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

Th Golden Tiki

 So,

This past weekend the wife and I took a weekend trip to Las Vegas, one stop that I knew we had to go was the Golden Tiki, someplace that I have wanted to go for a while.

As the Sign states, the Golden Tiki

We made reservations for noon and set out for adventure, for those that dont know, the Golden Tiki is an over 21 bar in Vegas that is a mix of Disneyland Tiki room meets traditionally Tiki bars of the past with an adult theme thrown in, perfect for this Ex skipper!

The wife out front of the Golden Tiki

h 
We arrived a little before noon, to get our temps checked before going inside. The person at the door met us and checked our temps and gave us the ground rules, no smoking inside, you can wonder around but must have a mask on, but if your at the table you could keep the mask off.

As you enter the doors, your in a small cave, the Pirates of the Caribbean theme song was playing with a small water fall with torches in the wall with another door. As soon as we opened the door we were transported to the Tiki bars of old!

Front of bar

Going towards rear of bar.

They sat us at a high top along the wall, everything was Tiki, the wall paper, the decor, the music everything, it was amazing! They had a variety of drinks and we got to ordering our first set, I ordered the Painkiller and the wife ordered Three Dots and a Dash. I watched as the bartender made each drink and garnished the drinks as he was done with little umbrellas and fruit. We also ordered two appetizers, Shrimp Cocktail and Pork Meatballs in a sweet chilies sauce. All of it was amazing! Next up was a Mai Tai for myself and the wife got Navy Grog that was served with a flaming sugar cube.

Navy Grog

Both drinks were amazing, and with that we ordered two more appetizers, Coconut Shrimp and Crab Rangoon. Once again everything was perfect. Our waitress Asia did an awesome job and the kitchen brought the food within minutes of placing the order.

We then ordered another round of drinks which we both went for the Piranha Punch which was absolutely amazing!

Piranha Punch

We spent almost our whole two hours there and spent with tip about $200.00 for everything (we tipped very well. My wife had to take a picture in the Giant Clam shell seat and i love all the shruken heads in the case behind it!

 

A pearl in the Clam Shell

There were a few other pictures we tool, but I wanted to keep it PG, so be warned, this place is Disney meets R rated, there are paintings of nude women and pictures of nude or topless women on the tables. Also the door handles in the restroom are umm...Golden Tikis! LOL

This is now a must go to place for us and will happily return and make the 4 hour trip from Phoenix to Vegas just for this place alone. I highly recommend this place if your in Vegas, make sure to make a reservation though as it can be pretty busy.

Aloha TK

Been a rough few weeks...

 So,

I am still alive and still here, just had some very personal stuff going on and the Hobby time came to a screeching halt. I am slowly starting to get back in the grove, so will have more updates soon.

TK 

Rail fanning Gila Bend AZ

 So,

Today DrunkenSamurai and I headed down to Gila Bend AZ to catch Ga few trains running at speed, this is on the old SP Sunset Route and today Union Pacific did not disappoint. We arrived around 8:00am and went and found the old SP Steel Water tower in Gila Bend and checked that out.

Southern Pacific Steel Water tower from days of old.

We then went down a little further to find a good spot to take some photos. In Gila Bend there is a passing siding and we parked so we could see the signal lights, as these are approach lit, y knowing if anything was coming they would alert us. 

Can't see them, but further down are the signals.

It didn't take long before the signals came alive and wed saw a train heading East bound to us, if fact the train was pulling into the siding which told me there was traffic either behind it, or making its way west bound.

Mixed freight heading to Tucson

Getting closer

Two Big GE units on the head end.

Well, once this train pulled into the siding and cleared us, I saw the headlight of the train coming West bound. This Stack train was flying, I was a good 30' from the tracks and when the wind rush it me, it made me stumble back, it was awesome!

A flying train, it had wings!

Two helpers rear of the train.

It was an awesome day, we ended up catching about 6 or 7 trains today all along the Sunset route, only thing that would have been better was to see SP units, but I think UP has repainted them all now.

