Tuesday 2 January 2018

Let the old year out and the new one in!

Happy New Year!
2018 already, so what's in store for the year ahead here at TWA Towers? The scrying glass is playing up a bit, but it tells me that the "Witchfinder General" campaign will gear up with more rules trials, and the related English Civil War project is set to continue apace.
The ATZ campaign will see a reboot, as Brad, Hannah and the group decide what to do with their captive and reconsider their position at the farm.
On the fantasy gaming front, 'The Dark Conspiracy' Dragon Rampant/D&D campaign is to resurface and I haven't abandoned the sci-fi "Blade Runner" project either - it's simmering on one of the back rings while I continue adding the required ingredients.
This month "Brittania" starts on Sky Atlantic, and I've been looking forward to this since it was first advertised, but I fear it's going to be difficult to resist the urge for a bit of quasi-historical "ancients" action on the table top!

On a 'negative side' I'm unsure whether "Winter of '79" will continue, as it seems to have stalled after the scenic boards were badly damaged, and we were discussing the morals of  'gaming' scenarios which are perhaps more than a little unsavoury (kidnaps, hijackings and car bombs etc).
I'm considering getting rid of the figures and vehicles as part of my planned 'Operation Spring Clean', but just might hold on to them for some Cold War skirmish gaming.

Now, the main festivities may be over, but the trimmings are still up, so here's the second wave of my 'Yuletide Output'.....
The Timeline Miniatures church has had a bit of weathering applied to tone down the raw base colours.
I've also made a start on the rest of the mdf buildings that arrived in Santa's sack. Here's the TT Combat cottage (note the "wide doors" are obviously a feature not limited to their modern range of buildings!),
and here's the Timeline Miniatures cottages (semi detached, but I'm not sure the term had been invented in the 17th century).
None of the above have had any work done on their interiors yet, as I plan to get all the new buildings exteriors done first so they can be used asap for gaming, then revisit them to finish them off.
Finally, as a break from the terrain, I've managed to add another gun as a step towards raising two opposing ECW armies.
I hope everyone managed to welcome the New Year in fine style, and that 2018 proves to be happy, healthy, prosperous and productive for us all!

17 comments:

  1. I was doing Moderns at one point, but the similarities to what was occurring in real life made me have to stop and think about it. Looking at that genre then made me think about wargaming in general and its probably one of the reasons why I lean towards alternative-history-cum-fantasy or Sci-Fi gaming now.

    All the best for 2018

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    1. It's one of those "thorny problems" attached to wargaming Roy, and we each set our own moral compass as we negotiate them ;-)
      Painting the guys up wearing DPM jackets with lightweight trousers and carrying SLR's - 432APC's, Bedford MK trucks and Landies (LOTS of Landies!) was a real nostalgia trip........ maneuvering them on a British urban wargames table was TOO reminiscent of my tours in Ulster during the '70's!

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    2. I've lived on Catterick Garrison all my life. When I say to people that there's no historic wargames club here they're normally surprised. But then when you think about it, and what we're discussing here, maybe its the reason why there never has been a historic gaming club.

      I do know of a few historic gamers, here, who are in the military, but the majority of gamers - civilian and Army - stick to the likes of Games Workshop or other fantasy/sci-fi games. I know when I was painting up Modern Insurgent figures and US-equipped military figures, I was talking to some US Military gamers on the blogs who said they couldn't paint similar, as it was just too close to home for them.

      I think I'm going to be safe doing Star Trek, exploring a medieval world infested with ghouls and zombies. Some chaps I know will shake their heads and say it isn't real wargaming (which they're correct, its tabletop gaming, really), but its just easier to have a laugh playing against zombies than it is with something that might touch too close to home for people - or even myself.

      Anyway, its all toy soldiers at the end of the day.

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    3. Coincidence - I started wargaming at school and continued through my Army apprenticeship. Catterick was my first posting (4 Field Regt), where gaming stopped but I carried on painting. The regiment moved to Aldershot (becoming air-portable and became 4 Light Regt), which meant I could commute to my old wargame club at Sandhurst.
      It was at this time D&D first appeared in Esdevium Games shop in town, and "historical" gaming took a back seat from then on :-)

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  2. Hands down the best new year photo of all the blogs I follow using the D20's :) Brilliant! Looking forward to seeing all your projects in the new year :)

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    1. Thanks Ivor, after failing to come up with a game-related photo for Christmas, I thought I'd better do something for the New Year header!

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  3. A great start to 2018 mate, the blog goes from strength to strength!

    I totally understand the decision regarding modern wargaming. Tbh its never had a great deal of attraction as I prefer more scifi/fantasy settings. The most modern "real/historical" game I play is Bolt Action.

    Best of luck with the projects in the coming year!

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    1. Cheers Andy, much appreciated :-)
      I used to enjoy a bit of WW2 and Vietnam gaming, and would quite happily revisit those eras in the future, but the "Winter of '79" proved to be just a bit too close to the knuckle.
      Shame, because forces can be assembled cheaply in 1/72 plastic, and the buildings were all free downloads from model railway sites.

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  4. I wish you well with all of the projects you have planned for 2018. I'm especially pleased that ATZ and "Witchfinder General" will continue. Hopefully, you'll make progress with your "Blade Runner" game. Not being a subscriber to Sky or any satellite TV channels I know nothing at all about "Britannia" so I couldn't possibly comment on it.

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    1. Many thanks Bryan - ATZ, WfG and Blade Runner will definitely be major features this year :-)
      As for "Britannia", from what I've seen of the trailers and teasers, I'll be VERY surprised if it doesn't inspire quite a few gamers ;-)

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  5. Nice one with the dice. The church and timber frame build look good, I'm not a big fan of MDF because of the finger joins but you seem to have disguised these well, certainly better than most people who don't seem worried by them.
    The moral dilemma of wargaming!! You have to draw the line where you see it, we will all have our own line. Rescue scenario's are fun and so you have to have an hostage, but car bombing and such I agree are too close to home. However if you were writing a novel no one would think twice about that sort of content. Makes you think!
    On a lighter note I'm pleased you are continuing with the zombie series, you've already survived longer than I did (three turns) and I'm looking forward to witch finder general.
    All the best for 2018

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    1. Thanks John, definitely one of the plus-points for the "Timeline Miniatures" buildings is that the timber frame is fitted over the basic shell - this makes painting a doddle AND hides those joints :-)
      You've made and interesting point "if you were writing a novel", because it was the direction the "narrative campaign" took us that we found uncomfortable in the present day setting.
      "Three turns"? - sounds about my own average when I play ATZ, the dice gods have been kind to Brad, so I honoured them with this years blog header ;-)

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  6. Shall look forward to all the campaigns you intend to continue with in 2018.
    When art imitates real life is always a tough one, and even when it's brought into sci-fi can make people very uncomfortable, so can see your reasoning.
    Nice work on the buildings, here's to a great 2018

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    1. Many thanks Dave, and all the very best to you as you take the helm over at TGC :-)

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    2. Many thank's Greg, should be a very interesting adventure

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  7. Lots to look forward to in 2018 on your blog clearly, Wargame Addict :-) More "ATZ" and some additional progress already done on your "ECW" forces, plus scenery too. All good stuff :-)

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    1. Hoisted by my own petard Simon ;-)
      Tackling various projects at the same time might not be the wisest course, but I'm enjoying the challenge! :-)
      Just you keep posting inspirational stuff over on "Fantorical" and I'll be fine!

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