May review and June goals

Choo choo, the time train has no breaks. May wasn't bad though. 

D&D took a hit due to external factors, but the Dungeon of the Mad Mage is still trucking on. We are scheduled to enter its next level this month.

Other RPGs also took a lesser hit, but we explored Blades in the Dark and we're scheduled to return to Call of Cthulhu, also this month.

ASOIAF is the new wargame staple, as I am more capable of transporting smaller armies and moving minis across a smaller table. But I also tried Warhammer in a smaller format, to my great delight. This should carry on during June.

As for minis, I had the new Guard vehicles delivered, and I'm getting more 3d printed. Alas, poor painting table. I am now "behind schedule" by 188. But I'm also getting ahead. Finished some ASOIAF commissions, in return for the future tanks. Finished some Guard infantry, with more WIP. This is still a big chunk of work to do, and they will overflow into June. Prepared a lot of Free Folk stuff, but the infantry is still disappointingly weak. Giants it is.

And so my goals are already set. Continue painting nuns and Kriegers. Paint the new Guard vehicles (at least the plastic ones). Paint the Free Folk heroes, so I can finally field a complete army made up of my own minis. Stretch goals: include some D&D minis for quick gains, and more Free Folk.

Converting and painting Palatine Guard as Death Korps of Krieg

Along with the rest of the Papal Palatine Guard, a proxy squad of Krieg infantrymen now join the army.

Painting a Nurgle princess

I won this model either for judging a painting competition or heading a paint-your-first-mini type event at The Guild Hall. Either case, thanks to Novac Dawn for the amazing model! She's supposed to be some sort of swamp witch - but all I can see is a delightfully chaotic nurgle-type model. I painted her as such.

17th Battle of Cluswar: A Song Of Ice & Fire: Tabletop Miniatures Game tournament

Tiny local tournament: giants edition. Everybody knew I was bringing giants, because of course I was, got to try it when my army has OP crap for the first time in history. And so everybody brought one regular list, and one tailored against giants. Also: highlander rules for units, attachments can be brought in multiples.

Game 1 vs Lannisters: who are really, really sick of fighting mythical monsters

Game 2 vs Greyjoys: precision from the back

Game 3 vs Baratheons: who just never die

Still managed a 3-0, giants are OP, and I'm completely fine with that.

Game 3: Giants vs Baratheons

Final game against the Baratheons in The Winds of Winter. Mission cards again, so I was confident. I now knew that, for the first time, I could send a unit out up front and it would hold - for a while. So, giants again.

Game 2: Giants vs Greyjoys

The second game against my old opponent: Dark Wings, Dark Words. I love objective card based games; EndRush, not so much. I made sure to manipulate the cards as much as possible.

Game 1: Giants vs Lannisters

5 objectives in Honed and Ready, but plenty of BS on the other side, including Kingsguard, Honour Guard, lance cavalry. I decided to skip dancing around with the zoo and try out the giants.

Painting Unsullied Pikemen

First ASOIAF commission since the happening.

Blades in the Dark: An RPG where everybody is a criminal

Yep, the title says it all.

Polar bear

 

Chaos Marines vs Thousand Sons vs Tyranids vs Aeldari, 12.05.2026

My first game of Warhammer 40,000 since the happening, CARNAGE! a.k.a. Triumph and Treachery 40k edition. I proposed a chaos versus xenos alliance, and everybody just rolled with it.

I went first which I definitely did not want, so I hid and hoped my ally wouldn't betray me. The Tyranids went forth to assault the Thousand Sons but got a bloody nose.

The Wraithknight shot my Rhino, and left it at 1 wound.

Dungeon of the Mad Mage: Angel of Death

Having allied with Ezzat, the adventurers descended to level 21, into a maze of caverns, with tracks lining the floor. Taking a direction at random, they reached a duergar forge. Groin stepped in first, and the duergar greeted him in Dwarfish, telling him where to find the boss. After talking to a guard, then a captain, the party was led to a duergar prince. Valtagar told the story of his people slaughtered and enslaved by a mad angel dwelling here, and enlisted the adventurers against it.

Painting Field Ordnance - Heavy lascannons

The final missing variant of the Field Ordnance Batteries. 

April review and May goals

May the 4th be with you! Wield lightsabers instead of crutches.

April passed and I can't complain. I eased back into doing live D&D sessions, tried a new RPG, and went to some games of ASOIAF. No Warhammer as of yet, transporting minis is a pain. Probably none this month either, but I'll try my best.

