Happy Battle of Tukayyid Day!

"Thank you for contacting ComStar customer service"

I'm in the process of painting up 24 Mechs in ComStar White. So much fun! I'm not real good with white, so It's a lot of paint white, do some detail and wash, go back and touch-up white. Repeat.

The final mechs actually look okay.

I should have the rest finished up soon, then it will be battle time!

Go Sling Some Paint

Even If It's a Color that is Challenging

Everyone Loves Hot Mechs (Pt.II)

I had picked up the 35th anniversary started box, mainly because the Unseen were back with really great new minis. I was going to paint up a new Black Widow Company to replace my long lost metal figs just for fun. Then the came the Clans Kickstarter, and hoo-boy the flood gates of awesome mech sculpts were opened. 

Battletech had always had an art problem. I'll not go into it here, as there are many entertaining videos about the '80s and '90s BattleTech art on YouTube. But wow, there was some seriously bad art and mech designs. Add that to the weirdly anemic metal mech miniatures and new players stayed away in droves. 

But now: super clean art, great "realistic" mech designs with well done plastic minis. Home Run.

The kicker for me was Alpha Strike. BattleTech Total Warfare is a wargame, Alpha Strike is a miniatures game. Subtle, but important difference. I enjoy the scale of Alpha Strike more, not to mention the much smoother, faster gameplay. So it's back to the 31st/32nd century for me.

As far as the "everybody is leaving 40K for BattleTech now!" goes, simple answer is no, of course not.

Did some? Sure. I don't know anyone who completely gave up 40K because of BattleTech. (Some of our group gave up 40K for different reasons) 

I still play 40K, I just started playing Battletech again. I love both franchises. Both games (and parent companies) have problems with rules and business issues. Both give me different, good, sci-fi gaming experiences. Battletech is slightly easier to get into, but still has this kinda obtuse wall of Lore that can dissuade new players. Alpha Strike is by far the more teachable rules set, and the box set is a fantastic starting point. 

I'm very pleased to see BattleTech make a comeback on the tabletop. I hope they can sustain it.
 

Go Roll Some Dice

Enjoy the Mech Renaissance

New Year, New-ish Content

 

Happy new year. Let's see how this one goes. In blog plans, I will cover a wider range of games. More Indy (although I'm not quite sure what that means anymore) and small press titles.

Specifically I am going to try Galactic Heroes, Stargrave, and Five Parsecs from Home to start with.

Galactic Heroes primarily because I have a bunch of nicely painted Star Wars Imperial Assault minis just gathering dust. Plus they do make a not-40k expansion as well.

Trying new things will be the focus of this year. Because why not?

Go Roll Some Dice

Maybe With More (Or Less) Than Six Sides

Let's Talk About Mechs, Baby! (Part I)

 

Ahhh Battletech. I picked up Battledroids from my local comic book store back in '84. We had a good time with it, and picked two or three of the twin pack of plastic 1/144 scale mechs. A name change and  year later second edition was released. This was the core of modern Battletech. I played it obsessively for the next five years or so. Loved the expanding lore; the Clan invasion was one of the highlights of gaming. 

Alas Battletech's super detailed game system was a two edged sword. It felt great tracking all the damage on a full 8.5x11 sheet (per mech) you could really fine tune the tactics to the mech(s) you had on the table.

But...It was a slow game. Like, a really slow game.

It took a few hours to fight a 4 v 4 battle with experienced players. Any more than that and your whole weekend is gone. Which also meant there was a real shallow pool of viable scenarios, mostly just matching different types of Lances against each other. 

I guess it is a hyper detailed skirmish game? 

Still, I loved it. Painted a couple of companies worth of metal mechs, read all the novels, tried some of the variant games (Aerotech, Succession Wars, Battleforce, et al) but as time rolled on, my number of plays kept going down. Then three things happened in the early '90s: The amount of good Battletech product releases approached zero, Good PC video games arrived and, of course, Warhammer 40K.  More specifically  Adeptus Titanicus, a giant mech game with (ahem) truly epic battles. That much pretty ended my tabletop Battletech gaming.

However, I never totally abandoned Battletech. I still picked up the novels (such as they were at the time) Played Mechwarrior 2, 3, and 4 a whole lot, and hoped for some kind of makeover of the game system.

Then came the Kickstarter...  To be continued! 

