My Collection of "Games in a Box"

There seems to be a definite trend of companies producing "games in a box" that can be expanded on, as adverse to producing a line of figures you have to then "go get" a set of rules for. Warlord Games are very adept at this. To be fair it means you do "get a basic game" that at least can be played if you bother learn the rules .. with expansion sets galore that tempt you to burn the cheque book (and that phrase certainly dates me). I recently reviewed my collection of "untouched" and "partially touched" box sets and I had more than I thought (see below, my lit of crimes of passion .. a sucker for classy "box art" and the concept of a "period covered" tick-in-the-box - well at least I have not fallen [yet] for the kick-starter trip, but it is  only a matter of time!):

Black Seas "Master and Commander": again a curious scale choice not fitting in with other manufacturers figure ranges but I thought for "small squadron" actions of frigates and the like, it therefore had a place of its own in the market - although I am not a big "Squadron Man" for these rules, set seeing the price of the squadron and also the temptation I have to detail sailing ships [not that you have to - but I know what I am like] put me off. Better still, the rumour is that the rules "hold their own" which is "double plus good" in 1984 speak" something that does not seem to be true sadly for another Warlord naval offering .. Cruel Seas which comes later (see below, anyone for a bit of Hornblower? I am waiting for a small but beautiful ship painting phase in my life to germinate this set):

Judge Dredd "I Am The Law": This was a must for me - just for painting the figures themselves, and yes I was one of the many happy suckers who had more money than sense and could not resist the Judge Dredd expansion box, despite its price [£15] (see below, memories come flooding back from that classic 2000AD Comic look of my childhood, bring on "Block War" and "Judge Death"):

Test of Honour: I was so determined to get this and so I did; no matter how long it stays under the bed gathering dust I am still happy. I know at a point in time in the future I will have a - "Samurai Phase" all wargamers do! I think it is triggered in the genes or by the environment - perhaps a change of diet will "trigger it" and I get a katakana urge (see below, the original box set, and I have several packs of the basic plastic troop types by Warlord too, though none of the expensive metal sets):

Cruel Seas: A beautiful model range, a great areans [The English Channel] with apparently brilliant extension capability through the likes of 3D printing and large scale plastic merchant ships and 1/350 Destroyers [Tamiya etc] - sadly I fear the rules are letting it down as it craves for a simple, elegant but effective "hidden movement" or "spotting" system, maybe a 'solo' gaming extension of house rules might come to the rescue? (see below, and I am sure somebody [as mad wargaming friend] is actually thinking of getting a cruiser on table):

SPQR: Which I must confess I bought because of the start-up bundle being so full of figures on that cost alone made it worth while. The game system has seemingly fallen by the wayside but I cannot make a personal comment as although I have broken the seal I have as yet not played it (see below, a Warlord Games special, full of Gauls and 28mm Caesarian Romans - note small, war band sized!):

Mortal Gods: I pretend to be a committed 15mm large battles ancients man [large DBM sized Greeks and Persians army in the loft, with the intention of going up to Alexander the Great and his Macedonians in DBM (note size - I don't play those rules anymore); then to Roman in DBA through its many Republican to Imperial Phases]. Other people have tempted me to move to 28mm wholesale for Greeks/Persians for Imperus I/II [but apart from a small (ahem) Imperial Roman Army of Warlord in 28mm that was a bargain and the various Warlord Roman sprue sale packs I invest in] but I am totally resisting the "army switch in focus" [who am I kidding here, I am collecting Britons and Gauls?] but I do like the idea of painting 28mm figures. Therefore I could happily raise a warband or two of various miscellaneous Ancients. So this is my "sound reasoning (?) in getting Mortal Gods" .. an excuse to buy a sub-army size 28mm selection of figures of various historical themes that I will simply enjoy painting (see below, it may even have the scope for a bit of RPG work too - if your head hurts after reading that paragraph don't worry and just move on):

Terminator: Science Fiction fun based on "The Terminator" series of films - say no more. Generic killer robots and resistance fighters of the future - what is not to like (see below, I think I will get the kids to paint these up one day!):

40K Aeronautic Imperialis: I see it as "Korea War" jets with a "Space Theme" and forget about teh link to 40K. I have no plans to but anything other than the basic box, enjoy painting stuff u in a wacky fashion. Play the rules and see if there is any borrow-able mechanisms for historical air combat rules and "let-it-be" at that (see below, a classic GW throwaway game in a box - hit and miss but generally worth it with teh amount of kit if bought separately, especially when you get it discounted from your local hobby shop):

And I am sure is there will be more temptation yet to come in 2020 .. so far I have resisted the Blood Red Skies(BRS)  - partly as the figure range was 1/200 instead of 1/144 but that might be a serious "miss" on my part (although I do have a copy of the FREE Warlord Games rules and have played several good games with my wargaming friends collections) and "The Gangs of Rome" (interior city politics in ancient times which ends up in brutality and stabbings) - which did not (yet) appeal to me?

