I have just seen that the forthcoming 'Steel Warriors' wargames show in Sheffield, has had a 25% increase in traders in the last two days, bringing the grand total to a heady ten traders. It'll soon be as large as the Recon show at Pudsey if it can get another 15 or so... Exciting times. Under Fire Miniatures The Pit Gaming Shop Irregular Miniatures Void Scar Miniatures ABC Brushes Iron Gate Scenery Rapid Fire / Valiant Miniatures The Last Valley Phoenix Games Christopher Morris Books ...

 I'm 3 weeks into the working year and already the number of audio books I've gone through is quite astounding. It's been mostly 80s music memoirs with varying levels of entertainment: Trevor Horn's 'Adventures In Modern Recording' was one I'd looked forward to, but which was actually pretty boring. How can someone with the Trevor's 'chops' end up with such a bland memoir? 'Ticket To The World' by Martin Kemp was a surprisingly fun listen, with his tales of the Blitz Kids and his time in Spandau Ballet putting a different spin on the early to mid 80s. Finally, 'Electronically Yours' by Human League founder Martyn Ware was particularly interesting as it was set against the backdrop of my own home city and brought back many memories from my early years and teens. Witty, irreverent and sometimes a little bitchy. I then went on to listen to 'Nailing It' by U.S comedian Rich Hall, whose dry wit and pithy insights into the moder...

 I never thought I'd see something like this but, that time has come... A close and dear friend quipped that there should be one called 'Smell Of Masturbation & Failure' And speaking of which, I was looking at the trader list for the Steel Warriors show, which is now just over 2 months away, and it's as follows: Under Fire Miniatures The Pit Gaming Shop Irregular Miniatures Void Scar Miniatures ABC Brushes Iron Gate Scenery Rapid Fire / Valiant Miniatures The Last Valley Now, either there's not a lot of interest (there's been rumblings amongst the trade on social media, that's for sure) or they are doing exactly the same as they w...

      We have a gamer down... Andy Foster of Heresy Miniatures could do with a hand, folks... https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-me-afford-to-move-to-a-new-rented-house/donations?utm_campaign=m_pd+share-sheet&utm_content=undefined&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_term=undefined

 Well, it's been a busy week, which is a good thing of course. My Dark Eldar were delivered this week, and after a few minor repairs, they are ready to go. I have to say that they are very nice and the army is larger than it looked on paper. Here it is, popped on my table for the purposes of keeping it off the dining table, which, the memsahib says is for dining at. Sher madness, I know:

 I've been sitting with my second coffee of the day, watching a show on TV, where crafters are getting assistance in turning their hobby into a business.  And I have to say that I am amazed that it is reasonable to charge £50 for 4 coasters, created by using pouring mediums onto a pre-made wooden disc, and giving a flick or two with a cocktail stick in a fashion akin to the icing on a bakewell tart. This is reasonable, but people baulk at paying a miniature painter a living wage for long and genuinely hard days where I can guarantee from personal experience there is more skill and knowledge required. Now, don't get me wrong, I personally make a comfortable living, but were I to charge what my work is really worth as an artist and craftsman, I'd be very comfortable indeed. The problem is that the client only sees toy soldiers n their table, rather than the processes undertaken for one model alone, and the terrific outlay for tools and materials - assuming that the artist in...

 Well, I just combined both lots of Eldar on my table, and they do look the part...

 Opponents… Oh yeah, I bought a few Drukhari (Dark Eldar) to take on the Iyanden host. ‘A few’ is probably not the right way to describe them, but if I tell myself enough times... 2023 gaming spending now complete within the first 8 days of the year.

 Well, I'm rediscovering my interest in 40K, despite not having played it since 1st edition. I popped into town yesterday and because it was the easiest to reach, I went back to Element Games - you remember my last visit to try and get a paint set - to grab some rules, a codex and paints I needed for the day job. It didn't go well... We arrived just as the store was opening, having indulged in a traditional breakfast down a dingy alleyway - 'Sarnies', down an alley off High Street - and I was having flashbacks to the days in the early 80s when I was found sometimes in cold weather stuck to the glass of Games Workshop, but the person involved this time was probably 40 years old and frothing in a way that would make an old school Limpet blush. Inadvertently I exclaimed aloud , 'GEEKS!' causing the memsahib to both splutter with laughter and give me a look of censure. Anyway, I went to the counter and noted that there was no mention of the Warfront paint set they w...

 Good morning to you all, Well, as is my way, my mercurial ways have taken a hold and I've decided to do things differently this year; taking a different road, if you will.   I was reflecting as we travelled through the Peak District on Monday that the way the landscape changes is what makes it a thrill every time I see the same places. When we saw the literal end of a rainbow, it made me think about the rainbow which is my hobby/life.  As you know, I'd planned to cover another pike and shot based era this year, but on reflection, by doing so, I limit my potential for fun. That just wouldn't do would it? So, I decided to let my whims lead me, following a few simple guidelines: 1. The figures must be nicely painted 2. The figures must be at a reasonable price (by reasonable, I mean that the price must reflect the size, quality and manufaturer of an army, rather than being 'cheap'. It's about a holistic approach not penny  pinching) 3. The figures must appeal to m...