Unearthed Arcana - Artificer 2024 review

 Hey sportsfans,

So I just read the latest UA document for the updated D&D rules for 2024. This first installment covered the Artificer class. It is actually one of my favorite classes that was added to the game. I really enjoyed the last UA version...and the final version was okay. I didn't like what they did with the Alchemist archtype and unfortunately, this time is no different. It is the weakest of the artificers in my opinion and just doesn't make much sense. To quickly recap, there are four archtypes:

Armorer - gets to wear heavy armor, ignore the strength requirement, and has three forms that are fairly easy to switch between, giving it lots of flexibility.

Battlesmith - A very combat oriented build with a build in guardian. I played one for a good bit and they can be very effective.

Artillerist - The ranged spellcaster and damage dealer, now with increased flexibility with the summoned turret.

Alchemist - the "master" of potions, but really just a very lackluster class. The main benefit of the alchemist comes in two parts. The first is that they are able to create potions on the fly. The second is that they get a slight damage bonus to certain types of spells or healing boosts. The potions that are created are all utility types except for the healing potion. The fact that they roll randomly to see what they get is super lame. Just a horrible idea. The other major issue here is that there really are no offensive uses for these potions, which is another huge missed opportunity. And finally, they can also expend spell slots to make more potions...and they can choose which type when they do. But of course, this is also bad. The class is already hurting for spells being a hybrid class. So asking them to give up a limited resource in order to create a consumable is not a great exchange. Not only that, but the potions don't get any benefit when a high level slot is used. So a first level spell produces the exact same potion as a level 3 spell. Really??? Completely not worth it. 

In terms of their damage boost, at level 5 they get to add their INT to damage and at level 15, add 2d8 to a spell as long as its a certain damage type. These are okay, but they just don't stack up vs the other archtypes.

How do you fix this class? I think you have to make the potion feature a real stand out ability and you have to make sure it scales upwards with levels or spell slots. My first suggestion would be to have a small set of potion types that can always be chosen. For example, Healing and Blast potions. So when you make a potion, you can choose healing or blast. Healing does 2d8 + INT to the person who drinks it and the blast potion does 2d8+INT poison or acid damage (chosen when made). Now, you then add in a random table for each one that adds a secondary effect. So the healing potion could get a secondary benefit of +1 AC for a minute, or fly for one minute, or +d4 to saves and attacks for one minute, etc...take these lesser utility abilities and make them secondary effects to a main effect. The blast potion would get effects that hurt or hinder the target. One might be 5ft radius, or gain the poisoned condition for a minute, or -1 AC if acid...just spitballing here. But there are plenty of ways. Expanding on the four damage types that they get bonuses for, use those as the base potion types: Fire, Acid, Necrotic, Poison and then healing. I would probably vary the base die type for each one kind of like how cantrips are done.

Then create a table for secondary effects for each type. So if you roll a 1 for its secondary effect, for Healing, it gets +1 AC, for Necrotic, -1 to saves, for Fire, next turn takes INT burning damage, for Acid, -1 AC for a minute, and for Poison, get blinded for a round. And so on for a d4 options for each.

The basic idea is, the player chooses which type of potion to make, guaranteeing a specific ability from it, and then gets a secondary benefit at random. When they spend a spell slot, they get to chose which secondary ability. Gives them great flexibility and can really chose to make something useful for whatever specific situation comes up.

Next up, you increase the effectiveness if a spell slot over 1st level is used. Could just be an extra die added per level. But it means something when you sacrifice those rare spell slots the class has. I would also increase the base value on character class. A level 9 artificer should be making healing potions that are better than a 3rd level artificer. You could use the same class advancement that increases the number of potions to update their base effect. Since a total of 5 potions is the max, it really isn't overpowered.

Do this, make their potions the key feature of the class, and its finally worth taking. In terms of balance, the offensive potions eat up a turn to make. You have to have your hands free for your kit, and then you spend a spell slot and brew up your potion. Next round is when you can use it. A healing potion still benefits from the bonus action use rule. I'd probably also remove the level 15 extra 2d8 force damage effect. Don't need it as the damage already starts to scale upwards due to level and potential spell slot bonus dice.

That would make the class much more attractive. It gives them some real boosts combat wise and does make them excellent healers as well. And they still can provide limited utility by sacrificing spells.

 Okay, my brain is tired. Anyways, hope you enjoyed the ponderings. Just gotta figure out how to get wizards to read this....

 

 

Summer Doldrums

 Welcome back sports fans,

So here we are in the scorching month of July...and I do mean scorching...today its supposed to hit 100. Yay for AC. So besides the heat, what has been going on in my world of gaming? Well honestly, not too much...but not nothing.

First off, I'm still working on my Sisters. I primed all of the combat patrol (original, not the new one) models so that I can start painting them. I also primed the rhino that I have and even started on that model.

I had to look at a few different models to figure out how I wanted the paint scheme to go. For the most part, it is going to be a big shiny metal model.

I'll be picking out bits and such to highlight, but up next is the primary shading which will darken the tank considerably, and then go back and add highlights. I'm using the Fanatic paints by Army Painter and they are pretty fantastic. No concerns at all so far.

Moving away from GW stuff, I got in a game of Lords of Waterdeep when a college buddy of mine visited. I finally won too even though my wife played...she always wins for some reason. One of my favorite board games of all time. Wife loves it because there are eight turns and then you are done. None of this "forever" nonsense that lots of games can fall into.

Also on the board game front, I just got my copy of Avalon Hill's Talisman, 5th edition. Now I'm pretty dumb for buying this as I pretty much already own several versions of Talisman. And honestly, I don't actually recall buying it...I remember looking at it on Amazon...but not actually deciding to buy it....but oh well, it's here now. I've popped the hood and the components seem decent. It is Avalon Hill this time making the game, so maybe that is why I bought it??

On the video game front, I have been playing Dark and Darker. Now at first when I saw this game being played by friends, I thought, that looks cool. But then I found out it was a PvPvE game...which means other players can gank you...and my interest took a nosedive. No way I was going to struggle in a game vs AI and then have some better player kill me and take my stuff. Well it went free on Steam...so I tried it...and then after realizing if you expect to die and not worry about taking in good gear...you can just have fun and even laugh at your deaths. So I've been actually enjoying it...level up!

So while not the craziest time of gaming in my life, a decent spread of stuff across the board. Can't really complain. Whelp...until next time...

Wait, I never posted up finished pics....

