New Member Monday - For the Love of the Game

Got a good crop of new members for you on this fine Monday.  Breath deep their heady musk:

Rollin' 2d6 Deep
Keywords: 40k, Gaming, Hobbying, Analysis, Fiction

The Ruthin Wargamer
Keywords: Warhammer 40k, Eldar, Battle reports, reviews

Children of the Warp
Keywords: Daemons, Chaos, 40k, WHFB, Xenos, Tactica

DZC Contest Update
A winner has been selected and contacted.  However, that lucky person has not written back with a shipping address.  We said we'd give the winner a week, so in 3 days we'll redraw.  Just wanted to let you all know that we hadn't forgot.

Thought for the Day:
The other day, Jody of Frontline Gamer and I were having a chat/argument about Romeo Filip, the C&D Blood of Kittens got and whether or not and to what degree Romeo was a jackass.  The unspoken consensus we came to is that we weren't going to convince each other of our positions and that we weren't having much fun trying to do it in the first place.  Then we talked about Infinity because the whole reason we into these dang hobbies in the first place is to have fun, play games and hang out with other cool dudes/dudettes!  Not to bicker and argue over the finer points of all the bullshit that surrounds the actual playing of games.

Sadly, a lot of what goes on around the internet is that extra bullshit.  Partly because we're passionate about our hobby and party because when you can't play a game, goofing around on the internet is as close as you can get.

So in the spirit of celebrating the actual fun parts of the hobby, here are some pictures from a previous Infinity day I hosted in my man-cave about a month ago. I had fun, played games and hung out with some cool dudes.

Our battlefield for the day.

MudMonster ponders his next move.  He plays Combined Army so it was
likely to be something one of us hated.  A lot.  

VanMETAL! checks stats on one of his Aleph dudes as he re-jiggers an army list to replace
the guided missile launcher he forgot to take spotters for.

GuitarProf has a seat at the hobby bench to base some models.  He's smiling now, but soon he will
learn exactly what high WIP enemy hackers mean for his Nomad missile launcher shenanigans.

Models!  And a hobby desk that has seen too little use since I rediscovered Guild Wars 2.

Proxy city!  No idea what those camo markers are.  But that's kinda the whole point of them.

It was a fun day and we each got to play 2 games of Infinity.  Best Sunday morning I've had in a while.

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Sexy Models Part II- Dat Azz: The Ladies of Infinity!

Hey, folks. SinSynn here.

Well, this post is gonna be late!
The Crazy Lady I Live With is laid up sick, so I gotta take care of her. And by 'take care of her' I basically mean, 'do everything that needs doing, and also be a butler for a miserably ill Terran Female.'

Did ya ever notice how the Terran Females in yer life may have a way of calling yer name that just sends chills up yer spine? I mean, it starts with yer moms, no doubt. During yer pupal and larval years, I'm sure there were times when you were all sequestered in yer bedroom, yer mom would yell yer name and despite the potentially deafening volume of whatever horrific music you were playing, you would hear it clearly, and cringe. Terran moms are quite gifted when it comes to terrifying their offspring- they can do it by merely calling their names. That's good.
If you're a Terran Male, however, you will learn that your biological mother will not be the last Terran Female to make you miserable. Just the first. Waddayagonnado?

*Dwight was Xenos, y'know. He never really 'got' Terrans*

I have a great fondness for The Crazy Lady, of course, and she's certainly taken care of me a few times when I was laid up, so it's not a big deal. I'll just grump about it a bit, cuz hey why not? 
So far my favorite part was when she talked me through exactly how many lil' scoopie things of coffee go in the coffee maker, and exactly how much water to add, and how I better pour it in slow so it doesn't splash cuz I always make a mess when I make coffee and she always has to clean up after me and ohmygodsomebodyjustkillme.
Sigh.
She'd nag from her death bed, I swear.
-_-

Like most males that have spent a fair amount of time living upon this planet, I've had my fair share of dealings with Terran Females. Some good times, some bad, but when all is said and done I hafta say that life is better when there's Terran Females involved in some capacity. Friends or lovers, moms, grandmoms, aunts, cousins and sisters. I've talked about my great-grandma before, and fer sure she's the most amazing Terran I've ever known.
I can say, without a doubt, that Terran Females make this world a much more interesting place to be, and I very much enjoy being in their presence. Just knowing they're out there makes me all happy and whatnot. And why shouldn't it? Mysterious and alluring at times, forthright and in-yer-face at others, Terran Females seem, from a Male perspective at least, as fickle and unpredictable as a spring storm. Trust me, no one would write corny, cliche lines like that if it wasn't true. It's part of their mystique, after all, and in this case mystique absolutely means 'those things they do that make you pull yer hair outta yer head in frustration.'
But, Lord love 'em, I wouldn't have it any other way.
Which is good, cuz I'm prolly about to piss a few of 'em off.
:)

It's Sexy Models (part two) Time!

*No soldier, ever, was lucky enough to have a commanding officer that looked like this*

Above we see some of the new figs for Raging Heroes. A quick perusal of their website is definitely in order, as they've got some really lovely stuffs over there.Check out this Orc, fer instance. Pretty cool, right? But certainly not as sexy as this. How hawt is that lil' tongue-action thing she's doing? Wow- talk about insanely detailed! So many companies are making ultra-high definition quality models nowadays, it's ridiculous.

