Wanna B Painter

Gone Silent

2012-01-18T11:27:00.000-06:00

I have been silent for a while so let me sum up...

Our DnD group has fought through the seven-pillared hall and come out victoreous
The hero's are taking time off to spend their gold and drink
A new adventure has started in the modern day. Monsters are real and the government doesn't want you to know about it. But they pay well for the heads...
For the new game, I took part of the World of Darkness Storytelling System and mixed it with DnD4e combat system. The page is here. I am pretty excited about the hybrid system. We have only played it once but it worked out pretty good.
We have 7 people at the gaming table plus one skyping in. We are starting to look at different ways to get people around the game board, including webcam-ing the game board to the tv. I am not sure how it will work yet but we will see.
Christmas brought a new gaming keyboard and mouse so World of Warcraft as taken up a great deal of my time. I even managed to add another friend to my WoW addiction.
I, intern, was sucked into Castleville on Facebook.
Christmas was also crazy busy working at a retail store. I worked 10 hour days and never seemed to get down time. I am happy the holidays are over!

Until next time!

Dnd and Restraint?

2011-10-08T20:59:00.000-05:00

This week, at our weekly game, I tried to start a bar fight with my players. A troll named Brugg is the city enforcer. He came into the inn they were at, shook down the inn keep for protection money, and then started playing grab-butt with the often intimidating tiefling warlord. Wouldn't you know, of all the times to show restraint, this was it. Not when they talk to city officials, not when they talk to city watch, not even when they talk to the inn keep giving them free room and board. Nooooo, they show restraint with the enforcer troll who I am trying to use as an instigator. She flirted with him, played along, and wrapped her tiefling tail around him in an oh so ticklish way.. When he pushed things too far and wouldn't help with their questions, the players still kept things on the down-low. Brugg left the bar (after a quiet dagger was placed at his nads) confused, pissed, and promising retribution. Oh well, I will trade a bar fight for a recurring villain.

Spouses and Warmachine

2011-10-06T06:00:00.001-05:00

I finally got my wife to play Warmachine with me... and she won!

Caine, taking it laying down!

The lay of the land.

Her group was based on the battle box and consisted of:

Stryker
Rienholdt
Ironclad
Charger
Lancer
3 Stormsmith Storm Callers

Mine was 15 points of:

pCaine
Defender
Charger
6 Long Gunners
Gun Mage Cpt. Adept

I made the mistake of trying Caine's feat run while Stryker's +5 armor feat was in effect. Note to self: when Stryker pops his feat, hunker down, get in position, and camp focus. Stryker was able to break free from melee, throw Earthquake, and then shoot Caine while his face was in the dirt. She needed 10 dmg for the kill and she got 11.

Next time we play, I will take out the storm callers. She did not like how squishy they were and I killed them after they started disrupting my jacks. I will probably give her a basic melee unit, like sword knights, next time. Or I may just give her the Long Gunners, so we can continue to build on the current knowledge base. Anyway, I had a blast and with the ice cream Sunday for incentive, she didn't mind kicking my ass. Till next time =)

DnD Recap

2011-10-04T11:02:00.000-05:00


The chamber right before the boss fight. Privateer minis pull double duty.

Last Thursday, the players finally made it to the boss fight. They descended the slippery, blood-soaked chains into the ritual chamber, where the Demon Lord Orcas was about to break through. The Priest and the Warlock were able to seal the rift while the the Warlord, Rouge, and Fighter were able to fight off the hordes of undead that kept coming back to life. The main boss, Kalaral, turned out to be a pansy in a fight, though he had a ton of hit points. In his pocket was a note describing payments for humanoid slaves taken from the area. Next week, the players plan to track down the slave traders.

Our recipe for the week was simple. We provided the salad and everyone brought their favorite toppings. We had everything including:

Artichoke hearts
Cheese
Turkey
Boiled eggs
Pepperchino peppers
10 different dressings
Black and green olives
Croutons
and more stuff I don't remember

No one spent more than 5 dollars, we ate a great dinner, and the root beer floats for dessert were fantastic!

Progress

2011-09-24T10:21:00.000-05:00

To the right of my blog, I have these great little progress bars. I love changing something from 80% to 90%. One of these days, several of these will tip over to the 100% mark. The ones at 93% are waiting for a not so humid day to get their final matte coat and some tufts of static grass. Oh well.

This week, I was able to

Clear Coat 3 gobber mechaniks,
Clear Coat 10 long gunners
Clear Coat 2 LG officers and 2 LG Standard bearers
Clear Coat DnD tiefling
Base and Prime 6 Trenchers
Base and Prime 3 Trencher grenade porters
Base and Prime Trencher Officer and Sniper
Base and Prime Firefly light 'jack
Base and Prime 2 Stormsmith Storm Towers
Base and Prime 2 Journeyman Warcasters

Okay, so it was mostly spray painting. I know I painted a few layers on other things but nothing to really show. On the painting table for this week is a mass of Trenchers.

The mass needing paint include 1 leader, 9 grunts, 3 grenade porters, the officer and snipers. 15 minis... we will see where this goes.

I Got New Minis!

2011-09-20T09:54:00.000-05:00

Recently, there was extra money in the family budget and I got to buy new minis! I decided I wanted to buy the figs that would complete my trencher unit so I could paint them all in one go. That means the Officer and Sniper along with three grenade porters. It also means that a full kitted trencher unit has 15 minis. That is a ton in Warmachine where often a unit is made of 6.

This is a shot of the other 10 trenchers ready for their buddies to join them in the painting cue. You might also be able to pick out Eiryss, a unit of rangers, several casters, solos, and a random war wolf.

I also got to pick up 2 of the Stormsmith Storm Towers. I really like the poses of these models. I think they are great. The only down side is that having two of them side by side shows how very similar they are. I don't like repositioning arms and such but I might with these so they are a little varied.

This is the group based, following the steps I mentioned here. It is tough not to get so excited you get the steps out of order!

On the Storm Towers, I used the cork for the interesting scenery bits. Because of the cork and the space on the larger base, I glued the cork down first, then glued down the sand. It just seems to blend the cork in better.

I did something a little different this time when I went back over the sand with my mix of glue/black paint/water. I mixed it right in the glue bottle! It was a little messy, as you can see from the top of the glue bottle, but overall, I liked the experience. I did still have to spread it with a brush, as I perhaps didn't have enough room for water but it was fun.

I got the idea from scrolling through Mik's Minis, looking at his basing. Three pics down is a picture of a plastic syringe he uses for the second layer of glue. Check it out here.

As you can see, the second coat doesn't have to cover like a base coat. I just use it to make sure the sand is locked down and to get black into the crevices. This will save me time when I am touching up after I spray the base coat.

Basing

2011-09-19T14:22:00.000-05:00

There are a lot of great instructions out there for basing your minis. Just a few links to get you going:

One of my flying bases

Santa Cruz

Just the Bases

Hand Cannon Online Part 1 and Part 2

Recently, I started painting again and it had been a while. Okay, it had been about a year and a half. It had been so long, that I got all of my basing steps out of order and it caused me extra work. So I am writing myself a blog for the steps I like to follow. Read along if you like =)

Step 1: Don't get too excited! I know you just got that new ______ but follow the steps! It will save you headaches later.

Step 2: Wash the mini in soap, water, and toothbrush. I have never actually done this step but I want to start. The last models came with a lot of mold release still on them.

Product Link

Step 3: Clean the mold lines, flashing, and vents.

Step 4: Crimp the slots to hold tight in the slota-bases. Shave down the words on the slots if needed.

Step 5: Super Glue the mini into the slot and let it dry. I really like the Loctite Superglue Gel. It stays where I want it and has a tight, fast bond.

*If the base is large or the extra basing detail is large, reverse steps 6 & 7. Note the Tharn Ravager below. It actually worked better to glue the cork first but it was a pain painting the white glue around more pieces.

Step 6: Paint white glue onto the base. Add a drop or two of water to get it to flow around the feet. Dip the base with glue into the fine sand and knock off the extra. While it is still moist, use your thumb to clean up the ring of the base.

Small Slate Chips from Santa Cruz

Step 7: Again, while it is still moist, move some of the sand out of the way and place a drop of Superglue Gel onto the base. Place several small stones/cork/slate onto the base. I do this step after the white glue because it makes it easier to paint the white glue on.

Step 8: Once dry, paint the base with a mix of [5 parts white glue / 5 parts black paint / 2-3 parts water]. The idea is to lock the sand down and let the black pigment sink into the crevices. The black doesn't have to cover because in a moment we will spray paint it. But first...

Step 9: Glue the metal washer onto the base. I use Gorillla Glue for this application, as explained in another post. If needed, shave down the extra metal from the slot with a Dremal sander so it doesn't 'rock' when on the washer. I like adding the metal washer because I feel like it adds a little weight to the miniature and makes it less top heavy. Do this after dipping it in the sand. Otherwise, trapped sand will continually sneak out. *Note: If you are going to magnetize the base to something like a movement try, the washer is out.

Cork with Sand

Step 10: Spray paint with flat black paint. I prefer Krylon because it is the flattest I have found and it has good coverage. It is best to have disposable gloves on (especially if you have to go to work later) but I have used a plastic bag as a glove before too. Light layers and don't get it too thick. Also, turn your spray can upside down at the end and spray until the gas comes out clear to clean the nozzle.

Step 11: Dry brush the base (and anything on the mini that needs dry brushing) first so your feet don't get dusty later.

Step 12: Don't get in a rush. Wait to glue the static grass on after the clear coat. Otherwise, static grass will find it's way into every nook and cranny of the mini.

This is my current process, broken down into the gory details. What do you like? What do you do differently?

Sims: Be Warned

2011-09-17T14:55:00.000-05:00

I have liked the Sims games for a long, long time. It started off with a love affair for Sim City. I was head over heals for Sim City 2000. I toyed around with Sim Theme Park, though I quickly strayed to Roller Coaster Tycoon. The Sims were where I lost all control. I began playing Sims 2 one afternoon and three days later, I got up to stretch my legs! (this is only a slight exaggeration). Thankfully, my computer was too old and couldn't play Sims 3. Today, I found Sims on Facebook. It doesn't matter how old your computer is. They will take you anyway they can get you. And they got me good. I lost 5 hours today! Be warned. It is a great little game, much better than the farming and mafia stuff. And now I'm late for work...

Shopping and Girl Fights

2011-09-16T10:47:00.000-05:00

Post Game for DnD Night:

The Food: Hearty Queso
Ingredients-

1 Can Black Beans
1 Can Corn
1 pound ground beef
1 jar of queso
1 bag of corn tortilla chips

Directions:

Cook the ground beef and season with salt, pepper, garlic, and onion. Think taco meat.
Drain the black beans and corn.
Drain the meat when it is cooked through.
Pour the beans and corn in the same pan as the beef and mix on a medium temp.
Turn the temp to low and add the queso. Stir. If you let it sit, the cheese will burn to the bottom of the pan.
Serve with corn chips.
This also works well in a slow cooker at parties!

Thursday night is our DnD 4E game. We have been playing for a couple of months now and the newbies are hacking their way through hobgoblins and undead like pros. Well, at least like competent amateurs. Last week, they ran head long into a patrol of hobgoblins that were able to roll 18-20's on most of their attack rolls. The fighter, was knocked into his second death saving throw (3 strikes and your out). This week, the fighter and the cleric were both absent, leaving the party with just the female players.

Girls Night!!!

They decided to leave the dungeon, sell some loot, and buy healing potions and some AoE alchemist fire. Girls after my own heart. When they made it back to Winterhaven, they found that the dead in the graveyard had risen and the town needed them to fight off their dead relatives. Once in the graveyard, they ran into the female elf who had given them bad information and nearly caused their demise.

The alchemist fire bombs quickly dispatched the decrepit skeletons while concentrated attacks took out the Elven B****. They found a note on her, giving them more reason than ever to return to the keep and stop the evil plans at work. They also learned the name of the one trying to open the portal: Kalarel.

Sick Time = Painting Time

2011-09-12T16:42:00.000-05:00

I stayed home from work today with a head cold. I have been able to paint some and this is what I got done. These three bodgers will round out my Field Mechaniks unit. I love these little models. They are some of my favorites in the Cygnar line. The only complaint is that there are only two poses. Oh well.

The Cygnar Army as it Stands

2011-09-10T06:00:00.001-05:00

The blue stuff is done. The grey stuff is assembled and primed. The clear stuff has a long way to go. For those new to WarmaHordes, US is the unit strength or the number of minis in a unit. FA is the number of those units you can have on the field. US 6-10, FA 2 would mean you could have a maximum of 20 of those models on the field in a single warcaster army.

New Site to Check Out

2011-09-08T06:00:00.009-05:00

I was searching for something or other and I stumbled across a new blog. At Just the Bases: Custom Basing Ideas for Wargaming Minis, "Our goal is to become a repository of basing ideas for you to access as you put the finishing touches on(or are building) your miniature." Check them out at http://justthebases.blogspot.com. The bases are fantastic. Here is an example:

From the blog site Just The Bases. Picture at http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p150/arithorn/1athundernemo.jpg. I think their bases & their painting looks fantastic!!!

Lots of Base-ing

2011-09-07T12:13:00.001-05:00

Currently, I am basing. I am gluing down sand, painting it with a mix of black paint and Elmer's glue, and drybrushing it with dark brown, light brown, and gray on the rocks. There are no pics because they just look black right now, but I am still painting and that is a good thing. The batch?

3 Bodgers
10 Trenchers
6 Rangers
eStryker
eCaine
eHaley
pNemo
pHaley
Kara Sloan
Squire 'Jack
Firefly
Piper of Ord
Eiryss, Mage Hunter
6 Circle Druids
1 Circle War Wolf
1 DnD Character

More to come soon.

