Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Almost there....
We are less than a week away from getting to see the second edition of Warmachine, known as WARMACHINE Mk II, for the first time. Privateer Press has set up a website for people to download the new rules and to leave the company feedback on the new system of rules. The website is fieldtest.privateerpress.com. The PDF that will be found their will contain the basic rules and statistics for all of the models in the game. In one week we can all start playing with the new rules and begin to actually make informed opinions about the new edition. It’s a shame that we will have to wait for eight months before we get to see the Hordes rules and armies. This is especially true for me because I’ve really loved my Hordes armies lately.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Games Workshop strikes again
I would like to premise this BLOG entry by stating that I am not a Privateer Press fanboy. In fact, I prefer the fluff and models produced by Games Workshop; it’s just too bad that the Company’s attitude and business practices stink (3 editions of 40k in eight years comes to mind). I guess their arrogance comes from to many years on top with very little competition. To a great extent it was this arrogance that forced me away from GW, no matter how much I liked their models (and all of their games besides the new 40k editions). When it came time for me to get back into miniature wargaming I looked else where to fill the gap left by the GW line of games. To a great extent, GW actually forced me into the waiting arms of Privateer Press. Like I said before, I prefer the look of GW miniatures but Privateer’s business model is very customer friendly and their games play much smoother than their GW counterparts.
Anyway, the whole point in this BLOG entry is really to talk about GW’s latest slap in the face to its fan base. I’ve discussed in a previous entry how much I liked the web-comic Turn Signals on a Land Raider (http://tsoalr.com/ ). This strip is an obvious parody of wargaming and of 40k in general. The creator of the strip wanted to publish a compilation of his first 500 or so strips, thus he tried to get permission from GW to publish the book. GW’s response was as follows:
“So, in the case of TSOALR we’ve been very happy to let you put your web comics up as a bit of fun. However, we can’t let you make money off of what you’re doing because of the legal precedent it could set. So, I’m afraid there’s just no way for us to allow you to sell TSOALR prints. I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news. It’s not that we don’t like what you do, it’s just that for various commercial reasons we’re unable to grant you permission to make commercial gain from what is, ultimately, selling GW-owned imagery.”
In other words GW is fine if you pimp their product for them but you should get nothing for you work. I would understand if TSOALR was actually breaking copy right law but it would actually be protected as a parody. The author could likely legally publish the compilation but in all likelihood he would have an expensive legal battle on his hand. Because of GW’s response TSOALR will soon end. I do not know if the website will soon come down as well, so I suggest if you want to check out this very entertaining comic you go check it out now at http://tsoalr.com/.
Anyway, the whole point in this BLOG entry is really to talk about GW’s latest slap in the face to its fan base. I’ve discussed in a previous entry how much I liked the web-comic Turn Signals on a Land Raider (http://tsoalr.com/ ). This strip is an obvious parody of wargaming and of 40k in general. The creator of the strip wanted to publish a compilation of his first 500 or so strips, thus he tried to get permission from GW to publish the book. GW’s response was as follows:
“So, in the case of TSOALR we’ve been very happy to let you put your web comics up as a bit of fun. However, we can’t let you make money off of what you’re doing because of the legal precedent it could set. So, I’m afraid there’s just no way for us to allow you to sell TSOALR prints. I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news. It’s not that we don’t like what you do, it’s just that for various commercial reasons we’re unable to grant you permission to make commercial gain from what is, ultimately, selling GW-owned imagery.”