 

Go Roll Some Dice

Giant Robots Make Everything Better

Spooky Season Gaming

 

While I wait for my Deluxe version of Escape from Projekt Riese to arrive (next week, juuust missed Halloween) I thought I would throw together a quick list of horror themed games we have played recently.

The new kid on the block. The first game in Rayobx's WW2 zombie games, it is a compact and fast playing solo/co-op zombie killer. 

Fourth(!) in the Horrified series, we have only given it a couple of plays, but it is quite good, and you can add in the monsters from Horrified Greek Monsters (which our current favorite of the lot).

Great for a group of like minded folk, it's silly and fast paced culty fun!

While mostly being long over playing Munchkin, I do like to drag out the Cthulhu set for the Halloween party.

A very fun game, and very thematic, it does a good job of making the player feel hunted. It is a solo only experience, but a very good one. Huge amounts of replayability, and I have a few expansions I've yet to try out.

Still my favorite of the Zombicides, fast and fun, great with 1-4 players. Now if I could just get around to painting the minis...

My new Number One horror game! It's kind of a tower defense style game, but you are trying to get the hell out of there. I will do a review of it soon-ish. 

There are a few classics I didn't mention because they did not hit the table in the last few months. Maybe next year!

Go Roll Some Dice

In Costume!

Carnage Asada '24

 

Yes, this is about a month late. Sorry. Life happens. We had our (mostly) annual Carnage Asada Battle & BBQ this past Memorial Day. We always like to try big and/or new things on this day, and this time we went small and new.

Mrs. Blackheart is a professional theatrical carpenter, so she likes building things. She has recently discovered a love for everyone's favorite plastic crack from Denmark. Thus, the idea was formed to host a Star Wars skirmish game using Lego for the minis and scenery. Now to pick some rules.

For a bit now, I've trying out different Skirmish Rules. I love the new version of GW's Kill Team, but it is a very closed system, without any real ability to create new units of your own. One Page Rules' Grimdark Firefight is fun, but I'll get into it in an upcoming post.

I chose Space Weirdos by Garske Games. I had picked it up a while ago, and finally got around to giving it a go. Simple, fast, and a lot of fun. Most importantly for our game, you have to create your own units!  It seemed a natural fit for the event.

I spent a few evenings hunting up the names and generating stats for all the mini figs we chose for the game. We wound up with seven teams to choose from, six Outlaw/Bounty Hunter teams plus a Squad of Stormtroopers.

The battle was a lot of fun. So much fun that I didn't even take any good pictures while it was going on. 

The Handsome Outlaws (Han, Lando, and Chewie) were victorious. The forces of Law and Order (Stormtroopers) were wiped out, and both Jabba's Enforcers and The Operators, were badly mauled in the battle of Mos Eisley's Happy Hour. 

The rules work very well for such a setting, and I shall try for others. I do have a lot of painted Imperial Assault minis that are just sitting in the garage...

Go Roll Some Dice

With Carne Asada and LEGOs

Thunderhawk Stand has a New Home

 

The STL for Mrs. Blackheart's Thunderhawk Stand can now be found at:

https://www.printables.com/model/761250-warhammer-40k-thunderhawk-stand

It's free! So get one now.

*Thunderhawk not included

Let The Robot Make Something

Just Keep an Eye on it

Little Dudes

 

Long ago, Adeptus Titanicus was the first Games Workshop product I ever bought. It was quickly followed up by a purchase of the newly released Space Marine a few weeks later. A grand introduction to the fledgling Warhammer 40K universe. I have purchased and played every version of what has come to be known as Epic Scale ever since. 

I really enjoy the Grimdark at this scale, legions of infantry, companies of tanks, air power, and of course, Titans. It just looks so damn cool on the battlefield. Naturally I took the plunge as soon as the newest version, Legion Imperialis was realised. 

The slightly bigger scale (8mm vs the older not-quite-6mm) give the minis a bit more heft, and maybe a bit easier to paint? I am going to dive right in and start assembling/painting. I guess I should read the rules as well.

Go Roll Some Dice

Really Small Ones

New Year, New Body

 

Famed Necron Overlord Imotekh the Stormlord has already completed his New year's resolution!

His brand new sexy (plastic) body is so much more majestic than his old, shorter, Finecast resin form.  Much sharper details as one would expect, and no more living in dread that the resin will snap, and be nigh impossible to repair. New figure will lead his Phalanxes, Old body goes to the museum shelf! 

