My Summary of 2011 and what 2012 may be.

A new year is almost upon me.  A year is almost over.

With the New Year I am faced with the conundrum of my life. 

I need to make a decision whether I should be investing my money in my hobby when there are so few with whom I can share it with.  Indeed there are a lot of people at the club I frequent whom I know and do so dearly hope are my friends.  Yet my, perhaps clumsy, attempts to encourage contact outside the club have amounted to little.

So I surround myself with my hobby.  I go through the process of believing that I have lots of people to engage me with my hobby, but the sad evidence of truth is that there are few.  Few if any phone me and have chats with me on any regular basis.  I have very few visitors that aren’t related to some form of transaction.  I have little but the constant pain I live with and the loneliness that comes from being a recluse. 

2011 has not been a good year for me.  My pain has increased exponentially along with my feeling of isolation.  So my days are filled with nothing to do but suffer in silence and solitude.  I normally paint to take my mind of things but for this whole year I have not even been able to find any joy in this activity.  I let a number of people down by my malaise, yet in the end I have no control over this darkness.  I apologise to those who were affected.

So you may ask what my days consist of.  My day starts with me waking to the depressing awareness that I’m still alive. I scoff five different forms of prescribed drugs and then hope for the best.  I then spend a day brooding with pain and suffering.  Yet for all that I suffer I still place the needs of my wife and children ahead of any thought of care for myself.  I am husband, father, decision maker, problem solver, peace-maker, magician, priest and bard.  Somehow I manage to get through the day until the evening when I take another batch of drugs that allow me to sleep.  This routine is unending.  With little contact outside of my immediate family you can only wonder why I’m not any more unbalanced than I already am. 

So I come back to why bother?  Why should I bother spending money on things that are ultimately only going to sit on a shelf and stare back at me with accusatory eyes?  What is the point of feeling smug and conceited with what I have accumulated?  So I sit here at this crossroad wondering where my life is going to take me in 2012.  Do I continue my sad existence, or do I decide that I’ve had enough.

I guess 2012 may be about me.  Maybe that’s the decision I have settled upon as part of the process of writing this piece.  I don’t know if I’ll be able to do this as it is not in my nature to be self-serving.  I will however be trying to enjoy life, I’m not sure how that will happen – but I will give it a go.

As I wrap up my waffling for another year I think that I need to make a few comments for 2011.  I need to thank Rebecca Weir for her generous kindness to me this year.  It made all the difference to me and I appreciate everything she has done.  I’d also like to thank Luke of Phoenix Forge and all of those anonymous people (although I can probably guess a fair number of you) who contributed to my birthday present in July.  I was gobsmacked and humbled that people thought I was worth something. Thank you.

A Quote that I like.

Do not waste your tears. 
I was not born to watch the world grow dim.
Life is not measured in years, but by the deeds of men.
                                 Rogue Trader, p113

Necromunda table

Well here's the first table layout.  This is the contents of two of the original Necromunda boxes (and may supplements I'm not sure).  Two gangs are on the set, my Scavvies and Pit Slaves.

Talisman Figures Wanted: Citadel produced

OK, below are some of the Talisman figures I am chasing to complete my collection.  I don't have a lot of cash but I think I can do some trades of one sort or the other.  If you can help, please post in the comments.

Super Dungeon Explore: What's in the box, Part 1

OK I've been waiting to get my grubby paws on this game for a while now.  My main motivation was the figures that come with the game.  I enjoyed Urban Mammoths "Warheads" miniatures, the bobbly head style.  The figures in this game are rather nice.  What struck me when I opened the box was that all of the figures (with the exception of five treasure chests) are muti-piece models. This was a surprise as I was expecting one piece figures which is fairly much the norm with board games.
The plastic is hard not the rubbery type that cheaper game publishers supply.  They are brittle in places and some care needs to be taken with the spear "men", and with the grey character figures.  I think that the figures deserve being painted.  I think that if you bought the game only to play the boardgame then you will not be getting the full value of what I think will prove to be a nice addition to your boardgaming library.
I obtained my copy through the helpul service of Warpuppy, although I am sure you can pick this up from other reputable stores and online business'.
So my recommendation is give it a try.  My next job is to read the rules.  Stay tuned for more in due course.  The pictures below show the game at various stages of opening.