 Ugh. So like the worst thing in the world is looking through your old posts and noticing the dates on them. Apparently nearly two years ago, I started showing off some progress I was doing on a knight helverin....and I got all the way up to building and priming the guy. Well damn, I actually finished it...like almost two years ago...but apparently forgot about the blog and never posted up the finished pictures.

So without further ado....

Granted, the base is not finished on the guy...probably still not finished if I know me...but...its almost ready to be finished....seriously...

I did have one snaffu...the magnet inside the shell came off and is now rattling around in there...so sometimes I can get the gun to stick in place. :)

Clearly, shots with the blue knight that I didn't paint. I really like the yellow color. I think it pops well and stands out.

So there you have it...I actually did mostly finish a knight. Heh..okay, just noticed that the last three images were all pre-shading and base pumice...but still...

Until next time...

Inspired

 Hello Sports Fans,

Today we bring you an unusual update. This one comes on the heels of painting models. Crazy I know, but it could just be true. I recently was invited to a hobby night. I know a few people that like to gather every once in a while and just put together or paint models for the evening. No game playing, no dice rolled, just communal hobbying. I find them to typically be very fun and encouraging. Nothing like peer pressure to put glue to plastic, or paint to brush.

That particular night, I did not put paint to brush, but instead went with the glue to plastic option. I built myself the dreaded EightyEight anti-aircraft gun used by the Wehrmacht during WWII. Warlord has decided to team up with Italieri for certain plastic models. These are fairly detailed models with lots of little bits and the barest of instructions. This 35ish part model took me most of the evening to build as it was quite difficult at times. There were some positives to the kit as well, like molded fittings for certain parts. Some of it would almost be considered snap to fit even. I did finally get the gun built and will be looking for an appropriate base to put it on. The scale did seem a tad bit off though for typical Bold Action. Will have to see how it looks on the table in the future. Now this kit had four (double sided) pages for instructions. I then reached over to start work on the Panzer III model from Italieri...which was 70ish parts with a single double sided instruction page. At that point I was neither drinking, nor could afford to, so the kit went back into the box.

By this time you are probably wondering...didn't he talk about painting models? Well yes, I did. But in the course of that evening, it were the other participants that were doing actual painting. Most were young lads I had not met before. They were quite excited to be working on their 40K models. I gave out a little advice here and there as I'm a somewhat experienced painter. But all in all, it was simply great to see people really excited about the hobby as a whole, and going guns blazing to get paint on models.

That was the inspiring part. The following weekend, my family spent it at the beach for my daughter's birthday. Knowing how low key we keep things, I brought three sisters of battle models that had been primed. These are part of a larger army that I bought in the hopes I could convince my wife to play. We had talked about a color scheme long ago but at this point, the best we had gotten was priming a few.

I had purchased the new warpaints set (the middle tier one) and decided to try them out. I grabbed a handful of colors I thought would be useful and brought them along, including my Valejo spepia wash. Over the course of the weekend, I put paint to brush and got all three of them about 98% done. I'm sure there are some fine details I will need to go back and add or clean up, as well as finish basing. The faces are going to be a bear as they are very detailed and my old eyes don't see so well anymore. But alas, I will give it a try. 

Here they are in their current splendor....

First up, the battle sister. She was my first test model for the color scheme. I was going with the Order of the Golden Light....a small order that apparently all have been Martyred and thus they come back to life when needed. Neat. Clearly my photo skills need work, but this gives you an idea at least. I did record each color I used. These typically have a black outter color for the cloak and a white inner color. However, seeing how I like washes, I went with a dark grey outter color and a light tan inner color...to make them more neutral and less bright, plus it is easier to shade grey than black. I think it plays off the gold armor quite well.

Next up is the Canoness. Now this model was quite hard because she had so much cloak and not much else.There also wasn't any great place to add a touch of red to (I did go with red prayer beads). She will probably need a bunch of detail work added to make her really pop on the battlefield.

Finally, is the Sister Superior. I think she came out quite well. My paint style lends itself to looking better in hand than on the tabletop...and the neutral scheme might just all blend together when seen from a distance...but I don't mind that. I like painting more realistic than stylistic. She will benefit a bit from more detailing as well. But that might wait until the majority of the army is done. I found a good consistent theme to go with and I know the order of how I am painting them. So the trick will be to continue and get the combat patrol done and then look to expand the army further. The basing needs more work too, but the pumice I added and little drybrushing is decent enough for now. 

Well there you have it. Three newly painted models...stuff I'm actually very happy with. Now just gotta prime some more and keep on painting.

Until next time....

It is....ALIVE!

 Well as the title has hinted at, I have created something. Not sure if I had posted this or not, but some time ago I got a 3D resin printer, the mighty Elegoo Jupiter. This beast sat in my garage for quite a while waiting to be used. However, life and associated nonsense prevented that from happening. Now the printer has found its way into my basement. I finally made some attempts at printing and they failed horribly. I was supposed to be printing this rook piece that Elegoo has on the memory stick....but all I ever got were round disks.

Well I made the decision to sell the printer for a variety of reasons. However, I didn't want to sell it and not have it actually product anything. I'd want the next owner to have success with it. So I scoured the internet, asked questions, listened to the answers, and voila! I have succeeded!

In figuring out how to get the rook to print, I tested with a few other files as well.

And after those successes, I decided to print some warmaster files I had. Great thing about warmaster is that those models don't take long to print at all.

I've got two units of blunderbuss chaos dwarfs ready to go. And they look really good. So at this point, why sell the printer now that I finally have it dialed in. Well, mostly because it is a beast. Honestly...its huge and takes up a lot of space. Also, I'm a bit worried that I'll forget how to get it working again if I have to take a printing break for a significant time...which I fully expect to happen. Also, I already ordered a newer, full featured printer that will handle probably 95% of what I need to print as well. Honestly, I might have jumped the gun on getting the newer, shinier printer as the Jupiter is now doing exactly what I wanted it to do. But it doesn't make sense to have two printers for the amount of printing I intend. Hopefully I can find it a good home.

However, now that I have it working, I might actually try to go for some of those larger print models I've bought STLs for and see how it does. No one has bit on buying it anyways.

Nine Long Years

 It has been nine years since I played warhammer fantasy battle, or as kids are learning about it today, The Old World. Nine years of not playing my favorite game and watching the community splinter in different directions and my models collect dust. I never got into Age of Sigmar. It didn't grab me out of the gate and though there are some really cool models from it, it never drew me into playing. 

