I got to go again this year and much like the previous year it was a blast. Got to hang out with good people, tell a lot of "no shit, there I was" stories, and generally have a great time.
Replaced my lost copy of Horus Rising (well...it was never really "lost" I know where it is, I loaned it out and it never came home. Got it signed by Dan Abnett as well. Helluva guy. Nice fellow...as well as a most excellent writer.
I'm looking forward to building my force of Astral Claws/ Red Corsairs and generally falling to the Dark Side.
Monday, July 30, 2007
Monday, July 23, 2007
What is an obsession?
This is regarding my minis hobby. Those who know me well know that while I love the Warhammer and Warhammer 40k Universes (kind of one in the same really), and love the miniatures, I'm not much of a game player. I love collecting the miniatures, assembling and painting them. Conversions are a big part of my fun.
I've spend a large about of money of the past couple decades on Games Workshop/ Citadel miniatures, paints, hobby supplies, buildings, books (oh yes...lots of BL books) and of course, most of all Miniatures.
I've said it several times in the past, and I believe it to be true...Games Workshop owns a portion of my soul. Prices have risen repeatedly, yet I still stick with them. I think GW minis are the very best looking figs on the market and of course, I'll keep buying them.
I have several different armies:
WFB: Empire (was fully painted, now about half painted as I started replacing old figs for the new sculpts.)
WFB: Orcs and Goblins (mostly goblins, which are likely my favorite to paint). About half painted (and with mostly goblins, that's been a manly task).
WFB: High Elves (these have been on the shelves for too long, and need to be dusted off and taken for a spin) Half painted.
WFB: Hordes of Chaos. My most recent acquisition, using them as bad guys in my ongoing WFRP game.
40k: Space Marines (Blood Ravens). These are my babies. About 90% painted.
40k: Eldar, started selling them off...and the new codex and figs came out and I just HAD to start collecting them again. Maybe 75% painted.
40k: Imperial Guard. Just a few Tanith and Steel Legion Guys left now. Just in case I want to use them in an RPG, or have a Daemonhunter/ Witchhunter army.
40k: Witchhunters. Several Sisters of Battle. Cool frigging figs. Maybe 50% painted.
40k: Tau Empire. My most successful army. 75% Painted. Love these guys. They look SO cool!
Now...with the advent of the new Chaos Space Marine Army Box...I just GOTTA get that! I have it on pre-order through the FLGS.
What's wrong with me?
I play Warhammer 40k maybe once every few months. Tops. Warhammer Fantasy even less often (though I do prefer that game). Assembling and painting figs...almost nightly.
I have three huge cases (GW Army Cases of course) filled to beyond capacity with figs (as a matter of fact, I need another one really soon.)
Maybe I didn't get enough toys as a kid or something. Man, I make up for it now.
So when does this become an obsession?
Honestly, I don't know.
I don't really sacrifice on groceries for figs or anything. I drop maybe $100 a month on something Warhammer or Warhammer-related. Easy. Consistently. I can guarantee that every bonus check and tax return gets exchanged for whole army boxed sets every time, for the past maybe 7-8 years...and that is on top of the usual budget.
Maybe it's an addiction?
That doesn't sound healthy either.
My hobby is an important part of my life. I have my work, and my family life. I have my health and my hobby. I think of life in terms of a table with 4 legs: you have to support all of them, or else the table falls down.
My hobby is my piece of mind. It keeps me happy in the face of a hard day at work, horrific news stories and a never-ending pile of bills I have to pay. When I get done with all of those, I rely on my hobby to let me relax and get away from it for a while.
Thankfully, I have a wonderful wife who not only supports my hobby, but she participates too! She's an avid painter and player as well.
I think my Warhammer Hobby is like breakfast cereal "part of a well balanced...life".
I think if more people could have a hobby they enjoyed, and dedicated a small portion of their day to it, there would be far less stress (and stress-related accidents/ incidents).
Until that day, I can thank Jervis Johnson, Gav Thorpe, Dan Abnett, Jes Goodwin and all the other folks at GW for being my crack peddler.
Now I've got to go...I got minis primed and awaiting paint!
I've spend a large about of money of the past couple decades on Games Workshop/ Citadel miniatures, paints, hobby supplies, buildings, books (oh yes...lots of BL books) and of course, most of all Miniatures.