The above is the box sealed and waiting for the joy of being cracked.

First view inside the box.

The rulebook.  Full glossy colour. Nice layout, and nice artwork - which appears on the game cards as well.

After having taken the mapboard out this was what greeted me.

Oh and these are the dice.  Not every face has a "score".

Super Dungeon Explore: What's in the box, Part 2

This has pictures of the boards and cards.

A picture of one side of the double-sided map boards.  All bar the bottom right board are double-sided.

The other side!

The tokens used in the game.  Nice thick card.  Although I had a couple of the tokens split while punching them out.  However a bit of glue will sort out that problem. 

Just an over-view of the cards that come with the game.

Super Dungeon Explore: What's in the box, Part 3

These are the hero's for game.  They are grey in colour as opposed to the red-brown colour that are the Consul's creatures.

I must have spent twenty minutes trying to work out which parts belonged to which models.  I could not find any instructions as to how to assemble the figures.  As you can see each model has multiple parts, which is nice.  The only model I'm not too happy about is the barbarian as that axe looks a little short.  Due to the tiny proportions I'm not sure if some of the figures appendages are correct or poorly moulded.  Won't know until I examine under my jeweller's light.

Super Dungeon Explore: What's in the box, Part 4

OK Part 4 is the Creatures.  As you can see the figures are for the most part multi-part figures.  This is nice as opposed to one piece pieces.

The above is the Dragon.  Nice enough scale to suit any game system.

Spawning tokens, the dragon skulls on the columns.  More multi-piece creatures.  Not sure what they are yet.

One of the big "ogre" type monsters (you get two in the box) and two flying "dragons".

More multi-piece creatures.  Note the two boo-chests in the top right corner.  More of them a little further down.

These are the cannon fodder miniatures, why because there are a few of them and I'm too lazy to investigate what they are.

These chests, you get two, are brilliant.  Anyone who loves discworld could easily do the Luggage.  I like them indeed.

Talisman

Well here are some photo's of my 1st edition Talisman which includes, City, Dungeon and Timescape.  I even have 35 metal figures of the characters you could play.  Of course now you can get Talisman from FFG, which is just as good and the figures are plastic.  I am wondering if I shall paint them one day?  Mind you there are a couple of expansions I haven't acquired yet from the contemporary set. 

From memory the usual players were Alex, Michael, Gary, David, Anthony and Michelle, plus me.  I think that Gary was the only one who ever rushed to get to the center of the board and end the game.  The rest of us I think just enjoyed wandering around, beating each other up, dying, picking a new character, and continuing on.  It's a game I enjoyed as the group gamed at my first home and were really good friends.  Michelle is of course my wife and she's still with me, and I only hear occasionally from Anthony, Michael I can get in contact with easily enough but the others have all moved on.  Sigh, I'm getting melancholy.

Read into this what you will.

Game Room now clean and ready for business

Here are the pictures to show it's all done.  Now for some friends!

Below is my smaller DBA style game boards.

Those below are my sea and space tables. 4'x4'.

Working Studio Finished!

OK I have done it.  I have finished one room completely.  See for yourself!

Ignore the piles of clutter that is at the back of this shot.  I have got to get to that next.

This is the other view of what I have to finish clearing up.  Then my gaming table will be free and I can actually think about entertaining people again.  That's if they'll have me? 

(small pityful whimper and a sad face...)

Almost there!

Yes the new and improved on work desk.  I just need to add another shelf and I will be able to hopefully keep my hobby area clear for at least a week.  While cleaning up I worked out that there were at least 30 unfinished projects that had been pushed off to the side (this being my way of moving on to other projects - it has been my intent to come back to them...).  I have just got to clean up and sort the "creative clutter" on the floor and I should be halfway back to painting again.  Here's hoping.

Home snapshots from the early 80's

Here's from a time when I had lots of friends.  We used to meet at my parents home, where my mother would even feed them all.  All much missed. 

A quiet game amongst friends.  From left to right: Bruce (I think), Alex, Anthony, and Michael.

