warhammer, wh40k, flames of war, bolt action, aeronautica imperialis, star wars, models, news, views and stuff
I have been wondering about the new edition of Car Wars, so it was interesting to watch this preview of the new rules.
Car Wars Sixth Edition is a complete redesign of the original game of autoduelling. It plays faster and includes new plastic miniatures.
So it captures the spirit of the original game, but loses a lot of the complexity. Sounds like it will be interesting to see it in the flesh.
So having started looking again at Car Wars, and seeing what is out there, I was intrigued to read on the Daily Illuminator that there will be a Black Friday Kickstarter launch for the sixth edition of Car Wars…
Work continues on Car Wars Sixth Edition, with lots of energy going into the construction of the Kickstarter campaign page. Building a page is never easy, but creating an attractive, information-packed page for our biggest game of 2020 is more challenging than you may realize. Getting all of the graphic assets in place, the manufacturing costs nailed down, the stretch goals ready, and the near-endless other details prepped consumes a lot more bandwidth than any other Kickstarter campaign we have run this year.
Still, we’re on track for a November 29 launch! For those who join us on that very first day of the project, we have a Black Friday special reward level coming. You are planning to join us on Day One, right? You won’t want to miss out on Uncle Albert’s Black Friday special. This is gonna be epic!
There was also a picture of some new models for Car Wars…
I’ve not done a Kickstarter before, though have heard some good things (and some bad things) about them. This time I may take the plunge…
The cars look very “modern” and “futuristic”, kind of expect from the future world of Car Wars. My own thinking for Car Wars is more akin the “Chassis and Crossbow” or Gaslands style, a little more Mad Max kind of look.
At the height of the First World War, two young British soldiers, Schofield (George MacKay) and Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman) are given a seemingly impossible mission. In a race against time, they must cross enemy territory and deliver a message that will stop a deadly attack on hundreds of soldiers—Blake’s own brother among them.
The film is nearly two hours long, the story plays out in real time, and is presented as one continuous shot. The director explains more, in this behind the scenes look…
Outside the Land Warfare exhibit at the Imperial War Museum Duxford is an Alvis FV432 APC (Armoured Personnel Carrier).
This British tracked armoured personnel carrier has a crew of 2 with capacity for 10 personnel, powered by Rolls-Royce 6-cylinder multi-fuel engine, armed with one machine gun.
The FV432 is the armoured personnel carrier variant of the British Army’s FV430 series of armoured fighting vehicles. Since its introduction in the 1960s, it has been the most common variant, being used for transporting infantry on the battlefield. In the 1980s, almost 2,500 vehicles were in use, with around 1,500 remaining in operation – mostly in supporting arms rather than front-line infantry service.
Although the FV432 Series was to have been phased out of service in favour of newer vehicles, such as the Warrior and the CVR(T) series, 500 have been upgraded to extend their service into the next decade.[1]
This particular FV432 entered service December 1964 with the 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders BAOR.
In 2018 I wrote 21 blog posts, a much smaller number than in other years.
Here are my top ten blog posts in reverse order. As is typical most posts are from previous years.
The tenth most popular post was about a Forge World Diorama at Games Day 2012.
Post number nine was about the Amazon series The Man in the High Castle, which you can find on Amazon Prime Video.
54mm D-Day was my eighth most popular post. In the depths of the Nothe Fort in Weymouth (as well as a civillian nuclear bunker (now abandoned)) there is a really beautiful 54mm scale model of the D-Day landings
Seven was Downed Valkyrie.
Sixth most popular post about the time I ordered Ork Battlewagon Upgrade Pack.
Post number five was photographs from Dwarf City under attack. This was of my favourite display game at GamesDay 2008, it was the Dwarf City that was under attack by a sea borne Orc and Goblin army.
Fourth post was Tsar Boris of Kislev on Bear.
Ay number three was a Dwarf City under attack post.
My second most popular post was a photograph of a Beautiful Dystopian Wars game.
My top post in 2017 was another Dwarf City under attack post.
The newest trailer for the second film in the Fantastic Beasts series has been released at Comic-Con in the US.
The Crimes of Grindelwald is the second of five all new adventures in the wizarding world created by J.K. Rowling.
I like the 1920s background to the films and feel it creates an ideal environment in which potentially games could take place. I am thinking about adding magic and wizards to games using The Chicago Way ruleset.
Not long now and the Star Wars Story Solo will be on at the cinema.
Here is the most recent trailer.
Looking good, looking forward to it.
In 2017 I wrote 41 blog posts, a much smaller number than in other years, but more than the 27 I wrote in 2016. Hope to change that for 2018.
Here are my top ten blog posts in reverse order. As is typical most posts are from previous years.
The tenth most popular post was about the new, as in 2007 new, Ork Army Box, Deal or No Deal.
