League of Legends: Red-heads have more fun...

Heyo, interwebs!  Welcome back.

Another mindless ramble about games we're into.  Well, some of us.  Onyx, Ogre, and I have been playing some League of Legends (as referenced in our first Infinity drop). Kinda, really, awesomely, hugely digging this game. 

That's my girl...right in the center.

It's funny, all my best characters are Red-heads.

For those who have never played the game, it's really addictive.  Granted, I'm nowhere even remotely close to a competitive player, and I've been mostly doing bot matches 'til I figure out what the fark I'm doing.  Basically, there are five something is one map that has three lanes and multiple paths through the jungle surrounding it.  Players basically form teams of 5 balanced champions, each with 4 fair unique skills, and go smash each others' sentry gun towers and crystalline obelisks. What the fark is a sentry gun tower anyway?

Oh...Pretty sure this was in LOTR

Anyway, there are several mish-moshes of archtypes: Durable Tanks, stabby fighters, DPS-y assassins, shooty marksmen, Mages, and Support dudes.  Though it's pretty generic for its genre, as far as originality goes, LoL does have a lot of interesting playable champions.  Okay, so maybe some of its art is particularly gratuitous...

How is her back not broken?!

 Really interesting stuff though...especially Miss Fortune.   Definitely helps to pass the time during a boring, rainpocalypsy afternoon or during a lunch.  Matches tend to run between 15-60 minutes, depending on how inept the opposing team is player level.  Best part: champions are loaned out free on a weekly rotation schedule, allowing folks to not only have a way to play the game without monetary cost (though you'll want to eventually buy a champ or 10) but to try potential heroes before buying them. 

Katarina is a beast, btw.  Sorry, she's not on rotation this week.

It can be a little repetitive, but if you're looking for a fun game to pick up with friends, that doesn't cost a small fortune (ahem, Warmachine), and won't hurt ya to put down, League is a good time. 

Ok, close enough

Infinity: Nomads Starter Ice operations

Hello!

Thanks to Ragna... He got me into another game. Quick 30 minute games, however fun! Infinity. He gave me his Nomads. A seven pcs starter group. 

Ragna already painted two Alguacil - combi rifles for me to start. I assembled & painted the Reverend Healer. Final look.

For the past two days... I painted the Grenzer & Mobile Brigada. 

It was fun! And already had some mock battles with crap dice rolls. 

Infinity: Cyberpunk 2015

Well, I simply can't afford to wait until 2077.  If you have no idea what I'm talking about, do some research on the game Cyberpunk 2077.

Hello Interwebs!  Welcome back.  It's been a busy gaming season for 30mm.  So busy, in fact, that some of us never have time to post a podcast.

:whistling inconspicuously:

Despite my lack of promise-keeping as far as the podcast is concerned, we've still found our fair share of time to get in some games...and what better way to start the fall gaming season, but with a new one!

Well, sort of.  You see, Infinity was a game that Onyx and I picked up last year, roughly around this same time.  We weren't too impressed with it initially.  Something-something poor translation of rules.

Submit to retinal scanning...

Inspired by my recent foray into League of Legends (a game I initially hated), I was eager to give Corvus Belli's futuristic Covert-Ops game another whirl.  I was not disappointed this time around.  Of course, I naturally coerced my darling podcast companions into playing (some were bribed with a free army starter box- ahem- Darren).

For those who have yet to foray into the realm of the Cyberpunkesque, Infinity takes place in the far future...but not quite the 41st Millennium.  Roughly set around the year 2300ish, the game centers around the misadventures of Humanity as they clash against each other and invading aliens.  Humanity's major powers are vague shadows of our current timeline: most of North America, Europe and the Middle East are now owned by Australia/New Zealand (Pan Oceania), whereas China owns most of South East Asia and Japan (Yu Jing).  Of course, we have the neo-Muslim nation (Haqqislam) and a bunch of AI-fearing, misanthrope, body-modding hackers who float around the cosmos in a trio of gargantuan spaceships (Nomads). Oh yeah, can't forget the backwater forgotten human colony, complete with outdated weapons and all the camouflage...and werewolves. (Ariadna) The Human territories- called the Human Sphere- is overseen by a loving, caring AI called ALEPH; by the way, ALEPH is not supposed to have a standing army.  Somehow, it happened anyway.

