something is wrong with me

One of the top rules of gaming: you play what your group is playing. Yes, you can try to sell them on your favorite(s) to win them over, but when something catches on, you eventually ride the wave. It's all about the playing, after all.

Originally, I said that I would play Flames of War only when I could use rebased Monsterpocalypse figs as kaiju as my army. But again, over time, I have slid on this restriction, and I find myself reading through the rules seriously, and thinking about what faction I'd like to select.*


And nonetheless, I'll just be reading along, and it'l pop into my head, you know, you could totally do a WW2 version of Cobra Command. And it'd be awesome. I mean, part of the selling point of 15mm is that vehicles and terrain are easier, right? And you have to admit, a line of HISS tanks would be intimidating! Etc., etc.


I just can't help myself. This is why I wasn't cut out for historicals.




* - My amigo Imam has offered to loan me a Brit army to run, which is tempting.

interregnum

Another lull between games, so more rambling.

My esteemed opponent Maurice put up his version of the battle report I posted a couple weeks back. The contrast between the two is quite telling. I will never be 'the rules guy.' It's just not my thing. I game for the backstory, 'the fluff,' the narrative of the battle. I quite often get tripped up by what modifiers I should be using for which stat, and what have you. Luckily, I have some patient opponents to play against. And thusly my battle reports will trend toward a couple decent pictures, and some brief anecdotes about what happened. That is just how my tastes (and attention span) runs.

The big news,. I suppose, is that we've decided against hitting Gen Con this year. Just a general lack of enthusiasm combined with the companies that we're into either not showing up, or nothing doing anything terribly exciting. Instead, it looks like we will be hitting Historicon, as that's a shorter trip, and hopefully a more fruitful one. We're also looking at getting a table at the flea market, which would let me unload some minis I no longer need, and get a few bucks (to spend on new minis I don't need, heh.)

Amusing side note: one way to make me feel better about laying out the cash for my gaming vacations turns out to be going shopping with my wife for her camping adventures. As she notes, she spends ahead of time for her trips, whereas I spend the bulk of my cash while I am there. It's a fair cop.

Have been keeping busy working on 15mm scifi terrain using odds and ends I have picked up over the years. One building for my theoretical mining colony/spaceport is assembled and ready for basing, another is halfway there. Also working on some tiles and crowd templates for The Department and Blasters & Bulkheads. The goal for those is 'cheap and versatile,' and I think I am most of the way there. Pics when they're ready for primetime.

Gruntz: EHTC vs. Kontrol

 

Never known for their reluctance to act, the Kontrol Battalions reacted quickly to reports of a East Hyadum Trading Company camp planetside. Their grip on the rim colonies would only be maintained through determination with a heavy dose of fear, and a cold application of violence was more often than not the most efficient answer.

The initial push to the westward flank of the EHTC encampment was met with... some resistance. Rushing to close the gap to the artillery, the Luchs truck was blasted with authority, leaving the troops and sergeant inside to march the rest of the distance, past the solar farm on the hilltop. The fearsome Sponkhound tank rounded the corner to press the advantage.

Meanwhile, another squad marched east, knowing if they could claim the ruined temple it would be a moral victory to show the locals who's in charge.

Reports are scattered, but things didn't turn out well for Kontrol that day. The artillery was neutralized by the short distances, but fierce opposition backed up by a hidden Merka tank (!) and a returning scout walker neutralizing the already neutralized squad moving on the temple. The Merka vs. Sponkhound debate was brutal, but on its last legs (tracks?) the Merka won the terrible exchange. Casualties were heavy on both sides. As always, the Kontrol troops battled to the last, but the EHTC took the prize and held their ground, providing the locals hope to escape the grip of Kontrol.

(The East Hyadum Trading Company were represented by Micropanzer infantry and the Rebel Merka. Artillery piece was from the Mechwarrior clix. Scenario was 'borrowed' from Flames of War, with some adaptations. Only a handful of rules mistakes were made.)

 In memoriam: that squad that didn't get anything accomplished.

Pulp City: Rumble in the Jungle

"This is April Winters with Channel 7 News reporting. As promised last night, we have exclusive pictures from last week's rumble in the Jungle Habitat at the abandoned Pulp City Zoo. Our city's defenders, Heavy Metal, received word that a mysterious gentleman was delivering a shipment of firearms to the Ape Revolutionary Committee. Channel 7 was able to obtain some images from the mostly nonfunctional closed-circuit security camera footage from the zoo systems.

