A Blog Among Blogs

A Thousand Sons

2012-02-02T10:53:00.001-08:00

A Thousand Sons by Graham McNeill

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In my opinion, A Thousand Sons is arguably the best book of the HH series so far. It is a tragedy on an epic scale. I was so invested in the characters that even though there was no doubt as to the outcome, I still found myself hoping they would escape the fall to Chaos. As far as I'm concerned, 5 stars is the only option here.

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The Outcast Dead

2012-02-02T10:51:00.001-08:00

The Outcast Dead by Graham McNeill

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another great look into the Heresy. The secret carried by Zulane wasn't really a secret to the reader but it definitely was to the characters around him.

Edit: I've reconsidered my review and have chosen to give The Outcast Dead 5 stars. The reason? The last 19 pages of the book. I've reread them 4 or 5 times now and I finally realized that the story told was never about the secret. It was about consequences of that secret being revealed to the galaxy.

A Thousand Sons was a tragedy to it's very core but The Outcast Dead, while draped in tragedy, had the taste of victory to it. After all, "sometimes the only victory possible is to keep your opponent from winning."

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What is my problem??

2011-09-26T10:38:00.000-07:00

I really have the itch to paint again. My problem is that I have so far been unable to transform that itch into reality.

My half finished Warmachine models have been calling my name for about 4 weeks now but they still remain half finished. What is lacking? I think it may be accountability. I am accountable to no one when it comes to my painting.

Assuming anyone still reads (or even looks at) my blog, would it be possible, in some form or fashion, to make myself accountable to the blogging community??

HELP!!!!

A Goal

2011-06-15T11:37:00.000-07:00

Hello all,

I won't offer excuses for not having posted in ages. I will simply say that I've set a goal for myself. A Flames of War goal. I am within spitting distance of completing my very first Flames of War army list and by completing I mean acquiring and painting the models.

The list is a 1750 point LW Panzerkompanie from Fortress Europe. It consists of an HQ platoon of 2 Panzer IV H's and a recovery section. One combat platoon of 5 Panzer IV H's. Another combat platoon of 3 Panzer IV H's and 2 Panzer III M's. An armored artillery battery of 3 Hummels, a full Panzergrenadier platoon, and an anti-air platoon of 3 Sd Kfz 10/5 (2cm).

I'm only short 2 Panzer IV H's, the 2 Panzer III M's, and the anti-air platoon. Everything else it ready!

I know this list will struggle in late war, especially against heavy tank lists, but these are the models I have to use right now and so I am going to learn the basics of the game using these models and then I will build from there.

The goal? To complete the entire company by July 15th. One month from today! Count on it!

A Looted Panzer by any other name.........

2010-10-11T10:15:00.000-07:00

.........Is still a looted panzer.

I recently finished painting this Soviet KV-1e to use as a looted panzer platoon with my Ostfront grenadierkompanie. I followed the painting guide in Ostfront and while I think it turned out fine (a.k.a. average for me) I just can't seem to figure out how to paint tanks. My previous effort was a Tiger 1E which also turned out alright but I don't love it. My current project is a Panzer III Ausf. H and again, I fear it will turn out just average.

I honestly feel like I can see improvement with each new infantry unit that I work on. I learn from each platoon and I try to do it better with the next one and it really seems to be paying off, at least in my opinion. It also seems like the small gambles I take pay off on the infantry but not necessarily on the armor. If I had to guess, I suspect it may be because of the larger surface area I'm playing with on the tanks. More ground to cover means more opportunities to see your mistakes. On the tiny infantrymen, mistakes can be covered or "fixed" much more easily.

Anyway, I still love this whole painting thing. As soon as I finish the pioneers and the Panzer III, I'll be moving onto my 7.5cm lelG18 infantry gun platoon. Hey, those grenadiers need artillery support, right? :)

Painting Flames of War

2010-09-17T09:07:00.000-07:00

I'm not much of a painter but I thought I might share some of my efforts at getting a MW grenadierkompanie put together.

Grenadier Platoon

3rd Squad

Light Mortar

1st Squad

Platoon commander

Tiger 1E

Tiger 1E

I'm currently working on a Pionier platoon. After that, a light infantry gun platoon and a mortar platoon.

Everyone deserves a second chance.......

2010-03-01T08:51:00.000-08:00

Quite some time ago, I made a valiant attempt to get into Warmachine. I say attempt because in the end, it was unsuccessful. I simply was unable to get past the Real Life Factor and make a go of the game.

It wasn't for lack of trying, however. I still have all of my Protectorate models and believe me when I say I had a bunch. Some even managed to get assembled and a lucky few even got some paint on them. Unfortunately, it was all for naught. Too many things got in the way and in the end, those models went into a box to gather dust.

I am happy to say that the Real Life Factor is now less of a factor. Obviously, day to day dealings will never go away completely but I am fortunate enough to have been able to get past a couple of things that were holding me back. That being the case, I have once again heard the siren song of Warmachine. Stangely enough, though not unexpected, that song actually sounds like hissing steam and screeching metal.

Anyway, with the advent of Prime MkII, I have taken the plunge again but this time, I am starting fresh. I will always have a soft spot in my heart for the crazy, fiery fanatics of the Protectorate but I now know that my true calling lay in the frozen north, amongst the people of the Khadoran Empire.

You see, I want to crush things. I want hit my opponents hard. I want the last thing they see to be the burning eye sockets of my 12 ton engine of destruction right before said engine stomps them into paste. I have bought into the concept of "axe to face" wholeheartedly.

Behold the beginnings of that effort.....

On the left we see Jackson the Destroyer and on the right his partner in crime, Pollock, the Juggernaut.

And of course, everyones favorite ice princess, Kommander Sorscha.

These pictures are a few days old. Base coating is well underway on all three models. In addition, I am picking up a unit of Widowmakers this Wednesday in order to complete my fist MkII 15 point list. With a little luck, these models will see the table top this Thursday.

Something wicked this way comes.....

2010-02-01T12:19:00.000-08:00

Stay tuned here for a reemergence of sorts......

All hail Empress Vanar!

Leaving the Group

2009-09-24T09:18:00.000-07:00

I apologize to both of my loyal readers for my long absence from the blogging stage. :) I have found that one actually has blogging muscles and if one doesn’t exercise those blogging muscles, they become weak. My blogging muscles are very weak right now. I am feeling the burn as I type this.

I have had some things on my mind lately and I have decided that the time has come to unburden myself. For whatever goofy reason, writing helps when it comes to analyzing and resolving certain issues that may be causing me grief. I make no apologies for my views and beliefs as presented here just as I ask no one else to apologize for their own thoughts.

I know going into this blog that what I write today will NOT win me any new friends and in fact may alienate some of those I call friends. I regret that but for my own sake; I need to say what I need to say.

I have chosen to shed the label of ‘Christian’ in my own life.

What?

I’ll say it again; I have chosen to shed the label of ‘Christian’ in my own life.

This decision is a temporary one. I don’t plan on NOT being a Christian for the rest of my life but for the time being, this is what I feel is best for me. Some of you may ask why. Some may not care. Some may support the decision. I respect all of those positions. It is for those that truly have no idea where this is coming from that I feel I owe an explanation. I make no promises as to the efficacy of that explanation. I only promise that I will do my best to articulate the thoughts and feelings that lead me to this point.

The simple truth behind my decision is that I believe that the term ‘Christian’ has ceased to be a way of life. It has become a label. It has become a brand. A brand to be produced, packaged, marketed, shipped, and purchased. It has become a money maker. Books, CD’s, software, classes, etc. I liken it to the money changers and the merchants in the Temple courtyard.

It has become a ‘members only’ club. It allows people to pick and choose those verses in the Bible that they feel best make their point and fling them at ‘non believers’ as if they were spears. 2nd Corinthians 6: 14 comes to mind. How many times has this verse been thrown back and forth? Taken in context, I feel that the Apostle Paul was warning the Corinthians about the pitfalls of being with, marrying, doing business with, etc. those who are unrighteous. Those who do NOT keep the commandments of God. It is NOT tacit instruction to engage in religious discrimination. So many times however, that is how it is presented. Don’t be with Catholics! Don’t be with Baptists!! Don’t be with Mormons!! Don’t be with Buddhists! Shun those who don’t believe as you do!! Come on!! The apostle doesn’t say ‘be not yoked with those who believe differently.’ He says ‘be not yoked with those who do not believe.’

