HoP Idol II Challenge: Warhammer "Railgun" Conversion WIP

Well kiddos, it's about that time again.  This week's first challenge entry comes from Neil of the ever fantastic blog "The Dice Gods are Hungry."  Check out the insanity of building a railgun fit for the dark ages.

In an underground domain grubby, smelly, furry-faced monsters clad in dirty rags shuffle around plotting the destruction and enslavement of the world above whilst building weapons of mass destruction.  No, I’m not talking about Al Qaeda-I’m talking about the Skaven of course!

More specifically, I’m talking about my latest warp lightning cannon conversion dubbed ‘the railgun’.

It all began about a year ago with my first scratch-build.  At the time I was hunting around for a cheap alternative to the extortionate warp lightning cannon/plague claw catapult kit and happened to spot a surplus Empire great cannon sat on the shelf.  A rummage through my bits box later, and having plucked a stone from my garden for the warpstone chunk, I had a WLC conversion ready to go!

And that first ‘big’ conversion was like a gateway drug.  Everything, every single model now needed to be different in some way, however small to satisfy my addiction.  Multi part plastic kits helped.  Kit-bashing helped for a while too.  But as with all small time drugs the hits had less and less effect…and I needed something stronger.

I made a frontal assault ramp rhino, I added greenstuff to a horse until it could pass for a rat ogre bonebreaker (at a stretch) and created a wood elf forest dragon out of the dark elf kit.  But it wasn’t enough.

It all came to a head when I was looking at the pile of accessories leftover from assembling my dwarf organ gun.  There were several strange items and a complete cannon just sat there looking at me.  Whispering to me. ‘Use me’ it said…..

Just off to the side was the chassis of the old out of production snotling pump wagon (yes, I’d been pushing it around going ‘vroom, vrooooom’ and narrowly avoiding freshly-glued dwarf warriors) and the clichéd lightning strike/bulb above head moment occurred…I could make another WLC!

The criteria?  Bigger, better than the last one and in some way obviously copied off the dwarves.  Wracking my brains I had a vision of those huge German artillery pieces that were mounted on trains in WW1-Just the kind of thing those dastardly clan skryre engineers would do, something to put the fear of the horned rat into the humans.

Settling on this concept, the first issue to confront was the tracks.  They needed to contain the pump wagons’ wheels but look suitably ramshackle at the same time.  I eventually settled on the edge pieces of games workshop movement trays for the rails and plague monk staffs for the sleepers. When gluing the sleepers into place I didn’t care whether they were straight or not as it would help the aesthetic.

Then came my first compromise.  I didn’t have the patience to come up with a moving train cart, so the pump wagon base was stuck down too.  I added sections of banner tops to the central hubs of the wagon wheels to create the connecting rods that force the wheels to turn.  But if there are connecting rods, there needs to be an engine.  A warp-powered engine!

As it turned out, the dwarf warriors’ musician trumpets made fantastic intake and exhaust pipes and I stuck these to the two hexagonal ‘buckets’ left over from building dwarf cannons to make an engine.

The cannon gave me a small headache though.  It just didn’t look ‘Skaven-y’.  Some minor butchery ensued and left standing amidst a whirlwind of plastic shavings was a slightly improved version of the cannon.  If you look too closely at the picture it may seem as though I’ve stuck a telescope sideways on top of the cannon and added a spiky bit off a Skaven bell, but it was a lot more complicated than that.  Honest.

The left over ammunition racks from two organ guns became the frame for the cannon, which I mounted as far forwards as possible on the chassis with a view to installing an engineer at the controls.

After sprinkling some rats around the tracks, and adding a couple of banner tops so you know it’s a Skaven contraption, something didn’t sit right with me.  How did the cannon get its power? 

There was no room left for a chunk of warpstone, the traditional power supply, but it needed to be more than a plundered cannon.  So, why not use the engine to power the gun?  I lucked out rummaging through my spares and found the cable off the hell pit abomination, which was the perfect size to link the cannon and the engine.  The great horned rat was smiling on me!

With the whole lot glued together (and with my fingers surgically removed.  I fucking hate superglue.  In fact the only thing worse than using superglue on metal is using it on finecast.  Don’t get me started on finecast…) it sat proud on my conversion table and it looks pretty awesome to me.  It’s thematic, it’s different, it’s characterful.

It’s not finished though.