So now I sit here waiting for my Warhammer: The Old World (WtOW) pronounced wah-tow! lol.... stuff to arrive, I find myself in a very odd state. I'm anxious, almost giddy. I've started digging through my collections, trying to verify what I have and what I don't have. Was I dumb enough to sell or trade stuff off? What did I purchase in the last nine years to fill those collections even though the models would never get used? 

I've started hearing from people I haven't seen in nearly a decade as they too are excited about returning to fantasy battle. I is almost as if the clock has turned back. How odd that a game has come back due to the company, and only now am I considering playing it, while all along the older editions were always there. Not sure how to explain that.

The point is, Warhammer Fantasy is back, and it has me thinking about it all the time. I've gotten the books and so far I really like what I see in the rules. Cleaned up some things, flatted out others. I see a game where what you do is more important than perhaps what you bring. And that is a good thing. Well, that will last until people figure out the meta or how to break it.

I've also look at the various armies, but official and legacy. It did hurt quite a bit for my favorite Vampire Counts to be tossed in the Legacy pile. Such a great army and now what is left of it will wallow in a single, unsupported pdf. But if I can wait 9 years for GW to reverse course on Fantasy, then perhaps later down the line they will reinstate Legacy armies as well.

Right now, I would like to decide on an army to move forward with initially. Work on one army, get it to table ready status, and just enjoy playing again. The hard part will be figuring out which one to go with as I have several. This is not a new problem for me, and yet the answer is always hard to find. 

Until that time, I can do a few things. I've started to print unit converters so that I won't have to rebase all of my models. I'm also going to inventory my current collection to see what I have and what I don't need. Could be a good time to trim down some of my collection so its easier to use.

I might even make more posts once I pick an army and start working on it. Stranger things have happened. Honestly, this is the first time in a long time where I'm excited about my hobby again. 

Until next time, hopefully before 2025. 

Update: my first printed tray

In the wake of Leviathan

 Hello Gentle Readers,

Today we are diving into Leviathan, GW's latest box set and the herald for 10th edition warhammer 40,000. If you are somehow finding this post, that means you have pretty much scoured the rest of the web for various reviews and such on the box set. That means you already know about the distribution practices of Games Workshop and how crappy they treat their partners, ie third party retailers. Not much more to say on that. GW seems to have its head firmly up its ass with these policies and I wish that the stores could all boycott their product and teach them a lesson. But too many rely on GW sales to keep them afloat. Ugh.

Anyways, lets talk about the set itself. Okay, not about the box, but the box set, ie its contents. You have to be careful because some people (ie me) are very literal. (I feel like I used "ie" too close together there...)

The models are good. The detail is pretty amazing and they "push to fit" has been superb. Now, I will say, one of my terminators came broken. The stem in the back was broken so I had to glue it to the front plate. Not major, but GW should be careful about those things in the future. Other than that, and the fact that you will have to paint some of these guys as you are putting them together, one of the best sets of models I've seen out of GW. 

I got the 9th ed box set from them and those models were good, but these are better. I did have a couple of issues with damaged pieces where a stem was loose and broke off. Thankfully a little bit of glue saved the day, and it was on a model I wouldn't need to paint in pieces. All in all, a great job by GW.

The book is massive. I wish I had other words to really describe it, but I think it would be unflattering. There is no reason to have a rulebook that big. I'm sorry. Split the rules and the background into two books. I'd much rather have a smaller hardback book with just the rules for the various types of play, and then another book for all the fluff. Not sure why they are keeping it all with one. It is a lovely tome and will most likely find a place on my shelf and stay there. 

It also comes with cards for the Leviathan campaign. These are quite nice and come with a card holder. Perfect. Seriously, these are fantastic. How do you make great minis, fantastic cards...but then completely crap out the book? No idea. I'm sure these will be highly sought after. I've just flipped through mine, but can't see any reason not to use them for all my games ahead for the time being.

A little bit of an oddity here, but there are no dice in the box. Really? A two player box set to get people into warhammer 40,000 and you don't include any dice? You had room for them. They can't be that much. Does it ruin anything? No...but does come off a little cheap. Downgrade that tome to something useable and give me some dice. I'd rather that combo.

If you are planning on sticking with 40K, and you like the new models, then this set is for you. There is no denying that this is a pretty good bargain for the amount of minis that you get. I mean hell, most other box sets they came out with around this price point had about half of the figures in them. Sure, they are push to fit and mono-pose, but when they look this good, it doesn't matter.

I know I didn't post up any pics, because you should have already seen the contents about a hundred times already. I am looking forward to getting in some games and then will snap some pics of grey figures running around grey terrain. :) Until next time...

More Like A Long Hiatus

  Word play, gotta love it. So yeah, its been a while. Sorry about that. Not that anyone has been missing this, but you know, I have. I didn't quite make it a year between posts, but it has been a long while. Glad to see I am sticking with the same pattern of first talking about my absence before talking about gaming. Its like riding a bike apparently.

I could go into a litany of excuses and reasons for it, but it all falls into the "life" category. Lets leave it at that and move on. No...really.

Well so the big news that everyone in gaming is talking about is the imminent release of Leviathan for 40K. I'm actually pretty irritated at this to be honest. I had made the very brave and mature decision that 9th was going to be my very last edition of 40K. I'm sure I'd play 10th, but no more investing in the books and such. Unfortunately, 9th was a bit of a disaster, but it took me a while to figure that out. It was so complicated just to play one army. I have many....and when you have a hard time just deciding on what to play....then throw in having to figure out how to play each one...well my models did not hit the table very often. 

Now we have the new "simplified but not simpler" 10th edition. And it looks appealing. I won't lie. And the fact that they are releasing datacards and points (apparently) for all existing units...well that is unprecedented by GW....last time they did something like that it was for Warhammer Fantasy Battle and it was the Ravening Hordes booklet. (yes, I had to google it because my old brain couldn't remember)

I've got some mixed feelings though. I'm not sure about how I like the direction they went with certain armies, and I definitely don't like how uber powerful the special characters are. When one guy can wipe out a whole squad of marine in a turn....who isn't going to field that? But I digress. I'm not a competitive player anymore (never really was actually) and when I do play, I'm sure my opponent and I will keep it casual and fun. So if 10th's new ease of play can help make that happen more often, then good on it. I'll take any reason actually to take my models off the shelf once in a while.

I did preorder Leviathan. The models looked great and there were loads of them. Will I get anything beyond the starter? No idea. No plan to at this point. I've got rules for all my models already (or soon will have) and the rules to play. Not sure how GW is planning on squeezing its player base for 10th just yet, but I have the feeling its going to continue on with its "season" strategy. But that only really matters for the tournament types. 

