A Different Kind Of Work In Progress

Not exactly a miniature this one! However, I'm hoping that this end of the garden hideaway will provide some much needed extra hobby space. It's for work primarily, of course. I have a feeling though that at least a corner will be dedicated to the leisurely side of life. 

The Whole Age Of Sigmar 'No Points' Issue

I don't have any issue with the lack of points in Age of Sigmar. Others do.

Such people comment that this means the game lacks 'balance'. But do points systems necessarily mean balance? Is current 40k - most often the chosen comparator - balanced?

I read and enjoyed the following post, which, for BoLs of all places, gives quite a sensible view:

http://www.belloflostsouls.net/2015/07/age-of-sigmar-vs-40k-points-we-dont-need-no-stinking-points.html

I like current 40k. I use the codex FOCs to structure my hobby and I enjoy working within the framing they provide. However, I'd never say the 40k points system, FOCs, armies, and formations are happily balanced - they clearly aren't. What these things do allow for is easy and thematic army building and collecting. And if you like you can just go Unbound, which is also points based...

My position is simple. Does it make for an enjoyable game?

Enjoyable: a fun way to spend hobby/leisure time with friends, family, or even by myself.

Game: a structured pastime with some kind of internal coherency, process and/or objective, where enjoyment (see above) is derived from a shared understanding of approach, on a spectrum that includes cooperative, ultra-competative, and downright silly.

In short, points systems are helpful for building certain kinds of gaming experiences. They cannot guarantee balance, as that is always going to be contextual, and to remove that kind of context would lead to rendering most tabletop wargames into something quite different; something that wouldn't be anything like the games they are. Age of Sigmar, 40k, and the like, are neither Chess nor historical re-enactments.

With the kind of cooperation and shared vision I'd expect from the people I game with, the simple Age of Sigmar rules have enough in them to encourage and support endless enjoyable games (no one I know or would care to play with would turn up with ten giants etc. etc., unless we were playing that kind of scenario).

And that, surely, is the only point worth talking about.

Still Here, Just... You Know, Resting For A While.

Scenery Week Pt. 2, Going Old School With Plastic Cups And Boxes

I must've watched a lot of Blue Peter when I was a child, something that clearly instilled a spirit of creativity within me that has bubbled to the surface this week. Although none of these pieces involve the classic 'washing up bottle' they do draw on the same home-made ethos. Or perhaps home-bought, as all of these things come from IKEA, with the addition of things found-around-the-house, plenty of glue, and finally some metallic paint and washes. Here are a few 'before' and 'after' photos, though I should note that the 'afters' are still works in progress, as there's plenty more weathering to attend to.

From The Land Of Silly Hats To The Land Of Song, Via The Land Of Samba

Dear Sometime Readers and Accidental Tourists... things have been rather quite around here of late, mostly due to two factors that have been holding up progress on the Zoat domination of the universe.

Firstly, I'm in the final stages of a big project as part of my DPhil - they do expect you to work hard if you're an Oxford scholar!

Secondly, there's the small matter of this taking up all my evenings...

A summer in Cardiff begins next week when I will be snuggled up close to my miniatures (oh, and family, of course). The twisted plots of the merciless Zoats will not be so easily foiled! 

Hero Holders From Mechanical Horse, Or, Whose Wound Was It Anyway?

Hobby life is bubbling away mostly in my head at the moment so I thought I'd share some helpful looking gaming aids by a company called Mechanical Horse, which I came across on Facebook. They're called 'Hero Holders'. I think these look rather neat and they would certainly help with the 'what dice was representing his wounds?' problem.

Games Workshop's New Series Of Hobby Videos Are Really Rather Good

I really do not like the GW house-style of painting. It's just not my thing: too bright and spangly on the whole, often verging on the utterly uninspiring to a degree that puts me off new offerings. I can understand why Oldhammerers looking at the website would be additionally put off recent releases.

However, the new GW hobby videos are rather good. An amiable host with a friendly manner helps make them easily digestible. They also offer viewers plenty of close up views of new models from many angles. Yes, they are pretty much 'how to paint them as on the box', but it's good to see GW providing a good line in genuine hobby support once again and I hope that they continue to add to this line of step-by-steps guides. The advice on how to glue an Imperial Knight was really instructive, even to an old fart like me!

Here's Militarum Tempestus: Painting a Tempestor Scion (Part 1 of 2).

Genestealer Cult Valkyrie / Vendetta Gunship

Back with the Genestealer Cult today and here are a few WIP shots of my Valkyrie/Vendetta gunship. I've used the lascannons from a Land Raider conversion kit and fixed them onto the main hull so that it can act as either variant of the flyer. It was when I started working with this big kit that I realised that I needed to add a strong contrast colour into the mix. I went for the flame red ink (as discussed in earlier posts) and I'm extremely pleased with how it looks; to my eye it brings out the best in the greens and vice versa. Next up will be the WIP Baneblade. Progress is obviously slow... really slow... because I'm working on all the mech together, but - hey! - this is a real life hobby blog and I'm never going to be one of those guys who can finish a newly released kit over the weekend it hits the stores. As well as being Oldhammer affiliated I'm also Slow Hobby affiliated. If that's a thing. It should be.