I obviously need to turn the exhaust pipe to face away from the crew, but it just doesn’t seem complete to me.  Greenstuff will be liberally applied to fill in the gaps in the base (incidentally, the base was created out of three cavalry bases) but I look at it and think there’s a certain something missing.

Which is where you come in.  All of you intelligent, good looking readers can hopefully come up with some suggestions and ideas between you to help me finish this bad boy.  Go on, post your comments for me and I might even get it painted by Christmas!

Thanks for reading

Neil

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Talkin' GW, Talkin' 6th Edition, Part One- Now and Then.

Hey folks, SinSynn here.

So...6th Edition 40k, huh? Like next week, apparently, or sumpthin.'
Or if not next week, soon, cuz the rumors were that they were pulling 5th Edition off the shelves, and they have. I'm unsure of the exact scheduling, but I'm sure I'll hear rumors soon.

So...rumors, huh?
Rumors, speculation, hopes and wishes. The 500 pound gorilla of the mini gaming scene is returning, but what shape will the beloved, venerable beast be in when it arrives?
Yes, I said beloved, because I'd be lying if I said I didn't love the Grimdark.

*The one pointing is like, 'I hope that's not a Grey Knight!'*

I figure it's good time to discuss Games Workshop, and share some of my thoughts regarding 40k, and the impending Edition change. The mini gaming scene has had a lil' shift since GW released 5th Edition, that's for sure, and 6th Edition will get dropped into a pretty crowded marketplace. It will also be scrutinized, and compared against not only the prior Edition, but against it's competitors.
5th Edition 40k hit shelves in 2008, and had a pretty successful run, without a doubt.

Privateer Press released the MkII version of their flagship games in 2010, and Warmachine and Hordes have grown to the point where it's safe to say 40k is no longer the only game in town. In fact, at this point there are so many mini games out there to choose from, it's bewildering.

Another new game hit town recently, in fact, and this particular game came out swinging.

It's called Dust Warfare.

*The new hotness?*

What makes this game a seemingly instant competitor is it's pedigree. First off, it's produced by Fantasy Flight, a respected name in the hobby biz. Secondly, as it says right on the cover of the core rulebook, Dust Warfare is 'a miniatures game by Andy Chambers.'
Prominently featuring the name of a well-known former member of the Games Workshop staff on your new product, which happens to be in direct competition with theirs, is what I would define as 'coming out swinging.'
The models are lovely, come pre-primed, and they're inexpensive to boot. The Medium Panzer Walker kit, which makes three variants and is larger than a 40k Dreadnaught costs about 25 US dollars, for example.

*It's also pretty sexy*

When you price your kits like this, and launch your product just prior to Games Workshop's (not so beloved) yearly price increase, I would also consider that 'coming out swinging.'
Fantasy Flight dropped a very large, impressive hat into the ring with Dust Warfare, I think.

Games Workshop faced no credible threats when 40k 5th Edition released, but clearly that's not the case now. 
Besides Dust Warfare and the Privateer Press games, there's Malifaux, Flames of War, Infinity, Heavy Gear, Battletech, Dystopian Wars and Firestorm Armada from Spartan Games, newcomers like Freebooter's Fate and Bushido, and even possible 'future contenders' to consider, like Sedition Wars from Studio McVey, and Maelstrom's Banelegions.

I'll add Mantic to that list of names, because with the release of the new Veer-myn for Warpath, it seems like Alessio and company are ready to stop making just GW proxy models, and they might get serious about this whole thing.

*Ok, so maybe they're Space Skaven, but hey, it's sorta different...for Mantic*

So, yeah- the current mini-gaming scene is slightly more crowded than in 2008. Back then, Rackham games was...well, you know what happened with Rackham around that time. Games Workshop stood head and shoulders above the rest.

I don't think GW has to worry about 40k ever going away, even if this particular Edition is disliked. Popular game franchises, especially ones as long-lived as GW's, may fade away for a bit, but the names themselves carry value, and can be marketed in a variety of ways.

*Like video games, for instance*

As far as their actual mini games are concerned, it's hard not to take GW's recent track record into consideration, quite honestly. This goes beyond the usual gripes regarding Finecast, the (not so beloved) yearly price increases, and whatnot.
No, I'm referring to their last two actual game releases- Dread Fleet, and Fantasy 8th Edition. I don't believe that we need to discuss Dread Fleet at all, but Fantasy is another matter altogether.