For me, I'll be happy if this edition is simple enough for me to convince my wife to play. If I can understand it, then she'll have no issue at all. :)

Okay, that's enough rambling for now. Normally I dive into the variety of games that I've been poking and prodding for the last few months, but I'll save that for another post. If we are really lucky, maybe I'll even have some pics of 3D prints that I'm attempting.

So until the next time I feel guilty enough to make a post....

Knight's Folly

 Hello all,

I have content and time to post it. Go figure. So lets jump right into it.

First off, I got my first game in the Ordo Fanaticus 40K Crusade. I went with my knights and fielded three Armiger Warglaives, each with melta guns. I did upgrade one with the Armor of Sainted Ion, and the Ion Bulwark warlord trait. I ended up facing off against a Primaris Salamander force. It had assault intercessors, bladeguard, the meltagun guys, and a captain with big honking shield. The game was really quick. I think it lasted all of three rounds. I was able to get the first turn and shot/charged the melta-marines and wiped them out.

He counter charged into the lead knight with everything else, which allowed my warlord to Heroic into the melee. His bladeguard cut down the knight, but left his warlord and other squad stranded. I think killed a bladeguard with the warlord. Those guys are tough. My third knight which was holding the back objective ran forward to help my warlord out. 

In the shooting phase, I took out the rest of the intercessors, and took down another bladeguard. The knight then charged in to help with the bladeguard.  I took down another bladeguard, leaving one, but taking some wounds on my warlord. 

His turn, he charged in with his captain and put some wounds on the fresh knight. I choose to then select my warlord to finish off the last bladeguard. With that gone, my final knight was able to kill his captain.

Getting the first turn, and getting off the charge vs the meltagun guys really paid off. It eliminated the shooting threat from his army. That being said, his stratagem use killed off a knight with his vicious bladeguard. I'll have to prioritize them next time too.

Next week is another 500pt game. Luckily my destroyed knight did not gain a scar and my warlord was actually able to gain a rank. I have to say, there is so much to keep track of in 40k now...it really is bloated. I had to keep track of primary objectives, secondary objectives, agendas, honor & oaths, and quests, which included keeping track of kills and where those kills occurred. It really is quite silly. 

Looking ahead at 750pts, that one is going to be an odd one for me. We get to add 250pts to our rosters for free (will not cost RP). We'll see how that goes.

I have been working on adding a Helverin to my force. Now the three warglaives are magnetized already, but as I have two unassembled ones, I decided to build it.

I took my ques from the warglaive so that the weapons were magnetized in the same way, so I could swap weapons around with any of them. I primed with leadbelcher and then eventually went over it with a valejo black dip wash. It really grimed up the model and brought out a ton of detail. Next up is drybrush with gunmetal over the parts I want a bit cleaner, and then paint the armor panels and such. Then it will be down to a little detailing. I've been thinking of doing the new ones in averland yellow instead of the blue the painted ones are in.

 If all goes well, I should be mostly done before Thursday. I have to say, I'm really happy right now. I played a game, and then built a model and intelligently designed and primed it for once.

Well that is it for now. See you guys next time.

An actual Crusade!

Two posts in a year?? What sorcery is this? There goes that low bar. So yes, another post, not that I think anyone will actually see this. But it seemed appropriate to make one anyways. Things have been happening and going on, and well, why not share it?

First off, the title. Yes, I'm taking part in a 9th ed 40k crusade league. In all honesty, 9th edition has been sort of a let down for me. GW really cranked up the rules bloat across the board and I found the game extremely intimidating and confusing, which is why I haven't played it. Well that changed last week as my local game club started up a Crusade league and I got tired of sitting on my horde of models. So I mostly dusted off my necrons and went in to see how things were. I got completely stomped, for a large variety of reasons which we won't get in to, but overall, decided that it could be fun with the right army. That and pretty much everyone there told me that the only way to learn 9th edition was to play it, as trying to read the rules and absorb everything that way was just too hard. And they seemed to be right. So I'm taking the plunge with an Imperial Knight army. I probably won't win much, but I think I'm getting a handle on the rules for IK and I think I can have fun with them.

Next up, I played some Bolt Action recently. My buddy Robert (and yes, I do have a few more friends than just Robert...but yeah, same Robert as in the other posts..) came over and we threw down with a small game of BA. I played my dashing Italian Bersagilieri vs his less dashing British. 

Yeah baby! Pictures even to prove it. All things considered, I think the table didn't look too bad. I even own just a couple more pieces of desert terrain that I could toss in. I really need to buy/make a well though for an oasis. Any ways...the game was actually pretty intense, but the Italians won the day. The hero of the match was the Italian Sniper. He accounting for the British heavy MG, the mortar, and the LT. Meanwhile his counterpart was only able to kill as single infantryman. The Brits pushed along the two flanks while the Italians held the center. I was very lucky that Robert is not more aggressive as he could have totally swung around the two building side and crushed me, but he was focused on keeping the objective and didn't see that tactic. His Brits made a heroic push on the other flank, but the Italians were able to pour their fire into the squads and keep them pinned and taking casualties. His final charge was thwarted by heavy fire that cut them down to the man.

It was really nice to play a game, and it really showcased to me how awesome Bolt Action is. I gotta play that game some more.

Also, I finally got a 3D printer! Now its still literally in its box. I have however, purchased the horde of other products needed to get started. I have resin, rubbing alcohol, spill mat, UV lights, and screen protectors. So I'm basically all set to try. Now I just gotta find a place for it and take the time to prep. Who knows, maybe this weekend will work. Kind of exciting. I've been collecting a ton of STL files from various patreon artists. So who knows, with a little luck, I could be showing off some prints...you know, the next time I post...which should be about nine months from now. :D

Not only that, but I think....I do really think...that I'm done with buying models. My collection is quite large and at this point, buying more seems wasteful and unnecessary. Not that I intend to go crazy making models either. But for my current needs and mostly my "I wish I had..."s, I am done. I never actually thought I could get here...but there we are. 

So what is next then? Well I should have a Crusade update later this week. And then, I might be able to prep the 3D printer. However, I do have other non-hobby stuff going on which could impact that. So no promises. Well, until next time....just don't hold your breath.

One post a year, a new bar has been lowered!

 So sue me. Not like anyone is actually even reading this. This is just a place where I can come and procrastinate from doing real work. You know it, I know it, might as well say it.