The Far From Delicate Aroma Of Gaming

This has been doing the rounds on social media. I don't know who to credit for this, but let's just say that it's one for those well accustomed to the smell of vinegar and piss that wafts around all GW stores on a Saturday.

Wargaming Hobby Dictionary - A Gamers' Grimoire

I just came across a rather nice dictionary of wargaming hobby terms on the blog Wargaming Tradecraft - a gamers' grimoire if you will! It would be very useful for those new to the hobby and there's plenty there for the more experienced hobbyist to explore.

Here's the link: Wargaming Tradecraft: Wargaming Hobby Dictionary: Below is an alphabetical list of various terms you'll come across while hobbying, brief descriptions of them and links to articles ...

3D Printing, Toys, And Hints Towards The Future

A 3D printed action figure - from ToyArk

There's an interesting article in the Guardian today about 3D printing and toys. I repost it here in full because I think it hints at some interesting ramifications for the wargaming community. Principally this could be a way that the market leaders - e.g. GW, PP - choose to go, although I imagine plenty of resistance from a company that still depends on a high street and shopping mall presence. Also I wonder how it would influence the future of crowd funded projects - it would certainly cut out the manufacturing and shipping times, so maybe we'd see more adventurous or diverse projects (allowing of course for the limitations of home printing).

From the Guardian, 17th Feb 2014:

The prospect of children printing their own Transformers and My Little Pony toys is a step closer, after toy firm Hasbro revealed a partnership with 3D printing company 3D Systems. 

The two companies are working together to “co-develop and commercialise innovative play printers and platforms later this year” according to their announcement, which refers to the “entirety of Hasbro’s world-renowned brands” without mentioning specific details for the latter. 

“We believe 3D printing offers endless potential to bring incredible new play experiences for kids and we’re excited to work with 3D Systems, a recognised industry leader in this space,” said Hasbro’s president and chief executive Brian Goldner. 

It’s the latest high-profile partnership for 3D Systems, which sells a range of 3D printers and related services. In January, the company announced that it was working with The Hershey Company to explore the potential of 3D-printed chocolate, while also appointing musician Will.i.am as its “chief creative officer”. 

The new partnership is part of a wider interest in the potential for 3D printing and toys. Disney has developed software to turn animated characters into 3D-printed mechanical toys, for example, while British charity Kids Company worked with agency AMV BBDO and 3D printing firm Ultimaker on a pop-up shop in London printing toys for vulnerable children when visitors made a donation. 

British startup MakieLab has been making waves in the toy industry with its Makies dolls, which children design themselves using its website or app, before their parent orders the physical versions. 

“There will be plenty of emerging-tech types in toy companies saying this is part of the future, but as a big company it takes a long time to change course,” chief executive Alice Taylor told The Guardian in March 2013. 

Some large toy companies have since talked publicly about the challenges of adopting 3D printing. That June, Mattel told the Wall Street Journal that while its engineers used the technology to create prototype toys for brands including Barbie and Hot Wheels, it was steering clear of letting consumers print out their own toys for safety reasons. 

Lego press officer Roar Rude Trangbæk expressed similar sentiments inan interview with trade website 3D Printing Industry in December 2013. “Currently we do not see 3D printing as a viable replacement for the moulded LEGO elements of today due to the fact that we have very strict demands for the quality, durability and safety of our products,” said Trangbæk “3D printing does not currently live up to these requirements. In addition there is a high production cost involved, which currently does not make it commercially viable for us – except for prototyping purposes.”

3D printing technology is changing fast though, including the cost and quality of consumer printers. Hasbro’s partnership with 3D Systems – and the public commitment to release products later this year – indicates that it has taken a more optimistic view of the technology’s potential.

Darling, I Think We Should Decorate The Bathroom

Anyone else ever tried to do some sneaky quick spraying in the bathroom on a rainy day only to have the can go haywire and squirt all over the walls and floor? Or is it just my lucky day!

Games Workshop In Danger, OR, A Storm In A Teacup? What I Would Do (For What It's Worth)

There's a huge amount of chin scratching and pondering going on at the moment in the blogosphere about the future of Games Workshop, given their substantial dip in profits. So here's a very brief summary of what I would do if I was in charge:

• Increase the number of miniatures available in each box as a way of reducing prices across the whole range. This would include multiple unit boxes and by-on-mass deals.
• Employ real writers who would develop the narrative of the universe (both 40k and fantasy) and feed this into the development of the range [this idea was discussed recently with Andy Bartlett, who should take some credit]. This would make everything 'click', make it a true hobby once more, and bring gaming and collecting to the fore... as opposed to simply trying to sell bigger armies for bigger profit.
• Change the retail side of things so that the shops sell miniatures from other manufacturers, possibly (I'd say definitely) even other game systems. This would mean taking the big step to not being total dicks about the reality of other game systems and models existing out there! 

Well, there are just a few ideas jotted down during a lecture on cyber security, just because these things were on my mind today. Any thoughts? What might be more realistic? 

Happy New Hobby Year To All

Welcome one and all to the new hobby year. I trust you all have plenty of plans for the months ahead?

