Well my New Years goals are being ticked off already and it's only March.
1. Create 3 terrain sets. Done. I think I'm on 4?
2. Assemble 2 warbands of minis off old sprues. Buy new minis only after equivalent amount painted.
3. Design a new set of rules, print off indie/free rules* Do some battle reports - OK not done I'll get there.
4. 2 blog posts a month. Already on 13.
5. Paint 100 minis/always paint more existing models than new acquisitions. I'm on 130 already.
6. Budget. $350. OK I just spent another $50 for some GW Skitarri so we're on $60 terrain + $20 printing + $60 BB team so we're on $190. Eeek, well under but we've 9 months to go...
7. Downsize 3 IKEA boxes of wargaming terrain/stuff. Exceeded.
Main outstanding tasks are pretty much wallet related:
Buy new rules for an existing project. Buy a new cool rulebook.
Some rules PDFs are interesting but colossally overpriced. I mean - $25 for an electronic file + $10 to print and bind it in B&W means it compares unfavourably with say a lovely glossy secondhand GW ME:SBG sourcebook.
I'm open to suggestions for new rules to try. Blog regulars probably know my biases by now...
Some unused minis that could do with as set of rules to reinvigorate them are feudal Japan, 7-YW, and ancient Greece, though I may end up using a ME:SBG adaption for the former. Talking about ME:SBG - I was eyeing off the Pillage rules until I realised it was just ME:SBG with the numbers filed off.
I have some (a lot?) of lovely old Confrontation C3 minis which I am rebasing on 25mm or 32mm circles (square bases are revolting, fight me!). Maybe the latter 32mm size so they can fit in with my many metal Warmachine which have never been used for their intended system. OK, add fantasy rules to possible rulebooks to try.
Something with zombies might be good inspiration for my post apoc vikings vs zombies homebrew rules. The Last Days? Does Silver Bayonet use the shitty boring system Frostgrave does? I've always felt I should own Napoleonics but they are just so dull to paint. $1 says both rules have hitpoints. Maybe... what's that magazine that has the rules in it - Blaster? any good rules in that? Some non-PDF actual printed rules would be nice, but not if I'm paying $50 for ship it from the USA.
Mantic vs GW vs Boutique Startups
In my painting I've really noticed the huuuge gap in quality between GW and Mantic. Maybe in UK Mantic is a much cheaper option but in Australia they are (a) not readily available and (b) similar in price, especially after P&P. Mantic had a 50% sale, I wanted some were-jaguars, but even in bulk they were the same as the equivalent GW models. The sculpts are meh, the plastic is soapy and on one occasion (my Mantic skaven cyborgs) the plastic got tacky when I spray painted it, like a toy-store dinosaur.
I've mentioned USA postage making it a literal no-fly zone for even books, but some of the boutique models are insanely expensive, even 3D printed. I noticed BLKOUT (rules I recommend) is for sale in Australia. Yay! Affordable? 15x 3D printed models, and a rulebook for $207, not including postage. Kill Team starter with the same gear from my local game shop was $118. Are these guys expecting to retire millionaires from making wargames? I know there is economy of scale, but come on.
I always love Kroot but they lack variety in gear and weapons (or did when I got them a decade ago). maybe a search on ebay for those animals (Krootox?) -they ride on? My daughter asked for some blue Na'vi Kroot.
d12Finity (Main project)
This is my current main project - a quicker 'opposed roll' Infinity that actually plays without needing the rulebook and has a manageable amount of rules, allowing me to use my abandoned 40K, Infinity and Mantic minis alongside my daughter's Necromunda.
This has lots of momentum as (a) I have lots of unused 40K and Mantic in small, squad-sized packages (I intended to play Shadow War Armageddon/2018 oldskool KT back in the day) which are fun to paint and (b) I can read my old rulebooks for ideas when I am way from the house like on boring car trips (my wife drives our family sedan, I only like my 'funner to drive' n54 135i).
I like d12s as they adapt perfectly to d6s and also align fairly well with d20s, keeping lots on the dice and avoiding the extreme 'swinginess' of d20s.
Remember: the mechanics are irrelevant (besides being simple and consistent) - it's the RNG % the rolls generate that matter.
Here is an example of how I can replicate 40K kill percentages using a single d12 vs two d6 rolls.
A STR3 lasgun vs a Tough 4, Armour Save 6+ Imperial Guardsman is two rolls of .50 x .83 = 42% chance of a kill, once hit.
In my version, there is a single "Defence" roll where the defender rolls under a stat to save. The defence save is 1-6 for 'Tough 3' equivalent, and +1 each level of armour save. So the defender needs a 7 or less on d12 i.e. .58 to 'save'. Which means a 42% to be killed.
Two different systems. Identical results 'in the end'.
My daughter and I are currently working on Esher and Skitarri Rangers respectively. She is mulling over punk hairdos for her "Pink Ladies." The purple fidget is great for mixing paint as when it dries you just pop the tried paint out. d12s sitting out from testing 'd12Finity.'