I've said it several times in the past, and I believe it to be true...Games Workshop owns a portion of my soul. Prices have risen repeatedly, yet I still stick with them. I think GW minis are the very best looking figs on the market and of course, I'll keep buying them.
I have several different armies:
WFB: Empire (was fully painted, now about half painted as I started replacing old figs for the new sculpts.)
WFB: Orcs and Goblins (mostly goblins, which are likely my favorite to paint). About half painted (and with mostly goblins, that's been a manly task).
WFB: High Elves (these have been on the shelves for too long, and need to be dusted off and taken for a spin) Half painted.
WFB: Hordes of Chaos. My most recent acquisition, using them as bad guys in my ongoing WFRP game.
40k: Space Marines (Blood Ravens). These are my babies. About 90% painted.
40k: Eldar, started selling them off...and the new codex and figs came out and I just HAD to start collecting them again. Maybe 75% painted.
40k: Imperial Guard. Just a few Tanith and Steel Legion Guys left now. Just in case I want to use them in an RPG, or have a Daemonhunter/ Witchhunter army.
40k: Witchhunters. Several Sisters of Battle. Cool frigging figs. Maybe 50% painted.
40k: Tau Empire. My most successful army. 75% Painted. Love these guys. They look SO cool!
Now...with the advent of the new Chaos Space Marine Army Box...I just GOTTA get that! I have it on pre-order through the FLGS.
What's wrong with me?
I play Warhammer 40k maybe once every few months. Tops. Warhammer Fantasy even less often (though I do prefer that game). Assembling and painting figs...almost nightly.
I have three huge cases (GW Army Cases of course) filled to beyond capacity with figs (as a matter of fact, I need another one really soon.)
Maybe I didn't get enough toys as a kid or something. Man, I make up for it now.
So when does this become an obsession?
Honestly, I don't know.
I don't really sacrifice on groceries for figs or anything. I drop maybe $100 a month on something Warhammer or Warhammer-related. Easy. Consistently. I can guarantee that every bonus check and tax return gets exchanged for whole army boxed sets every time, for the past maybe 7-8 years...and that is on top of the usual budget.
Maybe it's an addiction?
That doesn't sound healthy either.
My hobby is an important part of my life. I have my work, and my family life. I have my health and my hobby. I think of life in terms of a table with 4 legs: you have to support all of them, or else the table falls down.
My hobby is my piece of mind. It keeps me happy in the face of a hard day at work, horrific news stories and a never-ending pile of bills I have to pay. When I get done with all of those, I rely on my hobby to let me relax and get away from it for a while.
Thankfully, I have a wonderful wife who not only supports my hobby, but she participates too! She's an avid painter and player as well.
I think my Warhammer Hobby is like breakfast cereal "part of a well balanced...life".
I think if more people could have a hobby they enjoyed, and dedicated a small portion of their day to it, there would be far less stress (and stress-related accidents/ incidents).
Until that day, I can thank Jervis Johnson, Gav Thorpe, Dan Abnett, Jes Goodwin and all the other folks at GW for being my crack peddler.
Now I've got to go...I got minis primed and awaiting paint!
Sunday, July 22, 2007
[WFRP] Sunday July 22, 2007 *RECAP*
Setting: Old World, Empire, Nordland-Middenland Border Village. 2323 (the summer after the Storm of Chaos)
==================================
A small regiment marches in to town in the early-morning rain while prisoners are rousted from the rolling cage they have ridden in for the past week.
A young Tilean nobleman wakes to the noise, leaving the local Lord's daughter in bed. Distracted by the scene below. he is surprised when there is a knock at the door: the local constable with a warrant for the arrest of the aforesaid nobleman...for charges wholly made up. The constable offers the nobleman a way out, by talking to the Captain downstairs.
Given the choice of a long drop and a short stop...and a quick commission as Lieutenant in the Regiment, the nobleman happily joins the regiment.
Outside, the prisoners are dragged out to the gibbet for a hanging.
A grizzled regimental commander steps forward and inquires to the charges. It's explained that the prisoners are to be hanged, The commander goes inside briefly, and returns, after one prisoner is slowly hanged to death.