I myself have begun by tidying up the blog a little as it was rather cluttered. I hope you approve.

As for 2014 I have three simple resolutions:

1) More hobby in general. Now I'm more accustomed to my split living arrangements - and studying again - I'm going to get more modelling and painting done while in Oxford.

2) Regular gaming. Particularly with my brother, who has amassed a collection large enough to stock a small GW store. So I hope you'll see pictures of my armies against Marines and Eldar and Realm of Chaos battles with Khorne warbands. 

3) To GM and play RPGs. My regular Cardiff group should continue and I'll mostly play via Google hangouts or FaceTime. In Oxford I plan to take advantage of a willing gaming community among my cohort to launch a sandbox campaign in the latest edition of RuneQuest.

Let's have some fun :-)

Whatever Happened To The Marienburg Gazette? Or, The Obligatory 'I Aten't Dead' Post

Recently the Gazette made the move to a shared-home scheme in Cardiff and Oxford. This has led to a temporary halt in the production of hobby-related ramblings. 

Readers are assured that this was not the result of some dramatic life event, but due to the decision of the owner to send himself to boarding school (a sensible decision for a father of two young children), where he is pursuing a second doctorate in an attempt to make himself so over-qualified he will never be employable in any sensible context. Ever.

In an effort to become an 'ultra' of 'uber' geek, the more-than-adequately-qualified proprietor has decided to match his PhD in Sociology with a DPhil in Cyber Security. Friends and family were unable to comment as they were too busy holding their heads in their hands and sighing.

When questioned about the hobby hiatus, the so-called 'Davey' simply stated "I aten't dead", in what is believed to be an attempt at geek humour related to the Discworld series of fantasy novels. He then waved his hands vaguely and mumbled something about trying to work out a better "life-hobby balance" and some kind of return in the next few days. 

Grumpy Fish Says This Hobby Has Ups And Downs

Maybe it was the second anniversary, perhaps something else; either way I've been pondering rather a lot recently. I think it was something to do with getting ready to photograph all my collection that did it. 

I just suddenly realised the scale of the task in front of me to bring all my models to a level that I aspire too. That actual reality of sprue mountain turned model mountain. That made me put on the blogging breaks for a while, although I'm far more settled now and ready to be more positively reflective.

So nothing much more than a funny picture to share today - normal service to resume tomorrow :-)

Two Years

Thank you to all followers of and visitors to the Gazette over the last two years. Thank you for the comments, the encouragement, and the page views. It's great to be part of this online hobby and gaming community. 

In celebration, the second annual 'Climbing Sprue Mountain' begins tomorrow, where I review (and photograph) my whole collection, and potentially suffer an existential crisis over all the money and time that's been poured into this hobby.

Building New Hobbyists: Getting The Kids Painting

I was sad to miss the Oldhammer event this weekend, so I set about doing a few things to make up for it. The first was to spend some time letting my kids join in with my hobby. My son has painted a little before, but it was a first for my daughter, and we all took turns base coating some Chaos Space Marines. I was pretty impressed with the care and attention that they took - just look at the concentration on my daughter's face! I think that when I get the chance I may pick up a few new cheap models - I'm thinking Termagaunts - and see what they can do totally on their own (my son mostly, with a little guidance). Next weekend we'll try some basic gaming.

                   

                 

The Disappearing Pleasures Of GW Metal Miniatures, Or, Am I A Leadhead After All?

How many more times will I start a hobby session with one of these blister packs?

Here we have Morghur, Master of Skulls. Still available direct from GW in a soulless white box. I got mine from eBay of course.

Looking at this pack I realised that this is a disappearing pleasure - certainly where GW is concerned, and considering the way things are going across the market, one that will become scarce with all manufacturers sooner or later.

I decided to share the pleasure as best I could with my kids. My daughter was allowed to open the pack and 'check over' the components. On close inspection she seemed happy enough with them ;-)

Then I asked my son to mix together his first ever batch of greenstuff, which he did with gusto. In the meantime I primed up the super glue (by taking the lid off), and we then sat together and 'super-green-stuffed' the little blighter together. Excess greenstuff came in handy for creating additional tentacles of mutation around the base (Morghur is a powerful and twisted shaman).

And there you have it. Primed in white and with a light coating of a sepia ink wash, ready to be worked on during the coming cold winter nights. A really great and characterful model and an utter - yet unexpected - pleasure to work with white metal. Perhaps I'm more of a leadhead than I realised!

Storing Paints In A KR MultiCase: The Ideal Solution For A Nomadic Splatterer

It seems that I've found an ideal solution for my nomadic painting lifestyle and I didn't have to look too far away - in fact, only as far as my excellent local games store, Firestorm Games. Yesterday I picked up a basic KR MultiCase and my paints have a new home that can easily travel around with me: around the house, to the in-laws, and to my new digs in Oxford (I'll be living there during the week from early October).

Here's how they fit:

Only a little modification required in order to fit the larger bottles - for these I simply slit down the dividers, taking care not to dislodge them completely, thereby creating larger sections. Simple stuff and really effective. Now I just need to demonstrate self control and not buy more paints...!