Monday 31 December 2018

Guarding Jabba’s Treasure Horde




A few things I painted recently – another Gomorran Guard from the Jabba’s Realm expansion from Imperial Assault and couple of treasure piles from one of Mantic’s Terrain Crates.

I varied the armour colour on the Gomorran a bit from the previous one I painted, but it’s pretty similar. Again, some really wonderful figures, with a level of detail comparable to most metals on the market. With these guys and the Weequays, I think I'm going to have to get a Jabba figure.

I bought one of the Mantic Terrain Crates during a recent shopping trip to Canterbury (from Dice and Destiny). If you are looking to pick up a lot of small scenery cheap, this is probably the best way to do it. That said, I kind of wish I had used the same money to buy a smaller number of higher quality pieces. It’s not that there is anything wrong with the Mantic ones, apart from some awkward bendiness on a few of he pieces, and they do look good painted up, but these days I’d like to focus my miniature buying on quality over quantity. There are so many small manufacturers doing really high-quality resin pieces, and I think I’ll be happier going with them for any of these kinds of accessories. For someone just starting out in the hobby though, its definitely worth a look.

Sunday 30 December 2018

Best Books of 2018


One of the little end-of-year treats for me is the profusion of ‘best book’ lists published on various sites and blogs around the internet. I love to mine these lists for potential reads. This year, I thought I would return the favour and list my own ‘best reads’ of 2018.  I don’t think the past year was one of my best in terms of finding fantastic books, but there were definitely a few really good ones. Here they are, in the order I read them.

The War of Art – Steven Pressfield

Everyone who is, or is considering, making their living through an artistic endeavour should read this slim volume. It’s a bit like getting shouted at by a drill instructor, but sometimes that’s what it takes…

Your Money or Your Life – Viki Robin and Joe Dominguez

The most important financial book I have ever read. Maybe the most important one ever written. I wish I had read it twenty years ago.

Nightflyers– George R. R. Martin

Just a really solid collection of science-fiction horror stories.

Lovecraft Country – Mark Ruff

I’m not sure if this book is rightly considered a novel or anthology, but either way it is tremendous collection of weird fiction and an eye-opener for those that have never had to give much thought to systemic racism.

The Fall of Gondolin – J. R. R. Tolkien

All the tales of Middle-Earth are bitter-sweet, and this one is especially so, as it is the last collection of ‘The Professor's’ work that will be edited by his son Christopher. Although this book contains some of Tolkien’s best and arguably some of his worst writing, the good far outstrips the bad.

The Moon is a Harsh Mistress – Robert Heinlein

A far superior work to his better known Starship Troopers, in this novel Heinlein creates an incredibly detailed, believable, and interesting Lunar culture, populates it with odd characters and then tells a fun and gripping story. It’s not an easy read though, as it is written fully in the odd Lunar dialect!

Day of the Rangers – Leigh Neville

Top-notch military history, Neville retells the story of the Battle of Mogidishu relying heavily on the words of those who fought it. If you have any interest in Black Hawk Down, you will want to add this book to your library.

Saturday 22 December 2018

The Auxiliary Companions




The recently released Rangers of Shadow Deep: Blood Moon includes 4 auxiliary soldiers who serve a multifaceted purpose in the adventure. They are the catalyst for getting the ranger involved in the mission, and they provide support during the fighting. They also, however, form the list of suspects in the hunt for a werewolf.

I thought it would be fun to see if I could make these four companions from some sprues I had lying around, and actually it has worked out rather well.

Orla, the red-headed huntress is made from the new Frostgrave Soldiers II sprue. Okay, she’s got a cap on so we can see her hair, but as the only woman in the group, she won’t be hard to identify.

Nicolan is the guy with the sword and dagger. He is the defacto leader of the group, due to his social standing instead of any military rank. I wanted him to be bit better dressed. His body and arms come from the Oathmark Human Infantry sprue. His left hand comes from the Ghost Archipelago Crew. His head, and the heads of all three of men come from this sprue from Anvil Industries, which I had lying around (£3 well spent, there). The heads are maybe a fraction large, but I don’t think I'll notice once they are painted up and on the table. They are fantastic sculpts though, amazing character in the faces. The join with the neck isn’t quite right, so I had to cut away a little bit, and it is resin, so super glue was required. Still, I think it was worth the effort. He definitely looks the young aristocratic fighter.

