Liebster Award, and some Chaos.

This weeks blog update is a little different. I have been fortunate to have been twice awarded a Liebster Awards, first by Chico ( http://oldhammeronabudget.blogspot.co.uk/ ) , and secondly by Thantsants ( http://teasgettingcold.blogspot.co.uk/ ).

The Liebster Award seems to be a mix of an award for people who like a blog and chain letter. I NEVER pass on chain letters, but this seems less a chain letter and more like fun and an excuse for bloggers to plug each others blogs and to say a little about themselves.

Apart from the Liebster award, I have done a tiny amount of painting due to doing lots of overtime at work. I have however been sorting out my old World Eater Army, with photographs at the end of this update.

Enjoy :)

I found the Logo!

So without much further ado here are first Chicos questions and my answers, and then Thantsants. 

Chico: 

1. How long have you been in this wonderful (Read: geeky) hobby?

   -Since 1986, so 28 years! 
  1985 if you include collecting and painting  1/72 scale plastic Napoleonics.

2. Relating to the hobby what have you daydreamed about most?

- Probably the Slann and the pre - 4^th Edition background of Lustria

3. Out of every game system which gets you most excited?

Warhammer 2^nd Edition.  

4. How much do you love me?

 I love your Squat miniatures better. ;)  

5. Favourite White Dwarf number?

White Dwarf #94 because of the Skirmish on Rynn's World: The Battle of Jadeberry Hill scenario. It was the follow on from the Battle at the Farm in the Rogue Trader Rulebook, and still had that early Rogue Trader feel to it. 
White Dwarf #96 is a close second due to the Slann Army. The series of White Dwarf articles on the Space Marine Founding Legions  during the early 2000’s were great as well. 

6. Are you going to the Oldhammer Weekend?

Looking doubtful at the moment  :(

7. Favourite adult beverage?

Merlot. Counts towards your 5-a - day (probably).

8. Have you been to Warhammer World?

No.

9. What do you love about Oldhammer/Retro Gaming?

The link with the older miniatures ranges and background.  Nostalgia for the 1980’s gaming and my teenage years.  Better flowing games that are more flexible that aren’t all about the big monsters or a combination of magical items, all being reduced to a soulless mathematical exercise (‘Mathhammer’  was a phrase used sometime ago) which sucks the life out of the narrative and the charm of games.

10. How much have you spent on your hobby in the last 5 years?

I would dread to think. Probably more than I should have, but not enough as I have let some e-bay auctions get away.

11. Why do you read my Blog, Oldhammer on a Budget?

Painting, collecting, and quirky blog posts. I like the Squats too. 
 

Thantsants:

  1 .   What's your favourite Warhammer (or other) rules set and why?   

      Warhammer 2^nd Edition. Controversial perhaps given the awesomeness of 3^rd, but I prefer the feel and simplier nature of 2^nd Edition. It was the Edition I started off playing first, and I like the more basic feel. I was never a great fan of the 5 levels of Heroes/Wizards in 3^rd edition, and with 2nd  Edition the games seemed to be more troop rather than hero and magical weapons based.  I also like that almost ad-hoc feel to 2nd Edition especially the artwork, some of which were of the minatures produced by Citadel, including the Great Goblins/Gnolls.

 2.      What provisions have you made for your lead pile in your will (if any)? 

      None.  Not sure I should state it if I do, otherwise I might have to deal with hordes of Level 25 Dark Elf Assassins with Frostblades at my door sent by Oldhammer gamers! ;) 

 3.      What's your greatest wargaming bargain/trade/acquisition? 
      The Lost and the Damned Book for £5 in a charity shop! Second to that the Forces of Fantasy supplement from another charity shop for £1.

