[Paint it Pink]

Try ground pepper?

Or, diatomaceous earth.

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Very nice, but I have to ask why Balsa wood bases? Only because it perplexes me. It was probably what you had to hand. I don’t know.

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MustPlayThat wrote:

[snip]I know people really enjoy modeling, but it should be optional NOT nessasary[sic].

You asked, why is modeling and painting part of the hobby?

It isn’t, unless you want to do miniature tabletop wargaming and are prepared to limit yourself to those games that have pre-painted and assembled models. For example, Star Wars X-wing.

For historical wargames, you can probably source WW2 models in diecast form, and cheap 54mm painted toy soldiers too.

So, the ‘why’ here is more about why in my chosen period and scale do I have to deal with making and painting an army?

The answer is, the period and scale you want to play does not have commercial support to support pre-painted models.

Bottom line, despite what you think, historical wargaming is a niche hobby.

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Only anecdotal, but when I was a child aged between 5 and 7 IIRC, my grandmother use to be a cleaning lady. She took me out out say with her on a job, and a house we visited in Falmouth, had doors so narrow that even I as a child was surprised. Not only that, but low too. By that I mean my grandmother was barely five foot tall and the door wasn’t much taller than her.

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Very nice work.

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Truls Engebakken-Fjell wrote:

Since my wargaming hobby has taken a back(far back) seat to my simming hobby, [snip]

I’ve listened to about Vietnam Huey pilots, the insane control and dramatic stuff they’ve done. It’s just pure extreme skill flying. So in the end I couldn’t resist anymore and needed the Rubicon Huey. really far above my skill level to make.  [snip]

I’m not that happy with the build, but I am quite happy with the paint job, had to buy a new high end airbrush as my cheap one broke after just 2 tank paintings. So here it is.

From just looking at the pictures, I have to challenge “really far above my skill level to make,” because it looks lovely. I would be very happy with how this turned out if I had made it.

Just saying, don’t put yourself down.

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John D Salt wrote:

madman wrote:

I do not like having orders in a game.

is probably not an uncommon attitude. I find it weird, as I would have thought that giving orders is the essential function of whatever commander the wargamer is pretending to be; but I suppose not everyone holds the “commander’s boots” view of how wargaming should work. (big snip)

This part of the post bugged me, so I had to go away and think through what that was.

And again I find myself repeating, watch out for your assumptions.

My assumptions for order is very 20&21st Century focused.

So for me, orders mean a five paragraph SMEAC: Situation; Mission; Execution; Administration/Logistics; Command/Signal.

Which in my little world of toy soldiers [madness] would really work well for defining the scenario.

What little world experience I have of leading people in MilSims that once you’re out in the woods, orders are pretty much shouts to do this or that to fulfill the mission.

Examples might include marking an RV point, setting up a base of fire, assaulting a position, or change from column to a patrol wedge or whatever.

So, sitting at a table and writing orders for what would be verbal commands to do rehearsed movements seems a bit too much like taking the fun out of the game.

I realize, that this is my assumptions of what level I’m playing a game, but even in older periods, the amount of orders a commander could effectively issue were rather limited.

Or so I’m led to believe.

Happy to be educated in things I don’t understand.

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Well, done. Getting the first draft written is a major part of the job. Now on to editing and play testing.

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John D Salt wrote:

I will grudgingly concede that there might be a good deal of interest in modelling the autonomy aspect of drones. A lot of wargamers will hate being deprived of control over assets that behave autonomously. Real generals seem to think the same way, which is why the campaign against killer robots (to the surprise of the campaign’s founders) enjoys (or enjoyed last time I looked) considerable support from the military.  [big snip]

I notice that it’s now seventy years since Robert Sheckley wrote “Watchbird”: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/29579/29579-h/29579-h.htm All the best, John.

Classic story. I agree, but with caveats.

Sheckley doesn’t take into account entropy. His birds are not only fully autonomous, but can work for unfeasibly long periods without refueling and maintenance.

This is a problem that one can see in lots of SF. Travel to the stars at slower than light speeds takes years, and yes I know Voyager has been going for forty odd years and is still transmitting, but it’s on its last legs. Nothing works forever.

But back to wargaming.

Yes, the trick is replicating AI as a set of rules that are fun to play. It’s the latter problem that is the killer.

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John D Salt wrote:

I find it hard to see why any special rules should be needed to cover drones. What makes a drone a drone is the fact that it does not carry a pilot (either it is piloted remotely, or it is autonomous and does without altogether). [big snip]

Other than those marginal cases, I don’t see how dronitude is interesting.

List:

• Recce drones are just like recce aircraft, because they are recce aircraft. [snip]
• Observation drones are just like AOPs [snip]
• Armed drones are just like armed aircraft [snip]
• Suicide drones are just like guided missiles [snip]
• Airborne relay drones are just like other airborne relays [snip]

Drones may come in smaller sizes than other aircraft, because you don’t need to fit a pilot in, so they may be harder to spot, and issued at lower tactical levels.

John.