Raging Heroes may be new to the 'scantily-clad' model-making biz, but they sure landed with a splash. Meantime, cheesecake manufacturers extraordinaire Soda Pop Miniatures (I couldn't connect to their webpage during the time I was writing this for some reason) and Kingdom Death , among others, keep crankin' 'em out.

This edition of Sexy Models is a bit more specific in it's focus, however. For today, we celebrate the lovely ladies of Infinity, produced by Covus Belli. A large part of the appeal of this game is the models- they're outstanding, and month after month Corvus Belli releases more, and every month they just get better. It's very hard to see this, as a gamer, and sit on the sidelines. I know that by the time I finally broke down and started playing Infinity, I was goin' nuts seeing those cool new models coming out every month and not having a reason to run out and buy them.
That's all over now, and two months or so later and I'm already purchasing the first models for my second faction- an all-girl covert action squad of Nomads.
:)
My first purchase? A Reverend Moiras.

*The green lipstick is a great touch, and that tush is just amazing*

As far as 'sexy models' in Infinity are concerned, I think the lovely Reverend here is prolly tops on the list. She's all about 'Dat Azz,' fer sure (and, like all of the lovely ladies of Infinity, shooting you in the face)! Of course, this decision is greatly influenced by the fact that Corvus Belli recently released a whole new friggin' boxset of Reverend Moiras!
Woot!

*Best 'nuns with guns (in space)' in the entire mini-gaming industry*

And there's another sculpt, as well:

*This one is the boss. You can just tell*

The Reverends are more than just a bunch of Sexy Models, they're a great unit in-game. Linkable in their Sectorial List (Bakunin Jurisdictional Commando), they come equipped with an ODD: Optical Disruptor, which imposes a negative six modifier on anyone using a Ballistic Skill on them. They don't need cover, and even if you manage to shoot one, she might very well shrug it off thanks to having a decent armor rating of ARM 3, which is pretty good for a Medium Infantry statline.
Additionally, Reverend Moiras are Religious Troops, which means that any force they're attached to won't break until they suffer 75% losses, as opposed to the usual 60%.
They're called 'Shock Commandos' in their fluff, and a full Link of five on the table would be a scary thing indeed.
I'm looking forward to it.
:)

The Nomads are also blessed with Infinity's resident 'bad seeds,' the Riot Grrls.

*Yes, the one with the Boarding Shotgun is flipping the bird*

Interestingly, these ladies are also Linkable, and available in the same Sectorial list as the Reverend Moiras!
Cha-Ching!
It's so rarely that things work out for me like this. I fully expected to have to finagle and make sacrifices to make an all-girls list that I not only liked, but that might actually rock on the battlefield. Infinity is great in this regard- you really can build a list by just throwing a bunch of models you like together, and then go and win with it!
That's just like, the greatest thing ever in my book.

Riot Grrls are Heavy Infantry, and although they're only ARM 3 (I told you Reverend Moiras had a good armor rating for Mediums, didn't I?), they have two wounds, as opposed to one. Since they're actually cheaper than Reverend Moiras (that Optical Disruptor ain't cheap!), and can be equipped with some very effective fire power in the form of the Blitzen; a two-use rocket launcher thingy that does E/M (electromagnetic) damage and an uncommon weapon in general. These things are murder on TAGS (giant mechs and monsters) and power-armored Heavy Infantry (I know this might be hard to accept, but 'powered armor' is not a concept exclusive to certain other gaming franchises, which will remain unnamed here), shutting them down in an instant.

Yes, their armor has lil' metallic nipples and the suggestion of a pubic hair 'landing strip,' but you know what? Those details will NEVER lead me to a weirdly embarrassing conversation in the way that THIS model did:

*I'm using the 'Hacker' version to illustrate my point, as the HMG model pics don't have a clear view of the...of the...oh gawd the horror*

You see that big bulge between the figure's legs? Yeah, that. We all know what it is. It's an Alien Insect Penis...or the armor, designed to protect an Alien Insect's penis. Whatever. Certain parts of the figure look like armor, and then other parts look fleshy. I'm not gonna analyze this too much (yeah, go ahead and crack the 30 jokes that line sets you up for, knuckleheads...).
Anyway- that Alien Insect penis is a actually a completely separate part of the model!
And I dropped it.
So there I am on my hands and knees, crawling around and under my desk, using my cellphone as a flashlight, when my stepson walks in.
'Wadda you looking for? What did you lose this time?' he asks, having seen this routine a few times.
'Shaddup, you,' I reply, 'and help me look. It's a lil' metal piece, this time. It's silver. It should be around here somewhere...'
He crouches down next to me and starts looking. 'What is it? What does it look like?'
...
...Oh, boy...what to say?
'Ummmm....'
He looks at me and makes one of his eyeroll faces. He has a gift for making faces, and I have a gift for not killing him when he makes faces, so it works out.
'Tell me, what does "Ummm" look like? How do I find "Ummm"? Can you point out something else that looks like "Ummm," so this way I have some idea of what I'm trying to find?"

I have no idea where he picked this sarcastic attitude up from.
-_-
He goes on...

