Merry New Year!!

I do so love Trading Places, such an excellent film.

Just a quick, last post of the decade, not that I go in for all of that "movement of the planets" stuff, more that I wanted the last 10 painting points for these guys.

It might have been more but Wolfenstein just keeps on getting better the more I play it :)

The Starship Crew. found setting the scheme quite hard work to be honest. Hopefully it comes across as the retro Trek thing I was going for with the coloured jackets.
They could possibly do with a couple of last bruch strokes but i'm concious of over working them.
I shall ponder!
Elsewhere, Wasps deservedly beat Quins and Sarries finally took a loss.
Meanwhile i'm off to the panto tonight and then the sort of in-laws for new year. I'm being abandoned come Sunday but there's Rugby, X-Box and toys to keep me off the streets.

Merry New Year!!

Ho, Ho, Ho.......

.......Green Giant??

Another christmas almost gone. The weird way that the days have fallen this year have been quite kind, giving ten days off for three days leave. Mucho grande!

So after yesterday with the family i've had a particuarly pleasent cave-day.
Watched most of the first day of the second Test against the Saffers (translation: Cricket) and then later Northampton giving Worcester a good shoeing (Rugby).

In between I've got the cellophane off of the newly acquired Wolfenstein and finished off Security Team Zeta.

I'm a big fan of WWII first person shooters and have always enjoyed the Wolfenstein license with it's Nazi-Occult storylines with an excellent Hellboy look and feel.

The latest incarnation has moved on significantly, picking up a lot of features seen in the top titles. There's a large Stadt to roam around at will and enough extra missions parrallel to the main story to add variety.

By earning rewards you can upgrade your equipment but with limited resources you have to choose carefully. The main departure is the development of occult powers for our eponymous hero to go with his exceedingly strong jaw-line.
Not got too far yet, but with ancient medallion in hand I now have the ability to slow time.
Good stuff.

Meanwhile in a galaxy an indeterminate distance away, if you need hired goons on a budget and everyone else is busy then maybe, just maybe, you'll be forced to hire; Security Team Zeta

Sourced from Heresy the investigation team lines up as follows: (l-r) Dwayne B - Tech, Alysa - Logistics, Quimby - The Chief, Quade - Interventions and Hudson - Demolitions.
Sgt Blok, centre, leads the Strike Team, who are highly trained in laying down indiscriminate firepower to minimum effect. Bonnet catches and bar optics beware!


So another 20 painting points in the bag just in time for thier potential deployment.
Off to Twickenham tomorrow for Wasps vs Quinns. Not too shabby :)

Night of the living and soon to be dead

Last night was Clones roleplaying once again and in line with our new souped-up storyline it was a classic firefight though I did manage a bit of a twist....... which pleased me greatly!

Following thier successful tunnel-running escapade the full group rendevoused and headed for the designated delivery point, a small abandoned farm, in an isolated valley, at sundown.
What could possibly go wrong!

The employer sent a drone to perform the pickup which was quickly shot down by TWO separate groups who then both advanced on the farm, and each other. Clone scavengers versus droid supported enforcer types, both sides looking to "strike a deal".

The tension ratcheted up pretty quickly with no-one looking to fire the first serious shots.
The Quarren acted first, charging out to take on a few clones that he felt had moved in a bit too close.
Obviously bouyed by his newly found close combat prowess he obviously rolled a big bunch of single digits prior to recieving a stiff beating!
With a full blooded firefight breaking out nobody could decide who to engage so it quickly became personal choice, with mixed strategies and loyalties coming to the fore.

The droid-boys offered a cool 10 grand so easily that many had trust issues but the clones were proving particuarly effective warriors. With the clones finding increasing support amongst the group a last minute deal was done as thier glorious leader made good his individual escape with thier main asset!

Next time round a few wounds need licking as well as some particuarly savvy negotiation.
A good night :)

Meanwhile i've found some excellent wheeled APCs to bolster the clone's armoury. They're from the new AT-43 Oni range and I really like the look of them.


I've previously not been very keen on pre-painted figures but have softened my stance given some of the AT-43 releases.

With a bit of extra work they come up very well and are priced very competitively for what you get.

