Phew!
Just a quick post to reassure everyone that I am still alive, and this blog is still kicking. I moved house a couple of weeks ago and it's naturally taken a fair few days to settle down, and also to get an internet connection established (not helped by BT's tardiness in actually sending us the kit...)
Anyway, I'm (mostly) settled down now and I'm pleased to report that I now have a dedicated hobby room all to myself! And here, there's no danger of me being turfed out whenever we have guests over because a) we have other spare rooms to put guests in and b) we're never having guests anyway (because I'm a miserable old git). What's even better is that I now have more than enough room for my hobby desk, plenty of storage and a 6'x4' gaming table!
Along with this brand spanking new hobby room has come a renewed enthusiasm for hobby things. Those of you who've read my previous posts will notice that there's not actually been any sort of modelling posted since late August and there's a reason for that - namely, that I haven't done much of anything. That will (hopefully) soon be remedied, because I reckon I've done more modelling since the beginning of this week than I have in the entire two months prior to now. Some of you might remember way back in May last year, I started assembling the first box of Perry Miniatures' European Mercenaries (which you can read about here). Well, this week I've finally got the second box out (as well as the unassembled remnants of the first box) and started assembling the rest of them. I've now got just over 40 pikemen assembled (including two Command groups, so I can field two units of 20) and I've got a bunch more handgunners and some crossbowmen on the go. I'll get some pictures taken and put up soon.
In other news, my younger brother is planning on coming to stop for a few days next week (it's half term, so he doesn't have school and, like all school kids, he wants to spend as many days as possible avoiding homework) so I'm busy planning all sorts of hobby activities and games we can get up to. This is mostly revolving around Lord of the Rings games, and I've got plans for us to build (or at least, start building) a Moria-themed gameboard for our Dwarfs and Goblins to fight over. We'll see if any of my plans come to fruition next week.
Until then, ciao!
Thursday, 25 October 2012
Wednesday, 10 October 2012
All For A Good Cause
And now a break from our regular programming to bring you something real-world related:
In just about 5 weeks time, on Sunday 18th November, I'm taking part in Tough Mudder - an event to raise money for Help for Heroes, a UK charity who provide help for those wounded Service personnel, veterans and their families. As the name suggests, the event is a tough one. The Tough Mudder website provides the following summary:
"Tough Mudder events are hardcore 10-12 mile obstacle courses designed by British Special Forces to test your all around strength, stamina, mental grit, and camaraderie."
That's putting it nicely. The reality is far more daunting - take a look at the Course Map showing all the obstacles involved. Mud Mile, Fire Walker, Electroshock Therapy and Berlin Walls are just some of the exotic punishments dreamt up by the organisers to really challenge every participant. This is a course designed by the Special Forces, so it's going to be living hell for mere mortals like me.
So what does this have to do with you guys? Well, as you probably expected as soon as the word "charity" came up, it involves giving money. Help make this ordeal slightly more bearable by donating however much you can afford, and helping those people who have *really* suffered. It's not much to ask - it might mean taking sandwiches to work one day instead of getting a canteen meal, it might be one less figure you buy this year, heck it might just mean the walking into town instead of getting the bus one time. Whatever you give is going to be gratefully received, and I'd encourage anyone reading this to spread the word and perhaps raise a few extra quid from friends who could probably do with cutting back their additions to the lead mountain.
Anyone wishing to donate, please head over to my Tough Mudder donation page here
Alternatively, you can donate via my JustGiving page here
Thanks to everyone who takes the time to read this, and extra thanks to those of you who donate.
All the best,
Nick/Beithir
Thursday, 4 October 2012
Dreadball Redux! Two (and a bit) weeks later!
Well, September 30th has been and gone, and with it the Dreadball Kickstarter I talked about in my last post. If you didn't jump on the bandwagon (why not?!) then you missed out!
In the end, the Dreadball Kickstarter raised a whopping $728,985 (that's £453,456 in real money...). When you consider that the original funding target was just $20,000, that's a massive 3645% of the target.
What did that $728,985 funding do, exactly?
Well, it has not only funded the release of the initial Dreadball game (comprising of two teams, Corporation and Marauders, the game board, dice, rulebook and everything else you need to play) but it has also funded all of this:
~ A grand total of 12! Dreadball teams, each with the full compliment of 16 players and with Prone Markers for each team
~ A huge 22! MVPs/Special Characters, including three Limited Editions only available via the Kickstarter
~ Season 2 Dreadball Expansion, adding rules for league play, extra teams and more MVPs
~ Season 3! Dreadball Ultimate, adding yet more teams, more MVPs, multi-player games and multi-hex mega-players
~ Cheerleaders, Coaches and Keeper figures for each team.
~ Exclusive Kickstarter Dreadball T-Shirts, Dreadball Dice, and Dreadball Bags (courtesy of Battlefoam)
OK, when you list it like that it doesn't look like a lot, but you just have to take a look at the Kickstarter page (here) to see how much it all adds up to. The Kickstarter alone has effectively funded the next two/three years for this game, although I doubt funding will stop there! The amount of models being produced for the game on the basis of the Kickstarter alone is almost enough to equal the entirety of GW's Blood Bowl range, and I doubt that this will be all that Mantic produces for Dreadball.
So what did I get out of all this free advertising?