'Lil' help? Looking for "Ummm," and I'm not really having any luck, cuz I have no idea what it actually looks li-'
'FINE,' I bark, 'it's an Alien c*ck. We're looking for an Alien c*ck, ok? I was building an Alien, and I dropped his c*ck. You happy now?'
'You dropped his c*ck?'
'Sigh. Yes. I dropped his c*ck.'
'His c*ck was actually like, a separate piece?'
'Yes. Yes it was.'
'Ummm...'
'See? I told you. "Ummm" is all you can say.'
'That Alien is really packin,' huh?'
'F*ckin' A, buddeh. Now help me look.'

So, yeah- maybe the Riot Grrls have armored nipples and sexy playboy magazine crotch haircuts, but I will definitely feel less awkward assembling them. Nyah.

*The sense of lightness and motion this figure possesses is amazing. You can almost hear the rapid pitter-patter of her running feet a split second before she bursts on the scene and starts decapitating fools. This level of quality and attention to detail is typical of the entire line of Infinity miniatures*

Here we have an entry for my buddy James. As usual, he has exceptional taste, even if he is a great big knucklehead.
As you can see, 'sexy' doesn't necessarily have to include 'scantily clad.' Kitsune epitomizes how well Infinity models convey 'sexy' in ways other than the blatant use of exposed flesh. Sexy can be an attitude, or contained in a simple gesture, like a Terran Female twirling her hair. In the case of Kitsune here, sexy is a set of lithe legs propelling a stabby death forwards at lightning speed. Sexy is the lil' smile- just a slight curve of the lips, perhaps in anticipation of the stabby. It's the long, whippy hair cascading behind her.
It really is the little things, sometimes, and Infinity figures are so good at that. No other modeling company does 'subtly sexy' as well as Corvus Belli.

Here's a fig that illustrates what I mean:

*I suppose you could say I also have a Haqq army, but I buy them for my buddy Nascar to use*

This is the Hacker version of the Djanbazan unit, available for Haqqislam. They're Medium Infantry, and like most of the entries in any army list in the game can be equipped with a variety of loadouts. This unit has six different configs you can choose, with different weapons and skills.
There are...five? Five different sculpts for the Djanbazan, I think, but this is easily my favorite. I think this one is hawt.
It's the line of her body, the tilt of her head- the way it's slightly turned away gives her an air of mystery. She seems to almost be walking tippy-toe, for some reason, in a sultry, languid manner. She's so thin, yet curvy enough that there's no mistaking that silhouette for anything but a lady.
What a great fig.

The forces of Haqqislam also include what can only be termed as 'Infinity's sexpots.'
The Odalisques.

*The recently released Odalisque boxset, with minty new updated sculpts*

Light Infantry with a dizzying amount of potential loadouts, including the new Haris Level 1 Fireteam config, Odalisques are pretty gosh-darned awesome.

*Linkable, 360 Degree Visor, No-Wound Incapacitation, and 31 points with a Spitfire? Yes, please*

Then there's the ladies of ALEPH. The super-mega-ultra computer thingy that runs the Human Sphere (I'm sure I'll get into the fluff during future Infinity posts, and there will be future Infinity posts, trust me), ALEPH has it's own lil' personal army. Somewhat android-robotic-like, and taking some of it's stylistic influences from the ancient Greeks, the forces of ALEPH include more than a couple of 'sexy models.'

*I'm gratified to see that even cyber-augmented hot chicks in the future still wear ski-tight spandex bodysuits*

I like this figure for more than the obvious- it's rare to see a model with large, flat, blank areas with no like, textures or lil' nooks, crannies or wrinkles. No gizmos strapped on her legs, or pockets on her shapely derriere to give a painter something to work with. You never see that in war-gaming minis.

Models like this challenge the painter to highlight really well, to emphasize the natural curves of the figure, or- if one is daring- to come up with a pattern for the clothing. If you look closely at the pic, you can see that a lot of work went into the white uniform. Look at the shading of the lower legs that makes her calves look rounded, and the highlight on the hamstrings that draw attention to the fact that she's wearing sorta-high heels, and her legs are long. Real, real long.
That pose is all business, too. This character wouldn't have looked out of place as a bad guy in an episode of Ghost In The Shell, and I betcha she would've given the Major a run for her money.

*Lookit those buns. He works out*

Well, it would hardly be a very inclusive 'Infinity Sexy Models' post if I didn't include the Brad Pitt of ALEPH now, would it?
I think not.
Mmmm...So brawny. So rugged.
Even his armor has a six-pack.
:D

*Why, yes...they do design power armor with high heels. Sorry, ladies, even in the far-flung future, you still gotta deal with 'em*

This PanOceana Heavy Infantry unit is another example of a set of curves and the right pose make it clear that this figure is all lady.
Another thing Corvus Belli and their Female Infinity figures get right is the models poses conveying a fun, sexy and sassy attitude. Now this might not be appropriate for a soldier in reality, but let's remember these are like, futuristic soldiers from a miniature table top game, and that they're all completely fictional, ok?

Here's a few more figs from the Nomads to show ya what I mean:

*A classic 'super hero' pose, a la Wesley Snipes*

*The 'Babe Ruth,' just...with a Rocket Launcher instead of a baseball bat*

*Classic Anime pose on this additional Riot Grrl sculpt. 'I'm sassy! Tee-hee!'*

*A standard action pose on an Infinity model is still a cut above most other game models out there*

*One of my personal favorite, the Catgirl Medic!*

And, just so I don't sound all biased and whatnot, let's take a look at some of the Sexy Models from the other armies!

