Something New, Something I'll Probably Regret And Last Year's Birthday Gift

 Hi all,

The last week has been a busy one, to the extent that I awoke this morning convinced that it was actually Wednesday.

That said, I did spend the weekend unpacking my latest acquisition, namely just shy of 1000 28mm Swiss and Burgundian minis, which, as I still need to get off my arse and buy the right boxes to house them in, they went straight onto the table, with the exception of the cavalry, which went straight to my studio to have the bendy lances replaced, along with new banners.

 Added to the 1200 Wars Of The Roses Models, currently with my painter of choice, it gives me a pretty good base for some good games.

I was asked yesterday, 'which battles are you collecting?'

Well, of course, getting a field in your bag is difficult, but I understood, and I pointed out that I don't generally 'do' refights. I prefer to have decent representations of armies of a given preiod, painted as the most attractive units involved. I mean, if you have a choice, you are not going to shell out on expensive metal toys and then have them painted in unattractive schemes, are you?

Whilst I respect and draw a direct line of descent from the original 'Hard Men' of wargaming with their suits, ties and sometimes OTT research, I have seen recreations of battles that whilst admirably well researched, just lack excitement visually. That's not for me...

I am happy to use authentic figures, on gorgeous terrain, with good friends and a sense of enthusiasm. As long as the ules give a period feel, and the models are deployed within the military thinking of the period in question, I am very happy.

Now, I make no secret that I was there in GW on the day Warhammer 40,000 was released, and I enjoyed the original version, with the wonderful 'Space Marine' designs.

I lost interest when it started to get too grim, it just didn't appeal to me. Later versions where it became firstly too crunchy and then so strealined and abstract, lost me.

Well, yesterday, a social media post  caught my eye, promoting the new 'Age Of Darkness' set from Games Workshop.

It's set in the 30K era during the Horus Heresy, the time of schism in the Emperor's legions, roughly based of course on the Roman Civil Wars. It's a hell of a package too with 40 standard marines, 10 Terminators, a dreadnough, 2 heroes and a bloody great tank. It also includes a 336 page hardback rulebook and play aids which hark back to the 90s.

 

 

The rules are roughly 7th edition, which I can handle, but what really caught me were the classic MkVI armour with 'beaky' helmets. Well I thought I'd have some of that, and pre-ordered 2 sets and the two codexes. What was I thinking?

Well, I am pretty pleased that I caught the post, because I have been having a nasty attack of sci-fi, what with the unreasonable number of historical models to enter the house this year. I may regret it, but what the hell...

And finally, fingers crossed, today will se the delivery at last of the 40th anniversary Call Of Cthulhu RPG, in the clasic white box version and packed with all the wonderful books which caught the eye of many a young gamer in the early 80s.

It was part of my birthday package from the Memsahib last year, and we also added a set for the son-in-law hoping that it'd arrive in time for Christmas, which of course it didn't.

But of course, the best things take time, and are worth the wait.

Well, the clock just struk 8AM, so I better sign off, and launch another working day.

TTFN