Gottacon 2014 - One Month to Go

I've been going to Gottacon since it started in 2009. This year its moving to the Victoria Convention Center behind the Fairmont Empress hotel, a Victoria landmark. Larger digs and more choices for great food! The convention will have gaming of all types: miniature, roleplaying, board, computer, and card. They will also have thier costume contest, burlesque show, gaming improv show and the silent auction.

This year I hope to play Malifaux, some role playing games and some board games. Get your tickets early!

Legion of the Damned Space Marines

 

I've had these Games Workshop Legion of the Damned Space Marine classic figs for years now and have been working on the off and on for the last year. These guys are tough with their invulnerable save and now they ignore cover with their bolters. The new models from GW are here. Unfortunately I lost the sheet of what colors I used but will guess with what I can.

I started primed black.

Drybrushed with GW mid color grey.

Washed in GW Green wash.

P3 Menoth White Highlight (with cat hair).

Then for the flames P3 Cygnar Yellow, P3 Orange and P3 Dark Red.

Finally I used light P3 Red for the eyes and P3 Cold Steel for the guns. I also applied a bit of P3 Devlan Mud on the bone parts.

Now I have enough for three partial squads (of 8, 8 and 7).

Now to get back to Malifaux and other things!

My Malifaux 2E Guide Cards

I have been playing Malifaux off and on for two years as a casual player. Since Malifaux 2E has come out I've been itching to play more and teach new players how to play. One thing that distracts teaching new players is flipping through the rulebook. To solve that I've created a way to make the process easier with the theme of using playing cards.

Now I know that playing cars are central to the game of Malifaux anyways but hear me out. I've made the setup, strategies and schemes to fit on playing cards. I even made them for how to conduct turns.

Most people have card sleeves and spare playing cards around. If not use an older Malifaux deck and the sleeves.

 

The first card is the step by step overview of how to set up a game.

 It has all the basics and each successive card has more detail.

 

Then players can flip cards from the top of the deck as they go.

 I'd recommend the terrain trait cards be left to the side as they help out while the game is played.

  I included a scoring card for each player that can be marked on and erased after the game is done.

 

I also made a red and blue deck of the schemes. That way each player can pick out the ones they choose, mark on them if there is specific objectives and keep them secret until revealed.

Here are the card sheets for Setup, Schemes and another for Strategies if you want both players to have them. There's also these Turn cards including a handy turn tracker. Enjoy!

Firestorm Armada 2.0 and Battle For Valhalla Starter

 

 Well, the new edition came out last month but my copy from Spartan Games didn't arrive till recently, due to the courier company forgetting to leave a card that it had arrived. I was going to write a review but this one here from Mann's Model Moments covers it all and then some. His review and unboxing for the Battle of Valhalla 2-Player box here is also excellent and I would be hard pressed to improve on it.

The two player set is also a great cash value. Each patrol fleet costs 39 pounds sterling each and the rulebook costs 20 pounds sterling. The two player starter costs 80 pounds sterling and includes a Drindrezi and Terran patrol fleet plus a rulebook plus a repair dock model plus two extra large and small SRS wing tokens and a bunch of dice. Its at least a savings of 18 pounds sterling (~$32 Canadian). Buy a little more and they ship for free. An excellent way to start in the game and you can get two with a friend and you would each have two patrol fleets of a race, a rulebook and a repair dock.

I'll be posting my painting of the models from this box and my own attempts to spread the word about this great game in the year to come.

Kelwona Gamestores

Every year I have been traveling to Kelwona to spend the winter holidays with my wife's parents. Each Boxing day I head for the sales and here are the two gamestores in Kelwona:

Quantum Games: This has become my favorite in Kelwona. They have a 50% off table that I've gotten great stuff from. This year the big find was Malifaux metal figs/avatars and sewers of Malifaux from Wyd/Worldworks. They are clean, tidy and have engaging staff.

Dragon Cards and Collectables: They were my go to spot when I was playing Warhammer 40k heavily, as they did and still do have some classic hard to find stuff. In fact they have lots of classic hard to find items, as well as the new, but are cluttered and dusty. If you are looking for that gem of a miniature or RPG, ask the owner and look around. Just be careful of the piles.

San Diego Game Stores

I travel to San Diego with work occasionally and it had been a few years so I wanted to visit old favorites and expand my game store knowledge. Here they are:

Game Towne: Set in Old Town they were once the place for me and my friends to stop at. They have gotten a little more dusty and dingy but the owner still cares about his customers. There can be some great finds if you give a look around but he does not carry any Malifaux, Infinity or Privateer Press miniature products. They offer a military discount of 10%.

Villainous Lair Gaming: Not to be confused with their comic store location down the street, this well lit and clean store has a few tables to play on, RPGs, GW and Privateer press miniatures, with some Malifaux. It also has a very good selection of independent RPGs. They offer a military discount of 10%.

At Ease Games: Hard gamestore to bus to from downtown San Diego but very large with lots of products and gaming tables. Helpful staff and customers.

For food places visit my non-gaming blogsite here.

Iron Fence

 On boxing day I picked up some cheap scenery...a fence! It was 60% off because it was designed for Christmas village scenes. I normally bought my cheap Christmas scenery at Michaels but they have been putting it away for next year. London Drugs has been my place of choice now.

 The height and scale is perfect. For games the fences can even be targeted to make gaps.

The one package is not enough so I hope to find more in the future. They also only fit together in a straight line but it looks fine like this.