I Wants It....

2011-09-06T17:17:00.001-05:00

So I work at the American electronics store Best Buy. There are a few perks. One of them is putting your name on the cardboard shippers that come out. Mine is all over the back of the Space Marine game shipper. I also tried for the Star Wars in the background but that was labeled way before I could get my hands on it. Oh well... soon the Space marine will be on my wall =)

While I was at work today doing... product research (yeah, that's what we will call it), I came across a game that releases 10/25/11. It is called Disney Universe.

It looks like a fun cross between Little Big Planet, Disney's Extreme Skate Adventure, with a smidge of Kingdom Hearts. It is being carried on PS3, Xbox and Wii. The screen shots looks like the scenery might not get 5 stars but I like the idea of collecting the suits and cooperative game play of 1-4 players. Also, if you pre-order the game through Best Buy, you get the download codes for Peter Pan, Daisy Duck, and Absalom. It also looks like Game Stop is giving you the download code for Captain Hook, Daisy Duck, and Absalom. (Neither store is supporting the downloads on the Wii.) At $49.99 USD, this is definitely going on my wish list!

Dnd Night

2011-09-03T12:03:00.000-05:00

I look forward to DnD night all week. I get to have my friends over, we eat great food, and we roll some dice.

The group I am DMing for consists of 4 newbies and 1 with a year of experience. I really like teaching the game to new people. The always seem to come up with new ideas I don't expect.

This week, one of the guys made Asian BBQ Chicken, Grilled Corn on the Cob, and a wonderful Ice Cream Topping with Peaches, pecans, brown sugar and butter simmered on the stove. It was fantastic!!!

The picture to the right is the first level of the Keep on the Shadowfell, a great adventure to take your PC's from 1-3 levels. The maps are well made and the story is fairly straight forward. The PC's have gone through the preliminary story and now they must fight their way down to the second level and seal the rift before Orcus is able to come through.

They have acquired 2 pet goblins and lots of experience. I love Thursday Game Nights =)

Gorilla Glue

2011-09-02T06:00:00.000-05:00

I like gluing washers to the bases of my mini's. It makes them just a little weightier and a little less likely to tip over. The best stuff I have found for this is Gorilla Glue. When it dries, it forms a tough bond. The best part is that the glue is somewhat rubbery. This means that dropped minis don't lose their bases. This stuff can take a bounce. I have been using the standard stuff that dries a light brownish yellow. I just bought the stuff that dries white and I will let you know how that turns out.

Two things about Gorilla Glue.
1. It works best when under pressure. What that means is you have to be able to clamp it and leave it.

2. It foams as it activates and dries. This produces a good bond, even on uneven surfaces but it leaves some strange results. It is easy to trim off of a base or file down. I have had problems using it in tight detail places as you can't quiet get your files and knives down into them to clear out the small stuff.

I don't recommend it on arms other places where it might foam onto your details but for big flat surfaces, it is the toughest stuff I have found.

The Tiefling

2011-09-01T07:36:00.000-05:00

She makes her debut tonight on our DnD table. She had a couple of weapon swaps, a good bit of purple ink from the old GW series, and a couple of cleavage lines. All she needs is her base finished and a clear coat. Not bad for having not painted anything in a year.

Space Marine Demo

2011-08-31T06:00:00.001-05:00

Pic from the Space Marine Site

I came across the Space Marine Demo in the Playstation Store 2 days ago and downloaded it. I was impressed. If you are looking for it on your system, check out the info page here. I have to say I was impressed. I do not normally enjoy this style of game but there was something incredibly satisfying about smashing Orks and Gretchin while blasting about with a jump pack. Others will write better reviews but I recommend checking out the free demos. And I am asking Santa for a jump pack.

I Hate Epic Caine

2011-08-30T06:00:00.000-05:00

Privateer Press Pic

Epic Caine and Epic Stryker might be great if you like to super-pose your miniatures. I prefer for the pieces to fit. Do you see that right leg? Even in the stock photo, it is a little askew and the foot does not lay flush with the base. Below is what the mini looks like with the arms glued on. When trying to position that leg, Caine ends up with a club foot, bow legged, knock-kneed, or a combination there of. Grrr...

I finally just super glued it and hoped for the best. I am fairly certain I should have pinned it but I just did not want to screw around with it anymore. Caine is the one on the lower right. Next to him is a one armed Epic Stryker. He is almost as bad. There are also 2 last rangers, Classic Haley, and a DnD fig getting their bases. The only one finding this process relaxing is the bear in the hot tub.

The Next Battle Engine

2011-08-29T10:44:00.000-05:00

While letting the glue dry, I noticed a close resemblance to Cygnar's Storm Strider...

Cygnar's next battle engine! What do you think?

Here is the Firefly with fully magnetized arms.

Setting Goals

2011-08-29T06:00:00.001-05:00

I have been trying to get back into the mini's and blogging. I am doing pretty good so far. In the past week, I have worked on a few projects.

Cygnar Firefly glued and magnetized.
Cygnar Rangers glued and primed.
Cygnar Trenchers glued and primed.
Circle of Orborus Druids glued and primed.
Gnome character for DnD pinned and glued.
Tiefling character for DnD glued and primed
Cygnar caster Classic Haley glued.
Continuing to glue the stupid eStriker and eCain Cygnar casters.

Before September 1st, I want to finish:

Prime the Cygnar Firefly and Haley.
Paint the DnD Tiefling

Specifically, the DnD Tiefling is going to be used in our game on Thursday night and I want to have it done for the next battle. So September 1st is my goal. Let's see how it goes...

Note to Self

2011-08-28T06:00:00.000-05:00

Next time, wear gloves when you spray paint your mini's. Not sure what the boss is going to think...

New Hobby Area

2011-08-27T06:00:00.005-05:00

I like pictures of hobby areas. So here is a picture of mine. It is still a work in progress up at least I can dig my mini's out again.

Click on the pic to go even further down the rabbit hole...

A quick tour will reveal spray paint and Simple Green sitting on a box of Lizardmen still not unpacked. A Space marine Dreadnought guards the bits box. More Space Marines hang on the wall while several Orks are trying to take over the unpainted ranks of Cygnar. Many of my gaming books are within easy reach with the Order of the Stick looking on. Fun Times!

Cygnar Firefly

2011-08-26T14:19:00.000-05:00

Click on the pics for larger versions.

Back Story: We have moved into our new house and I have finally unpacked enough boxes that I don't feel guilty when I walk by my hobby room. To celebrate, I went to the local craft store, picked up a few new paints, a nice pack of brushes on for half off, and headed home.

I spent the first couple of hours digging out mini's and organizing my area. It is still small but I think it will work. I dug out all my Cygnar mini's that still need paint and lined them up. Then I got intimidated and nearly packed them all back up. I decided that what I really wanted to paint was a warjack and then I realized that I have them all painted! So I went to the game store and purchased a Firefly.

Firefly: This is the first Privateer Press plastic model I have gotten and I have to say I like it. I was surprised by the number of pieces, especially in the right arm with the spear. If you want to pose this guy, the right arm will be heaven. I checked online and found Guts N Gears video of how to put it together (here). I like these guys podcasts and the video was incredibly helpful. They mention the amount of flash on their model and mine was similar. The mold lines were very clean but the place where each piece was connected to the pour had to be cleaned and it was little tricky around some studs and other details.

I really liked how 95% of the pieces fit together. The legs and back furnace didn't even have to be glued, though I did. The arms each fit together really well and could have been glued without any pinning. If you have built the metal warjacks before, you can understand my joy. Of course, I couldn't just glue it. I wanted to be able to swap arms. Sometimes, you just need an extra Lancer, or you can pull an arm off when it experiences combat damage. And I wanted to play with my magnets!

I started by tracing one of the magnets with a mechanical pencil. I then used my Dremel tools to hollow it out. It took a while to get used to how the tip of the Dremel removed material but it really was the best tool for the job. Once I got the circle the right size, I was able to remove more material deeper without changing the size of the circle. I was aiming to get the magnet flush with the plastic.

I am very glad I started with drilling out the body. It is much easier than the arms. The arm sockets happen to be about a hair bigger than the 0.250" diameter (6.4mm) and 0.063" thick (1.6mm) rare earth magnets that I have on hand. I basically removed everything out to the studs and as deep as I could without busting through. I could literally see daylight through the bottom of the piece when I was done drilling!

Note for others: You can do it the same way I did. It obviously works. But, you could save yourself some grief and either get smaller magnets or or just cut off the arm piece with the studs and glue straight on the hydraulics. A smaller magnet would work because the pieces are plastic and they are holding virtually no weight. Cutting off the studded collar would work, though you lose detail and there is less material to glue to.

The rest is still a work in progress. More pics will be coming soon.

What DnD Character are you?

2011-07-28T14:11:00.000-05:00

I Am A: Lawful Good Human /Cleric (3rd/2nd Level)

Ability Scores:

Strength-11

Dexterity-13

Constitution-14

Intelligence-16

Wisdom-15

Charisma-13

Alignment:
Lawful Good A lawful good character acts as a good person is expected or required to act. He combines a commitment to oppose evil with the discipline to fight relentlessly. He tells the truth, keeps his word, helps those in need, and speaks out against injustice. A lawful good character hates to see the guilty go unpunished. Lawful good is the best alignment you can be because it combines honor and compassion. However, lawful good can be a dangerous alignment because it restricts freedom and criminalizes self-interest.

Race:
Humans are the most adaptable of the common races. Short generations and a penchant for migration and conquest have made them physically diverse as well. Humans are often unorthodox in their dress, sporting unusual hairstyles, fanciful clothes, tattoos, and the like.

Primary Class:
Monks are versatile warriors skilled at fighting without weapons or armor. Good-aligned monks serve as protectors of the people, while evil monks make ideal spies and assassins. Though they don't cast spells, monks channel a subtle energy, called ki. This energy allows them to perform amazing feats, such as healing themselves, catching arrows in flight, and dodging blows with lightning speed. Their mundane and ki-based abilities grow with experience, granting them more power over themselves and their environment. Monks suffer unique penalties to their abilities if they wear armor, as doing so violates their rigid oath. A monk wearing armor loses their Wisdom and level based armor class bonuses, their movement speed, and their additional unarmed attacks per round.

Secondary Class:
Clerics act as intermediaries between the earthly and the divine (or infernal) worlds. A good cleric helps those in need, while an evil cleric seeks to spread his patron's vision of evil across the world. All clerics can heal wounds and bring people back from the brink of death, and powerful clerics can even raise the dead. Likewise, all clerics have authority over undead creatures, and they can turn away or even destroy these creatures. Clerics are trained in the use of simple weapons, and can use all forms of armor and shields without penalty, since armor does not interfere with the casting of divine spells. In addition to his normal complement of spells, every cleric chooses to focus on two of his deity's domains. These domains grants the cleric special powers, and give him access to spells that he might otherwise never learn. A cleric's Wisdom score should be high, since this determines the maximum spell level that he can cast.

Find out What Kind of Dungeons and Dragons Character Would You Be?, courtesy of Easydamus (e-mail)

What's New

2011-06-26T14:49:00.000-05:00

Two little pepper plants and the hope of lettuce.

In the past four months, I have:

Received a promotion at work
Had a house built
Moved into said house
Gotten married!
Planted a new summer garden
Turned 33
Been asked to GM a DnD group with 4 brand new players. The link for the new group is DnD 101 at Obsidian Portal
Been asked to write a leadership curriculum for small groups
and Painted 0 miniatures. I can't even dig my way to my desk right now!

Anyway, life is crazy, fun and exciting. Until next time!

Small Update

2011-02-22T19:18:00.000-06:00

Just a short update. No mini's are getting painted right now but we are moving forward on the house stuff. They have put up the form boards on the lot and have moved in more dirt. Today, they dug trenches in the dirt they moved in and put in the plumbing. We visit our dirt most days and it is very exciting. I have high hopes that we will have a concrete slab by Friday.


Wednesday, 2-16-11

Thursday 2-17-11

Friday 2-18-11

Monday 2-21-11

Tuesday 2-22-11

Distractions Part II

2011-01-11T11:53:00.000-06:00

Sorry it has been a while guys. Things in progress:

We are buying a house! In fact, we are building a house. To the right is the floor plan that we chose. Bedroom 2 will probably be my hobby room and possibly a gaming table! We are very excited about the large living area. There are no walls dividing the Living Room, Dining Room, and the Kitchen so visually, it is a huge room. We choose options for the house in the next two weeks and they could start construction in early February.

We decided to move out of our apartment after a) It took an hour and half to respond to the "emergency" pager as our apartment flooded with gray water from upstairs and b) my car was broken into on Christmas and the apartment made zero effort to assist. Grrr...

I have spent $0 on miniatures or really anything else. Our current mantra: "I don't want ____, I want to buy a house." I haven't even bought the new Force book for Circle of Orborus which I was sure I would.

World of Warcraft Cataclysm released and I have leveled up my little gnome mage from 73 to 81 in about 3 weeks. Not bad since it normally takes me about a month a level as a casual player. I am enjoying to new content and the new Worgen race.

I am still in my painting slump. I imagine sometime in the summer, after we move into the new place, I will be looking for a new distraction.

I am planning on being in the new house by late spring / early summer. I hope to be able to plant my new vegetable garden at the new place!

I hope you are each spending time doing the things you love in this new year! More updates as the house stuff progresses.

Distractions

2010-11-16T14:45:00.000-06:00

It has been a while since I posted. I haven't painted in about 3 months. This is pretty normal for me. I will hit a dry spell for 3-6 months and during this time I will pursue other hobbies.

