What a whirlwind!

This month I:

Cleaned our apartment, went to Container Store to get storage for my minis, sold a bunch of stuff I didn't need or play with any more, re prioritized my hobby, got a promotion at work, painted a bunch of stuff, worked on a rules project, and had a bit of fun.

And this Thursday's my birthday...whew...

What a month..here's to more fun, and hopefully, more gaming...

Images from our Terminator Playtest

Images taken by CLDecker and US figures are his...as is the terrain and vehicles. The Terminator figures are mine. We found out a few things, namely, terminators like cover, and that early-model terminators and HKs can die under massed weapons fire. This has since been addressed, and I am hoping the 1.2 release will fix this so that while terminators and HKs will still go down if enough people mass fire, it's not going to be too easy.

Also, my infiltrators and air units weren't ready yet, so that might have been a game changer for the Terminators. Rules used were Force on Force. Figures for the US were Flashpoint minis and Dragon prebuilds for the vehicles.

SITREP..24 JUNE 2009

The good news is that the CBT stuff is mostly selling, or at least getting nibbles. Now all we have to do is get the Full Thrust stuff put up. For those inclined, the for sale post on here. I am very happy the exterminator's coming soon as I dearly want to get back to painting in earnest. I have a lot to do...and little time to do it.

I am also working on a side project of mine...sort of a unexpected fusion of the RDF Sourcebook from Twilight 2000 and Ambush Alley/Force on Force. It's called "Blood Upon the Risers" and it is going to be a free scenario pack by yours truly for said games set during the fighting between the 82nd Airborne Division and 1/75th and 2/75th Ranger Battalions against the Soviet 104th Guards Airborne Division in the area of Bandar-e-Khomeini between April and May of 1997. I think the name is apt, and I am using Google Maps to help me come up with the maps for the scenarios. I think it's a new and fun use for all those guys who have Americans wearing DCUs and Soviets for Afghanistan. Now, if somebody knows where a good source of Iranians in 20mm are (think Iran-Iraq war, I know about Lib Mins multi purpose line, and that's a good start, but the only guys he has with G3s are his incomplete West German line). It'll get done when I can, the main stumbling block being using CC3 to create the maps...it's a steep learning curve, but doable.

In other news, CLDecker and I are really embracing the Terminator theme, and I think the latest release of the rules may finally have terminators of the requisite toughness to sustain human fire. We'll see in the next playtest.

GZG is at it again, and they're so tempting me...especially the Ravager fellows as pictured on Dropship Horizon. I think I am going to get those and the Mantises I need for my Terminator flyers..now I just gotta work on John Connor's army. After I get the Tanstaffl Free Legion done I suppose.

It has begun

Well, I am selling some of the CBT and Full Thrust stuff off. Frankly. I'll probably wind up doing FT again sometime...now..it's just taking up space. As for CBT...I have kinda spilled enough ink over that, I'll just be glad to cull it a bit and put it away for a time. I need some time away. The game's going places I am not always cool with and I do not know if I can in good conscience, support it anymore. I appreciate the effort all parties are putting in, but I am simply not cool with a lot of what's gone on.

All in all, perhaps it's best I get some time away from it.

Hording, part 2

Ok, now I am going insane...

We had the exterminators over last week...and they seemed to have helped somewhat. But, we need another treatment...I got to painting some more vehicles, and blamo...the wife threw a fit because she just finds out about this today...and it becomes a general "harangue PF about his choice in hobbies" discussion...Am I wrong to be feeling a mite put out? Yes, I have a lot of stuff, I have a long standing "FOR TRADE" post on TMP here, but after a certain amount of activity, it has been tough to move stuff.

But honestly? Why in the hell do I work my tail off to be told that my enjoyment is "taking over the apartment" when I spend most of our social time doing things SHE wants to do. Have I complained? No. Even when some of this has at times, made me a bit uncomfortable. Again, I am supportive and have kept my mouth shut. But dammit...my one outlet..my stress relief is somehow a problem? UGH!

Here's a change of pace

A Hetzer for my 20mm WWII Germans!

I know, two posts in two days!

Lots to say. I worked on some posters for my Twilight 2000 buildings...man I wish those railroad buildings were a mite cheaper! I put them up on the Guild under the Terrain section.

As for other news, I have some 1/76 and 1/72 scale German WWII kits up for grabs. Recent purchase that had some items that were redundant to my needs. Lemme know via the blog or PM on TMP if you're interested!

I am also getting my hands on some interesting rules sets...may I say Troops, Weapons & Tactics is a darn nice rules set, and one I may play or use as an adjunct to Force on Force WWII rules. Too Fat Lardies did a nice job with it.

