Irregular Magazine has accepted and published two of my illustrations in their Autumn 2010 issue with the theme "Magic"! So here is my small contribution to the traditional miniature wargaming and role playing game community!
You can download Irregular Magazine every quarter at http://www.irregularmagazine.com/!
I first discovered this wonderful publication on Facebook, and have since gone back every quarter as it contains the content I made this blog about (for the most part), traditional table top gaming! It covers miniatures, board games, and RPG's of all genre and eras; from historical ancients and fantasy, to the furthest reaches of the future!
Monday, October 11, 2010
Saturday, August 28, 2010
28AUG10 N-scale/10mm vehicle discussion
I've recently discovered that N-scale works great for the 10mm wargamer in some respects, and vice versa; depending on the company making the product! However, I obtained these N-scale 1:160th scale vehicles due to my wife and father in law being into N-scale layouts (which also make good wargame tables... or wargames tables make good places to set up N-scale layouts... Good justification to the wife for setting up a 10mm armor collection and playing surfaces!). Besides, thats been a dichotomy between two hobbies for decades. I'm behind the times in learning these little tricks! For more on scale, check out the Wikipedia article about wargaming and hobby scales! I know I've got to put a bookmark there myself...
First off, lets knock out vehicles that are okay for wargaming, but really, really, really would piss off the most precise type A personality realism N-scale hobbyist! Noble Miniatures makes some N-scale "Trackside Treasures" vehicles of which my wife purchased me the WWII US Jeeps (TT-2101) and 1940's Studabaker 2 1/2 Ton Trucks (TT-2117).
What I like about these, is that they are durable enough that I can probably transport them and play games with them without concern about anything breaking. For the N-scale model railroader, the molding will drive you insane! I had a mold mark 1/16 of an inch halfway up the canvas cover on the back of the deuce and a half i assembled! However, for the wargamer, this is a minor problem. We like realism and quality molds too, but its not as critical to wargaming as it is to realistic model railroading. Both of these vehicles took me only a few minutes to clean up and assemble with some CA glue. Do be aware, they do contain lead. Don't let your kids play with them like toys, and take precautions you always take with lead (though I'm sure the EPA will ban these figures someday...). You'll best find these kits at your local model retailer as if you go to the manufacturers website, its not entirely user friendly and geared toward the dealer and not the modeler... Not a bad thing as its intended to give your local dealer your business!
Finally, we come to the masterpiece. I doubt there is a more experienced company producing high quality kits and accessories for both wargamers and model railroaders than GHQ! While I know them best for their Microarmor, I was pleasantly surprised when I ran across their M1A2 kit (GHQ Stock # 58003) at my father in laws favorite train store in Omaha NE. I've known about the kit, just didn't see it until I was there. My jaw just about hit the floor, and I had to buy two kits... and a flat car... and some chain... And I had the intention of mounting them to said flat car for my wife's train. Until I assembled one!
Now I think I'll need to get a few more... At least to start an Armor Company, and get some Bradley IFV's and Modern US Infantry to go with them! Then I'll make a flat car load...
The stainless steel photo etched racks were intimidating to me at first, mainly because I've got very limited experience with photo etched parts (see my Stryker article for my first experiences!). However, for as small as they were, they went together VERY WELL, and were indeed pre-scored at the fold points where required for ease of construction. The casting on the turret was darn near perfect and required little clean-up. I had no problem finding the small holes for the photo etched parts to be glued to!
I'll take the GHQ vehicles on and off the wargames table any day! The detail they can pack into that small package, and the fact that the PE parts are stainless, makes it both highly realistic and durable for the wargamer. Obviously, the most type-A realism model railroader would be exceedingly happy with the minimal work they will have to put into super detailing these tanks for their railroad!
Here are all of the vehicles for a good realistic size comparison. Each square of the cutting mat is 1/2".
Not bad, obviously the Abrams dwarfs them both! I remember my days as a 'crunchy' as the tankers would call anyone not in an Abrams! Anytime I was out in the field at Ft. Riley or the National Training Center and heard the sound of an Abrams approach, I'd wake from a dead slumber and ensure that they weren't coming at my humvee without noticing I was there!