Lets face it, the last couple of years have been crappy for most. For me, not so much, but that is because I'm introverted and not socializing isn't a big loss for me. Not only that, but I've been very lucky in that most of my friends and family have been playing it smart and staying healthy.

So why am I posting now, after a whole year has gone by with nothing? Well again, I'm procrastinating and I actually have something I wanted to share. So there :P

I could talk about how I've gotten into Kill Team by GW. I didn't jump in to the first edition game, but the 2nd ed box set was just too good to pass up. Turns out the game is pretty good too. But that isn't actually why I'm here today. The real reason is because of Battlefront's Team Yankee.

Team Yankee...or actually now it is called, World War III: Team Yankee, is Battlefront's take on what would have happened if WWIII had started in 1985. Now this game has been out for a few years. Originally, I completely passed on it even though I'm a pretty big fan of Flames of War, their WWII game. Something about the modern tanks and such just didn't appeal to me.

Well, here we are, years later, on a newer edition (2nd I believe), and I've finally taken the plunge. Okay, not so much a plunge, more like a toe dip at this point. But the plunge is coming, oh yeah...its coming.

My friend Robert, who by now must seem like my only friend...not true...but not far from false either, has been interested in TY for some time. Not sure what it was about it...but he kept a steady eye on it over the years. My flat refusal to even entertain getting the game though probably held him back from taking his own plunge...at least for a while. Some time last year he did manage to collect some US forces. He started talking about it...saying how great a deal the starter was...and yada yada. I listened, as any good friend would, but again...no interest in getting it.

And then the bane of my existence stepped in. Mindtaker.org. A more wretched hive of scum and villainy you will not find.... no actually, they are fine people and Mindtaker.org is one of my most favorite place to shop...in fact, I've probably spent more money there in the last few years than anywhere else. Well recently they received some TY collections and posted them up for sale. Nothing draws me in faster than a chance to save money on stuff I really don't need. The nail in the coffin was a very nice batch of West German forces, new in box. I nearly went in on the whole collection...but thankfully, surprisingly, my common sense won out and I held off. But it did basically make me research the game, the army, and everything Team Yankee for about two days. 

"and that is how you set the hook..." said the cruel universe. 

So, now I'm hooked and to complete the bonding, a purchase has been made. Now originally, there was no intention of a purchase. I went to Geeks and Games with the sole purpose of buying the new Genestealer Cult codex, and talking to my friend Adam, the store owner. He has one of the few stores around that even carry Team Yankee, if not the only one. Plus, he's a good guy and a player of Battlefront's games. Well he wasn't there...boooo....but the starter set was, and it was at a very good price. Also, I know Robert is going to take the US forces from the box off my hands as I'm going Warsaw Pact all the way.

So here we have the BMP-3, a recon vehicle that can also be used by mechanized infantry. Let me tell you, this kit is nice. First off, check out that detail. Second, that turret is also magnetized, so it turns freely, yet securely. Honestly, one of the nicest models I've put together recently. 

Emboldened by my success, I then went on to the T-64s. Also a very nice kit. the side skirts were a bit of a pain, but no cursing...so pretty good. I ended the night with a T-80 (sorry, no pic) and I have three more to assemble. But wow, I was just having fun building models. My wife laughed at me as I was driving them around my little table making vroom noises and going pew pew. Because who wouldn't?

I am super impressed. These models rocked. Great looking, and actually fun to put together. As I'm a bit obsessive compulsive when it comes to collecting, I have sort of planned what I intend to do next. At this stage, unless an unusual opportunity pops up, I'm done until the new Warsaw Pact book is released later this year. Also, they have previewed two new army sets and one of them is actually a Mech Infantry one. I love infantry in FoW, so will probably wait on that box set before doing any more. Not only that, but I don't want to get too distracted by TY while I'm finally actually playing Kill Team.

Anyways, it was worth sharing and I had taken pictures. I mean if that isn't a reason to make a blog post, well...then fine, everyone is allowed their own opinion I guess.

And if this thing actually gets some views, maybe I'll take pics of my Kill Team stuff and start posting that up as well.

To Printer or not to Printer, that is the question

 Hello sports fans,

So today instead of models or games, we are going to talk printers...3D printers that is. The gamer in me totally wants to jump into 3d Printing. I've been watching it with interest ever since it first came out. Who wouldn't be interested in the ability to make my own models at a fraction* of the cost I'm paying now right?

I've been a casual observer for the last few years...keeping an eye on things and looking at the items that a few friends have made. Recently though, probably due to the pandemic and the isolation it causes, I've really taken a notice at some of the great models being made and the advances in the medium. Costs have been coming down and it does seem quite reasonable to get a printer finally. Also, the investment of time and learning seems to have shrunk as well. All great things. 

That being said, now that I started to really consider getting one, the actual use of the printer has to be examined. And I mean seriously examined. I own a lot of models. I mean a lot. I have fifteen 40K armies. I have battletech, Age of Sigmar armies, Warhammer FB armies, Flames of War armies, Bolt Action, Dystopian Wars.... a lot of models.

Do I need to make more? I look at what is being done by Excellent Miniatures for their 10mm line. It almost makes me drool. Those models look fantastic. They purchased licenses from various model makers and are printing and selling those models. I just saw them start to sell models that I actually kick started. So I could buy from them...or I could get my own printer and make them myself. But do I really need to. With the hill of models I currently possess....do I need to start cranking out more?

The above model is by WizKids. I paid $15 for it. It is very nice and priced extremely well. Could I go out and find an STL model that would do for this and print it out myself? Probably. But would that cost be anywhere close to the $15 I spent on a perfect version, pre-primed and ready to go? Probably not.

But making my own would be really really cool!**

So what would I really want to use my printer for. Well, I'd want to print out cool minis as I found/bought them. I'd want to do terrain and possibly create custom movement trays for certain games (like Kings of War). I don't really see myself printing armies though, at least not 28mm scale. But 28mm terrain...yes please. Hence the "need" for a larger printer. Ugh, this is why I keep going around in circles. I can see a good use and need for it, and I can see it gathering dust as well.

Thoughts?

* as long as the cost of doing the printer pays out in the long run.

** my inner child is a pain in my ass.

Wizkids Paint Night Models Review

 Hello hobbie fans!

Sorry for the hiatus. It's 2020 (a lame excuse but one that cannot be argued against). Also, part of the reason for the delay is that I promised that the next post would be a review on the Wizkid's Paint Night Manticore model. Wow...so it was months ago that I picked it up and was at the time, really impressed with the kit. A nice model, 12 paints...all for $20. Well, since that time I also picked up the Ogre Zombie paint night model. So lets review.