In other words GW is fine if you pimp their product for them but you should get nothing for you work. I would understand if TSOALR was actually breaking copy right law but it would actually be protected as a parody. The author could likely legally publish the compilation but in all likelihood he would have an expensive legal battle on his hand. Because of GW’s response TSOALR will soon end. I do not know if the website will soon come down as well, so I suggest if you want to check out this very entertaining comic you go check it out now at http://tsoalr.com/.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Squirrel Genocide
I told you squirrels are evil. This is really why we see all of those dead squirrels in the middle of the road. (as seen on http://starwarsblog.starwars.com/ )
My weekend
This weekend just hasn’t gone as planed at all. Originally I had planned on getting a lot of painting done (the Gatormen Posse, Squad of Mannikins, Alten Ashley, and the GW hill) but here we are with the weekend almost over and I’ve only dry brushed one Gatorman (at least Jen did get a good base coat on the hill). Keep in mind it’s not like I’ve had a bad weekend, I just didn’t get any of my painting done.
Base Coat on the Hill
Saturday morning was spent playing games with my son. We mainly played video games (Guitar Hero World Tour, Battle Front, and Age of Empires with my father) but we did get in one board game, Battleball. This game is a very simple game that simulates a futuristic version of football. At http://www.boardgamegeek.com/ the game’s background is described as “Global football has moved beyond the restrictive rules of the US Football League. Physical enhancements have made the sport more intense and more deadly. Players have developed distinctive skills to overpower enemy players. Some are fast. Some are strong. All are out to eliminate their opponents.”
Like I said the mechanics of this game are extremely simple but my son loves it. Each game piece’s base color corresponds with the color of a dice that you roll to move and tackle. Each player takes turns moving one guy and trying to score a TD (or just trying to knock the other team of the field). First person to score twice wins. Every time I play this game I really want to play Blood Bowl (especially when you consider Battleball is just a watered down version of Blood Bowl). Unfortunately, my Blood Bowl game is in the very back of the closet of doom (i.e. the closet that is filled up to the roof with my family’s stuff). Anyway, during the first half of the game I knocked the boy’s whole team off the field and scored. After that the dice gods abandoned me. He quickly scored two Touchdowns without much effort.
Today I got ready to paint and then I decided (of course) that I would rather play a game of Hordes. After getting to Decks and Duels, the local shop, it was decided to play a large Circle versus Legion game (1500 points per side). Gilbert and I each fielded 750 points (I had to borrow some of his models) of Circle and John and Kristina each filled 750 points of Legion (Two fracking epic Thagroshs). It was a fun close game (even if the first three of our turns consisted of mowing down the 15 shredders that our opponents fielded... who fields that many little warbeast). Gil’s whole army except for his warlock was wiped out (partly because I was out of position) but then we got an assassination run off on John’s Thagrosh (now forever to be known as Goulash). That left almost all of my force plus Gil’s warlock against Kristina’s Thagrosh, a Shredder, and a Carnivean. So that’s now three straight wins for me with Baldur. Still undefeated Baby!!! What I really learned from this game is that Sentry Stone & Mannikins are absolutely awesome (especially against other Hordes armies).
Base Coat on the HillSaturday morning was spent playing games with my son. We mainly played video games (Guitar Hero World Tour, Battle Front, and Age of Empires with my father) but we did get in one board game, Battleball. This game is a very simple game that simulates a futuristic version of football. At http://www.boardgamegeek.com/ the game’s background is described as “Global football has moved beyond the restrictive rules of the US Football League. Physical enhancements have made the sport more intense and more deadly. Players have developed distinctive skills to overpower enemy players. Some are fast. Some are strong. All are out to eliminate their opponents.”
Like I said the mechanics of this game are extremely simple but my son loves it. Each game piece’s base color corresponds with the color of a dice that you roll to move and tackle. Each player takes turns moving one guy and trying to score a TD (or just trying to knock the other team of the field). First person to score twice wins. Every time I play this game I really want to play Blood Bowl (especially when you consider Battleball is just a watered down version of Blood Bowl). Unfortunately, my Blood Bowl game is in the very back of the closet of doom (i.e. the closet that is filled up to the roof with my family’s stuff). Anyway, during the first half of the game I knocked the boy’s whole team off the field and scored. After that the dice gods abandoned me. He quickly scored two Touchdowns without much effort.
