The green eyed Monster Strikes Again..

OK, I dare you!.. I meant it.. watch this video and then tell me you are not even at all slightly jealous..

I have been browsing the Dwarven Forge Forum for a while and picking up ideas etc. And you often see posts by some very fortunate (and often wealthy) individuals who have some simple stunning setups and gaming rooms.

But I have to take my hat off to Sorn, a chap on the DF forum.. his basement is larger than my house. And the setup he has to play upon, ohhh dear me. I might consider actually doing some one some harm, if it would get me one.. (only kidding, I appal violence in real life).

Seriously, though have a good watch and see. The main table setup is actually mostly Miniature Building Authority stuff. I have a few bits of theirs. They are nice, but pricey, but that goes for Dwarven Forge too.

But I have to say, I would love a gaming basement like his. Having several rooms to put layouts in and store my figures, rather than cramming in what I can where I can and having to generally restrict my purchases to things I can use for a multitude of periods and genre.

Watch and enjoy.. and dream!

Some people just make you sick. Dwarven Forge Wonder!

Ever since I bought my first sets of Dwarven Forge, I have always wondered at the imagination, creativity of the ranges creator and that of fellow collectors.

It is easy to build simple single level rooms, passages, caves etc. But the real wonder of Dwarven Forge, is the fact, that you can build upwards. With care of course.

And adding that extra dimension of height can really add to a layout.

As someone who made an investment in sets at a time when I was in work and had a good level of disposable income. I have always had to game else where, rather than at home. Due to the geography of my gaming groups. That has always meant, packing my boxes of DF in the car and coming up with some novel storage solutions, which came in the form of some large 35ltr plastic storage boxes, which using the stack ability of DF pieces, meant I could put in one or two layers of 5mm plywood and thus fit two or three sets into one storage box at a time. And it also made it easer to find the pieces you need as the boxes are see through.

Thus, when I am always envious when I see a layout like this;

From: http://www.dwarvenforge.info/bibliothequeimages/selection/selection.htm

Firstly oh to have a dedicated gaming room, large enough for a good sized gaming table area, and then to have permanent figure storage, where figures can be easily got at and safely returned too after a game.

Alas, till I win a lottery or find a rather wealthy wife, its a good old 6'x2' with may be a board across the top for me.. and usually at a mates house.

But it still nice to have something to aspire too. You can see more of this chaps stunning layouts and work here; http://www.dwarvenforge.info/bibliothequeimages/selection/selection.htm 

And incase you have not had your appetite whetted enough, have alook at these..

I always find new ideas and techniques etc in other peoples designs and I particularly like the way this chap has used, a mix of non Dwarven Forge items with his sets to expand the layouts and usability. I know a few people will rightly point out, that its pricey. Hell yes it is! VERY! And that a pen and paper is all the "old timers" had, before this fancy painted miniatures etc came long, but frankly, I don't care!

I love Dwarven Forge. I love the fact it lasts. Its durable and it helps bring to life my fantasy worlds in which I play my role playing games in and sometimes my wargames.

Dwarven Forge - A major addiction.

A few (ahem, many now) years back having just completed my Masters Degree, I was at a point where I had a reasonable income and few out goings in relative terms. Having got into the frugal student habbits and was regularly gaming AD&D 3rd Edition with a group.

The then GM, Gez, introduced me to Dwarven Forge. A prepainted resin/ceramic 3D dungeon tile system.

Gez had an account with the then UK importer and so I was able to pick up some sets are a reasonable price and these have provided trusty service since.

Now, firstly I should issue a warning here - Dwarven Forge is Addictive! I meant it. Once you start, it is very unlikley you will stop!

Secondly it is not cheap. No, don't even try to justify it, by comparring to other makers, being pre-painted etc. By comparrison one set will often cost more than several sets of glossy card tile sets from other makers.

Its just a fact. Its not cheap. And you will need more than one set. Infact, almost certainly more then 2 or 3, or 4, or 5.