One of the usual nights.  Must have been a role playing night, Top Secret I think.  Towards the end I think we were playing more boardgames.  Star Fleet Battles was most popular.  Who was there?  I can name most of them except the chap on the extreme left.  The usual gamers were Anthony R, Michael M, David K, Dick W, Tony M, Rob M, and Alex M.

Here is what happens when the party decide to solve the adventure by killing (well maybe seriously maiming) the GM.  Top Secret would appear to be what we were playing.

Yes, there were 8 of us in this vehicle.  Not sure where we had been or how we didn't get pulled over.  Happier days.

Queensland Role Players - A blast from the past

I have been cleaning up my studio and I found several boxes of old photo's.  I thought I share them.  Enjoy!

Not sure where this photo was taken but clearly this group won a D&D competition.  Steven Twine was the DM, and the older gentleman was a professor, the rest I can't even remember their names.  The curse of old age - memory goes all too soon.

These shots were from a promotional QRP did back in 1982 (I think) at a shopping centre (Wynnum somewhere).

The committe sometime in the early 80's.  From left to right and back to front. Russell (I think?), Greg L, Rob M, Michael M, Keith D, Steven T, John M (Me, yes I was thin once), Anthony (I think), Angela M, and Russel P.

Update from Jeff

As you will know I'm keeping in touch with Jeff.  I write to him every couple of weeks and ask him to share his experiences of China with me.  I also do it to let him know that he's not forgotten.

Here's his latest for you to read.

So, To the questions.

1: What’s grocery shopping like?
You really have 2 options for groceries where we are. You can go across the road to the Carrefour. (a massive french based department store with something like a Coles on the top floor.) You can get just about anything there from your entertainment centre to motorbikes. You will have a hard time finding anything though. Chinese or maybe French logic means that if you have the dishwashing stuff in one aisle like brushes and racks, you must have things like plugs and sponges 3 aisles down. Brooms are not kept near the mops and buckets... That would make sense. They are kept near the dishwashing detergent. The food section is kind of the same but they have an imported section where I can get stuff like Tim Tams and cornflakes. You do tend to pay western prices for things and it can get very expensive very fast.
The other option is to go to the local market stalls. You get slightly fresher fruit and veg at a much reduced price. As for meat though, that is an experience. From both Carrefour and the meat market you can get things like live eels, turtles, clams, fish and frogs. Both of them have all of the meat in trays out in front opf the stall and you just pick what you want and they bag it up for you. At the meat market though you have live chickens and pigs standing around looking a little bewildered. I watched one guy order a bunch of eel and while he waited the lady picked one up, laid it on the chopping block where there was a nail at the top to keep the slimy little bugger there. she then slit it open and took out all the guts and bones. As she threw it into the plastic bag, the mouth was still opening and closing. Then there were the chickens.... It was at that point I left. I let the Ayi (person who does the cleaning and looks after Ruby and does the cooking) do all of the shopping as she gets a better bargain and knows the reputable stores.

2: How do you get to and from work?

Soong Ching Ling school has a branch of the kindergarden (Hong Mei road.) out near where I live. The school puts on a bus for all of the Chinese teachers that live in the city to take to the Chingpu campus. I take that one out to the primary school right next door. Getting to the Hong Mei campus is fun though as I can walk but prefer to take the electric scooter as it take 5 mins not 20. Everything that anyone has said about Chinese drivers in Australia is a product of the roads here. People would rather eat broken glass than let you in. There is at any one set of lights about 30 - 40 people on bikes all waiting to go with the lights. All of these people are being honked at by the people trying to turn against the lights. Those people are being honked at by the people trying to get through the lights before they turn red. those people are being honked at by the people who anticipate the lights and have already started to go. those people are being honked at by the people who are running the now red light (after it has been red for a few seconds.). Then there are the people who use their horn as a surrogate to using their indicator. And then there are the people that are honking at you to let you know that they are about to run you over and that you should get off of the footpath if you want to walk somewhere. This shit is crazy. But somehow it all works. I walked past the scene of an accident where a bike t-boned a taxi. The cops were measuring the skid distance and doing all of that while traffic was weaving in and out between the still crashed bike, the taxi, the cops and running over the measuring tape. People will not stop for anything here.