Today I got ready to paint and then I decided (of course) that I would rather play a game of Hordes. After getting to Decks and Duels, the local shop, it was decided to play a large Circle versus Legion game (1500 points per side). Gilbert and I each fielded 750 points (I had to borrow some of his models) of Circle and John and Kristina each filled 750 points of Legion (Two fracking epic Thagroshs). It was a fun close game (even if the first three of our turns consisted of mowing down the 15 shredders that our opponents fielded... who fields that many little warbeast). Gil’s whole army except for his warlock was wiped out (partly because I was out of position) but then we got an assassination run off on John’s Thagrosh (now forever to be known as Goulash). That left almost all of my force plus Gil’s warlock against Kristina’s Thagrosh, a Shredder, and a Carnivean. So that’s now three straight wins for me with Baldur. Still undefeated Baby!!! What I really learned from this game is that Sentry Stone & Mannikins are absolutely awesome (especially against other Hordes armies).
Thursday, March 26, 2009
A short Circle update
My Circle army is coming along well. I’ve finished painting Baldur, a Woldwyrd, a Woldwarden, an unit of Shifting Stones, and a Sentry Stone with a full compliment of Mannikins. I also have a painted up a unit of Bog Trogs. I am now working on a unit of Gatormen and another Sentry Stone with a full compliment of Mannikins. I plan on buying another Woldwyrd and Krueger in the near future. No pictures as of yet (I forgot my camera when we gamed tonight) but I hope to add some soon (I personally think the army is turning out great).
So far I’ve won both of the two 500 point games that I’ve played. My first game was against Nate. He was playing a Darius list that was running 3 heavy jacks. I assassinated his caster on the third turn by using Mannikins to make forest and then useing Baldur’s Forest Walker ability to smack down Darius. Tonight I played John and his new Legion Thagrosh list. I assassinated Thagrosh on turn two. This occurred more because John messed up than any great skill on my part. He left Thagrosh with no focus on him and I shot him with a Woldwyrd and the finished him with a spell cast from the Woldwarden (it helped that I rolled really well).
So far I’ve won both of the two 500 point games that I’ve played. My first game was against Nate. He was playing a Darius list that was running 3 heavy jacks. I assassinated his caster on the third turn by using Mannikins to make forest and then useing Baldur’s Forest Walker ability to smack down Darius. Tonight I played John and his new Legion Thagrosh list. I assassinated Thagrosh on turn two. This occurred more because John messed up than any great skill on my part. He left Thagrosh with no focus on him and I shot him with a Woldwyrd and the finished him with a spell cast from the Woldwarden (it helped that I rolled really well).
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
D&D campaign overview
I’ve been putting a lot of thought into getting ready to continue our local D&D campaign. Unfortunately, I’m not sure that this is really a “continuation” because our last session about five months ago ended with a total party kill. I’m considering it a continuation because the new story line is going to deal with the repercussions of the failed mission. I came up with the idea for this setting to make it easier to use the large miniature collection that I have without having to think out to much why something was there.
In my D&D world I’ve taken the concept of “many points of light. Fighting off the darkness” and of portals leading to different plains to a new level. This world contains many portals that lead to different worlds altogether. These portals can be opened from either side but only sealed shut from the side that the PCs inhabit. Many of the inhabitants of this world grew tired of their world serving as a cosmic battle ground for other worlds and as a result a great crusade was fought to destroy or close most of these portals result long ago. Unfortunately, since the fall of the great Dragonborn Empire over six hundred years ago there has been no organized effort making sure that these portals remain close. As a result many of these portals are becoming active once more.
In the last adventures one of the PCs were on a holy quest to make sure that one of these portals remain closed. On they way to close the portal the PCs encountered missionaries from Protectorate of Menoth (had come through a portal but the PCs didn’t know that), killed off a tribe of Kobolds, and rescued some badly needed supplies for a small village. Unfortunately once the group entered the Dungeon the real trouble began. The first two or three encounters were relatively easy but then the party decided to make camp in a room with only one way in and one way out. Then at night they were attacked by a mob of hobgoblins that wiped out all but two party members (that’s 4 dead characters). These two guys only survived because they made a run for it while the Paladin held off the hobgoblins for 5 or so rounds.