Tankmunda (Side Project)
My tank-Mordhiem with post apocalyptic. Currently (thanks Tim from comments) I have just added a bunch of ragged Peter Pig resistance and civilians to be my dirty post apoc 1930s scavengers. Still on the lookout for 15mm zombies/werewolves/monsters that don't require paying extortionate US postage.
My current dilemma bogging this project - I feel basing 15mm individually (like I do with sci fi) may work better for my game of small ragtag scavengers, but I do have lots of WW2 on FoW bigger bases and it kinda makes sense to keep all my WW2 era troops similar. Changing the bases midway means I can't use my existing troops with them without them looking dumb.... but the chances of me actually playing FoW itself ever again is pretty slim...
OK, it's getting late and I may still be able to sweet talk my wife into watching Predators (2018) with me. But before I go, here's my random thought:
You know those silica gel packs they are used to dry stuff out? For some reason there's one on our kitchen bench. It says "Do not eat" Dessicant Throw Out etc. But why the quotation marks next to "Do Not Eat"? Can I eat it or not? It's bothering me. Silicon should be pretty non toxic, it just won't break down... A quick google and I found the answer on Facebook, the source of all wisdom.
The budget thing is the least constraint - just eBay stuff you won't use again.
ReplyDelete- GG
"....just eBay stuff you won't use again."
DeleteHow dare you describe my purchase habits so accurately!
-eM
Oh, the silica packs are completely harmless and inert. You could open them and eat as much as you like and it will pass through without any issue. It's just glass beads.
ReplyDeleteThe reason it says "do not eat" is only because it's not a food product. You would find the same warning on American pet food, which is required by law to be completely safe for human consumption, but not intended as a food product.
Eat up!
- GG
It's the quotation marks that bothered me. If I said GG is "very smart" it sounds like I'm being sarcastic, using air quotes. I reckon they WANT me to try it.
DeletePS: Makes this epic crackling in your mouth as it absorbs water! Man my mouth is so dry! It's pretty gritty and chalky too.
PPS: I want to get back into the Matrix.
-eM
@eM - as above, it's NOT food, so you shouldn't eat it. But since you did, drink a LOT of water to neutralize the dessicant effect.
DeleteBTW, did you have "Pop Rocks" candy as a kid?!this is the extreme 'not candy' version.
- GG
"Dwarves on motorbikes are cool but not enough to offset the vastly lower quality of Mantic sculpts..." I never understood how a company like Mantic could survive. The miniatures are the opposite of exciting...you could say uninspiring. The miniature quality is so bad that GW would have been ashamed of them 20 years ago. I had a similar experience with PSC in comparison to Battlefront plastic tanks. There is a difference in durability between the miniatures which leads to needing much more finesse for the PSC tanks if you don't want to damage the parts during clean-up. In addition, they often botch the multi-part Tricks that it is hard to make them fit together. The hattest also often don't fit well, especially if you want to have them in an open position. I only buy them nowadays if no BF alternative is available.
ReplyDeleteTrue about PSC (also applies to Zvezda) tanks - not only do they not fit, the gun barrels on 2pdrs etc are unfeasibly thin. I feel like I need to replace them with better models (and that's not something I say often - I mean, who wants to buy the same tank twice?)
Delete-eM
PSC and Zvedza are making scale models with scale diameter barrels. I used to build 1/72 scale armor, and an in-scale barrel is very slim for it's length. Flames being 1/100 scale pushes things that much smaller and thinner.
DeleteAs a modeler, I support PSC and Zvedza for making minis which photograph well, compared to BF making plastic of sculpted metal, warts and all.
A set of aftermarket turned brass barrels would be ideal for PSC, along with photoetch for armor skirts, shields, and mantlets. Just bump the price.
- GG
@eM: Zvezda has been hit or miss for me. The plastic is definitely lower quality than BF, still I had no issues with building their King Tigers, Jagdpanthers and Sturmtiger. The annoying tanks were those with tiny guns like the awesome looking T-28 and the SU-76. I only bought them when there was no cheap alternative from BF but nowadays I would just wait for an awesome box including them. If you buy the FoW starter sets or Army sets, tanks are between 2 to 4 Euro each. Sure, you bought more than if you just bought a Zvezda tank but what you got in addition also looks awesome.
Delete@GG: I agree that Zvezda is mainly a scale modelling company. For PSC I don't. They do soll their 1/72 tanks in packs of 3 (typical unit size for Battlegroup) and their 1/100 tanks in packs of 5 for FoW. Ten years ago, they had the advantage over BF due to their cheap plastic tanks in comparison to the expensive resin/metal Ines from BF, but BF has made PSC tanks obsolete due to better quality ans competitive pricing.
