Thursday, September 19, 2024

Monday, September 16, 2024

Masks of Nyarlathotep: Chapter 1, part 1

5 years passed since our adventures in Peru. We all kept in contact with each other and Jackson Elias, but lived our own separate lives. Lucy attended university, and carried on with her search for her father, accompanied by faithful Amos during her expeditions. Archibald returned to a life of crime. Karl was replaced by Prof. Sanchez, who felt the need to escape the university in Lima. We all received a telegram, asking us to reconvene our investigative group.

We met up at the Chelsea hotel and the designated day and hour, and walked up to Jackson's room 410. With no-one answering the knock on the door, Archie first tried to pick the lock, then kicked the door in. 3 masked men with machetes were standing around, having executed Jackson. They jumped out the window, down the fire escape. Archie went after them, followed by Amos. By the time I tried to step out, the entire structure collapsed. We rushed down to help Archie, pinned in place by a piece of iron ladder. Amos barely registered the killers' escape car, license plate NYL7.

By the time we got Archie out, the cops arrived as well.

Insert a month or so gaming hiatus during the summer holidays. However, we took it up quite smoothly next time.

Thursday, September 12, 2024

Monday, September 9, 2024

Review: Warhammer 40,000: Gladius – Relics of War

Another short video game set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Unlike the previous two, this one is a map-based TBS so it might have some replay value, but I felt no urge to go through it again. Much like the previous two, I enjoyed it.

Review: Space Hulk: Deathwing

I'm not going to copy paste my Eisenhorn: Xenos review, although many points apply here as well. The game in itself is cumbersome to play. But the visuals and the atmosphere... oh boy. Right inside that space hulk. Brooding gothic architecture everywhere. Bad lighting, which in the 40th something millennium is still a problem. There I was, clad in Terminator armor, and I was afraid. 

Review: Eisenhorn Xenos

I just finished this game and had the sudden urge to write about it. Alright, let's start with the cons. Go ahead and look the game up on any review site, and you'll find mostly negatives. And I have to mostly agree with them. Aged graphics compared to when it came out. Combat is unexciting and rough. Stealth is your solution to avoiding combat but the mechanics are ridiculous: your companions do not help at all, but at least they can stand in plain sight and the enemies do not react to them.

But...

BUT!

This is the most grimdark rendition of Warhammer 40,000 outside the battlefield (looking at you Dawn of War 1) I have ever seen. And it is glorious.

Thursday, September 5, 2024

Converting and painting more Word Bearers bikers

I got a bunch of bits some time ago, including some Blood Knight lances. This idea has been floating around my brain ever since.

Monday, September 2, 2024

Golden Vault: Painting stealback/bloodbath part 2

Another heist where I missed the first part. So a gang of thieves called "The Fast Hands" stole a magical painting of Michael Jackson from some noble woman.

The Conspiracy of the Red Book: The One Ring 2E two-shot, part 2

After a 4 months hiatus, we decided to play through the rest of The One Ring 2E starter set.

Learning from the previous session, I proposed to leave Bilbo out of it. He's way above and beyond the rest of the characters. We went into "Most Excellent Fireworks" with: 

  • Paladin Took II
  • Rorimac Brandybuck
  • Drogo Baggins 
  • Balin son of Fundin

Sunday, September 1, 2024

August review and September goals

August was... different.

Besides a week of being sick and bedridden, unable to do anything, I did get some gaming in. 40k going strong. Nothing else, as evidenced by the posting of older articles soon, as I'm running out of material to post.

With the final squad completed, I have reached and exceeded my target of 365 painted miniatures for the year. With that, my motivation to paint plummeted. I started mass priming miniatures, in preparation for the winter months. Then I even ran out of place to store the primed minis. I ordered a huge display cabinet, but it will take a least two months for it to arrive.

I played Horizon Zero Dawn (excellent game by the way), until my video card burnt out and once again I had to look for something to do.

Inspired by the 40k games I've been playing recently, I started further expanding my Word Bearers. Two Rhinos have already been completed, with more tanks and infantry in the works. Along with whatever random stuff I happen to chance upon and fancy painting. Including testing out some Death Guard color schemes, and experimenting with slapchop.

In September, I expect my regular gaming groups to reconvene for DnD/CoC/whatever. 40k should continue, unless I decide to wade into AoS 4E/The Old World instead.

Hobby wise, I should finish up some Chaos Marines that I converted, assembled and primed. ASOIAF commissions should resume. And whatever else I happen to fancy, again.

I'm curious to see how many miniatures I'll paint until the end of the year...