Survived Historicon and the Move

  Hello all! Just a quick note to let you know that I did, in fact, survive Historicon and the move that took place immediately after returning. How immediately? We got home late Monday, and the movers arrived Thursday morning bright and early. So, pretty immediately.

  So how was Historicon? It was a lot of fun, as usual. I think I came home with less stuff than I left home carrying, thanks to a decent showing at the Sunday morning Wally's Basement (aka gamers' flea market). I got to play games with and chat with a lot of people that I usually only get to see at the convention: Buck Surdu, David and Kalissa Skibicki, Jon Lundberg, Lon Weiss, Martin Goddard, James (whose last name I can never remember, but he runs lots of 40K themed games), Frank Chadwick, and others. I missed Howard Whitehouse this year, as he couldn't attend. I also made a couple of new acquaintances, so new folks to look forward to seeing in future years.

 As for the games, well, I played in several. I posted photos to Facebook from my phone, since that was the only camera I took with me. I'll get a few shots up here soon, I promise. The table for the Frostgrave games was truly amazing, and I need to get some photos of it up. Sadly, I couldn't get into any of the games they put on, but they looked just great and the players all seemed to be enjoying it. I ended up buying a set of the rules and a few figures for a pair of starter bands (a Witch and Apprentice and a Sigilist and Apprentice). So the games I did get to play...

• Dystopian Wars 2.0: Just about the same as far as I can tell to older versions, though we didn't get into deeper strategies, so maybe that's where the difference lies. I did hear that a newer edition is on the horizon. I played as part of a Japanese force against a FSA fleet. We lost, but it was a near thing.

• Congo: Probably my favorite game this convention. I tied for the win. The system for initiative and activation is really interesting, as it requires planning ahead but is still pretty flexible. It's also a pretty simple resolution system, which I liked.

• Empire of the Dead: While I did horribly in this game (the victim of two factions ganging up on me and killing off all of my guys, barring my Packlord), I had a lot of fun with it, too. The 28mm scale Martian screw galley (a Whispering Death-class, IIRC) was amazing. So amazing that I bought a kit for it. God only knows when I will get around to building it. Anyway, I had the werewolves, and did my best to make sure it was 'night' throughout the game, but to no avail. If I had a bit more influence, it would have been night and a full moon. I did manage an eclipse, which lasted six turns with the help of the vampires. Anyway, Jon Lundberg put on another great game on the Miniature Building Authority table.

• Bolt Action 2E: The Defense of Grammercy, Sicily. This game was amazing - it won the award for Best Theme Game (100 Years of Tanks) as well it should have. A big table with great scenery and models. The Skibickis (David and Kalissa, two of my favorite gaming folks EVAH!) really went whole hog on it and it showed. I was on the victorious German side, leading some Panzers and a few hapless infantry who never really got a chance to do much until the very end, where they assaulted and killed a Canadian Sherman. So that was fun.

• And One I am Forgetting: I also forgot what time one of my games was and flat missed it.

  As far as toys purchased, I mentioned a couple already - the Frostgrave stuff that I bought from Brigade Games. I also bought a lot of trays and stuff from Dave's Baggage Train to help me organize my existing collection of minis. I bought a few test figures for a 15mm fantasy line by Battle Valor Games, mostly because they looked fun to paint. I got a paint rack and some 15mm huts from Impudent Mortal (nice folks, turns out the wife went to school with my sister a few decades ago) - and check out their upcoming Kickstarter. The giant ship I bought in the flea market, and I bought a few gifts for friends back home, also mostly in the flea market.

  Offspring #2 (Dane) who also went, spent a bit of time in the Hobby University, and has mentioned an interest in painting. I will need to get him a good basic set soon. He did spend a little of my hard earned money buying a few figures to paint, primarily Reaper Bones.

  So there's my brief, un-illustrated convention report. It's a long three and a half days, and a long five days of driving roundtrip, so I got home really tired only to have to pitch in to the move, but it was a good time and I really enjoyed the time I spent on the road with my son who is about to head off to college (uni for my UK friends) in a few weeks.