I wonder if Mantic is like 50% cheaper in UK? Cos that would make sense in a rank n flank game (KoW) where they are glorified hit counters and need to be bought in bulk. But if 10 GW is ~$80, 10 much worse Mantic is ~$60, and the price difference does not equal the vast quality drop. I've never seen anything Mantic played here.
DeleteWarlord is worse.
In Australia, a pack of 8 or so Warlord ninjas was $109AUD - more than an equivalent GW Kill Team. Even a Bloodbowl team here is $65. And the given they have rebadged some other brands the quality is very inconsistent.
-eM
The price difference is the same in the UK. 20 dwarves warriors from Mantic retail at £30, GW’s Old World sculpts are £40. Notably, those particular Mantic sculpts haven’t changed since 2009 - but their cost definitely has!
DeleteMantic certainly used to be the cheap, cheerful alternative to GW. The company’s early plan was to sell models you could play Warhammer with at a fraction of the price. That’s definitely not the case any more.
My group dabbled in Flames and we haven't bought in ages, so it's entirely possible they've surpassed PSC. At the time, BF armor was cartoony, rather than scale.
Delete- GG
Nowadays, the BF vehicles are much better than PSC. They are easier to build and much sturdier. If you buy army boxes they are also as cheap or cheaper on a model basis. Which of them is a more exact 1:100 representation of the original vehicles, I can't say. Both look realistic to me.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteJust did a quick look for Orcs prices from GW and Mantic in Germany. If you stick with plastic troops from GW you pay nearly the same price as for Mantic (around 1,75€ per miniature). If you need metal miniatures from GW, they are much more expensive than Mantic plastic equivalents. So, in total GW could potentially be much more expensive if you buy a lot of metal miniatures.
ReplyDeleteIn general, I would say that 28mm is not a good scale for rank & flank style games as you need to paint hundreds of miniatures. Smaler scales (6, 10, 12 or 15 mm) are much better suited as you spend much less time to paint per miniature, and also pay much less per miniature. GW basically did the right thing by substituting WHFB by AoS.
Not sure about Warlord Games. Their prices for plastic miniatures seem to be reasonable. They are less expensive than GW/Mantic fantasy miniatures. The metal miniatures are more expensive. I found 10 Ninjas für 44,50€ which is nearly on par with GW 40k prices for lower quality.
In Australia, a Space Marine tac squad is $85 (52 euros or 60usd) which is 5 euros or 6USD each. I suspect that is worse than a lot of countries.
DeleteBack in the day I'd ebay stuff from UK resellers and it was a tad over half the price even incl shipping. Not sure if that loophole works anymore or if the prices are now equivalent.
I don't even use 28mm for platoon level (40K) games - that's for 15mm imo. I use 28mm for skirmish only i.e. the 40K squads I;ve been painting so energetically have only 10-12 models in them... pretty much all I do nowdays....
-eM
A Tactical Squad is 50€ in Germany, just a little bit cheaper than in Australia, but you can get a 20% discount regularly if you buy in specific online stores. When UK was still part of the EU you could get up to 33% discount if you ordered at British online stores. Since Brexit, it is not worth it. I just buy from Peter Pig as the miniatures are not available in German stores. Never heard of the 50% discount resellers.
DeleteThe scale of models and level of engagement is something that is really bothering me. I think that platoon level is a border that should not be crossed for 28mm miniatures (30-40 miniatures max). Otherwise, painting could become chore. 2nd edition 40k is the gold standard for me. Painting an army was not overwhelming and the miniatures had enough room to maneuver on the table.
Rank and File massed infantry games should be played with blocks, not miniatures. Coming from an Asian POV, it's particularly wrong when Chinese armies numbered in the 100,000s - easily an order of magnitude larger than what European states could muster. Even for Rome, a full legion was quite a bit below 10,000 strong, including auxiliary.
Delete- GG
I agree that blocks are better for rank and file mass battles but you could enhance the look of these blocks with miniatures. For this I would recommend miniatures in 6mm to 15mm scales which then represent much larger formations.
DeleteI would prefer true scale flat plates textured as massed 2.0 mm heads atop, bodies around the perimeter.
Delete- GG
I've never understood Mantic miniatures. The short lived Zvezda fantasy line had better sculpts and production quality. I keep on trying to find some individual troop types I like because the price is (or at least, was) so tempting... but they all stink.
ReplyDeleteEn España, una escuadra táctica de marines espaciales cuesta 42'50€ y en tiendas físicas oficiales suelen hacerte un 15%.
ReplyDeleteMM
For ancient Greeks, you should definitely use Osprey's Men of Bronze!
ReplyDeleteI am pretty sure you would hate them because who ever wrote them did a terrible job, especially editing them! What an idiot!
- Eric Farrington- Blood and Spectacles
Salute to anyone brave enough to offer up any historical rules to the local anal-retentive wananbe historian gamers.
Delete"Your pics don't have the models from 1812, they're the 1813 models which have different buttons - uNplAyAbLe!"
-eM