Baby, it's cold outside.

 Good morning to you all,

As I write, It's just after 4AM and I've been awake since 3. Talk about squeezing every drop out of conciousness...

Anyhow, I'm sitting here, bored, with the first coffee of the day, 4 of the 5 terriers who act as warders here at H.M.P Fackham Hall, listening to podcasts and trying to gather my thoughts.

We awoke yesterday to heavy snow, and much of it remains in patches like Nature's psoriasis on the tarmac and mist lurks in the Don Valley like an over zealous store detective in the perfume depatment of John Lewis - not that we have one in Sheffield anymore, but that's another story and rant about the modern world, and I just can't summon the enthusiasm.

Last night, we were so frazzled that we ordered a Chinese instead of the planned roast dinner and settled down with a now rare glass (yes, just one) of wine to watch the evergreen feelgood classic 'Home Alone'. Brook me no buts, it's a wonderful film, made more so when you watch the Netflix documentary on the making of the film. It's a masterpiece and I will hear not an ill word about the work of the late John Hughes.

As our plans for travels in the Peak District today have had to be changed, the first three days of our month-long holiday has been spent sorting through thousands of pre-slotta era Citadel miniatures. 

I confess that I found very little which I wanted to hang onto, but the 50 or so models I did decide to keep are fun, mainly a mix of demons elementals and a couple of other critters which I think would be useful, along with a LOT of metal dungeon furniture on top of that.

So, my wife and I spent two 13 hour days listing and selling the rest and I think that's what's caused the insomniac state. That and the fact that the bedroom internet radio is not registering the right time whilst the same model downstairs is fine and that screws with my logic circuits somewhat.

I'm winding down nicely into my Christmas holiday state however - known coloquially as 'X Time'  - and my thoughts are turning to what I really want to do gaming-wise, and as I outlined the other week, it's a finite list. I need to sort out my ECW and Samurai stuff for my painter of course but I find myself straining to find something else to do with my money other than I think that I might indulge myself in a recreation of the Lizardman army I built in my youth, now that the Tom Meier Troglodyte ranges are available once again from Ral Partha. My Dixon Samurai will do double service of course as historical and fantasy - a lethal army under original Warhammer - and Lizardmen are a perfect opponent for them, as they are stubborn enough to stand a chance when it gets up-close and personal.

My original army began after Games Workshop offered 12 figure units as their deal of the week in I guess 1984. Back then, a weekly deal was Blu-Tak'd to the top of the cash till on the 'Figure Bar; in the Sheffield branch, normally one or two figures at a knockdown price, but on this particular week, I lucked out and so began a love affair with a wonderful range.

I'd seen a few examples of the range in the Tabletop Heroes section of White Dwarf, painted in a lovely cornflower blue with orange underbellies and bronze armour. Of course, this was the scheme I used, with any Citadel Lizardmen being painted in dark green with orange bellies, for variety. The army grew fast and never lost a battle, but as was the way of all lead, they were sold on a Triples bring & buy when it was still held at the Victoria Hotel, with much derision being directed at me by Pete 'Greblord' Armstrong, who rightly pointed out that at the time I had a truly unique army. 

So, I may indulge myself in a new version, although the cost of replacing the Citadel elements of the army are eye watering, let me tell you.

It's odd how every Christmas, I listen to Jethro Tull's Christmas album, and then get a nasty itch for fantasy gaming and then, as the first snow falls, the urge to do something sci-fi takes me. Luckily I do already have some sci-fi on the go, along with a big box of painted stuff which arrived over a week ago from the U.S.

Looking ahead to the new year and the resumption of wargaming operations, I am not sure if I'll bother going to many shows. They have become the intellectual equivalent of thin watery gruel. I confess that I like a good bring and buy, if only to have a rummage, but even with that attraction, the quality of shows has slipped. Miserable faced re-sellers abound, and manufacturers seem to be restricted to the same few 'big box' faces who just want to push their latest plastic crap and 300 page hardback rule set at you. Where are the 'characters' in the hobby anymore? Where are the small manufacturers who actually enjoyed discussing their products with excited customers?

Uh oh... There I go, 'Mr Ranty'...

But you understand where I am coming at this from, the outlay to walk around a soulless cattle shed is considerable, and for that outlay I expect to be entertained, damn your eyes!

I remember regularly leaving a show at closing time, wanting more, having to go to friends homes or more usually having friends opile over to my parent's home for some 'after party' wind down action and debrief, comparing how we had spent our money and seeing who'd managed to make a sneaky purchase that would leave the others green with envy. 

The only time in the last decade that I have left a show, later than lunchtime, was at Fiasco, where Kayte and I were sitting in the cafe are, chatting to Roger's lady wife, while Roger and his thirdborn played games in the main hall. All very pleasant, but a rare occurrence.

I understand as well as anybody, the logistics of running a show, but look, if as an organiser, it;'s become a mechanical and cynical routine of extracting money from punters (remember Sheffield Triples?) perhaps it's time to hang up your gloves as it were and walk away from the ring. 

Those organisers who still have a zest and zeal for the hobby, do what you know and just do it well. Don't make changes for the sake of it, look at the trader mix rather than the booking deposits and put some thought into the quality of display games to avoid the risk of boring the arses off your paying customers - Remember, you are charging for a service, so fucking act like it!

So it may be that I just stay away from shows in future. I love them, but I'm afraid the drugs just ain't working for me no more, man. Game over man, GAME OVER!

TTFN