I've talked with many long time Fantasy players, and the most positive thing I've heard is that 8th Edition 'fixed the Daemon problem,' and that the new Army books are going about the process of 'restoring balance,' one army at a time.
Oh, except Beastmen. They're unfixable, apparently.
It's clear to anyone with eyes that 8th is an unpopular Edition of the game, however. Whether or not this bodes ill for 6th Edition 40k depends on whether or not GW learned anything from the semi-debacle that happened with Fantasy, I suppose.

I thought it would be important for this series to reflect upon where GW has been, before we discuss where they may or may not be going, and whatever crazy conspiracy theory nonsense that may or may not involve.
;)
I also thought I should maybe get someone who A) knows what they're talking about (that excludes me. Sigh), and B) has an longstanding history with Warhammer Fantasy and GW in general (you can check his street creds here).


So without further ado, here's Frontline Gamer, who fills us in on GW's history, including all of the Edition changes.

 

GW founded in 1975 - Initially made regular boards for games like chess, backgammon etc.
GW got rights to distribute D&D in 1976 - This became their strategy for the business, acquire exclusive distribution rights for other people's products. They were a mail order company.
GW first published White Dwarf in 1977 - This was a name change from the Owl and Weasel newsletter they used to distribute.
GW opened first retail store in 1978 - The store was based in Hammersmith, London.
GW provided the capital to found Citadel Miniatures 1979 - Bryan Ansell was to produce Ral Partha miniatures under license, as well as their own product. They weren't (at this point) tied to GW only stuff.
GW published 1st Edition of Warhammer Fantasy Battle in 1983 - The game came in a box set and contained 3 books for playing battles with fantasy miniatures. The mechanics borrowed heavily from certain RPGs of the time and had little to no background. It was, however, very successful and received a lot of critical acclaim.
GW published the 2nd Edition of WFB only a year later in 1984 - These rules were primarily an update to the original rules and tidied some things up a bit. It is however where the Warhammer world made it's first appearance. It was even more popular than the first edition.
GW ceased distribution of product in USA through Hobby Games Distributors in 1984 - They opened Games Workshop USA.
GW released the first edition of Blood Bowl in 1986 - It has been through many iterations but is arguably their most successful specialist game.
GW released 3rd edition WFB in 1987 - Perhaps the most complex and in-depth version of WFB ever. It included far more detailed movement rules, amongst many other things.
GW release Rogue Trader (40k 1st Edition) in 1987 - It was more of a RPG than a strict wargame. It did prove highly popular, although many thought it was the setting rather than the jumbled mess of a game itself. The rulebook wasn't easy to navigate, making games very difficult to play.
GW purchased by management buyout in 1991 - The rise of Tom Kirby. Although many bemoan the man, most wouldn't be in 'the hobby' now if it wasn't for the change in direction he brought to the company, focusing more on teenagers and kids.
GW released 4th Edition WFB 1992 - Although it shared it's name with 3rd Edition, it was a much more streamlined product and was a far simpler game. Games Workshops also began their trend for 'starter kits' for all their wargames. It also saw the introduction of Army Books.
GW brought out Marauder Miniatures in 1993 - Only one company now left to produce official Games Workshop products.
GW released 2nd Edition 40k, dropping the Rogue Trader monicker, in 1993 - Following on from 4th Edition WFB's lead, 2nd Ed 40k came with a boxed set. The game is often fondly remembered, but like Rogue Trader before it, the game was too complex in many respects and took too long to play. Games often ended with no real conclusion. The system wasn't designed to handle massed combat, although it was a significant step up on Rogue Trader. This is the edition that introduced Codices.
GW were floated on London Stock Exchange in 1994 - Unsurprisingly this raised a substantial amount of capital at the time, but also started what many see as a slippery slope towards looking after shareholders interests at the expense of producing products customers wanted.
GW release 5th Edition WFB in 1996 - Contining the trend set by 4th Edition for simplification of the rules. Is often referred to as 'Herohammer,' and is the first edition to feature what we now know as 'Codex Creep.'
GW moved their headquarters to Lenton Lane in 1997, cementing their place as the biggest wargames company in the world.
GW released 3rd Edition 40k shortly after their move to Lenton Lane - 3rd Edition was the first version of 40k significantly streamlined to allow a larger scale game to be completed in a reasonable time frame. The Dark Eldar, Tau and Necrons were introduced, and it was this edition that is commonly attributed with breaking the game in the USA.
GW launched the LotR game in 2000 to coincide with the theatrical releases - Could be seen as a golden time for GW, or a potential future problem. The sales boost from LotR was artificial and unsustainable. It also led to them sidelining WFB for a number of years, the damage is still yet to be repaired today.
GW released 6th Edition WFB in 2000 - Given the mess that had been created by Herohammer, early 6th Edition set about trying to redress the balance with Ravening Hordes effectively zeroing all the armies. It's one of the most fondly remembered versions of WFB for this reason, although there was some Codex Creep.
GW release 4th Edition 40k in 2004 - 4th Edition 40k actually featured hardly any notable changes over 3rd edition. Like the transition from 4th to 5th edition fantasy this was the beginning of the iterative type of development in GW's core games.
GW release 7th edition WFB in 2006 - It's actually the second most popular version of the game, right behind 4th Edition, in terms of sales. Mechanically, as a core set of rules, it is arguably the best version of the game they've created... sadly, Codex Creep reared it's ugly head again, in the form of Chaos Daemons and Dark Elves.
GW release 5th Edition 40k in 2008 - Still GW's most popular release. 5th edition 40k further streamlined some areas of the rules such as tanks, but also brought back some of the more tactical and in-depth rules that were lost in the transition from 2nd to 3rd edition.
GW release 8th Edition WFB 2010 - Angels cry, wargamers get angry and morons buy buckets for their dice. The bastard thalidomide child of Fantasy is born.


