The Show must go on

 We used to go to the movies quite regularly in the before times. We tried to get out at least a couple of times a month.  Since the shut downs, we have been keeping our movie night, but watching them at home. 

 

The last movie that we saw in a theatre was back in March 2020 when we saw Onward. I wasn’t as impressed with it as some were but it was still enjoyable.  We had seen some movies in the drive in since then.  We saw New Mutants last fall, and the new Suicide Squad this summer.

 

We were getting ready to go back in September but then they had changed the rules and open up the theatres to the entire population, vaccinated or not.  So we decided to pass for a while.  They soon restricted access back to vaccinated only as the number again increased. 

Our first movie back was the new James Bond film No Time to Die.  It was a bit of an odd experience.  The theatres used to include buffer space between guests but have dropped that so we had people who had bought the seats right next to us.  Because there was the space, we shuffled over a seat to allow room. 

 

I found this movie okay as well.  Daniel Craig isn’t in my top three Bonds, and I was never a fan of the reboot when they brought him in.  This had a lot of nice nods to older fans but, with this being Craig’s last film in the franchise, I am not sure how they will continue the series without another reboot.  Which would be a shame as they have built up a really good supporting cast. 

 

I suppose that we will have to see where they go from here.

Figure Painting Total - September 2021

 When I found a Blood Bowl Treeman figure, I had to pick it up. The squirrel that comes with it was given Star Player rules in White Dwarf and the figure has been very hard to find.

I was also finally able to find an original Batwoman figure. I'm not a fan of the newer figure on the huge gargoyle.


Bought
Blood Bowl - Crud Creek Nosepickers - 22
Blood Bowl - Treeman - 1
BM - Batwoman - 1

Painted
DA Red Hand Coven - 7

DA Crossroad Cult (Abyssal Harbinger) - 1
DA Chupacabra - 1
DA Jackalope - 1
DA Skinwalker in Bear form - 1

MU - Beast - 2 (heroclix)

Sept total - figures bought 24, figures painted 13
Running total 2021 - figures bought 267, figures painted 97

Books read - May to August 2021

May

Design for Death by Barbara Jones

Albatros Aces of World War 1 by Norman Franks

 

June

Albatros Aces of World War 1 Part 2 by Greg VanWyngarden

Frostgrave: Fantasy Wargames in the Frozen City by Joseph A. McCullough

Nieuport Aces of World War 1 by Norman Franks

Pusher Aces of World War 1 by Jon Guttman

SPAD VII Aces of World War 1 by Jon Guttman

 

July

Fokker Dr 1 Aces of World War 1 by Norman Franks and Greg VanWyngarden

Frostgrave: Perilous Dark by Joseph A. McCullough

Dolphin and Snipe Aces of World War 1 by Norman Franks

SPAD XII/XIII Aces of World War 1 by Jon Guttman

Sopwith Camel Aces of World War 1 by Norman Franks

 

Aug

Fokker D VII Aces of World War 1 Part 1 by Norman Franks and Greg VanWyngarden

Scale Aircraft Drawings Volume 1 – World War 1 by Air Age Publishing

Fokker D VII Aces of World War 1 Part 2 by Norman Franks and Greg VanWyngarden

Sopwith Triplane Aces of World War 1 by Norman Franks

Figure Painting Total - August 2021

I worked on a few more Dracula's America's figures but did not complete any this month.  I also started a bunch of Heroclix figures for Marvel Universe and western based games.  I did assemble my Dark Elf Blood Bowl team, and primed more of the new set of Batman Miniatures figures.  

So, while my purchases were low, I did not  manage to finish any painting.

Bought

BM – Wonderland Gang – 4

BM/DCU – King Shark – 1

DCU – Atrocitus – 1

 

 

Painted

 

 

Aug total – figures bought 6, figures painted 0

Running total 2021 – figures bought 243, figures painted 84

 

Figure Painting Total - July 2021

One of the issues with buying figures online is you can’t see the packages before you buy them.  My last order had mislabled figures so I bought another pack of the right figures.  Plus, when I finally got around to basing my objective markers from earlier, I found that Set 1 had the contents from Set 2 in it, so I bought another Set 1 to replace it. 

 

With the two Skinwalker tribes, I now have all the posses from Dracula’s America: Shadows of the West and Hunting Grounds.  There are two more posses from Forbidden Power, and the extra posse the Kin from the Osprey website plus a few more figures.  Then just some more Artizan or Pulp Figures, to finish Dracula’s America, Rules With No Name, In Her Majesty’s Name, and Mad Dogs.  There is a nice overlap for these games, both in figures and scenery.

 

 

Bought

Artizan – Hired Guns – 3

BM – Maroni Crime Family – 4

BM – Mobsters Set 1 – 2

BM – Objective Game Markers Set 2 – 5

BM – Ventriloquist & Mobsters – 4

Dracula’s America – Plains Tribe Posse – 9

Dracula’s America – Skinwalker Posse – 8

Dracula’s America – Buffalo Man – 1

Dracula’s America – Skinwalker in Bear form – 1

 

 

 

Painted

Dracula’s America – Crossroads Cult – 6

Dracula’s America – Buffalo Man – 1

Reaper – Bat Demon – 1

 

July total – figures bought 37, figures painted 8

Running total 2021 – figures bought 237, figures painted 84

Building Whitewash City

 I had been working on getting The Rules With No Name ready to play at conventions many years ago. I had found some 1/35 sized figures, and had made bases and painted many of them but had not decided on a color for the bases. I had looking into some papercraft buildings that would need to be upsized, and even picked up a couple of larger plastic fronts at Dollarama.

There was a set of buildings from a western town made by Eric Hotz, who is also on BGG. This was the Whitewash City. They are purportedly at 1/60 scale or 30mm but, things were built small back then and, with most figures being on bases, this makes the buildings look a bit on the wee side.

I had started some tests on upsizing the files. The size of the buildings to store was always a detriment, though, and I did not get around to finishing.

Several years later, I have come across Dracula’s America and am revisiting the scale. With the time now allotted from being quarantined, I have been busy painting up some 25mm figures. Now that I have a few posses done, I have revisited the terrain.

He had a sample building – The Imperial Saloon. This is nice to try to see if the scale will work with your figures. Plus it gives you an idea of how hard the assembly will be, and how durable the buildings are.

I had also bought the 10 pack about a decade ago. I was able to get it from him directly on CD, which I finally reprinted and built. This does fill a table nicely with a good amount of buildings, especially for a skirmish game.

 

I had checked back and planned to get the Motherload set with all the buildings. But when I finally was ready in March to order, the website was down. In speaking with Eric, it seems his old computer had stopped working and his new one doesn’t come with a CD drive.

I can still get the files from Drivethrugames. But it will now be a bit more expensive. If you need Western Scenery, I would recommend trying the sample first, and if that will work for you, think hard on going right up to the Motherload if you think you will ever need more than just the starter.

Figure Painting Total - June 2021

I picked up the last two posses from the books of Dracula's America.  I also picked up a second Iron Patriot from the Marvel Universe Miniatures game in order to repaint as a Warmachine but now cannot find the stat card.

Bought
BM/DCU – Raven – 1
Artizan Hired Guns – 3
DA Plains Tribe Posse – 9
DA Skinwalker Posse – 8
DA Buffalo Man – 1
DA Skinwalker in Bear form – 1
MU – Iron Patriot – 1
Reaper – Bat Demon – 1
Reaper – Occult Detective – 1

Painted
DA – Congregation – 10

DA – Swamp Baka – 1

June total – figures bought 26, figures painted 11
Running total 2021 – figures bought 200, figures painted 76