3: What do you do in your down time?

Down time? wtf is that?

But seriously, there is a massive amount of things to do in this city. The volume of drinking establishments and other types of eateries means that you could be drunk and fed well everyday for a couple of years without repeating an establishment. And that is without travelling very much furthur than 20 mins either side of the main part of the city. There are a huge number of tourist sites like peoples square and some temples around. Historic water towns are beautiful to see and are not far out of town. They are knocking down a few of the old towns to make way for new development though and there is a lot of history vanishing day by day. If you want to travel a couple of hours to somewhere like Ningbo or Beijing (flight time that is) and you experience a whole new level of the world. Weekend trips to those places you see on the documentaries are not a difficult thing to organise. In general though we would head out to the pearl markets to get shop for some cheap jewelry or something. They have a reputable dvd store where you get some pretty recent movies for about 5 RMB each. Television series like mash box set will set you back about 100RMB ($15AUD). After I invest in a good dvd player I will be set up nicely. The current dvd player is a bit shit. Then there are the fabric markets where you can get a suit or shirts made. I recently ordered some jeans to be tailor made for 160 RMB (about $25 AUD). I am going to pick up a Cashmere full length overcoat that is being tailor made for me that only cost 600 RMB ($100AUD after some hard bargaining). I priced one on ebay at $1500AUD. Woot!. The fake markets are where you can go and get genuine replicas of just about anything you want. They are selling rifle scopes next to toy helicopters. a stall that sells make up is sandwiched between a luggage stall and a stall that is selling ipads and other android tablets. Belts, watches, sunnies, posters, silk paintings, beautiful tea sets, bottle openers are all on sale. It is utterly bewildering over here.

Carrie may be coming back to Australia in Jan some time so we may have to put togehter a care package for the piggies.

I have to get some work done now so I'll sign off.

Have fun and stay well John. Give my love to Bec and slap Paul around a little. Or vice versa if you are feeling tired of living.

The problems with enamel paint

I finally found some cheap paint for my gaming tables.  The problem, they are enamel.  Normally I don't have to worry when using acrylics, it dries so quickly.  My patience is being tried waiting for the paint to dry, it's like watching grass grow.

I have pine boards, which have notches.  So I've applied putty, thinking maybe this is a waste of effort, considering that I will be moving the boards from time to time.  However, the first board has been done.  It's my naval board which while the Royal Blue is gloss, it suits the theme of water.

I will take pictures eventually. 

Chasing E.C.Tubb Books

Ok I'm on the scrounge.  I've gone back to reading old titles from old authors.  The following are titles I'm after from E.C.Tubb.  If you can provide me with them, leave a post in my comments.

Dumarest of Terra or Dumarest Saga as they are known.

8. Veruchia
9. Mayenne
10. Jondelle
16. Haven of Darkness
17. Prison of Night
18. Incident on Ath
19. The Quillian Sector
20. Web of Sand
22. The Terra Data
23. World of Promise
26. The Coming Event
28. Melome
29. Angado
30. Symbol of Terra
31. The Temple of Truth
32. The Return
33. Child of Earth

No Motivation

It's sad to say but I have lost my motivation and focus.  I know I've been saying this for a while, and I suppose people are tired of seeing me write as much.  Yet I have not found the enthusiasm to do any of the thousand and one projects that are sitting in my Studio, crying out for attention.

I thought a little shopping therapy would help me, by getting me excited with a new project.  It did not work.  I don't know what will get me going again.

I have decided to think through some logistical removals within my residence.  I think that the changes will result in some increased gaming space and the placement of my precious libraries out of harms way, as well as placing them all in one area.  I just have to work out how I'm going to be able to move all the furniture by myself in this heat.  I did it before, so I guess I can do it again.

So while I have been thinking of these plans I have been updating my library database.  I have now catalogued 4 bookcases and recorded 1,152 items.  Only 4 more bookcases and about 40 boxes to go.  I'm staggered by the size of it all.  It makes me hope that my children will appreciate what I'm going to leave them, otherwise I shall have to find a padawan who will accept my collection.

