Good Friday Gaming

To kick the Easter holidays off properly, John hosted a club game at Chateau Slowp8tr.  We played a 2 v 2 game of Cain of Command, using Dux's very nice Brits and Dave's lovely and just finished early war French (which we played a Vichy).  I really loved the sculpts of the Moroccan troops.

Dave's great Moroccan Section

I was the only one who had played before (and my last game was 2 years ago) so I rediscovered the trait of this great game - its darn hard to play without a teacher.  I did have to 'phone a friend' with some questions (thanks Comrade James!) but in the end we struggled through.  Despite this foible, it really is a great game.

Dux's Britsh deploy forward and try to dominate the centre of the battle area 

Only to have the Moroccans deploy along the road (and behind cover) to lay down a murderous fire upon them

In response, Dux deployed a Vickers MMG team with enfilading fire down the road, negating all cover.  It got a bit nasty for the Moroccans (who held steady it must be said) but then a supporting French Squad brought the Vickers team under fire with these results. Five 6s = 5 dead, from a 5 man team.  Nasty!

So the French beat the British, proving once and for all that wine and cheese is superior to tea and tiffin, and uncharacteristically Dave's newly painted army was not utterly destroyed in the usual adage that he who is painted last dies most prolifically.  Once again I also showed that I seem only to be able to beat Dux with help, though he maintains that I did not beat him - my partner did...

I enjoyed playing with an unfamiliar army and if CoC takes off at the club I might build myself a new force to play with - something a bit different.  In fact, I'm thinking Bersaglieri and the Italian rules for CoC have some interesting twists: http://toofatlardies.co.uk/blog/?p=2025#  Because I needed a new project...

Thanks for a great night fellahs and for hosting us John!

Painting Challenge: Samurai of the Koryu Buntai

Better late than never right? I thought so too!

To add to the figs' authenticity, I painted them watching the adventures on Shintaru in the classic series The Samurai

I've let myself down in the challenge this year.  Perhaps I should have listened a bit more closely to my inner cynic reciting the challenges of moving 16,000 kms to a new house, job, country, hemisphere.  Anyway, despite not making my total I was determined to avoid being a 'no entry guy' and at least have one worthy entry.  So finally, here are 9 samurai of the Koryu Buntai faction for Ronin.

My favourite 3 figures in the Buntai

I had no plan to buy this game or its figures but once again I became a victim to shininess after meeting the game's author Craig Woodfield at CanCon and having a great chat with him over dinner and beers (first world problems, I know).    However, painting these got me rather frustrated because after almost 2 years without a brush in hand, my skill fade was far worse than I had expected.  Anyway, I have them finished now and am happy to register 45 points worth of achievement.

All the colour and patterns was quite a change from my usual figure styles and camo.

but I'm rather pleased with the clothing.  The base flowers add to the colourful appearance too.

I'd like to thank two people in particular.  Actually now that I think about it they were the ones who peer-pressured me into this in the first place...

Firstly Miles, who very kindly donated not one but two beautiful Langton 1/1200 ships to my cause.  I had every intent of making those my entries (and even accepted a Naval side challenge ) but unfortunately logistics issues made that an untenable proposition (yes they somehow got mixed up with my sea freight and only just arrived).  On the plus side I still have them to look forward to painting and they now have more squadron mates in my inventory.  Thanks Miles, I'm looking forward to giving them the attention they deserve. 

And to show my appreciation, here is a spreadsheet just for you:

My challenge productivity: started badly and tailed off in the middle...

Secondly, hearty thanks to Dux who came to my rescue at the eleventh hour with the gift of an Army Painter basing set so I complete my submission- thanks mate, that was very thoughtful !

Thanks indeed Dux!

Curt was also kind enough to award me bonus points for my 1680mm figure in 1:1 scale camo (see here:http://tasmancave.blogspot.com.au/2016/03/making-11-scale-camouflage.html) for a grand total of 55 points :-)

So thats my painting comp entry for this year - way off course from where I thought I would be but much better than a zero point no show (plus I like to think that I have some reasonable mitigation).  I hereby also concede my three side challenges.  Regardless, I'm happy to be on the scoreboard and am looking forward to putting these figs on the table.

You can see my Painting Challenge entry here:
http://thepaintingchallenge.blogspot.com.au/2016/03/from-paulog-koryu-buntai-and-ghillie.html 

Making 1:1 Scale Camouflage

Normally I detest the large scale 1:1 painting and modelling projects.  You know the sort: Bathrooms, bedrooms, etc -  yuk.  And so difficult to wash and dry brush too.  But despite my utter lack of time and need to get something done for the painting challenge, I diverted to help the Lad make a ghille suit (known in Oz as a yowie suit) for his upcoming cadet camp

A couple of sets of camps (this is the Australian pattern known as AusCam), a hot glue gun, a day and a half, and several burns later it was time to try it out:

The deadly Park Warrior in action!

So some good man time together and a happy lad at the end of the day.  But no models.
But if you get 5points for a 28mm figure,  what is a 1.7m figure worth? :-)

Dieselpunk Combat Cars

Over the weekend we journeyed south to Melbourne for a family wedding.  A very busy weekend in which we packed a lot into (but which didn't do my hobby challenge total any good).  We boys also manage to skive off for a few hours to catch up with old gaming friends Pete and Ken, and we all ducked off to visit Nic Robson at Eureka Miniatures:

The Lad at Eureka this weekend...

...and back in Sep 2011!

As always, Nic had many nice things, some of which came home with me.  While these aren't quite ready for release, I was quite taken with the prototypes of these retro styled vehicles.  Perfect for A Very British Civil War style game, or some sort of cool Dieselpunk car wars.  I don't play either of those but I can see I'm just going to have to make some of the in due course, they just tickle my fancy!

There are three models for the initial release.  First up is this neat single man three wheeler sporting twin water-cooled machine guns and powered by a aerial style rotary engine:

Then there is this larger two seater model with a gunner armed with traversable twin Lewis guns 

And the 3rd model will be a longer bodied V12 built for speed.

That one might need a Nordenfelt gun! :-)

King of Tokyo!

Dux's alter ego for the day

I was really done with unpacking boxes and setting up the house last weekend (all while watching the Hobby Challenge timeline race down, making me feel appropriately guilty).  So it was a delight to chuck all that in and head on over to Dux's ducal palace with the family and enjoy a lovely summer day with a BBQ.

A great day out with lots of banter and fun.  And while we did duck into his painting cave for 5 mins at the end, we respected the presence of the wives and kids and didn't dominate the lunch with hobby chatter.  Honest.  But after lunch we did break out a game of King of Tokyo with the kids.

Reilly attacks the Dux with his lazer gaze attack, with minimal effect

...while the little duchesses gang up on him and throw him out of Tokyo!

What a fun little game with all the hallmarks of good design - easy to pick up, quick to play, and hard to master.

The self satisfied grin of a daughter who has just slain her father...

The maniacal face of a man who just won with a yahtzee like roll

Having just unpacked them, I knew exactly where to find my kaiju movie collection to follow up the game with some classic flicks.