Orc Warfare

Having a bit of credit on Wargame Vault I decided to buy the PDF edition of Osprey's new Orc Warfare book. Unlike the Kindle edition it is a straight reproduction of the paper edition and does look very, very nice.

I have only had a quick flick through it, the book takes the popular fantasy race and gives them a military and cultural analysis. Whilst it would have been amusing for Osprey to copy the Men-at-Arms approach, it is nicely illustrated and laid out being split into four main chapters, the first dealing with Orc physique and breeds (Hill Orcs, Forest Orcs, Desert Orcs etc), the second troop types (Beserkers, Ironbacks, Chariots etc), the third strategy and tactics and the fourth Orc victories.

There is a lot in here for fantasy gamers who are not spoon-fed and prepared to adapt the rules and army lists they use. As a long term Orc fan I will be drawing on this book to expand my WHFB Orc and Goblin army with some new additions...

Warhammer is Dead, Long Live errr Warhammer?

This picture has been all over Facebook today. It is the new face of Warhammer, replacing the old game with a smaller scale game using less figures and on round bases.

Personally I am beyond caring with what GW do and what they do with WHFB (I still believe the 2nd edition was the best), but it does make for interesting viewing...

We Need a Bigger Dinosaur...

Just back from Jurassic World... and I loved it! Ok, the plot is very similar to the first movie, with bits of the other two and even Aliens, but so what it is a summer popcorn movie and good fun.

Based on the trailer a lot of people criticised the "sexist" nature of the film, which is complete nonsense as Bryce Dallas Howard's character develops through the film (unlike Chris Pratt who is what you see is what you get character throughout). A number of things in the trailer, like the trained 'raptors, make a lot more sense in the context of the film as a whole and are not as straight forward as you may think.

Overall, if you liked the first one and like dinosaurs, well worth seeing on the big screen and yep, it's given me some more Tusk ideas...

Man o' War: Dwarven Fleet wip

Having found the Dwarf Man o' War fleet hiding in a filing cabinet yesterday, I put a little more paint on them today...

I am going with a more toned down look than you normally see on GW models, but haven't decided yet on the colours for the funnels and the rams (and tail fins on the submersibles).

I am thinking towards a rusty weathered look but am unsure at the moment...

All The Nice Orcs Love a Sailor...

Rummaging through some filing drawers (which form the 'Lead Mountain' foothills) I came across a partially painted Dwarf Man o War fleet, including this nifty gyrocopter carrier conversion...

I have always had a soft spot for the game and somewhere in 'Lead Mountain' I have some of Green Forest Trading Co's Reptilian and Undead ships, however I have always wanted an Orc fleet, though I never liked the official GW models.

This situation may change as I have come across Ral Partha Europe's Empires range which inlcudes Man o War sized ships, including some nice looking Orc vessels. I can feel an order coming on...

Shadows Over Normandie

I'd completely forgotten that I'd pledged for Shadows Over Normandie, the Cthulhu mythos spin off of Devil Pig Games (backed but unplayed) Heroes Over Normandie boardgame (I have to confess being excited when it arrived but found the rulebook incomprehensible). Devil Pig were checking addresses for shipping today, so I'm going to have to get my act sorted out as it looks it really looks amazing...

Are You Ready To Rock? (acousticaly)

Busy day helping Saul get ready for a gig in Bristol this evening, so no chance to do anything hobby related, but that's what Dad's are supposed to do! :-)

Cockleshell Heroes

Warlord have released a great set of Commando Amphibious Raiders in 28mm, complete with a couple of Cockle canoes. I can think of absolutely no use for them, but I so want a set...

Panzerfäuste Quarterly

Busy day today decamping son and heir from the halls at Cheltenham University after his first year (where he has done very well).

I was hoping to announce the launch of Panzerfäuste Quarterly, a new PDF e-zine for Panzerfäuste fans, but unfortunately the protocols for new publishers (this is from Hysterical Games not Wessex Games) means it needs reviewing before available to the public - doh!

Oh well, should be available in the next couple of days...