Deleted intrusive comment.  ALEPH is watching. 

We also have some Aliens: the Parasitically enhanced Tohaa and the invading, brutish Combined Army, who is led by an AI of their own.  (PS their backstory is hilarious)

Quote:

all the Lools

- d4chan

(You guys can enlarge that if you really want to read it.)

The game's models are gorgeous, by the way.  Such dynamic poses.  But perhaps the best part of this is the dynamic turn system the game provides.  Infinity makes sure that its players are never bored and are always doing something.  This is my favorite artifice of the game: The active/reactive player dynamic.  During a game of warmachine, one player must patient (or frustratingly) wait for their opponent to finish a turn.  After a turn of epic, curb-stompering aggression, sometimes an opponent might not have a game to com back to.

Not so with Infinity!  During an opponents "active" turn, I can take actions with my d00ds "reactively."    If a lone Nomad rifleman wanders into Line of Sight of one of my conveniently placed snipers...well... that Nomad Rifleman might get shot before he can squeeze a shot off.

Beyond this, the game also shines in one other dynamic: Infinity gives its players the power to use pieces multiple times in a turn.  Oh noes...let's say its my turn and a bunch of my guys are tied up in backfield.  There's no way they're gonna be able to get to the front lines.  My sniper, however, is still in a good position.  Infinity pieces each generate an "order" depending on how many of them are currently in play.  These orders can be used to activate a model as many times as you have orders to spend.  Now, my sniper can take multiple shots in a turn, ensuring that the front is clear for when my other slackers get their sorry butts forward.

That being said, with rules like these, Infinity is designed to be a fast-paced, action packed game.  It also tends to unfold rather quickly; in our initial games, Darren and I closed about 5 games in about 2.5 hours.

Anyways, I really like both PanO and Haqqislam, because armor, guns, and Space Terrorists.  And because this is marked as a painting tagged post, have a gratuitous painted image.

Kaya vs The Universe: Preface

Hey interwebs. Back again with some new crud, as always. And yes, it is Crud. 

So, in case the past few entries haven't been suffice example, I recently decided to use Circle Orboros as my faction for the coming Foodmachine/Convycon/Adepticon season. Circle's really done a fantastic job of capturing my attention of late; what, with all the new and awesome releases that Devestation has wrought...

Now, those who remember my old blog or earlier episodes of the podcast remember how I was struggling with Circle and my lack of options. Thanks to a certain Onyx, this is no longer the case. I now look forward to taking Tree to Face with my growing Circle forces!

But where to start?

Oh, wait. There's always my favorite caster in the game...

It's no secret that the Kayas are my favorite war-nouns in the Iron Kingdoms universe. Ms. The Wildborne was my first caster in warmachine/hordes, after all, and one I've always felt drawn to in both game and fluff alike. 

And while pKaya is a tad lacking, her epic variant is quite the knockout. 

Now, eKaya (and her fluffy fox, Laris...)

Will be joining me at this coming year's various cons that 30mm will be attending. And yes, that is a Kitsune conversion for a Laris I got second hand. He needs some work and TLC, but he looks decent so far. I have a thing for foxes 🐺. 

So what better way to punish myself than to play eKaya all the time?  Better yet, why not give her a whirl against the entire Menite faction?

In the coming weeks, with the help of my brand new iPhone 6s ♥️, I'll hopefully be documenting the fun, misadventures of Kaya and Laris, the Kitsune. Stay tuned readers. (That plural is assuming an awful lot). Until next time...

- Ragna

Warmachine: Menoth - latest addition!

Say hello to my new friend! Took me such a long time to complete. 

Menoth's battle engine

Warmachine: Just a Quickie!

Ooh, naughty.

Just a quick progress update on my Druids of Sand and Fire paint scheme.