When the second prisoner is set up to hang, he offers the alternative of a trial by combat...being the astute student of law he is. The bailiff and his bodyguard aren't interested, and the bodyguard foolishly attempts to attack the commander...who swiftly dispatches him. The woman in the gibbet is given the option of swinging or becoming his squire...she choses squiredom (and is given a sword to clean). The remainder are given the opportunity to volunteer for the regiment, they all accept.
The young priest goes through the town gathering likely candidates for conscription. He gets permission to volunteer from the senior priest.
The Captain, having gathered "volunteers" from the prisoners, takes on the Warrior Priest and dismisses the locals as the levy is sufficiently filled. Everyone is billeted and given food and a warm, dry place for the night. Time is spent getting to know the other members of the Regiment.
Pre-dawn the regiment wakes and prepares to move out. They are fed gruel and they leave at sunrise.
Perhaps half an hour after leaving, possibly a couple ridgelines away, they start to hear the drumming. Very soon thereafter the first wave of goblins come charging in through the thick fog.
A heated battle ensued: mobs of goblins swarm the side, some units crumbling under the waves of green flesh. The militia unit, lead by the newly commissioned young nobleman were hanging on when a horse, thrown by a troll crashes through the middle of the unit, killing several, and wounding several more: the unit starts to break.
The nobleman, barely able to control the shaken unit is helped by the appearance of the Warrior-Priest. Several goblins are mowed down, and the young pit-fighter Hans siezes the initiative and charges forwards, carving a swathe through the greenskins. Alphonso the Tilean Noble gathers up the men and charges forward. The goblins break and run.
This causes something off in the fog to become enraged, swatting goblins aside. Charging in, with a roaring Waaaagh, the Orc Warboss countercharges.
The Warrior Priest, calling on Sigmar strides forward, swatting aside goblins as the Orc Chieftain charges headfirst in to the few remaining men. Hans, seeing the sole charging enemy steps in and swung his mighty greatsword, catching the orc in the face, nearly cutting off his massive lower jaw, staggering the beast.
Seizing the initiative, Alphonso and the Warrior-Priest close in and quickly finish off the Orc Warboss. The Goblins break and rout from the area.
Meanwhile, the young squire and the Captain Dieter, the grizzled warrior charge the Troll. Abbie, the squire, is stunned by the sight and freezes. The captain and the troll battle away. The captain is eventually swatted away, and Abbie steps forward, suddenly freed from her paralysis...slashing the troll in the face, taking an eye in retribution.
Abbie helps drag off Captain Dieter, and the unit is called to rally.
The drums are still beating off in the distance, and the unit rushes back to the village to witness a scene of carnage: Chaos Marauders and warbeasts raiding the town. Survivors are noticed slipping off to a trail to the west, and a small band of troops go to intercept them.
Upon meeting up with the refugees, they find that the marauders are after artifacts from an ancient tomb nearby. Getting there first they find a beautiful dwarven axe and a book of demonology. They grabs the items and rush back to the regiment.
Unable to save the town, they take the refugees and leave as fast as possible. Captain Dieter falls to a strange glowing spear which strikes him from behind, piercing his upper chest, and his subsequent fall off the precipice.
Meanwhile, the troll returns. Following the smell of spilled blood, the troll charges after the column. The dwarf-slayer, holding the recently found axe charges off to find his death...aided by the young pit-fighter Hans. The dwarf and Hans massacre the troll, and return to the column... heading away from the carnage and towards the next village.
================================
Hopefully everyone enjoyed the session. I was a bit clunky as I haven't run in a while, and certain absences/ and returns.
Next session in two weeks. August 5th, 12 Noon, at The Last Square.
==================================
A small regiment marches in to town in the early-morning rain while prisoners are rousted from the rolling cage they have ridden in for the past week.
A young Tilean nobleman wakes to the noise, leaving the local Lord's daughter in bed. Distracted by the scene below. he is surprised when there is a knock at the door: the local constable with a warrant for the arrest of the aforesaid nobleman...for charges wholly made up. The constable offers the nobleman a way out, by talking to the Captain downstairs.
Given the choice of a long drop and a short stop...and a quick commission as Lieutenant in the Regiment, the nobleman happily joins the regiment.