With live games and painting back on the table, and of course work taking up most of the day, video games have slowed down to their usual trickle. I might do a review or two in the future, but for now, this is it.

Speaking of painting, I threw myself at it like a man dying of thirst. Which I was, metaphorically speaking. But everything is annoying, besides the sitting part. I barely finished my April goals, there's a couple of final touches left. 

As for this month, my painting/accounting table looks even worse, with the delivery of the Reaper Miniatures' latest Kickstarter. With the advent of 3d printing, I really wouldn't have ordered all this stuff; but that was then, this is now. And anyways, most of it is 3d printed already. Kind of disappointing. Good quality though, we'll see about durability.

I'll see what I can do during May. I have some ASOIAF commissions scheduled; I want to continue and finish my Warhammer guard infantry; and ASOIAF Free Folk look rather enticing with the advent of season 7. Who knows, maybe they'll be good for something.

Martell vs Targaryen, 01.05.2026

For the final game of season 6, I tried out a new faction: these beautifully painted Martells. Good job, my man Patrick. My opponent, as always, is EndRush, in this game of Dark Wings Dark Words.

Painting WizKids monsters: anis hag, ankheg, yuan ti abomination

 A trio of larger models, all with Contrast-based paintjobs.

Painting commission blue wizards

First commission work of the year, started before my accident. Photos are thus a bit jumbled. The minis are: this flameweaver, this old man, this young mage and unknown bearded guy.

Converting and painting Free Folk heroes

I already like the minis so no major conversions. Also slapchop isn't good enough for them.

Painting trolls

I already got two of these models;  now I'm just making sure I never need any trolls again. The 4 armed version is a conversion by someone else; too bad it wasn't ready for its appearance in Dungeon of the Mad Mage.

16th Battle of Cluswar: A Song Of Ice & Fire: Tabletop Miniatures Game tournament

For my first wargaming outing since the happening, I dove straight into a small local tournament. I got transported to and from, sat most of the time with my legs propped up... it wasn't completely fine, but it was great nonetheless.

Game 1 vs Targaryens. I had little hope with giants against dragons, but I managed to eke out a minor victory.

Game 2 vs Lannisters. I had little hope against my experienced opponent playing his favorite army, but I managed to eke out a victory.

Game 3 vs Starks. I was riding the high of my previous win, but, you might be seeing a pattern here, I had little hope against double Tully cavalry deployed in my face. Once again, I managed to eke out a victory.

Accidental tournament winner...?!

Game 3: Free Folk vs Starks

Game 3 of Banners and Butchery against double Tully cavalry. My opponent was obviously going to pick this one with the close deployment and needing attack actions on objectives. I picked the giants, knowing that double cavalry would just mow down my zoo. I haven't played against the Starks in a while, so a bit of trepidation. Beware the Assault Orders.

Obviously the Starks deployed on the line, with one unit of cavalry in Outflank. I placed the Giant Spear Thrower on my objective, but already I felt it went too far ahead. I protected the other objective with spikes. One giant on the far left to score some cheeky points.

Game 2: Free Folk vs Lannisters

Game 2 against my eternal opponent and his High Sparrow led infantry blocks. In A Game of Thrones, the choice of Varamyr's zoo in support of Mag's giants was obvious.

Game 1: Free Folk vs Targaryens

Game 1 versus dragons. Appropriately, A Dance with Dragons. I picked my giants list, because dragons autokill Varamyr's zoo. Sigh.

Review: Space Marine 2

Titus is back! Once again, this game does what few do: completely capture the atmosphere of what it is trying to do. You don't play as a space marine. You ARE a space marine. All the environs are perfect. You only ever talk about courage and honor. You never sneak: your boots thud on the ground with each step. Immersion: here I come!

Review: Total War: Shogun 2

I know it's an old one... but at the time my PC wasn't good enough for it. I played a lot of the original Total War: Shogun, so I'm not going to miss this one. Sengoku Jidai, here we go!

Wooden floor

Review: Necromunda: Hired Gun

Welcome to janky looter shooter town, now with no inventory management! The game is really fun though. 

Review: Horizon: Forbidden West

Remember my gushing review of the first installment? Yep, it's happening again. Only this time, it took even longer. I started my playthrough August 2025 and finished February 2026.

March review and April goals

We're back in business! Somewhat.

On the gaming side of life, I did a couple of online sessions of D&D, keeping them short. However, I am now able to walk around on crutches and my first outing consisted of a live session! Not much gaming obviously, too much to talk about, but it's a start. I will ease back into going out, gradually.

