Uh....Yeah....A New Army

It's a new year and it's time for a new army. I've become very interested in the Astral Claws Chapter while reading through my Badab War books from Forgeworld. Collecting Space Marines isn't anything new to me, but collecting renegade Space Marines...now THAT'S new. The thought of collecting this army feels like the breath of fresh air that I've been looking for. Plus it will give me the option of running that army in a variety of different ways. My initial steps, I think, will be to build a 1,000 point list from the Space Marine codex, then gradually build up and expand to transform it into a Tyrant's Legion army.

I ordered a sheet of transfers and a set of shoulder guards from Forgeworld (because that was all my gaming budget would allow for this month) and sat down to start gluing some plastic. I should have a test model or two painted by the end of the weekend and posted. In the meantime, I'm going to delve more into the background of the chapter and actually start reading the IA books.

Merry Christmas from Kantor Base

On behalf of myself and my family, I would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas. May your holidays be filled with love, laughter, family and friends. Oh, and a lot of gaming stuff!

First Warmachine Model Painted

Commander Coleman Stryker was the first Warmachine model to fall victim to my mediocre painting skills. I had a difficult time with this piece. I think more because of the fact that I haven't painted anything in a while. I missed a couple of mold lines during the cleaning, but it can't be helped now. Unless I want to re-paint it - which I don't. But all in all, I gave it a decent effort and I'm on to the plastic Ironclad. The lighting sucks, but photographing models will be something I learn later. Nearly every color on the model was from GW paints because that's what I had on hand. But I want to check out some of the P3 paints in the future. I'd like to finish the Cygnar battlegroup before Christmas, but we'll see. I got this model done in one evening, while watching TV, so...who knows. Stranger things have happened.

I've spent the last couple of days reading the background and history of the Warmachine setting and I like it a lot. That mix of fantasy and military is really hitting the spot. So far, my two favorite factions are Cygnar and Khador with the Mercenary faction following a close, close third. Anyway, comments are always welcome.

Crawling Out...

On the advice of some of the followers of Kantor Base (thanks guys!), I'm making the attempt at getting out of my funk. On a very recent visit to a local Half Price Books, I came across a mint-condition copy of Warmachine: Wrath, the most recent release from Privateer Press. Taking advantage of the silence (due to the fact that my wife was home with the kids), I grabbed a large coffee from Dunkin' Donuts, found a hiding spot in the parking lot and thumbed through each page my new prize.

One thing I think Privateer Press does well is how they present their material. The art is absolutely amazing and their studio painters are every bit as skilled as GW's legendary 'Eavy Metal team (in my opinion). There are also dozens and dozens of full-color photos of their models. The material in the book motivated me to give this game a shot. This past spring, I made my first appearance at Adepticon and I picked up two Battle Group Starter Kits (plastic) at a 20% discount. As history dictated, I put the kits aside and never really touched them.

Well now I'm in a funk and I need to get out. But every time I look at Warhammer project, I am completely overwhelmed by the number of models one would have to paint to get an army on the table. I don't mind playing against anyone that uses a WIP, unpainted army, but I'm a bit of a stickler when it comes to my own. I detest putting unpainted models on the table. Along comes Warmachine - you can get started with half a dozen miniatures. So I dug into reading the MkII rules that came with the kits (yep - didn't have to buy a giant rulebook to get going). I assembled the models: Khador and Cygnar and I'm getting started.

Oh, and I actually found a place across from my favorite Irish Pub to play. A new hobby store opened up and has a steady presence in the PP Forums. Maybe it's a sign.

Lost!

I'm currently in a serious gaming/hobby funk. I've been drifting back and forth between reading WFB rules/expansions, to Warmachine, to Pathfinder RPG and their new upcoming Heroes and Monsters miniature combat game, to board games like The Adventurers and Heroscape. Then bouncing back to 40k. I even glance at the Dreadfleet boxed set which I have not finished reading. I've seen some great material on the web or in magazines, but I can't seem to get myself motivated enough to jump into anything.

I just don't know what to do anymore. Maybe it's because I'm too busy with work and family, but I can't seem to engage any project or game with any kind of zeal. Has anyone out there been faced with a similar dilemma?

It's Christmas Time Alright!

The holidays are definitely here. It took me an hour and a half to get the Christmas stuff down from the garage and another thirty minutest to get stuff into the house. That's because my darling bride of 15 years decided to go grocery shopping first and then to her mother's house. So by the time she got home, it was after three o'clock. After 45 minutes of sifting through boxes and testing lights and whatnot, we got one lighted lawn ornament done. Now that my hands are numb and my nose is running...AND it is now dark outside, I shoved everything back into the garage and called it a day.

Moral of the story: Don't start your Christmas decorations after half the day is gone on a Sunday.

A Little RPG Anyone?