I have been accused of not being Christian more times than I can count simply because I don’t believe in the same manner as the accuser. If destroying friendships, or writing off family members is what it takes to be a Christian these days, then I am happy not being a member of that club. I believe in Christ and I believe in the two great commandments in the law; love the Lord and love thy neighbor. For me, for right now, that will do.

Shermans Anyone?

2009-05-28T09:41:00.000-07:00

I apologize for my long absence. As we all know, life has a funny way of getting in the way of things. Anyway, I have unlimbered my paintbrushes again but my focus has shifted a bit.

I am building and painting a mid war US rifle company (circa late 1942) in 15mm. When all is said and done, the rifle company will have 3 complete rifle platoons, machine gun and anti tank platoons, a mortar platoon, A&P platoon, and armor and artillery divisional support.

With the exception of the divisional markings, my 3 tank platoon of M4A1 Sherman tanks is complete. These all have the 75mm main gun.

Next up on my painting list....my machine gun platoon. 4 machine gun sections all packing the vicious M1917 HMG.

Inspiration: So Damn Hard to Find

2009-04-22T09:28:00.000-07:00

I would like to write. I don’t mean letters, or postcards, or copy for a newspaper. I mean that I would like to write something else. The problem I face right now is that I have no idea what I want to write and I have no idea where to start. I just now I want to write.

See, I have all these ideas floating around in my cranium. In fact, I would say that I have a plethora of ideas. A veritable cornucopia of ideas but damn it, I can’t seem to squeeze any of those ideas out of the obscure and squishy confines of my brain and onto paper. Or Microsoft Word as the case may be.

My ideas are diverse in their nature. Perhaps a book of poetry? Haiku to be exact. You may ask yourself, ‘Self? What is so neat about a book full of haiku poems?’ The answer is probably nothing. Unless those haiku are about such controversial subjects as breast enhancement, NASCAR racing, or the New Kids on the Block. See? That is pure, unadulterated brilliance. Come forth and drink from my well of stupendous vision.

As I stated in a previous blog, I might write a book for children. Assuming Privateer Press is willing to work with me, that book would be set in the magikal, mechanikal (misspelled on purpose) world of the Iron Kingdoms. A world where ten ton steel and iron constructs do battle and the fate of all life hangs in the balance. Someone told me that children’s books should be educational so what would my book teach kids? It would be teach them about courage, tenacity, and that burning heretics is OK. It would teach them that mercy is for sissies and that only the strong survive.

I might write a How-to book. Perhaps something along the lines of ‘How to Suck at Just About Everything and Still be Content.’ This book would NOT be based on my own life experiences. It would be based on my observations of others. I suck at very little and so would not be a good inspiration.

I guess the point I am trying to make is that I want to do something. I want to write. Not necessarily for another person’s enjoyment but mostly for my own satisfaction. I just can’t seem to figure out where to begin. I have no formal training. I’ve never really written before. I mean, I’ve written a lot but never with the intent to publish. Can I have writers block while preparing to write a book or would that be known as ‘wannabes’ block?

A Book for Children

2009-04-17T10:16:00.000-07:00

Greetings to one and all.

Just a brief announcement. I have decided that I am going to write a book for children. I will need to find an illustrator to collaborate with but right now, I am just getting ready to write.

There are a few details to work out with Privateer Press since my plan is to base the book in the Iron Kingdoms. It is tentively titled "Where the Warjacks Are." Copyright infringment is not an issue for me. :P

The premise at this point centers on a young boy who falls asleep one night, only to wake up in a field with a Crusader Heavy warjack staring down at him as if waiting for something. Hilarity and burning ensue. This book is destined to be a best seller.

More to come.......

Fighting--A Part of Hockey?

2009-04-08T15:22:00.000-07:00

I've been watching a lot of hockey this season. As far as I am concerned, hockey is the greatest sport on the planet, bar none. Recently, the question of fighting in hockey has come up again. There are those who say it has no place in the game. There are those who say it is part of what makes hockey, well........hockey. I happen to agree with the latter but there is more to it. Allow me to explain.

My favorite team, the Pittsburgh Penguins, have battled back from a dismal middle season to clinch a playoff spot. It has been an energizing and excited season these past few weeks. Their last two games have been in Florida. On Sunday, they lost to the Panthers. It was a tough break. Yesterday, the Pens beat the Lightning 6-4. Both games were intense and tensions were running high. The gloves came off on several occasions in both contests. A thought came to me after watching the game against the Lightning.

Late in the first period of Sunday's game against the Panthers, Florida blueliner Keith Ballard threw a hip check on Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin that caused Malkin to flip head over skates and come down on his neck. He was fine but the check was low. Sidney Crosby, the Pens team captain, took umbrage with that and immediately dropped the gloves and he a Ballard went at it. It wasn't really a fight. It was more of a wrestling match that ended when both players fell to the ice and the linesmen broke it up. It wasn't the fight itself that I took notice of though. It was the loyalty to a fellow player that intrigued me.

See, Crosby isn't a fighter. Most folks will tell you that. 90% of the defensemen in the league are probably bigger and meaner than he is but he was all over Ballard in the blink of an eye. Why? Team spirit. Loyalty. Heart. All of these things. Crosby and Malkin are teammates and you always stand up for your teammates. Even Ballard said Crosby did the right thing in challenging him!! The Pens ultimately ended up losing that game but they were winners in my eyes. The whole damn team.

Yesterday's contest against the Tampa Bay Lightning resulted in a win for the Pens but again, team spirit caught my eye.

During the third period, Lightning winger David Koci nailed Pens forward Max Talbot deep in the Lightning zone and then immediately put Talbot in a headlock to keep him out of the play. That didn't bother me because that is hockey. Talbot escaped and headed back up ice but Koci caught up and crosschecked Talbot in the back. A scuffle ensued and Pens forward Eric Godard dropped the gloves and went after Koci. This was a battle of the titans that ended in a draw. Fight or not, Godard was showing his loyalty and team spirit.

Just a few minutes later, Pens forward Bill Guerin mixed it up with Lightning forward Evgeny Artyukhin after Artyukhin crosschecked Pens defensemen Sergei Gonchar.

Is there a lot of fighting in hockey? Not really. Not anymore. Does it have it's place in the game? Absolutely.

Team spirit. Loyalty. These are the things that I see where others just see two hockey players throwing punches. These men are a team. They win together and they lose together. If you want to take a shot at one of them, just know you are taking a shot at the whole team. This is one of the reasons that hockey is the greatest sport on Earth. GO PENS!!!!

You Win Some, You Lose Some

2009-04-06T16:36:00.001-07:00

I fancy myself to be a learned and cultured individual. Whether that is in fact the case is completely irrelevant because I used the word 'fancy.' I FANCY myself to be a learned and cultured individual. Now, I know that to make such a statement without proof would open me up to ridicule and countless wet willies. Since I am not a fan of either, I will prove what I say is true.

A few months ago, my daughters and I took it upon ourselves to brighten the world around us and we did this through the careful and deliberate application of green thumbery. I acquired the seeds during my travels (a trip to Fred Meyer) and together the three of us put those precious seedlings into the ground. We cleared the rocks. We dug the holes. We placed those tiny bundles of life into the dirt and covered them.......and then we promptly forgot about them. UNTIL NOW!!! Our labors have borne fruit!!

Are those not the most beautiful pansies you have ever seen? They are mesmerizing in their majesty. Their fragrance puts to shame even the most beautiful of roses. Most days, the girls and I stand there for 15 or 20 minutes and gaze upon these flowers with the pride of a parent observing a particularly gifted child if that child were small, leafy, and sprouted yellow and purple petals.