*As a Mercenary, Valerya can be taken with any Human Sphere army*

*Lil' hint about the Xenos races in Infinity- their 'delegates' don't really 'negotiate' so much as 'blast yer face'*

*Another of my faves, Ko-Dali is build like the proverbial brick outhouse. She's in every list I write now*

*The only female Morat, she looks like she's daring you to call her 'sassy.' Go ahead- you try*

*I just finished assembling her the other night. I know she's got a tentacle head, but I think Sheskiin is SO cute*

*Sigh- yep, there's tramp-stamp tattoos in the future, as well*

*I like named characters in other armies. Hopefully, my Combined army can 'Sepsitorize' (basically brainwash) them and add 'em to our ranks, like we did with Yu-Jing and Ko Dali*

*Pretty sure I know which one of these skirts I'd rather go camping with!*

*Short-shorts and rocket launchers never go outta style!*

Okay, I think that's a pretty good selection of Sexy Models!
As you can see, scantily clad is in no way a prerequisite for 'sexy,' and the makers of Infinity know how to catch your eye without being overt about it. The ladies of Infinity are by no means 'trashy.' Their sculpts are a cut above, maturity-wise, than most Sexy Models.
Sure, boobies are great, but Infinity models don't really go that route. Nor do they need to. They're sexy without being overly silly, or out-of-proportion, in the way that so many other manufacturers put forth Female wargaming minis.
One thing I can say as an endorsement of these figs- I actually OWN a bunch of 'em! The only female fig I ever owned up until I started playing Infinity has been Shadowsun. I can't tell you how happy I was when I got Ko Dali and Sheskiin built. They're right here on my desk in front of me as I type this.

I love my Combined Army, but I'm looking forward to eventually having my mini-gaming fantasy on the tabletop- an all girl army,
In the meantime, guess who's racked up the biggest body count for a single fig for my Xenos?

*The thing is, 'she' is not really a 'she,' so much...*

Six kills in one game alone!
When this 'girl' shows up, she's a game-changer.

Can't wait to see what Corvus Belli does next month...and the next...and the next...


Until next time, folks- Exit with catchphrase!

- SinSynn

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If I Leave GW Behind, Where Do I go From There? Anywhere I'd Like, That's Where

Hey, folks. SinSynn here.

Oh, boy.

I am completely and utterly hung over right now. I feel like a kicker in the NFL must feel like after he gets pummeled by a gang of defensive linemen. Kickers clock in at about 110 pounds, dripping wet, right? And yer average defensive lineman is usually about seven feet tall, weighs 300 pounds and is constructed of solid muscle and whatever it is they make iron out of...

Which, now that I think about it, is prolly...iron?

...ouch, that hurts...

Thinking, that is...thinking hurts.

That's not a good sign, cuz I've got a (now very late) post to write, and if I can't think straight (notice I didn't say 'properly,' since we all know...well, you know...), this ain't gonna be easy.

Where is my Hamster?

Oh, great- he left a 'do not disturb' note on the back of a fortune cookie slip and stuck it in my ear. Lemme find out he's got some gerbil floozy in there with him, or is passed out with some of his squirrel buddies and I'll be washing varmint vomit outta my cranium later...

*This is so very, very true*

To tell ya the truth, it wasn't even like I did a whole bunch of bad stuffs like suck down an entire bottle of  Jack Daniel's, or burn about half of Jamaica's primary yearly export and re-enact a scene from the basement of 'That 70's Show.'

Since I'm currently sitting here shivering in a room with both of the windows thrown wide open so The Crazy Lady I Live With can air it out, since she claims it smells like the back of the van Cheech and Chong drove in the classic movie 'Up in Smoke' would have smelled if it had a wet bar in it, I can't pretend certain intoxicants have absolutely nothing to do with how I feel. There is a teeny-tiny, itsy-bitsy, wee sliver of a chance that I maybe, just maybe, possibly somehow might have ever-so-slightly over-indulged on Friday night...and last night again...

*Hamster posted this on his Instagram account at 5am*

*And this one at 5:30 of the Easter Bunny gettin' prepped for his big day. Can whoever took my lighter return it please? Thanks*

Actually, there were no real reality-show level hijinks goin' on over the weekend, but I did break night on both Friday and again last night.

Y'see- I received a big ol' box from the War Store during the week, and due to the fact that I was still working 12 plus hour days I didn't really have time to dig into it until Friday night. Inside the box there were nine blister packs for Infinity, and a set of templates for the game as well.

Yep, I was totally singing this.

So there I was, on Friday night, coming back from hanging out with my stupid friends following a 2am diner run. Happily bloated on waffles and bacon, and slightly pepped from too much coffee too late at night, I decided to tear into the box upon my return home.

At like 7am The Crazy Lady came into the living room and found both myself and the majority of the floor, furniture, walls and ceiling covered in packing peanuts, while I danced naked around a pile of lil' Infinity packages and half-built figs. I'm pretty sure I was tripping balls on this cheap Chinese glue I buy at the bodega around the corner, cuz when she woke me up at the ungodly hour of one in the afternoon I saw that I had attached a lotta legs where arms should be, and heads to where legs should be and whatnot.

