Going backwards...

Some of you who may have followed my blog for a while or who know me personally know that I have some mental health disabilities.  They are many and I won't go into to great a detail, if you want to do a trawl of my past posts I think you'll find my black spots.

One of my biggest hurdles has been trusting people and socialising.  I've had some really unpleasant situations in the past both in the workplace and within a social network.  I would like to have thought that up till yesterday I was making an improvement.  I was engaging people outside more, running tournaments and leaving the safety of my home.

That has now come to an abrupt end.  Yesterday my neighbours had a home invasion with their two young girls locking themselves in a room.  Their mother phoned me to investigate, which I did, I confronted the perpetrator, and chased him off.  However what I did next was attempt to buy time for the police to arrive, which ended up with one of the perpetrators pulling a knife on me.   I escaped injury but the encounter did not register with me until this morning.  The end result is that I have now returned to my paranoid state of mind, extremely distrustful of strangers in my street or suburb, I now will not leave home unless I have to, and only if there is someone at home.  My security has been reviewed and I am now a prisoner in my own home - again.

It's going to be a long road to recovery.

More importantly though I worry for the two young girls who are my neighbours who through no fault of their own had to endure what would have been a terrifying ordeal.  I hope that they obtain the counselling they need to endure the after shocks they will more than likely feel as time passes.  Youth is impressionable (if my upbringing is an indication to remember by) and triggers will happen at any time.  So I wish them every recovery in their ordeal and a return to as normal a life as they can expect as teenagers.

It's the problem of an intelligent person being trapped in the mental health system.

Rocket Recharge Station Terrain

Some new terrain that was on display at the club last Saturday.

You can check out the business website and make enquiries there as to availability and cost.

BPLaser

Cheers

John

Razorback Chronos 2nd Ed 40K Tournament

The Days Winners

The grand experiment has been run and I am glad that it was run with the right group of people.  I had listed the event as a fun day of getting together to have a bash at the old rule set, remember the fun (or exasperation) that was had playing this rules set.  It is by far for me the most memorable set of rules that Games Workshop produced.

It was disappointing that from an organisers point of view that I had at one point potentially 16 people prepared to play.  In reality I was prepared for 10, in the end I had 5 actually turn up on the day.  In defence of the day there were a number of tournaments being run around Brisbane today, and I'm sure numbers at other events may well have been down as well, who knows.  As I said in my opening paragraph I couldn't have been happier with the group of people who took the time and effort to come along and play, I thank them for making the day a success.

So without any more preamble here were the armies that were taken:

Space Wolves (James)
Tyranids (Sean)
Genestealer Cult (Glen)
Space Marines: Ultramines (Simon)
Blood Angels: Lamenters (Paul)
Elder (TO ring in)

BEST GENERAL

Awarded to the player with the most wins and victory points amassed on the day.

James H

 BEST PAINTED

Awarded to the person with the highest votes from the assembled participants.

Glen T

 OLDTIMER AWARD

Awarded to the person with the highest points in painting, representation, and whose force consisted of the highest number of models from the time of 2nd Edition and Rogue Trader Era.

Paul W

PHOTO GALLERY

Many thanks to Glen T who was able to take photos where I was not.  With having to fill the spot of bye and the TO, I just didn't have any time to do what I wanted to which was take photos of peoples armies.  I'll try for next time.

Sean O'H - Tyranids

Paul W - Blood Angels: Lamenters

James H - Space Wolves

ALL IMPORTANT QUESTION:

I have been asked - 26th November 2016, would you like to try another go at this event!

Let me know ASAP, I will be posting elsewhere to see what feedback is like, but Paul at the Blind Pig has asked me if I'd like to run another event for 40K 2nd before the club finishes for the year.

Pokemon GOing

I'm still GOing strong, though my poor left leg is starting to get a bit on the brittle side.  That may be the dogs fault as he decided to do a silly doggy thing and trip me up.  As an older person I don't heal as fast as I once did, heal I will, just in time.

