Cleared

Well I have now cleared my painting table ready for the next batch of well I'm not totally sure yet, but probably the start of a warmaster dwarf  army, as I have them about ready to go, but I don't have any games planned.

You can probably tell what all the figures are without my telling. But just in case you cant they are copplestone cops, a crooked dice uplift security (not at all Captain Scarlet like) and three Hasslefree miniatures all painted to look like cartoon characters. (I'll have to get better at photography). I do have a Fred done previously so not included in this shot. I don't have the Scooby mini, there was something about it I was not sure of at the time, but am now regretting not getting it. Oh well.

The building in the background is hand made by me, but pretty old. It's just to give the figures a sense of scale and some form of background. Anyway it's made out of foam core (also called Lightweight or foam board depending on who makes or sells it). Anyway I'm not talking about that today.

I did have a flick through the "Tomorrows War" rules last night. It ways only a brief look at the rules, but here are my initial thoughts. If you have played "Force on Force" by Ambush Alley there are no surprises. Much of the rules, and 95% of the mechanics can be found there. The basic concept of the mechanics is that you need 4+ to succeed. The number of dice you roll will be dependant on how many figures are for example shooting, the weapons they are using, if they are at short range and other factors. The type of dice used vary with the troop quality. Militia and poorly trained troops will use d6. Regulars d8, Elite will use d10. And the superhuman film stars will use d12 (don't expect many published scenarios for Force on Force to use d12s). Obviously it's easier to roll 4+ on a d10 than a d6 for example. When being shot at the defender also gets to roll dice for their troop quality and it is by comparing these results of both the attacker and the defender that a result is determined.

The main turn mechanic revolves around acting and reacting to each other. For example Player a moves player B tries to react and interrupt player A. Player A may then try to interrupt player Bs attempt at shooting with a different squad. It sounds complicated but works really well on the table. Again your troop quality determines the dice you use rolling against each other to see who gets the drop for that action and then resolves either the action or reaction dependant on the dice.

There is a pregenerated background with some forces and equipment detailed as well as some planets and some political background. You don't have to stick to that of course, but from what I have read it's not too bad. Obviously being an American rules system the Americans have the highest technology and thus the best weapons a bit predictable really.

Overall I do like these rules but as they stand I think I'll stick to Stargrunt. I can see that changing if/when they bring out a couple of supplements with set scenarios and more background. Which I personally think Stargrunt should have done.

All the best Clint

Thursday

Again no pic today.You don't need a pic of the boards battened together and glued and then neatened up. yes I have done what I said I would, but there really is not anything useful to see.But as soon as there is anything worth looking at I will post it.

I have had feedback on the club shirts and it looks like it's a go (don't tell Ian he's bound to want to have a say and be negative about the whole thing). I think every club must have one and ours is called Ian. Which is not to say he's a rotter or anything, quite the opposite he's genuinely nice guy. But I think he's going through a can't be bothered phase, refuses to buy anything wargaming or paint anything and he's not hosted a game at the club for ages.All of which is his choice and I can't fault him for it, to some extent that was me a year ago, lost all enthusiasm. So I do know what it's like. I have now sent the design idea to the treasurer and (Frontline) Tim. I can't see them really digging their heels in so it looks like I shall have to spend some hours neatening the design and getting it ready for production.

I still have to read "Tomorrows War" so I can't talk about that either. I do realise it will mean me buying two opposing forces and making some terrain, but that can wait for a while. Also on the wait list is Cutlass (because it has yet to arrive) and the WW1 Zombie idea. I need to start finishing things before I start too many more, but I suspect that's a very common war-games trait.

I hope to finish some 28mm figures later today read for 7TV and that ilk of game. I have finished one lot of "pro-painting" ready to go back (early first world war 28mm Germans), I might phone the guy tonight and let him know depends on how I feel. However for myself I am painting some Copplestone cops. I originally got them for a superhero game idea, which has since faded into the background due to my lack of interest in building sky scrappers. I have this thing about most wargames tables being very 2 dimensional, especially at shows. I think any show game that can raise itself above the base board by more than a few inches starts to look interesting. Otherwise the game tends to look flat. Now I do grant you that most historical battles while some were fought on hills, (Waterloo, Hastings etc..)  they still mean that the observer at shows is looking at the figures mostly in plan. I did wrack my brain for some historical battles where height was important, but they tend to fall into a few distinct categories, Air war is the most obvious, and castle sieges. I must admit I would like to do a castle siege game, with a decent size castle to squabble over but that would create a storage issue.

