I haven't actually painted anything this year yet but I am getting pretty close. I have picked up some extra paints at Dollarama in preparation of going at it. I also picked up a few more figures.
Starship Troopers Missiles – 2
Cowboys/Indians - 72
Jan figures bought – 74, figures painted – 0
So it seems like I've heavily weighted the new year already to start but once I get going I have hopes of being on a roll for painting. The plastic cowboy figures are very cheap - at $0.75 for 24 in a tub. I have to see how much trouble they are to paint up though. I've washed them first so I'm hoping they paint as well as the army figures I used for the upsized Car Wars.
Running total 2010 – figures bought 74, figures painted 0
Friday, February 5, 2010
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Warhammer - placeholder sets
I started with Space Hulk and got sucked into Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trooper (1987). Warhammer Fantasy Battles had already been out for several editions at that point. I only started getting involved with the 4th edition of WHFB (1992). This is the edition when they started with the army list books. 40K had a bunch of separate rulebooks - the Chaos books (which I never did get), the Ork books (which I did). Then they consoladated these into the 2nd edition rules (1993) and came out with the codex.
I did get most of those codices but when they cranked out the 3rd edition (1998) I only got the rules as a ‘placeholder set’. That is the basic rules to keep up with changes but not getting all the codices to fully keep up with it. When the 4th edition came out in 2004, I got a boxed set for my son but didn’t get the rules for me until recently.
Now that the 5th edition came out (2008) I am looking at trying to keep up with the codices – so far there have only been four – Space Marines, Imperial Guard, Space Wolves, and Tyranids. These are also some of the main ones I am interested in – I may delay picking up the Blood/Dark Angels. The others that I am keen on (and have figs for) would be Orks but I do have a bit of interest in Sisters of Battle and Necrons – both of whom haven’t had a new codex since 3rd edition. Army-wise, I could probably still field a Space Marine army and a passable Tyranid army – heavy on the Genestealers. I have a lot of Imperial Guard, Marines, Orks, and Eldar but not a lot in the way of vehicles for any of them.
In Warhammer, I did get all the 4th edition (1992) army books as well as most of the 5th edition set when they cranked that out in 1996 as there wasn’t a lot of overlap. When they churned out the 6th edition in 2000, I didn’t even get a placeholder copy. With rumors of an 8th edition to come out this year (2010), I figured I should get a copy of the 7th edition (2006) boxed set before it disappeared as it came with Goblins and Dwarfs – both of which I could use to fill out my armies. I can field an Undead army – which would now have to be a Vampire Counts army. I have enough figs for armies of Dwarfs, Empire, Bretonians, Orcs and Goblins, and a passable Lizardmen army but would need to paint all of them in order to field.
Depending on which way the rules slant, the 8th edition may be another placeholder set as well. Especially if I start trying to catch up on my 40K armies. Since they seem to be churning out a new WHFB set every 4 years - I can probably wait for the next one. Unles the boxed set has some cool figures. We will have to see.
I did get most of those codices but when they cranked out the 3rd edition (1998) I only got the rules as a ‘placeholder set’. That is the basic rules to keep up with changes but not getting all the codices to fully keep up with it. When the 4th edition came out in 2004, I got a boxed set for my son but didn’t get the rules for me until recently.
Now that the 5th edition came out (2008) I am looking at trying to keep up with the codices – so far there have only been four – Space Marines, Imperial Guard, Space Wolves, and Tyranids. These are also some of the main ones I am interested in – I may delay picking up the Blood/Dark Angels. The others that I am keen on (and have figs for) would be Orks but I do have a bit of interest in Sisters of Battle and Necrons – both of whom haven’t had a new codex since 3rd edition. Army-wise, I could probably still field a Space Marine army and a passable Tyranid army – heavy on the Genestealers. I have a lot of Imperial Guard, Marines, Orks, and Eldar but not a lot in the way of vehicles for any of them.