"Always first on the scene, Androida scouted ahead of the rest of her team, hoping to head off the weapons drop before the shifty simians got their paws on them. 

"Having gone too far ahead of the rest of her crew, though, she was ambushed! Chimp-Chi and the tag team of Apebot and Virus surrounded her and quickly took her out of the fight. The perfidious primates didn't have long to gloat though, as the glowing form of Nuclear Jones, flanked by his sidekick, the alien robot X-50, cast a long shadow over them...


"Meanwhile, the people's champion Iron Train slowly made his way up the middle of the enclosure. Out from behind a small building stepped Guerilla, firing his massive minigun! Luckily, the armored hero was backed up by none other than Lady Cyburn, and the bullets melted in the air before they could do any damage. Iron Train raised a mighty fist, and a clash for the ages was coming.


"While in the back of the habitat, Dr. Red was using his prowess to press the advantage, pulling strings and working his tactical knowledge to turn the tide. He stood next to the crate of AK-47s knowing they could give his troops a fighting chance. But the shadows gave way to a liquidy silver form, which took the shape of Dr. Mercury, ready to show Red who was the real doctor on duty! His hand shifted into the shape of an anvil...

"The stage was set and the fists were flying. Virus scrambled furiously to keep Apebot working as blast after blast flew from Jones's hands into the robotic gorilla. X-50 acquitted himself finely, following up the attack and shifting the balance. Who would yield first? Their conflict was mirrored by Iron Train and Guerilla, trading powerful punches and fiercely trying to shift the momentum in their favor. 


"Nuclear Jones laid out a massive wave of destructive force, but eventually began to fade. Rather than let the monkeys win the day without a cost, he shone like the sun and unleashed a tidal wave of power. Apebot and Chimp-Chi, broken and bruised, looked up from their scorched patch of ground to see... Iron Train, victorious over his foe, and bearing down on them like a house on fire!


"After a hard-fought contest of his own, Dr. Mercury was finally turning the table on the inventive orangutan. Again a melee furiosuly fought, but the Heavy Metal hero stood his ground and took the day. Shots rang out from the shadowy arms dealer, but after some furtive attempts, he slipped away. ARC was taken out that day by the hometown team, Heavy Metal. But for how long would the streets be quiet?"

---


[Out-of-character notes: hadn't played in too long, so I just went with Heavy Metal, so I could try out Cyburn and Jones for the first time. Both did great! Good lord, Nuke Jones puts out so much damage. Also had a great outing for Iron Train. Many ones and sixes were thrown that day. Was really a great game, evenly matched and a lot of fun. And yes, I do have a fig set aside for April Winters, my alternate for Pulp City's own June Summers.]

15mm scifi Blue Moon comparison shots

Don't call it a comeback: pics taken for a discussion elsewhere.

Left to right:
Rebel Earth Force Home Guard
Robot Legion Velon Skirmisher
Khurasan Plutonian
Blue Moon Robot Legionnaire
Laserburn Adventurer

Left to right:
Critical Mass Kaamados Agaamid
Blue Moon Aquan (he doesn't shoot first.)
Khurasan Plutonian
Blue Moon Twanax (love these beasts.)
Rebel Earth Force Home Guard

Maybe next time I do this, I'l have more painted figs to throw in? Who knows.

a new challenger appears!

I have featured the lovely painted figs of my amigo Maurice more than a couple times here on my blog. He's started up his own joint, and he's just posted his first FoW batrep. Sounds like it's going to be that, his painted figs, and 15mm scifi, so if that up your alley, check out his blog here. (He also mentions some game called Confrontation, whatever that is.) 

 Come at me, bro!

AE-WWII revival

I don't do news often, but this one makes me happy: Matt Hope of Blackball Games announced they have picked up AE-WWII and AE-Bounty and are looking forward to supporting the games. Darkson was the company that I worked the booth for at Gencon two years ago, and I am a big fan of those guys. They really put a huge amount of work into things, and a lot of energy. But the games have not received a lot of support as of recent. I love the system and the setting, and am crossing my fingers that the new owners pick up the ball and run with it.