Currently, World of Warcraft has hooked me again. I am enjoying leveling my little gnome and getting a few achievements that will probably change with the upcoming Cataclysm expansion.

I have also done a lot of reading. I found Monster Hunter International by Larry Correia. You can check out the first 7 chapters here. It's a fun book set in modern times with a definite Lovecraft feel. Monsters such as vampires and zombies are real and the federal government pays for their heads, as long as the general population is kept in the dark. I definitely recommend it.

Of course the biggest distraction this time of year is that I work retail. As you begin buying for the holidays, remember to be nice to the poor people who have to help you. They may just be trying to make money for their miniature addiction!

I imagine that as the new Force book for Circle of Orboros comes out, I will start painting again. Until then, WoW will continue to pull a lot of my hobby time =)

Fantasy Football

2010-09-08T05:00:00.009-05:00

Yahoo Fantasy Football

It's that time of year again! I was disappointed that my league from last year was not able to get together again for this season. However, I heard some of the guys talking about their league at work and I asked if I could jump in. There were the usual questions about why a girl would want to play fantasy football but a little smack talk later and I was in.

I was the 6th in the draft but I liked most of my picks. I have a pretty solid core around RB Ray Rice and WR Roddy White. I went with my favorite QB Brett Farve, hoping he has another solid season and avoids the injury list. I can't wait for his rematch against the New Orleans Saints tomorrow night, 7:30 pm (CST).

I also picked up WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh only to find out that he was cut by the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday. With another of my WR's out on a knee injury late in the last preseason game, I am a little skimpy in the wide receiver department.

In a 12 person league, I seriously doubt that I will win the league. I just hope I can avoid the last place slot, especially after the smack talk I had to lay down to get in. I guess we will see =)

Suprises

2010-09-06T09:56:00.000-05:00

My significant other surprised me with nerdy presents! I opened the bag to find two units of Circle mini's. These are the Tharn Bloodtrackers.

Picture from Privateer Press Website. Buy their stuff!

These ladies are the Circles version of forward scouts. They have advance deploy, pathfinder, and stealth. They can also select and enemy's model or unit as their prey, giving nice bonuses. They are a tad on the squishy side but for 5 pts for 6 or 8 pts for 10 they feel like a nice unit.

I also received a unit of Reeves of Orboros.

Picture also from Privateer Press.

This is a nice little shooting unit. Their crossbows have a range of 12" and POW of 10 but they also benefit from combined ranged attacks, ignore concealment and cover effects, and they have pathfinder. They also have a rule that if they kill an enemy model, they get to take a second shot.

I really like both units and I didn't have either of them. So the good news is I got two new units for free! The down side... Well, I have to pick up the extra mini's to fill out the units before I start painting them! Seriously though, picking up the 8 extra mini's to fill out the ranks would run me about $37.50. The Reeves also have a unit attachment that I would get, adding another $13.50. While writing this up, I just almost ordered them but I convinced myself to wait, at least until after vacation. I guess we will see how long my resolve holds up =)

A Reasoned Response to my Movement Tray

2010-08-19T10:17:00.000-05:00

The other day, I posted picks of the movement tray I am creating for my units of Long Gunners. Von, from Game Over and A Year of Frugal Gaming left a great comment I wanted to share (Von, I hope you don't mind me quoting you here):

Von said... Cool tray, no doubt about that, but I think there's a reason Warmachine players don't use them, and a consequence for you that you might not have thought about.

The sheer openness of Warmachine Mark II's formation rules open up a lot of tactical options (with lines of sight/fire, casualty removal, counter-attacks and so on), especially for high priority units with different actions and attacks available to them (like Trenchers and Long Gunners).

I worry that you're locking yourself into one rather limited formation, and thus locking yourself out of those options. I also worry about terrain, particularly buildings, although I assume you'll just abandon the tray there.

Of course, strength of play may not be as big a priority for you. This'll certainly speed up your play, and if you did a battlegroup and solos one as well, they'd be nice display/transport utilities.

I hadn't really thought about how the tray would lock me in. Recently, I have played several games with pHaley where I line up two full units of Long Gunners, 24 mini's, and shoot holes in the oncoming hordes. I thought it was a pain in the butt when I had to move them all up the first turn, thus the idea a tray was formed. I think I also just wanted to play with power tools =)

I like the imposed spacing so I don't get all my guys killed in one round of Khador AOE's. I also think I can leave the tray when needs be. I knew going into it that it would probably only help for turns 1 & 2. However, once they are in the tray, my tendency will be to leave them in that formation simply because I am too lazy to want to move them all. I pretty sure I would pull them off it when I needed to but it would have to be a conscious decision.

Another thing for me to consider is that the Long Gunners are at their best when they don't move. If they stand still, they get a +2 aiming bonus on either 1)their first of two shots at 12" each or 2) on a 24" shot. They also have the combined range attack ability. I might just start leaving them in their deployment zone starting positions. They won't get a shot the first turn but they have longer to shoot at the enemy. I guess it still depends on the scenario.

Anyway, Von, thank you for the comment. It has really given me a lot to think about. I still plan on finishing the tray and trying it out a couple of times. There is nothing like experience to show me if I made a movement tray or an interesting display board!

Thanks for reading!

And the Winner is....

2010-08-18T08:29:00.000-05:00

A while back, I won a ticket to Games Day through the Storm Warden / Doctor's Without Borders Project. As I mentioned here, I can't go but I want someone else to be able to use the ticket. Thanks for those who expressed interest in going to Games Day. I guess most people already have their tickets but I am glad one more person can go.

And the winner is... The other Kevin from Paint Pot Procrastinator! Kevin, I need your postal address so I can get the ticket to you. Please use the link to my e-mail in my profile. Congratulations!

PS - If anyone else knows real world "the other Kevin", give him a call and tell him to send me his address. Let's get this ticket used!

Long Gunners and a Movement Tray

2010-08-15T17:19:00.001-05:00

I have been working on my Long Gunners again. I last posted pics of them here. They now have most of their highlights done and I am trying to get the cloth to come out. The banner is the last thing to do. It has intimidated me for a while but I am almost ready to give it a go. Here are some recent pics of the progress.

I blocked in the major colors and the first hint of highlight. There are actually two different units here, distinguished by the color of their skirt.

Here is a close up of two of them, pretty close to done.

On a different note, I have been playing around with the idea of creating a movement tray for them. Warmachine does not typically have movement trays but I am getting used to fielding two full units at 10+2 officers. With 24 mini's, I decided to take the plunge.

I went to my local craft store and purchased 1/8 x 4 x 24 piece of Basswood. It was $2.99, not bad for a movement tray. After WAY too long trying to figure out the best arrangement and the spacing to put in between the little guys, I drew out my circles on the board and started cutting.

I had purchased a Dremel Multipurpose Cutting Kit #565 but I had never used it before.

Turns out, it works great but it is very loud! I was afraid my apartment neighbors would call the office on me! I was out on the patio, which was good because of all the sawdust, but it was very loud. I used the kit to create the holes in the middle, then I finished them out with a sanding band. The sanding band was much quieter and was easier to control when I got next to my pencil lines.

You might notice all the pencil lines where I thought the holes would go. Like I said, it took me a while.

This is what they look like in their new movement tray. Notice the second board underneath.

I know it is hard to tell from this picture but the 3" blast template can only hit one mini when it is centered on a guy. I lose about 2" on my back rank's range but I don't get killed with bombards either. I also hope this will keep some of them out of charge range when it comes to that.

I considered making the tray magnetic but I already have the washers on the bases of the Long Gunners and I decided not to mess with it. Maybe next time.

The smartest thing I did was use the board as a template for my next movement tray. I certainly don't want to try all the crazy math and measurements I did on this one.

The dumbest thing I did? Well, I started putting a unit in the tray to take a picture for the blog and realized I only cut 10 holes. With the Officer Attachment, I am 2 short! Dang it! I will still use it, as I can always put two of the guys to the side or in a back rank. Still, I am happy with my first attempt.

Thanks for reading!

The Drawing Date

2010-08-15T11:47:00.000-05:00

The Drawing Date for the Games Day Ticket has been moved to August the 17th. Check out the previous post if you might be able to go!

I Won... And So Can You

2010-08-10T23:39:00.001-05:00

A week or two back, they had the final drawing for the Storm Wardens Project. It was a huge success, raising $16,000+ for Doctor's Without Borders. I contributed along the way, sort of hoping for the grand prize but mostly because it was for a great cause. Well, I won, but not the grand prize. I won one of the Games Day tickets.

It is very cool, and yet I live in Texas now =( There is simply no way I can go.

So the ticket is up for grabs!

Rules:

Post a comment below if you are able to personally use the ticket.
I will pick a random person on Tuesday, August 17th, probably around 11pm Central Time.
If you are selected, I will mail you the ticket so you can travel to the Baltimore Convention Center on August 21st, 10am-6pm (or any part of it)
Hopefully, you will take pictures and post about it on your blog (or we can work out a way to post it here).

Please don't post if you can't use the ticket. I am hoping one of you can use it or you know someone who you can get to post a comment.

Good luck!

Edit: The drawing has been moved to Tuesday, August 17th.

Scary!

2010-07-06T10:29:00.000-05:00

I worked on the Fourth of July (Independence Day for Americans) and a very strange man came to my counter. I work at Best Buy, a large electronics store, at the customer service / return desk. You hear some weird stuff working with people but this guy was so mellow and non-descript it was strange. He spoke very monotone, with no facial expression or voice inflection. He was dressed in a black T-shirt that had faded a little with time, Jeans that were once black but now also faded and a black baseball cap. It sounds weird to write it but at the time it looked more like a uniform than something someone would choose to wear. There is even a restaurant near here that requires the employees to wear all black so the white apron pops.

As I went through the transaction, I smiled, was upbeat, and hit all the points I am supposed to. As I was handing back the guys change I noticed the camera! In the bill of his black baseball cap was a pin-hole spy camera! It totally freaked me out! Thankfully, we were already done and he was leaving the store. I mentioned it to my supervisor but what can you do?

So now I don't know what happened. Is he a Private Investigator that was out running errands? Was it some sort of secret shopper? Are we going to be on Dateline or some other investigative reporting show? Or maybe he is just a creepy guy who likes to re-live his day.

Self Restraint

2010-07-02T12:51:00.001-05:00

The Temptation: I am going to the game store in a few hours to pick up my copy of No Quarter #30. I am a little late but it was back-ordered when I started playing again.

The Danger: I have $70 in birthday money burning a hole in my pocket. I would love to pick up the new Trencher Commando unit ($50) and the Heavy Warjack kit ($35). I also want to pick up the new Hordes Faction deck ($18) and the new No Quarter ($7.50) when they comes out later this month.

The Reality: I still haven't finished painting my Long Gunners, Rangers, or the casters I picked up a month ago.

In trying to rationalize my addiction to lead and plastic, I keep telling myself that I would be able to play with the commandos almost straight out of the box (gasp) unpainted!

The Decision: I Will Not buy more minis. I Will Not buy more minis. I Will Not buy more minis....

I will only buy the No Quarter they ordered for me. I have two days off coming up and I will finish painting the Long Gunners by Tuesday and, if the weather is good, spray coat them on Wednesday. Finishing the Long Gunners means I can buy the Commandos.... Stupid addiction.

Quick Update

2010-06-24T11:23:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow is the last day of our three week Warmachine campaign. I have been able to get in 4 games and I had a great time. I played against Trollbloods, Mercenaries and twice against Retribution. My win/loss record isn't that great but I am learning more each time I play. I am really enjoying the system. I am also looking forward to the release of Hordes MKII which will be out soon. I haven't touched my Circle stuff in a while but I know I will be buying the new core book and the faction deck. Now where can I scrounge up another $55...

I Kicked Butt!

2010-06-16T01:04:00.000-05:00

So, in my last post, I wrote about how my Cygnar warcaster Haley got eaten by a Earthborn Dire Troll (picture below). I played a great game, aggressive and threatening his warlock. I lost but I was really happy with the game and it wouldn't have taken much for it to go my way.

Well, as I was writing my post, I wanted to include my opponents Trollblood's list. I started piecing it together from what I remembered but I couldn't get it to equal 35pts. I messaged him and asked for his list so I could read up on the mini's. This is what I got back.

@9:30pm, he wrote:
pMadrak
Earthborn Dire Troll
Dire Troll Bomber
Troll Axer
5 Long Riders
Horthol
6 Pygmy Burrowers
Fell Caller Hero
Stone Scribe Chronicler
I believe that was the whole list.

@10:30pm, he wrote:
HOLY &#!+! WE PLAYED A 35 POINT GAME! I played 50 points against you, I am so sorry. I'm gonna let [the Press Ganger] know and give you the win for that night and fix our cards. I am so sorry. It was still a good game, but you totally should have won. I think it was because I had just played a 50 point game, and I just f@#$ up. I'm sorry, I hope we can play a real game again sometime.

I think it clicked when he was sending the info to our Press Ganger. Either way, I feel really good about the game! It was a really fun game and I liked the way I played. Now I know he had a 15pt advantage and I was still doing good. I don't know if I would have won with equal points but I can't wait to give it a try =)

League Game

2010-06-15T14:31:00.000-05:00

So I got to play a league game last night. My LGS is hosting Privateer Press's Shattered Grounds League. We are currently in the Blasted Heath movement of the campaign. (You can check out the map here) I missed the Nightfall part with the move but I am excited about the league. Apparently, the campaign last year determined the release schedule for the new codex books. Not sure what this year will bring but I like the real world application.