That's enough for now speak soon. Clint

Wednesday

Well not too much to report on the wargames front over the past few days. Today however I have been to B+Q and bought some more wooden battening. I have worked up the shed and battened out all the remaining boards for the moon scape. I'll leave the glue to dry overnight and when I get back from work in the morning I'll sand them and generally neaten them up. Once that's done it will be repeating the previous steps with minor variations to create different boards.

The first moon board (in this batch) is drying out nicely, but still needs a few more days before I want to put the next layer of paint/sand and glue on. Then it will need a week to dry. So at this stage nothing to show in pics. It looks exactly the same as the last picture, but the texture is slowly, very slowly stiffening.

On other projects: I have sent a sketch of the club shirts to a club member and am waiting for his feedback before I spend any more time on it. Obviously I want him to say "Yes that's fantastic" but even if he does then that's where the real work will start.

Still thinking about WW1 Zombie games, I think the best scenario is a trench raid as opposed to a mass battle.A plucky group of Tommies going across "No mans Land" to infiltrate the German trenchline and find out what's going on. I suspect the biggest difference between a standard 7ombie TV game and one set in WW1 might be the skills. Mostly they will be very limited and most players will put their defence up as high as they are allowed. I think that I might limit the amount of points they can put up defence by might be limited. I like characters to be somewhat limited and have a vulnerability. Otherwise you'll get characters knee deep in Zombies and not worried about it. I'll decide closer the time of course, but it's just my first thoughts. I'll have to change the scavenger cards as well to fit with the era and setting and again that's more to think about. If I get this idea up and running I'll offer it to Dr Warlock for his Fanzine. He Knows I'm dyslexic and will have to proof read it thoroughly, but that's what an editor does.

That's all for today, yes I now it's not very exciting, but it's a step that needs to be done and done properly before I can go any further.

Merry Christmas

Well today is the 25th of December. So happy Christmas and seasons greetings and all that Malarkey. Seriously hope everything is going well for all of you.

To the right is all the games related stuff I was lucky enough to be given this year. For most of us "Mature" wargamers this is a first rate haul of goodies and for which I am really thankful, definitely no gripes from my point of view this year. I guess Santa must have deemed me "Good" this year. Normally it's just some socks and pants and some deodorants. So by comparison I am over the moon. All of them were surprises. The Jadpanthers were from Alan a small reward for putting on the Zombie Car park Christmas game if I am honest I had the pressie a few weeks ago but did not open it. I had rattled it and judging by the dimensions and weight and sounds concluded it was  most likely a kit of some kind, although with Al it could have been just the sprues with all the pieces removed and a witty note. It would be the kind of thing he might do as a joke, but I was confident (this time) that it would be kosher. (Mind you I have yet to open the box so the last laugh might still be with him). But I have faith.
The rest though were a complete and utter surprise.

I have only had a quick scan through "Tomorrows War", but I have Force on Force so I do have an idea of the quality of the production and to a lesser degree the quality of the rules. Coming to the point the rules seem (at this stage of quick scan) to contain a setting which appeals. I semi realistic future of futuristic warfare. I like what I have seen from a setting perspective both countries and corporations colonising planets and squabbling over resources. When I read more I'll have a much better idea, but for now I'm quite excited by it.

The DVDs have obvious 7TV links and as I have not seen them for ages will be quite fresh to me. I did manage to watch Deathwatch yesterday evening. My conclusions are mixed. I did think it was a good general horror film. I was informed it Zombie film, however  I saw no zombies in the film, which I found disappointing which is why I am not being as enthusiastic as perhaps I could be. The trenches were well constructed and the general feel/atmosphere of the film was really good and there are some good horror themes centring (in my opinion) around isolation both from their own forces and between the individuals of the group. But then I'd never be a film critic. Shame no Zombies though as come on World war one zombies does have a certain resonance.

I'll check the moon boards first thing in the morning, but I am not expecting it to be dry just yet and with Relatives arriving late morning don't think I'll get much chance to do much of anything. Still you never know I might get lucky.

Hope you've had a great day and that Santa has delivered more than just socks! All the best Clint