Well, in the end, I caved to temptation and upped my pledge. I won't put the exact value on the slim chance that my other half is reading (
) but suffice to say that my swag bag is bulging, and my "hobby budget" is emptied. Winging their way to a house in the Midlands will be:
~ Dreadball Season 1 Rulebook (and additional PDF copy), Season 2 PDF Rulebook, Season 3 PDF Rulebook
~ Pitch - Mounted Card Gameboard, Game Cards, Dice, Counters and Limited Edition Kickstarter Counters, Roster Pad
~ Free Ticket to Dreadball event at Mantic HQ
~ 'Creating Dreadball' Digital Book
~ RefBot and 2 Balls
~Trontek 29ers/Corporation team (14 players) and Prone Marker
~ Greenmoon Smackers/Marauders team (14 players) and Prone Marker
~ Midgard Delvers/Forge Fathers team (14 players) and Prone Marker
~ Skittersneak Stealers/Veer-myn team (14 players) and Prone Marker
~ 20 MVPs/Special Character figures (including 3 Limited Edition)
~ Signed Cover Art Print
~ 48 Hex Bases
~ Judwan team (10 players) and Prone Marker
~ Nameless team (10 players)
~ Teratons team (10 players)
~ Asterian team (10 players)
~ 2 Female Corporation figures and Prone Marker, 2 Robot figures and Prone Marker, 2 Z'zor figures and Prone Marker, 2 Zees figures
~ "Nameless Spawn" Multi-hex figure
~ Limited Edition Coach Renton figure
...and I think that's everything! A grand total of 135 figures, plus everything else. The only "downside" is that delivery will be spread over the next 9 months as they produce all the figures, but all the Season 1 stuff (everything I need to play the game, plus the first four full teams) will be here by Christmas!
At least with the deliveries spread out, it gives me a slight chance to paint things before the next batch arrives. In theory anyway!
Right, now I'm off to appease She Who Must Not Be Named and butter her up before the first shipment arrives and the inevitable questions begin...
"MORE FIGURES! HOW MUCH DID THEY COST THIS TIME?!?!?"
*Gulp*
Wish me luck....
In the end, the Dreadball Kickstarter raised a whopping $728,985 (that's £453,456 in real money...). When you consider that the original funding target was just $20,000, that's a massive 3645% of the target.
What did that $728,985 funding do, exactly?
Well, it has not only funded the release of the initial Dreadball game (comprising of two teams, Corporation and Marauders, the game board, dice, rulebook and everything else you need to play) but it has also funded all of this:
~ A grand total of 12! Dreadball teams, each with the full compliment of 16 players and with Prone Markers for each team
~ A huge 22! MVPs/Special Characters, including three Limited Editions only available via the Kickstarter
~ Season 2 Dreadball Expansion, adding rules for league play, extra teams and more MVPs
~ Season 3! Dreadball Ultimate, adding yet more teams, more MVPs, multi-player games and multi-hex mega-players
~ Cheerleaders, Coaches and Keeper figures for each team.
~ Exclusive Kickstarter Dreadball T-Shirts, Dreadball Dice, and Dreadball Bags (courtesy of Battlefoam)
OK, when you list it like that it doesn't look like a lot, but you just have to take a look at the Kickstarter page (here) to see how much it all adds up to. The Kickstarter alone has effectively funded the next two/three years for this game, although I doubt funding will stop there! The amount of models being produced for the game on the basis of the Kickstarter alone is almost enough to equal the entirety of GW's Blood Bowl range, and I doubt that this will be all that Mantic produces for Dreadball.
So what did I get out of all this free advertising?
) but suffice to say that my swag bag is bulging, and my "hobby budget" is emptied. Winging their way to a house in the Midlands will be:~ Dreadball Season 1 Rulebook (and additional PDF copy), Season 2 PDF Rulebook, Season 3 PDF Rulebook
~ Pitch - Mounted Card Gameboard, Game Cards, Dice, Counters and Limited Edition Kickstarter Counters, Roster Pad
~ Free Ticket to Dreadball event at Mantic HQ
~ 'Creating Dreadball' Digital Book
~ RefBot and 2 Balls
~Trontek 29ers/Corporation team (14 players) and Prone Marker
~ Greenmoon Smackers/Marauders team (14 players) and Prone Marker
~ Midgard Delvers/Forge Fathers team (14 players) and Prone Marker
~ Skittersneak Stealers/Veer-myn team (14 players) and Prone Marker
~ 20 MVPs/Special Character figures (including 3 Limited Edition)
~ Signed Cover Art Print
~ 48 Hex Bases
~ Judwan team (10 players) and Prone Marker
~ Nameless team (10 players)
~ Teratons team (10 players)
~ Asterian team (10 players)
~ 2 Female Corporation figures and Prone Marker, 2 Robot figures and Prone Marker, 2 Z'zor figures and Prone Marker, 2 Zees figures
~ "Nameless Spawn" Multi-hex figure
~ Limited Edition Coach Renton figure
...and I think that's everything! A grand total of 135 figures, plus everything else. The only "downside" is that delivery will be spread over the next 9 months as they produce all the figures, but all the Season 1 stuff (everything I need to play the game, plus the first four full teams) will be here by Christmas!
At least with the deliveries spread out, it gives me a slight chance to paint things before the next batch arrives. In theory anyway!
Right, now I'm off to appease She Who Must Not Be Named and butter her up before the first shipment arrives and the inevitable questions begin...
"MORE FIGURES! HOW MUCH DID THEY COST THIS TIME?!?!?"
*Gulp*
Wish me luck....
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