I got a little nostalgic recently and started thinking about my old D&D days when I was in junior high. Now for you youngsters, that was circa 1978/1979 - ish, when Advanced D&D was taking the free world by storm. I spent many a long evenings gathered around my buddy Mike's kitchen table with the other guys on the block running through the Keep on the Borderlands scenarios (Caves of Chaos) or solving the Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh. Hell, we even delved into the dungeons of Castle Greyhawk. Those were the days when Roleplaying Games were great. As time went on, we found more time for girls and beer than we did for gaming. But I always kept up with the rules. I also picked up my copy of Dragon Magazine and also kept a watch out for any new miniatures (they were made of lead back then and I didn't have to pin them or super glue them).

Well TSR sold off D&D to these Wizards of the Coast guys and for a time, I liked what they were doing with the game. But then, 4th Edition has come along and I have to say that it is a far, far cry from what I grew up on. It's just not the same. Plastic, pre-painted minis, none of which look like the characters I'd create. Heroes and villains wielding misshapen swords. Ooh, I hated that. And seriously? Flat tokens to represent monsters and adventurers. What a complete lack of commitment on the part of WOTC. Sure the artwork got better, but the gaming aspect? It's taken a total dump.

As WOTC left the old editions of D&D behind and the OGL came onto the scene, other companies were able to publish fantasy RPGs that were basically picking up where the 3rd edition of D&D left off. Pathfinder RPG has probably been the biggest one to date and has been very successful. I love the setting and the artwork is every bit as good as the D&D stuff.

So what am I getting at? Well, through all this, I've been feeling the urge to get back into RPGs, but I was looking for a simpler way to do it...and as luck would have it, Paizo Publishing answered my prayers and released the Pathfinder RPG Beginner Box. At $34.00, it is well worth it. The quality of this product far surpasses WOTC feeble attempt to come up with a Basic version of D&D through their retro Red Box set. The Pathfinder product, like the D&D set, includes a solo adventure, a Player's Handbook and GM Guide, some dice and a map. But that's where the similarities end. Pathfinder's Beginner Box takes the players up through 5th level, not 2nd or 3rd. Paizo also includes stand up pawns that represent heroes and monsters that are included in the game. Complete with plastic bases. Pathfinder RPG introduces 3 primary races: Elf, Dwarf, Human and 4 primary classes: Fighter, Cleric, Wizard and Rogue. A big plus for me is that they also included pawns for every class and race combination as well as gender. Ingenious!!! So far, it's a great, great product. I can't wait to play.

Oh and one more thing, Paizo has teamed with Wizkids, to release a set of plastic, pre-painted miniatures for the Pathfinder as well. I am cautiously optimistic about this product. But if the minis fail, Pathfinder still produces some kick-ass metal miniatures for the Pathfinder game through Reaper. I'll just have to paint some up.

Captain's Log - Unboxing Dreadfleet's Ships

I finally got around to spending some time with my copy of Dreadfleet. Up until now, I've been stealing late night moments or lunch hours to read the novel or thumb through the rules (what can I say? I'm a busy man). Anyway, I decided to pull some of the models out and take a shot at assembling some of the models. I've been hearing reports that the models are a bit brittle so I was a bit nervous and decided to start with some of the easier ones.

My first observations were that these models were as big as I was expecting, but in terms of detail: they ROCK! Great looking models. Well done, GW! I have to give credit where credit is due. So I went ahead and got to work, carefully clipping the models from the sprues and cleaning them up. I decided to press them together with no glue, so I can go back and separate certain assemblies for painting.

I assembled Grimnir's Thunder, Curse of Zandri, and the Black Kraken, perhaps the easiest ones to assemble as neither of them come with sails or masts. Each of them pressed together nicely and fit fairly flush. Will need a minimum of liquid green stuff. So far, so good. With 7 ships to go and three hungry daughters screaming for their supper, I better get back and see what else is in the box, uh...I mean get dinner started.

By the way - I stole this post's pic off of the net, so thanks to whoever snapped it.

...I Am Weak...

Okay, I admit it. I'm weak and I folded. After all that blustery bull crap I spouted a few posts back, I couldn't resist the call of the sea and I picked up a copy of Dreadfleet. BUT...I didn't lay out $115 for it. I gathered up some of my unused Warhammer model sets that I never got around to using traded them in for store credit. GW wouldn't give me cash back and I wouldn't break even on ebay and none of my friends were interested in taking them off my hands, so I figured what the hell. After all was said and done, I walked out with copy of a Dreadfleet and the novel and only shelled out $.081.

So at first glance, I'm happy with my new 'purchase'. The contents is first rate and I like what I've read so far. The back story is pretty cool - very spooky, ghosty. I'm about 1/3 of the way through the novel and I'm enjoying so far. I'll post back once I get the rules read.

Great New Sci-fi

I checked out that new science fiction show on Fox, Terra Nova. I'm hooked. So far, it's the top of my list of this year's new shows. The show centers on the Shannons, an ordinary family from 2149 when the planet is dying who are transported back 85 million years to prehistoric Earth where they join Terra Nova, a colony of humans with a second chance to build a civilization.