So there ya go, folks. That's where GW has been. We know what the mini gaming scene looks like now, but where do we think 6th Edition 40k is going?
Stay tuned, that's what we'll be discussing in part two, which will feature the House of Paincakes very own Loquacious.


Until next time, folks- Exit with catchphrase!

-SinSynn

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Gaming on a Budget: Let's Get L33T

Want to start a new army, but don't have a lot of money to spend?  Well you don't have to go running for one of those fringe skirmish games that only the weird kid who smells like cheese at your FLGS plays.  It's time to put your bloated, mainstream army on a diet. 

Today's mantra is a simple one:  Less is More.

Keep reading for some practical tips for saving money by shrinking your model count.



 Now don't get me wrong, I'm probably the first person to go running towards the newest army around that plays like a horde, but lately I've been doing some thinking about expanding into a new army, but with my recent career change, am not left too flush in the cash department.  The answer for me was a simple one- find the most badass, elite army out there and rock them like a hurricane. 

Why elite?  Well, be it better training, better equipment, or both; elite armies in any gaming system that makes even a modicum of sense will probably cost more points.  More points equals less models which, in general, means spending less money.  As an added personal bonus, since I've never played a huge beatstick elite army in all of my 17 or so years of gaming, this is going to be a challenge for me.  The armies I typically gravitate towards have high model counts like Skaven, Menoth, Imperial Guard, Tyranids, etc.  It'll be like Neal Peart re-learning different drumming technique mid-career, though I'm probably not as good a gamer as Peart is a drummer.  Screw it, the judges are going to let the simile stand anyway.

I know math is hard, but you can figure it out

It's no secret that I've been working diligently on an Ogre Kingdoms army.  They're a pretty classic example of a good solid army with a low model count.  The size of the models makes them a little bit of an aberration, but I still submit that they $/point ratio for them will, on the whole, be among the best in WFB.  Random snippets of that endeavor can be found here and here.  Click those links for details, but the Cliff's Notes version of that army is that it's constructed not only with a low model count, but also basically from 3 battalion box sets (scored for $60 a pop when the market was low on OK) and like 4 more kits.  That's cheap by WFB standards. 

If WFB is on your radar, there are plenty of good army choices to be had.  High Elves are always  classic standby as are Warriors of Chaos.  With both of those armies you're getting some of the best stat lines in the game and for that you will pay a price- in points, not monies.  This translates to a low final model count and will likely save you money.  In past editions, I'd also say that adding a big monster centerpiece to your force is a good way to add high points, low cost eliteness, but those bastards are basically just canon bait nowadays. 

