Gencon 2014: day two

Friday! Up early a.m. for day two of Critical Mass demos. Today we used my Kaamados figs against Aaron's Protolene. We had four players, all of them into it again.

Things are about to get hairy.

Didn't get many pictures (that weren't blurry) unfortunately. The game was good, with an even back-and-forth. The Protolene seem like a more even match for my big guns, but it might just be his smaller-number-of-force-fields doing the talking there.

Also day two of my Bushido dojo action!

My game was a fun little skirmish against the Ito, played by a charming gentleman named Bill. 35 rice, we went for the Seigyo scenario. Scenarios in Bushido greatly improve thing, and you need to keep aware of what's going on and how you can tactically sore the scenario points to win things. It's hard thinking, but it's good hard thinking.

For example, this game quickly turned into 'how can I tactically keep the Ito from killing me.' 35 rice made for a nice quick game, and once things turn against you, you better redouble your efforts fast. I hope to learn how to do that soon. My take away from that game was that: walls are jerks, and the Ito are jerks. I conceded in turn four (out of six.)

Meanwhile, Maurice's Silvermoon were taking on those dreaded Oni.

Swung by Aaron's Hell Dorado tourney. I like the variable terrain setups. Gencon probably should have picked a non-pink tablecloth, in my opinion. Was real easy finding the table in the hall, however.

Wandered past this crazy huge 3D Robo Rally board.

I didn't take a lot of pictures in the dealer's hall this time around, because honestly, I could spend four days there and be happy. Lots to see, lots to do. Buying things immediately (Pandemic: Contagion,) planning to spend the rest of my con money (more Bushido,) planning things to buy later (Mice and Mystics, perhaps.)

Friday night was a tasty steak dinner at a lovely establishment. Pricey, yes, but worth it, and with a great crowd of friends.

Afterwards, back to the con and late night wandering around and taking pictures of other people's games. I am such a voyeur.

Dark Age! Always tempting. Very rich setting, and it strikes the right post-apocalyptic tones for me. (Albeit an apocalypse on an alien planet, but really, it's Mad Max-ish, that's all I need.) I was pretty much convinced to buy in to this game even before I saw these beautiful table setups.

Seriously.

Quite the scenic overview.

Speaking of lovely terrain, the fans behind Infinity never fail to impress.

You see.

Just table after table of this.

I can't even.

One of my other hobbies is taking a picture so I can remember to talk about some terrain or game I saw later, and then when I am actually going through the pics, having no idea why I singled out this game in particular. This was some sort of Death Race 2000 auto dueling game, with, like, cars and pedestrians to hit and what have you. Which appeals to me, sure, but why did I want to note this one specifically? Why?

Maurice was digging the All Quiet on the Martian Front boards.

I don't know why anyone would want to play something other than the tripods.

All in all, the Malifaux and Warmachine/Hordes boards were looking... unimpressive. This one was a standout, admittedly. But the whole play area was just... not inspirational. Especially because it was right next to...

INFINITY

INFINITY...

INFINITY!

I believe this was built for a Morat Prison Break scenario, which is a great idea. Infinity has a huge amount of fluff to their universe, in a good way. (Bonus: more here.) 

[The only reason Infinity is not as tempting as it could be, for me, is because there is a bit of intimidation factor getting into it at this point. If there was a casual/storyline circuit or something, I would be all in.]

This Infinity scenario I sought out while I was there because I actually tried to sign up for it, but didn't get a seat in time: "Raicho Initiation: command a Raicho in expanded close combat versus giant beasts of Ugarat to earn the right to wear Raicho Armor."

The beasts were from Mierce Miniatures, and are damn impressive in person.

Couple interesting Uncharted Seas games there. I am not into ship games, for whatever reason, but these looked neat.