I played my Cygnar against Trollbloods last night. I felt really good about the way I played. I was aggressive in my style and his warlock was in danger beginning in turn 2. I believe he killed Haley in turn 4 but there were some great moments. My Hunter was able to advance deploy on an impassible cliff and snipe at people (including the Madrack, his warlock) all game long. Two full units of Long Gunners with Officer attachments were shooting anywhere from 26-78 shots each turn. Many of these were combined into single shots for more dmg. they were able to clear lines of sight and allow others to target Madrack. My sword knights distracted his Long Riders for a turn and kept them wrapped up in combat for another turn. Much to our surprise, they were also attacked by his Dire Troll Bomber (right) who failed a Threshold check. Finally, his Earthborn Dire Troll trampled its way through my lines and ate Haley!

Great game and new people to play against. What a great evening!

Shopping Spree at Privateer Press

2010-06-02T21:54:00.000-05:00

So I know this is probably hurting my chances of winning but I thought it would be more fair to put it out there. In exchange for a 3-minute survey, you get the chance to win $150 shopping spree from Privateer Press. It's easy and fast. Here's the link: Shopping Spree - Good luck!

New Ways to Play the Game

2010-05-31T15:57:00.000-05:00

I found a new blog the other day. Check out Hero's Gaming Blog. One of the things he mentions is getting in some Warmachine games on Vassel. My bet is most of you have already found this site but it was new to me. I downloaded the engine, which they had a version for mac =) Then I downloaded the module for Warmachine. Now, here's the part that is going to sound really weird. I played both sides! This is when I realized I don't know the rules! I found out that I normally rely on my opponents to tell me what to roll. I never noticed it before but playing a new opponent on Thursday, I realized how much I depended on other people to know the rules. By playing both sides I learned:

More of the rules. There was no one to ask and I had to look up a ton of rules. At the same time, it made me learn them.
I learned the stats for more models. I played Cygnar vs Cygnar so I effectively got two games under my belt. By the end, I was able to roll dice and not look at the cards every two seconds.
I also learned (again) that I play too defensively. A game vs. my self takes forever! Not very fun.

Anyway, I like the engine and it would also be a easy to do a battle report with the picture function.

Thanks for reading!

Making New Friends

2010-05-28T10:35:00.001-05:00

I mentioned in my last blog that I went to "Casual Warmachine" night at a local gaming store. There was no Warmachine and I was pretty disheartened. However, the comments were fantastic and upbeat so I bravely ventured into the local forums and where I saw this:

If anyone's interested, I'll be at Battleforge about 5:30-ish with a couple 35 pt lists i want to try. (my traditional Rahn list, and the Kaelyssa list I've been trying to whack out)

I posted back and we met up at 5:30. We got two games in and he was really nice. I would still classify my play at the newb level and he was both helpful and instructive. There were also about 40 other players for the game night, some with Warmachine, others with the standard mix of 40k, WHFB, and FoW.

Game 1
For our first game, I took prime Haley's tier 4 list, full of Long Gunners and Hunters. It is a very shooty army but a unit of Sword Knights added some teeth. I (sort of) survived Rhan's feat round, where my Lancer (with the arc node) and my two Hunters were knocked down and then push/pulled right into the teeth of his infantry. One lonely Hunter was left with 3 boxes at the end of it, his left sniper rifle ripped off and only and axe left. He took out one infantry in turn.

On my next turn, pHaley popper her feat which allows all friendly units in her control range to make an additional attack, regardless of Rate of Fire. The Sword Knights charged and took out his heavy 'Jack before it could light me on fire. They had to roll a 4 to hit. For damage, they rolled 4 dice on the first hit and 3 dice on the second hit and subtracted 8 from each. It was brutal. I had no idea those guys were so tough!

My Long Gunners were next and they stood still and shot. This gives them an additional shot, on top of the one Haley gave them. 18 shots at his light warjack finally brought it down, but not before it arced a chain lightning ball into me twice.

At this point, the game was over. My opponent conceded the game, saying the rest would just be my 2 units of Long Gunners chewing through his remaining forces. This gave us time for a second game.

Game 2

Our second game was much quicker. I took my standard Darius list with all heavy 'Jacks. It is not a tier list but he had to leave for work in an hour and I am faster with the 'Jacks. He took his Kaelyssa list. This list is designed to shoot through walls, models, and everything else. 80% of the force is advanced deploy and I believe the only things with out stealth were the two heavy 'Jacks and Kaelyssa herself. Everything else is designed to get at the warcaster and assassinate. I didn't understand all this, though my opponent tried to warn me, and I started 'Jack walking my group up. As soon as Darius was within range, it didn't matter that there were tons of Iron in front of him. He was phantom shot from a far and a solo made it through for the coup de grace. She decapitated him! It's one of her special abilities.

Overall, it was a great night and I met several other players. I didn't take any pics. I'm sure my opponent would have been cool with it but I already felt new and didn't want to add to it.

So thank you to all of you who posted encouraging comments last time. They helped and I got to play two games. Now to finish painting up those Long Gunners, they deserve it...

All Dressed Up and No Place to Go

2010-05-26T09:53:00.000-05:00

Last night, I loaded all of my Cygnar mini's into foam and stuffed them into my carry bag. I told myself not to chicken out and to go to the game store in my new town of Austin. Tuesday nights, 7-12pm is Casual Warmachine and I wanted to play.

It's tough going somewhere new, not knowing anybody, and hoping they won't laugh at you too bad when you don't know the armor values of their mini's or what you have to roll to hit something. I am a casual player but I want to play.

So I went to the game store for Causal Warmachine night... and no one was playing Warmachine. =( Eventually there were a couple of games of Warhammer Fantasy, and later a couple of 40k games broke out. They were nice enough but where's the Warmachine? I have army's for both Fantasy and 40k, they just are not what I am into right now. That might change when the new fantasy book comes out in July but for now, give me my boys in blue!

I hung out and met people. I watched games and chatted for about 3 hours. This is what I learned:

Casual Warmachine Night just means open gaming.
If I have a different night off, I can go up and play then.
The calendar posted is not as accurate as I once thought.
Warmachine is not as prevalent here as it was in Kentucky
If I want a game, I will have to schedule one with someone on the local chat board.

I feel very brave for going all by myself. I will try again next week when I have a day off. I may also try the other store and see if my experience will be different.

Thanks for reading!

What dice are you?

2010-05-25T22:52:00.002-05:00

I blame Mik...

You are a d8: You are the true adventurer! Dragons rescued, princesses slayed, and all that business while O Fortuna plays in the background. Your social calender is crammed with heroic deeds, and you've personally saved the world from ultimate destruction at least twice. You are reliable, perhaps a bit predictable, but overall a shining example of what happens when courage meets determination.
Take the quiz at dicepool.com

Five Minute Chocolate Cake

2010-05-16T05:00:00.008-05:00

I thought I would post this as a fun side note. This chocolate cake takes me five minutes to prepare and cook. It's not pretty when you tip it out of the cup (thus no pic) but it is very tasty.

4 Tbsp Flour
4 Tbsp Sugar
2 Tbsp Cocoa
1 Egg
3 Tbsp Milk
3 Tbsp Oil
3 Tbsp (or more =) chocolate chips(optional) - I have also used toffee bits to good effect
a splash of vanilla

Mix together in a cappuccino cup or large coffee mug and microwave on high for 3 Minutes. I know it looks like it's going to go over the side but I have never had it happen. Be fearless!

Enjoy with a dollop of icing, ice cream, caramel sauce, chocolate sauce, or whatever you want!

Front Arcs

2010-05-15T05:00:00.012-05:00

So I gave in and painted front arc marks on Long Gunners that were already painted. I am not really a fan of arc marks but they will help in the game play. I went for a very neutral gray so as to not stand out. I also added a "L" on the back of the leader to keep him clear in a game.

I am also slightly OCD, so I drew a template to help place them. It worked well enough but there was still a little play in where the line ended up.

I think next time, I will find box with a good right angle. I will slide them back against the corner, then mark the line, again using something like the template. Has anyone else found a better (simpler/faster) way? Or do you eyeball and freehand them?

Simple Green Outcome

2010-05-14T05:00:00.001-05:00

I have mentioned my Trenchers before. I bought them cheap and cheaply painted. The problem is they sat on my shelf for 4 years before I decided I really wanted to strip them.

I dug through my photos and could not find a before pic of these Trenchers but you can sort of see the paint while they sit in the Simple Green. I let them sit for about a week (due to family stuff more than patience) and finally took a toothbrush to them. The Green did a great job. Everything was softened up and slid right off of flat surfaces. There are a number of crevices on these models that held the paint but I was able to get it out with an Exacto, though a toothpick probably would have been safer and easier on the models. There are still a few spots left but after 30 minutes of scrubbing and scraping, I decided it was good enough. The plastic bases were a little soft when I pulled them out but they seem fine today. They might have come off the mini's but the previous owner filled the bases with something like Milliput so they held.

Thanks for reading!

First Layer

2010-05-13T10:28:00.000-05:00

I am going to try to paint a big batch, though I may have to break it down when I get past the base colors. Here, I have filled in the spots the spray primer missed with Black. Next, I did a heavy overbrush on the base and painted the wood and leather with a dark brown.

I am a little intimidated by the large batch but I think it will help me paint the characters. Characters scare me a little, so hopefully with them lumped in with the regulars, they will get the same treatment. Otherwise, there is a strong chance they will sit on the shelf until I feel up to them. More to come...

God of War (side note)

2010-05-01T05:00:00.002-05:00

I have been sucked in by God of War. I made the simple mistake of playing the free God of War III Demo on the PS3 and decided I wanted to give it a try. Add in the $30 2-pack of GoW 1 & 2 for the PS3 that just came out and I couldn't resist. After 10 hours of great game play (and the help of the strategy guide) I will soon battle Ares, the God of War in the first game.

I really like the story, along with the challenges, though some of the timed challenges make me want to pull my hair out. I am not a great gamer, normally sticking to fun titles in the Lego series but I have been able to get to the last battle, albeit in mortal (read easy) mode. There have been a few moral choices I wish Kratos could have avoided or chosen differently in but over all I really like the game.

If you have not had a chance to try out this game, I heartily recommend it. Then again, I was probably the holdout left!

I also added my Play Station Network ID to the side of my blog. Feel free to check out the trophies I have earned so far and/or friend me on that network. Thanks for reading!

Assembling Cygnar

2010-04-30T14:41:00.005-05:00

Stupid little pieces! I know they are going to pop off and yet there is no good way to pin them. Grrr... Now I remember why I had not assembled eStryker before. I also have eCaine but he has even more little pieces! I am probably a little spoiled by the ones who come as a single piece.

I picked up some Simple Green the other day and dropped 6 trenchers into a chipped coffee mug. They have been here for 48 hours and layers of paint are peeling off. It is my first time working with Simple Green but I have had these trenchers for 4+ years and they have never been fielded. I bought them already painted (and cheap) along with 4 primed black. I hope to get them cleaned up, buy a box of the new Trencher Commandos, and paint them all together.

Here are my recent purchases. I have the 6 Long Gunners, 2 Officers, and 2 Standard Bearers to fill out my Long Gunner Units. The new Warcaster Kara Sloan is also a new purchase. I already had eHaley, who finally got assembled, and the Squire, who was based along with the rest of them.

The next step will be to attach the washers and a coat of black spray primer to lock down the sand.

My next project

2010-04-25T05:00:00.000-05:00

I have to wait a few days before I can afford the Long Gunners I want to buy so I dug these little guys out. They are the extra Bodgers that go with my Field Mechaniks. I like the poses but there are only two and honestly I am too lazy to fiddle with them. I will just have to paint them differently.

I went ahead and cleaned the flashing, glued them to their bases, painted Elmer's glue down and added the sand from my Santa Cruz Basing Kit. Once this was dry, I glued the washers down, thus avoiding trapped sand.

Next, I took them outside and primed them with Krylon Ultra-Flat Black paint. I know it's not the special snazzy stuff but it costs about 1/5th the amount so I am good with it =) I decided I wanted to base them in this order so the black primer would help seal in the sand and coat the washer. I had a difficult time getting the washer coated with brushed on paint. The spray paint coated much better.

Finished Arcane Tempest Gun Mages

2010-04-24T11:56:00.002-05:00

I finally have them finished. They have had their last layers of clear coat sprayed on and I am done! I am really happy with the way the blue fabrics came out. I am even satisfied with the flesh tones. I won't feel too bashful about slapping these guys down on the field of combat. (Click any pic for a larger version).

This is the Arcane Tempest Gun Mage Solo and apparently he is a little bashful. The close up still shows where my technique needs work (but my photography is getting pretty good!) but he is the same quality as the above unit so I feel pretty good about him.

The Storm Smiths were also completed with this batch. Again, I am pleased with the result. Thanks for reading!

My Patio

2010-04-24T11:42:00.005-05:00

When I arrived home from work the other night, I was met with a wonderful surprise! My significant other had been busy at the local home and garden store.

Originally, I only had the little herb garden but now we have a great little area. I find that we naturally gravitate here, often taking our dinners out side =)

This is my palm tree! There are also little flowery plants at the base to add color. I am not really into plants that aren't edible but the palm tree is kind of fun =)

This is my other non-edible plant. It is a Lamb's Ear and that is exactly what the leaves feel like. I had to leave my last one in Kentucky and this was a beautiful surprise.

Finally, these are my herbs. Oregano was the first to pop up but is still very small. The Cilantro was last to sprout but is growing like crazy. I can't wait to try my hand at salsa!

(above is the little "posted by Picasa" Symbol)

This is my Basil and the Chives are on the right. Thanks for reading and the there will be miniatures in the next post =)

What to buy...