I love the concept and it's actually keeping my interest. I sat down to watch and work on some models at the same time and I found myself putting my work aside to focus on the show. I guess you could say the 21st century's answer to the old Land of the Lost franchise, but a lot less cheesy. Great characters, decent special effects and with Spielberg behind the scenes and Brannon Braga, involved - how can you go wrong?!

Time of the Wolf

It seems I accidentally deleted a recent post. Over the weekend, I had decided that it was time to take that 'new outlook' philosophy and apply it to a new 40k army. So I pulled out my Space Wolf codex yesterday and started reading. I've talked about doing this army in the past, but I never seemed to get it off the ground. Well, that all changes now. With Halloween coming and all, I figured why not start the wolves. So I'm starting with a Grey Hunters box and a SW Accessory sprue. I sat down tonight with my modeling tools and glue, popped in Underworld and got to work.

As of now, I've got 10 models half assembled. I'm waiting for the glue to dry before I begin attaching arms and such, but I'll get back at it tomorrow. I think I'm going to go squad by squad on this army. I'll start with Bran Redmaw's Great Company (which will be featured in the new Imperial Armour book and will also have a Bran Redmaw mini from FW - go figure). I may hunt down a Wulfen or two, but we'll see. They seem pretty expensive.

Should I or Shouldn't I??

So Games Workshop has announced it's new board game, Dreadfleet. Ship combat in the World of Warhammer on the high seas. One thing GW does well (in my opinion) is generate hype. That is until they decided to start keeping a lid on things. But at first glance, this new game certainly does reel me in, and my first instinct is to buy the game. But once again, they take the wind out of my sails by A) Making it 'Whiles Supplies Last', so now I can't plan to get the scratch together over the course of a couple of paydays to buy it, and B) Set the retail price so high, that a working dad of three can't help but become overwhelmed with guilt for spending more than $100 on a board game.

Again, the game looks great and I am a huge fan of their revival of Space Hulk, but will they make the game worth the investment? By that I mean will we see expansions in the future, i.e. a reason to keep playing the game after the initial excitement has fizzled?? I'm going to go out on a limb and guess 'no'. That was the one big disappointment that I had with Space Hulk. No new scenario packs, no new model kits or expansions. I've played the game a bunch of times, but now it becomes the same thing over and over. Hardly worth the $100 price tag.

I'm not sure who's steering the ship over there, but they need to take a long, hard look at their business model, before they lose that loyal customer base.

40k Book Review - Chapter's Due

So today's post will on the topic of books. Specifically, science fiction. I just got through reading The Chapter's Due by Graham McNeill.

I had trouble getting into the Uriel Ventris books, but I have to say that I really enjoyed the book. Without getting into some sophisticated ultra-analytical review, I thought it was a great, great read. It really delved into the chapter as a whole and featured a wide variety of the heroes of the chapter. The battles were great and I'm a big fan of the Iron Warriors, so that was a plus. Finally, just in general it was action all the way through. Oh and the fleet battles. There was some of that too!

Anyway, check the book out. If you're a space marine fan, you won't be disappointed.

A New Outlook...

I have recently been faced with some very serious struggles and while they are ongoing, I have chosen for myself and for the sake of my family to not let them get the best of me. I have chosen to, as my dad says, to keep my chin up. I believe, now more than ever that I can handle whatever life can throw at me. I know this because the only other solution would to be to lie down and call it quits. I'm not going to do that. So now, I will view each day as a gift and a chance to get it right.

So that said, I'm going to put more of an effort into a great many things. My job, my home, my family and friends and of course my hobbies. I've let a lot of things drag over the last year or two. Call it depression over losing my job a year ago or whatever, but I'm past that now and it's time to battle back with a new, energetic outlook. Going forward, I pledge to post more material on Warhammer, 4ok, literature, movies, RPGs, life in general - whatever comes to mind, but gone are the days of ignoring life. So here's to the first day of the rest of my life.

We Will Never Forget

To all of the victims, their families and heroes of 9/11, you are all still in my prayers. That day will forever stay etched in my memory. I remember it being a beautiful, sunny day and I was hearing the reports on the radio as I drove to work. I could feel my heart starting to race with fear. I got to work and sprinted across the parking lot to get upstairs and see what was happening. I got to the TV in the lounge just as the second plane hit the tower. I remember, I stopped breathing for several seconds. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I remember our Help Desk being uncharacteristically silent with no phones ringing.

My boss came around and told us all to go home and be with our families. I left immediately and I can't remember ever wanting to be beside my wife and children more than on that day. My wife was terrified. I was glued to the television all day.

My parents and grandparents tell me that they remember ever minute of the day that John Kennedy was assassinated. They could remember where they were, who they were with and what they were doing. Sadly, 9/11 has had the same impact on me.

God Bless America and all of those who have sacrificed so much in the name of freedom. We owe you more than we can ever hope to repay. We Will Never Forget.