Outside, the prisoners are dragged out to the gibbet for a hanging.
A grizzled regimental commander steps forward and inquires to the charges. It's explained that the prisoners are to be hanged, The commander goes inside briefly, and returns, after one prisoner is slowly hanged to death.
When the second prisoner is set up to hang, he offers the alternative of a trial by combat...being the astute student of law he is. The bailiff and his bodyguard aren't interested, and the bodyguard foolishly attempts to attack the commander...who swiftly dispatches him. The woman in the gibbet is given the option of swinging or becoming his squire...she choses squiredom (and is given a sword to clean). The remainder are given the opportunity to volunteer for the regiment, they all accept.
The young priest goes through the town gathering likely candidates for conscription. He gets permission to volunteer from the senior priest.
The Captain, having gathered "volunteers" from the prisoners, takes on the Warrior Priest and dismisses the locals as the levy is sufficiently filled. Everyone is billeted and given food and a warm, dry place for the night. Time is spent getting to know the other members of the Regiment.
Pre-dawn the regiment wakes and prepares to move out. They are fed gruel and they leave at sunrise.
Perhaps half an hour after leaving, possibly a couple ridgelines away, they start to hear the drumming. Very soon thereafter the first wave of goblins come charging in through the thick fog.
A heated battle ensued: mobs of goblins swarm the side, some units crumbling under the waves of green flesh. The militia unit, lead by the newly commissioned young nobleman were hanging on when a horse, thrown by a troll crashes through the middle of the unit, killing several, and wounding several more: the unit starts to break.
The nobleman, barely able to control the shaken unit is helped by the appearance of the Warrior-Priest. Several goblins are mowed down, and the young pit-fighter Hans siezes the initiative and charges forwards, carving a swathe through the greenskins. Alphonso the Tilean Noble gathers up the men and charges forward. The goblins break and run.
This causes something off in the fog to become enraged, swatting goblins aside. Charging in, with a roaring Waaaagh, the Orc Warboss countercharges.
The Warrior Priest, calling on Sigmar strides forward, swatting aside goblins as the Orc Chieftain charges headfirst in to the few remaining men. Hans, seeing the sole charging enemy steps in and swung his mighty greatsword, catching the orc in the face, nearly cutting off his massive lower jaw, staggering the beast.
Seizing the initiative, Alphonso and the Warrior-Priest close in and quickly finish off the Orc Warboss. The Goblins break and rout from the area.
Meanwhile, the young squire and the Captain Dieter, the grizzled warrior charge the Troll. Abbie, the squire, is stunned by the sight and freezes. The captain and the troll battle away. The captain is eventually swatted away, and Abbie steps forward, suddenly freed from her paralysis...slashing the troll in the face, taking an eye in retribution.
Abbie helps drag off Captain Dieter, and the unit is called to rally.
The drums are still beating off in the distance, and the unit rushes back to the village to witness a scene of carnage: Chaos Marauders and warbeasts raiding the town. Survivors are noticed slipping off to a trail to the west, and a small band of troops go to intercept them.
Upon meeting up with the refugees, they find that the marauders are after artifacts from an ancient tomb nearby. Getting there first they find a beautiful dwarven axe and a book of demonology. They grabs the items and rush back to the regiment.
Unable to save the town, they take the refugees and leave as fast as possible. Captain Dieter falls to a strange glowing spear which strikes him from behind, piercing his upper chest, and his subsequent fall off the precipice.
Meanwhile, the troll returns. Following the smell of spilled blood, the troll charges after the column. The dwarf-slayer, holding the recently found axe charges off to find his death...aided by the young pit-fighter Hans. The dwarf and Hans massacre the troll, and return to the column... heading away from the carnage and towards the next village.
================================
Hopefully everyone enjoyed the session. I was a bit clunky as I haven't run in a while, and certain absences/ and returns.
Next session in two weeks. August 5th, 12 Noon, at The Last Square.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay
Pretty stoked about the upcoming game. Got a truckload of players anxious to play, and I think it's going to be a hit!
I have a nice balance of PCs, I have a whole heaping bucketload of reference material and cool NPCs to work with, and a set of antagonists I can adjust to fit whatever the PCs decide to do.