Now whether any of you, my loyal readers, believe it or not, I am but a human and I am subject to the weaknesses and fallacies that beset all humankind. Where my power over growing things is, by all accounts, limitless my power over clay is less so.

This past weekend, my daughters brought over to my house their new sculpting kit. This cool little kit included clay in a myriad of colors, a cool book full of ideas, and NO instructions whatsoever.

I sat and read quietly as both girls worked diligently to create a masterpiece from the formless clay. They both labored for the better part of an hour. In fact, Lex Luthor (see previous post here) might have worked for 90 minutes on her David. Once they were both done, they asked that I bake the sculptures in order to harden them. I, of course, was happy to do so.

I scanned the pages of the included book for nearly 10 minutes in an effort to discern some sort of approach to this baking thing. Nothing. I went online and "googled." Some information popped up. I scanned to first link briefly and then with a "damn the torpedoes and full speed ahead" attitude, I fired up the oven to 300 degrees, plopped the clay creations onto a cookie sheet, and shoved them into the oven. 10 minutes later, Averi asked if something was burning. Not good. I rushed to the oven and pulled it open. Destruction was complete. I had in the span of just a few short minutes, obliterated almost an hour's hard work.

I learned two lessons from these separate but related incidents. First, spend as much time with your kids as you possibly can doing things they will love. Second, flowers are easy and clay sucks donkey.

I Should Have Been a Political Activist :-)

2009-03-31T09:02:00.000-07:00

I am going to rant about the new cigar tax that goes into effect on Wednesday.

I’m not a cigar smoker. Have I tried them? Yes. Regularly? Not at all. I think I am up in arms because it will destroy small businesses. Tampa, FL will take a huge hit in terms of business. 2/3 of all cigars made in the US or imported into the US come through Tampa. The tax is increasing from 5 cents to 40 cents per cigar. That is a huge increase. 300% in fact unless my math is wrong, which is a distinct possibility.

Tampa has been the cigar capital of the US for over a century. Now this tax is threatening to damage yet another aspect of the economy. Put more people out of work. In my opinion, you have to look at the big picture. The tax increases. People stop buying cigars. Cigar makers close up shop and lay people off. Those laid off people can't find work. Local tax revenues shrink because fewer people are paying taxes because they aren't working. With less tax revenues coming in, city and county services are cut. More people lose their jobs. Blah, blah, blah. That isn't even taking into consideration the suppliers that these cigar makers do business with.

Now it could be said that this could apply to any business and that is true but my point isn’t specific to cigars. Whether it is cigars, or tires, or baby bottles makes no difference. Taxing a business out of existence is not fixing things. It is only causing more pain. Obama and his crew insist that they are trying to save and/or create jobs!! Strange way to save jobs I say. Tax them out of existence? Now, if someone in the Obama administration, including the big man himself, would just step up and say "You know, in order to fix this thing the right way, we are going to have to destroy some peoples’ livelihoods." I wouldn't be near as worked up about it because that would at least be the truth. Don't sit there though and tell me you are doing every thing you can to save or create jobs and then levy 300% tax increases against specific sectors of the economy.

I’m sure some of you who read this are wondering if there is more to this than I am letting on and there is. Evidently, this tax increase will be used to fund an increase in children's health care. I personally believe that if there is a single demographic that deserves an increase in health care coverage, it is children. I DO NOT however, believe that this is the way to go about doing it. I see where the government is coming from on this one. “Tax the shit out of cigar makers to pay for child health care. The American public will eat that up!!” I don’t buy it though. How about cutting pork barrel spending? How about taxing imported cigars only rather than imported and locally made? How about getting a handle on the billions of tax payer dollars that have been dropped down the black holes that are AIG, GM, Chrysler, etc? This is a punitive tax and nothing more. It is yet another example of a government that is so in over its head that it will do anything to appear like it is doing something.

I know I don't have the answers. I know there are thousands of people who are way smarter than me that are trying to fix this problem. But from my perspective, something’s just don't seem right and let's face it, perception is reality.

Gesso

2009-03-26T09:16:00.000-07:00

I am fairly certain that this will not be news to you painting experts out there (I'm looking at you John, Red, Raymond, bobaferret, and everyone else whose blog I follow), but I have discovered a new kind of primer. Gesso. It is a brush on primer and I love it.

I was reading on another forum recently about painting and modeling in an effort to discern some techniques and such to help me improve my painting. I found a discussion regarding gesso and I was intrigued enough to run out to my local arts and crafts store and by a pot of the stuff.

I'm not a chemist so I'll not even try to explain what gesso is from a component standpoint. I will only say that this is the stuff the artists use to prep their canvases prior to actually putting any paint down. Not only does it stiffen the canvas but it also seals the surface so that the paint doesn't bleed into the material.

Anyway, the stuff also works brilliantly on my Protectorate models. I am sure that some of that is due to the fact that these models have been blessed by Menoth so basically all of you non-Menoth players are screwed. :). What I do is pour some gesso into my little cup, mix in just a bit of water, and then just glop it onto the model. Excess fluid is not an issue as long as you make a point of not putting on too much!! I've got some pictures of my WIP Revenger light warjack to illustrate my point. Observe.....

This is my Revenger with original coat of spray primer on it. A terrible finish.........

Here is the same model with the gesso on it. It might be a bit difficult to make out but a lot of the detail has been obscured by the gesso since I just plopped it on there. Take a close look at the haft of the halberd. No detail to be seen.

And here is the model after drying overnight and having some base color applied. Look at the haft of the halberd and the fingers gripping it. All the detail is visible. The detail is visible on the smoke stack and on the face grille and that is how the gesso dries. I have no idea what happens but the stuff tightens as it dries and reveals all of the detail while leaving a good primer coat with a great tooth to hold the paint you put on there.

Again, I am no expert but I wanted to follow in the footsteps of those who have real skill and share with everyone the little things that help me out. Enjoy!!

A New Author

2009-03-23T09:52:00.000-07:00

I am a reader. I always have been. I might even be what is known in literary circles as a voracious reader.

vo⋅ra⋅cious
/vɔˈreɪʃəs, voʊ-, və-/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [vaw-rey-shuhs, voh-, vuh-] Show IPA
–adjective
1.
craving or consuming large quantities of food: a voracious appetite.
2.
exceedingly eager or avid: voracious readers; a voracious collector.

Now that I actually read the definition of the word 'voracious', it appears I might just be voracious in every circle and not just those of the literary persuasion. I do love my food.

Anyway, I have recently discovered a new author whose writings I am rapidly coming to enjoy. I'm not sure why it has taken me this long to find him.

Jim Butcher writes fantasy. I guess that is what you would call it. The protagonist in most, if not all, of his books is a gentleman by the name of Harry Dresden. Harry is a wizard. A wizard living in present day Chicago. A Chicago that is home to all sorts of things that go bump in the night. Vampires, ghouls, zombies, witches, etc. They all find their way into the books. As a wizard of the White Council, Harry is hell bent on keeping average folks safe from the denizens of the night. These books chronicle his adventures and let me just say that they are some great reads.

Now for the caveat. I have only read one book so far. I just finished Dead Beat. This particular book tells a story of a past nemesis of Harry's coming back to wreak havoc and cause all sorts of problems. Add to that the fact that this nemesis has in her possession certain items that will ruin Harry's best friend's life and so if Harry doesn't do as his enemy says, his friends life will be destroyed. Throw in some zombies, a half dozen or so necromancers, werewolves, and Harry's vampire half brother, Thomas, and you've got a wild ride.

The book itself is very well written. Characters are fleshed out and you find yourself actually caring about what happens to some of them. The atmosphere is intriguing. Wizardry and other preternatural forces at work in a modern day American city isn't exactly a new concept but Butcher does a great job of putting his own distinctive spin on it.

Dead Beat may have been the first book of Jim Butcher's that I have read but it definitely will not be the last.

A Family Affair

2009-03-18T10:10:00.000-07:00

I actually had a couple of extra models laying around that I wasn't sure what to do with. Then it hit me! I would turn those models into a family affair.

