Warmachine Tactics physical rewards...

Got my alt. sculpt journeymen in the mail and will be putting them together soon. Just so happens that I've recently picked up a bunch of Khador and will be playing them as my Warmachine army. Circle still holds pride of place, and I'm eagerly awaiting news of the Exigence warlock and warbeast, but I think I'm going to enjoy pounding face with the Butchers and Karchev...

Who let the... Yeah, I can't do that to you.

     The folks at Guillotine Games partnered with Cool Mini Or Not and produced what is one of my favorite games ever, Zombicide. They've run 2 successful kickstarter campaigns and the game currently has 2 primary editions and an expansion as well. One of the things to come out of the most recent kickstarter campaign as additions to the base game are 2 sets that introduce man's faithful companion, dogs. I say that, but only the first set of dogs are loyal and friendly. The other dog pack is full of hungry, angry zombie dogs, looking to turn you into kibble. Really looking forward to getting these on the table and seeing how they affect our games.

In which I become a TO for X-Wing

   This last Sunday, we ran an X-Wing tournament at the local game store. Not a horrible turnout with 8 players. Slightly less than we had at the first evening tournament at Wacon this year. The game is slowly growing on me. I bought some ships at first in the hopes that this would be a miniatures game my wife would want to play with me as she's definitely a Star Wars fan. Turns out, she's still not a miniature gamer. I wasn't initially hooked either and I think that has a lot to do with the initial release of the game having only 4 ships. With little variety, you kind of get lost in the sameness of it all. Ah well, the game has grown on me and has grown in scope as well to encompass 12 ships now with more looming on the horizon...

As the creativity waxes and wanes, so too does the writing...

     Not a lot to report recently. As noticeable, the blog has gone dark. I've gotten a fair bit of gaming in recently, but nothing to speak of really in the hobby, writing or creating areas. Think I'll be taking a bit longer break for the summer and see if we can't get things back on track after the heat wave that is summer in Texas dies down a bit more.

Really gotta work on that

Been a while since I've been able to put pen to paper, or fingers to keys as it were. As a wise man once said,"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't slow down and look around, you might miss it." I've been under a self-inflicted sort of radio silence recently; keeping my head down and just plodding along with blinders on making sure I just get-by. Not too fair to anyone involved and not really all that entertaining. Never fear, it's not like there hasn't been fun, bright spots and sunshine and rainbows along the way, I just haven't been actively seeking them out.

Cold and refreshing.

     First pint night out in a while and I hit the Dancing Bear pub for the first time. To what do my wondering eyes appear, but the official beer of the Game of Thrones, Ommegang's Iron Throne.
     Pretty good I must say. To all of you out there in war game land, and to beer fans across the world, I lift my glass and proudly salute you with a hearty sláinte!

Arrrrr you done shooting?

     Not too terrible much on the gaming front currently. I've played 2 whole Warmachine/Hordes games since the new year started. Lost to pThagrosh in a 15 point game. Yes, I know eMorv is a bad choice when you can't run infantry with her, but I had to try her out. Happy Birthday to me. Did I mention she's on a goat? Traded in some older gaming books for credit at the store and walked out with her for ten percent of her retail price.
     Ran eKaya against a Bart/Galleon list at 35 points and squeaked out a win. Holy crap the Galleon gets in a ton of shots and the mercenary league warjack, those ghostly mariners, are serious business. Having shadow pack up is, most likely, the only thing that kept me alive. Enjoyed how the skinwalkers work with their shiny new Alpha UA and can't wait to run them with either of the Morvahnas. Also, I've come to realize I need a second warpwolf stalker. There are some tier lists out there that I just can't run stalker/Ghetorix in. Not to mention character restrictions on lists at most tournaments keeping him with only one caster.
     Got a shiny new board game from some very good friends. What is it? Well...

What? We lost a month?!

     Wow! January came and went, and what do I have to show for it? Tons of painted models? No. Any of the projects I wanted to start finalized into a completed state? No. Any Warmachine/Hordes league games from the recent journeyman league? Nope. A greater understand of the universe and our place in it? Not really. Picked up a few new boardgames that I may or may not have needed, but ultimately am really glad that I have? Yes, that I did. Realized I may have a kickstarter problem? Hi folks, my name is Ryan and I'm addicted to coolminiornot's kickstarters, amongst others...
     So what else have I been doing?