So why is it so addictive.. well, firstly partly because you do need more sets to expand things. Partly due to the fact, that its so dynamic. It does not replace imagination, but it helps. Its simple. Its well made and lasts for ages. And the colouring is very well done, it allows you to replicate, dungeons, catacombs, medievil buidings, churches, temples etc.

If you can imagine it, then you can generally replicate with. The room and passage sets, deal with the man/dwarf made terrain, where as the cave sets deal with more natural subterrainian lairs.
Having not been regularly gaming D&D or any thing fantasy or scifi for a while, my sets have gone a little under used in recent years, but they are still there and waiting. And I know they will get some more use in the future.

If you have never seen Dwarven Forge in use, or lacking inspiration, have a look here;

http://dungeons3d.blogspot.co.uk/

Some very nice layouts and great inspiration material.

Gaming Disasters & Crushing Victories

Any wargamer who has gamed for a while will know, the bitter taste of defeat and the ecstatic delights of victory.

But there are times, when, it is possible snatch a defeat from the jaws of victory and vise verse.
So have a look at this photo! And see if you can tell why the Player kneeling down, has such a big grin on his face?

From: http://warhammer.org.uk/phpBB/viewtopic.php?p=773826#p773826

If you look closely you should see a big line of Kroot. A white scars army on its transport tray. A ref examining the rules and one shocked Russian player.

The game was in an international 40K tournament. The white scars player (in white T-shirt) had chosen to deploy his entire force on turn 1, in reserve. His opponent, the chap with the grin, having explain he had infiltrators during the list check, then deployed his two squads of Kroot, in his opponents deployment zone, exactly 4" apart. Thus, preventing the Russian player from legally being able to enter the battle field on turn two to contest it.

Probably one of the shortest games of 40k ever!

The grin on the winners face, just says it all!
I think one of the great things that keeps us going back to this hobby and playing game after game, is that there is always that chance you will make that mistake or that move which will see you hailed king or a fool.. hell we have all done it. We have all made those mistakes, when deploying or moving etc when you suddenly think,, oops.. I shouldn't of done that, when your opponent then crushes you into the ground.

So come on then, what was your worst mistake or greatest victory?

Orcs - A box full of them.

Took a moment to have alook through the boxes of orcs I bought. Three random boxes stuffed with loose figures and some sprues, titled "Orc Army" and costing me £30 at Warboot on sunday. (See show reports for details).

So, having gone through the boxes it appears the lot contain;

32 Goblin Spider Riders - Inc 2 shamans types with banners or some such.
21 Goblins, with bows. A couple with spears
3 Goblins with Nets (metals)
8 Goblin Fantatics (metals)
4 Squigs (metal) no herders etc.

2 Spear chuckers with crews. (metal)
3 Trolls

60 Orc Archers
52 Orc warrors/sluggas boys with five banners.

2 Chariots missing the boars, but with the rest from the look of it.

So.. not bad. If I can find some loose boars at a show for the chariots and the hero then it looks a pretty reasonable army.

The only snag is, I wasn't actually planning to buy a fantasy army. I like watching the odd game, but to be able to play it, it will mean buying the rule book and the relavent army book. Which frankly is too much cash to spend on a side project right now. So it looks like if I decide to keep them, they will be a longer term projects.

A quater the way to the new year! Eeek!

So, its the 2nd of April already. Wow. Time has certainly flown. This year has been a busy one. And sadly not all painting and wargaiming.

At this point I am tempted to a recap of my set objectives for the year wargaming wise, and a comparible list of achievements.

However, why depress my self.? Yes a complete failure in most areas. Arh well next year will be different..

On a serious note. I do actually plan to get some more movement on some of my projects. I want to get a few more zombies done shortly so I can get the first lot varnished and on the table for some games. Given the quantity there is still a lot to do, I probably won't get them all done in one go.

I also have my Starship Troopers to get moving along too. Using the AT-43 figures are proxies for these means I can focus on the arachnid forces for the moment and get some more units done.

I have also got my Merp/fantasy campaign to get done. I have some work still to do on the map and backgrounds. And the next game to get planned.
So its all go, but not going too quickly, apart from time. That seems to be flying by at the moment.

