27 August 2012

Grillfest 2012

For the second time in a month, I played some WFB! That makes 5 games now in the past year... all within a few weeks time. I might be back, time permitting. This time it was with my newer gaming group, B.R.E.W.S. at the fifth annual Grillfest. As with previous years it was WFB (and grilling) during the morning & afternoon, and board games (and grilling) in the evening. WFB was played at 1600 points, I think we had 8 players. A few others couldn't make it til later, we probably had about twice as many people total. A couple of photos from early in the day, before everyone showed up:







We played three rounds. My games were against a witch hunter themed Empire army, mercenary Ogre Kingdoms, and fast (all skirmish or mounted) Dogs of War. Against all odds and thanks mostly to blind luck, I smashed all three opponents and ended up winning the first ever BREWS Cup, photographed below immediately after I got it, but before I had a chance to wash it and pour the beer directly in to it.





As part of the festivities, we have a painted miniature exchange. Bringing a painted figure to trade is part of the "admission price." I posted pics of my contribution previously. This year I came home with a beautiful undeadish conversion of the Archaon figure. My photo doesn't do it justice (I think I still need to work on better lighting.)





Later on, in the boardgame phase of the Grillfest, I got to play the light-hearted King of Tokyo and one of my favorites, Betrayal at the House on the Hill.

I haven't been around much. No time for gaming, record low interest in WFB the past year or so, etc. Plus a few of the other guys (and/or spouses) who aren't around as much showed up too. So it was good to just see everyone, BS about games and not-games alike. I don't get much free time or chances to play games or even just be social anymore... so it was a much needed break. I really need to get more of this sort of thing.



Coincidentally, but unrelated to the Grillfest, I also received one of the few new figures I've bought lately, in the mail on the same day. 

What is it? DemoBot! I have no game use for it, I just love the look of the figure & wanted to paint one up.

13 August 2012

TWA WFB 1500 points

Played a two round 1500 point event today with my old gaming group, Twinsburg Wargame Association. They were small & quick games. I was a bit rusty & had to ask more rule questions than I probably should have, but I think it went fairly smoothly for me.

Game 1 vs. Goblins




The game was pretty undecided at first. I thought I was screwed when, after eating the pump wagon and wolves, my elephants (demi-gryps in disguise...) got stuck in a combat with the giant where he rolled the "yell & bawl" result for several turns until I finally broke. My plan was to finish off the giant before the mangler squig could swing around behind me, but instead they got tied up, eventually failed a break test, fled and were run down/eaten by the giant squig(s).

In the center, speaking of squigs, I fought the unit of them with both my spear and greatswords. Eventually the flank unit of night goblins joined in, but broke and fled. The unti in the back panicked at some point, which took several/most of the goblin heroes off the battlefield. That was pretty much the end of the game.

On my left flank, the knignts with grand master, walked over the lone goblin hero and then battled it out with the trolls. I managed to cast Mindrazor on them at one point, which was fun but sort of a bit of overkill. I ended up winning after losing the elephants, but the rest of my army was in good shape compared to the competition.


Game 2, vs. VC


Next game was against the VC. It can be summed up with the single word "attrition," but that might neglect the roles that "grave guard" and "Empire deployment" played in aiding the vampire win.







Initial set up in the first pic, the second pic is about 2 turns into the game.

After discovering the woods were a "venom thicket" the greatswords went on a really bad detour that kept them from bringing their force to bear in any sort of coordinated way with the rest of the army. Perhaps I should have just sucked up the random casualties and continued through the woods.

I had limited ways of dealing with the wraiths, all of which failed initially. I ended up having to charge my IC knights (with grand master with a runefang) laterally between the two battle lines to finally fix the situation. But that left a major clusterfcuk in the center, in which the grave guard got to deal individually with, first, the IC knights & grand master, then the elephants, and finally the greatswords.

To my credit, in spite of my horrible deployment and maneuvers, I caused a lot of damage. Unfortunately the VC spellcasters could raise new troops even faster. So it was a losing battle most of the game. I even successfully cast Pit o Shades several times, but it did me little good.



I need to revise my list a bit for the 1600 point games at the upcoming Grillfest. A few things to consider and, of course, that extra 100 points.


08 August 2012

W-E Figure Exchange

For the past few years I've been participating in the Warhammer-Empire.com "Pleasant Surprises" figure exchange.

This year I jumped all over my exchange figure(s) pretty quickly. My recipient this year had a bit of a unique WFB Empire army. I tried to match his color scheme and basing as best as I could. His plog is here, if you want to see his army: http://warhammer-empire.com/theforum/index.php?topic=36470

(Hopefully he doesn't mind me using his photos, as they are much better quality than mine.)







It was fun to work on for a couple of reasons. One is that I've never painted an all white color scheme like yours. The other is that I haven't done a diorama style unit filler like that for Empire before.

I'm contemplating the option of basing my own figures mostly on 40x40 bases from now on, which would make little vignettes like the one above possible as part of my own collection.




07 August 2012

Empire Photos, Game Room Environmental Issues



I recently posted a pic of most of my painted Empire stuff. I've taken a few photos of some individual units, and may do some more in the future. For now, here are the greatswords and spearmen. Both are mixed troops (though mostly human) per my mercenary army theme.




Now that we've been in the house a few months, and I've been working (both job-work and a bit of occasional mini-painting) in the attic, I've started thinking about my hopes for a game room up here -- or at least a removable game table for a bit of gaming.

The problem I've discovered is environmental. There is one window, and it currently has a portable air conditioning unit in it. Most days the poor little guy (who I've nicknamed "The Little AC That Could") struggles just to keep the attic tolerable. Mornings and early afternoon are usually OK. By the time 4-5pm hits, it gets a bit... warm. 7-8pm is usually worse, and after that it starts getting a little better. That's with just me up here, a few fluorescent lights and the computer. Add a few more lights and either one or several opponents and I think it would get too uncomfortable in Summer. I'll have to see how Autumn and Winter go, but I suspect the latter will be chilly.

We did start to unpack a few more boxes. Mostly art and photos that are now hanging around the house. Not only does that clear up some of the attic space, but the house is finally starting to feel a bit more like a home.

02 August 2012

Army List Building and the Other Toys


Army List Building

I'm hoping to actually get two days of gaming in this month. Both will probably be mostly WFB. So, as I believed I previously mentioned, I picked up the 8th ed. Empire army book.

I've now sat down a half dozen times to try to create n army list.... and I just can't plow all the way through it. I think it's at least partially because of frustration due to the importance of list building in the game. Like, if I don't pick an optimized list, I'll end up bringing a pointy stick to a tank fight. I think it's also a bit of frustration at having to relearn the fine points of an army list for the same game yet again.

At any rate, I just closed the spreadsheet I use for list building yet again, and have no idea what I will use. I should just show up with a bunch of figures that look good on the table and improvise the army list as I go. ;)


The Other Toys

I've posted pics of my previous adventures in art toys (vinyl, scratch sculpted, etc.) before. A while ago I bought a limited edition resin toy, D.O.G. 1.0 that I had been watching before it even went on sale. I had an idea for a DIY custom that combines several of my interests/hobbies into one project. After I had started, there were still a few of the original SIY toys left, so I bought the last of them so I could try more than one variation.

At any rate, here's a photo of the original, plus a wok-in-progress shot of the first in my D.O.G.fighter series...



The colors/pattern are inspired by (and closely follows -- as best as one can on a robot dog turned biplane) a historical plane, hence the name. Roundels and other details forthcoming.