A Savage Worlds factory raid, with sp00ky fog

One of the other events I was looking forward to at the convention was the premiere of the film version of Of Dice and Men. Full disclosure: I know a couple of the people responsible for bringing the movie to the big screen. However, as a guy who games a lot and watches a lot of movies, I can honestly say this is the best gaming movie so far. It not only is never condescending to games or gamers, but is the most honest explanation of why we gamers game, and what we really get out of it. Seriously, check it out, watch it with your significant other or close non-gamer friends. You won't regret it.

Walking back from the movie, wandered past this huge hall full of people playing Pathfinder. Past eleven at night, and going strong. Oh Gencon, you never cease to impress me.

Speaking of which, one of the Gencon staples is this large area packed with surplus gaming cards. Over the course of a couple days, people just sit around building these massive structures. Thereafter, people cough in a couple bucks for charity to be able to pitch coins at the constructions and knock things over. It's a little bit brilliant.

Soon: day three.

Gencon 2014: day one

Back from Gencon, and lordy did I take too many pictures. Tried grouping these by topic, but I ended up with an outline of... nine posts. And considering how sporadically (and tardily) I have posted this year, I threw out that idea and will just give the day by day overview. Basically, my plan is to get these written up before I start writing about my prep for Fall In.

Thursday morning, 7:30 in the a.m., before anything is opened, we're behind the lines and setting up for our first Critical Mass demo. Featured above is Maurice in a sea of tables, denoting where we'd be.

The basic layout. Day one featued my Kaamados versus Maurice's Praesentia.

Alien trees and buildings are all Critical Mass, as well. Buildings are out of production, but so good.

Some hard-nosed Naga vets escorting a Gekotaa command car.

The foul Praesentia menace. With their foul force fields.

 The massive might of the Dragamaa heavy tank, guided by the Legion commander in his Dractamaa APC.

Aaron explaining the game to our honored students. Maurice, on the left, isn't moving. He's just naturally blurry.

You just teleported into the wrong part of town, mother hubbard! 

 The Dragamaa begins its second career as a smoking wreckage terrain feature.

Praesentia claim the middle objective. 

The game went well. I think we did a good job explaining it, and everyone seemed to have fun. 

Toys packed and safely ensconced back in the hotel room, we return to the con and hit the dealer's hall for day one shopping.

After dropping some cash on must-haves for Bushido, we check out the preliminaries on their upcoming Rise of the Kage board game. Sneaky ninjas from rival clans try to complete objectives without alerting the vigilant guards. Figs look great!

Another early stop was the Sentinels of the Multiverse booth. Which was pretty big, and pretty packed. It's a favorite game in out household. I got some cards signed for a friend, picked up promos to fill out my collection, and chatted with the artist. 

The Impact booth was tempting as always. Those walkers are pretty spiff.

The afternoon held the first of three Bushido events for me. As noted earlier, I've never played a game. But I rushed to have the figs together so I could play in two of the dojo events (pretty much just bring your figs and square off against other players) so I could learn the rules, and then play in the tournament on Saturday.

My first game was a stand-up fight against the Savage Wave of Mr. Jack. A noble opponent, he was patient with my innumerable questions and general confusion. It was a decent game, to boot. I was able to figure out the ebb and flow of a turn, and start learning the ins and outs of how my forces work. 

Engaging the enemy. 

Bakemono! Oni! Paintjobs! 

My monks, surrounded. 

If this was an RPG, the term would be 'failing your Spot check.' 

 Aiko has a bad day.

The terrain caught a lot of passerby's eyes, and rightfully so. It's by Lost Village Terrain, you can see some more pics here. The objective markers in the center there were by Retainer Greg (Ret-CrazyFish) himself, an easy but highly effective craft store formula.

After the Dojo, caught some dinner, and then it was wandering the halls and checking out other people's games.

Retro Raygun! SO SHINY. No, I mean, actually shiny, a nice change of pace. 

The Game of Thrones board game, blown up, with 20mm-ish figs as tokens. Impressive!

While the boys went on a shadowrun, Miss Heather and I caught up with some cool friends of hers in the gaming hall. We sat down for some illicit libations and the Penny Arcade deckbuilder game. A lovely time was had.

