Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Saturdays with the kids at the club


For 8 years or so the club has run Saturday game days for the younger generation. Sadly the lads and lasses have found alternatives to keep them occupied or they have just grown up and moved on. But luckily there are a few who find us and want to learn how to play. So I am rather pleased that I get to game with the younger members, teach them the game and painting techniques and even build the odd bit of terrain. In September one of the kids whooped me in a game of 40K, it would seem that the few clues I gave to him in the last game were well remembered and so the Orks died in droves. October's Saturday games day saw me bring out the new Infinity boxed set, plop out the fancy terrain and substitute a few miniatures (don't have the proper ones painted yet) to play Scenario 1 and 2. I have to admit that the two lads gaming with me picked up the rules nice and fast. We only made one error the whole game. So if your club is quiet maybe you should rope some younger kids in but just remember that you may have to play the games they want before you get to play your own.
Orks Vs Chaos, my Orks lost

Necromunda with the ladz
 
The Orks about to die
 
 
 Haqislam as Pan Oceania, second hand minis at their finest 

The Morat from a much earlier post (died in both games)
The Operation Ice Storm terrain with a few other card containers. What a nice addition to a boxed set. The quality of the card is very good and I hope to be able to use them again and again at the club. Even if the paper mat is a little on the small side. It certainly makes for quick game.
 
 
 

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

MOAB and Sy-CON 2014 we name them properly down here.

A little delayed in the posting of this but it is up now.
My son and I went off to MOAB in Sydney for my annual pilgrimage. This convention is one of the medium sized cons in Australia with plenty of competition games, a growing participation and demo game sections, enough traders to by more shiny toys and one of the best bring and buys if the traders have not taken your hard earned from your wallet.
There is a painting competition, great catering and enough friends to bump into to make the 4 hour trip each way worth it. It is a great convention but scattered all over a sporting hall complex, so when you go head up, down and around the corners and who knows what you will discover.

At the same time The Combat Company held a participation game extravaganza over the weekend to. We had a quick visit to this as well. Well done TCC.

Show time.

I have a desire to play Impetus and so headed downstairs into the depths to watch this friendly competition unfold. There is something quite spectacular about the 28mm big bases splendidly arrayed and the chaps were happy to let me sit in, watch and get a handle on the rules.
Late Romans and French Knights clash.

Romans won


Nasty flank attack by the Gendarmes runs down the Hoplites, they were doing alright up until here.
Impetus does look rather good, but a new game has fallen into my lap and that is Sword and Spear hmm...
Still play Warhammer and so hard to resist the pretty armies.

The Chain of Command participation game was on call and I still have not had much of a chance to play it at my club so MOAB beckoned. I had the pleasure of playing a few turns with the gentlemen running the game and Ben from the Little Tin Men blog, the chap to introduce me to the pleasure of Chain of Command in the first place.

Japanese vs Aussies, the Matilda II rumbled its way through the jungle whilst my Japanese slowly succumbed to shock and not a few deaths. Got to find me the army lists for the Japanese and Australians. Still got some floating around to paint. Pity I had to go early but I think I get the game a little more.

Command and Colours Napoleonic, have to try this to one day.

A really cool post apocalyptic game, so well presented but unfortunately I did not get the chance to play this either. That said the big kids that did play in it had a ball by the looks of things. Oh the rules were free on the net but I did not get the name of it, sad.

The main hall, traders, demo games and Flames of War at the top on the stage.

The huge bring and buy, this is the first time I had the chance to put stuff in on Saturday and did well with a few hundred dollars sold but the initial crush was disconcerting. Even so picked up some second hand Infinity miniatures so happy all round. Thanks always to the Southern Battle Gamers for running both MOAB and the bring and buy.

My son and I shot off that night to Sy-Con to see how it was going. Very impressed too. We even had a chance to play Firestorm Armada, for a round or two before our opponents nicked off to paint miniatures, boo hiss.  Sorry for the lack of photos but rest assured that I would recommend a visit to Sy-Con as well if you can get away from MOAB Cheers Combat Company.
 
Now to get to Melbourne for Little Wars next year I hope.