I was with my girls last night. I brought all of my brushes and paints and such and asked them if they wanted to paint. The answer was a resounding YES!! I got the old newspaper spread out. They both got old t-shirts on and set to work.

My oldest daughter (Claire Huxtable if you recall from a previous blog) decided she would paint High Exemplar Kreoss. The choice suited her since Kreoss is a bossy warcaster and "Claire" is a bossy older sister. Behold the finished piece!!!!!

Note the highlighting on the raised surfaces of his robe! How is that for attention to detail????

My youngest (the infamous Lex Luthor) chose the Repenter light warjack for her project. I liked this choice for her because the Repenter is meant to get right up in your grill and cook your nibblets. "Lex" will not hesitate to get all up in your Kool-Aid and make you rue the day you were born. :). Here is her finished model......

Look closely and you will see the seething orange flame just beginning to burst forth from the flamethrower on the 'jack's left arm. Someone is about to get bar-b-qued!!

The work on these models was theirs' and theirs' alone. I think they really enjoyed it

Eye on the Cup

2009-03-18T09:50:00.000-07:00

I watched the Penguins/Thrashers game from beginning to end last night. Thank heaven for NHL Center Ice. A few thoughts....

* Jordan Staal is a force to be reckoned with. Long legs and a titanic wing span make him dangerous.

* Evgeni Malkin is arguably the finest talent in the NHL right now and the beauty of it is that he has such a great time playing the game. This guy has more passion for the sport in his little finger than some other teams do collectively.

* Sidney Crosby is on a mission. I swear that every time there was a loose puck and Crosby was on the ice, he was chasing after it.

* Having Sergei Gonchar back in the lineup has breathed new life into the Pen's power play and strengthened their blueline play.

* Ray Shero is looking like a genius for cutting Therrien, bringing Bylsma up, and acquiring Bill Guerin and Chris Kunitz.

* Dan Bylsma is looking like a genius for pairing Kunitz and Guerin with Crosby on the 1st line. Those three together are proving to be a juggernaut on the ice.

* The entire team has bought into the new way of doing things. This is a completely different team from 8 weeks ago. The Thrashers tried to keep up the pace last night and the Pen's simply beat them at their own game.

Someone or something has lit a fire under this group of guys. They are in it to win it now.

Powerless to help

2009-03-16T13:22:00.001-07:00

What do you do when someone you love more than life itself is struggling?

I know a guy with a young daughter. She is 7 or so. Evidently, this young girl is going through some titanic struggles right now. Her parents went through a divorce recently so that is probably contributing. It is possible that this sweet little girl also has some form of ADD. The poor kid is frustrated and emotional and has no idea what is going on. How could she for frig's sake? She's 7.

Her dad is just as frustrated by the situation but for different reasons. He feels completely powerless to help her. I happen to know that this gentleman is on great terms with the little girl's mother and they are both upset and frustrated by the whole thing. They want to help their little girl so badly and yet there is little they can do RIGHT NOW and so they are hurting too.

This little girl's parents are both smart and very loving where their kids are concerned and I know they will find a way to help their daughter out. When you are right in the middle of it though and you don't yet have a solution, it can be disheartening.

I'd like to build a flux capacitor

2009-03-13T09:46:00.000-07:00

Picture this; a beautiful Seattle morning. Bright sunlight. Cold air. Birds singing in the trees. A warm cup of heavenly nectar (that is what I call coffee) in hand. The scene is nearly perfect.

I hop in my truck (a Toyota Tundra named Samantha), fire it up and pull out of the driveway. I am heading to work. That sucks donkey but the fact that it is Friday partially mitigates the employment induced torpor that seems to hit near the end of each work week. It all ends in an instant.

I pull up to a red light, the soothing sounds of the All-American Rejects caressing my eardrums, and pleasant thoughts (no details will be provided as to the nature of these thoughts) drifting around in my cranium. I glance at the driver to my left. It is a young man driving a Chevy Avalanche. I glance to my right and my perfect little bubble of a world shatters like a mirror struck by a thermonuclear weapon in the 15 megaton range. The driver to my right is an older gentleman. Mid 50's maybe. He is driving what looks to be a rather nice Mercedes SUV of some sort. It isn't him or his car that vexes me so however. It is his passenger. It has got to be his daughter. She is probably 14 or 15. Cute in the way 14 or 15 year olds are. (Disclaimer: That last sentence was merely an observation and not an indication that I should be registering in a government database of some sort) She is doing her makeup while talking on her cellphone. She is wearing a white tank top that I feel reveals to much. On a side note, it was about 33 degrees outside at this point. Where in the name of all that is holy was her coat? Anyway, I nearly dropped dead from a sudden realization. That man driving the Mercedes with the too mature teenager in the passenger seat will be me in only 4 or 5 years. Sooner maybe. I don't know.

I have two daughters myself whom I love dearly. For their safety, I will change their names in this blog. These aliases will be a reflection of who my girls are though. My oldest, who we will call Claire Huxtable, is 10 years old. She is smart and funny. She also tries to mother my youngest. It rarely ends well when she does this. She has a cell phone and good friends she hangs out with. She isn't a stellar student......yet. I have faith in her. My youngest, who will be known as Lex Luthor in this blog, is 7. She is brave and creative. She is also temperamental sometimes. When she grows up, she will either cure cancer or be the greatest criminal mastermind this world has ever known. I have faith in her too.

Now, I love these girls more than anything and I do my best to be greatest father to them that I can be. I fail constantly in that endeavor but I think in the case of parenting, it is the effort that counts. After observing that man this morning stare stoically out the windshield of his car while his "grown-up" daughter applied her makeup and prattled on and on to her friend, I think I may simply remove my girls from the world until they are 18. Or 45. Still deciding on that one. I consider myself to be a brave person but the thought of those two little girls growing up terrifies me all of a sudden. I worry that I haven't done enough to prepare them for the world. I worry that I haven't done enough to instill values that will see them through tough decisions they have to make. Argggh! Being a dad sucks sometimes!!!! I suppose I can only do my best and hope it all works out.

P.S. I actually googled "full body chastity belts" today.

P.P.S. I'm kidding.

P.P.P.S. Maybe.

I have the attention span of a 3 year old

2009-03-10T14:58:00.000-07:00

OK, I'm having a great time with my Menite models. I have fully assembled and primed the Crusader, Repenter, and Revenger warjacks. Kreoss is primed as well. The Vassal, Heirophant, and the High Executioner are all about 90% assembled. My Devout is about 20% assembled. I have begun laying down base coats on the Crusader, Repenter, and Kreoss. The Crusader even has some shading and highlighting done as he is my experimental piece. Severius and Feora are mostly assembled and my Temple Flameguard UA is being prepped. In other words, I can't focus on a single model to save my life. What the hell is up with that?

The real issue is that I have all these ideas rolling around in my head and when a new one pops up through the grey matter, I immediately want to try it out. :(. I have changed primers. Experimented with new color schemes. Pinned some models and not others. Filled some gaps with green stuff. I am all over the place!!! Like I said before though, I am having a wonderful time. In fact, I am having such a great time that I wonder if I am not more interested in the hobby aspect of the game, rather than the game itself. Something tells me that may be the case. But wait, it gets worse.

Enter the Trollbloods. Holy schnikes those are some sweet models. Now I have ideas pertaining to beefy (to borrow a phrase from another blogger who shall remain nameless but whose initials are bobaferret), nobby, rowdy, grouchy trollkin rolling around in my head in addition to the ideas for raging, burning religious fanatics already in there. As if the inside of my melon wasn't a squishy, soupy morass already. What is a guy to do?!?!?!? I've fielded my Menite battlebox models in a couple of games and while I thoroughly enjoyed the experience, I'm in no hurry to get back to it. I just want to paint! I just want to create! I am attempting to justify my inclusion of trollkin into my efforts by telling myself that more models = more painting and conversion practice, both of which I am in dire need of. Add to this Red's incredible terrain making efforts, bobaferret's breast cancer awareness army, and everyone else's bitchin' armies and there is no end to the list of things I want to try my hand at and that list doesn't seem to include playing the game. (Was that a run on sentence?)