This brings me to a question that a number of people ask me.  "How can you afford all of this?"  Well for starters I own my home, I have no credit cards or debts of any kind.  I don't drink or smoke, eat out or gamble.  So this means that apart from the costs of living and utilities my pension allows me to buy the things I need that help to while away my time while waiting for the Grim Reaper.  So there's your answer people, I hope that answer satisfies your curiosity.

I'd really like to run some roleplaying games again, particularly Call of Cthulhu or Empire of the Petal Throne, even first edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons.  I just need to find people who would want to participate in some games.

I intend to buy a few my 4'x4' boards from Bunnings this week.  This will allow me to have a variety of game systems catered for.  Just need some cheap paint to make them playable.

I'd like this heat we are having to go away, but I guess it's a taste of whats to come this Summer. 

Well I'm off to spray some more insecticide about, got to get those cockroaches under control.

New Table Tops

Finally I bit the bullet and went to Bunnings to buy some new tabletops to game on.

I almost got the 4'x4' size.  They are just short by I think 1/2", but close enough is good enough in this case.  I'm very happy with this.  They are pine, and will only need a light sanding to take the rough cuts along the edges.  I intend to paint one blue for my sea table, the other black for a space table.  Will have to see how brave I am with painting stars and the like on the space table.

The other two boards I bought for DBA.  They are 3'x2' which is great as it will leave 6" on either side of the 2'x2' area for the placement of "dead" and other gaming paraphernalia.  I may buy a few more of these and store them with the long term view of a one day DBA/HotT tournament.  Need to drum up interest in this though as it's only a very small number of players at the Blind Pig who play.

So, it's the club tomorrow.  An epic game of Dystopian Wars with Leslie.  I wonder how many points we'll go for this time.  Something insane I'm sure.  Must remember to bring my camera.

Weekly Update

What have I been up to?

Well I haven't been painting if that's what you may be asking.

Have I done anything?

Nothing that I find worthy of seeking accolades for.

Finally bit the bullet and purchased some more Dragyri for Dark Age.  May get them this week.

Visited my local second hand bookshop.  Stripped them of some more authors I remember reading in my youth.  As you may guess I'm spending more and more of my time in the past.  I guess I'm finding comfort in those things that made me happy.  Reading certainly falls into that category.  It also means I don't have to raise a paint brush and do any serious work.

I really should update my book database more regularly.  I had fallen behind the work and had to enter 61 new titles to the collection.  It now stands at 1148 novels.  I really must invest in more bookshelves, but that would stop be from buying more books or figures or games...

The school year is almost finished.  My son has his grade 11 exam block next and following week, then he's on hols.  So my internet connection speed will drop, my electricity bill will go up.  That's all it's doing now, going up and up with no stopping.  If my children didn't need computers and social networks I think my bill would be considerably less, but that doesn't seem to be happening any time soon.

It's interesting.  In my youth entertainment was simple.  There were books, games and the great outdoors.  The only power I needed was for the light to read a book at night.  Games were such that no power was required, except if played at night.  If I were to mention to my children to pick up a book, they look at me as if I've grown a second head.  That so "old school" they tell me. 

I had an interesting conversation with a friend today.  It was about gun laws.  He argued that we should be entitled to own guns.  I disagreed.  I stated that guns are like security screens for your home.  A security screen deters the casual offender. One who might be encouraged to break and enter because there is no security will do so.  If there is security they will pass it by more often than not.  Of course a security system will not deter the professional or the determined.  Gun laws are like that.  If guns are readily available then the casual offender will be tempted by the freedom and can cause harm.  With restrictions you can stop the casual offender, but not the determined from doing harm.  I wonder how many deaths are actually caused by gunshots?  How many people are killed by other devices or tools, say knives?  As I concluded our conversation, I simple stated "each to their own", as I don't believe I swayed him by my arguments.  I of course would not be able to own a gun, and if I did, it would be a danger to myself more than to anyone else.  I have no intention of dying the slow malignant death which is my final fate.

Bah, I getting melancholy again.