A late reply to this post, as I had thoughts, and as I write near future SF stories with drones etc, I thought this gave me a good enough excuse to to spout some nonsense!?

I mostly agree with John’s assessment, but only mostly.

I think drones are proving that dronitude is interesting, without wanting to get into it in deptht while the Ukraine thing is ongoing.

It’s at the smaller end of the scale where I think the fun and excitement begins, where fun and excitement is, “Look up, incoming drones, oh my god, oh my god, we’re all going to die!”

The US Marines are testing micro drones, which are small like birds and DARPA has played with insect sized drones too. Now, the problem with small drones is that they are:

1. Small and easily buffeted by wind.
2. Small with a limited range.
3. Only only carry a small payload.

But there very small size is also an advantage. Especially when deployed as autonomous swarms using a targeting algorithm.

Here’s a link to a YouTube, and yes I know, but think outside the box, not ready now, but in the near future.

I mention autonomous combat drones in my first novel Bad Dog, first book in the Gate Walker trilogy, as an event that occurs during the 2nd American Civil War that leads to banning fully autonomous drones.

The second book has another event arising from unintended consequences of updating algorithms to do more things.

The third book features drones being used to ambush an attacker.

So yes, I have opinions. They’re probably wrong, but they are at least interesting. Trying to tie them all into the rules I’m working on is also interesting, as in how to make the game fun to play.

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Mike Headden wrote:

Paint it Pink wrote:

PS: Funny you should ask, as I’m noodling this for the rules I’m working on, a near future SF game based on Chain-of-Command. I think I’ve already upset Rich by declaring that I threw out the buckets of D6 in favour of paired dice to determine hit and effect in a clever little mechanism, even if I say so myself.

Colour me intrigued!

I will post something when it is ready. It could be some time…

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[Paint it Pink]

It all depends on what you want the game to do? Assumptions people! It’s all about assumptions. They get you everytime.

My assumption would be that drones are an effect. Events that influence the game that players can call upon. YMMV.

PS: Funny you should ask, as I’m noodling this for the rules I’m working on, a near future SF game based on Chain-of-Command. I think I’ve already upset Rich by declaring that I threw out the buckets of D6 in favour of paired dice to determine hit and effect in a clever little mechanism, even if I say so myself.

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MartinR wrote:

Ultra tactical combat (which for me is anything below company level) is a wild and wooly affair, so by unit for me. Tbh, I think it is actually one if the hardest things to simulate in a Wargame, as so much is down to psychological reactions and limited knowledge and I’m continually baffled by its popularity as a Wargames subject! Battalions are far more predictable. I suppose 1:1 type stuff is more relatable.

The fact that Battalions are far more predictable is why it is not as interesting as the wild and woolly world of tactical combat.

But, I agree, it is the hardest thing to simulate with a wargame.

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[Paint it Pink]

I’d would think that the obvious choice would be Chain of Command.

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Assumptions, people!

It’s all about assumptions.

We assume that others know and or share our assumptions.

When we discover – shock, horror, probe – that they don’t, then we end up we a long exchange of opinions that often talk past each other.

I have spoken (just to demonstrate I’m up with the current zeitgeist)

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The peanut gallery says that logistics win wars…

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Make the AAR fun to read. It’s like telling a story, but the best bits version with none of the kissing etc. 😉

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By the standards of this forums community I probably class as a Star Wars fan. I watched the original movie every week on its first release in Britain. Matinee prices were good for students back then. I counted that by the time of the sequel I’d already watched the first film over 20 times.

So, I’ve pretty much watched everything,; good, bad, and indifferent.

Andor is great, the Mandalorian too. If you like animation then the Bad Batch and Rebels are both well worth watching, as is the Clone Wars, where much of the best stories are, but with so many episodes some are a bit indifferent. YMMV.

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Ivan Sorensen wrote:

Cheers folks. I’m back. I took a long hard break from a lot of things on the internet while evaluating my life, how I wanted to spend it, what the internet did (and did not) mean for me and so forth. Changed a bunch of stuff around, got healthier habits. Time to come back here as well. Looking forward to chatting with you guys and sharing some neat things. Sorry for leaving unannounced and being weird.

I must confess to not noticing your absence, but there again I’ve been shielding for health reasons, and everything has just been a bit too much to cope with.

So, bimbling along only to find out now you’ve been gone is a bit of a shock.

Glad you’ve sorted some shit out. That always helps.

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[Paint it Pink]

And I’ve finished, except for varnishing (waiting for warmer weather to spray), my MARPACE suits (Marine Corps Power Armor Combat Enhancement suit) infantry platoon;  using 15mm Clear Horizon Epsilon exoskeleton models.

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Don’t know if this will help, but here’s the Abe Books search result.

And the Alibris result.

Hope that helps.

 

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MartinR wrote:

I often think Norton and McAfee function much like malware themselves. I was head of systems support and development at a large organisation, and we binned them years ago on the Windows Estate.

I concur. Norton and McAfee are a solution worse than the problem

As for Blogger being somehow a platform of scum and villainy, I would say that’s a matter of perspective. I use blogger for all my blogs and as for WordPress it to has its’ issues.