On the right is old Covin, with his maimed left-hand. I actually cut a few fingers off – which is why the plastic is scared. We’ll see how it paints up. Another great head though, perfect for an old and tired warrior. The body and arms come from the Oathmark Human Infantry sprue. (I realize now that I should have put 'Missing Fingers' in his notes in his stat-line, but its a very minor omission.)

Last up, on the left is Seb, the lumberjack turned soldier. All his parts, apart from the head, come from the Frostgrave Barbarian sprue. I had a lot of difficulty getting his two-handed axe positioned how I wanted it. In the end, I gave him a two-handed hammer, then cut off the head and glued on the axe head. Probably more trouble than it was worth, but it’s done now.

It's a nice looking cast of characters. Shame one of them is going to turn into a murderous monster…

Wednesday 19 December 2018

Werewolf Wednesday!

Rangers of Shadow Deep: Blood Moon is now available to purchase as a PDF from DriveThruRPG.com! 

You can pick it up here

For more information, see the post below.


Sunday 16 December 2018

Rangers of Shadow Deep: Blood Moon (Coming Soon!)


Werewolves have descended on the isolated village of High Rock, leaving death and destruction in their wake. Separated from their usual companions, the rangers must rely on a group of auxiliary soldiers to lead them to the village, help fight the werewolves, and hopefully rescue any survivors. However, as the rangers investigate the scene, it becomes increasingly clear that one of those auxiliaries is hiding a deadly secret…

Rangers of Shadow Deep: Blood Moon is a mini-expansion consisting of a one-scenario mission. It includes profiles for four unique companions, two new monsters, and full rules for becoming infected with lycanthropy.

Blood Moon is designed to be played with rangers level 0-5 or 6-10.

Blood Moon is set to publish in PDF this Wednesday on DriveThruRPG.com. The PDF will cost $3.50. A print edition is in the works, but likely won’t be ready until the new year; the price has yet to be determined. The print edition will include a free PDF, so if you want both, you might want to wait. I will not be doing a retroactive discount this time as it is just too much work when we are talking about such small amounts of money.

Truth be told, I didn’t plan to write Blood Moon. It all started one day when I was admiring some werewolf models from North Star and trying to come up with an excuse to buy them. This got me thinking about how I could write a classic werewolf horror/mystery scenario for Rangers of ShadowDeep. I developed some mechanics, but realized I would need to include a ‘list of suspects’, which meant I needed to rework how companions would work for the scenario. Also, since I had werewolves, I might as well include some rules for lycanthrope. As it turned out, the project became a great little game-design challenge, and I’m very happy with the results. Thankfully, Barrett was able to help out again with a bunch of new artwork, and Steve once again provided the design.

I’ll post again when it is up for sale.

Friday 14 December 2018

Summoning Heroes!



I've added another figure to my (very slowly) growing forces of Alladore. With the appearance of the Shadow Deep, Alladore is going to need all of its warriors, from all corners of the country. This guy has both answered the call and is calling for others! 

He's an Oathmark figure, from this great pack. Currently working on that wizard as well! 

And, because I know someone is going to ask, the stone comes from the Frostgrave: Ulterior Motives Red Herrings II pack.

Thursday 13 December 2018

Early Christmas Present!




Last weekend we put-up our Christmas tree, a modest, but pretty, five-foot fir. As my wife was winding around the lights, she pointed out that we didn’t have enough to cover it all. Remembering we had a second set, I got a chair and dug around in the back of the super-high shelf in the wardrobe. I found the box, but when I opened it, it wasn’t lights – it was so much better!

It contained three model trees, an unpainted genestealer primarch, and, most important of all, my Warhammer/Tomahawk model! (Warhammer if you are a Battletech fan; Tomakawk if you are for Robotech). I thought all of these things had been lost in the house move over a year ago!

The Warhammer model is one of my all-time favourite big, stompy robots, even if it is a rather cheap (though currently unavailable) Japanese import. I actually painted it up to serve as some heavy support for my 28mm models.