Project Review, Fall 2016: 25/28mm

A recap of what's going on:

    With the start of fall coming on, I decided I need to survey my madness. To wit, I am looking at each wargaming project I have ongoing, and what the status of said project currently is. 

   To define, a 'project' is a faction or force for a particular genre in a particular scale. Therefore, 15mm British WW2 and 28mm British WW2 are two different projects, as would be a 15mm DAK force, as would a British Paras vs. a British 8th Army force. Since there are so many and in so many scales, this shall be a short series of posts rather than one mega-post.

   For status, I shall use 'planning' (want to buy minis), 'active' (not playable but I am currently working on it), 'inactive' (unplayable but on to-do list), 'dead' (can't play, not doing anything, don't plan on it), 'playable' (enough to play, still adding to it), and maybe rarest of all, 'finished' (can play, no plans to add to it).

   I've already done the Small Scale projects, and the 15mm projects, if you missed those.

25/28mm

1. VSF Eureka Pond Wars: dead
2. VSF Lizardmen: inactive
3. VSF/Colonial British: playable
4. VSF German: playable
5. VSF Automaton: finished
6. VSF Martian: inactive
7. VSF Vardu: inactive
8. VSF French: inactive
9. VSF Russian: dead
10. VSF Japanese: dead
11. VSF Turkish: dead
12. VSF Parrotmen: inactive
13. VSF Characters (HM Victoria I, others): playable
14. Skyrunners VSF Racing: dead
15. EOTD/IHMN Werewolves: finished
16. EOTD/IHMN Gentlemen: finished
17. EOTD/IHMN Police Constables: playable
18. IHMN Lord Curr's Company: playable
19. IHMN Servants of Ra: playable
20. IHMN Society of Thule: playable
21. Colonial Boers: dead
22. Gutshot Cowboys and Lawmen: finished
23. Gutshot Banditos: dead
24. Terrain Old West: dead
25. Terrain Sci Fi: inactive
26. Terrain VSF: inactive
27. Terrain Fantasy: inactive
28. SAGA Normans: dead
29. SAGA Vikings: dead
30. SAGA Arabs: dead
31. Roleplaying Heroes: playable
32. Roleplaying monsters: playable
33. Doctor Who Daleks: inactive
34. Doctor Who Doctor and Companions: active
35. Doctor Who Angels: active
36. Doctor Who UNIT: planning
37. VBCW Free Welsh: playable
38. Warmachine Cygnar: playable (marginally)
39. Hordes Circle Oroboros: inactive
40. Hordes Minions: inactive
41. Warhammer Empire: inactive
42. Warhammer Lizardmen: inactive
43. WH40K Imperial Guard: inactive
44. WW2 British Paras: planning
45. WW2 Germans: planning
46. AT-43 Therians: dead
47. AT-43 UNSC: dead
48. AT-43 Red Blok: dead
49. Star Wars Prepaint: dead
50. Warhammer High Elf: dead
51. Warhammer Bretonnian: dead
52. Highland Badgers: playable (old and need re-paint)

Note: EotD is "Empire of the Dead," IHMN is "In Her Majesty's Name," VBCW is "A Very British Civil War."

   As you can see, there are a lot of dead projects in this scale. Ambition and ooh shiny got the better of my good sense over the years, and I almost never get rid of anything. Most are things where I have only a few figures, just testing the waters really. Which is good, I suppose. It's also by a fair margin the single longest list, which honestly surprised me. I thought the 15mm list would be the biggest.

   Also, I am shocked to see that I was considering up to 20 (!) different VSF projects in just 28mm. Twenty! I'm a sick man, really, I need help.