So the club is on this Saturday the 12th.  I'm hoping to be there, but am feeling a build up of toxins inside me that may cause me some issues.  I do want to give Leslie a sound thrashing at Dystopian Wars, of which he richly deserves but will more than likely be the reverse.  Optimistic aren't I!

My Collection of AD&D Modules

Listed below are all the AD&D modules that I have managed to find so far.  There are some gaps, and I have as yet to satisfy myself that there are not a few of them hidden in some of the many boxes that make up my filing system.

If you have any of the modules I'm missing, please let me know and we'll see if we can come to arrangment over a sale or trade.  Please post in the comment section.

A2	Secret of the Slavers Stockade
A3	Assault on the Aerie of the Slave Lords
A4	In the Dungeons of the Slave Lords
B1	In Search of the Unknown
B2	The Keep on the Borderlands
B4	The Lost City
C1	The Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan
C2	The Ghost Tower of Inverness
C3	The Lost Island of Castanamir
C4	To Find a King
CM1	Test of the Warlords
CM7	The Tree of Life
D1	Descent into the Depths of the Earth
D2	Shrine of the Kuo-Toa
D3	Vault of the Drow
DL4	Dragons of Desolation
EX1	Dungeonland
EX2	The Land Beyond the Magic Mirror
G1-3	Against the Giants
I13	Adventure Pack I
I4	Oasis of the White Palm
I5	Lost Tomb of Martek
I6	Ravenloft
I7	Baltron's Beacon
I8	Ravager of Time
L1	The Secret of Bone Hill
M1	Blizzard Pass
M2	Maze of the Riddling Minotaur
N1	Against the Cult of the Reptile God
O2	Blade of Vengeance
OA1	Swords of the Daimyo
Q1	Queen of the Demonweb Pits
REF-4	The Book of Lairs II
S1	Tomb of Horrors
S2	White Plume Mountain
S3	Expedition to the Barrier Peaks
T1-4	The Temple of Elemental Evil
U2	Danger at Dunwater
U3	The Final Enemy
UK1	Beyond the Crystal Cave
UK2	The Sentinel
UK3	The Gauntlet
UK4	When a Star Falls
UK5	Eye of the Serpent
UK6	All That Glitters...
WG4	The Forgotten Temple of Tharizdan
WG5	Mordenkainen's Fantastic Adventure
WG6	Isle of the Ape
WG7	Castle Greyhawk
X10	Red Arrow, Black Shield
X3	Curse of Xanathon
	Terrible Trouble at Tragidore

Blood Bowl 1st Edition Rules

I am desperately seeking a copy of the very first release of Blood Bowl, specifically the rules.  My set was lost in floods some time ago and I'm wanting to complete the set.  If you can help then let me know by posting in the comments section.
Cheers
from the Mad One

Last day of the month, first day of the week.

After much procrastination I finally did my tax.  What a jolly exercise it was.  Having a migraine as a carry over from yesterday afternoon didn't help much.  So my wife is very happy with me now.  All I have to wait for now is for the ATO to process it.  I used the eTax programme and did it "online".  Still confusing, but not as much as reading the Tax Pack.

So as I stated before, my health isn't good.  The migraines are getting worse, and there is very little that can be done to reduce them.  I need a nice dark cool place.  Pity summer is coming.

I've yet to get back into painting.  With this happening I've just been looking at my old figures and deciding what to do with them.  Wargods of Aegyptus seems to be the one to run with at the moment.  I've plenty of figures, and I have the time.  All I need are opponents.  Perhaps at the Blind Pig next year.

Looks like 5 pension days till Christmas.  Don't know what to do this Christmas.  My family is now just my wife and the two kids.  No one to visit, and no one who will visit.  It's generally not a good time of the year for me, as it then feeds on to New Years Day.  I get very melancholy about the prospects of another year. 

Have made a half-hearted attempt at cleaning the studio, but it's looks too much like hard work.  I tire easily these days, and it would help if I could unclog my vacuum cleaner.  I really should make an attempt while the weather is still cool(ish).

Happy Birthday 'Chelle

Today is my beautiful wifes birthday.  I can't tell you how old she is, no woman tells people their age.

so....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY 'CHELLE!