In Warhammer, I did get all the 4th edition (1992) army books as well as most of the 5th edition set when they cranked that out in 1996 as there wasn’t a lot of overlap. When they churned out the 6th edition in 2000, I didn’t even get a placeholder copy. With rumors of an 8th edition to come out this year (2010), I figured I should get a copy of the 7th edition (2006) boxed set before it disappeared as it came with Goblins and Dwarfs – both of which I could use to fill out my armies. I can field an Undead army – which would now have to be a Vampire Counts army. I have enough figs for armies of Dwarfs, Empire, Bretonians, Orcs and Goblins, and a passable Lizardmen army but would need to paint all of them in order to field.
Depending on which way the rules slant, the 8th edition may be another placeholder set as well. Especially if I start trying to catch up on my 40K armies. Since they seem to be churning out a new WHFB set every 4 years - I can probably wait for the next one. Unles the boxed set has some cool figures. We will have to see.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Jack of Cakes?
My wife had ordered a Madagascar birthday cake for G at Safeway for her party. When we went to pick it up the baker told us that there hadn’t been any notes on the order so she made a standard cake. I said I was sure that the wife said that she had ordered a Madagascar cake but she showed me the order sheet. I said that should be okay but asked if we could get the figures anyways. When she checked for them she found the other order sheet with the order for the character cake.
I thought we could make the best of it but the baker felt bad. She caught up with us at the checkout and changed the pricing – only charging us for a quarter slab instead of the half slab. I told her that she didn’t have to but then noticed that my daughter’s eyes were starting to well up.
In the car she started to wail. She proceeded to wail while we dropped D3 off at my folks and continued when we got home. Since Shan had ordered it over the phone, G was upset “that I didn’t even get to see it.”
I did a quick check on the internet showed us what the cake was supposed to look like. That seemed to calm her down a bit. We went back to the kitchen and I proceeded to take off the icing flowers. I moved some of the icing leaves together to make bushes and G put on the sprinkles - blue for the water, yellow for the beach, and green for the jungle. The fact that the stripes were going the wrong way gave her a bit of concern but I explained that it worked better this way with the lettering. She put on the trees and animals and it was all fine again.
At the pool party, none of the kids noticed anything odd about the cake. Even thought G cut large, 3” x 3” pieces, all were eaten and most of the cake went. After the party we went to get her an ice-cream cake for the family party. I asked where the figures were.
Shan thought we had them but it looked like she had thrown them out with the dirty plates. I checked with G to see if she wanted to keep them so we went back to the pool.
They were closed but I was able to get in and they let me in the back. They hadn’t cleared away the trash from the party area yet so I was able to find the figures mixed in with a bag of plates.
I thought we could make the best of it but the baker felt bad. She caught up with us at the checkout and changed the pricing – only charging us for a quarter slab instead of the half slab. I told her that she didn’t have to but then noticed that my daughter’s eyes were starting to well up.
In the car she started to wail. She proceeded to wail while we dropped D3 off at my folks and continued when we got home. Since Shan had ordered it over the phone, G was upset “that I didn’t even get to see it.”
I did a quick check on the internet showed us what the cake was supposed to look like. That seemed to calm her down a bit. We went back to the kitchen and I proceeded to take off the icing flowers. I moved some of the icing leaves together to make bushes and G put on the sprinkles - blue for the water, yellow for the beach, and green for the jungle. The fact that the stripes were going the wrong way gave her a bit of concern but I explained that it worked better this way with the lettering. She put on the trees and animals and it was all fine again.
At the pool party, none of the kids noticed anything odd about the cake. Even thought G cut large, 3” x 3” pieces, all were eaten and most of the cake went. After the party we went to get her an ice-cream cake for the family party. I asked where the figures were.
Shan thought we had them but it looked like she had thrown them out with the dirty plates. I checked with G to see if she wanted to keep them so we went back to the pool.
They were closed but I was able to get in and they let me in the back. They hadn’t cleared away the trash from the party area yet so I was able to find the figures mixed in with a bag of plates.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Prepaint
We’ve mostly finished assembling the Rhino/Razorback as well as the Drop Pod. The Dreadnought is ready to paint as are the Ork Nobs, Stormboyz, and Defkopters. It’s just a matter of being able to prime them.
