The character is a cleric equipped with a quarter staff and crossbow.
Apparently he is meant to be a healer, but has now become the captain of his own ship ......
Hopefully Snake-eyes will be happy with him.
Morts
Tuesday, 17 September 2019
Kell - Snake-eye's character
So in between a epic game of Eclipse and work I have managed to complete Snake-eye's character for the pirate RPG campaign that we occasionally manage to play - too much to do and too little time.
The character is a cleric equipped with a quarter staff and crossbow.
Apparently he is meant to be a healer, but has now become the captain of his own ship ......
Hopefully Snake-eyes will be happy with him.
Morts
The character is a cleric equipped with a quarter staff and crossbow.
Apparently he is meant to be a healer, but has now become the captain of his own ship ......
Hopefully Snake-eyes will be happy with him.
Morts
Sunday, 15 September 2019
Back to the table - Eclipse
The full collective got together to play Eclipse for the first time in 7 years!!!! Actually it was the first time playing for Snake-eyes on Sylon.
The set up was taking a bit ok time so DK, Sylon and myself helpfully went outside and played Kubb (a old Viking game) - the first game was a win to DK and Sylon, so I called on Steedo's boy to my side, reasoning that his youth and spatial awareness from years of academy football training would help to bring victory to me. Unfortunately the boy didn't knock a single pawn over .... And DK and Sylon won again. To save me from any further humiliation in garden games we went into play Eclipse.
So Eclipse is a classic 4X game, where you have to create an economic engine to paid for fleets, research and exploration ..... and battle! We all had the same race (humans) so a totally level playing field for us. I started and decided to explore - unfortunately I found an attacking ancient so binned it and effectively lost a move .... Steedo ran into the same problem and the others were either luckier or did some research.
The challenge of the game is to get an engine going so you can pay for expansion, research and ships - but there is never enough money as the more you expand the more it costs. Certainly the issue that Sylon, Steedo and myself had was that we couldn't get the orange planets which pay for you to expand more .... Snake-eyes strategy seemed to be one of avoiding contact with the other civilisations (coward). Sylon when on his usual (might not be ..... but he does seem to rush in sometimes) attack things before you have fully buffed up your ships with researched upgrades. DK did some exploration and the jammy git came across the "morph shield", which cost nothing to power up, gave -1 to hit, +2 initiative and regeneration .... Which when coupled with improved Hull made his cruisers almost unbeatable. DK also got his economic engine for the game running - allowing more research and building.
As the game progressed Sylon was eliminated, by the evil DK and his bloody super cruisers, Steedo was his usual weaselly self by stealing my systems while I was busy trying and failing to reduce DK's lead. Git. Snake-eyes was hiding in his own little part of the Galaxy. DK was busy just collecting systems.
TL - Early game, TR - Mid game, BL - my fleet going head to head with DK's super ships (I did manage to destroy one), BR - end game DK's ships and the treacherous Steedo's red ships in my space!
Final scores 40 for DK, 32 for Steedo, 24 for Snake-eyes and myself and 11 for Sylon.
The game played well but was rather long (2.30am finish), but this was partly due to Steedo knocking over a glass which then appeared to explode over the table and a brief discussion around Brexit. Hopefully we will play this again within 7 years, but there are a couple of things to think about are the player boards, which have lots on them and are easy to knock so you don't know what was where. The board does require a large table, as systems can go off in all sorts of directions. The catch up mechanism didn't seem to work in our game with himself and Sylon (eventually knocked out) out of the winning the game with at least a third to go. Finally the "morph" shields were just too powerful when coupled with extra hull and improved weapons. Sylon said online other groups had only allowed one or two of its options - but Steedo said he was going to get rid of it.
Morts
The set up was taking a bit ok time so DK, Sylon and myself helpfully went outside and played Kubb (a old Viking game) - the first game was a win to DK and Sylon, so I called on Steedo's boy to my side, reasoning that his youth and spatial awareness from years of academy football training would help to bring victory to me. Unfortunately the boy didn't knock a single pawn over .... And DK and Sylon won again. To save me from any further humiliation in garden games we went into play Eclipse.
So Eclipse is a classic 4X game, where you have to create an economic engine to paid for fleets, research and exploration ..... and battle! We all had the same race (humans) so a totally level playing field for us. I started and decided to explore - unfortunately I found an attacking ancient so binned it and effectively lost a move .... Steedo ran into the same problem and the others were either luckier or did some research.
