Inner-Geek-Space

Hello people,

Time for the thinly veiled catch up / musings post that you all love so much ;) Feel free to run away now.

So the other week myself and the missus went down to Newquay for a few days and managed to explore a little bit of Cornwall (including several rather large pasties).

As part of our travels we visited Tintagel castle which has a strong connection to the Legend of Arthur and is also somewhat more ruined than I'd expected. Wandering about the place, pamphlet in hand, we gawped at the remains of Dark Age abodes and peered into Merlin's Cave with requisite suspension of disbelief.

Despite not having much more above thigh height than the main bailey it is still impressive being located a massive rocky outcrop. Wandering around the scenic views of rolling Cornwall I found myself thinking that I must crack my LoTR SAGA force out at some point. Also need to finish up the Troll and those Fatigue markers. 

Later that day the sat-nav took us along some seriously tight costal roads with high hedges and crops brushing both wing mirrors at once. "So this must be a bit like bocage country then!" said the inner geek with an impressive level of wonderment. "Hmm, Bolt Action league when I get back!".

I'm guessing that this is a common phenomena for many of us? Feel free to share :)

Little Donkey

Hello people,

Been a bit quiet on here I know mainly as I had last week on holiday down in Newquay which was gorgeous. Brace yourself for any number of catch up posts and possibly the odd landscape shot :)

Tuesday night was back to business down at Enfield Gamers as the third round of the Bolt Action league saw us hit 1000 points with a fan written scenario. 

Taking on Rich J's Estonian SS I knew I was in for one of our typically bloody affairs. I was also less than happy with my list as a good few games and browsing of Warlord's forums had produced a few themes. Many small units seems to be the meta as the ability to dish out pins is highly prized.

It's not a meta I want to join at sacrificing any semblance of historical accuracy but I've become aware of the better choices within the lists. I hadn't really taken too many!

Rich's force was small, elite and infantry light maxing out manoeuvre and concentrated firepower at the expense of numbers. He applied it well while I, unfortunately, played like bit of a donkey...a donkey that the dice turned against!

A lot of things went right for the SS as he crept up and then went all out his truck-borne assault force of flamethrower, captain and assault rifles. From the comfort of my farmhouse I shot the truck to pieces only to loose the whole of A Section to the flamethrower. Meanwhile B Section's flank assault has stalled under an air-strike while I let D Section get caught in no mans land and pinned to buggery.

The important phrases there is that "I let"! Throughout the game I made a number of poor tactical decisions. Several times I made a good tactical choice to then not implement it. It's said that you make you're own luck and I made mine somewhat shoddily!

Lessons of the game;

- I SHOULD have landed smoke on the Stug rather than allow it free reign to dominate.

- I SHOULD have had the sniper on Ambush to target the flamethrower.

- I SHOULD have moved the PIAT up to support B section.

- I SHOULD have ignored the truck and then shot the snot out of the flamethrower from Ambush as he debussed.

I did however do SOME things decently but my game didn't have too much edge to it. BA is a good game with simple mechanics but does demand decent tactics over buckets of dice to bully the odds into submission.

Already knowing that the list was likely to change we had the usual post game chat at which point advancing under smoke was discussed along with the importance of transports. Air Observers also came up!

Most of all, despite it being one of THOSE games, I still enjoyed playing the game. I've also taken delivery of an Engineer Section :)

Jolly Hockey Sticks!!

Hello people,

With a day off I've actually managed to finish off painting a few bits. 

In descending order I present 2nd Lt Ponsonby-Smyth, Petty Officer Polyp and Cpl Spatchcock.

Ponsonby-Smyth comes across as a typical member of the uniformed aristocracy yet behind the chortle is something a touch darker. De-bagged after a "misunderstanding" at Burghley horse trials he has found a home in 45 Commando and set about proving himself just as tough as any enlisted man with a zeal a little beyond the necessary......even for a ginger!

Polyp has spent a lifetime in the Royal Navy with a dozen stories to tell to anyone he can collar. A brief spell spent with the Japanese after the fall of Singapore has accentuated his eccentricities to the point where shore duties were the best options for all involved. Constantly accompanied by his bulldog, Archibold, and an overpowering aura of rum soaked tobacco he is a definate "character".

