October - On the Bench WIPs

Been busy with lot's of things - work, family, turn of the season... all that grown up stuff. Work does this thing (I am a file clerk at a law firm) now where if I plan to be someplace at a specific time Mon-Fri night, something will happen and I will be late. Last second request for files, processing, bus crash.... things like that. Same thing for my breaks and lunches, I break at 10, 12, and 3 and no one will talk to me all day nor will deliveries transpire except at 10, 12, or 3. It's frustrating but, well, work and stuff.

Have you seen Netflix's Luke Cage? It's awesome and I am enjoying it very much - except the whole hero's journey trope... wounded and defenseless, loss of powers, 2-3 episodes worth.

Have you seen the first episode of The Walking Dead season 7? They show who Negin kills! Problem is though, that whole episode was almost in real time and was 90% Rick being sweaty and sad. Reading the comic book and the show paralleling that story line mostly I know what's coming. Most show detractors complain about the lack of said things which I find funny but I've got to admit that the show sure does drag out the sad and miserable while the comic is a bit more balanced. In the comic we move forward - water was a problem... solved. Shelter was a problem... solved. That cannibal group was a problem... solved. Moving forward and taking on new challenges. The TV show? Really slow at that.

Rick Grimes comicbook - Yeah, it was rough, but I still function well and kick a little ass.

Rick Grimes TV - I'm sad and dirty. Watch me cry or be wounded for hours on end on TV. I need a shower and some editing.

Also playing lots of Fall Out 4 still but getting to the point I want to throw myself into another video game but just have not found the one yet. Ultimately, would like a hybrid of Skyrim and Fall Out 4. We'll see.

Got my core of my English Civil War Scots Covenanters done. Not a TON of figures in 28mm. over 100, but plenty to table a good army. Giving myself a rest on those until next year and after a few games of skirmish-level X Rampant with them as well as full on Pike and Shotte games. No good pictures of the whole battalion yet. The list of what I did (grouped in how I will deploy them on the table for P&S):
x12 pike
x24 musket

x12 pike
x24 musket

x12 Lancers
x12 Lancers

Saker and crew
Saker and crew
Frame gun and crew
Frame gun and crew
Frame gun and crew
Frame gun and crew

x2 Mounted commander
x2 foot commander

That's well over 120 28mm minis (how do you count horses and cannons?) that I painted this year for my Covenanters. So I'm taking a break on all that grey and going to finish off some other painting goals I have.

For Saga, my "want to finish" list is:
1) Norse Gaels
2) Scots

I've talked about both on this blog some. My Norse Gaels came from the impetus of me wanting to play a faction from Saga's Northern Fury book. I had a bunch of painted (very simply) Norse warriors sitting around that I tried to sell at Enfilade with absolutely no success. So, I pulled all the axe wielders out, which ended up being a lot, and was able to put up a decent Norse Gael warband via Saga ruleset. COOL!

Not my best paint job but as Ol' Bob said recently I'm a player-painter; I only paint so I can play. That's absolutely true.

All figures are Old Glory Norse line except the Warlord and Bannerman which were extras from my Scots packs from Old Glory.

Norse Gael Warriors

Warlord and Bannerman

Hearthguard-types

All I need to do on my Norse Gaels is add a little grass to the bases and they are done.

My Saga Scots have not been touched, other than a game, all year. All primed, based, and shaded they now need paint (except for levies and a warrior unit).

I am hosting a Feast For Crows scenario Saga game on December 3rd for an all-day event called Ambuscade. I hope to have a few pieces of terrain done (winter stuff) as well as able to field four 6 point warbands for the game (Vikings, Normans, Scots, and... some more Normans). If players come with their own warband that will be fine. If it works out I will do the same thing at Enfilade next spring.

Anyways, thinking about winding down the painting projects this winter after Ambuscade and pick it back up in January. I have a lead mountain but no idea what I want to paint next. 

Have some good games and hope to see some of you at Ambuscade December 3rd.