First off, lets knock out vehicles that are okay for wargaming, but really, really, really would piss off the most precise type A personality realism N-scale hobbyist! Noble Miniatures makes some N-scale "Trackside Treasures" vehicles of which my wife purchased me the WWII US Jeeps (TT-2101) and 1940's Studabaker 2 1/2 Ton Trucks (TT-2117).
What I like about these, is that they are durable enough that I can probably transport them and play games with them without concern about anything breaking. For the N-scale model railroader, the molding will drive you insane! I had a mold mark 1/16 of an inch halfway up the canvas cover on the back of the deuce and a half i assembled! However, for the wargamer, this is a minor problem. We like realism and quality molds too, but its not as critical to wargaming as it is to realistic model railroading. Both of these vehicles took me only a few minutes to clean up and assemble with some CA glue. Do be aware, they do contain lead. Don't let your kids play with them like toys, and take precautions you always take with lead (though I'm sure the EPA will ban these figures someday...). You'll best find these kits at your local model retailer as if you go to the manufacturers website, its not entirely user friendly and geared toward the dealer and not the modeler... Not a bad thing as its intended to give your local dealer your business!
Finally, we come to the masterpiece. I doubt there is a more experienced company producing high quality kits and accessories for both wargamers and model railroaders than GHQ! While I know them best for their Microarmor, I was pleasantly surprised when I ran across their M1A2 kit (GHQ Stock # 58003) at my father in laws favorite train store in Omaha NE. I've known about the kit, just didn't see it until I was there. My jaw just about hit the floor, and I had to buy two kits... and a flat car... and some chain... And I had the intention of mounting them to said flat car for my wife's train. Until I assembled one!
Now I think I'll need to get a few more... At least to start an Armor Company, and get some Bradley IFV's and Modern US Infantry to go with them! Then I'll make a flat car load...
The stainless steel photo etched racks were intimidating to me at first, mainly because I've got very limited experience with photo etched parts (see my Stryker article for my first experiences!). However, for as small as they were, they went together VERY WELL, and were indeed pre-scored at the fold points where required for ease of construction. The casting on the turret was darn near perfect and required little clean-up. I had no problem finding the small holes for the photo etched parts to be glued to!
I'll take the GHQ vehicles on and off the wargames table any day! The detail they can pack into that small package, and the fact that the PE parts are stainless, makes it both highly realistic and durable for the wargamer. Obviously, the most type-A realism model railroader would be exceedingly happy with the minimal work they will have to put into super detailing these tanks for their railroad!
Here are all of the vehicles for a good realistic size comparison. Each square of the cutting mat is 1/2".
Not bad, obviously the Abrams dwarfs them both! I remember my days as a 'crunchy' as the tankers would call anyone not in an Abrams! Anytime I was out in the field at Ft. Riley or the National Training Center and heard the sound of an Abrams approach, I'd wake from a dead slumber and ensure that they weren't coming at my humvee without noticing I was there!
28AUG10 My Tabletop Wargaming Surface!
My standard surface is set by this construction. I now plan to construct my surfaces using 1/4” plywood, and 2”x2” lumber. Currently, the sheets I used were 2' x 4' project sheets. I cut my 2”x2”s to provide a nice frame with two supports in the middle. Currently, my entire surface can be 4'x4'. Very soon however, I intend to build two more with the same terrain and have a 4'x8' surface.
Pictured here is the completed surfaces prior to any paint application. I've used an 'orange peel' texture spray available at my local hardware store (in my area its a Sentry Hardware, the Fairbanks location is where I work upstairs in Frontier Outfitters at the gun counter part time... So, I get a good deal!).
My intention is to turn the surface into a winter landscape, perhaps a nice tundra! Why not! I live in Alaska, and am surrounded by inspiration for such terrain nine months out of the year! Winter warfare is definitely more modern (with a few notable exceptions, however those exceptions exemplify the concept of Winter Camp when you look at the climate casualties... Why do you think George Washington got such a drop on the Hessian camp!).
28AUG10 Appendectomy, good for my quieter indoor habits, like gaming!
Koldfoot from &Games can attest the fact that summers up here are busy. So busy in fact that we all feel compelled to keep moving and not sit down for long. Well, with only about three, maybe four months tops, of good weather can you blame us? We've got to get the entire outdoors in beautiful weather knocked out! Which leads to my biggest gaming downtime of all... It all culminates in the Moose season (opens next month!) and then slows down a bit as we are forced inside by the elements more and more (even the trappers spend more time inside cabins along the trap lines!). Winter comes, and the board game, table top, and computer games (due to lack of opponents during the exact hours of my toddlers nap times...) come to the forefront more.