2010-04-21T11:06:00.004-05:00

As with all good miniature painters, finishing 10 mini's makes me feel like I have accomplished something. The Gun Mages only lack a final flat coat of varnish before they get their big reveal photo. So last night, I started thinking about what to paint next.

The new Cygnar Forces books are amazing and their warcaster tier builds have some really nice bonuses. I don't believe there are any 'game winner' bonuses but a free officer attachment, lower costing jacks, and a couple of advanced deployments can't hurt. The problem (and the subtly) of the system is that ever caster has a unit they must have two of to get to the top tier. For instance, Commander Coleman Stryker, poster boy of the Cygnar military, must be fielded with 2 or more Long Gunner units in order to get a free Long Gunner Officer attachment. If not, you can't get to his forth tier, take two Lancers, and let his army begin the game with his upkeep spells. The tier builds are optional and none of them are really game winning but they are still enticing to the gamer.

So of course I am going to think about the tier system when I decide what to paint next. The problem is that I don't have two units of Long Gunners! Nor do I have 2 units of Trenchers. Silly me, I only bought and painted 1 unit of Gun Mages!

I began by looking at what I already had, what I had not painted yet, and what I might have to buy to play my favorite casters.

Prime Stryker - I actually have enough Long Gunners for 2 half units and I could proxy an Ironclad for Ol' Rowdy. To really make the most out of the build, I would want to buy 6 more Long Gunners and 2 officers and standard bearers. Cost = $53 USD.

Prime Haley - Has the same Long Gunner requirement so I could field her as is. Oh wait, I don't have pHaley so that's $8. To get most out of the build, I would need the same 6 gunners and 4 officers plus 4 more Sword Knights. Cost = $87.

Darius (my favorite caster) - I would need 6 more Sword Knights to field it but I would not paint just 6. I would want to get the full 14 more plus the two officers and standard bearers. This same unit would allow me to field pNemo but the cost of the 14+4 mini's would = $135. I love Darius but this seems like a lot right now, especially after a move.

I continued to break down my options (in a spreadsheet because I'm a nerd) and here is what I came up with for a shopping list:

6 Long Gunners + 4 Officer/standard bearers = $53
pHaley = $8
Kara Sloan (a new caster) = $12
6 Rangers = $31
Total cost = $104

I can buy it in pieces and this shopping list allows me to play three different casters. I am pretty sure this is the direction I will go.

Then again, I could not buy anything and just paint my orks...

Finishing the Gun Mages

2010-04-19T11:22:00.003-05:00

We have finally gotten moved in here in Austin and I am enjoying my new job with Best Buy. I also finally got my paints unpacked and I am almost finished with my Gun Mages. I busted out the basing kit I won from Santa Cruz Warhammer and got to it. Here is the mostly painted Gun Mages, Gun Mage Solo, and 3 Stormsmiths.

Below is the chipped slate included in the kit. There is a nice selection of large and small pieces. The flat sides are great for gluing them to the base.

Here I have glued down the pieces of slate. I am also getting ready to glue the washers underneath.

Here is the sand included in the kit. The sand has good texture and, like the slate, there will be plenty for a ton of minis.

A few of the bases already had washers, but I waited to glue down the rest until after the sand. This way, I avoid getting sand stuck under the base. I have roughed up the washers with my file for a better bond.

After the sand is glued down, I mix Black paint and Elmer's 1:1 and paint the sand. It locks in the sand and provides a base coat.

All lined up with a heavy overbrush of FA's Burnt Umber.

A close up of the basing. Finished pics should be up tomorrow.

Finally, I wanted to show off my herb garden. It is much smaller than my garden last year but it is much more manageable in an apartment space. Basil, Cilantro, Oregano, and Chives.

Checking out the LGS

2010-03-31T19:10:00.002-05:00

I got to drive around today and check out the Local Gaming Stores in the area. There may be a few more but these are the two I was able to visit.

Dragon's Lair
I visited the Dragon's Lair first (due to proximity) and I really liked it. I was greeted when I walked in and the staff was busy stocking shelves. I got to browse for 5-10 minutes without being hassled. The shelves were full of the normal 40k/Fantasy/Warmachine stuff but there was also a terrific selection of other games. There were many I didn't recognize but look forward to checking out. There was also a great display of RPG books including DnD, World of Darkness, and Dark Heresy to name a few. There was a huge wall of comics and a back room with a stack (read tower) of open board games ready to try out.

When I asked about Warmachine players, they handed me a calendar of events (already printed for the month) and began telling me about the escalation league starting up and good days for free play. They were excited about their store/products and I found myself signed up for their newsletter before I left the store. I also should mention that I liked the cat asleep on top of one of the three finished terrain tables. =)

Battle Forge
I visited Battle Forge second. The store had several more finished terrain tables and the guys were great about answering questions. It was easy to see what was on the shelves and it was easy to see how the space could accommodate 40+ gamers on a game night. They are hosting a Warmachine tournament this weekend.

I think the best thing about the whole experience is that I didn't get that creepy vibe that goes with some game stores. I think I would be comfortable going to either store on my own (I took a friend this time). All in all, I like Austin =)

Moved in

2010-03-19T11:07:00.002-05:00

We have moved to Austin! I am finally ready to start painting again and my mini's are packed in one of the many boxes still left to unpack. I will also have time soon to check out the stores here in Austin. Anyone have one they like?

Moving to Texas

2010-02-25T07:41:00.002-06:00

We have been planning a move to Austin, Texas for some time now. Suddenly, that time is NOW! The moving truck will be here on Wednesday and we have two days to load it. We will unload on the 10th in Austin at our new apartment.

But Wait, There's More!

My roommate found out she is having Carpal Tunnel surgery TODAY!!! That's right, 6 days before the moving truck gets here. Then, next Friday, she will have the other hand done. We are excited to get this fixed. It's a Workman's Comp thing that needs to get done before we leave Kentucky. So I have double the packing to do now and we will spend most of today at the hospital. Fun.

So if anyone is in Austin and wants to help unload the truck on the 10th-12th of March, any and all help would be appreciated. (It is a ground floor apartment =) There probably be pizza and beverages too!

Massive 150 pts Warmachine MKII Battle

2010-02-12T08:54:00.008-06:00

We got to play a huge game yesterday! It was crazy fun and I wanted to share it with y'all. We played 150 points. Andy and I split the Cygnar points while Coffey fielded every one of his models. Each side played with three casters. For Cygnar, I took Darius and Andy took Brisbane and Gen. Nemo. Cygnar rolled highest so Andy decided to setup first and take the first turn. Below is my line up of 75 pts. I went a little crazy with labeling stuff but it was fun =)

From 02/12/10 huge cygnar v kahdor game

This is Andy's line up. Brisbane isn't listed but he is tucked away behind the Defender and Centurion. In regular Warmachine, if you lose your caster, the game is over. For this game, we decided to you had to kill two of the other faction's three casters for the win.

From 02/12/10 huge cygnar v kahdor game

This is Coffey's lineup. During his Advance Deployment phase, he would place a Manhunterin the trees to the right and Eiryss, Mage Hunter of Ios on the hill in the center. Both have stealth and cannot be shot at from more than 5" away. The Widow Makers will advance deploy into the trees on the left. (Coffey would want me to add that he really does have the models for the Iron Fang Uhlans but they are on the painting table and he had to use these as proxies). Karchev is one of Coffey's casters, though he is as big as a Warjack and has the heath boxes to prove it.

From 02/12/10 huge cygnar v kahdor game

This is the center of the Khador line. Notice how big Karchev (the black jack) is to a person sized miniature like the Winter Guard!

From 02/12/10 huge cygnar v kahdor game

This is the left side of the Khador line with most of the heavies. The other two casters are Vlad and The Butcher.

From 02/12/10 huge cygnar v kahdor game

Turn 1:
Cygnar advances. Darius uses Full Throttle to run his Large Jacks forward for free. The Halfjacks get into position to become mines later. The Hunters try for shots but don't have range yet.

From 02/12/10 huge cygnar v kahdor game

The top of this hill counts as trees. It bogs down the movement of the Long Gunners but provides cover.

From 02/12/10 huge cygnar v kahdor game

Partway through Khador's advance, you can see the Storm Lancers (Cygnar's Cavalry on the end) is setting up to charge the Iron Fang Pikeman. The Defender will take damage from the Bombards of the Behemoth. One shot deviates and kills Andy's Journeyman warcaster. This is huge, as his Centurion warjack goes inert. The Butcher casts Iron Flesh on the Widow Makers. This spell costs 2 the first time it is played but be renewed each turn for only 1. Karchev will cast Tow on the his battlegroup and run forward. The 3 Destroyers get towed along for free and do not count as moving, giving them an aiming bonus. They shoot, killing 3 of the 6 Trenchers and 1 of the Sword Knights. Those things are almost more damaging when they deviate! Eiryss (solo in the bottom middle) disrupts my Hammersmith, causing it to not receive focus next turn.

From 02/12/10 huge cygnar v kahdor game

Turn 2:
Two of Andy's Hunters are able to advance and get great shots into the Butcher (caster) dropping him from 20 to 10 health! Nemo pops his feat, giving each warjack in his battle group 3 focus. Then, Nemo is able to send an electro blast into the Butcher (I believe this is the shot that reduces him to 2 health points). The Stormsmiths disrupt the Behemoth. The Storm Lance Cavalry Assaults the Iron Fang Pikeman and kill the Captain and several others. Their Electro Leap ability is crazy!

Side note: Storm Lances have an ability to Assault. When they do, they charge in getting a ranges attack off before they engage in melee. Their weapons also cause an electrical arc to the next person. So here is how it works out.

Give the order to Assault
Make a ranged attack, rolling to hit and to damage.
If it hits (no, it does not have to damage) then a power 10 electrical bolt hits the next nearest guy. The hit is automatic, just roll for damage.
Now, with the same Storm Lance, make a melee attack, rolling to hit and, if it hits, roll for boosted damage due to the charge.
Again, if it hits (no, it does not have to damage) then a power 10 electrical bolt hits the next nearest guy. The hit is automatic, just roll for damage.
Finally, if that wasn't enough, let your horse kick him a bit with a +2 to his attack roll and a power 10 damage roll (the damage roll may get boosted for being a charge but I'm not sure).

You read correctly, that's 5 chances for kills from 1 guy! It took a while to roll but 5 guys on horses took out about half of the Pikeman and they are pretty tough.

From 02/12/10 huge cygnar v kahdor game

On my side, the Thunderhead took out Eiryss, the Centurion took out the Manhunter, and the Sword Knights lined up.

From 02/12/10 huge cygnar v kahdor game

The Halfjacks became mines (4"AOE, power 14). The Stormguard would hold this side so effectively that they never get to hit a thing in the whole game. The Khador cavalry will break to the left, following after Boomhowler's Company.

From 02/12/10 huge cygnar v kahdor game

Off camera, the Khadoran Mortar Crewes miss Darius and the shots deviate, killing four Long Gunner.

Karchev (the black jack/caster in the photo) swings around, pops his feat of Total War, allowing his jacks to power attack for free, and opens a fissure beneath the line of Sword Knights. They are wiped out (i.e. not in the pic, they were in line with the Hammersmith before). The fissure also knocks down the Hammersmith, nullifying his defense. One Destroyer does a little damage to the Thunderhead (in front). The other two gang up on the helpless Hammersmith and all but destroy it, ripping off both arms and pinning it to the ground.

From 02/12/10 huge cygnar v kahdor game

Off Camera, the Devestator uses reign of death tho kill 3 Stormguard. The Butcher pops his feat, boosting attack and damage rolls. He then targets the Hunter with an AOE, knocking 4 points off the Hunters hull and killing 2 more Stormguard. The Spriggan charges the Hunter, dozing him and killing another Stormguard. The Behemoth bombards Brisbane (caster) for 7 points and the remaining Pikeman cut through the Storm Lances.

Turn 3:
The Stormguard advance into the Devastator and Behemoth, causing some damage but locking them into combat. Brisbane pops his feat, misses his shot, but his Defender kills Vlad. One caster down, one to go. The Thunderhead picks up the Devastator and double-hand throws him into the the Shock Troopers. He then uses his energy pulse. All models within 6" are automatically hit with an energy pulse and take a power 12 electric hit. He took out most of Boomhowler's crew, 3/4 of the cavalry, 3 Winter Guard, and a Shock Troop. He also was able to do several points to a Devastator. At this point, Andy had to leave for work =( I had little to no experience running his troops but I knew I only had to do 2 more points to The Butcher to win the game. Each of the Stormsmiths took shots at the Butcher, knocking off one more point of health. Nemo advanced too far in front of his defenders, trying to get a spell into the Butcher to end the game but the range wasn't there. This left him exposed.

The remaining cavalry were able to charge Darius but were unable to connect with much force. The rest of the attacks were focused on Nemo and Darius. Karchev was able to open another fissure, knocking down his own jack, but putting Nemo on his back. From there, the rest were able to finish the old guy off. The Winter Guards couldn't get enough shots into Bisbane to bring him down though.

At the beginning of turn three, Brisbane was able to make the kill shot on the Butcher, ending the game and getting the win for Cygnar.

From 02/12/10 huge cygnar v kahdor game

Over all, this was a crazy big game and it took about 7 hours. I don't think we knew it would take that long and we did have to refer to the rules quite a bit. I think my next game is going to be something simple like 15 points!

Game On

2010-02-09T08:10:00.004-06:00

I got to play Warmachine MKII this week against my friend Coffey. I took my camera, got one picture taken, and the battery died. So, the drawings are the best I could do. We rolled for the scenario and got "Break the Line" (p. 91, Warmachine Prime MKII). There are two ways to win the game:

Kill the Caster or
At the end of the first player's third turn, a player will win if they control two of the territories on their side and one of the territories on the opponent's side.