I had mentioned that I am doing a Inquisitor versus Necrons narrative campaign. I want it to be Solo/co-op. Yes, that is correct. Much like Blackstone Fortress or some of the newer 40K computer games, I want it to be a heroic co-op adventure in the form of a skirmish game. The players will take the role of Lord Inquisitor Kyria Draxus and her buddies as they respond to a call from a mining outpost. 

Spoiler: The Ad-Mech have dug up a Necron Tomb. The Necrons woke up grumpy, Ad-Mech are pushy, hijinks and sci-fi violence ensue!

The biggest question is, what system should be used for this? I have started my quest, and have gathered a few different rules sets to audition. This will take a couple of weeks to determine a winner. I'll post with the results in a bit.

Getting In a New Shape Is Easy

If You Don't Have A Permanent Body Anymore

End of the Year

 

Happy New Year! And all that goes with it. Good old end of the year reflecting. I've spent the last few months thinking about the Hobby and what I want to do with it. I'm working very hard on a career change, so I haven't had much energy for hobbying, and this blog has not gotten a whole lot of attention (the Blogger issues a few months ago didn't help) but I have decided to resume posting on a regular schedule for 2024. 

I have a few ideas that I want to do and see how they come out. It should be a fun ride, and having a new project and some self-imposed deadlines will help me get things done. 

For all of you still following along, thank you, and please stick around. I shall kick off the year with a Inquisition vs. Necron narrative campaign. Next week we will talk about finding the right game system for it.   

 

The Emperor Protects

You Still Have to do The Work Though

Space Marine Heroes Found

Hello? It this thing on? Hopefully we will now resume normal posting. 

The Space Marine/Warhammer Heroes line is a Japanese product made under license from GW.  It is what is known as a Gashapon, a blind buy line of toys. Hugely popular in Japan, they come in a all types and sizes. Being made and distributed by a Japanese company, Games Workshop themselves cannot sell them directly. 

The previous series of figures, (Space Marines, Blood Angels, and Plague Marines) were kind of hit and miss to find without spending big bucks on Ebay. They would show up in games stores, comic book shops and even general hobby stores. 

This newest line of minis are structured to be a Kill Team for GW's Kill Team skirmish game and each figure comes with its own stat card. Thankfully in English as well as Japanese. Thoughtfully setup so if you bought a full case of eight figures you would get one each of the seven unique minis, plus one duplicate. 

I really wanted to find a full set for less than the currently crazy eBay prices, but I had no luck.  I needed to go out and find some paint for all my new Tyranids, so I ventured a bit up north to a decent gaming shop. As I was checking out, they had a sealed case of the new Warhammer Heroes just sitting on next to the Pokemon cards next to the register. I tried not to squeal like a fanboy, and cooly picked it up and sat it next to my paints. The cashier told me he had no idea what it was or why they have got it, but sold it to me anyway.

As expected I got one of each of the figs and a spare boltgun dude. The models are push fit with a nicely detailed base. I am well pleased, and will assemble them forthwith!

Go Out Questing

Bring Back a Prize. Hopefully a Good One

 

 

Troubles Upon the Noospheres

 

A rousing battle between the Orks and my newly painted AdMech. It was initially part of an experiment, to compare 9th edition 40K to One Page Rules Grimdark Future using the (mostly) same lists.

Well, due to me being locked out of my blog for five weeks, and the bad timing of 10th edition coming out...we will try this again soon. 

Oh, and of course, Amazon has dropped me as an associate, which is fine, because their new model is really poor for low traffic people like me.

Yes, for five frakking weeks I could not access my blog. Many nearly helpful emails back and forth, until two days ago I was able to rest the password, and all was fine. No explanation offered. I wonder how hard it is to migrate over to my own website?

Expect slightly more content to come!

The Emperor Protects

But Has a Wicked Sense of Humor

Scale Creep: Leviathan Edition

 

They grow up so fast! The Space Marines have slowly been getting bigger over the past three decades. That's fine. An old metal Mk.7 is absolutely tiny compared to a new Guardsmen let alone a Primaris marine. Many (including me) have voiced the opinion that the Terminators were far too small. 