However, this summer, I got hit hard and have to stay inside more. At the moment, I'm recovering from an appendectomy. Last Sunday I started with a sore stomach that led into going to the Emergency Room and then under the knife to have it removed. BAM! There goes a week of high intensity outdoor time! Not to worry, it game me some endless hours of reading contemplation (when I wasn't acting as conflict management for toddlers...) for several game related activities!
First, I'll publish the game table pictures. BEFORE I got sick, I was actually actively working on a game table for my miniatures. Then I'll publish some miniature stuff for 10mm/N-Scale vehicles from some kits my wife and I found in Omaha NE at a model train store. Finally, I'll get some pictures of some nice print and play free sample modules from Amarillo Design Bureau who took over the license for Star Fleet Battles after Task Force Games went under!
I'll get this blog updated! Hopefully I'll get some games action in this fall and winter!
However, this summer, I got hit hard and have to stay inside more. At the moment, I'm recovering from an appendectomy. Last Sunday I started with a sore stomach that led into going to the Emergency Room and then under the knife to have it removed. BAM! There goes a week of high intensity outdoor time! Not to worry, it game me some endless hours of reading contemplation (when I wasn't acting as conflict management for toddlers...) for several game related activities!
First, I'll publish the game table pictures. BEFORE I got sick, I was actually actively working on a game table for my miniatures. Then I'll publish some miniature stuff for 10mm/N-Scale vehicles from some kits my wife and I found in Omaha NE at a model train store. Finally, I'll get some pictures of some nice print and play free sample modules from Amarillo Design Bureau who took over the license for Star Fleet Battles after Task Force Games went under!
I'll get this blog updated! Hopefully I'll get some games action in this fall and winter!
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
20JUL10 The RPG Tank...
Be very careful what you tell players, in fact, you might want to clarify depending on genre... After all, with a game system like GURPS (Generic Universal Role Playing System by Steve Jackson Games, www.sjgames.com) you certainly have to. After all, you never know what sourcebook a player might have picked up and what kind of character they slipped into your game world! Yes, I'm such a Munchkin...
Most references to various games are Copyright Steve Jackson Games. "Bolo" is reference to the giant cyber tanks which are the brain child of Keith Laumer (and an inspiration to S.J. and crew) along with "Gottlos" being the cyborg tank idea of Colin Kapp (Analog Collected works Number 8, picked up at a library book sale years ago!). Fans of "Ogre/GEV" will instantly recognize the references to the orignal ideas that inspired Ogre.
What can I say, I find the idea of giant self aware tanks that pack enough firepower to match an armored company pretty fun as a science fiction game concept. My roleplaying game experience is pretty limited, so when I first heard 'tank' in reference to Fantasy RPG's you can imagine the devious thoughts that went through my head. As I've been a GURPS book reader and Ogre player since the age of 12... The fact that I have some friends who might play a GURPS Fantasy module and I have GURPS Ogre on my shelf...
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Science Fiction Ground Forces Echelons
Just a few thoughts, most of this chart is what is currently used by military organizations throughout the world. The Echelons above Theater/Region were created on this chart using diamonds as a simple symbol that can be put on military mapping graphics. Its free to use by anyone (just attribute the use of diamonds appropriately, but really I don't care). I came up with the idea sitting on TOC shift in Iraq a few years ago emailing science fiction ideas back and forth with my Dad in my off time. While it seems to fit cozy, I'm sure, like in reality, nothing fits perfectly! After all, a Planetary Forces command might only have a Brigade sized element at its command on a small moon orbiting some forsaken gas giant... And be listed as a Planetary Force Command much to the dismay of another PFC officer on some dirt ball with several Theater Commands under him (yeah, he'd be pretty pissed to have to address someone with fewer forces as an equal!).
So, go make some games or write some good roleplaying adventures using this structure! It could lead to some incredible fun (say, would a giant self aware cyber tank count as a Team or an entire Armored Battalion?)!
References:
Other than the numerous military publications available, an nice online article to read is Wikipedia's on Military Organization
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