Good thing Infinity models are metal, and cheap Chinese glue is, well...cheap!

Anyway, it was Saturday, and it wasn't too long before my good-time buddy Nascar called. I had informed him about the box earlier in the week, and there was no way he wasn't gonna get his hands on da goods- three of the models were Haqq troopies, which are basically his. Nascar is currently under-employed, so I've been funding his Infinity adventure. He's been my boy for like, ever, though, so I don't mind. Infinity is comparatively cheap compared to other games, too, so it's not a big deal to pick up an extra fig or three in the mix.

*This is an Al Hawwa Sniper, one of the figs we picked up. Cool, right?*

We spent the bulk of the afternoon and evening assembling troopies, listening to music and misbehaving a little. We set up and started playing what would turn out to be a long, tense game at around midnight. I ran a new list that had two units capable of dropping into the enemy deployment zone, and Nascar broke out a list with twelve units- ten in one group and two impetuous troops in the second.

I managed to win first turn, and get the perfect drop for my Combat Jump troop (Ko-Dali, newly kidnapped and brainwashed by the Combined army from the weakling human faction known as Yu Jing), who landed right next to the Impersonator extraordinaire, the Speculo Killer.

*broad, overly toothy Xenos grin*

The shooting began immediately. And the dying. It was an awesome game, and I won by the smallest of margins. I ran a very aggressive list- two elite troopies into the enemy backfield and double HMG's advancing from my deployment towards the enemy, using Multi-Spectral Visors to fire through smoke generated by a pair of Impetuous War Band soldiers. I also had an Infiltrating Mine Layer turning the main route between the DZ's into a deathtrap, and Xenos anti-personnel mines claimed two Haqqislam lives thanks to his efforts.
The list will see some fine-tuning, but I like the core so far. Dual HMG's advancing through smoke towards the enemy while my two evil alien ladies wreak havoc in their backfield is entirely too much fun.

I poured Nascar into a cab at around 3am, and then came home and put everything away. Setting up/breaking down an Infinity table is no small task, and after all was said and done, it was easily 4 in the morning when I sat down at the computer and...
...and I'm pretty sure I hit 'place order' on a 200 dollar shopping cart Nascar and I had put together earlier...

Yeah, The Crazy Lady is gonna flip when she sees a second package in two weeks...

After that, I sat and made lists until I dozed off in my comfy chair. The sun was coming up.  A while later, The Crazy Lady woke up, found me passed out at the desk with the Aleph Toolbox open on my computer, shook me to life, and helped me stagger to the bedroom.

So, yeah- I'm a lil' beat up, and maybe it wasn't wise to like, NOT get a proper amount of sleep during the first two consecutive days I've had off from work in a while, but whatevs. I'm really amped on Infinity, and I was looking forward to Infinity Saturday/Recovery Sunday all week.

Not only did I order the Hawt Twi'lek Tentacle-Head Alien Girl, Cadmus-Naish Agent Sheskiin, and an entire four man Link Team of Gwailos for her to boss around, but I also picked up something nice for Nascar's Haqq:

*The Kaplan Services box set. These guys look nasty- I sure hope they're not Linkable*

*And here's my new girl Sheskiin, flashing her Nanoscreen. She can also link with Seed Soldiers as pictured here, but...meh. I'm gonna give the Gwailo link a try. They're Medium Infantry guys and also have Nanoscreens*

Hey, you know what else I ordered?
Paint, and a lot of it! Two sets of Vallejo Model Colors, each containing sixteen lil' bottles. Add that to the dozen or so Reaper brand 1/2 ounce jammies I copped this week at The Compleat Strategist, and I'm good to go in the paint department.

I've never used Vellejo, or Reaper brand paints before. That's why I picked up a bunch of wacky colors when I went to the Compleat Strategist, since I could judge them by eye when I held them in my hand. The Vellejo sets are like, kits- one is a bunch of 'Military' colors, and the other is 'Fantasy' colors.
Nascar and I have begun discussing paint schemes for his Haqq, and he's gonna paint 'em. Next week he'll receive his first lesson. He did well with the building stuffs- the clipping, filing, cutting, etc went fine, and he still has most of his fingers.

The reason I went with Vellejo and Reaper is that I decided I won't be buying anything from Games Workshop any more. Period. That includes paints, and anything and everything else.

I just can't do it any more. And by 'it,' I mean Games Workshop and all of their nonsense. I just can't support them as a company, in any capacity, big or small, any longer. I'm not even mad about it- like many others have said, including myself- I'm just disappointed.
This company is just bad, and I'm tired of dealing with them. It's not just feeling ripped off by the ridiculous prices placed on every item bearing their logo, but being frustrated by virtually every aspect of both the games they make and the policies they enact as a company.
I can no longer continue to support a company that behaves the way they do, that doesn't even make a game that I'm particularly interested in playing, yet has the nerve to try and charge me extremely exorbitant prices for stuffs I don't actually want while simultaneously ignoring me.
No, Games Workshop- I don't want a couple of gigantic, over-priced 'must-have' kits in the new Tau 'dex...but yer gonna give me a big ol' Transformer Robot and a Flyer, ain'tcha?