Control means you have a model or unit in the territory with CMD greater than 1 and there are no enemy models in the territory.

I marked the territories 1-6 for ease of reference. There is a dry river bed splitting the board with a bridge to the left. There is also a pond and several banks of trees. There were actually more trees but you get the idea.

Army:
Knowing I had to hold territory, I decided to go with a ton of units. It is very different from what I normally do, which I thought might throw Coffey off. With 50pts to spend I went with:

Major Victoria Haley
Hunter (Coffey often spends a lot of energy killing these things)
Lancer (Haley really benefits from the additional range of the arc node)
10 Long Gunners
10 Sword Knights
6 Stormblades +Officer and Banner Bearer
10 Stormguard
10 Trenchers

Coffey took

Kommandant Irusk
A destroyer (I think, I know it was one with arcing fire)
Iron Fang Ulhan (cavalry)
Widow Makers
Man Hunter
There were several others but they didn't really come into the fight so I don't remember them)

Setup:
I had to set up first. I set up my 10 Sword Knights to the right, hoping to run up the side and secure territory 3. The 10 Storm Guard and 10 Long Gunners would hold the center of my territories. The Storm Blades went to the left with eyes on the bridge.

Coffey set up his cavalry to rush the bridge. Irusk was behind the pond. The Manhunter and the Warjack with arcing fire set up towards the middle of the board.

My Hunter set up in the trees in territory 6 and my trenchers set up in the trees near the bridge. Coffey set up his Widow Makers on the edge of the pond which provided cover.

Turn 1:
Everyone advanced and the widow makers picked off a couple of troops. My Sword Knights ran up the side and got clear of the forest. The Iron Fangs moved into position to take the bridge.

Turn 2:
I advanced my Stormblades to block the bridge. I didn't know if they could kill the Iron Fangs but I knew I could stop their charge and set them up to get shot at by my Long Gunners and Trenchers on the next turn. The Lancer moved forward and Haley arced a boosted Arcane Bolt into Irusk. With a lucky roll, he lost 7 of 17 health and surprised Coffey (always a good thing). Haley also cast Deadeye on the Trenchers and they were able to pick of 3 of the 4 Widow Makers. My Sword Knights were able to make it just inside of Territory 3.

The Iron Fangs charged across the bridge, charging into the Stormblades. I lost 4 but they were able to hold the line. The Manhunter and the arcing fire took out all but one of the Stormguard. Irusk moved away from the Lancer.

At the beginning of turn 3, I realized that Coffey's Manhunter was the only model contesting territory 3. I controlled territories 5 & 6 with no problem. The last remaining Stormguard closed with the Manhunter and took him out. The Sword Knights gave me the territory. In stunned silence, we both realized I had won.

It was a fun game, though a little anti-climatic. Coffey forgot about the scenario and it bit him in the butt. I enjoyed the game and look forward to another game soon.

Back from Vacation and Basing Kit

2010-01-30T08:48:00.004-06:00

I am back from vacation and we had a great trip. We drove through the Smokies, ate a lot of great food, and played Black Light Pirate Mini Golf (left).

We also played Munchkin and dug out the old Magic: The Gathering cards. I haven't played Magic in years and we had a blast. I even got to teach my roommate Magic and we have played a few games since we got home. Good times!

Before I left, I received the Basing Kit I won from Santa Cruz Warhammer. Its a nice kit and here are a few pics.

From 01/30/10 Basing Kit

The kit includes static grass, slate chips, sand, tooth picks, and a basing wash.

From 01/30/10 Basing Kit

This shows the size of the containers. This container of slate chips would probably base a whole army for me, if not more! Now I just have to get in gear and finish some minis =)

On Vacation

2010-01-18T07:44:00.003-06:00

I am on vacation in Pigeon Forge, TN!!! We are here with friends for the week and the only thing we have scheduled is indoor skydiving. That's right, Indoor Skydiving! There is a wind tunnel turned upwards and you get to skydive with out the messiness of planes and the possibility of dying. That's tomorrow. Yesterday, we drove in, unpacked, ate at Fuddruckers (a great hamburger place not found in Kentucky) and I learned how to play Munchkin. Today, there are pajamas, video games, Munchkin, and sleep. What a way to start a vacation!

Anyone Know a Good Book?

2010-01-15T05:00:00.005-06:00

I love reading. My mother introduced me to Sci-Fi and Fantasy at an early age and I am still hooked. The problem I run into is finding something worth reading. So I am asking you:

What are a few of your favorite books?

I am not just talking about ones you have read lately. I am talking about ones you would consider reading again. And maybe even a third time!

In the spirit of sharing, here are the ones that immediately come to mind:

The Vorkosigan series by Lois McMaster Bujold. The first two books, Shards of Honor and Barrayar have been republished in the omnibus Cordelia's Honor (June 1, 2000).

Cordelia is a science officer surveying a planet which happens to host a forward scout base for an enemy world. All I can say is it is an interesting story with great male and female leads. After the first two books, the story shifts to focus on her son. He is brilliant but handicapped in a world that highly values physical prowess. There are moments where I laughed aloud while reading and other darker moments that I still think about today. It's a great series. You can (legally) check out one of the short stories for free here.

The next series is the Honor Harrington books by David Weber. Pictures left is the first book in the series, On Basilisk Station, though it has had several different covers. There are 11 books in the series if you like it and there are a few more dealing with the universe he created. Honor Harrington is the name of the main character. She is a strong female lead with her own demons. Life is tough and she has to be tougher. The space battles are amazing and the military side aspect is well developed. I think I am doing a lousy job explaining why it it is a great series, but it is.

Part of this idea came from cruising the web. I came across Green Skeleton Gaming Guild. It's not miniatures but but he has a few pics of his game room posted, including his stack of books. They are impressive, check 'em out =)

I have several other books in mind that I have gone back and read again. I guess I am hoping you might have a favorite to share here or on your blog. If you do, link back to here so I have something to read this spring =)

I Won!

2010-01-13T07:29:00.002-06:00

The guys over at Santa Cruz Warhammer write some great articles and have some really nice give aways. Recently, John wrote Basing 101: Broken Ground which went through a great way to base your models quickly. As a bonus for reading through the article, he snuck in a give away at the end of the post. 18 readers commented and I was one of three chosen. What do we get?

A tub of Super Secret Sand
A tub of Slate chips
A bottle of Custom Base Wash
A tub of their choice of Static Grass or Snow flocking (I chose the static grass)

As you probably have noticed, I haven't been posting much lately. Working retail during the holidays is... exciting. Exciting is a good word for the madness of shopping, returns and 1000's of customers a day. Winning the basing set is really a great way to get me motivated again. Now I need to finish off those darn gun mages so I can base them...

BTW - the next time you return something, please don't yell at the girl behind the counter because YOU lost your receipt. Sure we can look you up if you payed with credit or debit. But you paid cash and now your yelling at a girl who gets paid minimum wage. I hope Santa Claus is watching for next year. (Sorry, had to get that off my chest.)

Thanks for reading!

An Arm in the Mail

2009-12-23T21:24:00.003-06:00

A while back, I posted about not getting an arm in the blister pack I bought. After several e-mails and a bit of confusion, the eCaine's arm finally came. Privateer Press was great, even with the confusion. Now, if I can find time in the busiest retail time of the year to paint...

Painting Update

2009-12-01T08:07:00.005-06:00

Well, I officially missed my November 30th deadline. Shoot! I was hoping to have the Gun Mages done. I will continue working on them. The last thing I want to do is come down too hard on myself and not ever work on them again. I hate painting flesh. That still needs cleaning up, there are details to pick out, and then the bases.

The upside is the Stormsmiths are getting painted with them.

In December, I was supposed to paint the Storm Blades. I believe they will get pushed to next year. At this point, my new goal is to have the Gun Mages and Stormsmiths finished by the end of the month and have my unit of trenchers stripped. I have never actually played my trenchers in a game because they are ugly (worse than bare metal). I bought them cheap this way and it is time for them to get cleaned up. I plan to save painting them for when the new set of Trencher Commandos comes out from Privateer Press.

From Privateer Press

Thanks for reading!

Gun Mage Reminder

2009-11-30T05:00:00.003-06:00

Shelexie, do you have your 6 Gun Mages and Gun Mage Solo completed? This is the day you said you would have them done by...

The answer is not yet. I have about 5 hours today to hopefully finish them up. It is too humid to spray the sealer but I should be able to knock them out. Here goes...

Quick Update

2009-11-18T07:35:00.004-06:00

Movie: I bought the new Star Trek Movie yesterday. I loved it in the theaters, and I loved it at home last night. I can't wait for the next one =) (Pic from the movie Star Trek)

Painting: I have been painting on my Arcane Tempest Gun Mages here and there but it is definitely slow going. Between new job, family time, and sleeping, the Gun Mages are getting the short end of the stick. I currently have 11 more days to finish them by my personal November 30th deadline. However, there are only 3 of those days that I am off from work and spraying the varnish takes a couple of days on the end. I better get it in gear!

Job: There is a full time position that just opened up at my job and I am applying for it. Several of the managers have casually asked if I have applied yet, which makes me feel pretty good. It will basically be the same job I am currently doing (cashier/customer service) but with a guaranteed 32 hours a week plus benefits like insurance. Really, insurance is the main thing right now. Paying for it on your own or even through another person's work is outrageously expensive. I hope I get the job, but the down side is it will cut into hobby time.

Guess that's it for now. There should be progress pics in my next post. Thanks for reading!

PS3 & Dragon Age Origins

2009-11-13T07:56:00.003-06:00

So, working at Best Buy (large American Electronics store) has certainly changed things. Several weeks ago, my TV blew and I was able to replace it with a new flat screen for a great price. Two nights ago, we went looking for a Blue-Ray player... and left with a PS3.

I have wanted one for a while but I had decided it was too much. Then they reduced the size, the cost, and the overheating problems. I also had to have a game to go with it so I picked up the new Dragon Age.

I haven't played video games in a while, probably since Kingdom Hearts 2 came out, though I still play WoW occasionally. I like the story of Dragon Age, the mix of RPG and real time fighting. I like the casual setting (read easy) as opposed to the more difficult settings. I like the options they give me for responses. Many times, there is an option to tell the other character to stick it. I am not a fan of the blood (just me) but the graphics are amazing. I have just completed the origin part of the story and I may have to go buy the help book (I have a hard time remembering maps).

The game is worth the money, especially if you get the $10 gift card back when you purchase it at Best Buy. Check out the coupon here.

Thanks for reading!

(Pics of a Play Station 3 by Sony and Dragon Age Origins by BioWare)

Just a Short Progress Report

2009-11-06T10:02:00.003-06:00

The other day, I went to visit a friend and his cousin. We hung out, chatted, and painted for about 4 hours. I was working on my Gun Mages, Stormsmiths, and Warcaster Nemo. The Gun Mages are for my personal goal to be finished by the end of November. I added the Stormsmiths because my friend I was painting with hates playing against them =). I added Nemo because he is similar. These guys were base coated before we started. Here is a pic of them at the end of the day.

Several days later, I worked more on the Gun Mage's cloaks. I am really liking the blending. I continue to learn more each time I try to blend my layers. On the one below, the cloak is looking good but the hat still needs more work. There are a total of 6 gun mages.

Gun Mage Adept Solo

Stormsmith (x3) - These last two pics still need another base layer of Folk Art's Prussian Blue, then blending it up with FA's Cobalt Blue. The last highlights are a mix of Cobalt Blue and FA's Baby Blue.

Warcaster Nemo

Thanks for reading!

Short Rant (I promise)

2009-11-03T07:57:00.004-06:00

We are lucky to have 2 gaming stores in our local area. I play and buy from one (Albright's in Lexington, KY) but occasionally I will find myself over at the "other" store. I don't like going there very often. I am loyal to Albright's: there are close to 20 tables always set up and the terrain is fantastic. They have leagues, contests, and games going on most nights. The selections are pretty good and he can order anything you want.

But occasionally, I want something right now. I don't want to wait for the order to come in. So I venture over to the "other" store.

The other store is creepy feeling, especially as a female gamer. When I walk in, I get treated like I am in the wrong place and if I do buy a miniature, they take my money with out saying a word. I can't decide if they are uncomfortable with females, female gamers, or just new people. What ever it is, my internal creepiness meter goes off and I try to avoid going there again.

Yesterday, I succumbed. I was wanting to pick up a Officer Attachment for the Gun Mages I was about to start painting. They didn't have it but they did have the Epic caster Haley and the Epic caster Cain. I fell to temptation, bought them as quickly as I could because the guy behind the counter was weirder than normal, and gladly took them home.

Imagine my surprise when I opened Haley and discovered she was missing her left arm! That just sucks! She is a great mini and I was really looking forward to the challenge.

So I opened up Cain. Also missing his left arm!!! What the heck?!!!

Now, I have to go back to that store, deal with the creepy guy, get my money back or have them say something like "just order it from Privateer Press". I also doubt this with Privateer's fault. I hope they just dropped the display and some of the pieces got switched but I can't help but think someone went through their stuff stealing bitz (or just left arms).

Thanks for reading my rant. At this point, the joy of buying the new mini's is gone and I just hope I get my money back. Albright's, I shall never stray again! =(

(Pics from the Official Privateer Press Website)

Warmachine Painting Chart Update

2009-11-01T05:00:00.001-06:00

Previous Painting Chart, as of August 16th:
All of the gray areas are things that are purchased but still need to be painted (blue).

