LOTR Game 2

The 'Lads' came around to my humble abode for another game of The Lord Of The Rings Battle Strategy Game... this time somewhat bigger. I ran the Fellowship (minus Gandalf, as it was set after his tumble in Moria) and Young Chris was trying to rescue my guys with Farimir and 24 Gondorian warriors. Pitched against us were 35 Urak-Hai run by Andy Late-but-in-earnest and some 40-odd assorted Orcs under the command of Robbie Rommel. My aim was of course to keep the Ringbearer from harm, and so Aragorn and Boromir charged headlong toward the Orcs, while Legolas (Firing a multitude of arrows... somewhat less than successfully) and Gimli hurtled down the slope to the Uraks. Well, we had much slaughter amongst the Foe, but Legolas was the first to fall (He fought as well as he shot... Damned dice!) followed shortly afterward by Gimli. Boromir and Aragorn fought well, and protected the Hobbits until they were amongst the Gondor rescue party before being cut down... but who would rescue the rescuers? The Orcish horde were too many, and cut down the Hobbits, and most of the Men of Gondor.

All in all, we had a great afternoon, and will being playing this again, soon!

Post Christmas Post...

Yup, I was off the air for a while... I'm rather afraid that internet access sorta relies on being at one of my jobs... still got to de-digitise and connect at home. Christmas was very much as Christmas always is, but with the added fun of the little one opening up her presents... she has just worked out that the good stuff is what's inside, not the wrapping! Fresh delight followed each opening, and she is still discovering what some of the stuff does! For me, this is what Christmas is about... kids and presents. And turkey of course!

I did once more fail in my bi-annual attempt to set the mother-in-law alight (Every December and July!) as she pours boiling brandy over the pudding to flambe it. I'll get her next time!

And so now life continues... much as if it had all not happened... only the extra kilos and the rapidly increasing toybox remain to remind me!

It's all about ME!

A friend of mine just sent me this, and when I read my answers back, I realised that they gave an interesting insight into me. And seeing as that is pretty much the main subject of this 'blog, I thought, 'Well let's post it' So....

1. Time of starting this:
04:05

2. Were you named after anyone?
Richard Green (Who played Robin Hood on TV)

3. Do you wish on stars?
Not often, but it may help one day...

4. When did you last cry?
Last month (Over a TV show... how sappy!)

5. Do you like your handwriting?
My handwriting looks like a spider got ink on it's feet and went beserk... NO!

6. What is your favourite meat?
Lamb.

7. What is your most embarrassing CD on your shelf?
New Kids On The Block; Hanging Tough

8. If you were another person, would YOU be friends with you?
Absoloutly... who would'nt.

9. How do you release anger?
Long fuse... massive explosive... YELL... usually while alone!

10. Where is your second home?
Fire Station.

11. Do you trust others easily?
Far too easily.

12. What was your favourite toy as a child?
My 1/2 scale TARDIS Control Panel.

13. What class in school do you think was totally useless?
All of them. "With all the crap they tried to teach me at school, it is surprising that I learned anything at all..." (Paul Simon)

14. Do you use sarcasm a lot?
Yeah, like I need to be sarcastic...

16 Have you ever been in a Mosh pit?
No

18. Would you bungee jump?
No... unless there was a bloody good reason. Not my idea of fun!

19. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off?
Not always.

20. What is your favourite ice cream flavour?
Is there a flavour other than Chocolate?

21. What are your favourite colours?
Red

22. What is your least favourite thing?
Aggressive people.

23. How many people do you have a crush on right now?
About 5. The figure fluctuates daily. I am VERY easily distracted!

24. What do you miss most right now?
Time.

25. What colour underwear are you wearing?
Not sure... it was dark when I fished them out of the drawer... and I couldn't be arsed to look!