Firestorm Armada: Painting the Terran Armada

Welcome back, interwebs! I've finally had some time to lay down a couple of layers of paint on the Seemingly infinite supply

Of Terran ships that have been clogging up my painting table/desk space. 

A squadron of Terran Cruisers.

 I usually try to apply a liberal layer of wash to my Ships to try and create some shadowy recesses. 

I'm liking this paint scheme so far. White is not really my favorite color to paint, but I'm pleased with the results. 

Firestorm Armada: Silent but Deadly

Who's got 12 ships and just backstabbed his local Dindrenzi player? This guy.

Welcome back, inter-webs!  It's been a bit.  We have some new stuff coming up soon, and an episode or two on the editing...table?  Desk?  Wherever editing is done...

So speaking of backstabbing Darren...

For those who don't know, Miniature Market- one of my favorite places to get minis at the moment- is having a 'lil bit of a sale on Spartan Games' gameses.  (That sounded a bit like Gollum)  And since I've been playing a crapton of Elite: Dangerous lately, what better way to celebrate my space-faring sci-fi mood than to bolster the ranks of my Kurak Alliance fleets.

So, to start, I've always liked the majority of the Kurak Alliance fleets.  The Tarakians had originally caught my eye, as I love Gravitational Weaponry and Torps, but I rescinded that thought; After all, I have my Terrans for that.  Hawker Industries have always seemed kinda cool, but very Terran like.  Torpedoes and Nuclear weapons on ships with great shields?  Been there.  The Xelocians are yet without most of their fleet, though Spartan seems to indicate it will be coming out soon.  Even though the Kurak Alliance seems like a group of general purpose bad-asses, I've yet to see anything that really stands out that's currently available...

Wait, Big star-dragons with mines? An in-your-face, rush-down fleet...  What?!  That's a thing?! Wait, they can ambush other ships?  Their ships are gargantuan and look friction' awesome?  Where has this fleet been?!?!

Somehow, in all my digging, I've seemed to miss this hunk of bad-assery. Behold, the Veydreth!

Big effin' ships!

I have to say, I'm really impressed with these guys.  They seem to play differently than the majority of the other Alliance fleets.  I like the fact that they are mobile as hell, and boast pretty decent weaponry to boot.  And the mines!

Here's the backstabbing Darren part:  my lovely co-host has been attempting to build a mine heavy fleet.  Darren plays Zenian League fleets: the Directorate and Dindrenzi Federation.  While some of those guys have a bit of explosive ordnance dispersed amongst their myriad ships, the Veydreth boast a good amount of mine-based board denial.  Loving the double mines MAR on the Predator Battleship, and even the little frigates have mines to contribute.  

Such happy! 

The movement speed on these guys boast is amazing...

Anyway.  Mini Market is currently offering an additional 20% on their site.  I couldn't resist: one Patrol fleet and a box of these tasty Veydreth gunships.

To Ambush or not to Ambush?

Hopefully, the Zenian bastards won't see the ambush coming.  'til next time! May the Alliance prevail!

- Ragna

Dystopian Wars: Empire of the Blazing Sun

Whoops sorry all for a late blog. I admit I forgot it was apparently my turn to post. Do not fret however, I was working the EofBS naval ships. Currently I am trying my best to complete all nine frigates: the Uwatsu. Here was a painted test model: 

How let the remaining fleet be painted. I am tempted to place a small decal on each ships. Either ship numbers or an imperial sun.

Here is where the fleet is at currently. A lot of work in progress. All ships now are painted with red details. 

Can not wait until the battleship, cruiser and bomber is completed. 

Dystopian Wars: Battlefield

So, Darren and I spent our last Saturday night working on a 'lil something-something for our soon to be ship-laden battlefields.

...Or, rather, battle-oceans?  I'm not really sure what to call an oceanic battlefront.

Anyway, rambling aside, we did a rather nice job on the two boards we made. Starting with a 6'x4' piece of fabric apprehended from Joann's Fabrics, we applied some cool brushings using a variety of disemboweled sink and auto sponges.

