November Update (Delta Vector)

Just realized I didn't post at all last month, so here is a grab bag of things that have been going on:

Titanicus and Tanks: I got the Titanicus rules. I'll never be able to afford the models ($250 for a box set in Australia; and I'd need to buy two sets) but the rules interested me (I like the Dan Abnett novel) and even though I just smooshed some minis around I think the rules are actually pretty good. Very cinematic.*

This had some effects:

Now, every time I play with mechs I end up playing and working on my homebrew tank rules. Probably because I've disliked every mech set of rules I've played and my Battletech models are just meh (and I like BT). So my tank rules (and 15mm tanks) got some love. It's the post-apocalyptic Mad-Max-meets-Mortal-Engines starring WW2 tanks. Tank Mordhiem. 

I'll never afford a GW titan, but I liked the rules...

This had another effect:

Because I was looking at what made Mordhiem campaigns fun (for my tank rules) I printed off a newer set of Mordhiem rules and ordered some Skaven (I presume there's a new starter box with Skaven as they're super cheap on ebay atm) and some Frostgrave Cultists. A new project has begun! I plan on making all the original factions (5 or so?) using proxies although I'm uncertain where the Sisters of Sigmar are going to come from. Ideas welcome. 

There was another effect:

*Remember back when I mentioned Titanicus was cinematic? I'm also musing on how rules can be cinematic. The game, models and rules have a good 'gamefeel' mechs - they move weightily and void shields can absorb some punishment - and they have a strong "theme" and a "thing" - managing the weapons, shields and power of a starship-like mecha.  I'll never be able to afford to own $500 worth of GW mechs to play it properly, but I 'm glad I own the rulebook. 

However, I'm also musing on how/what makes a game feels "cinematic" - in Titanicus, mech can fall, spraying a nearby ally with bullets, or overload spectacularly. Every move feels weighty. It reminds me of Battlefleet Gothic which also has these "that was cool" moments - sometimes even when it happens to you. So I'm probably going to a game design post soon as I'd like to explore what makes a game "cinematic" - and indeed, what even does "cinematic" mean in a wargame sense? For example I always thought Gaslands was a tad overrated. Kinda clunky and slow mechanically - I certainly spent 100x more time painting Hot Wheels (hours of epic fun that got me into 3D printing!) than I did playing (a few games...   ...ok I guess). However, it is certainly cinematic.

I'd like to draw your attention to my paint racks - $5 nailpolish holders from AliExpress. My wife approves of the upgrade to neatness. Next: to make a better paint station, as the old one is heavy.

Oh, and there was another effect:

Thinking about the cinematic moments in Battlefleet Gothic meant I got in and basecoated them so there's some progress there.  And looking through the Mordhiem rules made me think the rules are OK but dated so I worked on some homebrew rules (v.6 of my Middlehiem skirmish rules where the 100 Year War is fought by psychic knights riding velociraptors.) For some reason I've changed mechanics use d4-d20 like a RPG... just because? 

For about $60USD, you can hold a PS1 (or GBA, or SNES, or Sega Genesis or PSP or Dreamcast) in the palm of your hand. It even plugs into the TV and acts as a console with WiFi controllers! Given I have these systems in a box in my shed, collating all the consoles and disks into a small device and a single micro SD is very satisfying...

Anyway, as you can see I've been doing some hobby stuff, in between hanging out with my kids (I'm setting up/experimenting with some gaming PCs using old Dells/Lenovos and I'm embracing the world of retro gaming with Rasberry Pi, plus Anbernic, Powkiddy and Trimui emulation handhelds). It's kinda fun learning new stuff (and teaching my kids some old stuff - apparently I can still remember how to play games from 20 years ago... man I must've wasted some time in my teens)...

Also, you can probably also see how I never seem to finish any projects... :-/  "Look, a squirrel!"

(Actually in Australia it's not squirrels but my local magpies.)

No, the baby magpie isn't dead - he's just a derp. He likes to lie on his back and be fed by his mum. Don't be fooled by their cuteness. A nurse at the local hospital say they have more injuries from bird swoops than snakes/spiders/kangaroos/<insert-your-dangerous/Australian-animal-here> combined. Lucky the magpie mafia likes me and also helpfully chases off the local plovers (aka Masked Lapwing - Australia's most idiotic and annoying bird).

Anyway, hopefully once school marking eases up I'll be better at updating the blog, but after sitting in front of a computer typing for hours... I kinda don't enjoy doing more of the same...