Love

John, Liam and Dana.

Back to the future... read that as past.

I looked at the future and have decided that there is nothing wrong with the past.

"What's he banging on about?" I hear you say...

I've looked at a number of the "new" roleplaying games and I will point the finger at the new D&D as the main culprit.  I'm not impressed.  The games seem to be nothing more than miniature orientated games, well if you want that, go play actual miniature wargames. 

A roleplaying game to me is all about imagination, interpretation and occassionally some dice rolling to determine an unpredicted outcome.  It's all about character development through story telling.  Something that seems to be missing in todays roleplaying community.

So I've gone back to the past.  I've dug out my Runequest, Tunnels & Trolls, Call of Cthulhu, Empire of the Petal Throne and OSRIC (which I don't mind).  Simple systems.  People just seem to want too much these days, and there's nothing worse than reading reams of paper (read feats etc from 4th Ed D&D).  I like the old, choose a class, look at your spells or abilities and off you go.

My wife has been attending church services with the Baptists at present.  No, she hasn't become a heretic, she was invited to attend as she spends a lot of her time helping out in their charity arm.  It started as part of a "work for the dole" programme, and has blossomed into her giving her time to a really nice group of ladies.  Chelle has no "friends" and this group have given her the needed support that she couldn't find from our own faith.  I see I'm rambling, but there is a point to all this.  She told me that the sermon last Sunday was all about forgetting the past, or more precisely stop being hindered/hampered by the past, concentrate on the future and go from there.  So Chelle's doing this, but I'm not.  My past makes me who I am, what I do, and how I will act in the future.  I find comfort in the past, and I refuse to give up or modify my ethics or behaviour to fit into a world that quite frankly needs a damn good thrashing.  I am what I am, my families bard, the keeper of family lore and history.  As someone said once "if we do not learn from the past, then we are doomed to repeat it".  Getting philsophical in my old age. 

So back to the past is my goal.  I'm digging up my old games.  Giving them a dusting.  Reliving the memories that are associated with them.  Everything I have has memories attached to them, which is why I am loath to part with what I have.  Yet, I also believe in being generous, and people have been blessed by my generosity.  Hmm, my ego seems to be rising.  I'll stop now.  I've written enough.

It's Monday Again

The start of another week.

Sigh.

Played taxi all weekend and achieved nothing.

Still have not lifted a paint brush in action.

Doctors again this week.

My beautiful wifes birthday this Wednesday, the 26th.

My life in exile continues.

English Civil War

No figures painted, but a lot of re-basing and tidying up.  Hopefully there is now enough to field most of the antagonists for the period.

Warhammer Historical

Last fornight I ordered from Warhammer Historical some of the latest productions.  I did this primarily as they had a very nice 50% off sale, and who can pass up that sort of savings?  I certainly couldn't.

Today they arrived.  I had a look at the postal tracking.  Posted from the UK 12/10, tracked 13/10, 14/10 and 15/10.  Then it seems it sat in customs for four days before being sent on it's way to me.  Well, its with me now, so I can stop worrying about it going astray.

Over the Top
Soft cover.176 pages.  Typical high standard of presentation.  As to the content and it's use?  I just have to find the time to read it.

Gladiator, The Game of Deadly Arena Combat in Ancient Rome.
Hard Cover.  144 pages.  Again high standard of presentation. 

Waterloo, Tabletop Wargaming in the Age of Napoleon.
Hard Cover. 288 pages. High standard of presentation.

The Waterloo set I will read at some time in the future.  Gladiator I can actually start running with immediately.  I have a fair number of gladiators alread painted up.  All I need to do is create an arena!  (Maybe Bec might read this and build an arena of epic proportions - you know with a chariot track etc).

Over the Top follows on from the Great War ruleset.  From a quick flick I'm dissappointed in the content.  I really was hoping that this expansion would have covered the Middle East, but it continues on with the Western front.  I have Germans and British in 28mm but have to get around to painting them up.  A project for the long haul.

So it seems Gladiator is the most likely one of these to see some mileage.