Warboot 7 - Table Sale - Report and Photos

Went to Warboot number 7 today. These table sale events, which are effectively a wargaming car boot sale, just held indoors. Are a great place to hunt for bargains. And some serious bargains at that. Always a bit of gamble and have been known to come away almost empty handed. But more often than not, there are some great finds to be had.
Just have a read through some of my previous reports on them  and see.

So at the club on Thursday, it was decided no one else was going. So I had written off the idea. However a friend who hadn't been down to the club decided to head down (cheers Jon) and I agreed to split the petrol.

So..we headed for Walkden and the Memorial Hall where the MAWS club meet,and today's venue.
Got there just as it was opening. £1 to enter and free tea and coffee, with snack also available.
There were a couple of traders there, one being Lesley's bits box and another I forgot to get the details of, but the rest were mostly private sellers and the odd "semi trader" types, selling everything from 6mm too 54mm scales and every period you can image.. with the usual Flames of War and 40K and Warhammer Fantasy of course.

After one circuit, I had grabbed some rare LOTR metal mordor orc figures for under £1 a pop. I then clocked a sizable ORK Fantasy Army, unpainted but mostly assembled and for £30 was very well priced. I watched, as one lad bartered for an entire Warmachine army, kador I believe, painted for got it for £60 quid.. the shear number of war jacks in it and mostly metal at that meant it was a bargain. I also spotted a big bag of foundry celts, 24 for £10, but I resisted.

I was hunting for a few more LOTR bits and found some metal dwarf archers and vault warden team. Whilst browsing these the chap also had a box of random modor pieces. An offer was made for the entire box and dwarfs.. and we shook on £22. And with that, my budget was blown. I had picked up farmer maggot and his hounds in a blister for £1 a minute before too. There were several other bargains, but my budget was blown and I was rather happy.

Here are some shots. The numbers were good though the photos may not show it.. as the "avoid the soul stealing imp in a box" gene kicked in every time I tried to snap a photo. The camera battery was going flat so couldn't take too many shots.

But here you go!

One fo the warboot regulars. Has a large selection of individual painted and unpainted GW stuff.

Errr something games, or some such. Sorry bad memory. Chaps sell a good range of stuff. From FOW to westwind and the like.

Sorry, still cannot recall the trading name. But you can see the array of bits they had.

The stall where I got my bargain box of GW Lotr.. two yougsters with very reasonable prices.

These "cowboys" had several bargains, inc my Fantasy orcs buy.

Another stall with mix of painted and unpainted figures.

Another stall of various bits. Including lots of books. I had to ressist.

Lesleys bits box stall in the corner with his usual array of GW and other pieces and some other stalls to the right.

One of the "smaller" tables. Still with some nice pieces.

 As many of the tables are leased/booked by private sellers, the stuff for sale can be a bit random, but there were things such of the Forgeworld books etc going for literally a quarter of their shelf prices. Various historical books ranging for 50p to several pounds. And lots of bartering to be done.

Another laden table with all sorts of things. I was very tempted by some foundry celts on this one.

The headless stall-man. In this lot, I found a GW Farmer Maggot with hounds for a £1 in blister!

So, another worth while trip over to Walkden. And many thanks to Paul Reid and the others from the MAWS club who helped to organise it.
The attendance looked good and hopefully it was worth while for the various people and traders selling. In the past our club has booked a group table and we have each taken stuff to sell and taken in turns in manning the table. The atmosphere is friendly, the sellers are usually very keen to help and haggle. Its all good fun and you can find some really nice bargains at times.

So, now I have even more stuff to paint. hmmmm  Arrrhh well. The thing is, I went with the hope of finding some D&D Miniatures pre-painted plastics for my dungeon and dragons rpg games. In previous years there were several sellers with this, alas, none this time. My hunt for more cheap D&D's pre-paints shall continue.

Now off to work out what number of what I have in this ork fantasy army.. this could be fun.

Oh, before I sign off. Paul Ried has said he is thinking of aiming to hold the next one for November time all being well.

Warboot Website is here out of interest;
http://www.warbootsuktabletopsalesevents.co.nr/