Philip K. Dick Presents: the Weekly Top X

The House of Paincakes crack team of researchers has been hard at work for the last days searching for some of the coolest things are members have committed to the internet.  This week, we have a double theme (loosely speaking).  Without further flim-flam and rigmarole, welcome to today's Philip K. Dick/hobby Weekly Top X!  Remember, these are in no particular order!

1)  When Cannons Fade - How to Make Your Own Movement Trays

John: I know I’m stating the obvious here, but movement trays are the kind of thing that can make or break a game of Fantasy. Unfortunately, the options GW sells just aren’t as ‘one size fits all’ as the package claims... or as cheap as you’d want them to be. With all the new interest in Fantasy cropping up, ideas like this are pure genius. Not only can you make ANY size you want, but its also no big deal if they get destroyed!
Brent: I had my doubts about this one, but I’ve actually seen a local try it and it works quite well. It’s stable and light... and cheap! My biggest peeve about the GW brand is how perfect they are for 20mm models and how unperfect they are for 25mm. Make your own and avoid all that.


2)  Musings of a Metal Mind - Gunheads and Walkers

Brent: So, here’s a blog that was getting on this list this week regardless. First of all, it’s always cool. This dude is a true original and I dare any of you to call this kit-bashing. Anyway, I preferred the Lackeys article but I see where Lauby is going with this choice. It is a great example of the crazy vision Mark has. Mark is that robot dude who does all this - I betcha didn’t know that, Lauby.
John: Are you saying Mark is a robot!? Quick! Break out the Voight-Kampff machine! Well, even if he is a robot, Mark has cranked out some seriously impressive robo-conversions. A lot of love and creativity went into these models and you can tell... even if he didn’t come right out and say it. HA!  Not only are the gunheads pretty freakin’ sweet, but they’re an appropriate eulogy for the sorely missed GW bitz service.


3)  Drunken Gamers of Ottawa - Pre-Heresy Night Lords

Brent: This... is... freakin’... awesome..!
John: Kids, there are pre-heresy armies and then there’s this. I’ve seen very few people this committed to including original models in their armies. And the conversions - that’s were the real genuis is. No wait! Its the scratchbuit drop pods. No wait! It's the hand painted...
Brent: Let me interrupt you there, Lauby - you’re distracting from the pure win that is RTB1-era Space Marines. I love these old models. I actually have an army of my own, but I’ll admit right here that this one blows mine way out of the water. Truly inspiring.


4)  Indy 40k - August in Indy

John: Hmmmm, this feels a lot like you’re trying to sidestep the arbitrary limits I’ve set. A link in our top X to another top X - for shame, Brent!
Brent: You’ve caught me! I’m a rebel I am, and I did bring this one to the party because it’s like a freebie. We pick him and he picks others and voila! It’s like Amway, except we’re at the top of the pyramid!
John: You sly devil!  In any case, this is the same kind of thing we hope to promote with our own top X.  Damn, we are like Amway executives.  Maybe we can introduce Ubik into the product line?


5)  40k for the New Professional - A Real Pennfield Mood Organ
Brent: This is the one I had to make sure got on the list. I like this post for a variety of reasons, some of them personal, I’ll admit. First up, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep was a firm favorite of mine growing up. It was the first work I ever learned to appreciate rather than liking right off; it was worth the effort. Even now, I can picture the protagonist going home to his fake animals and dialing 888. That’s bleak shit, it really is. Point is, Kennedy is right: we can shape our own moods with music. That’s got to be better than sitting in front of the television, right?
John: I dunno.. if I’m in a ‘c-beams glittering the dark’ kind of mood, a funny movie or some hilarious tv tends to do much the same as the music could for snapping me out of it. The big thing here, is that Kennedy’s article has some very useful applications for going about the business of painting your dudes. I use music and telefilm myself to alter my mood and get me focuses in a distracted kind of way.
Brent: (Dial 888: the desire to watch TV, no matter what’s on.)
John:  Note to self:  Buy Philip K Dick anthology.  Read anthology.

And there you have it.  The second Weekly Top X has come to its esoteric close.  As always, we look forward to tormenting you with our banter next week.  Read like the wind!  - Lauby