That has finally been addressed. The newest Tactical Dreadnought Armor suits are of goodly size and fine detail. Of course, now all my old, and really old Termies look a bit "Aren't you a little short for the Emperor's elite?" My first gen metal Termies got sent to be Space Hulk figures full time after the plastic ones came out. Now that I have 36 Deathwing Terminators? Hope that a newer and far more awesome Deathwing set never comes out? I'll just wait and see for a bit.

Shooty McRedemptor.  Really the same size, just legs straightened out and posed on a Tactical Rock. I'm certain this will be sold separately, just not sure it will get a new version with a few more options.

The older Carnifex does really bad posture. The Norn Queen is always telling it to stand up straight.

The new Screamer-Killer has listened to her. A little bulkier overall, the standing tall dramatic pose gives it the intimidation factor it deserves. Going to a 90mm base helps as well. I would love an Old One Eye re-done with this kind of extreme posing.

And finally we have the simplest, but very effective re-do. A little taller, more gangly, and more detail.

I hope the Hormagaunt and Genestealer get similar makeovers.  
  
  

Change Never Stops

Nor Should You

Leviathan Obtained

 

Two weeks ago I took the pilgrimage up north to go to my nearest Games Workshop store to pre-order the 10th edition box because I wanted the free stuff! I got there about forty minutes before the store opened and was about 40th in line, with a whole lot more behind me. The line did move slowly, but everyone got an order in. It was actually pleasant to be surrounded by people who are genuinely excited and positive about 40K. 

This morning I returned to pick up my prize and just breezed in a out. The manager had everybody's stuff put together in a bag and ready to hand off. I was very impressed by his efficiency.

The extra goodies that came with buying direct from the GW store are quite nice. Two Kill Team sized boards, and set of counters.

The counters really surprised me. Double sided, clear acrylic with sharp art in a nice metal tin. Well done for a freebie.

Inside the box is of course a mountain of plastic, the huge book, some decals, and a mission deck. The mission deck is also nicely done, tarot card sized and made of really stiff cardstock. 

  

I shall start assembling the figures, and delve into the hefty tome.

The Emperor Protects

But You Still Have To Read The Rules

A Rant (Pt. II)

 

>>>Well, this is a little awkward. I really didn't think GW would be announcing 40K Tenth Edition yesterday. I guessed the teaser was for a relaunch of Space Hulk using the fancy Gallowdark terrain. Oh well. Still possible...

I will give some thoughts on 10th as I get more details. On with the Show!<<<

You have 30+ years of 40K minis but the current edition ruleset doesn't tweak your twinkie? What to do?

A: Make your own ruleset! Well, that is an awful lot of work, so no.

B: Play an older edition! Sure, that does work, it's not like the Ordo Praecepta will show up and stop you. Well probably not, it's not like you can expect what they will do.

 

This big disadvantage of this is no official stats for newer units. So more work.

B2: This does include the last version of 40K Apocalypse, which was a very good ruleset. Shame it didn't really gain any traction.

C: Find some new rules that somebody else made! Yes. Let's do that.

There are only a few candidates for full 40K sized games. The market is skewed towards skirmish sized games at the moment, with many good choices. Which I will get into at a later post.

Wiley Games's well done Fistfull of Lead. It did start out as a skirmish sized game, but the Sci-Fi version Galactic Heroes includes vehicles for much larger battles. Wiley has just recently released a 40K conversion, Codex Galactica. I have not played this yet, but I am in the process of reading the rules.

The other popular ruleset I have played (a lot) is of course, Grimdark Future by One Page Rules.

It has grown a bit past one page in the last few years, but is still a very streamlined system with only a handful of special rules. OPR (One Page Rules) has done all the work in making stats for nearly all of the current 40K units, and is updating them. Just don't expect them to behave exactly like they do in 40K. 

If you are a Patron, you get access to the unit builder so you can add new units, or just re-do a unit that is more pleasing to you. A full review of these rules is just around the corner.

Brand new, and just completed their Kickstarter is Warsurge. It is a universal rulebook, letting you generate stats for all the models in your collection. It is supported by an App. I leaned about it after the Kickstarter had closed, so I didn't get in on it. I am very interested and will look into picking up a set of the rules and report back.

And of course, who knows what 40K Tenth Edition will bring later this year? More of the more, more special rules? Or a house cleaning like 8th (mostly) or something else? I guess we will see, and fairly soon too. I would really love it if 40K went a bit back to basics.

The Emperor Protects

But You Still Have to Do Some Research