Wake Me Up When September Ends

It’s that time of year again, folks. September’s rolled around, and brought with it the start of a new academic year. Since I’m currently employed (for once) that means I’m teaching, and that means a dramatic drop in the levels of free time available. This year may be a particularly bad one, as the current gig’s location is Well Rural and imposes six hours of travelling time as a consequence.

That said, if I’ve worked my little routine out properly, I still have three hours of every weekday to call my own, plus weekends, minus the Saturday mornings I spend writing for the House of Paincakes. Good job, too, ’cause I’m actually quite fired up to play games at the moment.

The in-house RPG group is gradually sliding toward Greg Christopher’s Errant as game of choice, and the proposal of four-hour sessions on a Sunday afternoon has been met with cautious enthusiasm. (The original propsal of six-hour sessions was met with a rather emphatic negative, but four seems to be working as a compromise.) One of the group has rather more board-game, rolling-dice tendencies than is the usual wont of my players or myself, but – ever one to see a challenge and an opportunity where lesser men might see a problem and a ball-ache – I think I can work with this by cracking the miniatures out, and maybe drawing up some of those hex maps that I hear all the cool roleplayers use. I don’t mean running every single session as a game of Talisman or anything like that though. What I mean is using something like Hordes of the Things (on hex terrain to eliminate the mensuration and positioning tensions that emerged when I introduced one of these players to the LotR SBG a while back) to model the English Civil War I was on about last week.

Basically, the armchair-improv-theatre stuff would involve approaching and enlisting various Magicians, Paladins, Behemoths and other ‘special units’, which would then – along with the player characters themselves – be represented on a strategic-level hex map and positioned to halt an oncoming enemy force. Players would have to assign themselves, and troops, and significant NPCs/allied monsters, to strategic points, and battles could either be played out as wargames or simulated, Risk-fashion. I’d probably use 28mm scale models for the player characters and the very major NPCs, and 10mm for everything else.

10mm pieces like Kallistra’s are starting to hold an appeal for me anyway, for reasons that will make more sense once I’ve talked about what I did in my last few days of unemployment and what I plan to do with myself in the coming year. See, my newfangled commute takes me through Clapham, and therefore the Clapham Wargames Guild lies on my journey home.

This naturally means a renewed interest in the wargames I have models for. WFB remains popular at the club, and if I can persuade folks to play my preferred 1500 points I’m still cautiously in favour of that (I find the small game size limits some of the really bad craziness of which the game is capable – plus I have to be in bed by about ten on a work night). Some of the gentry are interested in Warmachine and Hordes, which means it’s demo time for me; I also want to get some practice in with the Skorne for the upcoming event calendar.

See, the Beasts from the East are my faction of choice for FQDIII in October; I’ll be one of the many, many people running Magnus and four Renegades if the next Dice and Decks event takes the form that’s being proposed (I’m thinking the Warlord running ‘Team Rocket’ of four Renegades and a Mule, plus Master Tormentor Morghoul running three big stompy Titans and light ‘beasts to go); and since SmogCon 2013 is positioned favourably in time and space (tickets on sale right after my first payday, event located on the way to Hark’s family at the start of half term), it’d be churlish of me not to go. Which has meant that I’ve been forcing myself to paint up the rest of my Skorne…

He’s turned out all right, really, although I’m becoming sicker and sicker of the studio scheme the more times I have to paint it. And that’s the problem, really; I have four Paingivers (which I’ve blatantly, totally phoned in, and which I will not insult your senses by showing to you), a Bronzeback (who should be fun) and a Razor Worm left to do, at the very least.

Basically, I’m sort of sick of painting anything but the most occasional model. It wouldn’t be so bad if I could just drybrush, ink, detail, DONE stuff in like I used to, but unfortunately I still don’t like looking at obviously-phoned-in stuff, and it’s putting me off adding new toys to any of my existing armies.