In 12 days (I see I last posted on the 10th August) I have finally crawled to Level 21!  Yea me!  I've seen 88 and caught 87 individual Pokemon, GO me.  Walked (in total time since start of play) 113km (95%+).  Caught 1023 of the buggers, don't ask how many Poke balls I've thrown, I'd have lost count of the time's a lowly 15CP Magikarp has had 10 balls thrown at it and it's run away!  Ah the joys of Pokemon GO.  Well at least it has given me something to do, if only I can pick up a paint brush and start painting some miniatures again, now that would be wonderful...

Below are some stats just for my area.  I don't travel outside my home much so as you can see I'm not seeing much of other types which my friends in other suburbs to the West and North of Brisbane are catching.  

Number	Name	Type	Type	Seen	Caught	Level	Frequency
1	Bulbasaur	Grass	Poison	27	21	385	2.05%
2	Ivysaur	Grass	Poison	2	2	475	0.20%
3	Venusaur	Grass	Poison		0		0.00%
4	Charmandar	Fire		5	3	523	0.29%
5	Charmeleon	Fire			0		0.00%
6	Charizard	Fire	Flying		0		0.00%
7	Squirtle	Water		23	19	423	1.86%
8	Wartortle	Water		2	2	659	0.20%
9	Blastoise	Water		1	1	823	0.10%
10	Caterpie	Bug		60	54	238	5.28%
11	Metapod	Bug		8	5	234	0.49%
12	Butterfree	Bug	Flying	4	3	690	0.29%
13	Weedle	Bug	Poison	107	85	238	8.31%
14	Kakuna	Bug	Poison	23	18		1.76%
15	Beedrill	Bug	Poison	6	5	720	0.49%
16	Pidgey	Normal	Flying	72	59		5.77%
17	Pidgetto	Normal	Flying	25	23	483	2.25%
18	Pidgeot	Normal	Flying	4	4	989	0.39%
19	Rattata	Normal		69	58	312	5.67%
20	Raticate	Normal		11	11	744	1.08%
21	Spearow	Normal	Flying	37	33	312	3.23%
22	Fearow	Normal	Flying	2	2	978	0.20%
23	Ekans	Poison		23	20	283	1.96%
24	Arbok	Poison		3	3	836	0.29%
25	Pikachu	Electric					0.00%
26	Raichu	Electric					0.00%
27	Sandshrew	Ground		8	8	306	0.78%
28	Sandslash	Ground		2	2	803	0.20%
29	Nidoran	Poison		15	13	451	1.27%
30	Nidorina	Poison		4	3	653	0.29%
31	Nidoqueen	Poison	Ground				0.00%
32	Nidoran	Poison		19	18	451	1.76%
33	Nidorino	Poison		2	2	506	0.20%
34	Nidoking	Poison	Ground				0.00%
35	Clefairy	Fairy		2	2	290	0.20%
36	Clefable	Fairy					0.00%
37	Vulpix	Fire		1			0.00%
38	Ninetales	Fire					0.00%
39	Jigglypuff	Normal	Fairy	5	3	369	0.29%
40	Wigglytuff	Normal	Fairy				0.00%
41	Zubat	Poison	Flying	31	27	252	2.64%
42	Golbat	Poison	Flying	6	5	1002	0.49%
43	Oddish	Grass	Poison	22	22	546	2.15%
44	Gloom	Grass	Poison	3	3	693	0.29%
45	Vileplume	Grass	Poison				0.00%
46	Paras	Bug	Poison	14	13	60	1.27%
47	Parasect	Bug	Poison	2	2	729	0.20%
48	Venonat	Bug	Poison	3	3	457	0.29%
49	Venomoth	Bug	Poison				0.00%
50	Diglett	Ground		1	1	65	0.10%
51	Dugtrio	Ground					0.00%
52	Meowth	Normal		6	4	327	0.39%
53	Persian	Normal					0.00%
54	Psyduck	Water		12	11	422	1.08%
55	Golduck	Water		2	2	797	0.20%
56	Mankey	Fighting					0.00%
57	Primeape	Fighting					0.00%
58	Growlithe	Fire		5	5	613	0.49%
59	Arcanine	Fire					0.00%
60	Poliwag	Water		48	43	370	4.20%
61	Poliwhirl	Water		5	5	509	0.49%
62	Poliwrath	Water	Fighting	1	1	645	0.10%