Anyway, I’m glad to have all of these things back, and the best gifts are the ones you don't expect. And, after a little more digging, I did find the rest of the Christmas lights as well.

[Members of my family may be reminded of the favourite family story from my childhood. One Christmas eve were hanging up our stockings when I discovered a small present in mine that had apparently been left, unopened and undiscovered, from the year before. I admit it, I’m a bit absent-minded from time to time…]

Wednesday 12 December 2018

Battlemaster



























I am continuing to slowly paint my way through the mechs in the new Battletech box set. Most recently I finished this 'Battlemaster'.  If I remember correctly, at one time, the Battlemaster was biggest/toughest mech in the game. These days, I think he has been surpassed by a few even tougher mechs, but, as you can see from the photo, he still stand pretty tall!

It's another lovely sculpt from the box, possibly my favourite.

Monday 10 December 2018

Spellcaster: The Frostgrave Magazine, Issue 4 (Now Available!)


Need a little more Frostgrave fun in the run up to Christmas? Well, here you go. Issue 4 of Spellcaster Magazine is now available!

This issue includes:
* 7 new 'Legendary Soldiers' that wizards can hire for their warbands
* A new solo scenario for Rangifer Warbands
* Rules for Critical Failures and Critical Success on Casting Rolls in Frostgrave
* A solo or co-operative scenario for Ghost Archipelago.
* 8 New Ulterior Motive cards for Ghost Archipelago.
* A 'Big-Game' Frostgrave scenario featuring frost giants.

Issue 4 can be purchased now on DriveThruRPGIt can be pre-ordered on Kindle, where it will be released on Friday.

We are working on the print-on-demand version, but this likely won’t be ready until the new year.

All back issue are still currently available.

On DriveThruRPG

And Kindle

Thursday 6 December 2018

The Dulwich Horror & Other Stories by David Hambling

I must admit, when I first came across The Dulwich Horror, I was wary. The title, being such an obvious play on H.P. Lovecraft’s famous ‘The Dunwich Horror’, put me in mind of the worst Lovecraft pastiches, and I’ve read enough of those in my life.

That said, the reviews were good, it had a forward by S.T. Joshi, who is no slouch when it comes to identifying good weird fiction, and the publisher PS Publishing tends to put out good stuff, so I decided to give it a go. I’m really glad I did.

As it turns out, ‘The Dulwich Horror’, which leads off the anthology is one of the best pieces of weird fiction I’ve read in a long time. It is Lovecraftian, but Hambling puts enough of his own spin on it to keep it from being pastiche. Partly this is achieved by the setting, 1927 London, and the characters, a bunch of newly-graduated Oxford intellectuals, and partly through his particular way of describing Cthulhu and other Great/Old/Ancient/Alien entities. He really managed to convince me that these creatures could be living just outside our reality, almost hiding in the cracks of our mathematics and science. Hambling is a skilful writer.

While it is true that none of the rest of the stories can quite live up to that first one, there is not a bad story in the lot. All of the stories are vaguely connected, but the book is at its best in the three stories that are connected by the central character of The Dulwich Horror. It is unusual to see reoccurring characters in true Mythos fiction (or obvious reasons), but again, Hambling pulls it off, and even provides a believable and unusual ending. In fact, I think the book could have just included those three tales, and I would have been just as happy.

It’s a good anthology and would stand proudly on any weird fiction collector’s shelf.

Wednesday 28 November 2018

The Frostgrave Tour of Tallinn, Estonia!


