Last night, I finished the final 12 figures for the first of my 15mm sci-fi forces:       I want to thank those of you who have commented on my ongoing projects in the last few weeks. I paint for a living - full time for the last 16 years - so for me painting is a job and not simething I do for personal pleasure. It's quite clinical as I have a very specific worth ethic (as my clients would, I think, confirm) and so, my own stuff has been sent to a part time leisure painter since 2020, as after a 45 hour week under 4 lighting rigs, hunched over like Quasimodo, I generally want to go out into the countryside and fine a nice restaurant or go to the theatre at weekends. My own requirements are clean, neat and above all, what I would call '80s style' paint jobs and my painter does them very well, working as he has through about 10000 28mm figures so far, and having done so with a tight brief from me.    It does mean I have some nice (and immense) ...

 I love, 15mm Sci-Fi. To be honest, I'd really forgotten just how deeply this wonderful 'period' is etched into the DNA of my gaming experience. Rediscovering it, with the emphasis being on not recreating the exact models, but certainly going full-on with the aesthetic, is proving to be a real emotional roller coaster.  I have always been inspired by the Striker rules, box art, and 'grav' and 'hover' APC's, so it was only natural that this was the direction I took at the outset. As I mentioned previously in another post, I have opted for a mix of models from GZG, Alternative Armies (who currently have a 20% off everything sale in play - go and buy something immediately) and Brigade Models. Jon at GZG and Gavin at AA are a real pleasure to deal with, and they look after and dare I say, spoil their customers. I ordered over £400 of models from GZG at the start of the week, and, even with a late night addition on Wednesday, to my order, Jon got it all to me...

 It's 05:32 and after being awoken by our eldest dog who is now diabetic and blind, I'm wide awake and partaking of a fruit tea (mixed berry, no sweetening) and listening to 'The Sleeping Forecast' from Radio 3 Unwind, which is rapidly becoming a 'go to' when I want to mentally unwind or simply allow my mind to drift in the aether. The March 16th edition is particularly excellent - go and listen to it. It's been a busy week, and made moreso by the fact that Nothern Powergrid are cutting power to our close for 6 hours today, meaning that I will be unable to work. This has meant I've had to put in extra hours to cover it, this week, but it also means I'm taking a long weekend, which means I can spend the day at Chatsworth House and see the latest exhibition followed by a nice lunch. It's now late March and by design, I've not been to a wargames show since the rather abysmal Vapnartak in January. Hammerhead passed without notice and Partizan is ...