Don't get me wrong, I love reading the battle reports and I still want to write a few of my own but I can feel my priorities shifting where the hobby is concerned. Is that a bad thing? Can you collect, paint, and NOT play and still feel part of the Warmachine/Hordes community? I suppose only time will tell. Damn you Warmachine/Hordes ADD!!! If it weren't for you.......oh look, an article on basing!

Congrats to a Penguin

2009-03-05T14:46:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to #55 Sergei Gonchar of the Pittsburgh Penguins on the pending birth of his second child!!! He's a class act and deserves the best.

I Am Going To Hell

2009-03-02T11:30:00.000-08:00

I have long known that I would be the one driving the shuttles in Hell. People need to get to and from their dormitories to the various mixers and clam bakes after all and it will be me doing to driving. That of course begs the question; how could you know that? Well, there is this for one....

I spotted that beauty whilst driving around recently. That isn't the only reason I will be roasting in the 9th circle though. You see, there are many things about me that guarantee me trip on the Down Elevator.

My complete and utter intolerance of Visigoths---Please don't ask me to elaborate as I will not bore you with the details of this one. Needless to day, Visigoths and I do NOT get along and I don't see that changing anytime soon.
My inability to understand rugby---I sat and watched 90 minutes worth of rugby at a local bar recently. I left more confused than ever.
My total support for the Emperor and his minions in their quest to crush the Rebellion---Let's face it, the Emperor has got it going on. Cool robes, great complexion, the ability to throw lightning from his fingertips. If that doesn't deserve your support and total adoration, I don't know what does.

These "shortcomings" of mine have pretty much damned me but even considering all of the above, I might still have a chance at Heaven except for one thing. I am at work today. There, I said it. I am at work today. It is so beautiful outside right now. The sun is shining (quite a big deal here in the Pacific Northwest), the temp is hovering in the mid 50's, and I am at my desk pretending to work. Since moving to Seattle last November, I have come to realize just how pretty it is up here. This region has got to be the best kept secret in the US. Well, maybe not anymore with me yammering on about it but you get the point. When the opportunity presents itself, get outside and enjoy some time in the sun. Even better, do it with your family. Otherwise, I'll be seeing you at the shuttle stop. :)

p.s. For the Warmachine enthusiasts that may or may not follow this blog, I bought a new camera. It should be arriving today. I will actually be taking pictures of things I am doing and models I am working on so consider yourselves warned.

Harumph!

2009-02-27T13:08:00.000-08:00

I have not been feeling particularly inspired to blog lately. I just wanted to assure anyone who might be reading that I am still alive and kicking. Watch for blog activity to pick up next week. I promise.

I Do Care

2009-02-18T09:37:00.000-08:00

There are days when I feel like I am going it all alone. Seriously, like I am the only one in the universe. I’m not saying that the feeling gets me down, just that it is present from time to time.

I’ve not been divorced that long. Just since last June in fact and it is taking some getting used to. I am so very fortunate in that I remain good friends with my ex-wife but the fact remains that I have been thrust into the strange and disconcerting world of singledom (I’m sure I didn’t create that word but I sure as hell will claim credit if no one else does) and to be honest, some days it is just a big shit sandwich.

This isn’t an ‘oh woe is me’ blog though. Oh no. This blog has higher aspirations. I was thinking about that whole alone thing and how it sucks sometimes and blah, blah, blah and then I realized that I’m not really alone. I have a whole host of people in my life that care about me in one form or fashion. In fact, I realized that by simply logging in and taking the time to comment on my Facebook page, or read this festering turd of a blog, people are showing in their own way that they care.

I, on the other hand, do NOT do a great job of showing people that I care. I think I never really have and there are others who can attest to that fact. It isn’t that I don’t care. I do……deeply. I just suck at showing it and when I say suck I mean SUCK!!!! It is so easy for me to become so entranced with my own little microcosm that I forget to simply acknowledge the major players in that microcosm. I wish I had an excuse to offer for this behavior but I do not. I wish I could say that I was totally resolved to doing a better job of letting people know just how much I care but that would be a lie. I am not totally resolved to that yet…..but I will be. At some point.

Until that time, people should know in their hearts that I do care for them a great deal and for those to which I am closest, you should know that I would go to any length to be there for you. You know who you are.

Thursday Night and a New Grand Exemplar

2009-02-16T13:04:00.000-08:00

I am just about ready for the big throw down on Thursday. At most, my models will be primed but they will all be assembled. I thought I might speed up the assembly process, cut some corners, blah, blah, blah, in order to maybe get some more models assembled as well. Models like the Vassal and the Heirophant. Maybe even a Devout. I decided against it. I will field the contents of the battle box and only the contents of the battle box. You all know what that is and you all love it. You even love the Repenter, even if you refuse to admit it. That said, it will be High Examplar Kreoss, a Crusader, a Repenter, and a Revenger that will be battling for the Glory of Menoth this Thursday. Heretics beware.

Now, I had an epiphany over the weekend regarding Kreoss. As it happens, I was reading in Apotheosis where Grand Examplar Baine Hurst gave his life to protect the Harbinger from Cryxian forces and how later Heirarch Voyle named Kreoss as his replacement, making him the new Grand Exemplar. The key word in all of this being Exemplar. I am just now realizing that Kreoss is now the head of the entire Exemplar order!!!

What does this mean for Itchy’s foray into Warmaching in the short term? Probably not much. In the long term? A lot most likely. I have stated before how much I love the fluff and this kind of stuff fascinates me. At some point, I want to build a Grand Exemplar Kreoss list that is heavy on the Exemplar units and give that a whirl. I imagine that it is a sight to behold when an army full of Exemplar Vengers and Errants are fielded. Throw in Gravus and a couple Seneschals and you’ve got an army right out of the book. I wouldn’t expect to win many games with a list like that. Then again, for all I know right now, that may be a monster list. Regardless, I think I would have a blast fielding that army.

I Think My Brain Ceased to Function

2009-02-16T11:44:00.000-08:00

This will be a short one......mostly because my stupefaction at learning this little fact is still overwhelming most of the synapses in my brain.

I happened to be listening to NPR this morning on the drive to work. I love me some NPR. Anyway, some economist was being interviewed. They were discussing the stimulus bill and things that are right about it and wrong about it. Normally, I take what I hear with a grain of salt. Listening to this gentleman, my approach was no different. He said something though that struck me.

Evidently, our Federal government has been spending more than it has been taking in in tax revenue for so long that every bit of tax that you and I will pay in January, February, March, April, and part of May this year will be just enough to cover the interest on our national debt. Are you shitting me, you ask? I am not, I say, because you are my favorite turd. Nearly half a years tax revenue just to cover the interest? WTF?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? Even if it isn't really that bad, the implications are horrifying.

I don't claim to be an economist, or an expert, or even that smart but day-um. If you and I arbitrarily spent more than we take in for several years, we would be S C R E W E D!!! In fact, they would probably bring back debtors prison just to handle us and yet the geniuses on Capitol Hill (and I am referring to both sides of the isle here) not only have been doing it, but continue to do it. I may be completely wrong here and if I am, I hope someone corrects me but does it seem like we are blaming the wrong people/decisions for our current predicament?

The Time Has Come

2009-02-13T09:10:00.000-08:00

It is on.

I made it over to Warmachine night last night. Unfortunately, I did not have time to get my battle box prepped and assembled but all was not lost. I was able to sit and watch two complete games, both with Protectorate lists in them.

The first game was a Testament list vs a Cygnar list lead by Haley. Protectorate ended up winning but it was a near thing. The other game was an Ad-Raza list that faced off against a Khador list lead by Karchev. The Khador list was an interesting one in that it was all ‘jacks + Doc Killingsworth. Evidently, Karchev’s rules are vague enough to allow Killingsworth to “fix” him when needed. Anyway, the Protectorate was victorious in that one as well. I had a great time watching but that wasn’t the best part……

The gentleman playing the Protectorate list in the second game was a dude named Nick. He took the time right at the start of the game to introduce himself to me and ask me if I played. When I told him I was just about done putting my battle box together and would be ready for an intro next week, he said he would be there and would help me out!