Let us talk about the contents. One decent plastic manticore model appropriately sized and based for D&D. It also comes with a round plastic base to put it on. Then there are 12 small paint pots with themed colors of vallejo paints, two brushes, a water pot (with lid!) and even mixing areas in the plastic holder. 

Wow...very impressed with this. Honestly, the two brushes are decent, the closable water pot is nice, and they even put mixing areas on the plastic frame. All of this for $20? wow..color me impressed. Since I now owned two kits, my wife and I sat down for a date night paint night.

The above photo was taken probably around 30min to an hour in to the painting. My wife was actually watching a video on how to do the manticore, while I just dove in on the zombie. We both stuck with the paints in the kit, although she did grab some extra brushes.

Lets talk paints. For the most part, they work well. Good coverage. If anything, you need to water them down a little. Besides the paints, they also come with washes as well. The zombie kit comes with three washes and nine paints. I think the maticore had two washes and ten paints. Not 100% sure on that...

If there is a complaint to fit in here, I'd say it was the limited pallet. Some of the colors were very close to each other which I think they could have just had the darker ones and then let us lighten then up as needed with the white. However, the pallet was good enough to paint the whole model and keep mixing to a minimum if desired, which is not a bad way to go with a paint kit.

In the end though, really happy with how they turned out and my wife was really thrilled to spend time together that did not involve a TV screen.

My wife was not a fan of the wings. She let me play around with it a bit and I did some light shading with a water downed dark wash to add just a bit more depth. But again, I think had they included a different color for the wings, that might have helped. The manticore really did seem to be all neutral tones.

I liked the way the zombie came out. Same kind of thing, I had to go back with a few extra dark washes to really bring some depth to the model, but all in all, very pleased. Total paint time was probably about three hours with dry time added in at various stages. I would have loved a nice grey color to use for the bandages and such, as the light tones really blend together. I suppose I could have used the same fur brown color again, but wanted to try to use as many of the colors as I could.

I would actually suggest grabbing some other models to paint at the same time as these. Most of the time, I was able to close the lid on the paints and get a good seal, but a few times the paints got on the edge of the lid or pot and I know will cause them to dry out sooner. There was lots of paint left over. So really, no reason not to bang out several models to get the most out of these colors.

All I know is that I'll be picking up the next paint night model when it is released. These are fun, don't require a whole lot of planning, and produce some nice results.

These are also perfect for teaching someone about model painting too. One kit has everything they need. Good job Wizkids.

Hopefully this has inspired my wife and I to do more painting during this crappy pandemic and you might see more work done on my chaos marines. Until next time...

Welcome to the battlefield

 Hail and well met! (sniff...miss EQ)

Well howdy gentle readers. How are you? I'm not doing too badly. I know this update was supposed to showcase the new Paint Night Manticore model from Wizkids. That will be coming up, but instead today I wanted to show you what happens when a grown man gets obsessed with an idea.

So last update, I shared a review of the new command terrain expansion from GW. I was pretty impressed with it. So much so, I went a little crazy. I immediately went out and got myself another one. Also, as I recall, I talked about how the new bigger terrain set looked like a good deal too. Well, so I went and got one of those as well. Upon further reflection, I realized that was a lot of the same type of terrain. So to mix it up a bit, I went to old ebay and found myself a nice mechanicus set from Kill Zone. The results speak for themselves.

You'll have to excuse the poor photography, I'm still trying to figure some of this stuff out. With the flash, this is what the table looked like. Lets talk terrain. All of the terrain from the new box sets are snap together. None of that terrain is glued at all. The mechanicus stuff did require some glue, but more on that later.

Oh, and pardon the mess of my basement. The last few years we really haven't been using it much and it sort of became a storage area. I cleared space off my table to be able to set this up. Back to the table. 

As you can see, pretty darn good coverage. The lighter grey terrain seems to be the mechanicus stuff. The aesthetics with the newer stuff fit right in. The mechanicus stuff, while not snap together, does have some modularity to it. The platforms use a peg system and thus you can really go to town with how you decide to lay them out. I thought that was pretty cool. So in terms of space, you can break down 90% of this terrain for easy storage.

Ugh, that flash was not helping. So I turned that puppy off.

Oh, I should point out that from the new Vertigus set, one piece is not push to fit. See that structure in the top corner...that had to be glued. Seemed a bit odd to me that they would include a piece like that. But not complaining...more terrain is more terrain.

All told, with online discounts and the like, this setup came to about $400 which is the most I have spent on GW in quite some time. That being said, I'm really pleased with the purchase. I own a few battlefield mats already, so I wasn't sure about the cardboard mats, but honestly, I like them. Two sided, so I can either go Mars red or a dark grey. The dimensions are GW's minimum specs so it is really easy for me to lay out a field for any size game. 

Another thing to mention is that the mats in Vertigus are different from the command expansion. The command expansion basically fit down to 8x11 or close to it. The Vertigus are more like 8x22, or 16x11...basically, due to the larger box size, they made less folds. So while they won't fit in your backpack as nicely, less folds looks nicer on the table.

Okay, so now I gotta paint this crap. Thankfully I own an airbrush, so fingers crossed, it won't take too long. Not that its high on my priority right now, not like I'll have anyone over for a game anytime soon.

Okay, so nice time, manticore. Promise.

GW's 40K Command Edition Terrain Review

 

Morning everyone,

So this weekend I was feeling a little down and decided I needed some retail therapy. So I headed down to GG and just started browsing. Now normally I am not a browser. I figure out what I want to buy after hours of research and consideration. So just heading into a store with no idea of what I want to get is not something I normally do. I found myself in the 40K section looking around and my eyes descended onto the Command Edition terrain expansion. A good amount of terrain and a battle board for $90.  Considering some of the terrain prices I see from GW..this looked fairly decent. Plus, I'd be supporting my local game store. So what the heck, I picked it up and bought it.

Now I get home and immediately stuff it in my Terrain area (don't judge me). That said, my curiosity was nagging away at me so a few hours later I pulled it out and opened that puppy up (it went to the terrain area because I'm not planning on playing 40K any time soon with Covid roaming about). First off, the terrain is all snap to fit! Sweet. Any time I can avoid glue, the better. So clippers in hand and an exacto knife for clean up, I began building. Took maybe 20min of time and the whole set was assembled. There is maybe one piece that I will go back and use glue on, but the rest...no reason. It is all stable as is. I then popped out the battle board. Time will tell how durable it is. The cardboard itself is fairly thick, I'm a bit worried about the joints lasting. But at least so far, looks okay. The two sides are a nice urban dark grey, or a mars red. Both useful for 40K. The terrain pretty much covers the board too. All in all, pretty sweet.

