Womenfolk

 Because my order with Brigade Games was backordered, I picked up some minis from Bombshell since I needed to have something for my game. Those Bombshell models were a joy to paint up.

The Pilot, Doctor Woolworth, Dora the Explorer and she-who-has-yet-to-be-named. She looks like an "Esmerelda."

Not to be outdone, the Brigade order arrived today, a week before the con. 

Yeah. Perfect, right? Well, either way, I ended up with some cool models. 😊

This Week's Work!

 So, a bit of a mix this week. First up are some 15mm Space Marines. Pretty sure the minis are from Khurasan. I had enough to make a full Assault Squad and three small-based special characters. This assortment will add a lot of Space Marine flavor to my Stardust: Ground Space Marine force. 

A group shot, sans light box. 

And close ups. These are the pictures that will end up on the game cards.

A stand of Assault Marines

A Librarian (psyker). The mini was customized with a cape and Force Staff, removing the chainsword.

A Chaplain

And a Veteran Sergeant to round out the squad.

So, if you're at all familiar with GW Space Marines you'll be immediately familiar with those titles and their functions. I'll have their cards together in no time... I've already done all the formatting, I just need to insert the pictures.

Next up, and I started these late yesterday afternoon, so I've made quick progress...

Some huts for the pulp game I'm hosting in North Carolina in two weeks! Main construction material is cashew and almond cans with cereal box cardstock roofs. One of the minis I need for the scenario is posed in front for scale. She's a 32mm Bombshell Miniatures explorer who's already been named Dora.

Construction of the three huts nearly done. Room thatching is simply white paper but with a frilly edge. I spackled the outsides of the walls to add texture.

And after a couple blasts of spray paint. More pictures to follow later, plus the minis I need to finish with the quickness.

Oh, since Brigade Games fouled up my order, I ordered suitable replacements directly from Bombshell Minis. Everything is of course in stock and shipping was quick. Thanks so much Bombshell!

Two Minis

 I finished a couple of scenario-specific minis for the Pulpy! game I'm going to host at Southern Front in September. That's the steampunk pulp central America scenario wifey and Z helped me playtest a couple months ago.

I present a jaguar and a mystical skull!

The jaguar is a repainted cougar plastic toy. It's a little large, but who cares, right? The skull was a Halloween decoration bit that got some color-shift paint and eerie glowing eyes. Not quite a crystal skull, but you get the point. I also got some toy crocs to use for that game...

They're closer to proper size for 28/32mm. Not sure if I'm going to paint a couple or just leave them as-is. Now, if I could just get brigadegames.com to ship the damn McGuffin characters I need for that scenario, I'd be set. Those bums didn't tell me until two weeks after I place the order that one of the items is backordered. The chose to tell me this right before this:

I just don't have the words. I can't find anyone else with suitable models in stock. I'll figure something out. 

Pulpy! - Home Brew Play Test

I've decided to host a game down in Jacksonville at Skirmish Game Con the weekend of March 1st. I've been wanting to host a light pulp-style game for a few years now and of course there were many struggles to cope with. Struggles such as which rules, formulating an enjoyable scenario, creating interesting characters and motivations... that sort of thing.

So, since last Fall's con up in Raleigh, I've started checking boxes and I think I have a working solution. I have a good scenario for six players, characters and a game! The hard part was crafting a game mechanic suitable for a convention. One of my convention game pet peeves is the rules-heavy game that the players don't understand completely. Only the GM has a book and he has to constantly refer to it. It sucks and detracts from the experience. My design goal was simple - the game had to be able to be explainable, in its totality, within five minutes. Move, shoot, melee, other things. No books to rifle through, no rules situations to look up. I've hit my goal and dadgummit, it's a fine game. My wife gifted me with a few hours of her time on Saturday evening for a thorough play test and we put Pulpy! through its paces.

My other goals for the play test were to work out terrain, setup areas, play balance, travel distances, etc. I got my answers well enough to not be embarrassed come March.

I took many pictures of the layout so I can refer back to them later. A lovely beach with some jungles and a hillside secret laboratory.

Automata and Drones out to greet the infiltrators!

Some action in the sand and around a ruined building.

Heroes ascending the hillside.

A showdown in the hideout!

The play test was very successful. It revealed some weaknesses that were easily addressed. I tweaked force composition and will re-arrange the start positions of some of the forces so they're able to get into some action more quickly. So nice to get the Steampunk minis out for some Steampulp. I'm slotted for 9am Saturday morning, March 2nd. Very exciting.  https://skirmishgamecon.com