I don't feel bad about this decision, because after only a couple of weeks of dipping my tentacles into 40k, lookit how much I was riffin.' I mean, I saw this video linked over at Yes The Truth Hurts and I was actually burnt enough to start arguing with this idiot...
Firstly, I haz shame for letting my lack of patience with sheeple get the better of me, and flaming that dumbass.
Secondly- I need to stay away from people like that, and the company that clones them.

*Ohmahgerd! A new Spesh Mareenz Codex haz kum oot!*

I know there's a lot of really cool cats that enjoy 6th Edition 40k- a bunch of you frequent my comments section, and I greatly appreciate you doing so. And hey- who am I to judge anyone for anything, up to and including what miniature games you enjoy?

Frankly, however, I get nervous, and more than a lil' pissed off, at fanbois. That whole 'don't think about it, just buy it' attitude both frightens and angers me. I've got enough fanbois in my regular life- Apple fanbois, Lady GaGa fanbois, The Walking Dead fanbois- you name it, and there's some knucklehead in my life that will try and shove whatever it is down my throat cuz it's 'da greatest thing ever!'
Considering how I feel personally about Games Workshop as a company, I can't see myself getting back into the 40k 'scene,' and having anything happen but my head exploding.

Ok, so, maybe I didn't get a lotta sleep this weekend, and right now I'm either still slightly loopy from last night or having a cheap Chinese glue flashback, but I'll be damned if I didn't have a hell of a good time. In this author's humble opinion, Infinity is the best minigame I've played yet, by far and bar none. Being as happy as I am now because of it, why the heck would I wanna mess with that mojo? What the heck is wrong with me?
(Don't answer that question- it's rhetorical -_-)

I'll admit that the Grimdark has some sort of irrational hold on some small part of my psyche, but goddammit,  I gotta let that go if I wanna stay sane. I know there will always be that small spark, that tiny ember of love that it's seemingly impossible to extinguish, despite GW taking a virtual bucket of water to the thing repeatedly and dousing it, after which they treat me like Ned Beatty in 'Deliverence'...

*Please, just take my wallet and go!*

I'm a 'never say never' kinda Xeno, so anything could happen, but as it stands right now, the only way I can protest a company that I personally feel is slowly poisoning the well that all hobbyists drink from is to not buy their stuffs. I did this once before, and I had no difficulties sticking to it.
It was foolish of me to let the Ultimate Rival pull me back in. I never shoulda let that happen. It took like no time at all before I was P.O'd at Games Workshop again.
Sigh. My bad.
Shoulda oughta known better.

I've been pulled towards Infinity since the moment I laid eyes on it, and now that I'm actually playing it I find myself simply obsessed with the game to the point where I'm hitting the forums on my phone during lunch.
Yeah, that's right- ME, in the forums, at lunch...and loving it. I actually enjoy the forums...I know, I can't believe it either...
And yeah, like many other games on the market now, Infinity gets updated every friggin' month with new models and all that jazz. Y'know- the usual. All those things that GW has never done, will never do. I don't even need to list them any more, do I?

So it's time to follow my hobby heart, and just admit to myself that Games Workshop isn't a company that I wanna mess with any more, and the next time the Ultimate Rival tries to weasel me, to just say no.

*I'm afraid you'll have to put the Beakie back in the bag, sir*

I've been thinking about expanding my gaming a bit lately, and I've been looking for something new. Lauby and Dethtron have captured my interest with their 'Dropzone Commander' review series here at the House of Paincakes, for instance...

Part One is HERE.

Part Two is HERE.

And I've been scoping out Spartan Games Dystopian Wars as well. I'm really feeling the itch for large-scale conflicts, played out with really tiny models.
:)
Fortunately for me, I've got a willing co-conspirator in my buddy Nascar, a job that pays me enough to scratch these itches, should I so desire, and a nearly endless vista of games to explore out there. If anybody has a game the'd like to recommend, feel free- I'm still in the very early stages of searching for something of this nature.

Dystopian Wars DOES look pretty cool, though, I gotta say. Spartan Games has a good reputation as well, from what I understand.
Giant walking fortresses, bristling with cannons? Flying aircraft carriers with little stands of tiny flying jets landing and taking off from 'em? Submarines with mechanical tentacles? 
All of this served up on an enormous scale with a system capable of accomodating battles on land, sea and in the air?
Played out with really tiny miniatures with Victorian Era Steampunk stylings?
Ummm...hell yeah!

*A Dystopian Wars naval set*

*One of the Armored box sets*

The beautiful thing is, I have the luxury of not only taking as long as I'd like to decide which one of the many games out there that represents earth-shattering, gigantic conflicts I'd be interested in playing, but I can easily make a very-well informed decision, as well.
You know why? Cuz pretty much every company that's not named Games Workshop offers free rules of one sort or another on their website, and uses the web in such a way as to tell me everything I need to know about the game I'm investigating. Chances are there's a forum I can peek in, blogs I can check out, videos I can watch...
Then, when I'm all psyched up to buy some stuffs, I can slap my sticky tentacles on this here keyboard, and order my goodies from where ever the heck I'd like, and maybe even get a discount.
...Y'know, pretty much everything Games Workshop DOESN'T DO...

It's a big ol' hobby world out there, and I've only seen a few rooms.
-_-
Time to change that.

Who knows a good sci-fi mini game I can play that represents battalion-plus sized battles using like, 12mm minis or so?
Hit me up!