The challenge of the game is to get an engine going so you can pay for expansion, research and ships - but there is never enough money as the more you expand the more it costs. Certainly the issue that Sylon, Steedo and myself had was that we couldn't get the orange planets which pay for you to expand more .... Snake-eyes strategy seemed to be one of avoiding contact with the other civilisations (coward). Sylon when on his usual (might not be ..... but he does seem to rush in sometimes) attack things before you have fully buffed up your ships with researched upgrades. DK did some exploration and the jammy git came across the "morph shield", which cost nothing to power up, gave -1 to hit, +2 initiative and regeneration .... Which when coupled with improved Hull made his cruisers almost unbeatable. DK also got his economic engine for the game running - allowing more research and building.
As the game progressed Sylon was eliminated, by the evil DK and his bloody super cruisers, Steedo was his usual weaselly self by stealing my systems while I was busy trying and failing to reduce DK's lead. Git. Snake-eyes was hiding in his own little part of the Galaxy. DK was busy just collecting systems.
TL - Early game, TR - Mid game, BL - my fleet going head to head with DK's super ships (I did manage to destroy one), BR - end game DK's ships and the treacherous Steedo's red ships in my space!
Final scores 40 for DK, 32 for Steedo, 24 for Snake-eyes and myself and 11 for Sylon.
The game played well but was rather long (2.30am finish), but this was partly due to Steedo knocking over a glass which then appeared to explode over the table and a brief discussion around Brexit. Hopefully we will play this again within 7 years, but there are a couple of things to think about are the player boards, which have lots on them and are easy to knock so you don't know what was where. The board does require a large table, as systems can go off in all sorts of directions. The catch up mechanism didn't seem to work in our game with himself and Sylon (eventually knocked out) out of the winning the game with at least a third to go. Finally the "morph" shields were just too powerful when coupled with extra hull and improved weapons. Sylon said online other groups had only allowed one or two of its options - but Steedo said he was going to get rid of it.
Morts
Monday, 9 September 2019
In between the chaos ........
I have been struggling to get much done with returning to work and the throughly fascinating goings on in Britain's Brexit Parliament - which is much better than the final series of Game of Thrones .... Lots of twists and turns. Would be more entertaining if it wasn't going to impact my future or more importantly my sproggs.
Anyway I managed to paint a couple more Intercessors to join my Space Marine Kill Team (just gives a few more choices).
Not a perfect match but not bad. Should have been working on the Skitarii Vanguards and those bloody barbarians ....
Hopefully a game at the weekend, so that should be fun.
Morts
Anyway I managed to paint a couple more Intercessors to join my Space Marine Kill Team (just gives a few more choices).
Not a perfect match but not bad. Should have been working on the Skitarii Vanguards and those bloody barbarians ....
Hopefully a game at the weekend, so that should be fun.
Morts
Saturday, 31 August 2019
Brexit - what a mess!
Brexit - my thoughts on a complete cock-up and a failure of politics and leaders (in the loosest sense of the word).
First up I voted remain and would vote remain again (or even better revoke article 50), so I accept that my points have some bias in that direction - but I think that some of my thoughts are valid and would hopefully get some people to consider their position.
General EU ponderings
The first point is that the EU is not a perfect organisation, there is plenty of pointless waste - moving the parliament every 6 months or so is bloody ridiculous and must be stopped! It needs reforming, but that is difficult from the outside.
There are people in there pushing the political union idea too far too fast - this is likely to blow up on their face. For national identity to solidify you need more than monetary union (that was pushed too fast by Kohl and Mitterrand back in the 80s) and the Ryder Cup team to support - people across Europe aren't ready for that yet!
As far as I can tell National Identity is mainly focused on language, see the difficulties it can cause in the Northern Ireland assembly and elsewhere) - Europe doesn't have a common one, but English is taught as a second language in many places (that might be useful in the future).
I don't see a political union for Europe in my lifetime (so at least another 40years I hope) and a European army - well not until NATO disappears - which could be when the USA decides it doesn't serve a purpose for them. So I see these issues as scare-mongering by Euro-sceptics (is that like project fear?).
On the Euro-sceptics I genuinely believe that these people have held the UK back in getting the best from the EU, as they have caused successive UK governments to have weak and easy to isolate negotiating positions. If you start from "No" and offer nothing to those sympathetic to your position, I would guess that is pretty easy to out manoeuvre . (I feel some irony here with BJ currently complaining about the weakening his position with MPs trying to block No-Deal - Ho hum).
Trade
Keeping it simple - you do most of your trade close to home. Yes I could travel to Yorkshire from Devon to do a weekly shop, but the transport costs and environmental costs make that a rather silly thing to do. Yes we can trade with any country across the globe, but the closest will be the easiest. Have you seen the postage costs to and from Australia? Also being part of a big gang helps when dealing with big countries which are very self interested in themselves (think USA and China).