So, I can pick up the individual vehicles or there's an army starter box set with a mix of vehicles and infantry.
The Oni are basically undead samurai / yakuza and would fit into the Star Wars universe very well providing a classic dark side protagonist.
More importantly, I like the look and feel of them as a whole.

I've played the game previously, some time ago, and found it to be based on a nice simple mechanic, producing a quick flowing game.

I started this blog talking about being more efficient about my gaming and getting more bang for my buck.

AT-43 and The Oni fit this very well, almost TOO well. We shall see, though I don't trust my resolve at all......... why would I?

Send in the Clones

As previously mentioned i've finally finished my first major blog project, the Rogue Trooper inspired Genetic Infantry, which will be found some use within the Star Wars: Clones roleplay.

Initially I knicked the idea from a Kevin Dallimore article in WI quite some time ago for use with Two Hour Wargames sci-fi rules 51-50 though they've also seem some table time as a Necromunda Orlock gang.
With 32 troopers in total I currently view them as an elite recon platoon designed to operate behind enemy lines causing chaos and confusion disproportionate to their numbers. Think Brandenburgers, SOG or SAS.
Three five man fire-teams utilising shoot and scoot, rather than straight down the middle, with plenty of close assualt firepower.
The saboteur section. All the kit required for thier hit and run strikes plus a little bit of style a la Miami Vice!
The brains trust, as previously posted plus the youth section who were brought to my attention by Jon as excellent Juve figures for Necromunda.

Overall, i'm very pleased to have them all done, though not complete obviously!
They do feel in need of some heavy support. I really fancy sorting them out a GW Valkyrie and some form of wheeled assault vehicle, probably wheeled (not found one yet!).
I reckon that the trooper sections could do with a small command section as well. Hasslefree have some tempters.

All of this will be written into and driven by the Star Wars roleplay so for the moment all i'm quite happy....... quite :)

Baa Baa Black Sheep

After having endured a particular lack of actual rugby at the last Wasps game I had my faith restored this weekend watching the Barbarian claim a well worked win against an admittedly second string All Blacks.

There was plenty of running the ball, kicking to the corner and 5 tries versus just 4penalties at an almost capacity Twickenham crowd baying for entertainment.
I scoffed a large pre-match Wimpy, including Brown Derby, and the day was well worth the rain and the monstrous queue for the train home!

Back in the Premiership, Saracens kicked thier way to a close victory yet again (Booo) and Wasps edged out Leicester at home (huzzah) though the boot dominated yet again!

Meanwhile, in the world of TOYS it's been a pretty good week :)

Last Tuesday saw an evening of "Star-Hulk" for the Clones campaign.
This saw the group battle thier way through a complex of sub-terrainian tunnels to locate and salvage an advanced data slice Space Hulk styl-ee.
The protagonists were a small horde of spidery maintenance droids for which I painted up 16 Necron Scarabs on pennies inspire by the Replicators from Stargate.
Having the party hook into the tunnel's motion detection grid then allowed me to have great fun using running the Space Hulk "blips" at them.
Everything was a bit on the fly but the guys were pushed hard for a reasonable result and a good time was had by all!
Being a bit of a pedant I also took the opportunity to paint up the plastic door stands as well as black in the edges of the doors themselves. They looked good though I now need to black in all of the board sections and ultimately the counters as well. Just as well I reorded Tango and Cash the other night. Gets me a few more PPs though..... a few!

Elsewhere, one decent evening with the brush WILL see the Clones project finally finished. I can already feel the warm glow!

Plans continue at pace for Star Wars and Security Team Zeta is almost basecoated with paint scheme decided. Chrimbo will be utilised to paint the Jap Marines, though initially ear-marked for Space Hulk whilst the Zombies project continues to fester!!

For the mo photos are on hold whilst I have "issues" with my home internet provider.

UPDATE: Bloody Virgin (eh?) ......five whole days without t'internet at home and 15 minutes on hold that seemed like forever.

I have FINALLY finished all of the clone this evening. As it's getting on a bit and a school night i'll post at the weekend.
That's another 10 painting points. A review seems to be in order.

Meanwhile the 'tasche has finally been laid to rest having raised £225. Well pleased :)