My ECW project is progressing to the stage where I may have to paing some more figures.  Not a lot, well about 100 odd.  Mostly musket, cavalry and highlanders.  This will round off my lists, allowing me to field armies from any of the combatants for the period.  I must get my camera back from my daughter.  Hopefully I'll post pictures in due course.

Monday, the start of a new week

It's the start of a new week.

Children have a pupil free day.  So one's home sleeping, the other is out socialising.

Had the last stitches removed, and am pleased that they are out.  I can scratch without being overly cautious now.

Spent the weekend looking at my English Civil War figures.  I bought (or traded I can't remember now) some ECW from a friend years ago.  I had thought they were bare metal or partial painted.  To my surprise I found that a fair few have been painted.  They aren't works of art, but with a black wash and a nice base they will pass muster.  My dilemma now is which set of lists to work from for a DBA~RRR army.  I like the lists that the DBA~RRR writers produced.  They give you a little leeway compared to the DBA~Extension for 1500AD - 1900AD.  I now have I think sufficient based elements to field both sides.  I will have a couple of dry runs against myself to see how the lists play out and make a final decision in the weeks to come.  I was thinking of introducing a variable list so that it could reflect to my understanding of the period, the lack lustre recruitment of troops.  I think it would help stop an opponent from taking a tooled list each and every time.  Mind you I only see myself playing this period, so my games will most likely be few and far between.  Once the bases have dried I will post some pictures of the troops.

I've finally managed to track down some old TV shows I enjoyed watching.  Gargoyles (a Disney animation series) and Reboot (CGI animation).  Reboot I enjoyed immensely, as it was whitty and may have gone over the heads of some viewers unless they had a broad based education in literature and arts.  I have seen the new Thundercats animation and I enjoyed it.  Lastly the Nero Wolf Mysteries.  I can understand why the series was cancelled after two seasons.  Using certain cast members to play different roles in different episodes showed a series with a budget restriction.  However I did enjoy it for the entertainment it provided.  Certainly not as classy as the Hercule Poirot series by/with David Suchet.

My daughter started her first job at McDonald's this weekend past.  On Saturday, her first day she was really nervous.  It didn't help much when Dana and her mother argued and fought on that day.  It took Dad to sit with her and provide her the encouragement and support that she wanted.  She needed that from me, and I was gratified with her love in return.  I love my children.  She finished the weekend saying that she would not be able to eat McDonald's again.  Certainly she smelt of cooking oil, with it permeating everything she wore and her hair.  Thankfully a hot shower, and she was back to spending hours straightening her hair (she has naturally wavy hair).

I've yet to pick up a paint brush and actually start produceing figures.  I'm looking at my huge Lord of the Rings collection and debating the merit of making them into Hordes of the Things armies.  I just don't know if I want to do that.  Yet they aren't doing anything otherwise, except take up 8 underbed storage tubs.  What to do, what to do?

So that's me for the start of the week.  Totally committed to nothing.

English Civil War Update

I have started on the rebasing of my English Civil War figures to the DBA~RRR convention. 
The list II/21 English Civil War Royalist 1641-1643

Mandatory

1x4Kn(g) or 4Pi(g) or 3Cv(g) or 4Pk(g), 1x4Kn (Cavaliers), 1x4Sh (Musketeers)

Choose 9 from the following:

0-6 4Kn (Cavaliers), 0-1 Dr (Dragoons), 0-4 (1x4Sh + 1x4Pk) (Musketeers and pikemen), 0-1 4Sh (Firelocks), 0-1 4Bd (Billmen), 0-1 Hd (Countrymen armed with farm tools or cudgels), 0-1 Gun or Can (Gallaoper guns or Demi-culverins and sakers)

That is the list I’m starting with.  I’ve done the 1x4Kn(g) element.  Lobster suits and cuirass where possible. 10x4Kn.  These are my Cavaliers. 2xGun/Cannon. 6x4Sh + 6x4Pk.  The pike are ringers at the moment.  They are actually Scots, but I’m in the process of resurrecting some pike to take their place.

So from this I can build a list as follows:

1xKn(g), 6xKn, 2xSh + 2xPk, 1xGun/Can

Now I have to decide how to do the opposition, those nasty Parliamentarians (boo, hiss).