Borders
As far as I can tell the problem with the UK's borders is self inflicted. Having recent travelled to a couple of EU countries I noticed the following - a border guard scanned my passport on the way in AND on the way out. So I was counted in and out - clever that. However on UK part of the journeys the I noticed that the UK border force didn't check as l left the UK only on my return - so we aren't counting them in and out, only in. And what a surprise we don't know who or how many people are here (a recent ONS report). This is a choice of the UK government not the EU.
The Referendum
Now I accept that 17.4 million voted to leave the EU for many differing reasons - but how to leave was not clear and certainly not a mandate for No-Deal. The main issue I have with the result of the referendum is how it is used and its validity.
It was an Advisory referendum (- this is important!), so can be ignored by Parliament, as the UK is a Parliamentary democracy. Especially in the light of events since the referendum, such as the failing pound and lack of investment, so leaving will hurt.
There was rule breaking by both the Leave campaigns - this is FACT and the verdict of the Courts - this would invalidate the result of the Referendum result if it was binding - this requiring another vote. I don't think you can keep banging on about the Invalid result, unless you think that Ben Johnson and Lance Armstrong should get their titles back for breaking the rules!
I also have a rather snarky point about the public not really very good at making big decisions and giving the example of Joe Dolce's "Shaddap You Face" your face keeping Ultravox's "Vienna" off the number one spot for three weeks ....) - but it probably doesn't help my argument, but I think is quite amusing.
The Prorogation
This does stink of a tactic to prevent Parliament doing its job of keeping the government honest and working for the best interests of the people (although with the electoral system in the UK it doesn't usually do that particularly well - bring on Proportional Representation so people's votes count wherever they live! Sorry off topic there). So hopefully Parliament will be able to over turn this ploy - but I am not sure with the ineptitude shown so far this year by parliamentarians it is just hope.
Summary
I suppose looking at the last 300 years of Britain's history we have been at our most successfully when we are part of a Europe wide alliance - Marlborough (holding back Louis XIV), Pitt (Seven Years War), Wellington (defeating Napoleon) and Churchill (defeating Nazism) and least successful alone - the American War of Independence.
Even England's Kings knew that being in Europe was vital, Agincourt, Crecy and Spurs weren't fought to have less influence in Europe. So I don't understand the logic of removing ourselves from the rule making in Europe and the EU, it seems counter to what our great leaders of the past knew - you have to be in Europe to get the most out of it.
Overall the EU isn't perfect and is in need of reform, but on balance it is better to be in the the club, influencing it rather than on the outside looking in. Trading freely with your neighbours, with whom you have a shared history. Also the risk to the Union is too great and imagine how hard it is to pick apart 300+ years of union with Scotland, when you look at the problems we have got trying to unpicking 40+ years with the EU - it will hurt and be bitter if Scotland goes.
My thoughts on the shambles on UK politics.
Morts
First up I voted remain and would vote remain again (or even better revoke article 50), so I accept that my points have some bias in that direction - but I think that some of my thoughts are valid and would hopefully get some people to consider their position.
General EU ponderings
The first point is that the EU is not a perfect organisation, there is plenty of pointless waste - moving the parliament every 6 months or so is bloody ridiculous and must be stopped! It needs reforming, but that is difficult from the outside.
There are people in there pushing the political union idea too far too fast - this is likely to blow up on their face. For national identity to solidify you need more than monetary union (that was pushed too fast by Kohl and Mitterrand back in the 80s) and the Ryder Cup team to support - people across Europe aren't ready for that yet!
As far as I can tell National Identity is mainly focused on language, see the difficulties it can cause in the Northern Ireland assembly and elsewhere) - Europe doesn't have a common one, but English is taught as a second language in many places (that might be useful in the future).
I don't see a political union for Europe in my lifetime (so at least another 40years I hope) and a European army - well not until NATO disappears - which could be when the USA decides it doesn't serve a purpose for them. So I see these issues as scare-mongering by Euro-sceptics (is that like project fear?).
On the Euro-sceptics I genuinely believe that these people have held the UK back in getting the best from the EU, as they have caused successive UK governments to have weak and easy to isolate negotiating positions. If you start from "No" and offer nothing to those sympathetic to your position, I would guess that is pretty easy to out manoeuvre . (I feel some irony here with BJ currently complaining about the weakening his position with MPs trying to block No-Deal - Ho hum).
Trade
Keeping it simple - you do most of your trade close to home. Yes I could travel to Yorkshire from Devon to do a weekly shop, but the transport costs and environmental costs make that a rather silly thing to do. Yes we can trade with any country across the globe, but the closest will be the easiest. Have you seen the postage costs to and from Australia? Also being part of a big gang helps when dealing with big countries which are very self interested in themselves (think USA and China).