AI and a Dark Future?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-50166357

Popular culture seems to be turning against Big Data and the Statisticians!

20mm BTR-80 Repair Job

"I tried not to scream" but this thing (BTR-80) fell from a very great height. I was getting from my the loft space a BTR-80 for a RPG session that 'my eldest son and friends were playing'. This in itself caused a lot of excitement for me, as it had started out as a Dungeons and Dragons session but then I was told it was really a "modern day RPG" session that needed tanks and stuff. I had already given them orcs, snotlings and wizards but as soon as they said they needed tanks I thought "that's my boy" and was up in the loft rummaging in my "20mm moderns". Sadly the hand-off between GM and myself, me in the loft and him on on the ladder, went awry and the BTR-80 fell (tumbling) down two flights of stairs - shattering and coming apart in a myriad of pieces on teh hard flooring. Externally I did not swear - internally is another matter. Thankfully "keen young eyes" managed pretty much to spy all the little pieces and I let them play on with a T-80 instead - much to the groans of the players and GM's delight (see below, these Del Prado die cast kits are cool as "instant" models but do suffer from sensitive wheel parts/suspension breaking. Two of the wheels had to get "milliput support"):

I thought .. "In for a penny, in for a pound" (see below, this should 99% be hidden in normal play so rather than having another wheel drop off, it seemed sensible that all eight got the 'milliput treatment'):

The final restoration job complete. As an extra touch I might "black/brown wash" the underside when the milliput sets (see below, lookout kids that T-80 tank now has some Mechanised Infantry in an APC as support):

It might be time to paint up some WARSAW PACT 20mm plastic troops as they happily "made-do" with my Platoon 20, WWII British Infantry and WWII German Revell Panzer Grenadiers! Perhaps the Terminator "resistance rebels" from the Warlord Games 28mm Terminator Game might be better for them!

Sci-Fi Birthday (Sale) Present to Myself

I am now the age Julius Caesar made his end run on the Roman Empire. Instead I took the opportunity to acquire some random Sci-Fi stuff from the Warlord Games in their "flash sale". What stood out was the The Terminator Game. RRP of £70 was reduced to £10 which was good even just for the generic models inside (10 terminators + 5 half destroyed Terminator "crawlers" + sixteen resistance fighters and a metal O'Connor Leader figure; I actually bought another Terminator sprue to get another 2 terminators and another crawler because you cannot have enough of them). Dice (two D&D standard dice sets), counters, playing mat and 128 page game system were essentially free. Absurdly good value at £10 but back at £70 seems a push IMHO - something for the 'Arnie' fan club. The chunky chap to the bottom right is called a Ghar Bomber - different Sci-Fi genre but for £1 a sprue I thought I would take a lucky dip - I wish I had taken a few more as they retail at £20 for three and as a standard Sci-Fi "robot baddie" they fit the bill nicely (although I am tempted to head swap for something more robotic, aka from the GW Tau spares I have). [Note to self and tip to others: The Google search term "How to make a Ghar Bomber" for make-me instructional assembly videos brings back scary unexpected search results!] Whats not to like for £12? (see below):

In addition I have a spur of four "modern" fighters that look they can fit into the above Science Fiction range or be good for Osprey's "Black Ops" (Modern Special Ops) or "Rogue Trader" (Sci-Fi) rules. There was also a random Pike and Shot ECW Command Sprue (£1) and ECW Parliamentarian/Royalist Flags (£2); then three normal soldiers and one command sprue of Roman Praetorian Guard (£4). I think I came off the big winner here as if you tally up the RRP! Crazy prices. Plenty of winter painting ahead.

PS: Waiting for the Pirates of Nasseau Board-game which was another lucky dip (£5) instead of RRP of £30! Still waiting for that to arrive.