63	Abra	Psychic		3	3	240	0.29%
64	Kadabra	Psychic		1	1	609	0.10%
65	Alakazam	Psychic					0.00%
66	Machop	Fighting		1	1	542	0.10%
67	Machoke	Fighting					0.00%
68	Machamp	Fighting					0.00%
69	Bellsprout	Grass	Poison	27	24	544	2.35%
70	Weepinbell	Grass	Poison	4	4	877	0.39%
71	Victreebell	Grass	Poison				0.00%
72	Tentacool	Water	Poison	9	9	337	0.88%
73	Tentacruel	Water	Poison	1	1	860	0.10%
74	Geodude	Rock	Ground	6	6	297	0.59%
75	Graveler	Rock	Ground	1	1	519	0.10%
76	Golem	Rock	Ground				0.00%
77	Ponyta	Fire		1	1	547	0.10%
78	Rapidash	Fire					0.00%
79	Slowpoke	Water	Psychic	2	2	238	0.20%
80	Slowbro	Water	Psychic				0.00%
81	Magnemite	Electric	Steel	1	1	473	0.10%
82	Magnetron	Electric	Steel				0.00%
83							0.00%
84	Doduo	Normal	Flying	34	32	382	3.13%
85	Dodrio	Normal	Flying	10	7	678	0.68%
86	Seel	Water					0.00%
87	Dewgong	Water	Ice				0.00%
88	Grimer	Poison					0.00%
89	Muk	Poison					0.00%
90	Shellder	Water		1	1	451	0.10%
91	Cloyster	Water	Ice				0.00%
92	Gastly	Ghost	Poison	11	10	451	0.98%
93	Haunter	Ghost	Poison	2	2	362	0.20%
94	Gengar	Ghost	Poison				0.00%
95	Onix	Rock	Ground				0.00%
96	Drowzee	Psychic					0.00%
97	Hypno	Psychic					0.00%
98	Krabby	Water		54	44	376	4.30%
99	Kingler	Water		7	7	1002	0.68%
100	Voltorb	Electric					0.00%
101	Electrode	Electric					0.00%
102	Exeggcute	Grass	Psychic	26	22	499	2.15%
103	Exeggutor	Grass	Psychic	1	1	1370	0.10%
104	Cubone	Ground		2	2	460	0.20%
105	Marowak	Ground					0.00%
106	Hitmonlee	Fighting					0.00%
107	Hitmonchan	Fighting					0.00%
108	Lickitung	Normal		2	2	940	0.20%
109	Koffing	Poison		4	4	514	0.39%
110	Weezing	Poison		1	1	603	0.10%
111	Rhyhorn	Ground	Rock	2	2	609	0.20%
112	Rhydon	Ground	Rock				0.00%
113	Chansey	Normal		1	1	257	0.10%
114	Tangela	Grass		9	8	884	0.78%
115	Kangaskhan	Normal		2	2	1019	0.20%
116	Horsea	Water		37	34	378	3.32%
117	Seadra	Water		4	3	804	0.29%
118	Goldeen	Water		60	48	474	4.69%
119	Seaking	Water		3	3	1010	0.29%
120	Staryu	Water		42	38	519	3.71%
121	Starmie	Water	Psychic	5	5	1102	0.49%
122	Mr Mime	Psychic	Fairy				0.00%
123	Scyther	Bug	Flying	2	2	921	0.20%
124	Jynx	Ice	Psychic				0.00%
125	Electabuzz	Electric					0.00%
126	Magmar	Fire					0.00%
127	Pinsir	Bug		51	38	1011	3.71%
128							0.00%
129	Magikarp	Water		16	16	123	1.56%
130	Gyarados	Water	Flying				0.00%
131	Lapras	Water	Ice	1	1	1485	0.10%
132							0.00%
133	Evee	Normal		1	1	109	0.10%
134	Vaporeon	Water					0.00%
135	Jolteon	Electric					0.00%
136	Flareon	Fire					0.00%
137	Porygon	Normal					0.00%
138	Omanyte	Rock	Water	1	1	559	0.10%
139	Omastar	Rock	Water	1	1	124	0.10%
140	Kabuto	Rock	Water				0.00%
141	Kabutops	Rock	Water				0.00%
142	Aerodactyl	Rock	Flying	1	1	836	0.10%
			Totals	1184	1023
			Seen	88
			Caught	87
			Percentage	61.27%
			To Go %	38.73%

I've created two Groups for Congo

So as is my usual approach to any new set of rules, I start at the part which interests me the most - the figures and "army" composition.  I always worry about the little things like rules last.