TK

New Books, New/Old model!

Well,

I have some great new books that arrived the last few days, I was recommended to pick up these three title from a friend, all the Books are from Lance Mindheim. The three titles are How To Design A Small Switching Layout, How To Build A Switching Layout and How to Operate A Modern Era Switching Layout, all found on Amazon.

Lance Mindheim collection

All these books are great for novices and old timers alike. Lance does a great job pointing out some pitfalls that we all fall into when planning, building and operating. Most of which I already knew, but there is also a few things that were new to me. These are a great collection to anyone's library and are very easy to read, I highly recommend them.

Also I felt like I wanted to build something, so I busted out this Walthers Open Air Transload building that I got a few years ago. This kit will be going on a module that I am planning for my group that I belong to. Its a pretty close match for a transfer building that used to be down off of 107th Ave and Buckeye here in Phoenix (Avondale really) that was named Western Seed Production.

Walthers Cornerstone Kit

The kit was pretty straight forward and had a two sided instruction sheet. I got this assembled in two nights and now is ready for paint. I remember when the Cornerstone buildings first came out years ago, I had built a few for myself and friends and those kits were very fiddley to assemble. But this is a newer kit and it went together very nicely and its very sturdy. I was very pleased how the kit went together.  

Loading Dock side

Back of building

Rail serviced side

Truck serviced side

Now I have fully assembled the kit and will be painting on it in the next few days. So stay tuned to see progress on painting.

TK 

JC, well maybe?

 So,

Last year I order a couple of these awesome little jungle boat from Sarissa Precision and promptly put one together. As some know, I floated down the river of some of the most famous rivers in the world in Anaheim CA, well when I saw these I knew I had to have them for some pulp gaming.

Keep your hands and arms inside the boat!

These boats are modeled more after a famous movie called the African Queen and is very l close to its namesake boat Sarissa Precision has done a great job in capturing the feel of the boat and its very easy to assemble.

Never get out of the boat man!

Well as I said, I got this about the middle of last year and got it built, then sadly it sat on a shelf (boat on a shelf for xmas?) and I did nothing with it. Well last week I wanted to work on something other then model railroad stuff, so I took down the boat and decided to paint her on up.

New paint for the old girl

I painted the whole thing with a Krylon Beige paint as and under coat. Then the out side got painted with Reaper/CAV Blitzkrieg Grey on the outside of the hull, followed by a wash of Army painter soft tone. The inside deck was kept beige with the soft tone wash and the roof canopy (which is tissue paper over the top) was painted khaki and washed as well. Boiler was painted black, then Pig Iron from P3 and washed with strong tone.

No what to call her???

Well there you go, painting took less then a day and I really like how it came out. Now I do have another kit and I think I may modify it to look like my former ride that I use to work just so I can have two different looking boats.

Hit it skip!

TK

Rolling in the dirt shop!

Well,

So this past weekend I decided to weather up a few cars that I assembled on New Years Eve, first up is an old MDC double door box for WP, I added weight and Kadee couplers, just waiting for the metal wheelsets to arrive. I used my usual suspects for weathering, Vallejo Environmental colors, and really weathered up the roof as it was silver.

MDC Double door Box

Roof weathering.

Next up is an old Athearn Double door Box painted up for the Longview Portland & Northern which was a car we would see in Anaheim from time to time as it was for wood products. Same products were used for weathering.

Athearn Box

Roof weathering again.

Next up is a single door Golden West Service box from Athearn, GWS was just starting to enter service after the SP merged with Rio Grande and I would see these cars all the time along the 5Fwy in Souther California on my way to work for the mouse.

Athearn GWS Box

And lastly another LP&N box from Athearn, this one being a single door FMC car. once again these would make there way down from the Pacific Northwest and were something we would see in Anaheim.

Athearn FMC Single Door Box

So there you go, four more cars for the railroad and now are fit for service once I get my metal wheels for all these cars.

TK