A Year of Contradictions.

This is an odd first post of the year, because I wrote it right back at the beginning of January, and never published it.   Having done that, I come back to it, and let's see how I am doing against some targets I set myself a month ago.

So, this is my first post of 2017, and it is a little bit different as it is going to be based on what I have done, and plan to do, and will not do.  I am not going to have a set of gaming resolutions, but rather some targets, some of which I know I will fail.  I will also hopefully try and talk about what has led to them.

1. Play More  This is the obvious one, but it needs saying.  I normally only get to game once a week.  When that happens, I go to the FLGS, and I hopefully play Malifaux.  But I also gossip, chill, demo Malifaux, and generally hang out.  I think that if I were a bit more organised, my one evening a week could probably support at least 2 games, rather than the one I tend to get now.
    Well, this one at least I have been getting better at.  I have played more Malifaux, more consistently, since the beginning of the year than any time previously.  I've been getting games to start earlier, I've started using Vassal to play games, and there has been a definite focus on getting number of games in.  I have also signed up for my first (ever) Malifaux tournament as a player.  The number of games is definitely increased and I am enjoying it.

2. Focus Less.  This also applies.  I have, at last count, at least 10 gaming systems that I am familiar with and have a variety of forces for.  In the last year, I have played 1, count them, 1 of those with any sort of regularity.  Some of that is because I am a bit of a Malifaux nut, but I think that with work, I could get to play lots of other systems as well as Malifaux.  Especially if I stick to point 1 above.
    I've done less well a this.  I have my first ever tournament coming up, and so i have been working on getting as much Malifaux played as possible so that I don't embarrass myself.  This does have the downside of meaning that I am not even trying to play other systems at the moment.  But I do have cases put together with all of the appropriate models for other games so that I can just grab a case to play Warmachine or X-Wing.  And Vassal makes this much easier in theory as well.  We shall see how this one goes.

3. Focus More.  I have a variety of forces for lots of games.  Particularly Malifaux.  This has led to me playing lots of games with lots of forces, and not really having a grip on any of them.  That needs to change.  I need to play with a force until I am familiar with it and then change, rather than jumping about.
    Nailed this one.  I've played nothing but the dreamer since the start of the year.  I've got a much better (read any) grasp of how he plays, which models work with him, and how to use him to smash opponents.  All I need to do now is work out how to add completing schemes and strategies, and winning games to that list, and I will be sorted.

The results of Focusing on Painting Malifaux

4. Paint Wiser.  I don't play with unpainted models.  I just don't.  Good luck to you if you do, but I can't bring myself to do it.  I also tend to paint whatever takes the mood.  The combination is bad for my gaming.  I intend to let my gaming inspire, at least a little, my painting so that I paint the things that will increase my chances of actually winning games occasionally.
    This one is working out OK.  Current painting projects have been focused on getting the Dreamer crew ready for the tournament.  Models all neatened up, bases finished, and a new Teddy, and work on the Avatar Dreamer for use as an Emissary.  Add to that the Effigies all in the paint crew, and the Bunraku so I can expand out to Collodi (he and Dreamer share a lot of models), and I think that I have definitely achieved the paint wiser.

Painted because a second Teddy is Scary

5. Paint for Love.  I need to make sure that I am painting models that I love.  That move me, even if they aren't part of some grand gaming plan.  I lost the love for painting, and for Malifaux a little when I painted nothing but models for the Malifaux Project.  A complete break in style helped to fix that when I painted some Bolt Action stuff.  I need to remember that.
    Less good.  Finished a chunk of the Konflikt '47 Stuff for the love of it.  And I have a couple of models lined up to be painted just because, including a Halfling Mage from a local company I plan to review on the blog shortly.

A distraction, or a nearly complete starter force for a new game?

6. Complete my Projects.  I have lots of part finished projects.  While I need to switch things up to keep things interesting, I need to actually try and finish some of the projects.
    This seems to be getting better.  I have started a To-Do list which should help me focus on this.  So far, I have finished a terrain project I started last year, and the Dreamer painting is coming near to an end. So I am getting better so far, but the year is young.

Finally finished and put on a table

But I'm obviously not THAT good at finishing projects.

So, let's see how successful I am in keeping to these.  Please, people who know me, feel free to call me on the ones I am failing at and to suggest any more.

Seems like so far I am making reasonable progress.  Let's see how I keep it going.

Lead From the Front

So, my experimenting with Bolt Action/Konflikt 47 models continues.  I have been doing some research, and have decided to try and recreate an Armoured Infantry Battalion.  For this, I am going to need 3 Infantry Squads, Leaders, 2 MMG's, a Mortar and transports for all the squads.  I intend to swap out one of the Squads for a Heavy Infantry Squad, which may mean that I decide to drop either the Mortar or one of the MMG's.

In the meantime I am testing to see if I like painting American GI uniforms.  Having test painted some Heavy Infantry, I have moved on to paint my Officer and Assistants.
Initially, my wash made the khaki too dark on tunics, so they needed reworking.  It also took e a little while to work out that the stretcher bearer was a stretcher bearer, and not, in fact, carrying a flag on a modern battlefield.  I think it was the red cross that eventually gave it away!

Send in the Heavy Infantry

So, the latest work in progress on my Heavy Infantry.  Most of the colours are now down, and I am happy with how they are progressing.

The basic armour is Castellan Green, washed with Agrax Earthshade, and then highlighted by drybrushing up with increasing amounts of Karak Stone mixed in, then finally with Nurgling green.

The skin is, as ever, Bugman's Glow, washed with Reikland Fleshshade and then layered up with Cadian Fleshtone.

Metal is done with a mix of Leadbelcher and Abaddon Black before drybrushing up.

I still have bases to paint, as well as the NCO's cigar.  Then its a case of adding the markings for rank and units.  I still need to do some research into how these should be done.

All in all, I have really enjoyed painting these.  They are a great difference from the Malifaux and Epic stuff I have painted recently, and I think that they may lead to a small (or not so small), force for Konflikt '47/Bolt Action

Konflikt '47 US Heavy Infantry Review

So, this is the first time that I have written a review of a gaming product in this fashion.  I will state upfront that I have no interests to declare.  I bought these models, at the price I quote, from one of my FLGS.  I have no reward for doing this, and there is nothing for me to gain.

I have looked longingly at the Konflikt 47 models for a few weeks now, since I saw them at Warfare.  I've never seen them before, and so when I got home I did some research.  Seems that it is based off the Bolt Action ruleset, and shares some models with it.  The UK and US and Russian starters all appealed to me, but the price, while reasonable, is higher than I wanted to spend at the moment.

So I have decided that, since it will be models that drive me, I would go and buy a small set of the heavy infantry to see if I liked the models.  Good models are likely to make me more likely to love a system, this is why I am so addicted to Malifaux.

I bought the US Heavy Infantry for £13.50.  I had no idea what to expect, having never bought Warlord models before.  Its been a while since I worked with metal models, and so with some trepidation I set about opening the pack.

I have to say that the quality of the casting is amazing.  Barely any model lines on the parts above at all.  The arms, where they joined the sprue needed a small amount of filing down, but they were a dream compared to other models that I have assembled.

The heads are beautiful.   Characterful, and full of life, and the NCO even has a cigar.  These were slightly harder to remove from the sprue, and needed some filing to get them to fit into the neck sockets on the bodies, but they are so nice, they are worth the effort.

Assembled , the models look the part.  I don't have any other 1/56 infantry for this time period to compare to, but, I have to say that if this is the quality of the Warlord models, then I shall certainly be investing.

Final Score 9/10