Next Thursday is the day! I’m excited. I know it was supposed to be yesterday but life intervened. Let the destruction commence!!!

You all know and love the list I will be playing so wish me luck.

Beware the High Exemplar

2009-02-10T15:01:00.000-08:00

New plan.

I am tired of waiting. I grow impatient. Here is what I am going to do about it.......

Step 1) I will have my Protectorate Battle Box tonight or tomorrow. Depends on whether I can get over to the LGS. Either way, my goal will be to have Kreoss and the 3 'jacks prepped and assembled by tomorrow night. I may even prime them. No guarantees there though.

Step 2) I will go to my LGS with my newly acquired and assembled army this Thrusday eveing. I will then plead my case to every veteran there and see who will trounce me, in an educational way. I'm sure I will have some takers.

Step 3) Write my battle report(s). I suspect these will mostly be case studies involving failed tactics and complete beatdowns. Oh well.

Step 4) Rinse, lather, repeat as often as possible while adding models to my army list. Prime and paint as I go.

That plan, ladies and gentlemen, is full proof. In fact, that plan is much like the Borg in that resistance is futile. Your biological matter will be added to the collective........nevermind.

Regret

2009-02-09T14:04:00.000-08:00

It has occurred to me recently that in all my thirty-five years I had never truly experienced regret until 2008.

Thirty-five years seems like an awful long time to go without experiencing the exquisite pain that is regret. Many might ask whether or not that is even possible. I assure you, it is.

You see, in all that time, I came to “regret” many things. Notice the quotation marks. If you could see me right now, you would notice that I flash the air quotes every time I type the word ‘regret.’ Let me give you some examples:

I "regret" the time I chose to try and hang onto that fistful of candy when my bike careened out of control, rather than attempt to salvage the situation and lose the candy.
I "regret" the time I backed my kick ass big wheel through my mom's flowerbed out back.
I "regret" the time I thought it would be cool to box with my friend's older brother.
I "regret" the time I goofed around at batting practice and was subsequently forced to endure a rousing game of Wimp Ball. (I'll define Wimp Ball in another blog)
I "regret" the time I ate so much Crazy Bread at a friends house I was sick the entire next day. (The fact that my illness got me out of going to church was little consolation.)

Do you see what I am getting at? I have had many "regrets" throughout my lifetime. Some big and some small but all, ultimately, meaningless. In fact, I would describe everyone of those situations and a thousand others like them as nothing more than part of growing up. You make a bad decision, you suffer the consequences, and you move on. That's not regret. That's just being human. No, regret is something altogether different.

2008 was a year of actual regret for me. I choose not to go into any detail right now but those that know me know of what I speak. I lost something precious to me. Something for which I should have fought with all of my energy and skill. But I didn't. I allowed it to slip away, never to be recovered. Most will say that it isn't totally my fault and those people are probably right. That does NOT change the fact that for my part, I allowed it to happen and by the time I sat up and took notice, it was far too late. The door had closed and I had missed my opportunity. I have expended copious amounts of brain cells trying to figure out a way to undo was has been done. The only solution for me is to press forward and make the best of what I still have.

True regret is a cruel mistress. She will dog you for your entire life and while it is possible to go on living and loving and everything else, regret will always be there, lurking in your past. Fight for those things that matter. Truly matter. Never allow regret to become a part of your life. I will move on. I will be happy again. I will experience new and great things. I will build upon that which has passed and through it all I will carry this regret with me........but I won't allow it to define me.

I want my money back......

2009-02-09T08:48:00.000-08:00

I woke up this morning. Honestly, that’s it. I woke up this morning. I felt good about that.

I sashayed out to my truck (sashay is my word of the day) and noticed something strange. My truck was covered in white stuff. For a moment, I thought some massive avian had taken a monstrous shit on my vehicle. Something like a pterodactyl. Or maybe a blue whale, if blue whales could fly. Some small part of my brain (I suspect it was the medulla oblongata) whispered that the white stuff might indeed be snow. I was having none of that. It DOES NOT snow in Seattle.

I approached my truck very cautiously, one eye on the sky in case the culprit returned to survey its handy work. To make a long story short it was actually snow. SNOW!?!?!?!?!?! What the hell is that all about? If I wanted snow, I would’ve moved to Montana. Or Siberia. I wonder, do you think I could get a job in IT in Siberia? Sorry, I digress.

When I went to the State Store, looking for a new state to live in, the salesperson never said a word about snow. He talked about Puget Sound. He talked about the mountains. He talked about Starbucks. He talked about Microsoft. He did NOT talk about snow. I’m pretty sure now that it is in the handbook…….

Section 3a. Paragraph 4—At no point will the employee mention snow or frozen precipitation when discussing the Seattle area with a potential buyer. If the employee does mention snow or any derivative thereof, that employee will be killed and sent to sleep with the fishes.

I want my money back. Unfortunately, I already threw away my receipt.

Disclaimer: The author wants everyone to know that he does in fact like the area. It's one of the prettiest places he has ever lived.

Change is Good.

2009-02-06T08:56:00.000-08:00

I’m nervous. I’m nervous about beginning my army with Reznik. He is still my ‘caster of choice but the more I read, the more I come to believe that I need to learn to walk before I run. Reznik is a runner. Playing him properly requires a certain amount of understanding and insight that I simply don’t possess. Not yet anyway. Don’t get me wrong, I am all about the “baptism by fire” but in this case, I wonder if I might not just come away a burnt piece of gristle as opposed to someone who loves playing the game. Frustration is an insidious bastard.

To that end, I am beginning to consider an alternate starting point. No decision has been made and I may still just jump in with both feet and take Reznik for a stroll. It’s just that I have Kreoss, Severius, and Feora as well. I’ve heard that Kreoss in particular is a good warcaster for beginners to learn with. That being the case, maybe I should just buy the battle box. Granted, that would give me an extra Kreoss, which I would gladly donate to a worthy cause, but it would also give me a second Repenter, my Revenger, and a Crusader and let’s face it, the Crusader can bring the pain. J. I even bought a Devout a couple of nights ago so I have options. A second an even more important factor is that the battle box would allow me to start playing the game immediately and I think that is more important right now. A third factor is that I am all about the instant gratification. Why wait for something when you can have something else, RIGHT NOW?!?!?!?

I think it just boils down to me wanting to write some battle reports of my own. I read all the other fantastic reports that get posted and it makes me want to get out there. Even the losses make me hungry to play. I already know that I will lose nearly every game I play to begin with and yet I just want to get it going! In fact, writing about it this way has made me decide to go ahead and get the battle box. I’ll have the whole thing assembled this weekend hopefully and ready to get in as many games as I can at Warmachine/Hordes night next Thursday!

My Quandary

2009-02-04T10:47:00.000-08:00

As the title of the blog suggests, I am in the midst of a quandary. It happens to be a Warmachine related quandary. It also involves money, of which I have some, but not a lot. I'm still waiting for my portion of the bailout cash. :)

Anyway, my quandary is this; am I in any way obligated to support my FLGS financially, considering that I go there to play and have a fun time?

The root of my quandary (I have already expressed my displeasure in another forum with what I consider to be an entirely unnecessary "a" at the end of the word 'quandary') is that I still have a fair few models to purchase to complete my first 350 point list and I know I can find them cheaper somewhere else.

What it boils down to is that I still need my Blessing of Vengeance, maxed out Choir (6 models), a Devout, and a set of Wracks. All told, that is roughly $100 worth of models at retail, not including sales tax. I can acquire all of these models at my local hobby haunt. I can also acquire them online, via eBay or other sites, for an average of $2 to $3 off retail, no sales tax and in many cases, no shipping either. I'm on a budget. That budget includes some funds for fun and entertainment but it is the principle of the thing. Save money where you can. The flip side of the coin is that I feel somewhat obligated to support my local gaming shop because after all, I'm playing there.

