. What paints do people suggest and if possible colour codes?

Warlord Games StuG III

28mm has taken over my painting table. I have 10m and 6mm armies I want to paint but take a lot of effort to get everything out (paints, models, light, correct colour guide for my 7YW Prussians) and at the moment my paint times tend to be an hour here or an hour there at the end of the day.

On the other hand with a lot of 28mm figures, once they are put together and sprayed, I can just work on a figure in front of the tv and get it done in a night (minus basing). As such at the moment on the go I have:

28mm

• Frostgrave Barbarians
• Vietnam (US, NVA and VC)
• Fallschirmjager Starter Army

10mm

• Fallschirmjager
• Canadians
• British Paras
• Russian Infantry

6mm

• Prussian Seven Years War

Last night I sat down and glued together the StuG III from the Fallschirmjager boxset. I've decided not to attach the side skirts as I want to use this for mid-war and I'm thinking of painting the force up as part of 1st Fallschirmjager in Italy. I also didn't want too many pieces which could be broken so didn't attach the top machine gun and shut the secondary hatch up.

The model went together fairly easily (although I don't personally like the two part tracks. The details seem decent enough for a wargaming model especially the grenade launchers.

I need to decide on the paint scheme now, obviously dunkelgelb underneath but then . . . ?

I think I'm going to get the whole force put together before I paint it, whilst I keep up painting habit on my other bits. Having said that if I get a decent spell to myself I might try and get 500 points done so I can play a game in January (fingers crossed). Any volunteers?

On the Football side of life - we find out in less than a week if we're accepted into the league. All fingers crossed. I've been unable to do much fitness myself with family commitments and surgery but give me a week and I'll be back on my bike and attempting to bulk up.

US Lt. for Vietnam

Wanted to paint - couldn't decide what. 6mm 7YW was too much effort and I wanted to paint something and finish it. 

So I decided to paint one of my Vietnam models and get that project properly started. So here he is - my first finished US Soldier for Vietnam (I will use as an LT).

I promise I will retake the pictures once I've done a few.

This is an Assault Group Mini and I'm planning on using these for a combination of Tour of Darkness or Charlie Don't Surf. I like these models - easy to paint thanks to crisp lines which makes washes really work. Since then I've done 4 more and intend to crack on with a few more. (Will investigate orbats so I know what I need for Charlie Don't Surf).

Frostgrave - Standard Deployment (2)

Got some laser cut mdf building ruins in a bundle and we gave our Frostgrave warband another run out. We decided to just do another throw down game (although I'm determined to play some alternative scenarios considering I know have them all printed and put in a folder). Again the game was close although repeated use of telekinesis, teleport and leap really mixed it up.

Set Up

I really need to get some better pictures taken - also need a grey sheet or something. Anyhow this game really was a mad dash to run for the treasure, spells were going off left right and centre, although I've agreed to let JT rechoose her spells as shes currently got no offensive spells and far too many out of game spells (which we both forgot about). Before this I had purchased a tracker (as I had one painted), and having closer to parity on numbers really helped.

All in all I think we're both still enjoying it although I think we might give the Dark Alchemy campaign a go or maybe the new Ambronnax Campaign from the Forgotten Pacts book.

Roughing it out for the last few treasures

After all of that we both got 3 treasures, although Jade was a lot luckier with KO results having no ongoing effects compared to me losing my archer as well as a badly wounded Apprentice.

Blue Sapphire (Update)

Wizard Romanoff Apprentice Zito - KO (Recovered)Elgiva the Archer - KO (Recovered)Gerard the Crossbowman - KO (Recovered)Guy the Infantryman - KO (Recovered)Etheldreda the ThiefFaramond the ThugAnsger the ThugSedemay the Treasure Hunter - KO (Recovered)Osgyth the War Hound - KO (Recovered)

Cast 6 Spells and Carried off 3 Treasure = 210 XP (460 XP)200 GC2 Grimoires - Steal Health, Elemental ShieldMagical Weapon/Armour - Magical Shield (+1)Base: InnL4 (increased 2 levels) (increase ?and?) 
Purchased 1 Archer (-50GC) = Current Gold 360GC

Gronn Flamme

Wizard Heimr
Apprentice Baldr - KO (Badly Wounded)
Aylwin the Archer - KO (DEAD)
Walburga the Infantryman
Wulfhild the Infantryman
Goldwin the Infantryman
Bathsheba the Man-At-Arms- KO (Recovered)
Diggory the Thug

Aslak the Tracker

Cast 8 Spells, Carried off 3 Treasure, 1 Kill by Wizard) = 270 XP (590 XP)
450 GC
3 Scrolls - (Plague of Insects, Imp, Spell Eater)
Magical Item - Ring of Protection (+1)
L5 (increased 2 levels) (increase ?and?)

Purchased 1 Archer (-50GC) + Recovered Apprentice (-100GC) = Current Gold 400GC

On a side note it also turns out that model ruins are great to get the eldest interested. Maybe not but can but hope :p

Terrain Tiles (Part 3)

Continuing working on the terrain tile project, and today I have an update. I found a pack of 8 sheets of 2'x6' hardboard (which works out as 24 2' squares) for £52 to good starting point!

I have also designed the basic designs for 24 tiles as a combination of plain, streams, hills etc

Stream/River Tiles

I didn't want to make any waterways too wide so that they can be used for multiple scales. A such these are 1" wide.

Hills

These are for significant hills, obviously smaller hills can be added across any of the other tiles.

Coast tiles

Can be used as a three like this and have a wide front or use 2 and go deeper (on a 6 tile table).

Trench Tiles

These won't be as extensive as my previous trench tiles as they need to drop down to the same level.

All the tiles!

At the same time i've been rethinking how to make the tiles. Rather than base then polystyrene, I'm thinking of using a base sheet, topped by 1" blocks at corners (stepped back by the depth if the sheets) and another sheet on top (as well as strips round edge to fill gaps).  

Just add the top

For areas with depressions (streams, trenches), I would do the same but the top would be made of two board strips at either side and the gap would be made of polystyrene.

Stream design

Probably a delay on this going ahead as DW is getting married tomorrow! WOOT!!!

On another note I have got some mdf laser cut buildings for Frostgrave - so pics soon and I will hopefully get some more games in.