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I filled in my answer, but I’m not your target audience because I think these are too twee for my taste. However, I hope that they meet the needs for those players looking for eye catching markers.

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Mike,

The walkers are modified Heavy Gear Caprician mecha. All plastic, I just assembled them my way, or wrong if you prefer? 😉

Here’s the links to the conversions on my blog:

Page 1

Page 2

Page 3

Page 4

Just in case you want to know more?

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Some power armor infantry to go with my walkers.

And the walker now painted, but awaiting decals.

And 39 years after their acquisition a long time ago from a hobby store on Yonge St, Toronto, my Martian Metals K’Kree.

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[Paint it Pink]

Since this thread has gotten all philosophical this might apply:

PS: Centurion is the most British tank of WW2, because it was too late to do any good, which is just so British.

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I came across (as in I follow this blog) discussing the problems with the rings of power.

Collections: Why Rings of Power’s Middle Earth Feels Flat

A lot to chew over here, as would be expected from a historian and classicist.

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Yeah, speaking as a retired mental health professional, a lot of what I did as part of my job would be very uninteresting in a game. Just saying. If one wanted to make it interesting for a player, then it would need to be magic, or for an SF setting some sort of super science.

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I’m going to leave a comment on your blog, but great looking game, enriched by the narrative. Top marks.

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[Paint it Pink]

If it were me… I’d use Chain-of-Command or Through the Mud and the Blood, both by TooFatLardies.

There are several articles in their magazine issue about converting Chain-of-Command to WW1 Mud & Blood.

Or, if you’re very brave, one could ask me to send you a copy of my SF conversion for Chain-of-Command.

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Deleted User wrote:

The olf RAFM stuff looks great. I wonder why the newer Blitz stuff don’t lok as good.

I suspect that because they’re smaller, different compromises have to be made to make the model sturdy enough to be handled.

That, and I understand that the smaller gears have been revised since the original RAFM sculpts first for the original blitz, and then again after feedback.

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Well, after getting these six years ago or thereabouts, I’ve finally remembered to start painting my Dream Pod 9 Caprice walkers.

Of course, all of them have been modified, as is my wont, and will be used as Russian combat armour/mecha in my own setting.

I’ve also finished three jump-off points.

And, just waiting for decals to arrive to finish these old RAFM mecha.

Haven’t I been busy!?

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Cool… 3mm, so about 6 to 8mm tall depending on assumptions about what 3mm means as a scale ratio.

Nice.

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[Paint it Pink]

Super nice models to brighten the day of any lovers of Keith Laumer’s Bolo’s, or fans of Steve Jackson’s Ogre/GEV games.

Or for that matter, those who might want to run Heavy Gear landships on the world of Terra Nova.

Outstanding quality castings too.

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Mike Headden wrote:

I guess I basically wrote what I’d want to read.

You have seen the way. Welcome to the world of writing stories. 🙂

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[Paint it Pink]

They look great.

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I would point you back to reviews of season one of The Expanse, like here. In particular this quote:

“Ultimately, The Expanse is hard science fiction and everything from the dialogue to the background of the locales and all the way through to the political system are explored in a lot of detail. So much so, it can make for some tough watching at times as the show threatens to fall into a confusing mess. As the characters discuss events or overdo the expository dialogue, it can make it difficult to follow all the different areas and characters in such a short space of time. Its not a deal breaker, but it does make The Expanse a show that requires quite a bit of intense watching to understand all the nuances and intricate relationships between the factions. that could turn some people away.”

So, I recall the first three episodes as being a bit slow. Episode four ramped up the pace, and the rest as they say, is history. My own review of The Expanse in 2017 is here.

Therefore, I stand by my observation that RoP starts slow, but ramps up. Not as effectively as The Expanse, but that show had the advantage that the authors were producing the show, had written the novels, and probably had a better handle on how to translate their story from one medium to another. YMMV.

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[Paint it Pink]

Loved seeing these on Twitter, and now here, where the pictures are bigger and clearer. Lovely work, awe inspiring… almost, but not quite*, making me want to build some ships.

*Down to the realization that realistically I don’t have enough time, hours in the day to do so. I take forever and a day to finish what I do manage to make. And I’m not getting any younger.

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[Paint it Pink]

RoP is not for everyone. That’s okay. I liked it for what it was, epic fantasy without an excess of grimdark.

People who complain about any aspect of the show might want to understand that not everything will appeal. Doesn’t make it bad, just not your cup of tea.

As a writer, this series seemed to me a bit like the TV show The Expanse, which viewers complained were slow. The show really picks up at episode four.

By comparison to say, Korean drama we’ve been watching recently, RoP races along. People habituate to forms of story presentation, which makes it difficult to accommodate to everyone’s expectations.

I’m glad they went this route, rather than trying to deliver a story that hits the current zeitgeist. YMMV.

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[Paint it Pink]

Nice blog you got there…

I didn’t spoil it by commenting to lower property values… 😉

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