Cpl Spatchcock was once the oldest butchers boy in Millwall as well as one of the youngest terrors on the football terrace. The war came as a blessing for such a young man who was, by twist of admin, trained as a field medic. His medic kit consists of little past his Sykes-Fairburn knife and an "enthusiastic" wound-care manner. Reported casualty rates in his platoon are startling low, many preferring to face the Germans than Spatchcock's tender ministrations.

Plenty to go but 6PPs in the bank and the scheme zeroed in. Meanwhile the "Wheels" are now prepped in British Racing Green awaiting detail and dirt.

Huzzah!

Wheels of Steel prt 1

Evening all,

Having received a reasonable sized pack of goodies from Warlord earlier this week I spent the last couple of evenings getting my armoured elemant put together and stowaged up. Once painted they'll be marked up for the Black Bull Division which served alongside 45 Commando from Omaha through the the Scheldt estuary.
But I digress.......

 

The AEC cleaned up and went together very well, as did all of the kits and pretty much got the leftovers of the stowage sprues I'd picked up as I didn't think the Cav would go in for that sort of thing so much. Very bottom draw don't you know old chap!

 

The first Bren Carrier will double up as the Recce Carrier option so got a pair of Brens, a dedicated crew and plenty of camo tarps to lay-up with as and when necessary. Tempted to add some bandage cam-net but that might get a bit too busy.

 

The second carrier I kept much cleaner a potential troop carrier, most probably for D Section. I haven't really used troop transport too much just yet so a read up is required before trying them out. A rack of jerry cans and a couple of tarps is good enough.

 

 

And finally the Wasp with a few tarps kept well away form the business end of the projector.....that's for Jerry and his kind! I picked up a couple of transfer sheets but could do with vehicle numbers and maybe some Alllied Stars..........which is a perfect excuse to pick up the British Engineers pack and head swap them as a Commando flamethrower team.

Just to fit them in the list...........and ACTUALLY paint everything up :)

Blimey!!

Evening people,

Just a quick Sunday post to show that I've actually managed a bit of brush-time this week, today in fact, and also to show off a recent purchase that's provided far more geek-gasm than intended.

Having slowly picked up a number of Bolt Action accessories and necessities I'd been looking at a dice bag alternative. Shopping for a Father's Day card yesterday we strolled into Clintons and, also managing to achieve my primary objective, I also came away with this tin for my order dice :) £3.99 or BOGOHP I was rather pleased with myself and got the coffee version as a bonus for Dad!

I had been looking around and found a couple of offerings on the Imperial War Museum web-shop searching for "tin" but Clintons ended up right time, right place.

IWM do also have a range of rather geek-tastic T-Shirts including "Blimey" and Winston with a Tommy Gun!


Meanwhile I present the view from the painting station as PO Polyp, Lt Ponsonby-Smyth and Cpl Spatchcock near completion while the Sniper, PIAT, Light and Medium Mortar teams await highlights. There's a scary possibility that the coming week may actually bring a few Painting Points!!

Bligh-Mey!! :)

A Comm-Link, a Comm-Link, my Kingdom for a Comm-Link!!

It's that time of the fortnight again as I gleefully present another AAR from an evenings endeavours of Star Wars EotE. This time I had a plan, a back story and even a couple of contingencies. Strangely, none were required.

Having all arrived at Twistys last time out Perit and Agenai snuck in from the North, Sindori snuck in from the South (having left Kardosh, Kanto and sleeping beauty with the speeder down the road) while 7-UP-0 blundered in from the West. Basic Perception all round told everyone that it was quiet, TOO QUIET, even for the 3am stagger home time that it was.

Perit found a fire escape and went for the high ground on top of a warehouse while Agenai had a scout to the East on to be chased down by an overly keen 7s who finally let someone know that the comm-links had been hacked suggesting that they should be binned, as he already had.

He also finally explained his rather cryptic code. The main issue was that it was effectively a visual, book type code that he'd communicated verbally. After pointing this out in a number of lesser syllabled phrases Agenai ditched his comm and head South around the back of Twistys sending 7s after Perit who also dumped his comm.