 4.      What's your best war story - on or off the gaming table?  
      About 5 years ago, playing 40k,  2,000 point armies. I was using Imperial Guard versus an arrogant Tau player whom I reduced almost to tears (not kidding). All his super-duper Battlesuits that popped out from behind ruins and fled back after shooting were not safe from my many mortars and three basilisks. Adding insult to injury I concentrated my heavy weapons fire on his small Fire Warrior squads thus destroying all his Markerlights.  I then charged at him with over 100 Infantry as my Sentinels appeared at his rear killing the Broadsides. I wiped him out.

 5.      LARPING - is it right?

Yes, I know a few LARP-ers and  it’s their from of escapism. It’s creative, and they LARP-ers get out in the fresh air and take a lot of great care in preparing for the weekends. The LARP-ers I know spend a lot of time and imagination in a very social gathering.  Some LARP-ers can get too obsessed, but that maybe more down to the psychology of the individual rather then the activity. Personally I don’t LARP. 

 6.      What attracted you to the hobby in the first place?

 I was bored one summers day in 1985 so went to my local Toy Shop ‘Gamleys’ and my attention was caught by the 1/72 scale ESCI plastic Napoleonics (I had watched ‘Waterloo’ on TV and loved the history). I bought some and started painting (with Humbrols!). In 1986 a friend of mine swapped a few Citadel miniatures for some of my old LEGO. Ralph Bashski’s Lord of the Rings had also peaked my interest in fantasy gaming and so I started collecting some Citadel and Grenadier miniatures, mainly Undead and Orcs. Also randomly for my birthday in 1986 my uncle had bought me the MERP Roleplaying game.

I was lucky in that I started a Saturday job in my parents shop by my 13^th birthday in March 1987, and so had a disposable income of £7.50 per week, plus any after-school/summer holidays overtime money. This meant at least three £2.50 or £1.95 blister packs per week for a number of years during the 'Golden era'. :)

 7.      What keeps you in the hobby now?

In too deep!! LOL  And Goblins of course.  Also recently with focus from doing the blog it is the fun of revisiting old miniatures and re-sparking my imagination with it all again, as well as collectiong and painting some really nice current miniatures.

 8.      If money/time/skill was no object, what setting/story/movie/etc would you most like to game?

I would love to paint up a big 28mm Aztec army, but it would take a very long time. I would also like to do a current Horus Heresy Forgeworld army. 
I am looking into starting my own miniatures company and sculpting. I already have some ideas for ranges, and I am just trying to organise the time to make a start.  

 9.      Is everything better with Dinosaurs?

Not everything, but they add an interesting edge. As I live in Brighton and Hove, so the Herring Gulls here are not far off being flying Raptors.

 10.  What was your worst gaming/painting/modellingdisaster?

I converted up a couple of dozen Mordians with head swaps and backpacks to create veteran models, but they looked terrible and had to repair and reconvert them. I dropped my Regiment of Renown Flying Gargoyles of Barda a little while ago, and need to glue back the wings and add new flying bases. I  haven’t been able to face it yet.

I sold my Epic Space Marine collection in the 1990’s which I really regret now. Huge collection with 20 odd Compaines of Infantry, several companies of Land Raiders, lots of Rhinos/Vindicators/bike/speeders/Robots etc.  Been considering re-starting it. 

 11.  What is best in life?

I think Thantsants nailed it with this choice. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oo9buo9Mtos

Or failing that, Goblins of course :)

 Next, according to Google and other peoples blogs I am to plug somewhere between 5 and 11 other blogs. It was differcult not to find people who I follow who have'nt already recieved the award! 

By the way, has anyone else noticed that since the Liebster award started, the number of questions etc have gone up from 5 to 11, and 11 of course being the number of Malal the insane god of Chaos?  

