Heroquest - the best thing about it.

Balin the Dwarf contemplating his next move, while Sophia the Sorceress considers her Spell cards. 

One of the pleasures of children is sharing something that you enjoy with them and watching them enjoy it too.  I came into a copy of Heroquest last year and have been biding my time at introducing the Kinchlets to it.  I've always had a soft spot for the game and I'm aware that it's recently been re-released, but the new edition has left me cold.  

I really enjoyed the setting of the Old World in Warhammer of the original and I didn't care much for the World of Warcraft stylings of the new figures, so it made sense to stick to the edition of the game that I played as a youngster. 

The adventurers quickly split up

We've played the first few quests and this is our third game.  The kids have gotten into the rhythm of the game well and are enjoying it.  Though I like to think that my extremely hammy reading of the introductory text of each quest doesn't hurt. 

My Orks, of course, talk like a ultra-violent Dick Van Dyke.  The trick is to stick your lower jaw out and yell things like "Oi you gits!" with appropriate amounts of gusto. 

Orks

I have a bit of an allergy to playing with unpainted figures.  I've been slowly painting my set using the tutorials from Miguel at Rush the Wash.

But by the same token, it would a poor father who refused to play just because the figures weren't finished.  It's amusing how little children care about such things. 

Sophia the Sorceress has bitten off rather more than she can chew

This was an interesting game. It was quest number three - Lair of the Ork Warlord.  This is a follow on from the previous game we played The Rescue of Sir Ragnar.  Sir Ragnar had been kidnapped by the Ulag the Ork Warlord and the heroes have been sent to put a stop to his evil schemes. 

It was also the first game we played where the Kinchlets lost. 

Slinging spells like Billy-oh - Sophia fights for her life. 

Sophia the Sorceress got rather cocky and was running around the board attracting the attention of many monsters, but didn't take the time to take care of the ones she activated. The kids also got separated which meant that they were surrounded.  Sophia the Sorceress who had started the game being very cautious with her spells was slinging them with gay abandon by the end, but it wasn't enough to get her out of trouble. 

The Ork Warlord Ulag is struck down

She did manage to use a spell to take out the Ork Warlord Ulag, but got greedy and went to check his treasure room rather than immediately running for her life.  Meanwhile Balin the Dwarf who was valiantly trying to hold off a horde of nasties took a big hit from a Chaos Warrior.  Reduced to one Body Point he made a run for the stairs. 

The result was the first game that the kids lost and there was a certain amount of tears and disbelief.   I really enjoy sharing games with them, but I think it's important that they realise that the contest is in fact a real contest.  After some big hugs and a chocolate digestive, we agreed to try again another day. 

A Mixed Bag

Something grey and stoney

I am blessed with some truly remarkable and extremely generous friends.  I'm currently running a game of Rangers of Shadowdeep for some pals at the moment and game requires a few ruins for them to explore.  My friend Siskey was kind enough to use his 3D printer to run up a few.  The result were very impressive.  

Something a bit more Mediterranean

I painted these using tan colour as a base and then adding a bit of variety to the stonework with a mixture of brown, greys and other tans.  Interestingly though the two buildings look quite different the only actual difference is that I put a black wash on one and a burnt umber wash on the other.  

I'm quite happy with the results, though I think I prefer the more Mediterranean looking burnt umber wash myself. It's such a change from the usual grey fantasy stone. 

Another view

The top lifts off

Positively Maltese

I've always quite fancied going to Malta. It looks beautiful in pictures and there's lots of history to look at it.  I'd imagine the food it pretty good too.  

Painting these more Mediterranean looking building did put me in mind of Malta.  I think these could do with just one more drybrush as a highlight, but I'm really pleased with them.  

I tried making a couple of washes up from recipes I found on the internet, but when I tested them out on the building they didn't look quite right.  In the end I settled on a mix of Daler Rowney Burnt Umber Ink mixed 50/50 with Matte Medium and the resultant mixture diluted about 50/50 with water.  

The result ran into the pointing of the stonework in a very satisfactory manner and I intend to do the rest of the buildings with it. 

Wargaming with the Kinchlets

The Kinchlets are much taken with space at the moment.  We can recite all the planets in the solar system and have just about figured out the concept of the Universe, Galaxy and Solar System and how each fits inside the other. 

They also wanted to play a game with some of Daddy's toys, so I pulled out the mat and ships from Richard Borg's Space Alert.  The game was simple.  The Kinchlets were given some ships.  They were allowed set them up anyway they liked. They were allowed two shots per turn and could  flick a counter any of their ship at their opponents. Any ship hit was removed.  Each ship could move two hexes before shooting, if they wished.  

The result is a fun, bloody little game that at least gets them used to the business of taking turns and winning and losing.  It's also less likely to drive Daddy to distraction than Snakes & Ladders. 

Strelets Chasseurs tangle with Zvesda Guard Cossacks

I wrote a piece on wargaming in 1/72 and why it is a good idea for the most recent issue of Miniature Wargames.  While taking some shots for the piece, I had a few left over and I thought you might like to see a few.  These are Strelets Chasseurs of the Guard facing off against Zvesda Cossacks of the Guard. 

A bold officer

I really love the animation of the Zvesda figures,  they have a bounce and lightness to them that is hard to find elsewhere.  I really must get some Napoleonics on the table sharpish.