Meanwhile Sindori ghosted in from the South and thanks to a Triumph on his Stealth check combat rolled right up to one of Twistys windows. His Perception check however came up with just one Advantage at which point he made it out to be a bar of the spit and sawdust variety but very little else.

Bumping into Agenai at the back of Twistys, also dumping his comm, they both noticed a bit of recent activity by the bins (ooh er). They also noticed reinforced back door and it's RECENTLY INEXPERTLY HACKED LOCK, for reasons unknown. For once they didn't fancy Route 1 and decide to go back to speeder to pick up Kardosh and Kanto as reinforcements. The only issue was that they didn't both to tell Perit or 7s before they set off. If only someone had a comm!

Perit and 7s meanwhile had come down from their perch and stealthed off after Agenai's last known position. Both manage their rolls thought Perit far more successfully which meant he made more ground,....blocking Agenai and Sin's departure from his line of sight. 7s was slower but failed his two Perception checks. 

On his second attempt 7s made a appropriate Perception check, a couple of Threat, to think he saw movement around the back of Twistys. He informed Perit thusly.

Appropriate Perception checks meant that they also noticed reinforced back door and it's RECENTLY INEXPERTLY HACKED LOCK, for reasons unknown. 7s went to investigate.

An appropriate Perception check, Sucess with Threat, left 7s reckoning that a clawed hand had scratched up the lock and frame, maybe even a Trandoshan claw?

An appropriate Logic check, Successes, meant that he worked out which keys had been hit and the probability of the pattern. The lock un-engaged with a CLUNK and the door hung a jar.

Pushing the door open 7s made an appropriate Perception check, four Fails, to spot a heavy set figure sporting scales, claws and a tail. Maybe a Trandoshan called Agenai?

Calling his name and stepping in 7s made an appropriate Perception check, two Fails, to reckon that Agenai had something of a nasty cold coming on and needed some techno TLC.

Perit had been watching all of this through his sights and, with an appropriate Perception check, had even heard 7 call Agenai's name. Following in Perit made another appropriate Perception check to notice a large and previously encountered Barabel plus a number of his hangers on.

If only someone, anyone had a COMM-LINK!

Meanwhile Sin and Agenai had made it back to where the speeder HAD been parked on to find the recently blastered body of sleeping beauty and a scree of gravel suggesting an exit to the East.

It should be noted that I'd previously been rolling "random" dice that weren't so random and hadn't gone well for the now missing Kardosh. He had got off a quick comm-blast bit Perit hadn't got the Perception check he needed. Agenai and Sin swore and headed back for Twistys. 

IF ONLY SOMEONE, ANYONE HAD A COMM-LINK!!

Back at Twistys Mr Bar A Bel got the drop and, failing his Perception to notice Perit as his major threat, blasted 7s with a stun-bolt. Perit acted next stepping out if the bar and slamming the door behind. A few more stun-bolts did for 7s but the door did better holding off the bad lads.

Next round saw the door wrenched open and Perit away on his toes pursued by a slightly mangy Wookie tracker and a small group of random thugs. Perit took Strain for a bonus manoeuvre and opened a gap. Mange-E went for Athletics and picked up a Triumph to keep in touch.

Perit stayed on his toes and put a stun dart into Mange-E who was almost felled but managed another Triumph to keep his feet. Random thugs made a desperate shot as Perit seemed to be making his escape......only to hit the dirt as yet another Triumph rocked up!!

First off the highest of compliments and respect to the boys for avoiding the meta-game and keeping to thier characters and the dice, as much as they understandably grimaced throughout. 

Yes there was a distinct lack of planning, coordination or standing to task and a few poor decisions but the dice were particularly and cruelly punishing. 

So that's three out of five of the party captured, Kanto lost with the last heading back to a world of potential pain without the slightest idea of circumstance!

It's going to take some proper work to get out of this one, including from me! I still had a plan, a back story and even a couple of contingencies. Might just need them eh?

Someone, anyone got a Comm-link!?