Have you ever wanted to play Frostgrave in an actual frozen medieval city? Well, now is your chance. I have teamed up with Geek Nation Tours for the first ever, Frostgrave Tour of Tallinn, Estonia! For those brave enough come along, we’ll be going to Estonia in the dead of winter to explore the frozen city of Tallinn, to walk through creepy forests at night, and to take part in a Viking re-enactment. We will also be eating some great food, visiting a spa, getting personal tours, and, of course – playing a LOT of Frostgrave!
            Now, if this seems a surprising turn of events – just imagine how I feel! About six years ago, I surprised my wife with tickets to Estonia, not realizing that Baltic States in the month of February are a little bit cold. As it turned out, it was an amazing trip, and incredibly inspiring. In fact, that trip went a long way to creating the Frozen City of Frostgrave in mind. I wrote about all of this in the introduction to the first Frostgrave fiction collection, Frostgrave: Tales of the Frozen City, and then didn’t give it a lot of thought.
            Then one day I got an email from Teras, owner and head-geek of Geek Nation Tours. Teras is a Frostgrave fan and a friend of Osprey Publishing, and we’ve had a chance to talk occasionally at shows. We even once got to play Frostgrave together in the epic Fury of the Frost Giants game at Adepticon! It turns out Teras had read the Tales of the Frozen City introduction, and it got a plan formulating in his mind. What if a group of people got together for a week of touring Tallinn and playing Frostgrave
            Well, in 2020, we are going to find out. Teras did a huge amount of research about the opportunities for fun and adventure in and around Tallinn, and, of course, he quizzed me about what I had done during my own exploration. He’s found a nice hotel, some great restaurants, and numerous cool experiences. He hasn’t skimped on the wargaming side either. He’s got mats and terrain to set-up in the hotel. He’s convinced me to write some new, specially-themed scenarios, and he’s even commissioned a unique miniature for tour participants based on a famous medieval Estonian alchemist!
            It’s going to be cold, so bring your boots and cold weather gear, but it is also going to be a unique adventure. I’m seriously looking forward to it, and hope some other people might join us! The trip is limited to just 15 places, though, so if you want in, book soon.
            You can find complete detail on the Geek Nation Tours website.

Monday 26 November 2018

Writing a Wargame: Idea to Publication


On Saturday, I'll be in London for Dragonmeet. If you have never been, this is a great little convention. It is mostly centred around role-playing, but has slowly expanded to cover some wargaming and board gaming as well. I have been for the past 7 or 8 years and it has been great to watch it grow.

This year, though, is going to be a first for me. For the first time, I will be running a seminar under the title ‘Writing a Wargame: Idea to Publication’. I’ll be drawing on my own experience from writing several wargames, including Frostgrave, Rangers of Shadow Deep, and Oathmark, but also from being closely involved in the publication process of numerous wargames from Osprey.

So, if you are attending Dragonmeet this week, please come and join me at noon in the seminar room!

Thursday 22 November 2018

Founder, Fighter, Saxon Queen: Aethelflaed

Books about figures from the Early Medieval or Dark Age periods of English history usually fall into one of two categories – a summary of the period in question with a specific name highlighted, or pure speculation. Interestingly, Founder, Fighter, Saxon Queen: Aethelflaed by Margaret C. Jones doesn’t really fall into either of these categories.

The first thing a reader is likely to notice about this book is that the main text is only 150 pages long. While this is pretty short for a book of this type, it is sort of a tacit acknowledgement that there is only so much that can be said about Aethelflaed, and I suspect, a stronger book for its short length.

For those not in the know, Aethelflaed was the daughter of Alfred the Great, and eventually became the de facto queen of Mercia (her exact position is complicated). In this position, she carried on her father’s work of fortifying towns, founding new towns, and slowly reclaiming the lands lost to the Danes. Despite her modern obscurity, the reconquest of England owes as much to her as it does to her more famous brother, Edward the Elder, and nephew, Aethelstan. I suspect this obscurity owes most to the fact that she doesn’t fit neatly into any line of succession.

Margaret C. Jones’ book covers all of the important facts about Aethelflaed’s life, such as can be gleaned from Anglo-Saxon and Irish sources, and covers her military, town-building, and diplomatic successes. More interestingly, it takes a solid look at what it meant to be a royal woman in this time period and how Aethelflaed broke all of those traditions. While there is plenty of speculation and guess-work as to the details, some of the key points are inescapable. Having never read a book that took this perspective, I must say I found it a delightfully refreshing take on the period.

The book also covers all of the monuments to Aethelflaed, all of the commemorative celebrations that have been held in her honour, and even all of her appearances in popular culture. That all of this can fit into just one chapter shows just how obscure Aethelflaed has become.

All-and-all, a short, interesting, and delightful read that offers a really refreshing view on a time period that is completely dominated by Alfred the Great.

Tuesday 20 November 2018

Rangers of Shadow Deep – Print on Demand is Live!