Empire of the Dead, Gentlemen

PREVIOUSLY POSTED ON VICTORIA'S BOYS IN RED

   Some indeterminate amount of time ago, I participated in the crowdfunding (via Kickstarter) of some miniatures for the Empire of the Dead game. I don't currently play Empire of the Dead (hereon, EotD), but I liked the figures for the Requiem expansion, so I bought in to the project. Naturally, as with most Kickstarter projects, everything was delayed, partly by the number of stretch goals reached and partly by the problems that spring up in any project. Not being in a tearing hurry, I was for the most part okay with it. When I duly received my package of lead, I was quite pleased with the contents.

   I started painting up the Lycaons first, which I believe have made previous appearances here. Now I am working on the Gentlemen's Club. I can absolutely see me making an Adventuring Company for IHMN out of these figures as well. I chose a theme color of blue for this faction. Thus, the Sapphire Club of Marylebone was born!

I am particularly fond of the Clockwork Butler.

Members of the Sapphire Club.

More Sapphirians. I like the fellow in smoking jacket and fez a lot.

The fellow in the overcoat is actually a club porter, not a member.

As if such a ruffian could be a member!

   One thing that I didn't like to paint, but which I think looks 'right' for these figures is the preponderance of black. Black trousers, black coats, black toppers. Not as bad as all white (snow blind me, will ye, ye damned Napoleonic Austrians?!?!), but still. I am glad I went for a brighter blue to help break the monochromatic issue.

   I have two more members to paint up (currently on the table) and that will be mostly that for this faction. I am finishing up what I think is the last of the Lycaons as well. He's just a human servitor, a hunter with a crossbow. After that, who knows? Maybe finish up the latest unit of automatons, which I have five completed and five remaining...

Empire of the Dead: Requiem Kickstarter box received!

   And my goodness, there is a lot of really neat stuff in there. Just to list out what I received:

• Lycaon Faction (8) - werewolves faction
• Gentlemen's Club Faction (8) - upper crust human faction. Hunting monsters is jolly good fun, what?
• Gentlemen with Guns (5) - more upper crust, with guns, special weapons, and stiff upper lips.
• Bobbies (8) - armed with truncheons and grit. Will convert some truncheons to electric.
• More Bobbies (8) - armed with revolvers, shotguns, Gatling gun and netgun. Includes Infernium hound. I love the Infernium hound like a fat kid loves cupcakes.
• Nadezhda Durova, Kickstarter exclusive Vampire Slayer. Nice fig.
• Tatu, female (Polynesian?)
• The Jade Dragon, Chinese female. Definite keeper.
• Aisha, Werewolf Huntress
• Red, Daughter of the Goddess
• Iron Head Ned. Ned Kelly. Gotta have.
• Deathlocke Bones (undead Holmes)
• The Bad Doctor (undead Watson)
• White Rabbit
• Tom Gaunt
• The Specimen
• Great Uncle Thulu. Awesome figure, possibly my favorite of the bunch.
• Raphael
• The Phantom
• Her Majesty (God Bless Her) Queen Victoria, with a Gatling Gun. Already own an unarmed version of Her Majesty (God Bless Her).
• Steam Cannon
• Tesla Projector
• Clockwork Butler
• Lightning Jack
• Additional Weapon Sprues
• Token set for the game

   That would be a grand total of 56 new 28mm miniatures. Not all of which I am totally enamoured; some may find their way to the marketplace. With these, and all the IHMN minis still to finish, and two steam tanks needing finishing, and a set of plastic Zouaves still in the box... I have a LOT of 28mm VSF painting to do.

   In the future, I want to get The Brotherhood for my own faction. Plus the Order of the Dragon, I think, for another evil faction. Maybe a horde of Victorian zombies as well. Perhaps the Clickers - I quite like the flying one, in particular. Get the servants pack for civilian zombie chow. And the vehicles - in particular the Hansom cab. And the Omnibus. And the steam exo-skeleton. Maybe the Fire Engine.