Things to come...

     2012 comes to a close tonight and in looking to the future, I'm already starting to make plans. For 2013 I want to make a return to wargaming in league, tournament and casual play. For the last few months I've been consent to make up excuses not to head down to the shop and partake in the hobby. In the coming year my hobby motto will be: Get in more games!
     I also hope to to hit the homebrewing hobby, hardcore. I shall dub 2013 the Year of Beer as I branch out from the 2 passable batches of Mead we've made so far to making dozens if not hundreds of batches of homebrew. Obviously, for legal reasons, when I say hundreds, I am referring to 1 gallon batches, and no more than 200 at that as ours is a household of 2 or more adults.
     I'd like to get some painting back in on the miniature hobby side of things. I've had some of these minis for over a decade and it's high time they get some color.
     I'm shedding my shelves of GW. I haven't played a GW mini game (or video game come to think of it) in over a year and a quarter now, and I have to say, I'm not missing it. That being said, ebay, here I come... The funds from which should help fund both my Privateer Press gaming as well as the homebrewing.
     Speaking of homebrew, my lovely wife supplied me with a year's membership to the American homebrew association, so I have tons of content to go through over there. So much to learn and do. Can't wait.
     And lastly, maybe an idea for the brew-pub/bakery combo: http://growlermag.com/spent-but-valuable-ideas-for-using-spent-grain/.
   Have a happy new year's eve folks and we'll catch you on the flipside.

Before we brew...

     Before we brew our own, we had to try out the Kegerator* and see how it works. Well of course the proper beer for operating our keg fridge here in Texas would be Shiner Bock. I did the math and we got 15 gallons of tasty tasty beverage for around six cents an ounce. That's great considering it sells in bottles for roughly eleven cents an ounce.
     So here we are, my brother, myself and Andrew looking like a pack of rejects from Swamp People or the catfish show standing proudly around and blocking site to, the kegerator. Got the tank filled, the keg installed and enjoyed a number of tasty, albeit foamy, beverages last night. Just need to figure out the proper pressure on it and we should be good. It's working fairly well and to be honest, I can't wait to get some Cornelius kegs and get our own brew in there.

*every time I hear that it still sounds like a dnd character name to me. Kegerator the Barbarian! Wielding his massive axe of Inebriation. He shall vanquish your thirst!

Doctor, ain't there nothing I can take...

Yes, you have to give it back.

     Two weeks passed and we cracked open the fermenter to see what golden treasure waited inside. We each took a taste to see how it was progressing and yes, I think it's at the 'not bad' stage. Alec sure seems to think so. We all tried it and it gave us a good idea of where the mead is heading flavor-wise. It shows promise.
     I definitely want to brew a melomel next year when peaches are in-season, and I may even try a metheglin in the spring so we have some good spiced mead for the holidays next year. So much fun and easy to do. I'm somewhat disappointed we missed the peach season this year, but it's good to get a fresh batch of basic mead with the guys so they can see how the process starts out. After all, there'll be plenty of time for peaches in the summer.

Put the lime in the coconut...

Or, adventures in HomeBrewing!
Non miniatures related, mead brewing project details below the break...

Clash was great. My record, notsomuch...

     Had a great time at the Clash for a Cure this last weekend. Picked up a door prize (see the pic over there). Received 2 Windsor/Newton Series 7 brushes in my swag bag. Lost my first two games on Saturday. Tied my third. Even with 3 tiebreakers, we still just ended up with a tie. Won my fourth. Baldur and constructs with Tharn vs. eHaley and her bonded stormwall. Came in on Sunday and my dwarves were eliminated first round of the Highlander by eMadrak and his trolls. Thoroughly enjoyed seeing the results of the raffle. Talk about a fistful of dollars raised to fight cancer.
     All-in-all, a good time was had and I can't wait for next year's event. Maybe by then I'll be fielding fully painted lists. We shall see.
A couple table-shots after the fold:

I got a fever...