And the New Painting Chart showing my progress in the last 2 months (notice all the warjacks now painted!):

From Wanna B Painter

I am also starting these charts for my Space Marines and my new Orks. They really help me see what I want/need to paint next. Thanks for reading!

Warmachine Reminder

2009-10-31T21:00:00.001-05:00

Shelexie, do you have your Defender, Hunter, and Sentinel completed? This is the day you said you would have them done by...

Yes! They are all done, including the 2 Centurions and the Hammersmith! Next up are the Gun Mages.

I would also add that having an automated post remind me when things are due is a great encouragement (and a kick in the pants =)

This is the Pumpkin I carved this year =)

This is the one my roommate will carve when she gets off work today.

Just for fun, I carved this one last year:

And she carved this one:

Happy Halloween and Thanks for Reading!

Warjacks Finished!

2009-10-31T10:35:00.003-05:00

These are the Warjacks that I have been working on for the last 2 months. In that time, I got a new job, a new TV, and my Master's Degree! Back in August, I set myself a painting deadline for each month. So far, I have been able to meet them. On to the Warjacks =)

Hammersmith: I really like the way he came out, especially the swan on the top. I could have painted the edging around the shoulder pads white to match the Centurions but I like this look.

Centurion 1: I always thought this one was posed funny but there wasn't much I was willing to do to fix it. I really like the way the shields came out on these. After the photo shoot, I blew away the static grass that he had attracted.

Centurion 2: More static grass in the photo but it blew away just fine. I like the way these guys came out, expecially since this was my first attempt at blending layers. The effect got much better once I found the paint extender additive.

Defender: This guy kind of got short changed but he came out all right. I never spent a whole lot of time on him and there are details that could have been picked out. Instead, they just got turned into the silver metal. Still, a great mini.

Sentinel: This is one of the light warjacks and it is amazing the difference in painting the big guys and a little one.

Hunter: I liked the hunter so much I posted 2 pics of him. You can tell that he is the one I started using the paint extender on. The blending is much better, especially on the top armor plate.

Same Hunter, different view:

Family Shot: Ready to pound on some Khador!

Warmachine Update

2009-10-29T12:03:00.003-05:00

Two more days to go and I have started spraying the sealant! I promise pictures when they are all done. I really like the painting goal I have set for myself. I have (almost) complete 6 warjacks in 2 months. This is absolutely a new accomplishment for me! Things I have learned:

It is okay to finish a mini (seal it). There comes a time to say "That is good enough for now."
There is something nice about playing with completely finished models.
Finishing a mini makes room on the paint table.
Finishing minis lets you buy new ones!

Anything you want to add to the list?

Thanks for reading!

(Pic just for fun, found here)

Hobby Updates

2009-10-26T12:16:00.005-05:00

(Just for fun, found here)

Warmachine Update:

I am basing the 6 Warjacks that I have finished painting. These are the ones that I should complete by the end of the month for my personal painting deadlines. 5 more days to go.
I am scheduled to start painting my Arcane Tempest Gun Mages next month. There are 6 mini's and I am including my unpainted Gun Mage Solo in the group as well. They are lined up on popsicle sticks, read to batch paint. Again, I have given myself 1 month to finish them.

Werewolf:

I am still leading the Werewolf game with my friends, every Monday night. They go places I don't expect and do things I never think they will try and we have a great time. This last week, they met "The Cannonball". In downtown Elizabethtown, KY, where our story is set, there is a building that was hit with a cannon ball during the Civil War and it stuck in the wall. Later, when the building was demolished, the people of E-Town loved the cannon ball so much, they saved it and replaced it in the new building that was built. In the game system, something that is loved so much takes on a personality. The Cannonball is loud, gruff, southern, and very cordial to women. It was great fun.
I am currently painting 2 mini's for the werewolf game (pics soon).
I am also coming up with things to do to the characters tonight =)

Warhammer 40k:

My local gaming store is hosting an escalation league. Last month, folks brought 500pts of a painted army and battled it out. 2 or 3 weeks from now, they will host the 750pt battle. I didn't know about the 500pt game and missed it. Now, I have decisions to make.

Do I play my Blue Space Marines that I painted 10 years ago as a beginner? They look horrible but they are painted and I easily have up to 1000 pts (the next two games). The down side is I don't want to paint anymore Space Marines Blue. I think I just want to cut my losses on the beginner paint job.

Do I play my black Space Marines? I bought these off a friend. They are primed black and I have started some hard edge highlighting and details in red and white. I have enough for models for 1250 (the next 3 games) but it would require a major time commitment to get them painted, even with the easy paint scheme. (If the models are not all painted, you have to sit 10% of your force on the bench).

I also have my new orks but they are no where near ready to play and I really want to do a nice job on them.

The other detail is the league is supposed to go until 2,500 pts and I simply do not have the cash to buy that many mini's, even if I did have time to paint them. What's a girl to do?

Thanks for reading!

New TV

2009-10-22T13:57:00.003-05:00

The Bad News: After 10+ years, 4 moves and a direct lightning strike several years ago, my old TV died. The picture went from a 27" box to a 1" line cutting horizontally through the center of the screen.

The Good News: I started work at Best Buy (an American Electronics Store) about 2 months ago!

The Great News: A new 47" Flat Screen LCD TV at the Best Buy employee price (and all I can say is we get it for 5% over the company's cost). It is still not an expense we were planning for but we got a great TV for the price we paid. I will post pics when it is hung up.

2000 Hits!

2009-10-17T07:25:00.002-05:00

Just had to post:

7 months
95 posts
2000+ hits as of today!

Thanks for reading!

(Ninja cat is just funny =)

2 More Weeks

2009-10-16T11:05:00.004-05:00

As of today, I officially have 2 more weeks until my self imposed deadline for all my warjacks. Here is my progress:

Centurions = Everything painted, still need to paint the base and seal them.
Hammersmith = I think I am done painting him, still need to paint the base and seal him.
Defender = I have most of him painted. I am not real happy with the way he turned out. He started with a gray undercoat, rather than a black and the gunmetal is too light. I have washed it with Bedab Black, my first experiment with the washes, and it helped. He just isn't going to be my favorite. I still need to create the base, paint it and seal him.
Hunter = I really like my hunter. I am done painting him. Now I need to create the base, paint it and seal the model.
Sentinel = Again, not my favorite but he looks pretty good. I am done painting him. I need to create the base, paint and seal it.

My next steps?

Create bases for the Defender, Hunter, and Sentinel.
Paint the bases.
Seal them on a low humidity day (hard to come by right now).
Static grass them.
Blog about it before my 2 week deadline and the automated blog posts.

I will post pictures sometime in the next week. Next month, I start painting my Gun Mages. I have also been hoping to pick up Epic Haley, and a Squire Model.

Thanks for reading!

Doom Wheel Ideas

2009-10-12T04:00:00.001-05:00

Figs-Freak just posted a great question: What are some possible conversion ideas for the new Skaven Doom Wheel?

My Response:
What about a neat scenery piece with the wheel on its side and make it a barrel of blood or goo or BEER! Something along the lines of Ogre Kingdom's Skrag the Slaughterer - Be sure to direct your ideas over to Figs-Freak!

(Oger Pic from Games Workshop website)

1000pt Cygnar v. Khador

2009-10-10T18:48:00.005-05:00

This week we decided to play a 1,000pt game, again using the MKI rules. We play at our local game store, Albright's in Lexington, Kentucky (they also sell belts and leather works). If you are in the Blue Grass, definitely check them out! Their tables and the folks there are great! My Cygnar list included:

Darius
Reinholdt
Centurion x2
Hammersmith

From 10/09/09 Cygnar v khador

Lt. Caine
Chargers x2
Sentinel

From 10/09/09 Cygnar v khador

Journeyman Warcaster x2
Hunter x2
Eiryss
Stormsmith

I set up my hunters and Eiryss in the trees near the objective.

From 10/09/09 Cygnar v khador

I will try to portray Khador's list as best I can in the write up.

From 10/09/09 Cygnar v khador

Following are a few closeups of Coffey's list:

From 10/09/09 Cygnar v khador

We rolled for the objective and got King of the Hill. The first person to get 5 points for models on the hill (or in our case, the skull bridge) wins the game.

Round 1: In the first move, Coffey's Manhunter took out Eiryss. I thought he would move him onto the objective but instead he took out Eiryss. Eventually, I will learn how to use her. All of his other mini's moved up.

My Hunter's took out the Manhunter and the Junior's cast Arcane shield and up kept it for the rest of the game. Darius cast Full Throttle and moved up with his turtle group. He was also able to shoot 2 pressure cannon shots due to Reinholdt. Caine also moved his team up.

Round 2: The Man-o-war shock troopers moved several members onto the bridge to gain the control points. The Sprigan and Devastator also moved onto the bridge.

From 10/09/09 Cygnar v khador

The Devestator used a cloud effect and took out the Stormsmith and Reinholdt.

From 10/09/09 Cygnar v khador

The Demo Corp charged a Hunter though he was still alive at the end of it.

From 10/09/09 Cygnar v khador

My hunter's fought back killing 1 of the Demo Corps. Darius' Turtle group moved forward and engaged the enemy, breaking his protective shell. One Centurion engaged the Devastator (on the left) and the other Centurion engaged the big black one (I think it was a Juggernaut). Though they both did damage, it was not enough to destroy either.

From 10/09/09 Cygnar v khador

Caine shot Thunderstike at the Behemoth, knocking him back into the Butcher and knocking them both down. Khador gained 3 control points for troops on the bridge.

Round 3: The butcher stood up and moved to the center of the board, just behind the bridge. He popped his feat allowing almost all of his units to roll an extra attack die for each attack. Coffey attacked the open turtle shell, using the Fissure spell from Karchev and knocked down Darius, reducing his defense to 7. The Kovnik moved forward and killed Darius causing the 2 Centurions and the Hammersmith to go inert.

I was pretty much at a loss of what to do once Darius died. I started really looking at Caine and came across his Flash spell and his Feat. With nothing left to do, I flashed Caine into the middle of the bridge and popped his feat. He basically gets 4 shots at every thing in his line of sight and control range. With all is attacks, plus the shots from the Sentinels and Charger, he was able to take out Karchev, causing his battle group to go inert and no longer count for control points on the bridge. The Journemen and Hunter moved forward and were able to kill enough of the Shock troops to cause a leadership check. Surprisingly, they failed! They also no longer counted as troops on the bridge. Now I have to weather the next turn. I gained 3 Control points.

From 10/09/09 Cygnar v khador

Round 4: The Shock troops fled into my Hunter and attacked but whiffed. The Behemoth killed both of the Journeymen warcasters, opening a line of attack to Caine. The Butcher was able to move to the end of the bridge and cast Avelanch. With a surprisingly high roll, he killed off Caine.

From 10/09/09 Cygnar v khador

It was a great game and really flipped back and forth. I was surprising how much the objective mattered in this game, as most Warmachine games evolve into Kill the Caster. We had a great time.

Thanks for reading!

Fixed the Pictures

2009-10-02T10:55:00.002-05:00

I was having some trouble with Photobucket in my last post but I fixed the pictures now. Check the new (old) post out here.

Thanks for reading!

Warmachine Battle Report

2009-10-01T22:34:00.006-05:00

I got to play today! Using the old MKI rules, Coffey and I played a 755 point game and we had a blast. I don't have a full list from him but I took a few pics (sorry they aren't the best).

From Wanna B Painter

(above) On my right was this is a 5 man Man-O-War Demolition Corps and 5 horse Iron Fang Uhlans.

From Cygnar V Khador

To my left were the 5 Winter Guard + Rocketeer, Man-O-War Drakhun (the one on the horse) and the Marauder Warjack.

From Cygnar V Khador

He took (I think) Forward Kommander Kratikoff, an epic caster, as his Warcaster and the Kodiak is bonded to her. In front of her in the trees is the squad of Widow Makers and a Manhunter (not pictured).

From Cygnar V Khador

This is my battle group, all packed together like a turtle. It stayed this way for most of the game. In here is Dominick Darius, my caster, his half jacks, 2 Centurions, and a Defender.

From Cygnar V Khador

I also had a unit of long gunners and a Gun Mage Adapt (on the far right).
Not pictured is my Journeyman Warcaster with his Hunter, 3 Stormsmiths and Eiryss, Mage Hunter of Ios.

My plan was pretty simple. Keep Darius tucked away in an impenetrable shell while Eiryss, the Hunter, and my Gun Mage all went after his caster.

In Round 1, he was ale to kill of 4 of my Long Gunners, including the commander, which really limited their usefulness.

The Hunter was able to make a couple of really good shots from behind cover, including killing the Man-O-War Drakuhn in one shot, then used is once-per-game special rule to run 18" and get into combat with the Widow Makers. He didn't last long but it scared Coffey and he spent one of his rounds killing the Hunter rather than coming after me.

I was never really able to do much with the Gun Mage and the Manhunter eventually killed him off. The Stormsmiths also scared Coffey a little and the Manhunter and the Winter Guard killed them off.

From Cygnar V Khador

Eventually, these 2 Khador 'Jacks ganged up on Junior here and had their way with him.

Meanwhile, Darius has been busy. One Centurion would activate, move aside just enough for Darius to shoot his steam cannon, then he would use his crane to move them back into the Turtle position. Eventually, Coffey was able to run his Uhlan's (horses) up to Darius' group and attack. They couldn't charge him because the Centurion's prevent charges. A half jack land mine went off, killing one or two of the Uhlans. Then Darius' group got to hit first, taking advantage of full throttle, and killed all but one. You can see him running away in the background.

From Cygnar V Khador

However, this left them open to attack from the Demolition Corps in the trees.