For those of you who have been waiting for a print copy of Rangers of Shadow Deep to be available – the wait is over!

You can now buy a copy of the print on demand addition at RPGNow!

For those of you who have already bought the PDF, I have emailed a discount code, so you can get it at a reduced price. If you have opted out of RPGNow emails, then get in touch and we will sort out the discount.

I admit it, it is pretty special to hold Rangers of Shadow Deep in my hands as a proper, on-paper, book!

[We are working on a hardback version of the book as well, but this is proving somewhat trickier. Watch this space.]

Note, this is also a good chance to pick up the print editions of Spellcaster Magazine 1, 2 and 3!

Friday 16 November 2018

Titans’ Bane – Audio Drama

Last week I was in Games Workshop in Canterbury. I had a £20 gift voucher in my pocket, but no current miniature needs. So, instead of picking up more plastic to throw on the unpainted pile, I picked up a copy of the new Titans’ Bane audio drama. Regular readers will know I’m a big fan of listening to audio dramas while I paint, although normally I go for Big Finish Doctor Who.

I had read about Titans’ Bane in White Dwarf, and the description had caught my fancy. According to the blurb, the entire story is set inside a super-heavy tank. I wondered if the author could really pull off a story with such a confined setting.

Having listened to it (while painting, of course), I can say it is darn enjoyable. The story doesn’t have a huge amount of plot, perhaps being that it is only 46 minutes long, but the story, combined with some good acting, good music, and overall terrific production, makes for a very entertaining listen. It really does invoke the grim and gritty 40K Universe, but from an angle that has rarely been covered.

Definitely worth a listen if you get the chance.

I also picked up Horus Hersey: Shattered Legions to finish off the gift voucher. Nice to have a book of short stories I can dip into now and then. Only ready about a third of it though, so I’m withholding judgement.

Thursday 15 November 2018

Look, a Clue!


One of the slightly unusual things about Rangers of Shadow Deep is that many of the scenarios call for the use of ‘clue markers’. In the book, I don’t really talk much about what these should be, and, in truth, it’s not really important. As long as you know what they are, anything will do. That said, gamers should view this as an opportunity!

Like a lot of tabletop gamers, I have a tendency to collect little bits of scenery for no better reason than they strike my fancy. I tell myself that I can use them as ‘scatter terrain’, but when it comes down to it, I hardly ever do. Instead, these little pieces tend to languish, unpainted, on the lead pile.

The need for clue markers is the perfect opportunity to pull out some of these neat little items and paint them up. For example, I received this great pack of ‘piles of skulls’ from Tiny Furniture awhile back. At the time, I had no specific need for piles of skulls, but they just looked cool. Well, now they often serve as (rather grim) clue markers during my Rangers of Shadow Deep games.  

As an aside, I can honestly say that all of the pieces I received from Tiny Furniture were wonderful. The resin casts and sculpts were of the highest quality. You do have to order them from Siberia (literally) so you’ll have to be patient, but they are worth the wait. They also produce perhaps my favourite set of treasure tokens.

So start digging through the bits box and lead pile and see what neat little things you have laying around that really need to get onto the table. Now you’ve got an excuse!

Also, I don't think I've showed off the Rogue companion for my Ranger. Well there he is. He's made using parts from the Frostgrave Soldiers box. As befits a Rogue, he doesn't look too tough, but he's ready to explore and find some clues!

Wednesday 14 November 2018

Itsy Bitsy vs. Incy Wincy


One of the best parts about fatherhood is that you can steal your children’s toys. For example, for Halloween my son was given a bag of plastic creepy-crawlies. Since the spiders were obvious choking hazards (and perfect for 28mm), I confiscated them. Of course, not wanting to make the world worse by adding more plastic to the landfill, I decided to recycle them.

I gave them each a very quick paint job, just a base and a couple of dry-brush layers, and they were ready to go. Considering they are poor quality, I didn’t spend much time on them, and they were essentially free, I think they look darn good.

These guys are going to be a constant menace in both Rangers of Shadow Deep and Frostgrave!

As for the title of the blog - did you know that the famous spider-up-the-water-spout nursery rhyme features a different spider depending on if you are in the US or the UK? Yup, he’s Itsy Bitsy in the US and Incy Wincy in the UK. How does that happen?

