Henry "Hank" Esslinger, 1957 - 2014

  I met Hank (also known as Critter, Security Minister Sholo Crittumbo, and several variations of same) online in the popular gaming forum The Miniatures Page. He was a valued member of that online community, not least because he always stayed out of the sometimes nasty mudslinging that takes place there. He was friendly, kind, humorous and caring. I learned that he was staying nearby a few years ago and invited him over to the house, and we had a great evening. He met my wife and sons, and charmed her. He always kept up with my boys afterwards, and their accomplishments.

  I only saw Hank in person two other times. Once was at a gaming convention held aboard the Battleship Texas. We spent most of that day hanging out and playing games. The other was at the Texas Renaissance Faire, where he worked every fall. Other than that, our contact was through TMP, Facebook, and occasional phone calls and texts.

   Hank died suddenly over night on January 14th/15th. As I write this, I haven't learned the cause of death. He was a great guy, and a good friend. The world was a better, brighter, happier place with his big heart and ready wit in it. He will be missed by many.

Off to A Rousing Start

   Well, I am off to a rousing start this year already. I've even accomplished one of my goals for the year already. That would be Goal #10: Win a game of Ogre.

   I've made two internet purchases already as well. The first was some bases that I will be needing for some 15mm minis that I have almost finished (the 11 British Naval Brigade troops). They just need to be based and clear coated, and that puts me a good little step on the way to my 100 mini goal.

   The second purchase was from WargamesVault. I bought the PDF of the Olde Towne Bundle of Stoelzel's Structures. I need some 25mm Victorian city buildings, and these look as if they will fit the bill. I will print some out this morning and hopefully by this afternoon will have a building or two assembled. Eventually I want to put them on foamcore, but I think I will start with simple card buildings. One thing that I like about them is that I can print out a bunch of cardstock, and take that and some white glue to a convention. Spend the night before a game gluing it together, and just give them away afterwards. Ultra-portable convention terrain - it might get me to bring a game to Historicon again!

First Comic AAR: OGRE Game

Top Ten Wargaming Goals for 2014

   It is that time of year when everyone looks forward to the new year, all bright and shiny and full of promise. We all commit ourselves to buckling down and finally tackling some big project or problem or whatever "for sure this year." I'm no different, I suppose. So here are my Top Ten Wargaming Goals for 2014 (and in no particular order).

10. Win a game of Ogre.

   I know this sounds petty and miniscule, but I have yet to win a single game of my new 6E Kickstarter Massive 27 Pound Box of Wonder Designer's Edition Ogre. Partly this has been a result of my truly wondrously abysmal dice rolling skills. Never say "anything but a One." I should know this by now.

9. Paint 100 25/28mm miniatures.

   This is how many minis in that scale that I painted in 2013. I would like to match that. I do count cavalry as two figures, because I hate painting horses (and most other mounts as well). Artillery pieces only count as a single mini in my estimation. Vehicles in the bigger scales

8. Paint 100 15/18mm miniatures.

   I have started on this goal already, though nothing is finished yet. It ties into another of my goals, somewhere below...

7. Play at least 10 VSF games.

   This has been my favored genre for the past decade or so, and I am not tiring of it yet. I finally got my second IHMN company painted up, so I am ready to host that. Except for terrain. Looks like a meeting in Regent's Park - I have trees and walkways, even a few benches and lampposts.

6. Paint more minis than I purchase this year.

   Also known as The Pledge. I have set this goal many, many times. I've never achieved it. Even taking minis I received as a gift out of the equation. Not planning on any major convention this year may help somewhat, as it will reduce the purchases, theoretically.

5. Spend less, play more.

   This goal will be, in one respect, much easier than last year, because I am not going to Historicon. That was  a pretty good chunk of my gaming expenditures last year, between airfare, car rental, hotels, and the dealers room and flea market. In another respect, it will be more difficult, because I usually get at least six games out of the convention. I will have to make it up at home somewhere.

4. 'Finish' at least one of my 25/28mm VSF factions.

   I am about 17 or so minis from finishing my 25mm Automatons, so I definitely want to finish them off this year. I would also like to finish either the British or the Germans as well. Neither is as close as the Automatons, unfortunately.

3. Finish my Flames of War 8th Army (Indian) Company

   This army is about 18 months old, and the guys that I play with have moved on from desert war, but I think I can still get some use out of them. I just primed two of my 25-pdrs., and finished the Staff HQ set in December.

2. Publish another issue of The Aethergraph

   For those of you who don't know, I put out a small e-zine called The Aethergraph. I published 3 issues so far, but haven't done a new issue in almost two years. I would like to publish at least one issue this year. If anyone wants to help with some artwork, battle reports, background or rules pieces... I'd be glad to have some article contributions.

1. Enjoy Gaming.

   The whole point of this hobby is to have fun. I want to concentrate on that when I spend precious time on hobby activities.

Last new material of 2013.

   Well, I finished a few more things today, but I don't think I am going to get the last 11 15mm figures on the table done before midnight, so... this is the o-fish-ul last post of material this year. Plus, my beloved Texas Aggies (Fighting Texas Aggie Class of 1994, right here!) just won a hard fought bowl game against Duke, coming form 21 points behind to win by 4. And the gluten-free brownies for tomorrow's lunch came out awesome (I tried a 'test' brownie - with ice cold milk).

   So, without further ado... some Ogre minis! Oh, and a slipped in shot of some Martian shield gunners.

A Paneuropean GEV-PC, in German service.

All of these GEVs are part of I.Luftpanzer Division.

A trio of Paneuropean "Cossack" LGEVs.

In German service, I call them Luftpanzerkampfwagon I.

Paneuro Logo, handpainted.

The entire LGEV section (two flights) of I.Luftpanzer.

25mm Shield Gunners from RAFM.

German Ogre Infantry (actually GW Epic Space Marines)

This is the 2nd Battalion, I.Panzergrenadier Regiment.

A close up of the command for C Company.