New project on the horizon

 So,

As some will know, I have a few games I created in years past, both historical games. One was a huge hit (Legends of the High Seas), the other was just okay Heroic). Both were produced by other companies and my overall experience has been mixed. Yes its cool to have your work published, but its another when they get the rewards for all that you have done.

Well for the longest time, I have thought about going the self publishing route, I want to have full control of the process and also reap the rewards myself. So after talking to the wife and some close friends, I think I am going to take the leap into trying my hand at self Publishing my own rules. 

So what could it possibly be you ask? Well once again a few folks know that I am a huge lover of skirmish games. So the focus will be based on those. I love games that do not require a ton of models and I think that most people can get a small force painted up rather quickly. I also love the fact that 3D printing is taking off, you can pretty much find a ton of STL files for just about anything you may want. This too will allow people at home with printers to have access to a ton of figures.

I also want to keep this skirmish game based on historical periods, I am looking at doing various time frames using the core rule set to be able to play any period. I am a huge fan of Wiley Games and love how Jaye has done this with his own rules. Now some may ask or suggest just playing his rules, which I do, but I want to play with my own rules.

So what periods am I looking at, well to start, looking at Dark Ages and a focus on Vikings, then would love to do some Samurai, Crusades, Pirates (of course!) as well as stuff like Teddy Roosevelts Rough Riders, WW1 or WW2 and even Vietnam (thats a long way off though). But first will be dark ages for sure.

I am also looking at keeping the rules right around $15.00 for a printed book, also looking at maybe doing some scenario cards or mission cards. The main book will have themed scenarios in it, but I want to add a few more and like the card idea.

So there you go, I see Long ships on the Horizon with a bunch of scary looking Viking Raiders sailing for glory and treasure, much like I see myself right now going down this self publishing route. So stay tuned, will be using this blog to show off some of the work that I am doing...

TK

Rancor Completed

 So,

Finished up this beast today, really love how his face turned out and adding gloss to the mouth, eyes and nostrils really makes him pop.

A face only a mother could love!

There are more figures being printed and on the paint bench, stay tuned.

TK

Count, Farm boy and a Pet

 Well, 

Still plugging away on the 3D prints, this weekend I finished up these two, a Imperial Count and a Local Farm Boy. The count I think is supposed to be Count Dooku, but will stand in for just a regular Imperial Hero. The Farm boy is Luke Skywalker in the Dagaba costume. Both were fun to paint and will be perfect for this big game I am planning

Count Dooku?? and Luke Skywalker?

Some people may see a larger thing in the background, well that is the Rancor I have been working on, finally getting paint on it and liking the way its coming out. Its still a work in progress, but its almost complete and I am loving it as well.

Did someone loose their pet Rancor???

As I said before, I am really loving these 3D prints, the cost is very good and the quality is just as good if not better then commercially made models out there.

So there you go, some more progress done and another post!

TK

Bobba Fett in the house

 So quick little update, finished up two Bobba Fetts yesterday, both from Skullforge Studios.

One on the left in his full armor and the one on the right him in the Tusken raider outfit from the Book of Fett. Really love these 3d prints.

Whats better then one Bobba Fett? Well two of course!

So just a quick update today, still working on getting models ready for this Star Wars game I will be running.

TK

Something large comes this way!

 So,

Might as well post this project that I am working on, so here you go. I am working on hosting a mutli player game of Galactic Hero's in the very near future for Star Wars/ I have had my buddy Tom printing me a few models off this cool site Skullforge Studios and thanks to Tom have gotten almost all of the models for the game through them, which are really 3D files. Well I want to create some madness in the game and I need a big distraction, well and this was one of the biggest distraction I could think of.

Big Boy in parts! 

So Tom took a few days to print out as each piece as this is a very large beast. Tom did have a few misprints with the pre supports on the file, which was one of the legs and on arm. I did find another misprint but I was able to work around that on the lower torso.

Today I started assembly which included filling in any gaps or vent holes on the model sections. I did as mentioned have a large gap in the lower torso that I was bale to fill with Green Stuff and I also used modeling paste on the smaller cracks (white lines on model). Next up will be painting the beast.

Dont turn around!

So there you go, another post and another project in the works.

TK

Does Anyone still read blogs?

 So,

Its been a long while, well really over a year now since I posted anything to this blog. My brother was giving me grief about not updating it and I told him that no one really reads blogs anymore. Heck there are very few that I even check out in my favorites so I am guilty of it as well.

So it got me thinking, why have blogs fallen by the way side? You would think for most of the lock down that blogs would be flourishing, but not the case. Perhaps its what I call the FB effect?

The FB effect is obviously Facebook, and other Social Media outlets, its easier to post up a few words and pictures or read just a few of those words rather then be bothered to read a whole blog post. Once again I am guilty of this as I have an Instagram account and I check that more then I do FB or even my own blog feed. I think the younger generation likes to get their info fast and without a lot of words, why would I want to read a blog post where the writer is just blah blah blah going on?

I also think the decline is in creators and writers of the blogs, once again I am to blame. When the Global pandemic hit, many of the hobbies I do went away as they are very social things, especially war gaming. If I was not playing, why should I bother with posting about what I was doing. For me, I started doing more things on my own, like riding my bike again, which is a very solo thing. 

I guess I was just burned out on social media and the constant rumble from all sides that I retreated from looking or posting very much. And to be real, its way easier to just post pics then be bothered with writing anything up.

But last night it got me thinking, why did I start this blog? Was it to reach the masses with my mediocre painting? Or was it to document what I am doing in my hobby life? The answer was to document and have a place for all my work and to see for myself what have I been doing.

As I thought about this, I have been very busy painting with gaming only happening at least once a month now if I am lucky, but I am kicking out more models at a good pace. The problem is I was not posting them here to the blog. I have them in other places then this blog, so today lets fix that.

Skull Forge Studios Not Storm troopers   

I have been on a Star Wars kick thanks to shows like Mandolorian and Book of Fett and have been painting up some cool 3d Prints for a group game that I want to run in the very near future using Galactic Heros from Wiley games. 

More Not Stormtroopers from Skullforge Studios

And just to show you how much painting I am doing, here is a container full of models.

Thats alot of 3d printed models!

So hopefully I can revive my interest in blogging and make weekly updates again. I have missed not documenting my progress and I need to get back to this, at least for my brother anyway! LOL

So sorry for the long absents but life has a way of throwing a curve ball and changing directions on you. I have more models to post and talk about so stay tuned.

TK

Undertow in Phoenix

 Aloha,

Another review of a local Tiki bar here in Phoenix, it has recently moved to a new location and the wife and I went to check it out.

Undertow

We went last weekend to check out this bar after there move to their new location. Undertow is a nautical themed tiki bar, its an immersive experience and very well done/  The bar has an elaborate back story and I would guess the owner must be a gamer. 

Back bar and there is a Dodo bird back there!

One of the two booths at the bar/

Our Porthole

The Undertow only allows you to be there for about 90min, so that's why you need a reservation, and they load the main bar first, then the other seats about 30min later to stagger the groups. When you do a reservation you have to put money down, which was credited toward your bill.

They have a large drink selection and various rums from around the world. They have some classics as well as some that they created as well.

Cloak of the Black Panther

Cures & Mysteries 

Piranha's Kiss of Death Elixir

Song of the Sycorax

Talon of Tenacity 

Overall I loved the place and will be back, the only downside is that there is no appetizers offered so you need to make sure you eat something before or after you go. It is a cool environment and definitely not like a regular bar, I highly recommend it. So if your looking for an interesting themed bar, this is your spot to check out.

TK