Games!: 750 Points of Battlegroup Kursk

 A 750 game of Battlegroup today with a buddy.  The Germans had to fight across bridges under the watchful eye of a dug-in Soviet platoon - patiently waiting on its own armour support.  Soviets laid minefields and barbed wire and numerous dug in fighting positions to try to hold off the Germans.  They succeeded, but only just...

Games!: Scrapheap

 Played a couple games of Scrapheap today, four-player games.

My jump pack Scout tries to dissuade further Goliath aggression.

Closing from two sides, my opponents swamp my models in the first game, chopping most of them down.

Despite my gang taking a mauling..."Dapper Dan" managed to escape a Genestealer Aberrant and fire up the Ambot, which in turn went on a tear - oblitering opposition.

The rush for the relics and salvage in the middle of the table ended in a bloodbath.

"Dapper Dan" keeping well clear of enemies below...even some he's allied with.

The Goliaths stalking forward.

Once fired up, the Ambot tore through several opposing fighters on its way off the board.

The newly painted Genestealer cult got a rude awakening with two losses.

The table with games underway.

Ogryn for Scrapheap!

 In Scrapheap, gangs can hire one "Monstrosity", basically a huge hulking machine or creature.  I decided to build up an Ogryn for hire.  Here is "Lucky Number 13" ---- a '13' decal is placed on the power fist.  He's the 13th miniature of 2022 and of the month...so it seemed only fitting.

More Minis for Merciless?

 Finished the twelve Fireforge Northmen with Frostgrave bits for my second "loaner" warband for Merciless.  These will probably also do double duty in Caverns, Crypts & Catacombs - as all my fantasy miniatures do.

Repainting for Battlegroup

 When I started up my Soviets for Battlegroup, I rushed to paint some air support to use in games.  They've bugged me ever since...so I've gone back and re-done them.

Games!: Battlegroup in 20mm, and Merciless in the dungeons!

 Just some (poor) pictures from the past week of gaming.

Some 20mm Battlegroup (my Germans losing a very close game against some Americans holding a farmhouse). 

American infantry defending the farmhouse (they're currently "dug in" and not in the open, despite the miniatures!)

My panzergrenadiers arrive, but get pinned down by artillery and some fire from a nearby .50 cal.  Mortars also pour onto the unit and a land-mind destroys the commander's halftrack.

A hidden .50 cal opens fire as the German halftracks arrive.

 

One of my newly painted warband sneaking up for some treasure.

A game kicks off with three warbands scattered around a dungeon layout.

After suffering a few casualties my warband tries to entice a buddy's captain to step into the ambush...

Just one of several random dungeons we threw together.

A game begins with some of our forces scattered randomly...including some of my characters facing off with my buddys' at point blank range.

My buddy's barbarian sneaking up and snagging some treasure.

My other buddy's warband (part of it) preparing to start a game.
 

Convention: CoastalCon 2022 (Feb 25-27), Beaufort, South Carolina

 Just a heads up for anyone in the vague South Carolina area.  CoastalCon is happening (despite being canceled a month or two ago), on February 25-27th.  There is a Facebook page dedicated to the convention.

I will be attending and running Shoot N' Skedaddle and Caverns, Crypts & Catacombs.

The convention is in Beaufort, South Carolina - around an hour and a half from Charleston, etc.  Worth checking out, and if you're going to attend - swing by and say hello!

Tickets are $25 for the weekend, I believe.  If you host 6+ hours of games you can attend for free.

Playtesting some Kursk...

 While I only snapped a few pics, I did play a couple of games of Battlegroup: Kursk, playtesting a scenario for a buddy who ran the game at Siege of Augusta this weekend.

Research Before You Buy

I seldom do PSA's on my blog, but sometimes I see something that genuinely pisses me off.  I've run into this before with this particular retailer...but suffice to say; if you're new to the wargaming hobby: do some research before you buy things.

Companies like Noble Knight are large successful gaming stores, but they will frequently rip you off when selling foreign products that aren't very common on the U.S. market.  This is taken directly from their site and is one of many listings...

I admit I never buy from Noble Knight because they used to do this same thing with 4Ground buildings (advertising a false, very high MSRP, then chopping that price a bit to make you feel like you were getting a deal).

Now, MSRP is just that..."suggested", but you can find these kits for their normal prices at other vendors.  Just don't take for granted what you see on a generic game store website.  Do a little research - visit the manufacturers page, etc.

First minis of 2022.

 I threw some paint on three more men-at-arms (likely to find use with Merciless skirmish games and the dungeon crawl).  I'm struggling to stay motivated on these guys because I'm really wanting to build and paint something else, but only six more and I can set them aside.

My goal for early 2022 is to finish up a bunch of unfinished projects - or even throw them out or sell them off.  Too much clutter sitting around my desk - something I don't normally have.

Games!: Scrapheap the Trilogy

 Got together yesterday to play some Scrapheap (aka. Notcromunda).  Played three games, against the other three guys, swapping tables and opponents, etc.  Got murdered twice, and kinda/sorta/maybe won one game, but overall...pretty fun.  Some hectic and silly moments.

I, like always, forgot to even pull my phone out of my pocket....so I stole pictures from my buddies.

Some Van Saar styled gangers sneaking up into the fight.

In my first game I managed to throw a bunch of wounds on my opponent's Genestealer Cult gang, but they eventually turned the tables on me.

Me, pointing out where my grenade WILL NOT hit.

My last game, a large scrap.  One of my gangers manages to evade an enemy and then blasts him in the face with a plasma pistol.

Some new Merciless fellas...

 I decided to start an opposing "loaner" warband for Merciless using some Frostgrave and Fireforge boxes I received in a Secret Santa exchange.

They will have a kind of worn-down military unit look.  I will be adding transfers to the shields, but I first need to find some suitable ones that I like.  These guys will also serve double duty in the dungeon crawl at some point, so I've continued my themed basing for the dungeon.

Many games...and poor photos.

 A couple of poor pictures from the past week.  Did a Battlegroup game on...Wednesday?  And then on Christmas day I swung by my buddy's place and we started a new Merciless campaign, his vikings/barbarians vs. my Chaos beastmen.

My Soviets barely hold a hill against a German attack.  Supported by Katyushas and artillery, the Soviets held out just long enough to break the German force.

The German force included two Tigers.  Fortunately one crew bailed out after several rounds from a Zis-3 spooked them.  The other struck a mine and was taken out-of-action. 

My as-of-yet unnamed Minotaur prepares to jump a barbarian who just snagged a treasure item.

In a bad game for my opponent, my leader (Chaos Warrior on left) and my Minotaur piled through his whole warband.  He made up for it the next game, murdering most of my guys.

Zwei mas!?

 Two more gangers.  I've had decent weather the past couple of days - so been trying to prime and get a few more miniatures done for the year.

Also included is a poor picture of my current gang line up.

A few more Necromunda fellas to close out the year...

 Not sure if I'll have any more miniatures painted come the new year, but these last three bring my yearly total to 143 (excluding terrain built or painted).

Sorry for the crap photos, they were snapped rather quick.  Two more Orlock gangers and a drone/security droid built from one of the characters from Blackstone Fotress.