A word about process driven versus effect driven. I've played process driven rules, and until recently, it was seen as THE way to do skirmish rules. Honestly? I am glad there is a movement away from that to more effect driven sets like Ambush Alley, DH/CF7B, TW & T. Honestly, I agree with the sentiment, even if you have nice kit...if your troops stink, the kit is no damn good.

Thanks to all who have visited! I appreciate the traffic!

Does our hobby encourage meglomania?

Yeah, I know, but the fact is...what else could it be when we acquire mountains of lead we're always behind in painting. Or, worse, we never get around to it. How about rules we NEVER play. I am as guilty as the rest, but the fact is, would we have it any other way? I dunno, for all the statements about "The Pledge", frugal gaming and other such ideas, the gact is, we've got a bit of a pricy hobby. But to be honest, for all of it's acquisitiveness, I've also met some really great folks here. Folks I am proud to know..Murph, CLDecker, Gallowglas, Hrothgar, and that's just the TMP folks. There's the DC Writing Group, the Friday Night Mechwreckers, I am damn happy to be a part of this hobby, even if I am a shopping whore. But I try to trade more often now, even though now it's more about space than it is about money...and to be honest..it's a problem I am glad to have!

In other news, I am trying out this new Zemanta extention, it autopops suggested links and makes tagging a lot easier. We'll see how well it works out.

I am rather happy about the new Rebel Miniatures releases for their 15mm sci-fi line. It looks rather good, and to quote Murph, there is a real renaissance in 15mm these days. I think there is a movement towards smaller scales, easier on the wallet and more space friendly..and with the new generation of rules like Ambush Alley coming to the fore, where a 4x4 table is all you need for a cracking game, the smaller is better movement is catching on...now to find folks closer to DC who want to do micro-armor!

Also, got a question related to storage...I know I asked the Guild this, but I wanted to ask everyone else. Has anyone tried the magnetic paint instead of sheeting to line the bottom of their transport/storage cases?

Cork buildings are done!

Another weekend done

It was all in all a productive weekend. I am working hard on my Twilight 2000 items and they're really coming together. I anticipate that I will be done with the US vehicles soon, and then it's on to working on my Soviets, getting them cleaned up and to a standard I like. I really am proud of the work I am putting in thus far, and so far, all seems to be going overly well. Also updated the AA terminator rules..upped the defense dice and played with the movement rates. I think this will work better and hopefully, there will be more playtests.

Also, played CBT this Saturday with my old group. I think as much as I wanted to support the GM of this event...and I really did, I made a mistake going to the event. The company was well, juvenile. It wasn't everyone, and some of the members of my old group, I genuinely enjoy their company...others..let's say they need a Dale Carnegie book or three (and I can't stand the guy, but some of his advice is sound). Also, CBT is losing interest for me..the game is falling into the "Ok, folks are losing interest, let's introduce a new army with all new wiz-bang toys orders of magnitude more powerful than than what's in the game already!" trap that 40K wrote the book on. Not good. Worse, folks are fretting about the battle value system as it was supposed to give "balanced games"..there's a myth if I ever heard one...no damn such thing. If you make things totally equal, you get nightmares like Iran-Iraq or World War I. Battletech, last I looked, was supposed to be about armored warfare, of concentrating all available assets at the point of decision and smashing the other guy! Now, it's nothing more than a fanboy arms race with the "faction-de-jour". And now, they're throwing around tons of nukes to do it. I point out the last time someone did that in another game I love...Megatraveller. Dave Nielsen said it best, "have the cataclysm, then game the aftermath". People don't like their sacred cows becoming hamburger, and worse yet..having the ending resolved with an inferior product (Down in front Mechwarrior! At least it keeps me in cheap 15mm VTOLs and 'Mechs).

I know this might not make me popular with some. Know what? Don't care. I am pretty convinced play balance is achieved by giving out realistic victory conditions that both sides have a decent chance of achieving, and an even handed ref who isn't looking to screw one side or the other. Like I said..if you're doing the Seelow Heights in 1945, and you're bitching that you've got a scratch force of rear-area types, cadets and HJ for your Germans, with a pair of Stug IIIs and a couple of PaK 40s, and you're expected to hold off a company(+) of Russian tanks...well, that's the way it was, and perhaps you're playing the wrong game. One victory condition is for the Russians to exit X amount of troops off the table in a VERY short amount of time..or to kill or capture ALL the Germans? Not so easy no matter HOW many troops you have. See, balance? The Germans, they have it easier...knock off X amount of Russians or have X amount of their force still alive. Balance is possible, and points/values IMO, aren't a magic solution!

Two LAVs and an M113...I like 'em

The M1s are done and a LAv's being worked on!