The results?

I'm excited to unleash some Croissanty hell on the high seas.

Firestorm Armada: Battle table tops! Ready for battle!

Here is one battle table top. Ready for space combat! Pew pew pew. Thanks Ragna for helping out.

Space the next frontier! We have our Dystopian wars table top ready as well. Sorry I did not have a photo. 

Dystopian Wars: French Attack Flotilla

JYo, internets!  Welcome back. Normally I try to get my posts up in the evening time, but I was actually working for a

friend of mine in New York City; he runs a film production company.

We ended up shooting music video and spending a rather lengthy amount of time in Union Square, and a little bit in the Delancy St area. Notable areas of interest include the Bathroom from Hell. 

Those are glowing sigils. This was with the lights on...

Yes, that was legit. Anyway, I don't have hepatitis... The music video we shot will be up in late September/early Febtober; I'll be sure to include a link!

Onward, to today's post! I've been itching to unleash some Dystopian Wars mayhem on the podcast/gaming table, and what better way to start than to show off my new pretties!

Behold, ze Republique of France Attack Flotilla! 

Meh, glare...

But, so nice a present!  Super excited for these guys. 

The primary reason I took an interest in France, aside from the free Croissants and their sexy ship design, is the Heat Lances!!!  French ships do look particularly hawt on the tabletop, especially when done up in a nice design, but those lasers...

#changingmypantsnow

My primary draw was firepower, and boy do those lances pack a punch. I also enjoy the fact that several of their battleships are skimmers, that can also be equipped with Heat Lances. Even their cruisers in the Attack Flotilla have Heat Lancettes (I'm pretty sure those are female Heat Lances). I've heard how powerful and annoying French ships can be en masse, and I'm tempted to grab a Magenta mk II in the future, to continue building a Heal Lance Heavy build.

Currently, I have the 2 cruisers on the paint table.

  

Firestorm Armada: Dindrenzi black?? Flat or metallic?

Since my Jackson Pollack accident. I stopped by Michaels and bought two other blacks enamel paints. A flat black and a black metallic.

Comparing to three different blacks I am torn which to use from now on. I have accepted I do not want to use glossy black any more. But both the flat black and black metallic looks awesome.

You can see the gloss black is part of the main hull leading down to the turrets. I didn't like it not providing enough details. 

Looking at the flat black and metallic black. Shown here...

The main CIC is flat black. While the metallic black is painted on the left wing. 

Which black should i use from now on?

Metallic black or flat?

STUFF and THINGS!!!!!!!

Hello all 4 readers that will read this (well if like the podcast I will be the only one who will read this...),

This is Onyx, as I am sure you have gathered.  I will keep this post short (I hope at least.  I'm now home from the gym and wants to eat).  To be honest I have no clue what to write.  I had no clue that I was supposed to post tonight and the angry boss man is being a big meany and making me post whether I like it or not (damn you Ragna!!!!!).

So what fun stuffs have I been up to...getting ready to compete in Highland Games next year.  The gym has been taking up most of my time.  But, I get to wear a kilt so that makes me happy.  Side note, I totally get why girls wear skirts in the summer, its so much cooler and you get to show off your sexy legs.  Fuck Yeah Baby!!!!

But in my free time that I am not getting ready to throw trees, rocks, and pitch forks with bag of rope on the end (yup, thats an event), I have been squeezing in some painting.  I just finished an Earthbreaker!!!!  Its super sexy with its knock down shots, and rough terrain, and its soul stealing, lava bending, rock throwing, haduken aiming...ok, so the last part is a bit false, but a Onyx can dream right!  A picture will be added in a later blog because I am inept and don't understand how this technology works.  Mac is far too advanced for a person like myself (but is still betters...)

I have also became an addict to a new app.  Hi, I am Onxy.  "hi Onyx!"  I am addicted to Battle Cats and am becoming addicted to hearthstone :( I have to say, mobile games are the bane of existence.  Now I can game crappy games 24 hours a day.  This is not good for the man with ADHD.  I have to limit myself to the amount I play.  If I don't, I will never be able to post loverly things for you all to not read.