Monday 12 November 2018

Day of the Rangers by Leigh Neville

I can still remember, when I was seventeen, seeing film of the bodies of U.S. Soldiers being dragged through the streets of some rundown African city. At the time, I had no idea what it was all about, and being a typical self-centred teenager, I never bothered to find out, but the imagery has stuck with me.

I wouldn’t encounter the Battle of Mogadishu again until I was in my late twenties. One Saturday afternoon I rented a war movie called Black Hawk Down. Two thirds of the way through that film I realized that my hands were aching. I hadn’t realized it, but I had been gripping the side of the couch for at least twenty minutes. To this day, that film remains one of the best, most intense, pieces of cinema I have ever watched.

The movie led me to read the book on which it was based, Black Hawk Down by Mark Bowden, an excellent piece of war journalism.

Since then, I have maintained a real interest in the battle.

Well, a new definitive history has just been released. Day of the Rangers by Leigh Neville is an exceptional piece of military history. By drawing on the numerous written accounts, as well as extensive interviews with survivors, Leigh gives a very clear and concise account of the battle, mostly told through the words of the soldiers who fought it (Admittedly almost complete from the US perspective). While Leigh carefully guides the narrative and supplies any information the reader needs, he lets the soldiers speak whenever possible, and it brings an immediacy and an authenticity to the book that is impossible in most military histories. 

The book added significantly to my knowledge and understanding of the battle and has earned a permanent place in my library. It should definitely receive consideration for military history awards.

[Disclaimer: Although I no longer work on the military side of the company, I am an employee of Osprey Publishing, who published the book. Assume what bias you want, but I wouldn’t heap praise on the book unless it deserved it.]

Friday 2 November 2018

Rangers of Shadow Deep – Available Now!

A kingdom stands on the brink of destruction, as the vast realm called the Shadow Deep slowly swallows everything in its path. As the army fights to contain the tide of evil creatures teeming up out of the black clouds, the kingdom’s best soldiers, the rangers, must venture down into the shadows to gather information, rescue prisoners, and ambush enemy supply lines. It is a desperate fight against overwhelming odds, but every little victory brings another day of hope.
            Rangersof Shadow Deep is a solo and co-operative tabletop miniatures game, in which players create their ranger, gather companions, and play through a series of missions in their fight to hold back the darkness. If their rangers survive, they will grow in power and ability, and be sent on more difficult, dangerous and intricate assignments.
            This book also includes the first supplement for the game, Burning Light. In this mission, the rangers must venture to a ruined convent, searching for an ancient artefact. As they choose what order to explore the ruins, and thus the order in which scenarios are played, they must gather clues to the artefact’s location. But they must be quick, for the longer they remain, the more the forces of the Shadow Deep become aware of their presence.

By the creator of Frostgrave and Ghost Archipelago.

Now available as a PDF from RPGNow.

If you want to keep up with all the latest news for Rangers of Shadow Deep and share photos, stories, rules questions, etc. then join the Rangers of Shadow Deep Facebook group



Thursday 1 November 2018

Eye Demons in Frostgrave


The wild magic that swirls around the Frozen City often opens cracks to other planes of existence, and occasionally something truly horrific slips through. Although they are extremely rare, the monsters dubbed ‘Eye Demons’ are some of the most dangerous and feared of all extra-planar entities.
            All eye demons have the following demonic attributes (as found in Frostgrave: Forgotten Pacts): Demonic Strength, Levitation, Magic Sink, Mind Lock, Petrifying Stare, True Sight, Two Heads.
            Eye demons are all spellcasters. Every eye demons knows three spells: Elemental Bolt, and two more, rolled randomly on the table below. The casting number for each spell is 6. Whenever an eye demon activates, it automatically attempts to cast all three of its spells as one action if there are targets in line of sight. It will cast these spells even if it is in combat and does not have to roll randomly for the target of any shooting attacks generated. It will cast Elemental Bolt at the closest warband member in line of sight. It will cast its second spell at the second closest warband member in line of sight, and its third spell at the third closest. If there are less than three legitimate targets, it will start over with the closest. Eye demons never suffer any damage from failing to cast spells, but they may not empower them either.
            Castings these spells counts as the demon’s first action. Eye demons follow this priority order.
1.     Cast spells if a warband member is in line of sight. Use second action to fight if in combat, or move directly away from nearest warband member if not in combat.
2.     If no warband members are in line of sight, make a random move. If a warband member is now in line of sight, use second action to cast spells. Otherwise, end activation.
            A wizard receives +25 experience points if a member of his warband kills and eye demon.


