The Games that Define Us

An interesting tide is sweeping our small section of the blogosphere.  I refuse to use the M word (meme, there I did it, but only this once).  It started with the Frontline Gamer, whose blog I've pimped out before.  Several others have done it as well.  The topic has been bubbling around in my mind for a couple of weeks now, and it's finally germinated into something.

The idea is to talk about ten games that define you as a gamer.  Some interesting things have come out of it.  More North American gamers seem to have gotten in through RPGs, whereas the UK gamers seem to have come into it through GW.

In my case, I definitely follow the trend, coming to GW late in my gaming life.  There are some on my list that I have not seen anywhere else.  Others seem to be on every list.

Deals and Specials

There are a lot of sales and deals going on in the brave new age of wargaming that we are living in.  The 15mm Sci/Fi manufacturers often have nice sales.  "Tuition is due for my daughter, 20% off on everything."  It's nice doing business with a small company.

This is what twenty random sprues look like.  Awesome.

Then you have the big players.  Not GW big, but second tier big.  Folks like Mantic.  They recently had one of their wacky sales; for twenty five pounds you got twenty random sprues and a messenger bag.  That is a heck of a deal in my book.

Rebel Vipers - Product Review

Product Description:  Rebel Minis recently released their small class of Mech in resin.  The VIPER comes in three different variants with two versions of each, one standing still and one advancing.  Each kit comes with the legs, the body and a sprue of the appropriate weapons options.  They stand approximately twice the height of a 15mm figure.  These are definitely light mechs.

Vipers, ready for action.

15mm Sahadeen

The Sahadeen have arrived.  They will form part of the second faction for my 15mm sci/fi universe, which is slowly taking form.

"Don't go anywhere".

Year of Rules - Gruntz 15mm Sci/Fi

This is the Year of Rules, one new set checked out every month.  The Rules set for May is... Duh!  Duh!  Duh!  Gruntz!

The cover of the PDF rules v1.0.

One read through and a couple of solo practice games down and this is what I think...

Defiance Games UAMC

Look what came in the mail.  I've been waiting for this package since February.  Defiance Games has finally sorted out their production issues and gotten their production line in order.  My order of USMC, now re-named UAMC due to copyright issues, is finally here.  (Yes, you read that correctly, the United States Marine Corps has copyrighted USMC).

Look what just came in the mail.

The box, looking remarkably like what it looked like on the Defiance web site. 

This box holds twelve sprues.

Monthly Retrospective 3

Month four of 2012 is over.  This year is going blindingly fast, to me at least.  This was a productive month in some respects and not so much in others.

I started 15mm for Sci/Fi this month.  That's a big step.  I prefer 28mm models, and I'll still game in that scale.  The reasons I finally succumbed to the dark side of gaming are probably pretty familiar to all those that have already made the leap.  There is a huge, and ever expanding range of models.  They are dirt cheap.  They paint up quickly.  The terrain is much cheaper than 28mm.  There is freedom to build whatever force you want. (Technically this exists with 40k as well, but GW would have you believe that is not the case).  There are a ton of different rule sets out there.  I bought some test models, ARC fleet from CMG.  I liked them, even the infantry.  So I ordered a bunch of Sahadeen and two Vipers from Rebel Minis.  Those arrived yesterday and look very nice as well.  I'll be doing a review on them as I assemble them.  I'll need to put in another order to CMG to flesh out the first order, but that will give me two armies to game with.

Painted CMG ARC Fleet

Completed 15mm Sci/Fi

I have completed my first batch of 15mm figures.  These were a nice change of pace from 28mm.  Much faster to get done but still with nice detail.

Bike, Grav Scout and two of the infantry.

I have, deliberately, gone with a darker color scheme on these models.  We'll see how it looks on the table, but most of my armies are pretty light.  This is a departure for me.

15mm Sci/Fi III

I was so taken with the CMG models that I just had to get some paint on them and see how they looked.  I am going to be basing the infantry on washers.  That will allow me to transport them with magnets.  I don't have any washers of the appropriate size so I was not able to get them based and, therefore, basecoated.  The grav scout and the bike, on the other hand, were ready to go.

The CMG Grav Scout.

I'm very pleased with how this came out.

15mm Sci/Fi II

My order from Critical Mass Games arrived yesterday.  Only ten days from shipping in the UK to arriving here.  Not bad.  This was a trial balloon to see how I feel about 15mm.  I've been staring at my FoW US Army models and trying to project from there, but I wanted to see these in the flesh.

So... how do I feel about them?  I'm happy.  There's good detail on these.  The vehicles are very nice.  The troops are small but look great.  The price is definitely a sweet spot, and it makes SWMBO happy.

 A little blurry but it does the job.  This is the first order I placed.

15mm Sci/Fi

I finally took the plunge, sort of, in a "one toe in the water" sort of way.  I placed an order with Critical Mass Games for some of their ARC Fleet models.  This is strictly a trial balloon, so it's a small order.  I am awaiting receipt of one pack of eight ARC Fleet Recon Troopers, one Recon Grav Bike and one Grav Scout.  The total, with shipping to the US, was about $23 dollars.  I've spent more on a few beers at the local pub, so if I hate them then I'm not out too much.

Picture from Critical Mass Games.

Picture from Critical Mass Games.

Picture from Critical Mass Games.

Look what just arrived in the mail

I just received my Warhammer 40K 25th anniversary model.  This is a great model.  It captures the old cover art beautifully while showing the phenomenal skill that GW sculptors are capable of these days.  I cracked the box to make sure it looked like a good casting. 

I hear a lot these days about how crappy Finecast is.  I've now bought two models in the substance and both casts have been perfect.  I love the detail, it's crisp and sharp.  I don't like metal models, mainly for the difficulty of conversion and the fact that the paint ALWAYS chips on them.  This model is good to go.

All of the above is great and all.  The only problem is, I don't play 40k.  I just hate the rules.  I like the models just fine.  The IP is fun.  The rules leave me angry and frustrated.  With all of the time I've been spending, lately, on other people's blogs, one thing I've been looking for is a generic set of Sci/Fi rules that I can use instead.  There are a lot of great models out there.  I just need rules to let me play with them.

So, you ask, what will become of the model above?  It will sit in a bin in the basement with my Harry the Hammer model until I figure out what to do with my Space Marines, because it won't, likely, be playing 40k.