Then it hit me, wait a minute...I need two of these boards. Some quick research and I figured out why GW put out this box...it is for people who bought one of the new starters. Those all come with a battle board. Add in the contents of this box, and you have a minimum size play area and a good deal of terrain to go on it. But I didn't buy one of those. I got the indomitus set...which didn't come with a battle board. No worries, I can just buy battleboards...in a two pack...which still leaves me with an odd board. Dang it.

So I immediately went to ebay...surely I could find a battle board there. And I did..for the tune of $27. Screw that nonsense...GW asks 2 for $50. Hmmmm, a few more google searches later and I come up empty. I mull over it for a while and eventually come back to the computer to research some more. I start looking at the terrain again and the boards and look at GW's pricing. What I discover is that this is a really sweet set.  For the money, it is definitely one of the best buys from GW. Assuming $25 for the board, that leaves all that terrain for $65...which is more terrain than you get for GW's $60 set. So now I go back to ebay to see what kind of pricing I can get for this set there. $76 with free shipping was the best I found so far. Again...really good. However, my search also brought up GW's Command Set starter. Same terrain, plus necrons and marines. Ebay you can find it for $133. I nearly jumped on that. The one thing that stopped me...the terrain board. Apparently one side of the terrain board has markers in it, A thru E. I'm sure its for some scenarios in the starter...but for me..I didn't want a board with markers on it..plus, I didn't need the models. That said, if those don't bother you..that is an excellent set for the money.

So instead I grabbed another terrain expansion. This way I'll have more terrain and another battleboard. And that is about the best thing I can say about it...so good I bought it twice. The terrain is excellent. Each piece seems to be pretty durable, and still look really good. Easy to put together too. And the battle board means this is pretty much a must-buy if you already own one of the new starter sets.

By the way, GW has another terrain set on pre-order called Vertigus. It is $150. It comes with two battle boards and a bit more terrain. I would also put this as a good buy and might pick it up myself. That would give me a full sized board with four mats and a few different pieces to add. I would recommend this to anyone who got indomitus. Had I done my research, I probably would have skipped the Command edition and just waited for that. That being said, I don't regret my purchase at all. It was still a good buy. It is nice that GW is tossing out good options for people no matter how you got into 9th edition.

Up next, a review of Wizkids Manitcore set. Until then....

Quick Update

Hey All,

Been a crazy few weeks. Myself and my family are staying healthy <knock on wood> and just trying to navigate this twisty curvy race that is life right now. I could probably be doing more with my hobby stuff, but what can I say? I doing some stuff though. 

So first off, did a little more painting. So before I did that black orc test model...now it really wasn't for black orcs, it was to test out a technique for my wife to use with her Sisters of Battle army. Well then GW went and released some new paints and wanted to give them a try. So I painted up another one.

So here is Mr. Black Orc from last time. Used leadbelcher primer and then wildwood contrast over the armor to dirty it up. Well then I tried out the new brass color from GW.

Oh, I also got a new camera and am trying to work it out on how best to use it, so if these photos aren't great, hopefully they will get better in time. Hmmm, maybe a back shot would work better....

And then here is a back shot of the leadbelcher for comparison...

So you can see, not so dark. Now originally, after using the same technique basically on both, just applying a different base coat, the new brass was pretty bright. I then had to go an extra step of doing nuln oil over the armor. That helped to darken it and really bring out the depth. In the end, my wife chose the new brass base with the extra step. And currently three sisters are primed and ready for some paint. However, she needs to figure out the other colors she wants to use first. So if you have any suggestions, feel free to post them in the comments. 

The overall look she is going for are sisters that have been through the wringer but are still fighting strong, So nothing too bright or clean. Oh, I should also mention that blogger just went through an update and changed the way you make posts...so the images might be a little different from before. Please compare to previous posts and see if there is a major difference.

So other than helping my wife, I've been getting ready for a college reunion trip. Can't wait. A whole week of gaming with friends of over twenty years. Nerdvana. 

Hope everyone out there stays safe, please wear a mask in public, and wash your hands frequently. Until next time...

 

Captain, there be paint off the starboard bow!

Welcome back sports fans! Two posts on a month!?! Well maybe..I didn't actually check when I last posted. But really, who cares? I put paint on model! That's right beyotch (apologies to whoever still says that).

So lets get to it. If this model seems out from left field...well that is because it is. You see my wife and I sat down to figure out what color scheme she wanted for her sisters. That led to a few paint purchases and then doing a test model. Since I didn't want to test on one of her very limited sister models, I choose and old metal black orc. I felt the detail would be similar.

Even I have to admit, after seeing these photos...damn..that looks cool. She wanted to go with a very dirty metallic/bronze coloring and damn if this didn't nail it. That guy looks like he just crawled out of the blood and mud.

Best part, this was super easy to do. We primed with leadbelcher, then went over with wyldwood contrast. I think did a little bit of gunmetal drybrushing over the chainmail and some plate edges. Skin was done with goblin green and then ork flesh contrast over the top. Then I picked out a few details here and there.

Lets see...oh yeah, I've expanded my Gloomspite army, and I think I may have gone a little overboard...

Meh. Like you can have too many gobbos...said no one ever. I'm actually working on putting together the big spider thing too...and I want another one! If you have a sickness and you know it, clap your hands! CLAP CLAP.

Oh, and then to finish the day, I have this silly picture:

Worst kit-bashed lascannon ever!

Okay, so that's it for this post. Looking forward to some of those new paints from GW next week and will get my Indomitus set. So yay! gotta go pick up some more gel glue. Until next time.

Okay...now I'm done.

Hail and Well Met! #EQLife

Okay, so trying to get better at doing more updates. This one is pretty small. Now I'm finally done with my CSM. I hope. I finally finished putting together all of my chaos models (except for a few from the blackstone fortress game, but those were maybes in the first place). However, I did end up buying a few impulsive models. I snagged a forgefiend from my crack dealers at Mindtaker Minis. And then they also sold me a Chaos Knight. How could I not? Have you seen those things? The other assemblage I got done was a unit of CSM and Havocs. I now have more than enough to field the style of CSM army I want to. Yay! Just gotta get back to painting. Well...priming first, then painting.

I also supported my local brick and mortar with picking up a few GW paints (holy crap! 4 bottles, $24!) and a nice fall woods terrain piece from Galeforce 9. Yay for retail therapy.