Edit: having been told it would take one to five days to review it was processed in 15 minutes! :-) You can download a copy for free here: http://www.wargamevault.com/product/151341/Panzerfuste-Quarterly-Issue-One

Superkrieg: метель

I've finished the first of my Soviet superheroes for the Superkrieg project, метель (Metel or Blizzard in English) is another repainted WizKids figure, but I can't remember which...

Whilst I quite like the end result I am wondering whether to paint the white armour(?) bits a more appropriate Soviet red. I have two other models I plan to use for the Soviets and am planning a largely red scheme for them...

 Painting Target: 122/1000

ArcWorlde: Jungle Gremlins of Chaq-Itza III

Back to the jungles of Chaq-Itza, I managed to finish the five ArcWorlde Jungle Gremlins with bows today.

Lovely models, I'm not sure if my painting does them justice or my attempt at macaw feathers...

Painting Target: 121/1000

WHFB: Earth Titan

On and off over the last couple of days I've been slapping a bit of paint on this Wizkids D&D Earth Titan. Not quite 100% sure of what I am going to use it for, but probably something WHFB2 related...

A one piece plastic model, which can be found on eBay for around a tenner, it's a decent imposing piece and will form a good centrepiece to an army. The old Citadel Wizard gives some idea of scale (the Titan's base is 75mm square).

The model was fairly easy to repaint, drybrushing progressively lighter blue-greys over a black undercoat. I PVA'd some small gravel and sand on the figure to tie in with the base, painting the latter as soil and adding some flock to the model as well as the base. I added a little Army Painter Brown Shade ink wash to tie the soil and rock together...

Overall I am pleased with the outcome for a fairly minimal effort. The only question now is what to do with the other one I bought?!

Painting Target: 116/1000

Panzerfäuste: Dwarven Auslandskorps

Digging through my miniatures collection today I came across these old Panzerfäuste Dwarves converted for use as the DAK - Dwarven Auslandskorps :-)

On some of the figures, I extended their trousers down to their ankles with a dab of Green Stuff, but really it was just a simple paintjob conversion to have them ready for service in the Great Desert War...

i40k

I managed a fair bit of painting today, flitting between some Dwarves, Jungle Gremlins, Hairballs and an Earth Titan, but finishing none. Obviously going through a fantasy phase...

I also noticed that Slitherine are working on an iPad version of their PC game Warhammer 40,000: Armageddon, which looks pretty good and no doubt will be downloaded as soon as it's available...

The Reverend

In between working on some more ArcWorlde figures I decided to paint up this old Citadel miniature that had been sat around for nearly thirty years. I had thought he was the Vicar from the 1985-87 Gothic Horror range but found out he is The Reverend from the Curse of the Mummy's Tomb game.

I didn't really like the unpainted miniature, but painted up it looks much better...

Painting Target: 115/1000

Buckle Up Marines!

Having backed a couple of Eli's Loud Ninja Games 15mm SF alien Kickstarters (one of which I had an idea for, one just to support Eli), I have decided to turn these small purchases into a small project by combining them with some of the excellent 15mm Marines from White Dragon. Another Kickstarter, but funded and with the basic infantry already moulded, the level of detail on these miniatures is great.

I've just got to decide whether to go the whole hog and get some of the excellent looking support mechs...

Osprey Kindle Bargains

Bit of a Public Service Announcement, there are a number of Osprey Kindle books are heavily reduced prices at the moment (£0.99 to £1.19). With a number of Prime No Rush credits in my account I've picked up a few for absolutely nothing, but even for a quid they are worth getting.

These are some of the titles  reduced but I suggest going to the Kindle store, entering Osprey Publishing for your search and changing the listings to "low to high price"...

March of the Mutant Penguins

Unfortunately I've had no time to do anything hobby related today, but I did spot Fenris Games have an excellent set of Mountains of Madness inspired Mutant Penguins available for pre-order. Gotta get these, they are brilliant...