Post number nine was some Ork Kill Krusha ‘Eavy Tank Concepts I had taken some photographs of at the Forge World Open Day.
Finishing the Shotgun House was my eighth most popular post and was from 2017. This was a post on finishing my Chicago Way Shotgun House from 4Ground.
Post number seven was entitled 54mm D-Day. In the depths of the Nothe Fort in Weymouth (as well as a civillian nuclear bunker (now abandoned)) there is a really beautiful 54mm scale model of the D-Day landings
Sixth most popular post was from 2017 and was about The demise of the Dystopian Wars. However I am really pleased to hear that Dystopian Wars hasn’t died and is coming back.
Post number five was photographs from Dwarf City under attack. This was of my favourite display game at GamesDay 2008, it was the Dwarf City that was under attack by a sea borne Orc and Goblin army.
Fourth post was about the new Games Workshop Shrine of The Aquila scenery
At number three was a post from 2017, and was of my new Scorpion tanks for Team Yankee – 15mm British Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) – Team Yankee.
My second most popular post was a photograph of a Beautiful Dystopian Wars game.
My top post in 2017 was another Dwarf City under attack post.
I was saddened to hear of the demise of Spartan Games, the company behind the wonderful Dystopian Wars and hope the future bears well for all the staff there.
The Dystopian Wars is one of my favourite games, though to be honest I’ve not played for a while.
What I think is interesting reading the discussions forums, talking to a couple of independent gaming store owners was how the business model and selling tactics of Spartan Games impacted on my buying patterns and potentially the impact this had overall on sales.
When I first found out about the Dystopian Wars back in 2011, it was one of those games which just makes me go “woah!” and I just have to have it. So when I saw the Dystopian Wars when I was a gaming shop in Birmingham, I was like a moth to a candle! This was one of those games that I just had to have and would have to play.
Looking at the models, unfortunately the rules had sold out, there was one model that caught my eye and that was the model I had to have and would set me down the path of the Dystopian Wars. It was the blister of the Prussian Sky Fortress. A few weeks later I managed to get hold of the rulebook and was very impressed with the content and production values.
What I liked about the game, from a purchasing perspective, was that I could pop into a gaming shop and pick up one or two blisters.
Yes I know I could have picked up a boxed set or done a mail order for a load of models, however having the possibility of choosing from a range of models meant that I bought more overall. I would often add a blister to another purchase, I know I wouldn’t have done that if the range was only available in large boxes.
So of course when retailers were no longer able to sell the blisters, then I would no longer be buying the models as I did. As for mail order, well yes I could do that, but then again that would have required a significant purchase of stuff, something I don’t do very often, and it would take a real need for a range of stuff, as few people offer free postage and packing, or you need to spend a bundle of money to get free delivery. I liked to be able to go into a gaming store and buy one or two (or three) models alongside other purchases. I did hear from one retailer that Spartan Games stopped supplying them with blisters, only boxes, expecting retailers to market the game to players, and then for the players to buy extra ships direct from Spartan. I didn’t know that until recently, I just assumed with the declining range of blisters of ships that no one was playing the game. In the end I stopped buying new ships, as there wasn’t anything “new” for my Prussian and Britannia forces.
I also feel that Spartan got distracted by the Dystopian Legions game. Initially I was really excited about the Dystopian Legions, then I found out that the models were 32mm, rather than the classic 25/28mm and that immediately put me off. If I was buying figures and vehicles then I would want to use them with my existing models, but actually I would also be using them with my existing 25/28mm scenery. So though I loved Dystopian Wars, I didn’t buy a single Dystopian Legions model.
I am sad to hear of the demise of the game, I really liked the concepts in the Kickstarter campaign (which I only found out about after the demise) and I wonder if another person or company will purchase the IP behind Dystopian Wars and it will remerge. Even so I have a lot of models, so I can keep playing.
I have really enjoyed playing Great Escape Games’ rules, Dead Man’s Hand. It is an enjoyable set of rules that allow for games in the Old West. I like the mechanics and the ease of playing.
Great Escape have taken their rules into 1920s prohibition with The Chicago Way and these rules allow you to recreate the Untouchables.
Their next set of rules look very interesting with the addition of what looks like the undead into the Old West, with their new set, The Curse of Dead Man’s Hand.
The curse has finally come to Dead Man’s Hand.Get together anybody you can, time to put petty rivalries aside and stand together against an enemy who shows no mercy, who will take it all, and leave you with nothing, not even your soul.
You need a copy of the Dead Man’s Hand rule book to use the source book.
As well as rules, there are going to be some new buildings from 4Ground, which you can see as background in these photographs from Great Escape Games.
These buildings look like they will also be useful for “normal” games of Dead Man’s Hand.