Now the bigger news, is the fact that my lovely wife has started to assemble her Sisters army. And yes, she is doing it all. I'm there for moral support and the occasional fiddly bit help...but that's it.

First off, the models are just beautiful. There is simply no doubt that GW has really hit their stride with producing amazing plastic models. Who cares if they are mono-pose? For sets like these...they are just lovely.

The hope is, she'll get these models all built in time for the new 40K edition and then we can both learn to play (which is supposed to be smaller army friendly).

Also been messing around with the contrast paints a little more. Just a little experiments here and there. Gotta say, they aren't great for everything...but damn, I wish they had been out when I was playing Warhammer Fantasy Battle. They would have made some of my armies so much easier to paint.

This lovely old model got to be one of my experiments. Not bad actually. There lots of details to have to pick up and stand out for him to be done, but this literally took <5min to paint? There are issues if you are sloppy with the contrast. Not quite sure how to clean that up without simply painting white over any mistakes and then reapplying. But that stone color looks amazing and has me thinking about drybrushing white over the top to get some great looking black-lining done.

Hmmmm, you know, looking at that model up on the blog really helps me see so much more detail. I might have to do this with other projects as a nice reference to make sure I don't miss them. Maybe I should finish this guy....

Anyways. That's about it. Just hanging in there for the most part, and thankfully I have hobbies that don't require me to go out much. Stay safe, wear a freaking mask in public, and see you next time.

The Rising Tide of Chaos

Hello Sports fans!

First up....I have pictures! Yeah I know, who knew? So they aren't great pictures...but there are at least pictures. So lets bang those out to get them out of the way.

Here is my chaos army as it stands. I've been assembling of late during Covid-19 hence the new grey stuff. Starting with the top left and going across...
5 shiny new Havocs

5 shiny new Warp Talons

Then right below the Havocs are 5 new Terminators

Then a new Chaos Lord and a couple of chaos marines from the Blackstone Fortress set.

After the stuff you have already seen...I have a bunch of chaos cultists (also Blackstone)

The Lord Discordant

and lastly, a Chaos Rhino

The army is pretty close to being done. I have sitting in the wings, 10 more chaos marines and 5 more havocs. Not only that, but I have a nice small Slaanesh deamon force as well to compliment them. But damn..those are seriously sexy models...for plastic models that is....you know what I mean.

I think this is how the distribution currently sits:

HQ: Chaos Lord, Lord Discordant, Master of Possession, Warpsmith, Chaos Terminator Lord (or sorc lord in term armor..not sure yet..he's unbuilt).

Troops: 22 chaos marines, 23-26 chaos cultists

Transport: chaos rhino

Elite: 2 greater possessed, 5 terminators

Fast: 5 warp talons

Heavy Support: 2 venom crawlers, 10 havocs, 2 obliterators

Of course this whole plan has probably gotten shot to hell with the new 9th edition of 40K about to drop. But that is okay. From reports, the units are getting more expensive, so in theory, I'll actually need less guys to play the same amount of points. Not a bad thing in my mind. There is already so much to keep track of...no problem at all shrinking the armies down.

Of course that great feeling I used to have of "hey look, almost done painting my chaos models..." has just completely been blown to shit. But I knew the growth was going to happen..so not horrid really. Oh, and speaking of that, I actually did put down a little paint recently. I picked up a few more contrast colors and tried them out on the Slaanesh deamons to see how it would turn out. No picture yet...but maybe I'll toss one up later. They were just test runs, but wasn't too horrified by the results...especially for the amount of time and effort put in.

The best part is that I'm enjoying playing with my stuff again and getting excited about making progress. Expect to see more white primer on those plastic models soon and hopefully a few other colors tossed in.

Oh, as to that, I also stripped the Master of Possession. That was just not turning out well. He looked like a model that the Joker would paint. So back to the drawing board for him. Luckily Krudd Kutter did the job and no harm came to the model. Just need to reprime and start over.

And as to the impending 9th edition. Looking forward to it. Seems they brought it in a direction that makes it easier for me to play and I'm all for that. I don't need overly complicated or trying to juggle 12 balls in the air at once. Let me push models, roll dice, and I'll be happy.

That's it for now. Check in later as I'm sure I'll add another update in the future. Most likely. Maybe. You can't pin me down on stuff like this.

It's not a tumor...

Wow, you'd think with Covid-19 staying #1 on the charts, I'd have lots of time to blog. And you would not be wrong. You'd also think I would have done some painting or gaming during all this time. Again, not wrong. So what the hell?

Well, I guess the simple answer is that so much has been going on, I keep forgetting to blog. I also tend to waste lots of blogging talking about the reasons why I'm not blogging much. I'm going to blame that one on Catholic guilt. :)

Minis:
Well, I have continued to work on my Chaos Space Marines. If I'm lucky, I will take some photos of the recent work and post them up. I did two oblits, the other greater possessed, and a bunch of CSM. It was over one of those hobby weekend getaways that I am fortunate to do every once in a while.

I sold all my Warmachine off. That was painful. Not painful because of losing the minis (well maybe just a little), but mostly because no one wanted the darn things and I they went for pennies on the dollar.

I really need to figure out what goes next. The Warmachine stuff was sort of easy. I suppose I have some easy candidates, but most of those are going to be in the same realm as warmachine... not playing it, but no real market for it either. The really sad thing is, my warhammer fantasy battle armies come very close to being in that category as well. A bit more of a market for them, but I'm not using them.

RPGs:
Corona has been great for my gaming life. Don't get me wrong, it sucks and I wish it wasn't here. My heart goes out to all that are suffering or have died from this horrible illness. But my friends and I have been gaming a lot because there isn't much else to do. And yes, we are doing it virtually over the internet. Roll20 has been great for the most part. Also, lots of nice companies have made their games free or opened content like Dungeon and Dragons Online making it worth while to play them again. Kind of surprised Sea of Thieves isn't more popular...but once they go live on steam, I bet you'll see a flood of new players.

PC Gaming:
You know, probably not as much as you'd think. The old favorites are still there... DDO, Company of Heroes...even got City of Heroes again and that was great. Bounced back to some Sea of Thieves ... they have these really cool quests to do and its just a fun game. And just played some Vermintide 2 last night. But as I work on a computer..and now am sitting at my desk for 9 hours already...it is tougher than you'd think to want to sit at it some more to play games.

Okay, well that's about it for an update. Again, I'll try to get off my butt later today and take photos of the chaos marines in progress. Until next time...