I promise next time I will come more prepared for this fun adventure.  I am signing off for now, maybe I will be back later in the week to actually put something up with substance.  I promise, hand over my heart, I will be better at this in the future (so glad you did not see my fingers crossed behind my back hehehehe).

Good night, so long, what ever...

Onyx

Whoops! Oh wait!?!

While painting some Dindrenzi warships. I accidentally knocked over my black enamel paint and created art on my carpet. Still pissed. I need more black paint.

A little mineral spirit, scrubbing and I think I made it worse. Jackson Pollack art!

Pirates: Sailing the High Seas!

First post!  Woohoo!

Alright that aside, weekends are a great time to spend with the kids.  So after running my two little guys ragged in the wilds of Jersey with Onyx, what better way to spend the afternoon than enjoying a nice board game with my kids?

Except my kids don't want to do anything inside except drain their little minds playing their iPhones.

So after several attempts at a board game, Onyx and I caved (they were beat from running around for 3+ hours anyway) and decided to play a  game ourselves.

Now, this game definitely merits an episode on the podcast itself.  It's called Pirates of the Spanish Main, by Wizkids.

Now some of you out there in Blog-land may say, "Ragna, that company is extinct."  And you would be correct, my insightful minions readers!  Wizkids went out of business a few years back.  It's a shame really.  Their mini games were actually quite fun.

A few months ago, my young one began to develop an interest in board/tabletop gaming.  He often sees my room/workbench laden with minis, and he's  always interested in what's on the paining table.

What's on the painting table.

Anyways, he's only 6; a bit too young for Warmahordes, despite the fact that he's brighter than my 9 year old.  I didn't want to pass up this chance to corrupt lovingly expose my darling son to the wonders of minis...

Pirates is/was a nice easy game that he can understand which also doesn't require a huge investment of time or money. It's also kind to those with short attention spans (Onyx).  

So despite the allures of iPhoney goodness, Onyx and I got a several games of Pirates in.  I'll save more of the actual rules for our podcast on the subject matter, but for now, we'll focus on the game at hand.

Pirates is easily adaptable to a wide variety of mods beyond its original rules.  The game's inherent systems are based on a simple 1d6 roll, and thus, easily incorporate cool additions and fun terrain.  Our game used the Armada mod:

To play you need generous amounts of terrain and access to a wide number of ships.  Each player starts with a new pack, or if you have an existing lot of ships, a selected ship and a randomly assigned ship.

Terrain is placed to quarter off portions of the table.  We ended up using "impassable" mountainous terrain (read: pieces of other board games) as well as 5 islands.  Treasure pieces are scattered at random on the island.  Turn order is Firestorm Armada style: you move one ship, then he moves one, and so forth until the round is completed.

I hear pirates are into booty.

In this mode, a ship's cargo stat is ignored, and all treasure earned is put into a player "bank." (immune to treasure raiding) Gathering treasure will yield the treasure piece's value +1d6.  At any point during an player's turn, a player may spend treasure in their "bank" to purchase a ship from a reserve.  In our game, we had a pool of 15+ ships to choose from.

Aside from getting dice stomped our first game, the game is really fast paced and fun, with a lot of firepower getting on board really quickly.  At one point, we had about 15 ships on the field.

This is where stuff went down...

Good times, good times.  Shame the kids didn't want in.  My son is a powerhouse fleet commander.

If you have the time and the money, and don't mind doing some digging, Pirates is a fun game to unearth from the depths of the internet.  Good luck and Happy sailing!

- Ragna

30mm's back!

Strong words. I've heard them before. From a thousand Ragnas across a thousand worlds. And now...they are all Borg. 

Wait, wrong topic. Welcome back inter-webs! As promised, our blog is up and running and we'll start having content several times a week. We'll be posting our game updates, podcasty goodness, painting updates (not that any of us can paint), and of course, our entire AAR for our Dystopian Wars campaign!  (Details in the coming weeks). 

Super excite!

Laters!