Happy Christmas, And What Have You Done?

I have borrowed from John Lennon for the title and with good reason. I can't imagine having packed more into 2015! There have been so many opportunities to help make the world a better place to be in, I wouldn't know where to begin listing the triumphs. However, posting game reports hasn't been a priority. This blog has been sitting quietly since October!

Despite many commitments, gaming night continued, although not always on a Monday. The last three sessions of 2015 were D&D (and it was Advanced!), with the players making their way further into the depths of the Vault of the Drow, conquering minions of the Queen of the Demonweb Pits as they delved. Likewise, I have done my best to reduce the pile of unpainted lead and increase the ranks of miniatures ready for the gaming table. I will post some photos of these to share over the holidays.

In 2016 I begin a new role as Bishop's Youth Ministry Coordinator for the Waikato (Anglican Diocese). I am expecting a year of unlimited awesome, helping create opportunities for young people to have fun by giving them the guidance and time to learn new skills, empathy for each other and to grow confident in their abilities. To help them appreciate the gifts they have and how much God loves them.

As I enjoy time with my family at the beach, I hope that whomever reads this humble blog is blessed with an amazing 2016.

See you in the New Year!

Dwarf Lords of Legend + 40k Squats

Warhammer Dwarfs. 

Here is my painting table from last Saturday. As you can see it's a dwarf party, with Warhammer Lords of Legend and 40k Squats. These are classic Citadel miniatures and full of character. The tartan may prove to be a challenge. I especially like the dwarf musician (front row second from the left), with his shoulder mounted boom box.

God bless you and have an awesome weekend.

PTS 100 + 40k Lamenters + Chaos Space Marines

Adventure Time! 

Here is Painting Table Saturday 100. I didn't begin at number 1. My first post for PTS being number 15 back in February 2014. I would like to thank Sofie for letting me join the community which has inspired me to keep painting and also share my miniature hobby with the world at large. I continue to enjoy painting, a pastime that began with a Grenadier blister pack of three Fantasy Lord fighters in the 1980's.

I have given some Chaos Space Marines new helmets, gathered from some Chaos Knights. The Lamenters are now done. They were a challenge. The original paint job by Jamie (the previous owner) was great, especially the chequy. I would have left them untouched if it weren't for a suggestion from Lewis to give them Jet Packs. An Ebay purchase supplied them with some old metal packs, already painted yellow. A different yellow to the marines power armour. Some subtle washes with Army Painter soft tone and highlighting with Flash Git yellow helped make the upgrade look more natural.

I changed some poses, added a skull here and an arm there, as well as repainting minor details on the armour. Plastic miniatures are easy to convert. However, with the new metal Jet Packs making the space marines top-heavy, washers were required to help balance them. One of them needed lead 'rocks'.

Level One.

God be with you and have a blessed week.

Dave Arneson Day + Dungeons and Dragons

Dave Arneson Day, 1st October, 2015.

It seems like a lifetime ago now but back in the 1980's I experienced my first game of Dungeons & Dragons. The red box edition. Before that my adventures had been solo quests through Fighting Fantasy game books.

Although I would soon move onto Advanced Dungeons & Dragons and a host of other role-playing games, that red box was the beginning of  it all. It is also the game I come back to enjoy time and time again. In recent years I have come to acknowledge just how important this game has been not only in my life but also in the world I live in.

Often when credit has been given to Gary Gygax for the creation of Dungeons & Dragons, Dave Arneson is carelessly, or carefully, overlooked or omitted. All my research suggests that D&D would not have been created without Dave Arneson. Indeed his contributions are the foundations of the role-playing games we play today.

Dave Arneson 

So I raise a toast to Dave Arneson, grandfather of fantasy role-playing games and later co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons.

PTS 97-99 + Hero Quest + Space Crusade

A distinguished gentleman + Ducati.

At last, Painting Table Saturday episode 97 (98 and 99). It has been a month to remember, with struggles and triumphs. There hasn't been a lot of painting though!

As an ambassador for Blue September, I have been to various fundraising events as a speaker, mc or performing with my blues band. This year's campaign was amazing. I am always inspired by the people I meet during Blue September.

Marti Wong with Sagittarius. 

Yet another inspiration was seeing my friend Marti prepare for an art exhibition. It opens on the 1st of October and he was working long hours to make the deadline. Marti is a keen gamer (mainly Warhammer 40k) and a fine musician.

Marti's workbench.

His exhibition of metal sculptures is called Mythologica and is much like a D&D monster manual, with fantastic creatures. There is a centaur and a minotaur, even a dragon! Steel work is exhausting and I am sure October will include a well deserved rest.

Karl and I used to 'hurry up and wait'
on film sets back in the day. 

A first time life experience was the Crossfit Masters at Dynamite Onehunga. It was a day of personal bests! Mainly because I had never competed in anything like it. A day of unexpected pain and joy. An awesome event. The atmosphere was that of a music festival but with healthy food. I met a few old friends and made some new ones.

Training for the Crossfit Masters was made more difficult because I was also battling the flu. I'm not sure if I have ever been so sick for so long. This made my day job (teaching music) hard also. Around four weeks with three different phases of sickness. I felt for my family and many in the local community, as they came down with the flu too. I am happy to be in good health again!

After a great gig at MOTAT for the Distinguished Gentlemen's Ride I caught up with my cousin Aaron during his sound check at The Kings Arms, the last date of his Nation of the State Aotearoa Tour 2015. If you haven't heard of AHORIBUZZ then do a Google and get your freak on.

So what of my painting table? For the last few weeks it has mostly been gathering dust. This partial neglect hasn't been all bad. After all, it's not as though my life is lacking creative expression. I do enjoy the quiet peace that comes with painting though, so expect some photos for Painting Table 100.

However, it wouldn't be a Painting Table Saturday post without some miniatures to look at, so here are a few photos from the last few weeks. Oh, thanks also go to Lewis for the gift of Space Crusade. More miniatures to paint!

God bless you and have an awesome day!