Borders
As far as I can tell the problem with the UK's borders is self inflicted. Having recent travelled to a couple of EU countries I noticed the following - a border guard scanned my passport on the way in AND on the way out. So I was counted in and out - clever that. However on UK part of the journeys the I noticed that the UK border force didn't check as l left the UK only on my return - so we aren't counting them in and out, only in. And what a surprise we don't know who or how many people are here (a recent ONS report). This is a choice of the UK government not the EU.
The Referendum
Now I accept that 17.4 million voted to leave the EU for many differing reasons - but how to leave was not clear and certainly not a mandate for No-Deal. The main issue I have with the result of the referendum is how it is used and its validity.
It was an Advisory referendum (- this is important!), so can be ignored by Parliament, as the UK is a Parliamentary democracy. Especially in the light of events since the referendum, such as the failing pound and lack of investment, so leaving will hurt.
There was rule breaking by both the Leave campaigns - this is FACT and the verdict of the Courts - this would invalidate the result of the Referendum result if it was binding - this requiring another vote. I don't think you can keep banging on about the Invalid result, unless you think that Ben Johnson and Lance Armstrong should get their titles back for breaking the rules!
I also have a rather snarky point about the public not really very good at making big decisions and giving the example of Joe Dolce's "Shaddap You Face" your face keeping Ultravox's "Vienna" off the number one spot for three weeks ....) - but it probably doesn't help my argument, but I think is quite amusing.
The Prorogation
This does stink of a tactic to prevent Parliament doing its job of keeping the government honest and working for the best interests of the people (although with the electoral system in the UK it doesn't usually do that particularly well - bring on Proportional Representation so people's votes count wherever they live! Sorry off topic there). So hopefully Parliament will be able to over turn this ploy - but I am not sure with the ineptitude shown so far this year by parliamentarians it is just hope.
Summary
I suppose looking at the last 300 years of Britain's history we have been at our most successfully when we are part of a Europe wide alliance - Marlborough (holding back Louis XIV), Pitt (Seven Years War), Wellington (defeating Napoleon) and Churchill (defeating Nazism) and least successful alone - the American War of Independence.
Even England's Kings knew that being in Europe was vital, Agincourt, Crecy and Spurs weren't fought to have less influence in Europe. So I don't understand the logic of removing ourselves from the rule making in Europe and the EU, it seems counter to what our great leaders of the past knew - you have to be in Europe to get the most out of it.
Overall the EU isn't perfect and is in need of reform, but on balance it is better to be in the the club, influencing it rather than on the outside looking in. Trading freely with your neighbours, with whom you have a shared history. Also the risk to the Union is too great and imagine how hard it is to pick apart 300+ years of union with Scotland, when you look at the problems we have got trying to unpicking 40+ years with the EU - it will hurt and be bitter if Scotland goes.
My thoughts on the shambles on UK politics.
Morts
Thursday, 29 August 2019
Been away travelling ......
So August saw the better half and myself doing a small European tour, by visiting Denmark and Italy.
Denmark meant meeting up with my brother and his family, drinking blackcurrant mead (11%), and losing to the girls at Kubb (a Viking throwing game - so good I bought a version to play in England).
The trip to Italy would be best described as a flying tour of Rome, to see the sights .....
The Colosseum - which is awesome. Well worth buying your timed entry ticket rather than queuing in the August heat. The place in mind boggling .... I wonder how much of what we build now will be around in 2000 years and have the power to inspire.
We also took in the Palatine Hill (the location of the palaces of the emperors) and the forum (location of the temples ....). There was just too much to see ... only so many columns to look at before they all look the same). Among the pictures below are a temple towards the mouth of truth and Trajans forum.
Obviously a trip to Rome needs to take in the Trevi fountain and the Vatican - both amazing structures. We chose not to visit the Vatican museums due to the cost and time needed in line - perhaps another time (but being herded through the Cistene chapel with hundreds of others doesn't sound that appealing).
We also took in the Spainish Steps (which are steps - sorry they just didn't do it for me), the Pantheon - which did how the wow factor with its dome and Castel Sant'Angelo - or Hadrian's Mausoleum. If you visit Rome it is worth a trip here as you have panoramic views of the city and the other sights (as we did this as one of our last sites we were able to stand ticking off where we had been).
We were staying out of the city which was a pain in that we didn't see Rome at night - but we were only about a 19 minute walk from the park Aqua Claudia.
I have to say that the skill and engineering that went into this is more impressive than the Colosseum - a real wow!
