Dead Again

 Heroscape is dead again.  Heroscape: Age of Annihilation is not to be.  Avalon Hill pulled the plug on the reboot of the game last Wednesday citing insufficient crowd funding as the reason.  I'm a huge fan of the game and have enjoyed playing it many times over the years.  I was very excited to see its return.  New generals, new armies, new heroes, new rules...you get it.  But as of now, it's not happening.  I'm including a link to Sir Heroscape's YouTube video about the failure to relaunch the game.  I agree with the majority of the points he brings up.  Give it a gander and see what you think.

Age of Annihilation

Full of Bologna

When I was a kid, one of my favorite things to eat were grilled cheese sandwiches, especially with tomato soup.  Sometimes there were variations to the grilled cheese.  It might be bacon, tomato, or a a slice of bologna added.

The other day, I was in the store, and saw a pack of Velveeta American Cheese singles in the dairy case.  Close by were packages of Oscar-Meyer Bologna.  That was it, a sign from the Heavens.  I grabbed a loaf of bread and off I went.

I should be ashamed to admit this, but for the past few days, I have been a bologna and cheese junkie.  I've had it in a grilled cheese, on a toasted bagel, and on a sandwich with mayo and tomato.  Pure joy!  Each one bringing back great memories of growing up with this wonderful comfort food.

Perfection!!!

Not Happening

 Sorry all.  Yours truly is temporarily sidelined.  Orktoberfest fell to the wayside due to multiple family issues and me reinjuring my shoulder.  So my angry green-skinned friends will have to wait a bit to get finished.  Sad...very sad.

Speaking of sad, the Steelers and Penguins are not looking so good.  Can't even get a little satisfaction there.  It's just not happening.

What is happening is my favorite holiday is rapidly approaching.  I can already smell the pumpkin pie and taste the turkey.  Oh yeah!

"HEY, CABOT!!!"

 

A few years ago I was in Kennebunkport and stayed a small B & B.  Each day they served slices of this amazing cheese with breakfast.  When I got back to the 'Burgh, I couldn't stop thinking about how great the cheese was.  After a few days of being miserable without this cheese, I ended up contacting the hotel.  The manager got back to me in a day or so and informed me that the cheese they serve there is Cabot's Extra Sharp Cheddar. I found some at a local store the next day and have been eating it ever since.

If you've never tried it, you've been missing something extraordinary.  No matter what you it eat on or with, it enhances the flavor.  Eat it with other foods or by itself.  I like it with wine or even with beer and soft pretzels.  Try it.  I hope you like it.  I think I'll go have some right now.

*On the Orc front, all 13 are blocked out.  I'll give them a wash on Monday.  Tuesday or Wednesday I'll start to drybrush and highlight.  Pics to follow soon.

Keep on (W)Orking

10 days into the project and so far so good. Some figures are a tad further along than others.  Most models are fully blocked out.  The Jade Fire Tribe only has the skin tones done.  I'm keeping to an earthy palette: browns, greens, grays.  The exception is the red leathers on the Warg-Rider.  I want to have these done by the end of the month.  I should be in good shape.

Orktober has 13 Daze

Nope.  I 'm not going to argue about it.  They say 13, I'm going with 13.  The 13 in reference here is the number of Orc miniatures I'm going to paint this month...at least that's the goal.  Twelve are from Reaper Bones Miniatures and one is by Pathfinder Miniatures.  When all is done, I should have one mean green miniature Orc Machi.....Army.  Stay tuned to to see how things go.   I'll try to post as I go along.  (The Orc is this picture kinda looks like me...I'm not green... just so you know.)

The Terror of Talos

I purchased this Talos figure several weeks ago.  I knew when I bought it that I would need to modify it some for the purpose of my collection and the role it will have during wargaming.  Like many of you, my first knowledge of Talos was from Ray Harryhausen's 1963 classic film, Jason and the Argonauts.

In the movie, the statue of  the Titan, Talos, comes back to life after believing that the Argonauts are stealing from the Gods.  In Greek mythology, Talos was roughly 8 feet tall.  Harryhausen's version in the film is a giant that grabs the Argos and rids it of its crew. 

Hera informs Jason that there is a peg on the Titan's ankle that if removed, it will spill the Ichor (life blood of the Gods) inside Talos.  Jason removes the peg and brings about an end to the giant.

My Talos will be more or less along the lines of the 8 foot version.  I modified the base and gave it a repaint.  I think it looks great.  Look out Argonauts!

As I Bought It

Finished Figure

                        

George the Animal Coal????

If you were a kid growing up in the 1970s or 80s there is a good chance you watched studio wrestling and probably saw George the Animal Steele going through his usual antics in the ring.  As I was painting this D&D Nolzur's Deep Cut Cave Troll there was something about his face that seemed familiar.  I woke this morning muttering, "George Steele".

I bought the figure a few weeks ago and after all the tanks and drones felt I needed a fantasy creature to paint.  I primered the model with black paint.  I then painted it with a coal colored paint.  Next, I gave the entire figure a navy blue wash.  The pointed areas and eyes were painted metallic blue. Then, I gave them multiple very thin coats of metallic white.  After everything dried, I dry brushed the raised areas with a silver gray. The straight edges of the pointed features were highlighted with platinum.  Once all that dried, the entire figure was given multiple coats of glitter and metallic flake paints.  The mouth was painted a gray-blue and the base was given a dark brown wash.  Lastly, the model was coated in a high gloss finish.

Hot Stuff

Great song by the Rolling Stones and an appropriate title for this entry.  I purchased a Desert Dragon from Happy Hen Toys for $20.  The toy is made by Safari Ltd.  I love the look.  With the six eyes, razor sharp teeth, six legs, and the chelae, it looks like it came from an alien world.  I'll use it in a sci fi game or with the Dirz Faction in Confrontation.  Regardless, I'm happy to include it in the collection.

...and on the Ground.

 Here's the rest of the pics. I had mentioned.

Kriegshund (War Dog or Hound of War)

The gang's all here,  Run while you can.

*Of note, the Ukrainians use of drones against Russian tanks inspired me to create the Swamp Bug.  The "Mosquitos" and the "Kreigshund" models I created a while back.  I finally had the chance to finish the rest of the crew and went for it.  I like 'em.  I hope you do too.  Stay safe out there. 

"Swamp Bug" DT-350 AD

Nasty Pests in the Air

I just completed a bunch of war machines largely made from items from the Dollar Tree.  The 3 tanks were a buck a piece.  A bunch of odds and ends from Final Fraction accessory packs were added. *(See next entry.)  Additionally, other accessories became the nucleus of the drone models.  A pack of women's plastic curlers (landing gear) and a 2 tubes of superglue later (along with some acrylic paints) a full on mechanized unit emerged.  *Flying object stands and decals are from Games Workshop.  Enjoy the pics.

2 daytime "Skeeter Drones" DT-250 ADs

2 night "Skeeter Drones" with a "Swamp Bug" Drone  DT-350 AD

An entire "Nests" of the pests