10mm may well offer me a way out. 10mm fantasy in particular; Warmaster, Hordes of the Things and Hordes and Heroes all offer a quick and cheerful infantry painting experience (they’re so tiny that there’s not much point in making an effort!) coupled with the odd ‘big’ individual piece that I can paint ‘properly’. These being individuals, I shouldn’t get sick of them – right?

On the subject of small scales, I also have models for Dystopian Wars (thanks, Mr. Frontline!) sitting around waiting to have something done with them. On the subject of models lying around, there’s also the LaCroix family for Malifaux, who I painted up and then failed to do anything with since Pathfinder last year; and then there are my Iron Kingdoms RPG models gathering dust waiting for the rules to release later this month; and a few odds and sods from Mantic which came free for attending Live and Let Fly and which I might as well do something with at some stage.

There’s also the small matter of Return to Ravnica (the next Magic expansion) coming out this month and having some interesting duel decks that I want to play around with, and also the looming Mists of Pandaria release (although the intermittent and aggravating Internet connection in the Castle von Von mean that’s less and less likely to see the love). And I want to build a Blood Bowl team at some point. See? Loads to do, and rather limited time in which to do it, which is where this announcement comes in.

Over the next six months, I’ll have enough time to play some games, but maybe not enough to blog about doing so, and frankly I know which one I’d rather be doing. Lexington claims to be similarly busy with work and women and affairs related thereto, and Hark… well, not wanting to destroy the mystery too much, but Hark dictates her blog posts to me (she haaaates typing, you see), and so if I don’t have time to blog, neither does she, if you see what I mean.Point is, the update ‘schedule’ is going to be ‘as and when’ rather than ‘weekly’, or indeed anything with pretended regularity, although I’ll be keeping up appearances on the House of Paincakes as usual.

I can promise a list build and report post for FQD, as usual, and something about Errant once we’ve played it for a bit. If I try a brand new game I’ll try to say something intelligent about it. No more than that will be promised; if you’re desperate for a weekly drip-feed, try the House of Paincakes, Saturday lunchtime.

Much Ado About Not Blogging – WM Slow Grow, WoW RP, Dark Ages Vampire

Ahem.

So.

That promised ‘every three days’ schedule isn’t really working out, is it?

Let me explain, and then perhaps your ire will be cooled, a little. Not that it should go entirely unspent; content was promised you, and has been withheld, and certain dues must be paid and reparations made if that’s to be forgiven. I hope that comes to pass, in time.

The thing is, I moved house two months ago in order to get busy. Work was drying up, and if I were to continue the practices of eating food and living indoors (practices for which I confess a certain ingrained fondness, born out of habit as much as actual value), not to mention keeping Hark in Goblins and hair dye and whatever else she subsists on (tea and pastries, mostly, it seems), I had to seek out a fresh wellspring.

It hath been sought, and it hath gushed. I have written at least two dissertations’ worth of exemplary material for various bodies in the last two months; I have taught a young man half a century of social history in a week, amending the damage done to him by the professional neglect of others; I have regular invigilation work, and an evening class to teach.

I have also been playing games, shocking as this assertion may appear to you.

WM/H: A Nice Change

D’you know what I find interesting?

Everyone who commented here said swapping factions might be worth a go. Everyone who commented on TWF took it as read that I’d be sticking with my Cryx and offered advice for such. I don’t know what, if anything, that signifies, but it’s interesting nonetheless.

However, given that I’ve had the drabs for eighteen out of the thirty months I’ve been doing this blog thing for, a change is probably a good as a rest. Most of the Cryx are now resident with Mr Bandwagon, and his Mercs and Skorne (formerly known as my Skorne) are now with me. This state of affairs will continue until Live And Let Fly in three months’ time, and if neither of us hates the way things have turned out, will become permanent.

Here are a few lists I’m considering trying out. Still quite fond of Morghoul,for playability reasons as well as for all this. I had conveniently forgotten that I got a load of Mark I cards with these originally, never had one for Hexeris and had been subsisting on printouts from the starter set for all my battle box stuff. Will have to look into that.