Until next time, folks- Exit with catchphrase!

- SinSynn

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Home Made Terrain, Buck-Nekkid Alienz, and Being Content

Hey, folks. SinSynn here.

I'm sure it'll come as a great surprise to many of you that I tend to be something of a stubborn, grumpy, sarcastic jerk. I'm always riffing about something. Even with stuffs I really like, I'll find some lil' thing to complain about. Instead of enjoying the thing for what it is, I'll be the guy shooting his mouth off about how it could be better if they just fixed this, that or the other thing.

...But, y'know...it's alright, I guess...

'It's alright' is like a Five Star, 10 outta 10, two thumbs up (I only wish I had more thumbs) review from me.

A couple of weeks ago, my XBox suddenly asked me for my password to log in for some reason. I've had this thing forever, and it's never asked me for a password.
Not. Once.
Hmph.
Needless to say, I have no idea what my password is. The brain cell that carried that information has died. Or maybe he was murdered, I dunno. Either way, I'm screwed.
I try some of my usuals, but no go. I then proceed to do the whole 'go to da Windows Live site and reset yer password' thingy...which of course doesn't work.
Now I'm all aggravated and whatnot, so I totally unhooked my XBox and stuck it in a corner.
Screw you, Microsoft.
:P

In the meantime, I already paid fer my Live Subscription, and I'm sure Netflix is continuing to charge me...pretty sure I could call Microsoft and settle this thing fairly quickly, but....I'm aggravated, dammit. That password thing should magically work itself out, I should just be able to turn my XBox on and it should just work, cuz...cuz it just should, that's why.
-_-

*I'm just gonna stand here and complain until it's fixed*

I sorta know why I'm all burnt over the XBox. It's because that's like basically the only thing I've got in my life to be burnt about right now, and I'm one of those knuckleheads that's not happy unless I've got something to be burnt about.

Hey, check this Infinity terrain that Nascar and I made yesterday:

*These are the first two we built. Everything lifts off so you can move troopies around inside, everything is braced so it retains it's shape, and all the windows and balconies are at the right height  to provide cover and shoot out of or over*

*This is McTag's Garage. Nascar built this one while I did doggie walks. We still need to add the 2nd floor, cut out some doors/windows on the roof exits and add a ladder or two, but you get the idea. And hey- it's handicap accessible!*

*Nascar drew up this sign. The handicap ramps at McTag's and the air conditioner on the small building were all his work. Gotta give him props- he's pretty creative and seems to have taken to the hobby like a fish to water. He's still a knucklehead. He says he built this building to hide his TAG in it, and claims it should have special rules cuz it's a 'Haqqislam-owned facility.' ...Sigh...this is what I gotta deal with*

*Here's all three buildings- the building on the right has the air conditioner on the 2nd floor. You see that black stripe on the wall in the background? I did that priming some models on a table I had set up there. The Crazy Lady FLIPPED!!!*

Ok, so...fine. This isn't exactly the nicest scratch-built terrain anyone has ever made, and that's putting it nicely. Nevertheless, it's very 'playable,' since that was our design priority. It's easy to deal with- the roofs come off and there's enough room to fit your hand in and move a fig to where you want him, or the little shacks on top lift off, and there's markings showing you where to return them to.

We actually ran out of cardboard- we only picked up two 28 x 28 inch sheets. We combined that with some 1/2 thick, 2 foot by 4 foot sheets of styrofoam I had gifted to me by the Ultimate Rival. A lil' tape, a lil' glue (which I also had lying around), and a few hours spent listening to things like the Ghost in the Shell Soundtrack and Nine Inch Nails...and Sleigh Bells cuz I love Sleigh Bells and I'm somewhat obsessed with Sleigh Bells cuz you know why and shaddup you and don't you judge me....

*If you come to my crib, you 'd probably better learn to like these guys*

Anywho, the entire project ended up costing like five bucks. The cardboard was like 69 cents a piece, but the big expense was the pair of Sharpie Markers I bought.
:P
Nascar and I are starting to debate what kinda theme and colors our buildings should have, and the ideas and inspiration come quickly an easily. I mean, c'mon...we've seen Ghost in the Shell, y'know what I mean? That includes all the movies and Section 9 TV series and Laughing Man stuffs an' alla dat....

*Infinity is SO very much THIS*

Nascar is filled with creative ideas, and he's shaping up to be quite the lil' hobbyist-in-training. He's signed himself up to the Infinity forums, he's sending me lists all the time and he's already complaining about Pan-O and ALEPH...which seems to be something you do if you play Infinity and you don't play one of those forces, I guess?
Don't get it twisted- this isn't 40k where stuffs is 'OP,' these are kinda like running jokes in the community. Like whenever someone new shows up on the forums and asks 'what's the best army?' a bunch of wiseguys show up and say 'Nomads,' cuz they actually feature an unconventional playstyle based around Hacking and 'shutting down' the opponent, rather than blasting them with outright firepower.
The DO have the Riot Grrls now, however...a Heavy Infantry Link Team that's supposedly no joke...