I dug up my boxes of Darkest Africa figures and had a small "cry" at the small number - all right there are actually a few but not enough to go as mad as I wanted to initially.  I may actually have to buy some figures (this will mean having to sell some things if I want to do this, so I'll have to be convinced that this game is worthy of the sacrifice first).

The White Men Expeditions

Opted for a very tongue in cheek, lets go teach the natives not to burn our trading outposts.

The Retired Officer
The Flag Bearer
Group
Trained Askaris [4] - 16pts
1 Adventurers [3] - 11pts
Ruga Ruga [5] - 20pts
Askaris [5] - 11pts
Young Warriors - 12pts
[70 points]

The African Kingdoms

A Zulu-ish like group, which will teach them white men to come out from their settlements!

The King
The Witchdoctor
Auxiliaries
Sacred Warriors [2] @ 2pts - 4pts
Group
Warriors [4] - 22pts
1 Bodyguard [4] - 16pts
Young Warriors [5] - 12pts
Young Warriors [5] - 12pts
Scouts [3] - 4pts
[70 points]

So looking at this I may have to think about some missile troops for the natives, whether that be bows or Ruga Ruga or Askari.  As I have said, I've not played a game or read the rule in detail yet, but I am getting there.  I've got the main things organised which is at least figures to play the game with.  Terrain should be fine for now.  Hopefully the next post may be some form of report on a game.

Cheers
John.

We have Congo!

Yes I have my pristine hands on a copy of Congo.

I need to thank some people first.  Firstly I need to thank Glen T for his generosity in purchasing me this rule set.  As a bloody poor person and a pensioner money is a gift and not something I have to throw around like I did when I was employed and wealthy.  I am extremely grateful for the generosity that was extended to me on this occasion, it's nice to know that there are still some people out there who care.

Secondly I'd like to thank Paul S of The Last Stand Miniatures and Gaming Hardware for getting in the copies of the game.  He was busy packing up his shop for the QMHE (Queensland Modelling Hobby Exhibition) but still had time for a chat and such.

So I shall be devouring these rules over the day and working out which models I have will fit the bill.  Hopefully I shan't need much in the way of terrain (I hope), though that might mean a new project and the motivation to undertake something.

Cheers
John

Pokemon GO! Yes I am playing it.

So here I am, an "old" man marching his way through his 50's who is playing Pokemon GO.

What can I say, I initially resisted the urge, thinking, this is another of those flash in the pan marketing games, come pay lots of money to play games.  Lots of hidden pay options that if you want to succeed at the game you need to spend.  Well was I wrong.

OK I had a friend sell me the game to get me to play, otherwise I'd never have touched it.  Now Glen can sell snow to Eskimo's, he can spin the spin in such a way you can't help but think, all right I'll have a look.  The fact the game is free to download and play was the only thing that made me even look at it.

Thankfully having two adult children who play it helped with the learning curve and my own intuitive understanding of systems allowed me to grasp the game fairly quickly.  The nuances took a little longer.

What am I getting out of this game?  For starters I was taking my daughters dog for a walk daily and just getting the exercise and the view.  Now I'm actually getting something out of the walk (as is the dog, which he always has).  My walk is just over 2.2km, and I walk that at least once a day, my local shop is 500m (return) away and has 3 pokestops, so I find an excuse to visit it, if only for a chance to take the dog for a walk.  In just over two weeks I've done 75.4km (so I think 90-95% is by foot, I don't do much car travel).  Weight is down, blood sugar levels are down (I'm Type-2 diabetic),

As of writing I'm level 18, I've 69 caught/seen pokemon.  I've yet to look at a gym battle, my only focus is catching them all!

I spoke to my GP (doctor) and Specialists about this and said that it has been a great tool in getting me out of the house.  Yes, the family are still there waiting to make my life miserable for me when I return, but for 45 minutes I can forget about them and enjoy the immersion of hunting pokemon.  So give it a go, it is fun.