ArcWorlde: Jungle Gremlins of Chaq-Itza II

I managed to finish these five ArcWorlde Jungle Gremlin spearmen last night, using the black skin technique previously used on headhunters last year.

I decided to go with a slightly brighter purple for the hair (repainting the headhunters hair to match) and had a crack at painting Maccaw feathers. These are pretty hopeless but add a splash of colour.

Hopefully I'll get some time to finish the five bowmen and Jungle Gremlin chief this week, and then they'll be done.

Painting Target: 114/1000

ArcWorlde: Jungle Troll of Chaq-Itza

I managed to crack on with my ArcWorlde Jungle Troll today. It is a lovely figure and was a joy to paint. The Gremlin gives an idea of what an imposing miniature this is...

The base is one from Blitzkrieg Miniatures, fitting in with those the Gremlin headhunters I painted last year are on.

Painting Target: 109/1000

ArcWorlde: Grim Oop North

I met Alex Huntley, the talent behind Warploque Miniatures, last week, what a very nice young chap he is! Looking at the wonderful ArcWorlde miniatures on his display stand he pointed out the stunning new Mountain Troll that will be part of a new ArcWorlde supplement - Trouble in the North. This expansion will include Norse themed humans and given how great all Alex's sculpts are, they will be a must have purchase.

This of course prompted me to recall guiltily that most of the ArcWorlde miniatures I bought in the Kickstarter are still sat in the box they came in, which is a shame after an initially good start painting them. So this afternoon I dug out then them. Jungle Gremlins and the Jungle Troll and started slapping paint on them. Hopefully I will get some of them finished this week and maybe move onto the Bayourk Orcs or River Trolls, the figures that attracted me to the range in the first place!

Iron Cow 2136AD: FIBUA

I was having a bit of a tidy up today and found an unmade box of Hawk Wargames Cityscape cardboard city terrain sat in a box, one of those impulse eBay purchases I used to make. Although scaled for 10mm I thought it would work well enough for 6mm when taking into account bases and the larger size of SF vehciles compared to historical ones etc, so bought it for Iron Cow (and maybe some Epic, found a few boxes of that as well).

HAving a good look at it today, the card looks pretty good and the buildings are designed as one piece fold together constructions that even just folded they are pretty rigid, though they will a dab of glue to make them gaming friendly. You also get several double sided one foot square streets to place the buildings on, which also look pretty good. Overall, even for the RRP of £30, this is a good purchase for 6/10mm SF wargamers - it would look awesome with Mechs walking down the street!

I have noticed Hawk do a Ruinscape set, not quite the blasted ruins I expected, but possibly a useful secondary purchase, in some respects it looks better than the more pristine Cityscape.

Normandy Firefight: Kohima British Infantry IV

Not having had time to do anything hobbywise for a few days I made sure I took a lunch break today and made some progress on the Airfix 1/32nd figures for the Kohima project.

The standing figure now has had his trousers extended and tucked into ankle puttees, whilst I have aded a rifle strap to the kneeling figure (this still needs a bit of work where it tucks under the arm.

Having a bit of Green Stuff left I dug out some of the Gurkhas I picked up at the same time of the Australians and 8th Army, and started work on one of the keeling figures, converting his shorts into trousers which is more appropriate for 1944/45. I also replaced his left arm with one of the Multipose ones so that he can be holding his rifle. Still early stages, but hopeful the end result will be ok...

UK Games Expo: Games (2 of 2)

Here are the remaining photos I took at the UK Games Expo last Sunday.

Not sure what this 15mm WW2 games was specifically (guessing FoW), but who doesn't love gliders with D-Day invasion stripes?

Another game I didn't get the name of (there's a theme here), but I loved the little LED cube light and the mangaesque figures...

Dust Tactics looked pretty awesome in the desert...

Tor Gaming were putting on Relics. I am trying to avoid this game, but the sheer weirdness is appealing to me. The new chicken mounted knights are wonderful!

And finally, the very expensive Terminator: Genesys game, which looks nice and would make a great introduction to tabletop gaming if only it were twenty to thirty quid cheaper...