26. What CD are you listening to right now?
Jem: Finally Woken

27. If you were a crayon, what colour would you be?
Fire Engine Red

28. What is the weather like right now?
Quite pleasant... and very dark!

29. Last person you talked to on the phone?
The Wife. Wanted to know how much longer I was going to be...

30. The first thing you notice about the opposite sex?
Eyes and smiles!.

31. Do you like the person who sent you this?
Stuie is a stout fellow. (oh, hang on... I'm stout, he's solid.)

32. How are you today?
Tired

33. Favourite drink?
Coffee

34. Favourite alcoholic drink?
Baileys.

35. Natural hair colour?
Dark brown with increasing grey around the edges.

36. Eye colour?
Greeny bluey grey.

37. Wear contacts?
Glasses.

38. Siblings?
Younger brother.

39. Favourite month?
January. My birthday!

40. Favourite food?
Spag Boll.

41. Last movie you watched?
King Arthur. Not as good as I thought it maight have been...

42. Favourite day of the year?
Christmas!.

43. Have you ever been too shy to ask someone out?
Every single time!

44. Scary movies or happy endings?
Give me ACTION.

45. Summer or winter?
Winter.

46. Hugs or kisses?
Hugs

47. Do you want your friends to write back?
Yes.

48. Who is most likely to respond?
Rob.

49. Who is least likely to respond?
Angela

50. What book/magazine are you reading?
Err... Miniature Wargames magazine... Pick the boring nerd in the room!

51. What's on your mouse pad?
Right now? NSWFB Information Technology Training.

52. What is your favourite smell?
Freshly cut lawn.

53 Regret ever breaking up with someone?
No, things happen for a reason.

55. Favourite actor/actress?
Robert Carlisle or Hugh Laurie. Both have tremendous range

56. Time of finishing?
04:32

Thought for the day...

You never truly know the value of something until someone takes it away from you... Say, the drawstring on your trackies, your shoelaces... hmm, love those spongey walls...

'Twas the day before the night before Christmas...

...and all through the shops, creatures of all shapes and sizes are scurrying to get out of the way of time-maddened last-minute-Christmas-shoppers... Honestly, have you guys been down the shops today? It is an absolute madhouse! I personally have accepted that at this stage, if I ain't got it, the intended giftee is just going to have to be understanding... or perhaps there will be one less gift to buy next year! I will catch up on the gifts that I will inevitably miss... but I suspect that it will be next week... after the frothing at the mouth has stopped. I value my sanity a little more than that.

LOTR Game

OK, so now I'm hooked on ANOTHER GW game! Had a bash of the new Lord Of The Rings Strategy Battle Game with Rob & Young Chris yesterday (They played, I kept Bec occupied until she slept, and simultaneously managed the rules!). Gondorian Warriors took on an Orc horde, and after a battle which swung both ways, Good (Chris) triumphed over Evil (Rob). Both players agreed that the game played well, and I noticed that as the game wore on, they needed less and less to refer to the manual. The rules flowed well, and especially given that I have enough figures to remake the movies in miniature, we will play again! We have a game slated for after Christmas, in which Andy (Late but in Earnest) has promised to make an appearance. Isupect that we may have found the set of skirmish rules which we shall beat into shape for other periods (and other movies/TV shows) that we want to game. I have figures for Buffy and an Arthurian (Dark Age Britain) game, but I have always thought that Indiana Jones needs gaming too... So many thoughts, so little time!

Warhammer 40K

I have avoided, during my 15 years as a gamer, the Games Workshop Hobby (As it likes to style itself...). I have been sucked in, however, thanks to my nephews, to 40k. The figures are well sculpted, go together well, paint brilliantly, and look fabulous completed... and it really is a full-service company. The same lot provide figures, rules, background, paints, etc.

I am sort of coming to feel that this is very much the future of wargames... and a formerly small New Zealand company, Battlefront Miniatures http://www.flamesofwar.com has very much taken their lead... everthing you need in one place.

Now I don't think the days of cottage-industry-wargames companies is over yet, but perhaps the end is nigh?

Well, here I all am...

Well, a big hello to all out there in Blogland (Which I am led to believe is just about everyone nowadays!)

I have decided to give this a red-hot-go, and will try to write down some of the shit that flows through my head, at least a couple of times a week. This may turn out to be self-delusional fantasy, but only time will tell. I am mainly here because I get so much enjoyment from my mate Rob's Blog( http://www.robirwin.com) that I felt that there maybe something in it for me... yes it is true, it is all about me!

For those who know me, (to whom I shall send emails about this...) Hi, still me! For those who don't... I am married, with one daughter, and several pets. I work a couple of days a week at the Library, somewhat odder, on-call hours for the NSW Fire Brigade, and mostly raise our child. I sorta view this as the most important job I will ever do.

I'm very into miniature wargames, which is (for the uninitiated) like chess, but hellishly more complicated. I also paint the figures for the games, and make model terrain and vehicle kits.

As for my other spare time... well it doesn't leave much! I watch what TV and Movies I can while looking after Bec, and mainly listen to music in the car.