What to do, what to do?

Penguins Make Me Sad

2009-02-04T08:08:00.000-08:00

By Penguins, I mean the Pittsburgh Penguins. They are making me sad. The Pens are the one, true team in the NHL. I have it on good authority that Menoth cheers for the Penguins but inspite of that divine support, they just can't seem to put it together this season.

This is the team that went to the Stanley Cup Finals last year before losing the Cup to the Redwings in six games. They were incredible last year. This year has been a struggle.

After the 4-2 loss to the Canadiens last night, the Pens stand at 24-23-5 for a total of 53 points. The Eastern Conference leading Boston Bruins have 80 points. The Pens are currently in 10th place in the conference. How many teams compete in the playoffs you ask? The top eight. What does this mean? It means that the team that went all the way to the Finals last season is in real danger of not even making the playoffs this season.

Granted, they have struggled with injuries. Ryan Whitney has only been back for a few weeks from a lower body injury and Sergei Gonchar has been out all season so far since undergoing shoulder surgery during the summer last year. Those two alone represent a deep slice into the Pen's defensive corps. Injuries to other players have also contributed. Isn't that what being a team is all about though? Overcoming the adversity? Figuring out a way to get it done in spite of the injuries?

There have been flashes of brilliance this season. When the Pens play to their potential they are among the absolute best in the NHL. Flashes of brilliance and occassional greatness don't bring the Cup home though. As cliched as it sounds, it is do or die time for the Pens. They start a 4 game homestand tonight against the Tampa Bay Lightning, with Columbus, Detroit, and San Jose to follow. They have to come away with at least 5 points during this stretch of 4 games to have any shot at even making the playoffs

GO PENS!!!!!!!

I Love it When a Plan Comes Together

2009-02-02T13:16:00.001-08:00

Many thanks to John of Stumpy Heaven fame for turning me onto Tabletop Commander. That free application is worth it's weight in gold. With gold hovering at or near $900 USD per ounce, that is a good chunk of change. Anyway, that little application has helped me come up with a plan. Behold, my first Warmachine 350 point list.

High Executioner Servath Reznik--I will initially be trying to get a handle on the Zealot's Rage, Perdition, Brand of Heresy combo as described on the Battle College site. I will be working it two ways; to try and get Reznik himself into combat and also to get my Revengers a free charge.
Devout Light Warjack--Reznik's loyal body guard. Need I say more?
Revenger Light Warjack x 2--I'm hoping to figure out the whole arc node thing. Since it increases my 'caster's range for spells, I'm guessing arc nodes are important to master. If I can get these two running rampant through an enemy's lines while protected by my choir, so much the better.
Heirophant--Between his healing abilities for the 'caster and his Harmonious Exaltation and Spiritual Conduit abilities, I'm hoping I can do some good and offset Reznik's lack of focus just a bit.
Choir--With a Warpriest and 5 acolytes, I'm counting on these dudes to keep my 'jacks safe and get them in close for some serious killing. I have no idea how I am going to protect these guys with no infantry though. That may pose a problem.

Total? 332 points out of 350 available. With the points left over, I could conceivably field a pair of Wracks too but I can't even begin to guess what the point of those things is other than providing focus. I know that this list in very infantry light but again, Reznik is all about the warjacks.

I only have the Reznik model so I have some purchasing to do but at least I have a plan. I might also like to try fielding this list with a couple of Dervishes in place of the Revengers. Once I graduate up from 350 points, I will begin to include more infantry.

P.S. I bought my Heirophant model on the cheap off eBay today. $8.99 plus free shipping. Yippee!!!!!

Pinning or 'WTF did I do wrong?"

2009-02-02T08:53:00.000-08:00

Assembly of High Executioner Servath Reznik has commenced. So far, so........system malfunction.....we45tw456$%&D........please reboot......

In other words, it has been an exercise in experimentation and failure. I am used to plastic minis. Pewter/metal (has the actual composition of these models truly been determined?) is proving to be problematic at best. Allow me to explain.

I decided that I would like to try my hand at pinning. From what I understand, pinning is a preferred method when working with metal minis. Not only does it strengthen bonds between joins but it provides countless hours of fun. In addition and depending on the material used to actually pin the parts together, it could also provide an opportunity for a tetanus booster.

Anyway, I decided I was going to pin some of the parts for Reznik. I have a nice pin vice set so I thought I was set. Forty minutes later, I have attached Reznik's scroll hand to his body but have managed to drill through a bit too far. In other words, Reznik now has a tiny hole between the "bird" and ring fingers of his left hand. Damnit!!!!!!! No what do I do?!?!?!?!? A-ha!! I have it. I will bling him out. I will create a bitchin' ring of some sort and cover the tiny hole with it. No longer will my 'caster be known as High Executioner Servath Reznik. No......henceforth he will be known as High Pimp Servath Reznik. (You can't see it right now but I am gritting my teeth and holding back tears as I type this.) I think I may even find a cool feather to attach to his helmet.

All joking aside, all I can say is thank Menoth for Green Stuff. Saved my bacon in this instance. I am charging my camera so that I can take some pictures of the process. Also, I think I may try and run a Reznik, Devout, Revenger x 2 list to begin with. Just for my first couple of 350 points games. If I can squeeze the Heirophant in there, I will. The problem is that I have been unable to find a Faction Deck to purchase so I have no way of calculating points. Help!!!!!

Tectonically Challenged

2009-01-30T11:15:00.001-08:00

I survived an earthquake today or so the local news tells me. Earthquakes in Seattle.

The alleged earthquake happened at around 5:30 this morning just a few miles to the northwest of Kingston, Washington. That is on the other side of the Sound from me. I guess the epicenter was about 37 miles below the surface of the Earth. That makes it almost in China which is why I am suspicious of this "earthquake." According to my sources at the US Department of Stuff, if you dig straight down for 42 miles, you will hit China. Do you see now why I question the veracity of this news story? I personally subscribe to the theory that every person in China jumped straight up and down at exactly the same moment in time, thus creating a shockwave of mammoth proportions that was felt 42 miles away in Seattle.

Now, the magnitude of this "quake" was measured at 4.6 on the Richter scale, or the Why-Am-I-Shaking scale as I like to call it. 4.6? Really? Don't even bother waking me up for anything less than 8 or 8 and a half. If the ground isn't opening up and swallowing things, I don't want to know about it. In fact, if it isn't Apocalypse-like quaking, I'm busy and can't be bothered.

So, don't let people fool you into thinking that we have earthquakes up here in the Pacific Northwest. We don't. What we have are seismic battles with the Chinese.

Itchy out.

Holy schnikes!!!

2009-01-30T09:22:00.000-08:00

Last night was Warmachine/Hordes night at my local hobby haunt. I'm new to the area so last night was the first WM/Hordes night that I have made it to. I've made it other nights but never managed to get there on the right night. That all changed last night. (Note to self........try to see how many times you can use the word 'night' in a single paragraph)

I have never seen such a crowd before, anywhere and they were all playing Warmachine or Hordes. It was incredible. I was there for almost 2 hours, just watching. (Not having an army yet makes it difficult to play.) In that time, I must've had 4 or 5 people ask me if I play. When I said I was just breaking into the game and only had a couple of models, the offers to help me learn/kick my ass came rolling in. At one point, one of the store employees almost had me convinced that Hordes was what I wanted but I managed to fend off his Jedi mind tricks and maintain focus.

Anyway, as I stood there basking in the carnage and mayhem I realized one thing. In fact, it hit me like a charge slam from a Kodiak. I had a lot to learn. By the end of the night, my head was spinning and it had nothing to do with the Pyramid Hefeweizen I had imbibed before I came in. This would not be a short trip to figuring this game out, but a journey.

