So, here I am once more, as the large Scotsman in motley and a Sutton Hoo helmet once sang... We left this story on a cliffhanger ending last time, and I bet like me, you've been unable to sleep ever since with the anticipation of another tale of teenage hijinkes, japery and tomfoolery in the greatest era of gaming. So, we had found that the model kits we were going mad about, had stats and dimensions on the boxes, and this information was not wasted. We also had Pete (My friends don't call me Stretch) Armstrong, AKA 'Greblord' and his unquestionably unchallengable knowledge of these models. I can't remember who it was who had the idea, it was probably one of those organic, osmotic decisions, to try and write some rules for using these on the table.  Now, you need to remember before we start that these models were generally 1/100 or 1/72 and contained either a human in the head or a bloody enormous alien who wore it like armour, one being developed to counter the o...

  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 am fortunate, nay, blessed to have 'come up' at a time just before the Warhammer Fantasy Battles rules hit the shelves - and stayed there, being sold off for a  mere fraction of the RRP in literal stacks at the front of GW store. It's something that we who refuse to die and in not doing so, irritate others, comment on quite often at our coffee and bullshit 'salons' - no, really... And then we get teary eyed over whatever metal based figures one of us has brought to the table for discussion and pawing over, that day, before the conversation turns to the scourge that is 'Oldhammer'. Now, don't get me wrong, the idea of preserving what was arguably the high water mark of fantasy gaming, and introducing others to it, is a fine sentiment. But, re-writing history and claiming that paintwork and styles which were not contempraneous or even available  in the case of materials as 'authentic' is taking it a step too far. If you were not there, you canno...

 I'm powering through my sci-fi projects, and as I write this, I am just 12 figures away from completing the first of four different forces. It'll end up being many more than 4, but I want to get those done, along with the terrain and the starships to populate a starport and surrounding areas. Now, from the outset, I have wanted to get the 'feel' of the sci-fi stylings and colour schemes I loved back in 1982. Pete Armstrong used a stunning green on his Traveller Military and I was blown away by a fashion show which used sci-fi military stylings in similar colours and orange flack jackets thrown in for good measure. It had a very Jim Burns feel to it and of course the 80s catwalks were wild places. I have been weaned off bright orange flack jackets at last, but I do like a nice contrast on my sci-fi. I like my Marines to look hard-miltary and not like walking Gothic cathedrals, although I will admit that my 'Federal Marines' using the GZG UN hardsuites, with the ...

 Well, the last few days have been an eye-opener... It's been a loooooong time since I undertook a large project for myself in any scale, and as you know, if you follow my gaming life, for the last 6 years I've sent everything to a painter, since Lockdown meant I amassed a stash of money through the lack of shows. 2026, has resulted in attending just one show, with absolutely zero desire to go to any others for the time being, the idea of those moon-faced, wholesome idealists we seem to be plagued with these days along with over priced tickets - no the organisers do NOT bring people in, it's the xhibitors who don't get any financial recompense, and the traderts who pay for the pleasure of having sometimes sweaty and unhygienic souls pawing their wares before reaching into the coin purse to nbuy one figure, expecting the trader to act as if they are being showered (see the irony?) with largesse comparable to a trip to Harrods by a Saudi prince. Yesterday, I received an u...