So these two guys go back to town and round up a new party (along with some NPC help). This group made it all the way to the portal room but the group was pretty beat up by the time they reached there (keep in mind the party knew that they were up against a time limit before the portal was opened). They tried to stop the ritual but the party was too beat up and did not have enough time to accomplish their goal. Once the ritual was complete, the portal opened and an army of rat-men (yes Skaven) marched through. As the last of the players died he was able to collapse the exit to the dungeon (slowing the rat-men down but not stopping them). So that was 6 more dead characters for a total of 12 over about 5 sessions (I had killed two earlier).
Now the new game is going to pick up a few weeks after the last one ended so Skaven will slowly start to show up in great numbers. I guess we’ll just have to see what happens.
In my D&D world I’ve taken the concept of “many points of light. Fighting off the darkness” and of portals leading to different plains to a new level. This world contains many portals that lead to different worlds altogether. These portals can be opened from either side but only sealed shut from the side that the PCs inhabit. Many of the inhabitants of this world grew tired of their world serving as a cosmic battle ground for other worlds and as a result a great crusade was fought to destroy or close most of these portals result long ago. Unfortunately, since the fall of the great Dragonborn Empire over six hundred years ago there has been no organized effort making sure that these portals remain close. As a result many of these portals are becoming active once more.
In the last adventures one of the PCs were on a holy quest to make sure that one of these portals remain closed. On they way to close the portal the PCs encountered missionaries from Protectorate of Menoth (had come through a portal but the PCs didn’t know that), killed off a tribe of Kobolds, and rescued some badly needed supplies for a small village. Unfortunately once the group entered the Dungeon the real trouble began. The first two or three encounters were relatively easy but then the party decided to make camp in a room with only one way in and one way out. Then at night they were attacked by a mob of hobgoblins that wiped out all but two party members (that’s 4 dead characters). These two guys only survived because they made a run for it while the Paladin held off the hobgoblins for 5 or so rounds.
So these two guys go back to town and round up a new party (along with some NPC help). This group made it all the way to the portal room but the group was pretty beat up by the time they reached there (keep in mind the party knew that they were up against a time limit before the portal was opened). They tried to stop the ritual but the party was too beat up and did not have enough time to accomplish their goal. Once the ritual was complete, the portal opened and an army of rat-men (yes Skaven) marched through. As the last of the players died he was able to collapse the exit to the dungeon (slowing the rat-men down but not stopping them). So that was 6 more dead characters for a total of 12 over about 5 sessions (I had killed two earlier).
Now the new game is going to pick up a few weeks after the last one ended so Skaven will slowly start to show up in great numbers. I guess we’ll just have to see what happens.
Monday, March 23, 2009
POW! GW, right to the moon!
I would say that it is pretty common knowledge that I’ll take a sucker punch at Games Workshop whenever given an opportunity, so here’s a good one. Games Workshop has gone out of control with raising prices. Not only does a White Dwarf yearly subscription now officially cost you over a hundred dollars but now they are raising prices on stuff before it even hits the shelves. When the company announced the new Valkyrie model for the imperial guard many people were very excited, but then I saw the price of fifty dollars. Aaaa, 50 bucks for a transport (a cool looking transport but still a transport). Well, over the weekend the pre-order price on the official website was changed from $50 to $58. I really like this model but that price seems really steep (keep in mind when I first started playing Rhinos cost under $20). My guess would be someone realized that this would be a popular model so they decided that the company should squeeze a few more bucks out of people (Isn’t an Imperial guard army expensive enough). I think the Bell of Lost Souls website put it best when they said, “Is a price increase that occurs before the product ships really a price increase? Its almost a "one hand clapping" type of question...”
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