Here are some cool blogs which I don't think have had the award yet, sorry if I have missed anyone's particular blog out but I can only post 11 blogs links:

 http://themasterworkguild.blogspot.co.uk/

 http://leadplague.blogspot.co.uk/

 http://bluesmarauders.blogspot.co.uk/

 http://realmofchaos80s.blogspot.co.uk/

 http://classicastartes.blogspot.co.uk/

 http://belchedfromthedepths.blogspot.co.uk/

 http://eldritchepistles.blogspot.co.uk/

 http://wyvernwrangler.blogspot.co.uk/

 http://realmofcitadel.blogspot.co.uk/

 http://port-imperiale.blogspot.co.uk/

 http://insosworld.blogspot.co.uk/

At this point I should supply 11 questions to answer, however I am not very good at that sort of thing. So, to the bloggers mentioned, if you want just pick 10 of the questions from above, with the following question: What is your favourite miniature or minatures range? 
Feel free to answer or ignore the questions and award, I won't be offended :) 

Now, Khorne..... 

About 15 years ago I collected a World Eater Army of Khorne for 40k gaming. It was fun to play and quite succesful, but I have not used it in a long time. I have a very funny gaming recollection of confusing a Tyranid player by charging at his army! 

 After looking at my current edition armies (Warhammer and 40k) I decided to re-visit this army. This week I have reorganised the army from 5 squads of 8 marines to 6 squads of 10, plus one Chosen squad of 10, by adding bits from a my bits box, and by cannablising a couple of old Chaos Marine squads I had. In addition I have replaced the most of the Khorne horned helmets, which I never liked, and replaced 12 of the static looking pre-multi part box set plastic Khornate marines which looked dull. 

I plan to re/paint the army, probably in a darker red, so it is ready to use again. At least that was the plan, but according to the GW website they are about to release yet another new edition of 40k. To be honest, I am not sure I can be bothered with it anymore. I am not paying £50 for a rulebook, nor that I am fussed about waiting to e-bay a cheaper version of the rules from the next misson boxset they release. Also I have found that a lot of contempary gaming and gamers to be very over competative. I shall consider if I will paint the army this week or not.

 The Army, 71 Khornate Marines, a Dreadnought/Hellbrute, and Defiler. I have another Dreadnought I can add and some bikers once I sort out an armylist.

 Lord on Juggernought, and the old metal Icon Bearer.

 Three of the old 1990's metal Khorne Marines, to be used as Chosen.

 Three of the same for the same purpose.

 Plastic Marines, now without the Khornate helmets. The horned helms never looked good to me, and the idea was ruined when someone suggested they looked like rabbit ears. :(

 Some of the plastic squad leaders with power gloves and still keeping their horned helmets.  

The other option for the week. 

If I get disillusioned I plan to re-visit my Rogue Trader Emperor's Children army. 

Now Slaves to Darkness and Rogue Trader armies were unusual in thier opitions. Marine Officers could choose to roll on weapon charts to arm themselves, including a Heavy Weapons chart...

 ... so with that in mind I chose a Lieutenant, rolled on the chart, got a 73- Heavy Plasma Gun. I then assembled and painted up a Emperors Children Marine to reprsent him. 

I have gone for a slightly darker purple base of Citadel Screamer Pink on black undercoat, and a much lighter pink highlight using Valejo Rose Pink. 

I wanted to make the tubes and detailing, including the eye, the same colour as the plasma from the gun.

 Rear view. 

I used one of the 'newer' style backpacks first released in the 1990 Space Marine Strike Force boxset.

 Two Marines I painted up at the same time as the Lieutenant. 

As well as the change in the purple/pink hue for the armour, I plan to paint more black, gold, and other colours on the marines to break up the monotone block of the purple/pink armour.I also gave all three model a light purple ink wash.

Not sure on the basing, might go for a better type of urban, or use the Citadel Armageddon Dust.

Chaos: Now available from Waitrose as a dessert! :) 

Again, no idea what the next blog update will be on. I have lost a little of my focus for projects at the moment with the overtime at work, but have set my mind to focus for this week for sure. :)  

BTW the legal bit: the GW and Waitrose pictures belong to the respective compaines.