I also played some video games. Barely any, considering the time spent in bed, but I'll do a couple of reviews in lieu of other posts.

On the hobby side, I started painting again, beginning with the January WIPs. The state of my excel is depressing. But I got a couple of things done, just waiting for a nice sunny day to spray varnish, which will be a challenge of its own. In any case, it will be some time until I paint enough to try a photo session.

So those are my April goals: finish the nuns and D&D monsters started, and continue with all the Astra Militarum infantry that I had optimistically primed before the happening. Perhaps sprinkle a couple more monsters and/or commissions to keep things varied.

Dungeon of the Mad Mage: Mushrooms vs rock giants

Reconvening after a long time, the party found its way back to the dungeon, descending to level 20. Right at the entrance, there was a death trap; after that, smooth sailing for a while. They skipped a deep chasm and ran into a myconid colony. The Sovereign, a nice lady called Floot, offered them some potions in exchange for destroying the rock giants and rock demons plaguing the level. While still in the telepathic range, Szivem started debating whether to kill her for her fancy glowing hat. Understandably, the myconids asked them to leave the colony.

February review and... no March goals

Yep, everything is still the same.

January review and... no February goals

January started off quite nicely on the painting front, with me finishing some WIPs and starting new projects. I was quite pumped to finish my Imperial Guard, do some fantasy minis, dragon inventory and the like.

But then life said: how about you break your leg instead. That's the last time I'll ever visit a skating rink.

So I'm currently bedridden, and will be for the near future. All the stuff I've published during January was whatever I finished and took pictures of before the happening. At the moment I can't even sit to paint, nevermind going to gaming sessions. 

So: I'll go dark during February, and here's hoping that I'll recover enough to start doing stuff again come spring.

Painting 3d printed Escher proxies as Kasrkin

I decided to max out my Kasrkin and obviously I continued with this project. I bought a box of 10, made an excel sheet on what I can convert and what I need. As I didn't want to buy another box of 10 to have more leftovers, I decided on hunting down some 3d proxies. Now some of these are really uncanny, out of scale, thick and so on. Whatever.

Painting a Savage Giant

I bought this painted giant for cheap, then traded it for another and... it's complicated. Before handing it over, I decided to bring it up to speed.

Converting and painting Free Folk giants

Not many conversions, mostly just scenic bases. Once I was free of the movement tray concept, I could glue in the giants and use the entire surface for basing elements.

Converting and painting Free Folk Raiders

After the Thenns and Followers of Bone, I had all the tools out to make unique Raiders as well.

Converting and painting Palatine Guard as Krieg Combat Engineers (with mine dogs)

More Napoleonic Kriegers, this time the Combat Engineers. Instead of drones, they will use WW2 Russian mine dogs.

Converting and painting Palatine Guard as Krieg Heavy Weapons Squads

Inspired by the artillery teams, I continued to use up my Napoleonic infantry as Kriegers. 

Painting and fixing up Stark heroes and cavalry

Last commission of 2025: a bunch of Starks to beautify.

Painting ASOIAF dragons for D&D

After going on an on about how awesome these dragons are and how I'd like to paint them for D&D, I actually got a box in return for a unique Robb Stark miniature. I decided to paint them as close as possible to the originals, as in: white, black and green young dragons. I used this wiki as reference for how they should look.

The Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-Earth

We didn't have enough people to play D&D, so we tried out this boardgame touted as "DMless D&D". Well, the DM was actually an app on a laptop, telling us how to place new tiles on the map, along with interaction tokens and enemies. It also told us how the enemies fight. 

We assumed the roles of Aragorn, Bilbo, Gimli and Legolas and dove in. 

Mausritter: sword and whiskers roleplaying

In an RPG that is somehow even cuter than the One Ring hobbit adventure, we quickly rolled up mouse characters hanging out in a tavern, drinking mushroom wine. We were approached by junkie mouse-Gandalf who needed special black sunflower seeds from an abandoned giant's settlement.

I rolled the most WIL and decided to try and talk to everybody. This despite me being a black mouse with glowing green eyes and 1 HP. 

The year in review (also: Happy New Year!)

It's the season! We are primarily here for this picture, and its breakdown just below. More report on the state of the hobby after that, along with goals and new year's pledges.

Painting Bones minis: Underdark monsters

More monsters that I primed by airbrush and decided to paint.

Commission painting mushroom people

A random commission that started out as a joke. However, I got really into it and decided to base the color schemes on real mushrooms. The minis are mostly Bones with some metal, all primed white.