40k more your style?  Well, play any marine army and you're pretty much good to go on the elite tip.  Certainly that's an oversimplification, but if you're looking for a relatively low model count and an army with a good learning curve, you can't go wrong with the boys in power armor.  There are many flavors to choose from and some of those will yield better playability.  Many have had great success with mostly Terminator Space Wolves armies.  Just about anything Grey Knights will be ridiculous and have super low model counts.  Value wise, though buying a bunch of Ravenwing boxes to make a biker army may be one of the cheapest ways to go elite.

Beyond Marines in all of their flavors, things get a little dicier for 40k players.  Eldar are probably a more classic example of an elite army, but let's face it- it's hard to pull off and not necessarily cheap.  Unless you are a staunch believer in the power of footdar, you're going to spend a ton on transports for your fragile units.  Yeah, some of the aspect warriors are pretty great on their own, but only get better when they have a magic bus to ride around in.  Unless you feel like walking those fire dragons across the table hunting tanks that can easily outmaneuver them.

Shifting gears, you may be stepping outside the GW playground a bit like I am right now.  I've got a pretty decent German army going and cold represent many different forces in the late war from Panzerkompanien to Panzergrenadiere.  Now, they're fairly elite, certainly more so than any Russian human wave, but he models counts aren't as low as they can be. 

Honestly, Germans may provide for one of the lowest model count forces in the history of gaming- like less models in a 1500-2000 point army than in a skirmish game.  Und zwar- Die Schwere Panzerkompanie... errr, sorry, the German heavy tank company.  Backed by the Tiger or the even more expensive Porsche Tiger, you can seriously run working lists that feature just over 5 models. 

This is where the new army itch catches me.  I'd like a new FoW army.  In the past, I've focused on tanks a lot, though, and decided to eschew the ridiculousness of the Tiger tank.  Instead of the boss equipment route, I'm going for the extreme training route.  I'll starting a a late war 2. Fallschirmjaeger (paratroopers for those of you not in the know).  I've been impressed with Infantry's survivability in FoW, so I figured why not take an army that will be hard to move out of defended position and is also damn near impossible to make run away. 

Here's a tentative list for what my 2. FJ Kompanie might look like:

 

So in all, we have about 30 infantry models with a few mortars and a pair of PaK 40 antitank guns added on.  Not too shabby model wise.  Just need to test it to make sure it works on the table...

I've only really mentioned 3 gaming systems, but there are plenty of other popular ones out there where you can apply the less is more strategy for saving money.  I've long since been over the game, but if you're into Warmahordes, you can't go wrong by picking one of the red armies (not commies, that's in FoW).  I'm sure there are even places to apply the method in Infinity or Malifaux or whatever other game you're playing. 

I'm out for now.  Happy gaming and go save some money1

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Yo Dawg....

yo, I heard you like games, so we put a game in your game so you can game while you're gaming.

Ummm, yeah sorry about that.  Apparently it's still 2008 in my brain and Xzibit memes are ever the bee's knees.

But actually, while completely blanking on what to write about today, and not having time for a "Gaming on a Budget" project this week, I have been staring despondently at my non-functional Xbox.  Piece of shit broke just in time for me not to be able to play "Dead Island" or "Space Marine."  Not cool Xbox, not cool.  Then I remembered some sweet rumors I've heard lately about an upcoming adaptation of Shadowrun coming to gaming systems near you soon.  Unlike previous attempts at creating a game based on my favorite gaming universe ever, "Shadworun Returns" looks like it may actually attempt to finally create a true Shadworun experience in video game form.  Don't get me wrong, I kind of like the old Sega Genesis game from the 90's, but that FPS Xbox game from a few years back (approximately as far back ago as when Xzibit memes were hip) was a real POS.  According to the soon to be creators of the new project though, we should all hope for what may be the first ever cohesive attempt to create a video game based on a roleplaying game.

look out, the lawnmower man may be in there somewhere

Tracing this rambling line of thought a bit deeper, I honestly can't recall an acceptable translation of a Roleplaying or Miniature based game to a video game-ever.


Sure I have some fond memories of playing some game based video games, but if I'm being honest with myself, most of those games have sucked pretty hard in the end.  The ham-fisted attempts to bring tabletop games and roleplaying games (henceforth referred to as games, because I'm getting god damned tired of having to add all these adjectives in front of the word game to differentiate all of this business) to date have been little better than basically every attempt to make video games into movies.  Now before somebody flips their shit and tries to tell me that "Silent Hill" was a great flick or that the "Resident Evil" films aren't a form of slow, methodical torture, I will remind you that the fact that this exists:

pretty much invalidates every attempt after it to mash the genres together.

