Category: The Ageing Gamer

The Ageing Gamer  ⁄  Warhammer

New Year, New Army?

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There’s this thing, New Year, New Army, which I know is a marketing tool used against the weak-minded. Or me. It’s being used successfully against me.

There are these monsters in Warhammer 40,000. Tyranids. Part of an intergalactic-biomass-hivemind, they travel between the stars stripping planets of biological matter. Tasty, tasty biomass.

Tyranid Hive Tyrant. He's pretty, isn't he? And hungry too. Image copyright Games Workshop
Tyranid Hive Tyrant. He’s pretty, isn’t he? And hungry too.
Image copyright Games Workshop

There are was to play the army, one is with a horde of tiny monsters and the other is known as “Nidzilla”, which is a collection of big monsters.

I’m going down the big monsters route.

I’ll post some photos of the guys I’ve painted once I can get access to a better camera. Ha.

So, Nidzilla. This is for a number of reasons.

  1. Big monsters
  2. Not so much to paint.
  3. It’ll look amazing.
  4. Big monsters.

That last point was an important one.

I’ve painted two models out of the seven I currently own and I’m digging the paint scheme. You’ll have to manage your own expectations there.

Links:
New Year, New Army – Warhammer Community

The Ageing Gamer  ⁄  Warhammer

Managing Expectations…

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So, this happened…

Then, this happened…

Initially scunnered, I’m now sitting at my desk with broken tanks, glue and a sense of peace and acceptance.

The Ageing Gamer  ⁄  J.U.L.I.A.: Among The Stars

J.U.L.I.A.: Among the Stars

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I bought the game yesterday because it was both on sale on Steam and had been on my wish list for a few years now.

And also because I fancied playing a point and click adventure, and J.U.L.I.A. was well reviewed.

I bought the game yesterday, played it on and off all day and finished it about 10 minutes ago. Perhaps that’s the review / recommendation all there, in a nutshell. I just couldn’t let it go.

The backgrounds are beautiful, the puzzles are tricky without being hair-pulling and the story is really good. When I look back at it, the story fits together nicely.

Only things that are a bother are, the sassy ship AI gets annoying sometimes and I’m sure I’ve missed the complete explanation why the protagonist is alone on the ship to begin with.

I did rattle through it at some pace though, so there’s a chance that a few details have slipped through the net.

So, 9 out of 10? Much fun, Steam sale price-point, well crafted. A good way to spend a day in Covid-19 lock down.

Oh, and I might have missed something but what does J.U.L.I.A. stand for?

(also posted as a review on Steam)

The Ageing Gamer  ⁄  Chess

Chess? Oh, Go On Then

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This evening I’ve been learning to play chess.

I’ve played before with Ruth but what happened is that she taught me to play, I beat her twice and we haven’t played since. Now, I’m not saying that as a boast. I prefer playing tactical games more than she does.

Anyway.

That was years ago and, while I can still remember the moves that each piece makes, the finer methods of play are beyond my experience.

What happened was, I was talking to some rando online when they challenged me to a game of chess. I created my account on chess.com and was roundly beaten three times. Since then I’ve been reading up on the finer points of the game.

Strategy and the like. I can’t say I’m any better now, because how much can one man improve in 4 hours but I don’t think I’m quite so sucky at it.

Time will tell, I’m sure.

Tomorrow I’ll try against a computer opponent before I feel confident enough for playing against a fleshy one.

The Ageing Gamer  ⁄  Warhammer

40k : astra militarum and alpha legion vs. tau (750+750vs1500)

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Tonight’s game was a three player, two vs one, game of Warhammer 40000, Games Workshop’s futuristic military tabletop miniatures game.

I brought 750 points of Astra Militarum.

This isn’t a battle report of any kind but a wee breakdown of how my army performed, unit by unit, especially as I brought some things to battle for the first time. Let’s begin.

Company Commander
+ laspistol
+ frag grenades

Company Commander
+ laspistol
+ frag grenades

These guys are order generators, and to pay the H.Q. tax. Low points and a basic loadout, they’re not used for actual combat.

Infantry Squad
+ lasgun / 9
+ frag grenades
+ laspistol / sergeant

Infantry Squad
+ lasgun / 9
+ frag grenades
+ laspistol / sergeant

Infantry Squad
+ lasgun / 9
+ frag grenades
+ laspistol / sergeant

One squad for minding the Basilisk with a Company Commander. The other two, with a CC, for objective sitting.

Bullgryns
+ Bullgryn maul / 3
+ frag bombs
+ slabshield

A first time unit. I wanted to see how useful they’d be for hitting and smashing. They took on a Tau Commander and lost. To be fair, I rolled badly. Adding a Ministorum Priest would have given the unit an extra 3 attacks. The slabshield was worth the points, though. It kept my guys alive for another turn.