*Remember when some people riffed about the little 'landing strip' piece of armor?*

*None of those people ever complained about Iskaller's weird appendage...Jeez- put some pants on, buddy*

*And we should prolly never, ever mention Skiavoros' mighty, mighty codpiece. I mean...it's got a headlight...*

*Clearly, the Avatar is guilty of Indecent Exposure! (o_0)  Nice buns, but put that thing away, will ya buddy? Someone could lose an eye, or sumpthin'*

*Ewwwww...You know what? I don't even wanna know what's going on here. I just REALLY HOPE that's not his Close Combat Weapon*

My army of choice runs around with their dangly bits dangling about...Waddayagonnado?
Now...where was I?

Oh, yeah- so it was fun to spend a day working on a hobby project, and having that project be somewhat successful. Besides the home-made stuff we've started building, I unzipped 80 some-odd megs of printable terrain a generous reader was nice enough to send to me, and it's got some really nice pieces, like pre-fabricated stores (an auto parts place and a 'med-stop,' for instance), various warehouses, shanties, containers and more.
Nascar and I were supposed to go to our local Staples to see if they could print it (anyone know if they do cardboard?), but we got stuck on a friend's couch for a few hours watching Independence Day in HD on a giant 60 inch TV screen...
...Yes I haz a lil' shame...but not a whole hell of a lot...
Please don't judge me...that movie was so bad, I was like, entranced or sumpthin.'
....
...Gawd it's bad.

See? THAT'S what I've got to complain about- watching a bad movie with my friends, goofing and laughing about it the whole time, and missing Staples before it closed.
I'm starting to realize that, since I've got no major issues to complain about right now with my hobby, I must be...content with it? Actually...*gasp*...Having genuine fun?
...Say it ain't so...

Since I haven't really been wrapped up with 40k, I don't have the usual 'Games Workshop Gripes' I always have. I hate to say it, but I find GW, as a company, extremely vexing.
Even so, although my Chaos army might be on the back burner, spring is coming, and that'll mean Garage Games of 40k against the Ultimate Rival.
I'm looking forward to it, but there's no way I'll be able to take 40k 'seriously,' if you know what I mean. 6th Edition is just way too silly, but I still waited in line overnight in front of Best Buy to get my copy of the Space Marine Movie on Blu-Ray.
What?...You didn't?
;)

Since I also haven't been involved in Flames of War, I have fortunately missed the whole Late War period getting even more unbalanced, from what I understand, with the new British Firefly's getting...AT 17 (?) or something ridiculous. I guess Battlefront sold enough Panthers, and not enough King Tigers and Jag Tigers, or whatever.
-_-
When I return to that game, I'll be playing Mid-War.

I'm not mad at either of those games, even though both of them put me through ups and downs (Thanks, GW, for Imperial Guard, and Space Wolves, and Grey Knights...and thank YOU, Battlefront, for Blood, Guts and Glory and all the subsequent Late War books, and for American Tank Destroyers and for not giving us new, actual GOOD Missions with 3rd Edition...).
To tell ya the truth, I feel a bit chagrined about getting all bent outta shape about these things now, in retrospect. I'm trying to enjoy my hobby more, and to try new things- terrain building was one of the things on my list.
Can you believe these are the very first pieces of terrain, of any kind, that I've ever built?
...Yes, I know...that's clearly obvious. Ha, ha- yer verr funnie, wiseguy.
-_-

*Not bad fer a couple of first-timers who need adult supervision to handle sharp objects*

It sorta feels weird to be as happy as I am playing Infinity. I've just honestly never had so much honest-to-goodness fun doing anything in this hobby as I'm having now.
Is that because I'm learning to do it on my own? I feel closer to the game because it's all me, y'know? This was something I chose to do, something I took on myself, something I wanted and I went and did it and that's what's up.
Everything is new and fresh and all the game mechanics are so different than anything else I've played....and I'm loving it.
20 Sided Dice! 20 Sided Dice are Craaaaaaazy, man, I'm tellin' ya!
I built terrain!! Me! If building yer own terrain outta cardboard isn't the geeky epitome of our hobby, then I don't know what is...and gosh-darnit, I'm prouda me.

Sure, Infinity might have had me at 'hello,' but adding it to my repertoire of games has helped me mellow towards 40k and FoW, since now I have an gaming option that doesn't actually frustrate me, I look forward to revisiting those games with a different attitude.
Right now, I'm playing a game with the models I want to play, on my own gaming table in my own apartment, with terrain I'm building by hand with my buddy. I'm learning the rules, reading the wiki and posting on the forums virtually every day. It's a lotta fun to be this enthused about something.

Last night The Crazy Lady I Live With peeked into the room as Nascar and I were deeply intent upon constructing our lil' miniature make-believe buildings. I proudly waved at what we had accomplished.
'Pretty cool, huh?' I beamed.
She just chuckled and shook her head.
'How old is everyone in this room,' she smirked, 'what are you guys, like fifth-graders now?'

I could only grin wider.
What could possibly be better 'n' that?


I'd like to give a shout out to the following blogs.
These are some of my peeps from the Infinity forums. Cool cats, all around!

The Myrmidon Officer

EI = Infinity

Fire Broadside

And I wrote a post this week over at World of Wonder, discussing some of my fave new Xenos from Infinity.  Cuz you know I luvs my Sneaky Sneaky Shasvastii!
:)

*Cuz how can I not love hawt Twi'lek tentacle-head girlz?*

Until next time, folks- Exit with Catchphrase! (and happy gaming!)

- SinSynn

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