As well, I’m looking to paint some of the cowboy figures for an upsized Rules With No Name. Hopefully, I can paint them without having to prime them but we’ll see soon enough.
As well, I’m looking to paint some of the cowboy figures for an upsized Rules With No Name. Hopefully, I can paint them without having to prime them but we’ll see soon enough.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Squirrel!
The kids got a bird feeder this summer and had been feeding the birds (and squirrels) until fall. The bag of seed for the feeder had been kept in the shed. My daughter later tells me that she had ripped the bag with her kick stand of her bike. When the wife put some of the new summer items from Christmas in the shed she found two frozen mice. So now it’s my problem to solve.
I swept out the seeds in front and added warfarin to the list of things to get at Walmart. When I got some I checked out the shed again. The seeds had been spread across the entire floor. I pulled out lawn mower and bikes and swept out the seeds from the back corners as well. I put some warfarin in the corners and was sweeping in between some racks when this foot-long brown creature goes shooting out the door.
To my credit, I did not shriek like a girl. Shan was watching from the house and can verify. But I did have get out of the shed for a moment to work through a shiver. I had been watching for small grey shapes scurrying around when sweeping but the squirrel that had made its home in our shed was a bit of a surprise to say the least.
I swept out the seeds in front and added warfarin to the list of things to get at Walmart. When I got some I checked out the shed again. The seeds had been spread across the entire floor. I pulled out lawn mower and bikes and swept out the seeds from the back corners as well. I put some warfarin in the corners and was sweeping in between some racks when this foot-long brown creature goes shooting out the door.
To my credit, I did not shriek like a girl. Shan was watching from the house and can verify. But I did have get out of the shed for a moment to work through a shiver. I had been watching for small grey shapes scurrying around when sweeping but the squirrel that had made its home in our shed was a bit of a surprise to say the least.
Monday, January 18, 2010
in Hot Water?
I was woken by my wife on Saturday morning with the news that we had water in our basement. It didn’t seem to be the sewer or even melting snow. It turns out it was the water heater leaking. Luckily we still had hot water to shower but we had to get a guy out to check it.
Short version – we have a new water heater and another $1000 added to our renovation bills. We had been thinking about replacing it when we added a second bathroom but would have hoped it would have lasted until then.
On the up side, in moving the whole shelf of boxes out of the way so they could access the heater and then moving all the boxes back, I was able to gain a little more space on the shelf. This helped to absorb some of the new games from Christmas.
The down side is that that $1000 hit will have a major impact on my game fund as well as our costume plans for this year.
Short version – we have a new water heater and another $1000 added to our renovation bills. We had been thinking about replacing it when we added a second bathroom but would have hoped it would have lasted until then.
On the up side, in moving the whole shelf of boxes out of the way so they could access the heater and then moving all the boxes back, I was able to gain a little more space on the shelf. This helped to absorb some of the new games from Christmas.
The down side is that that $1000 hit will have a major impact on my game fund as well as our costume plans for this year.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Life savers / Certs
Remember when we were younger? The impulse candy at the checkout was much different than it is now. We used to have the whole product line of Certs and Life Savers available as well as the Tic Tacs.
Nowadays, if you are feeling nostalgic, you may have a hard time trying to get your flavor. For me, Mixed Fruit was my Certs flavor. For Life Savers, a Butterscotch was occasionally nice but I always liked the Five-Flavor rolls (cherry, lemon, lime, orange, and pineapple). In Canada, we still have this line-up although it seems that it was changed in the states. I fondly remember the three flavor rolls that we used to get at Halloween – with the stop light colors (cherry, lemon, and lime).
Nowadays, if you are feeling nostalgic, you may have a hard time trying to get your flavor. For me, Mixed Fruit was my Certs flavor. For Life Savers, a Butterscotch was occasionally nice but I always liked the Five-Flavor rolls (cherry, lemon, lime, orange, and pineapple). In Canada, we still have this line-up although it seems that it was changed in the states. I fondly remember the three flavor rolls that we used to get at Halloween – with the stop light colors (cherry, lemon, and lime).
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