What?

Soon: the Friday report.

leaving for Gencon tomorrow

Full pictures of the army at some point in the future, but here's the basics of my Critical Mass Kaamados army for Gencon. We're doing demos at early o'clock Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. As you may have noticed by my lack of blogging, the whole Dropship Horizon challenge was a complete bust, but at least we played a few games and everything is painted now?

(And man, in these pics, those bases on the left really don't match the bases on the right. It's not as jarring in person, I promise.)

Also packing my barely-past-primed Bushido (for two days of the Dojo plus the tourney) and my at-least-they-are-assembled Doctrine for the intro Relic Knights tourney. I don't expect to, you know, win any of these, but I intend to have a great time playing. The story of my life.

Hitting the road in about ten hours. Time to start packing? 

what's in the box?

So here I am, merrily painting away my figs for Gencon, when what fabled gift appears on my doorstep?

Not the distraction I needed, but the distraction I deserved.

Past self bought me a bunch of Relic Knights: pretty much everything for Doctrine and Speed Circuit, a handful of Darkspace figs, and a couple other odds and ends.

Orange cat included for scale. Also, because he's a cat, and I was doing something that he wasn't involved in on the floor. After this pic, he went and sat in the empty shipping box.

Now to put all that away, and completely ignore it until after Gencon painting is done. Minus the handful of figs I need to put together... for Gencon. Because I signed up for the tourney for a game I haven't played before. Because sure.

quick and disparate thoughts

SUMMERTIME SADNESS:
Games for Gencon getting lined up: in addition to three days of Critical Mass demos, I have two days of Bushido on order. I'm waiting patiently for the Relic Knights events to show up on the schedule, but I am having second thoughts about my ability to finish my Critical Mass army and my Bushido figs with enough time to get my Relic Knights figs done to any sort of worthy standard. I mean, that's a lot of painting on a strict deadline. And I am already tempted to paint so many other figs instead of the ones I need to. And I am not, you know, good with deadlines. At all. Nonetheless, here we are.

(Not that my Relic Knights have arrived yet, but I feel that day is almost upon us.)

DRUG OF THE NATION:
Having finished True Detective (so, so good,) I started in on Penny Dreadful. And wow. I mean, I heard it was straight from the pages of In Her Majesty's Name, but even in the first episode it just shines right through. Best gaming TV show ever? We shall see.

(I note that the fine gentlemen and ladies at IHMN have started putting up their IHMN Gothic supplement free online. No coincidence, I say.)

SO FAR AWAY:
Yes, still behind on a great many posts. So many. Have only really played Critical Mass and Pulp City in the past couple months. And re-learned Netrunner, a.k.a. Maurice's new favorite game. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Hope to get some Bushido in before the big dance, but that will require me to figure out where I left my much-neglected pinning tools, so I can at least get figs on bases...

Right then. Actual content next time. I hope.

Gencon ahoy

Flashback to 2010: these nerds

Gencon approacheth! I've only been once before, and it was good times. Worked the Pulp City/Hell Dorado/AE-WWII booth daily and wandered far and wide and, uh, did stuff (other than spending money. Which I did plenty.) I like the big cons, but as a special event to do every few years or so. The Historicon circuit is more my speed, I think. Smaller setting with ample opportunities for games and plenty to buy to boot, without the Big Flashy Booths and ten million of my peers.

So the event list for Gencon is about to drop and... at first glance, there's not a lot waiting there for me. No IHMN, no Pulp City (a bit surprising,) no 7TV, etc. I'll keep busy, don't worry, but other than the CMG demos we're running, that leaves my schedule pretty open. I might try to get in on whatever Relic Knights events show up, presuming by some miracle I can get figs semi-painted by then. (Formally getting excited by Relic Knights again, too.) And I will find some games to try out, one of the major reasons I ever go to cons, because lord knows I need more games. But other than that? No clue.

Anyone else going? Got anything exciting on tap?