Kill Team & Memories

Over the weekend I played my first two games of Kill Team and enjoyed it quite a bit. There's a lot to like in the game. It was also great seeing old friends as well as meeting some new players. I'm looking forward to playing some more.

My 40k minis are all gone, and I have not yet painted my Meat Hating Robot Pirates -- and from the look of it, they're not very suited to proxy for anything in Kill Team. BUT, I did have something else, something old. My old Nurgle chaos cultists, which were built from old Skaven. I used them as proxies for the Genesteal Cult. Thus: Cheese-stealer Cultists. I just needed to paint two large aberrant (didn't get the second one completely finished... yet) and a model with a mining laser (old half finished jezzail conversion.)

I played two games, one against Eldar, the second against Tyranids. Opposite styles of play, and my Cheese-stealers were right about in the middle it seemed - not overwhelmingly good at close combat or shooting, but decent at each. So they did well.

I'm now looking into acquiring some legitimate Adeptus Mechanicus minis. (Though I may turn them into AdMech renegade meat hating robot pirates...)


In addition to playing a few games and visiting with friends, I rummaged through my friend Rich's collection and pulled out a few things to take home. I picked out some wormie things and some beat-up chaos knights, and a pair of old warriors. But the most important thing to me was to have one of his WWI planes. He's the reason I got into WWI aviation, both in terms of gaming and history. I chose an Albatros D.V -- my first love in planes of the period. I never had much luck with it, but I used this model many times over the years (decades!) in games of Blue Max & Canvas Eagles. It's a fine looking model of a fine looking plane. Maybe someday I will finish my own planes (currently stalled... haha) and play some more. Until then, I'll have this one out on display.

I couldn't pass this next one up...

The Grenadier giant on the right was on display in Rich's living room at both houses he had while I knew him. In the latter, he was on a hill facing a dwarf giant slayer (I should have looked for the dwarf so I could recreate the scene at home!) situated on a table beside the TV/entertainment center. He will obviously have a place of honor in my giant collection. If not for the memories, then possibly as the heaviest model I own! I'll need to find a spot for him in our family room.

I also picked out the second giant, on the left as well. It's based on a Larry Elmore painting, a print of which hung in Rich's game room alongside many others.


One final, totally unrelated item. I picked up this from the local craft store...

The Marienburgers need an airship. The basket will be replaced with a suitably sized armed & armored gondola.

Busy Week

It's been a busy week. I was on the road for work, the first time in a while. I worked my ass off so I would have time for a little personal time for a side trip to visit some missiles & spy planes.

I had been wanting to go back & spend more time at the Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson AFB, but my plans haven't panned out. But since I was in the neighborhood (I was working just a few miles away!) I managed a little side-trip before heading home.

 At this point, they've added an entirely new building, which was really cool as it offered a nice display of experimental, space, and presidential aircraft. They even offer walk-throughs of several generations of the latter. I may post more photos later.

Speaking of my trip, I was also working in the same strip of shops as a Games Workshop store. In spite of playing their games & painting their minis since the mid to late '80s, and even getting the grand tour of the Baltimore HQ, working a table at Games Day, etc. I've never been in an actual GW store. I felt like I should go in, but didn't really have any good reason to -- other than the "never been" excuse. But that turned out to be good enough. The store was nice, and the guy working there was friendly and helpful. In fact, I felt kind of bad not buying anything, since he answered a lot of my questions about their newer games.

Back home now, a bit tired and I ended up working on a pile of housework all day. But I just snuck off to the basement for a bit of painting time.

Finished the first of two High Elf Sky Cutters for a friend. Well, it still needs snow on the base. So, like 99% done. The other still needs a little work, but is mostly done.

I also painted five more of the hobbit goat knights. Six done, seven more to paint. Trying to come up with a name. Phillip's Lancers is the best I've got so far. (Woulds't thou like to charge deliciously?)

I'm getting anxious about finishing the High Elf commission, and these hobbit goat knights. The past few years I've enjoyed the March/Marsh and Big April themes. But at the rate my 2018 painting is going, these few high elf chariots and handful of hobbit knights will take me through the next month or two. Should I manage it, however, I will aim to paint the bog trolls in Marsh, and I have three BIG giants for April. (OK, one is half painted already -- a left-over from last year.)

And hey, look what arrived in the mail...

...I'll write down my initial impressions in a separate blog entry.