Having realized this, I am now putting together a plan. Step one; build my army as quickly as possible. I may have to resort to picking up used models from eBay in order to keep costs down. Second; get to the shop every Thursday and watch everything. If I can borrow a small army to play a 350 point game, I'll do that too. No matter what I do though, one thing is for certain........I need to get used to the bitter taste of defeat for the foreseeable future because that is what I will be dining on for the most part. :)

I also made a command decision last night whilst looking over the many armys on the table....I'm going to go with an alternate color scheme for my Protectorate army. I don't know what that is yet but I want something a little different. Maybe some greens or purples. The idea of creating a new Order within the Protectorate military appeals to me. There is a small part of my mind that is screaming 'MORE THAN YOU CAN CHEW!' over and over but I am choosing to treat that small part of my mind like a red headed step child and ignore it.

Putting together an army, learning the game, coming up with an alternate color scheme, etc is a lot to do but I'll figure it out or die trying. OK, I won't die but I will definitely have a mental breakdown. OK, maybe not a breakdown but I will most assuredly get mad and say some naughty words. Yeah, that's what'll happen. Consider yourselves warned.

High Executioner Servath Reznik

2009-01-28T11:48:00.000-08:00

I went to the hobby shop last night. I frequent a place here in Redmond called Genesis Gizmos and Gadgets. It is one of the greatest shops I have ever seen. Anyway, I made a purchase. I parted with some hard earned shekels and walked out with the High Executioner in my hands.

The High Executioner appealed to me as a good starting point for my army for a number of reasons. First, the model itself is one of the finest looking models I've seen. Second, I want a 'jack heavy army. Why not go with Ad-Raza then, you ask? This leads me to my third and perhaps most important reason for going with Reznik as my starting warcaster. I liked his story. Simple as that.

I've always been a fluff lover. I would rather play an army and lose terribly while sticking to the fluff than play a cheese army whose only reason for being is to win at all costs. The High Executioner brings the shizzle where fluff is concerned. The dude roams the land, both inside the Protectorate and out, executing those who are guilty of heresy, sacrilege, or any of a host of other sins against Menoth. He recognizes no law save that of the Creator himself. He will go where he pleases in order to punish the guilty and where he goes, his warjacks and followers go with him. That is the army I want to play.

The fun for me in this hobby is staying true to the story. As stupid as it sounds, I love reading a well written battle report because I can visualize the fight in my head like I was there. I don't care if my army gets wiped out as long as it gets wiped out in epic fashion! Not everyone likes that and I applaud them for that. I won't ever turn down a game because my opponents army isn't fluffy enough. That would just be stupid. I will however, play my army as if that sumbitch Reznik was right there, seething in righteous fury and desiring only to destroy the heretics.

Oh yeah.......and I will totally have fun doing it!!! :-)

Game on!!!!

Behold the Wrath of Menoth!!

2009-01-27T14:48:00.000-08:00

Dude, I am totally sticking with Menoth for my re-entry into Warmachine. I have been reading on Battle College most of the day and I remembered why I loved the Menites to begin with. They are knock down, drag out, crazy ass fanatics!!! Fanatics that burn everything in sight!! If you don't think that's cool then watch out, 'cuz I'm coming for you, heretic.

I have also made another decision regarding my army. I will begin by building my list around none other than High Executioner Servath Reznik.

That means lots of 'jacks. As many as I can fit in my list for the points total. Most likely you will also see a Choir and Warpriest and a Vassal of Menoth. That's as far as my brainstorming has taken me. I have my work cut out for me. Hopefully I can play in some Mangled Metal games pretty quick here whilst I build my way up to 500 and 750 point games. Count on pictures of my models over the coming weeks. I'm actually going to stop by the hobby shop tonight and purchase the High Executioner.

To Burn the Heretic, or Not Burn the Heretic...

2009-01-27T08:30:00.000-08:00

So, a gentleman whom I have only recently met via this blog (Getting Small), asked me what I still had in terms of Warmachine models. I regret to inform you that the situation is grim. When I said I traded away most of my Warmachine stuff I wasn't kidding.

As it turns out, I actually have a choice of casters but that is about it. If I could play a game with only a single warcaster, I would be set. I could choose from High Exemplar Kreoss, an ass kicker in his own right. I could also go with Grand Scrutator Severius, my personal favorite although I would be hard pressed to tell you why. My last but certainly not least option would be Feora: Priestess of the Flame.

In addition to any one of those 'casters, I could also field a single light warjack. A humble, yet effective Repenter. Not only does this 'jack wield a heavy flail but it carries a flamethrower as well. Allow this warjack into range and you will burn.

My final unit, or in this case units, are a pair of Temple Flame Guard Officers with Standard Bearers. I honestly can't recall why I had two of these units since I really only had one complete unit of Temple Flameguard to begin with. If you are running Flameguard, this UA is probably worth the points.

All of this brings me to this question................do I want to attempt to play Menoth again or do I look at something different? Khador, Cygnar, and Cryx all have aspects to them that appeal to me. Here's a thought!!! What about Hordes? What if I started completely new and went with Trollbloods or Everblight? See?!?!?!?!?! The possibilities are endless. I have some thinking to do. I have some research to complete. I also need to seek input from those who play the game. One thing I can tell you however, I will definitely play like I've got a pair. Wait.....I do have a pair.

To Begin Again......

2009-01-26T13:22:00.000-08:00

I've recently begun following some blogs which are almost totally dedicated to table top gaming and specifically to Warmachine. To take a direct quote from the Privateer Press website...

In WARMACHINE®, the very earth shakes during fierce confrontations where six-ton constructs of tempered iron and steel slam into one another with the destructive force of a locomotive, where lead-spewing cannons chew through armor plating as easily as flesh, and where a tempest of arcane magics sets the battlefield ablaze with such Armageddon-like proportions that the gods themselves fear to tread such tormented ground!

Victory shall favor the bold! So bring it on, if you’ve got the metal.

For those of you wondering what the hell a "six ton construct of tempered iron and steel" looks like, I have taken the liberty of including a picture of a Protectorate of Menoth light warjack known as the Devout.

What is my point in posting all this nonsense? Very simple actually. I think I might like to go back to Warmachine. You see, I tried to get into the game once before. I owned a crap load of Protectorate models. I tried to get in a few games at the hobby shop near my house but alas, it was not meant to be. No one would show the FNG the ropes. The end result? I ended up trading most of my Warmachine stuff away. Now I am faced with the daunting (read: moderately expensive) task of rebuilding my Protectorate army, learning the game, and having fun while doing all that. Wish me luck.

P.S. I am actually encouraged by the fact that I am actually able to follow the exploits of others that are attempting to learn the game. I am also encouraged by the fact that the hobby shop near my new home seems to be very open to new gamers.

Ball of Confusion

2009-01-22T13:25:00.000-08:00

I am at a point in my life right now where confusion reigns supreme. It infects nearly aspect of my existence like a nasty case of chicken pox. In fact, if my existence had nostrils, I'm sure I would find confusion there too.

Let me give you a rundown.........

In the past eight months I have:

1.Been divorced
2.Moved out of my house in McKinney.
3.Quit my job.
4.Moved to Seattle.
5.Found a job.
6.Got my own place.
7.Considered dealing marijuana just to pass the time.
8.Only kidding about #7

You can see just from that short list that upheaval is the word of the day, week, month, and perhaps even the year. It is a well known fact that upheaval breeds confusion. See? We have come full circle in our journey. We are back to confusion.

This confusion manifests itself in a number of ways, the most obvious of which is a rather acute case of malaise. What is malaise you ask. I will enlighten you.

malaise

/mæˈleɪz, -mə-; Fr. maˈlɛz/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [ma-leyz, -muh-; Fr. ma-lez] Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun
1.
a condition of general bodily weakness or discomfort, often marking the onset of a disease.
2.
a vague or unfocused feeling of mental uneasiness, lethargy, or discomfort.

In my case, it is definitely the second definition that applies. Things that I derived so much pleasure from before now do little for me. Reading, my 360, painting, going to the gun range, etc. None of it appeals to me right now. I am in survival mode. I am almost operating solely on instinct. OK, that is a bit of an exaggeration but you get the point. I remain hopeful that as I move into my new place this weekend, and life begins to take on a semblance of normalcy, that some of my old fire might return. Until then, I will continue to survive.