From Cygnar V Khador

The Corps moved in and demolished the Defender and all but killed a Centurion. Then it was Darius' turn. Darius moved his half jacks into bases to base contact with the jacks and popped his feat. Darius feat allows him to completely remove all damage from Warjack's in his group! Then the newly refurbished warjacks took apart the Demolition crew, killing them to the last man.

From Cygnar V Khador

Unfortunately, the Winter Guard and the Widow Makers had taken the opportunity to move into range. They took every shot available at the heavily armored Darius and got him down to 2 health!

From Cygnar V Khador

Notice all the people liked up, shooting at Darius. Then, feeling victory close at hand, Coffey moved Forward Kommander Kratikoff in for the kill. She moved 12", using one of her spells, and got close enough to cast (____). I don't remember the name of the spell but hopefully Coffey will. Then he rolled double ones! And the angles sang.

From Cygnar V Khador

With 2 points left on Darius, he loaded up his jacks with Full Throttle and Focus and sent them after Forward Kommander Kratikoff. With their crazy good spears, they were able to take her down!

From Cygnar V Khador

The bad part is that Coffey knew when he moved the Kommander within range that it was an all or nothing play. He could have let his guns shoot me down next turn but he went for the kill. 9 times out of 10 it would have worked for him but I lucked out this time. It was a great game and we are looking forward to playing again with the knew MKII rules soon.

From Cygnar V Khador

Reminder

2009-09-30T05:00:00.002-05:00

Shelexie, do you have your 2 Cygnar Centurions completed? This is the day you said you would have them done by...

So no, I don't have them done yet. I did however, paint them with the hunter, sentinel, hammersmith, and ironclad so I gave myself until next month's due date. I feel like I am at a good spot with them, though it is time to get get moving with them. I also posted wip pics here.

Thanks for reading!

Orks Have Invaded!

2009-09-28T06:59:00.005-05:00

Orks invaded my work space! I swear I had nothing to do with it! I came in to find them disembarking from a normal looking tool box. They even ran the cat off!

It wasn't long before they had taken over my entire shelf and were running my other mini's off the edge.

I got as close as I could and snapped these pics hurriedly. There are about 11 big ones.

There are about 40 of the normal green ones.

There are gretchin running amok (but all posed the same)

There are also several with big guns and some sort of miniature cannon (not pictured yet). They are led by the big guy himself.

If you look closely behind the big guy, you can see they brought their own paint and they are demanding to be finished. They also say there will be 9 Deth Kopta's heading this way in a week! What's a girl to do?!!

Ok, so I may have spent a little money, buying the tool box off my good friend (and new follower) Coffey but I swear I didn't know they had hitched a ride... =)

Warjack Update

2009-09-25T08:43:00.005-05:00

So, I have been painting, albeit slowly. I decided to paint all my warjacks at once so I am extending my personal deadline to the end of next month. It is also a nice kick in the butt that the new MKII rules just came out! The before shots can be seen here and here. Here are some work in progress shots. I thought I was doing a pretty good job blending the lighter and darker blues but the camera really pulls out the differences... (warning - pic heavy but you can click them for a larger view)

Sentinel. I am really starting to like this little guy.

Hunter. Again, I really like the way he is going.

Centurion. This guy still has a weird pose and I lined in the lighter blue before I decided to try my hand at blending. Still, I will be happy get him out on the table.

Centurion 2. No light blue yet, but I added the white trip around the shoulders. It looks a little like football pads to me but I think I will go with it. I am also a little proud of getting the red in the "eye" slot. It is stinking small!

Hammersmith. I really like the way the metallics came out on him.

Defender. Again, I think the blending looks better in person but he still has a way to go.

Thanks for reading!

Werewolf Started Last Night

2009-09-22T10:27:00.004-05:00

Recently, I convinced my DnD group to try Werewolf: The Forsaken. We made characters (see the previous posts here and here) and agreed to meet for our first game last night. I made up a batch of Mik's "Spicy Balls of Doom!" and the game commenced. They were each called to make up a new pack to take over for a pack that went missing in Elizabethtown (E-town), Kentucky. E-Town is about 2 hours away from where we actually live, giving it a familiar but not too familiar feel. Here is the run down of what happened:

Pack met and didn't kill each other (a definite plus).
Found a house they can live with and afford
Chose their beginning territory (funny enough, not at all where I thought it would be!)

Found a usable locus (place to draw magic from) in their territory, though it is currently depleted since no one has been caring for it.
Ran their first patrol route as a pack and found two bodies, strung up by their heels, gutted and still fresh.
While examining, one of the wolves was shot, suffered massive damage, and fell into a Death Rage.
In the end, the found that a deer spirit had Claimed a waitress and had forced her to kill her husband and son. The husband and son had been poaching and recently killed the deer spirits fawn (read Bambi).
They also discovered the family was dirt poor and was poaching to put food on the table.
Welcome to the World of Darkness.

Likes:

Using the internet. ex. "DM, where is the college?" "Check the internet." See how easy that is?!!! There were still a few things I fudged but most of the info is already on the internet.
I am granting XP to the person who writes up the adventure on Obsidian Portal
He already has the first scene written! Check it out here.
I am also granting XP if the character writes a "blog" entry on the site for the week.
XP can be spent as the character sees fit, there are no "bonus this at such and such level". It is more like money to improve your character as you want.
Combat went pretty well and I really liked the mini-story associated with the deer and hunters. Both were wrong and both had a point.

Dislikes:

Combat Actions: The way I read it, you get one action per round. So you can move. Or you can attack. Or you can change forms. It was a little too stilted. So I pulled a Dnd and said they got 1 Move, 1 Attack/Standard Action, and 1 minor. It changes the round from 3 seconds to 6 seconds but it improved the flow dramatically.
Death Rage: Death Rage means you failed your composure roll and "lost it". The rules say the Storyteller randomly decides who the beast attacks. I decided that, as long as there were no intervening models between the beast and the thing that caused it all the damage, then the beast would go after the offender. If someone or something got in the way, then they would be attacked. Once the offender was killed (read ripped limb from limb) then all the others were fair game. Thankfully, the rest of the pack attempted to calm her down and it worked, this time.

That's it for now. I liked the game and came away with several more things I need to read up on.

MKII Final Rules Released by Privateer Press

2009-09-22T08:09:00.003-05:00

Just in case anyone missed it, the final MKII rules are out for Warmachine in downloadable pdf format from Privateer Press. Check it out here.

Malifaux

2009-09-20T22:59:00.004-05:00

A friend just brought over his book for the new game Malifaux. For more info on the game, check out Mik's great review here. My friend offered to buy a second crew just to get people (read me) to play. I really like the idea of a skirmish of solos. Unfortunately, I am one of the ones that doesn't really get into the style of the minis (I know, boo, hiss). I wish they had chosen to offer a faction that appealed to those of us who like painting clean stuff like Tau and Space Marines, though The Guild faction comes closest. Then again, they appear to be doing just fine with out me =)

I like some of the minis, especially the inherent humor:

Most of the minis are a little too creepy for me and they would weird me out sitting on my paint table while I tried to sleep (in the same room):

Again, this is a totally cool mini with a neat story element in simple posing. Still, I guess I will have to save my money for now...

More Kentucky Werewolves

2009-09-14T08:17:00.002-05:00

I have spent several more nights creating characters with my new Werewolf: The Forsaken group and I thought I would post them here.

Tom is a know-it-all librarian who dabbles in the occult. He is from Kentucky (which will benefit him later) and has always longed to see what was really going on. This is fairly difficult growing up in the middle of the Bible-belt. One night, while riding home on his man-scooter, he sees a large oak tree growing in the middle of a road he has traveled down daily. As he watches, the tree is burning but not consumed and it is attacked by chainsaws with arms and legs (think Alice in Wonderland). Several nights later, he dreams of the tree again and this time he can here it screaming for help. Tom attempts to pull the chainsaw spirits of pain off of the tree with his...paws? They attack him in return and when he awakes, his sheets are covered in his own blood. He is later adopted by a pack who has been searching for a new rite-master.

Janie Michaels is a pissed off hick who works at everyone's favorite, Wally-world. She dips Red Man Chewing Tobacco and drinks Jack. She is 30-ish, smart enough to know that her life sucks but too dumb (or hard headed) to do much about it. Jose is her regular guy she turns to when she is bored and they hook up at the bar one night. Later, when she is relaxed, she breathes deeply and picks up the scent of one of her girl friends. Jose has been with her. Janie looses it. When she comes too, she is in a field and Jose's body is laying near by. The local pack has surrounded her, some viewing her with compassion, others contempt. They take her in and clean up the mess. Several days later, Janie notices a news report that mentions Jose and her friend have gone missing. What did she do?

Kentucky Werewolves

2009-09-12T12:54:00.003-05:00

A while back, I let the blog world know I was on a werewolf kick. I started reading the World of Darkness and Werewolf the Forsaken books published by White Wolf. I really like the fluff and I an getting used to the system. The rules are much more focused on the story, rather than power combinations and it should be a nice change of pace. I have converted my DnD group and we are currently creating characters and running them through their first Change experience.

A.J. Diggory (Diggs) was a High School Quarterback in a small Texas town. All the pressure was there to take the team to state finals again. His parents were pressuring him to choose a good school and his little sister looked up to him as a role-model. Diggs girlfriend was pressuring him to get his act together and not jeopardize their future.

During his first Change he experienced dreams loss and felt that his football team was against him. The local pack found him and, after a quick fight, offered him a break from the pressure. His mustang was later found wrapped around a tree and covered in his blood, though no body has been found. Diggs parents have accepted that their son is dead and only wish there was a body to bury. His younger sister holds out some secret hope her brother is alive, though it is based more in hero-worship than reality.
Picture to the right is from here.

Releste is a 30-something college philosophy professor wrestling with questions of her place in this world and the true order of things. She has studied Eastern Philosophy and continually seeks to put the pieces of belief together in a way that makes sense. She had dreams of running over her territory and encountering "Others" that pushed her out and defiled her land, unbalancing the natural order. She also dreamed that she as an aging Alpha faced with the decision to either belly up and beg for scraps the rest of her life or go out fighting and accept her death. When she was denied a tenured position due to her age, brashness, and maturity level, she goes off on her own. The local Boston pack finds her when they are all in the full wolf form. She Changes and runs with them, experiencing pack like she has never felt community before.
Picture to the left is from here.

Read more at Kentucky Werewolves on Obsidian Portal.

I want one!

2009-09-08T07:23:00.004-05:00

Well, I have been busy with the new job and have really only had time to read blogs, rather than write my own. However, I had to add this. recently, Crusherjoe over at Ultramarine Blues posted a link to Toymallet 40c. Below is one of the pages from her fully functional parody. Take the 5 minutes to read the "rule book" and admit you want to play it!

Anyone else notice the claws and other fun kitty stuff?!! The models can be anything you want with these rules and the book is funny and well illustrated. Check it out =)

Update

2009-09-03T08:07:00.003-05:00

Just a quick update: I got the Job at Best Buy and I have been in training for the past week. I am one of the people who stands at the front and helps people return/exchange etc. Just remember, be nice to person behind the desk; they may blog about you!

I have been painting my Warmachines and I am well on the way to meeting my September 30th deadline. I will post pictures later. I have recently learned (sort of) how to wet blend. Check out the great videos here and here.

Later!

Basing at Broken Zealot

2009-08-31T09:30:00.001-05:00

I just wanted to point folks over to the Broken Zealot site. He just wrote a great tutorial for creating bases. Check it out!

Scheduled August 30th Post

2009-08-30T05:00:00.002-05:00

Shelexie, do you have your Tharn completed? This is the day you said you would have them done by... (I automated this post when I set my painting deadlines).

Edit: I finished them ahead of schedule! They are painted, varnished, and have static grass!

1000+ views

2009-08-28T15:19:00.003-05:00

Hey guys! My counter hit 1,000 today! I have posted 79 blogs since I began in April and I never thought I would get this many hits. Thank you! Keep reading, painting, gaming, and having fun!

Tharn Ravagers Finally Finished!

2009-08-27T10:54:00.002-05:00

Okay, so it only took me several months but they are done! In fact, these are the first miniatures I have ever taken from start to finish (meaning based and varnished). I can still see places that I wish I had fixed but it is nice to have them done and sealed where I can't go back to them again! Here are the pics (click for a bigger view).

There is also one more red head shown in the group shot but not here.
Tharn Ravagers were 97% ---> now 100% complete!

While I had the varnish and static grass out, I also finished up the movement tray (click here for how I made it) for the Saurus Warriors. The Saurus still need varnish. I may get these done before I start my Cygnar Warmachines for my September deadline.

Varnish

2009-08-26T05:00:00.003-05:00

Question: Does anyone know what happens if you spray varnish (gloss or matt) onto static grass? Does it work fine or make things weird? Please comment before I decide to spray my Saurus Warriors!

2 months ago, I wrote into The Painting Corps asking about varnish. Lots of people sent in their tips and tricks. Yesterday, I painted Winsor & Newton's Gloss Varnish (that I found on sale!) onto the areas that I thought would get the most wear. I hit the axe blades, the bracers, and the cloaks near the base. I wasn't shy about it but I didn't leave puddles either. I did notice that if a puddle formed and my brush dipped into it again, it picked up a hint of the paint. I was more careful there after and had no problem with it.

I waited about 4 hours to let the varnish completely set, then sprayed the models with 2 coats of Krylon's Acrylic Crystal Clear Gloss. I wanted to give it a full 24 hours between the painted on and the spray but I was excited. I was able to wait over night before I sprayed on 2 coats of Krylon's Acrylic Crystal Clear Flat coat. All I have left is a little static grass and these will be done!
Tharn Ravagers were 95% ---> now 97% complete!