   I was planning on using these bobbies with my IHMN forces, but they look too skinny to match up well. Not that they are bad figures; I quite like them, actually. But I may have to buy the Scotland Yard set for IHMN as well, now. Oh well... *grin*

Kickstarter Backer Update

  I received word this week that my reward for backing the Empire of the Dead: Requiem Kickstarter is on its way from Merry Olde England. Hooray! I will be getting about 50 new figures, including plenty of bobbies and an Infernium-powered hound. I am definitely going to convert one or two of the truncheon carrying fellows to All Electric Truncheons, for that extra bit of 'oomph' when they smack you. Below is a picture of some of the newest faction, the Clickers. Essentially, I gather that they are intelligent automatons of a sinister bent. Need to read the fluff about them to get it for sure, but maybe Victorian Cybermen - you will be upgraded! Sort of wish I had ordered some with my other Empire of the Dead stuff.

Two Clickers and Nemo

[Obviously on someone else's painting table!]

   I am very excited that the minis are on the way, but I have had zero time lately to get any painting done. Grad school is keeping me busy the past two weeks. Only thing I have done recently was to clean and prime a 28mm steam tank, destined to serve the German Empire. It's the A7V-looking one from Ironclad, which I purchased at Historicon. Dark green, with brass accenting and black and white Maltese Crosses. Probably mount a flag on it as well, eventually.

   I did get in a game of Dystopian Wars last weekend, and the Prussians were handily trounced by renegade Italians! All those darned torpedoes! I need more airships. I want to try the Speerwurf out. Anyone have hints on Tiny Flyers for the Prussians? Should I have just stuck with fighters?

Crowdfunding Delay Rant

   Am I the only person who is really just fed up with the delays of virtually every Kickstarter / crowdfunding program out there? I have backed or am currently backing seven different games-related Kickstarters. Here's the performance record of those that have funded:

• Blackwater Gulch:  5 months late. 6x over goal. Funded April 15, 2012, Est. delivery June 2102, Actual receipt November 2012.
• Ogre: Designer's Edition: 11 months late. 46x over goal. Funded 5/11/12, Est. Delivery November 2012, Noe promised on 10/19/13.
• Empire of the Dead: Requiem: 2 months late. 18x over goal. Funded 3/26/13, Est. delivery June 2013, Now estimated "end of August and throughout September" 2013.
• Steampunk Cthulhu Playing Cards: 2 months late. 1.5x over goal. Funded 3/19/2013, Est. delivery June 2013, now estimated "within a few days", August 2013.
• 28mm Steampunk Inspired Heavy Weapons & Carriage: 3 months late. 12x over goal. Funded 5/5/13, est. delivery June 2013, partial fulfillment August 2013, remainder (including mine) expected in September.

   5 out of 5 late, so far. One I only donated a dollar, because my funds were otherwise occupied (All Quiet on the Martian Front). The last, the new Space: 1889 rules, is still going on, although it has also surpassed its funding goal bya wide margin. I hope this does not mean it too will be delayed by 2 to 5 months.

   Crowdfunding can be a really great way to get new designs and ideas and toys produced that might not otherwise ever see the light of day, and that is a great thing. But something is going terribly wrong when so many projects are delayed significantly. And I think I know where the problem is: stretch goals.

   Yep, the stretch goals. While they are undoubtedly very cool, they are also additional work for the creators. This work takes additional time, obviously. And when the creators just go nuts with the extras because of an overwhelming response to the project (like, say, Ogre, or EotD:R), then you get a significant delay in shipping out product. So, that's the problem. What's the solution?

   I see two options. Option 1 is just not to do stretch goals. While this may mean fewer backers (we all like the extra goodies, I am no exception to that), it should mean fewer excuses - er, reasons - for delays. Option 2 is what I would prefer to see happen: finish and ship the original project as soon as possible, then send the extras along in a reasonable time frame. And define that time frame with each stretch goal. For example: "Stretch Goal $300K: Solid Gold Widgets to replace the Original Cardstock Widgets - two months after delivery." So we can get started, and then get the extras later; after all, being extras, they aren't integral to the product, right?

Okay, /rant.