So what is it about trying to create game based video games that has failed so hard so far?

Thinking about it, there are a ton of places where these projects can, and normally do, go wrong.

Interface

We gamers have a pretty simple interface with our games.  We're used to things like pens, paper, dice, minis, terrain, and all that jazz.  Trying to incorporate that into a game can be difficult.  Having all of these tangible things is great and makes me feel like I'm really dedicating my life to some earth shatteringly important stuff.

Trying to build that into a game is hard.  If you've ever played the console RTS game based on WFB "Shadow of the Horned Rat"  you'll know what I'm on about here.  That game attempted to make the video game experience close to the tabletop one (but in real time oddly enough).  Sadly, trying to control several hundred troops with a console controller was just plain awkward. 

Even trying to move away from the tabletop feel has proven difficult in terms of interface.  Just look at every Battletech video game for examples of that one.  It turns out mechs aren't so easy to pilot when you don't have those handy hex tiles.

Pacing

Just like your average Christopher Nolan movie, video games based on games tend to suffer at the hands of bad pacing.  As gamers, we've gotten used to a 'I go, you go' flow with our games.  Often that means one person may take well over a half hour to complete his actions.  Works ok in the context of a face to face interaction over a gaming table, but try that digitally and you're in for the snoozefest of a lifetime. 

Don't believe me?  Try playing any game on Vassal.  While I do occasionally like to try out new stuff in Vassal, it's ultimately a frustrating experience.  It's not only plagued with awkward interface issues, but results in lots of slow-paced boredom.  Not so bad when you can chat up the person across the table from you, but much more difficult to tolerate with human interaction removed or at least minimized. 

On the opposite end of the spectrum, pacing a game to be too fast can be just as problematic.  A large part of my enjoyment of games is wrapped up in my ability to sit back and relax.  The long turns and a slightly slow pace give me time to sit back and sniff the... model glue?.... well anyway, if you're looking to make an exciting video game, that kind of laid backness isn't usually desirable. I mean, who the hell actually ever played Tecmo Bowl on coach mode (well I did know one guy, but he was a barely functional alcoholic)?  This leaves us video games that have to move fast to keep us entertained- and this is not relaxing.  Good luck maintaining a reasonable heart rate while playing the video game version of Bloodbowl. 

Unfortunately in this case, it seems the  goals of the video game and game are at odds with each other. 

Story

This is where most games, even those that have successfully navigated the above pitfalls (pitfall being an awesome game, btw) lose it.  Somewhere along the line, somebody gets lazy and throws out the script.  Video game writing is, as a whole, not particularly good.  Storytelling takes a backseat to action.  Good gaming experiences, though, often put storytelling in the front seat and force action to ride bitch. 

When they even bother to have a narrative, game based video games tend to have a watered down version of the world that spawned them.  I know I keep talking about them, but the Shadowrun games of the past are a perfectly good example of this problem.  In the more recent FPS game, there is no story.  Basically two sides fight over an artifact for some reason and shoot at one another.  Earlier versions of the game, however, feature a little bit more of the world, but never really develop it.  Sure the Genesis game has the matrix and some cyberwear and credsticks and paranoia of Asia dominating the world and all of your other favorite Shadworun themes, but really fail to capitalize on coupling this with an engaging story.  Runs usually consist of fighting ghouls in a warehouse for some reason or dropping off someone's laundry for Nuyen... sweet sweet Nuyen. 

The lack of story in video games as a whole has baffled me for ages and been a constant source of disappointment for me.  I can't fathom why developers skip out on this part of the experience.  A good narrative could easily tip the scales from great to good for any game, but it's so rarely there.  It's almost unconscionable that gamers making video games still seem to miss out on this.  They're coming from a culture that thrives on story for God's sake.  Why does no one speak up when designing video games.


Have I missed anything?  Well of course, I have.  Hit me up in the comments if you know of a video game birthed of gaming that doesn't suck ass.  Weigh in on what has caused most attempts at merging the two genres to fail.  Hell, weigh in on anything you like, just don't try to tell me that Christopher Nolan isn't a complete hack filmmaker. 

hey look at me, I'm a plagiarizing piece of crap who makes sloppy ass films

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