Morts
Denmark meant meeting up with my brother and his family, drinking blackcurrant mead (11%), and losing to the girls at Kubb (a Viking throwing game - so good I bought a version to play in England).
The trip to Italy would be best described as a flying tour of Rome, to see the sights .....
The Colosseum - which is awesome. Well worth buying your timed entry ticket rather than queuing in the August heat. The place in mind boggling .... I wonder how much of what we build now will be around in 2000 years and have the power to inspire.
We also took in the Palatine Hill (the location of the palaces of the emperors) and the forum (location of the temples ....). There was just too much to see ... only so many columns to look at before they all look the same). Among the pictures below are a temple towards the mouth of truth and Trajans forum.
Obviously a trip to Rome needs to take in the Trevi fountain and the Vatican - both amazing structures. We chose not to visit the Vatican museums due to the cost and time needed in line - perhaps another time (but being herded through the Cistene chapel with hundreds of others doesn't sound that appealing).
We also took in the Spainish Steps (which are steps - sorry they just didn't do it for me), the Pantheon - which did how the wow factor with its dome and Castel Sant'Angelo - or Hadrian's Mausoleum. If you visit Rome it is worth a trip here as you have panoramic views of the city and the other sights (as we did this as one of our last sites we were able to stand ticking off where we had been).
We were staying out of the city which was a pain in that we didn't see Rome at night - but we were only about a 19 minute walk from the park Aqua Claudia.
I have to say that the skill and engineering that went into this is more impressive than the Colosseum - a real wow!
Morts
Wednesday, 7 August 2019
WIP - Skitarii Rangers and other things.
So I have managed to finish off the Skitarii Rangers and a Ruststalker for the Kill Team (apart from show varnish and grass/tuffs).
Pretty pleased with these - I did find them a bit of a fiddle to paint and am glad that I am not doing a 40k army with them ....
Still got 6 Vanguard to do - hopefully before the end of summer.
Also started this character, using bits from the frostgrave barbarians kit - Snake-eye's cleric/wizard for a game (RPG which I don't want to talk about), still got some filling to do and apparently he will be dressed in blue and white shades.
Recently picked up a couple more Intercessors for the Space Marine Kill Team, so they can have few more options (but not many).
Still on the painting table are the barbarians .... I must finish these soon.
Morts
Pretty pleased with these - I did find them a bit of a fiddle to paint and am glad that I am not doing a 40k army with them ....
Recently picked up a couple more Intercessors for the Space Marine Kill Team, so they can have few more options (but not many).
Still on the painting table are the barbarians .... I must finish these soon.
Morts
Wednesday, 31 July 2019
Kill Team - Skitarii started ... at last.
So I finish some buildings and thought what should I do next to avoid completing the barbarians ....
I looked at some old Rackham miniatures for Confrontation, even got as far as opening a blister pack and looking on the web for how a shield could/should be stuck on (still not completely sure), then thought Kill Team Skitarii need doing.
Now I have to say that these little blighters are a bit of a pain to assemble - as I don't have instructions, because they were picked up cheap off eBay - the legs and cloaks have to go together in a particular way. Having checked the web - some arms don't match with certain bodies. So on the whole a bit of a challenge - I went for numbers on the sprue close together, then stick them together - which seems to have worked. I have assembled them so they are basically the team from the starter set (I have the cards and want my life to be simple), with the exception that I have changed a Ranger for a Vanguard - so it is my team and I prefer the helmet to the hood. I have also paid over the odds (on eBay) for a Sicarian Ruststalker to add a little more melee punch to the team. Artists impression below - horrific looking thing.
But I didn't need or want 5 of them so an overpriced one will be heading to this team. God knows when they will be finished.
Morts
I looked at some old Rackham miniatures for Confrontation, even got as far as opening a blister pack and looking on the web for how a shield could/should be stuck on (still not completely sure), then thought Kill Team Skitarii need doing.
Now I have to say that these little blighters are a bit of a pain to assemble - as I don't have instructions, because they were picked up cheap off eBay - the legs and cloaks have to go together in a particular way. Having checked the web - some arms don't match with certain bodies. So on the whole a bit of a challenge - I went for numbers on the sprue close together, then stick them together - which seems to have worked. I have assembled them so they are basically the team from the starter set (I have the cards and want my life to be simple), with the exception that I have changed a Ranger for a Vanguard - so it is my team and I prefer the helmet to the hood. I have also paid over the odds (on eBay) for a Sicarian Ruststalker to add a little more melee punch to the team. Artists impression below - horrific looking thing.
But I didn't need or want 5 of them so an overpriced one will be heading to this team. God knows when they will be finished.
Morts
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