System: Hordes
Faction: Morghoul – Big Game Hunters
Casters: 1/1
Points: 35/35
Tiers: 4
Master Tormentor Morghoul (*7pts)
* Cyclops Brute (5pts)
* Cyclops Savage (5pts)
* Titan Gladiator (7pts)
* Titan Gladiator (7pts)
Cataphract Arcuarii (Leader and 3 Grunts) (6pts)
Cataphract Arcuarii (Leader and 3 Grunts) (6pts)
Paingiver Beast Handlers (Leader and 3 Grunts) (2pts)
Paingiver Beast Handlers (Leader and 3 Grunts) (2pts)
Bloodrunner Master Tormentor (2pts)

System: Hordes
Faction: Skorne
Casters: 1/1
Points: 35/35
Lord Tyrant Hexeris (*6pts)
* Cyclops Brute (5pts)
* Cyclops Savage (5pts)
* Titan Gladiator (8pts)
* Titan Gladiator (8pts)
Cataphract Arcuarii (Leader and 5 Grunts) (9pts)
Paingiver Beast Handlers (Leader and 3 Grunts) (2pts)
Agonizer (2pts)
Orin Midwinter, Rogue Inquisitor (2pts)

Still messing about with the Mercs; I have the bits for most of these lists, though, so I’m likely to give them a try. Why not?

Also, you’ll doubtless have noticed that there’s a second author ’round these parts. Y’see, I am disconcertingly busy at this time of year anyway, even when I’m not moving house, and I would ideally like to remain disconcertingly busy (because that tends to mean that life is being lived, rent is being paid and fun is being had) after I’ve moved. It’s all part of the ‘less blogging about things, more DOING THINGS’ endeavour, you see.

However, I do want to keep the blog active and regular, like the bowels of a healthy elephant, rather than scatty and infrequent as it was in the early days. Lexington, bless him, has very kindly (with the minimum of devious manipulations on my part, and a poke from a moderately sharp stick at worst) agreed to join me for the duration, and will be taking over every third post to transmit his deviant thoughts and fancies down your word-reading organs.

ACHTUNG! – IMPERIAL LITERATURE! (ALSO eBay!)

Well hi-di-hi there. Got me a couple of announcements to announce.

Firstly, if you happen to be after some Cryx, Necron, Lizardmen or Empire models, you can buy some of mine on eBay. Don’t panic, I’m not quitting any games, I’m just selling off some surplus-to-requirements material.

Secondly, if you happen to enjoy my battle reports, or if you happen to be interested in my fiction, I have a Direction for you to follow.

My battle reports, and any fan-fiction I happen to produce in the future, will be living on this community of writers and generally righteous folk. It is at present a small community, but that’s where you lot come in. Go. Read. Join. Comment. Write. Most of you write things, and most of you are quite good at it. Get over there. There’s a button on the right of this post that’ll take you straight to my profile there, and from there, finding content should be easy.

Go. Read. Enjoy.

Return of the Revenge of the Bride of Old Stuff Day (From 20,000 Fathoms?)

Old Stuff Day has rolled around again, and if there’s one thing it’s made clear to me, it’s that I had too much time on my hands this time last year.

Anyway, here we are again, plunging elbow-deep into the foul brown dishwater of the past, rummaging around in a desperate search for the shiny silver spoons that we know are in there SOMEWHERE. I’ve got three, one for each year that the blog’s been going:

The first Meta Gaming post I did, everything within which still holds true. The more things change, the more they stay the same…

My first contact with WFB.8, in which presentiments of doom (and missing my Vampire Counts) are already stirring. I still haven’t decided how I feel about it.

And finally, a post about how I think RPG world-building should work, i.e. don’t weigh it down with encyclopaedic cruft and don’t be afraid to show your work.

Happy Old Stuff Day, folks!