     Guess what? I got a fever! And the only prescription.. is more  cowbell Wolds! So I got an assembly bug last night and I put together my Druid gone wilder, General Ossrum, a Scarsfell griffon, a Grey Lord ternion and the newest member of team construct, the great stone gorilla.
He'll be fielded in the Clash for the Cure tournament most likely after I gain some experience using him this weekend. Think I'll be trying out Cassius' new theme list and Seeing how the Baldurs like the big guy.

Clash, Ah ah!

     Laadies and gentlemen, children of all ages, gamers of all shapes and sizes... Come one, come all to the greatest little gaming show benefiting the American Cancer Society. It's time for the Clash for a Cure! There will be mayhem, murder (note, no one actually gets murdered, just figurative deaths of little plastic and metal 'army men') and destruction.
     Come check out the festivities and see what all there is to play. I'm told we'll have some fun with Malifaux, Dust Warfare and of course, Warmachine and Hordes. For more info on the events in question, hit up the website: here. Or check out their facebook page here.

What are you doing October 20th and 21st?!

Hobby time?

     So many things to do these days. So many concerns. Fitness, housekeeping, gaming, work, family, hobbies, business opportunities, etc... With all that to worry about, how to find time to do all is what I'm working on now. Obviously, working on minis, painting, converting and playing with them is a priority for me, especially since I picked up the big guy over there at GenCon. Yes, I have my own stone gorilla now. Oook, Oook, Ahh Ahh! I have special plans for him.
     The key though, is how do I implement all the plans I have. It's easy to decide I want to eat better, or to walk more or paint more but how do I put that into action? What I'm finding out is, you just do. Like Nike says, just do it. Make the time. That's what I'm working on now. Making time. Making time for the hobbies I want to pursue, making time for the beer I want to brew, etc... We'll see how it comes out. Oh, and here are some highlights from GenCon:

Radio Silence

     Between craziness at work and our pending trip to GenCon, the blog is on a small summer hiatus. I'm sure I'll have plenty of hobbying to do once we return from Indiana, especially with what I'm hoping to acquire there. Not to mention, it's getting close to time for some of the kickstarter projects I've backed to start sending out rewards...

Back in the saddle...

     Well now, it's been a while since I've actually had anything to post up here that involved myself assembling or hobbying anything. I've really wanted to put my Celestial Fulcrum together and start the painting process but the weather and a full schedule have kept me from doing so. I wanted to prime the pieces and paint them before assembling and every time I thought about pulling the parts out to spray them it was raining or the humidity was off the scale. I tried one last time to prime them last night before I eventually broke down and glued everything together and my wife opened the back door to display a clear blue sky and rain pouring down. With the sun out no less. Gotta love Texas weather.

Then and now

     Then was last year. August actually. The tournaments we attend normally were concluded and I was looking ahead to the projects I wanted to accomplish. One of them was my Orks. Another was my Purge warband. Now is almost a year later and not only is a new edition on the horizon (I should have my copy this afternoon) but there is also a new codex for Chaos looming large. Even without codex revamp, just having the options available from taking Daemons as allies in 6th gives me a new lease on the army I want to play. Speaking of allies, the image to the left over there is the new chart and while some of the options on it are downright confusing, it all adds up to what could be some great visuals at tournaments this year. I can't wait to see what folks are going to do with all of the converting and paint options available from that list.

Finally the Rock has come back...

     I never was a huge wrestling fan, but I did like the Rock. It always seemed like he was 'finally coming back' to somewhere though. Well, in that vein, I may finally be returning to 40k after a year of shunning GW in all forms. What sent me away was a combination of things really, and the straw that broke the gamer's back eventually. With the release of 6th Edition looming ever closer, I'm feeling the urge to play again. Whether it illustrates just how much I dislike their policies, or how much I love their game-developing, it's taking a whole new edition and a shiny new codex (Chaos Space Marines, hopefully soon!) to lure me back into the fold. And I'm still not 100% sold on the idea of returning. That's not going to stop my wife from getting the Gamer's edition version of the rulebook when it comes out though; she likes the bag. Will I return to my prior role of lovable 40k gamer, or will the 'evil empire' find another way to alienate me once again? All will be made clear in the fullness of time...