Hellhound
+ heavy flamer
+ inferno cannon

Armoured Sentinel
+ heavy flamer
+ Sentinel chainsaw

Armoured Sentinel
+ heavy flamer
+ Sentinel chainsaw

The Hellhound was a new unit. The inferno cannon is a beast. 2D6 auto hits at strength 6. It all but wiped out a unit of Tau Fire Warriors. The Sentinels I used to accompany the Hellhound. They did an okay job, but swapping them out for a second HH seems a better use of the points.

I DO like Sentinels though. 

Basilisk
+ Earthshaker cannon
+ Heavy bolter

The Basilisk needs a pal. One isn’t enough to do serious damage now that weapon templates aren’t a thing. I can churn out a good amount of damage to single units, but only D6 hits (rolling two D6’s and choosing the highest) a turn. I should have used it for picking apart battlesuits but I wasted it on squads of cheap infantry.

Valkyrie
+ multi-laser
+ two multiple rocket pods
+ two heavy bolters

For delivering the Bullgryns and annoying the enemy. It was okay but didn’t do as well as in the past.

For a next game, at that points level, I’d add a second Hellhound, drop the Valkyrie and Basilisk and maybe add some Heavy Weapon Teams. And maybe a Chimera transport for the infantry, for objective camping.

A good fun game though. 🙂

The Ageing Gamer  ⁄  Warhammer

battle ready – pastor niles

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Okay, as promised, an actual model that’s been painted. 🙂

Everyone, say hello to Pastor Niles.

Pastor Niles is one of the Ministorum Priests assigned to Major Emerson’s Fighting 27th, a motley collection of soldiers trying to stay alive on the nightmare world of Planet Nine.

He’s shinier than expected when seen close up. That must be something to do with the light of the God-Emperor, or something…

The Ageing Gamer  ⁄  Warhammer

battle ready – windmaster oh

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I’ve had this model kicking around, unpainted, for years. A couple of editions of Warhammer Fantasy Battle ago.

Now we’re in the brave new world of Warhammer Age of Sigmar, version 2.0 no less, and maybe it’s time to splash some paint on the old fella. Also, I’ve been inspired by the recent chat over at Warhammer Community and Citadel Colour of getting models, units and armies “Battle Ready”.

And, let’s face it, it’s something else to do with my amazing website of no content.

Windmaster Oh, all green and keen.

Windmaster Oh, for want of a better name, has a base coat of Loren Forest here. I’m just about to splash some Biel-Tan Green over him. Once that dries I’ll start working on him from the base up.

The Ageing Gamer  ⁄  Warhammer

little plastic unpainted faces

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No, not a sermon on the devilry of over-used plastic surgery but a few thoughts on that other scourge of our times… Warhammer!

I had a long term strategy where I wouldn’t use any model that wasn’t fully painted. Problem is my painting speed is glacial. So I have a number of boxes of wee plastic men who haven’t seen any tactical game action.

The last few games, however, I’ve brought out a few tanks that aren’t quite finished. Then a squad that haven’t seen anything other than undercoat.

And that got me thinking, why am I doing this to myself?

This week I’m going to unbox as much as possible and glue it up so that it’s usable for a game. I wonder how much I’ll have ready by the end of the week?

The Ageing Gamer  ⁄  Warhammer

the saga of inquisitor emerson

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This (and apologies for the poor paint job / image) is Inquisitor Emerson.

Inquisitor Emerson

I play Warhammer 40K. I’m sure I’ve banged on about this in the past. Its not something I hide. Recently I’ve been bogged down in too many miniature painting projects for too many army ideas and, as is often the case with such procrastination, very little has been done to complete any of these projects. 

But ages ago I had a daft idea for running my regular games with more of a narrative in mind. It doesn’t really matter if my opponent does the same, only that I do. And it means i can swap different detachments in and out of my force and as long it keeps to the overall story then I can justify keeping that army around rather than have lots of disparate elements that don’t seem to gel, or ever get finished.

So, I’m going to build something round Inquisitor Emerson. I was tempted to repaint the model as I’ve come on considerably with my painting but I’m fond of him so I’ll probably stick with it. I have a few ideas of a wee retinue that would follow him about and would join him in games as required. Also, two other Inquisitors, named Lake and Palmer. Just because.

I have a game coming up on Sunday so I think I’ll write a wee background story and one that help theme my army. Let’s see what I come up with.

The Ageing Gamer  ⁄  Warhammer

project skaven : warp lightning cannon #1

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I’ve had these little plastic ratmen for years. Unpainted. Their sad little ratty faces looking at the insides of their box.

(This is a Warhammer thing.)

After years of not painting them, finally, FINALLY, Project Skaven has begun.

I really have no idea how many little plastic humanoid ratmen I have. Over a hundred? Maybe. In an attempt to clear though some outstanding painting tasks I have finally committed to painting them up.

And the first one, hot off the production line is this guy…

The Warp Lightning Cannon.

I shall not apologise for the crap camera on my phone, or my lack of ability while using it.