Move
Fight
Shoot
Armour
Will
Health
Notes
Eye Demon
5
+5
+0
12
+8
24
Elemental Bolt (6), Spell II (6), Spell III (6), Demonic Strength, Levitation, Magi Sink, Mind Lock, Petrifying Stare, True Sight, Two Heads

Eye Demon Random Spell Table
d20 Roll
Spell
1-2
Blinding Light
3-4
Curse
5-6
Glow
7-8
Mind Control (target becomes an uncontrolled creature)
9-10
Petrify
11-12
Push
13-14
Reveal Death
15-16
Slow
17-18
Steal Health
19-20
Strike Dead



Wednesday 31 October 2018

Warriors of Alladore


Gearing up for the release of Rangers of Shadow Deep (hopefully a matter of days), I have painted up a couple more warriors of Alladore. I don’t need these guys for my ranger’s companions, but there are a couple of scenarios where you essentially have allies.

Plus, I just wanted to finish off my first sprue of Oathmark humans. Sometimes, it is nice to paint understated fantasy figures, wearing simple armour without too may accoutrements or detail.

[Blogger really doesn't like my spelling of 'accoutrements', but I can't figure out why. Usually, its because I've used a British spelling, but I think this is the only spelling of accoutrements. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.]

Tuesday 30 October 2018

That time Little John killed me

A couple of weeks ago, I went back to Oxford for Osprey Publishing's 50th anniversary party. The company has been such a major part of my life over the last decade-plus, that I didn't want to miss it.

I arrived in Oxford in the morning. This gave me the chance to meet up with Phil Smith (Head of Osprey Games), Nick Eyre (owner of North Star Military Figures) and Dan Falconbridge (owner/editor of Wargames Illustrated). We had a drink in the Eagle & Child, lunch at another pub, and the went over to the Bodleian Library for their temporary Tolkien exhibit. It’s was a great little exhibit, especially for the cost (free). The highlights were seeing a few pages of Tolkien’s scrawled Middle-earth writings, lots of his original artworks, and, of course, his recently discovered annotated map of Middle-earth. The exhibit has now closed, but considering its popularity, I suspect it will be back. 

At the party that evening, I got to catch-up with lots of old friends, Osprey colleagues both past and present. I also chatted with some of the authors and illustrators that have helped make Osprey great. Most notably, I got to speak to two artists that I’ve had the chance to work with closely in the past. I had a long chat with Mark Stacey who illustrated the Steampunk Soldiers and Steampunk Soldiers: The American Frontier books that I wrote with Phil Smith. I also got the chance to speak with my old buddy, Peter Dennis. I’ve worked with Peter Dennis on a lot of projects, including my books Dragonslayers and The Story of Santa Claus.

At the party, Peter asked me if people ever recognized me from the Perry Miniatures' ‘American Civil War Infantry Box’. I said ‘no’, but that I did get the occasional comment about appearing in Robin Hood…

Several years ago, when I was the commissioning editor for Osprey’s Myths and Legend series, I commissioned Peter to illustrate the book we were doing on Robin Hood. In one of the stories, Little John infiltrates Nottingham castle and ends up in a fight with the cook and a porter. When Peter came to illustrate the piece, I discovered that I had been cast in the role of the cook and that Phil Smith had become the porter. Little John seems to be played by Peter himself!

It’s not the most flattering depiction of either Phil or myself, but it is all the more wonderful for that.

A few days after the party, I received a package from Peter containing the original artwork! (It's not the first time I've seen Peter's generous nature.) There is not a lot of open wall space in my little office to hang paintings, but something else is going to have to give way! (Especially since my wife has already made it clear that it will not be going up in the lounge – for reasons not clearly expressed).

Thanks Peter. It’s a great memory of a fun time. I hope that we have the chance to work together again some day!