The men are starting off in a small town on the Middenland/ Nordland border. A regiment has been assembled under a loyal Lord of the Empire to travel through the land, assemble troops through conscription, and march through Nordland and in to Ostland to recover lands lost during the Storm of Chaos.
They will find these lost villages and towns, fight any occupying forces and/or other beasties keeping the refugees from returning home. The taint of Chaos must be purged from the lands if evidence of such infiltration is present...so many places will be put to the torch and cleansed.
Many of the conscripts are former convicts, peasants and mercenary thugs. In time the regiment will grow, but as each town and village is reclaimed in the name of The Emperor Karl Franz and Holy Sigmar, a small garrison will be left behind to help ensure law and order remain. Obviously the most disciplined and most trustworthy troops will be left behind, while the more unruly, wild and undisciplined troops will stay on in the Regiment until deemed appropriate for them to leave.
This is going to be fun. Boy have I got some surprises for them!
I have a nice balance of PCs, I have a whole heaping bucketload of reference material and cool NPCs to work with, and a set of antagonists I can adjust to fit whatever the PCs decide to do.
The men are starting off in a small town on the Middenland/ Nordland border. A regiment has been assembled under a loyal Lord of the Empire to travel through the land, assemble troops through conscription, and march through Nordland and in to Ostland to recover lands lost during the Storm of Chaos.
They will find these lost villages and towns, fight any occupying forces and/or other beasties keeping the refugees from returning home. The taint of Chaos must be purged from the lands if evidence of such infiltration is present...so many places will be put to the torch and cleansed.
Many of the conscripts are former convicts, peasants and mercenary thugs. In time the regiment will grow, but as each town and village is reclaimed in the name of The Emperor Karl Franz and Holy Sigmar, a small garrison will be left behind to help ensure law and order remain. Obviously the most disciplined and most trustworthy troops will be left behind, while the more unruly, wild and undisciplined troops will stay on in the Regiment until deemed appropriate for them to leave.
This is going to be fun. Boy have I got some surprises for them!
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Updatey...
So yeah...remiss...again.
Been working a bit, doing some fill-in IT work.
Starting to paint minis again, getting some work done on my Empire guys. I'm way out of practice.
I'm starting a WFRP game on Sundays this week. Gives me another reason to buy a few more minis to assemble and paint (like I really needed any). Picked up some Chaos Warriors just so I could have some bad guys for the game. Been reading up on Black Library/ Warhammer Fantasy novels lately. Enjoyed the hell out of the Konrad series and started on Tales from the Old World. Read the first story, of a Bretonnian Questing Knight. I accidently picked up Guardians of the Forest, and realized..."DUDE! This is the same character!". Very cool.
BTW, if you haven't seen the Transformers yet...drop what you are doing...step away from the computer and get to the theater...NOW. GO NOW...it's really pretty goddam good. When Peter Cullen says "I am Optimus Prime" you'll likely pee a little. It's that cool.
I've become addicted to MySpace. Pathetic? Yes. It is.
Part of why I haven't posted here lately. I've been keeping this, MySpace and LiveJournal all updated and really, I'm doing a lousy job of it.
Been working a bit, doing some fill-in IT work.
Starting to paint minis again, getting some work done on my Empire guys. I'm way out of practice.
 |
| Hochlander |
I'm starting a WFRP game on Sundays this week. Gives me another reason to buy a few more minis to assemble and paint (like I really needed any). Picked up some Chaos Warriors just so I could have some bad guys for the game. Been reading up on Black Library/ Warhammer Fantasy novels lately. Enjoyed the hell out of the Konrad series and started on Tales from the Old World. Read the first story, of a Bretonnian Questing Knight. I accidently picked up Guardians of the Forest, and realized..."DUDE! This is the same character!". Very cool.
BTW, if you haven't seen the Transformers yet...drop what you are doing...step away from the computer and get to the theater...NOW. GO NOW...it's really pretty goddam good. When Peter Cullen says "I am Optimus Prime" you'll likely pee a little. It's that cool.
I've become addicted to MySpace. Pathetic? Yes. It is.
Part of why I haven't posted here lately. I've been keeping this, MySpace and LiveJournal all updated and really, I'm doing a lousy job of it.
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