Episode IV: A New Hope

After the abject failure of last weeks Star Wars roleplay session i've actually done some gaming.
In my own defence I have spent some time working on the background and opening scenario.

Rich came round last Thursday and re-introduced me to the Ambush Alley rules playing a Star Wars rescue scenario. We played through twice, once with each side, and I somehow managed to narrowly win twice and ALMOST snuffed out Yoda.... almost!

A good set of rules that rewards aggressive / heroic play with your heroes, at least until the dice go a bit wrong.

Saw the girly over the weekend and after a pleasent Sunday afternoon going around Hampton Court Palace I got her to watch Spaceballs over dinner and then SHE insisted that we play co-op Gears of War for 2 hours. God may actually exist :)

No painting in the last ten days though the desperados have had actual paint attatched recently and i've sorted out a paint list. Pretty much all stuff that needs finishing off but with the intention for it to get some use;

1. FoW German artillery:
Just a bit of highlighting and a coat of varnish really. Didn't quite get finished from the last tourney I went to in the far too distant past.
More in the case to be painted but not an active system currently.

2. Hordes Blighted Archers:
Quite a bit of higlighting and a coat of varnish. Same reasoning as point 1 above.
Plenty more in the case and a system I want to get some games in with.

3. Blood-Bowl ogre:
Just the one, but the final figure of the team to be painted. Maybe then they'll roll some decent dice?

4. Star Wars:
An ongoing project that will continue a Genetic Infantry 2000AD project that I started sometime ago. I really want to find an excuse to pick a GW plastic Valkyrie to go with them.

Photos once i've actually painted something.

Sing while you're winning!!

Life has been a bit random recently.

I went to Brugge over the weekend which is a lovely place which I heartily recommend.
Brugge has moules, frites, waffles, stunning architecture and this place......... awesome!!

While I was away messers Strauss and Flintoff were busy winning the seconds Ashes test at Lords though checking the score repeatedly via my phone almost got rather costly.

Whilst travelling home on the Eurostar I got some prep done for "Send in the Clones" the first installment of which was supposed to be this evening. Unfortunately I got stuck at work, in Weston Super Mare until six and everything has had to be postponed.

This sucks bottom, especially as i'd actually written 90% of the background material and the entire first mission. For those who know me this is in contrast to my "wing it and see" method of gaming.

On the up, it'll let me get a bit more done and some of us will get some form of Star Wars gaming in Thursday night instead....... honest!!

Toys R Me

Steve + TOYs = HAPPY

Okay, yesterday's domestication got a bit big on me but I did get lots of STUFF done. I then got in some sofa time with the cricket and spent the evening communing with the x-box.

Gears of War is an old one but a bloody good one, emphasis on the bloody! Very slick given the visual "chunky" feel and a subtlelty of mission variation that I hadn't expected. Top Marks.

I then had a quick go with Fable II, until about half two this morning, starting a new "evil" character to continue my recent anti-hero theme. Due to the awesome scope of the game i've quickly established a cross-dressing goff boy with pig tails and an apparant Adam Ant fetish!

Awesome, awsome game. By taking a few different turns this time round i've already seen substanatial differences within the game. Who needs WoW....... not me!!

Actually, I do have a missus but she's away for the weekend so i've been unsupervised :)

Today has actually involved little men, in between the GP and the test.
I've finally set up my work area and got hold of my new camera:

I've also dug my 'waggid White Russians out of thier case and checked them over in preparation for some PULP style back of beyond games with the Ambush Alley rules that Rich J has been involved with.
Here's thier site http://www.ambushalleygames.com/ and here's the figures:

The glorious leadership of Baron Vladimski, Olga and Yuri "the Bear".

The ladies, "The White Doves".

In the rear, with the gear, "The White Warriors". Soap optional.

Anyway, back to the test. It's got very tense all of a sudden. A draw for England is as good as a win today!

TFI Friday!!

So, England have been thrashed to all corners of Sofia Garden by the Convicts.
Middlesex's batting line has been torn apart by a Paddy for barely 150, with Shah scoring 12 from 8 balls including 3 fours. Stunning!!

In all honesty, the Aussie batsmen have shown good discipline whilst England's bowlers simply haven't earnt the rub of the green. The pitch at Grace Road seems a bit of a shocker, Steve Finn picking up four cheap scalps.
Just seems to be a bit deja-vu.

Meanwhile, I spent the afternoon trying to get my brain to work sufficiently to write a coherent report. It took an extra-ordinary amount of furrowed brow.

However, tomorrow is the weekend and I have it all to myself :)
After killing a few necessary chores I shall paint figures sat in front of the cricket, commune with the x-box, vaguely follow the grand prix and eat steak. For two whole days!!

I LIKE TOYS............

Cardiff blues??

With great anticipation the Ashes starts today, weather permitting, on an apparantly dodgy track that's never hosted a five day game before...... in WALES.
Nothing against the taffs, obviously, at least they know how to play rugby...unlike the sweatys!

So productivity today is likely to be linked to the weather and the quality of BBC Sport's text service, which never fails to entertain in a myriad of manners.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/england/8138912.stm

Maybe I could get loads of work done by 11???

UPDATE:

After a bit of a morning wobble are at 215 for 3 with KP and Colly well set......huzzah!
But as a hard bitten Middlesex fan, the pain is often overwhelming, i've seen the flashing blade of Phil Hughes at it's most dazzling. Admittedly this was against second division bowling almost as tepid as Middlesex's. Surely Flintoff & Co can offer sterner fair.

UPDATED UPDATE:

As I was typing that last bit the call came across the office "Collingwood's out!". All after I spent a whole tea break this morning printing out a Panesar facemask and sticking to the wall........

You rebel scum!!

So, with the shackles of pay day a distant memory, I picked up the Star Wars: Scum and Villany sourcebook yesterday and it's well worth every penny.

We had the character generation session this evening and in between quaffing about a gallon of tea I repeatedly stressed the open nature of the campaign as long as the player's wishes could be justified within the development of thier character. Why would your Jawa Noble be toting a repeating blaster rifle, where's his motivation?










I also picked up a pack of these guys, Copplestone's Wasteland Desperados, for the group to encounter. For those crusty enough to remember i'm going for a real Dark Future feel for the opening episode, some of which is even written down!! Apparantly I only need to stay one session ahead of the party?

So these guys will be my first painting project since February. Sometime soon I hope to post a painting plan and if the weekend brings what it should, hopefully some photos :)

Playing for pride

So, the Lions claim a well deserved win over the "mighty" Boks but which side was really playing for pride?
As has been observed by greater minds than mine the ethos of the Lions has been the greatest victor but who has been the real loser?
The tour will deservedly spark debate for some time to come yet. Tries not taken and red cards not given. South African sport has always been physical, gruff and looking to intimidate since, and possibly before, it's reintroduction to the world stage.
The Bok's victory will be remembered for many a year, any tarnish will be lost to time.

Meanwhile, I have successfully come to grips with D20 Star Wars Roleplaying and am looking forward to the character generation session this Tuesday. As it's now past payday i'll be heading down to Orc's Nest very soon to pick up the Scum and Villany and my first set of roleplay dice for many a year. It's all rather exciting :)