Weekend Update

There has been a few things going on off and on of late, so here is a rundown of what is going on.

Purchased my copy of the new Necron Codex. While I have not had a chance to read over the entire book, what GW produced is a grand slam! It tops the Grey Knights and still IMO keeps everything in a reality of the game that isn't silly. Sure there is some nasty things in the codex but everything is also balanced out. I plan to post up a review on it later.

I ordered from GW Historical "Gladiator", I emailed them and asked if they could swap the order out for Legends of the Seven Seas. When I went to place my order, they removed the "cart" option to buy online and you have to call overseas to place an order! Let's see at $1.99 a minute, gah! Um, no thank you! Sure, you see it on EBay at times but that is a crap shoot. I am trying to directly support the GW company while they are doing their 1/2 off sale. While Legends of the High Seas would be my top choice, Gladiator has some great potential that will make for some great gaming.

On the plus side, I found 8 old pirate figures that I bought long ago when I was getting into the 7th Sea RPG. This is a great start to a collection if they send me the book (or when I do buy it if I end up with Gladiator).

Over the past week, I have managed to paint up a few models for Legends of the Old West. I have posted them up on my secondary blog "Dice at High Noon".

Here is the link: http://diceathighnoon.blogspot.com/

While at Target, I spied a bag of small skulls that was 70% off. This has the makings for scenery or markers of some type. For less than a buck, you can't go wrong!

Last I am busy working up some missions for the Toys for Tots Kill Team that will be on November 19th. So far, sign up has been slow and I worry about it being close to the holidays will affect attendence. In any case, we will make it happen with whomever makes it. It will be a bast in any case and the children are the most important thing for this season.

I think I am getting old….

 

While skimming around other blogs today I saw a review on a wild west miniature game. Then I noticed it was a “Warhammer Historical” game. I have always looked at the books but never got very serious simply because the population of players isn’t very high around here.

http://www.warhammer-historical.com

After skimming over the line of historicals, I find myself interested in the Gladiator and Wild West books. These have always been interesting parts of history for me outside the World Wars and Medieval times. I was tempted to rustle me up the Wild West books and give it a try.

Here is the blog I saw the review on:

http://anatolisgameroom.blogspot.com/2011/09/legends-of-old-west.html

I have manged to get copies of the books to start reading the game rules and such. The book layout is very nice with lots of artwork and
the rules seem simple enough. If you have ever played 40k or Fantasy you already understand some of the game already, at least the charts and concepts. If you have ever played Mordheim, Gorkamorka or Necromunda you have the other foot in the grave already to loving this game. The concepts are almost identical with some small changes so old players from any of those three systems will adapt VERY quickly.

My quick skim of the Internet found several 25-28-32mmmm models that would work and are priced better that GW’s stuff. The base cost for this hobby will be very low maybe $100-$200 tops and I can have several posse options. A player just wanting a single gang can get one together for about $20-$40 depending on what you want. Scenery can be as cheap or as expensive as you want. They have everything from paper scenery, precut wood kits and resin sets. The last two can get rather expensive quickly and I am going the cheaper route of building my own I think. What is nice again is your only using a 4x4 or 3x3 for most games.

So far, after looking around I am thinking an Outlaw gang (that can double as Comancheros with a few model swaps), Banditos, Lawmen and one other to start with. I have always had a soft spot for the Escher from Necromunda and may end up getting some female models to adapt to one posse or another. What is sad is this is just the tip of the types of groups you can play as the Frontier expansion allows you to play Texas Rangers, US Calvary and Infantry, Native American Tribes of all types and Buffalo Soldiers. The second book for the Alamo didn't excite me at first as it gets into larger scale fights but the back had a nice surprise for smaller games offering more new factions such as Mountain Men, Banditos and the Comancheros. One of the last books I have yet to get also has a Chinese Tong gang that sounds interesting.

What else is nice is that you can play campaign style games as well as one off games for something different in gaming. The scenarios are mission based and not like your standard shoot'em up 40k or hack-n-slash of Fantasy. I figure this is why I always enjoyed games like Necroumunda, Gorkamorka and Mordheim was because you had to think more and plan for the next game. In a standard 40k or Fantasy, you just put your crap out, finish and reset with the same army or change to a new one. In games like this, they get hurt, gain experience and can even die making it more dynamic.

This also takes me back to my childhood where I would watch old western series like the Lone Ranger and the Cisco Kid among other shows alongside great western movies that cast great actors like John "Duke" Wayne, Clint Eastwood, Charles Bronson, Lee Van Clease to name a few of the greats. The idea of playing a game in that time period could be interesting and worth a try.