Contemplating Gaming... A Different Perspective - Making A Generic Workshop

I've mainly come at 'the hobby' from a 'traditional' viewpoint.  The minis are plastic, metal (blerk) or resin (blerk blerk) works of artistic sculpture, the terrain is impromptu miniature dioramas,  etc.

However, I'm also relatively opened minded and don't think there's only one way to hobby.  I appreciate paper (character) minis and terrain, computers are another expressions of it from a different perspective, 3d prints are an amazing new approach, store-bought cast minis etc.   aka...  it's all valid.

Recently I bought the 'space station zero' (SSZ) rules which is a model agnostic game system, and I wanted to run some lite-test games in order to play around with/learn the rules.

Aaaand,  I did not want to pull out my 40k minis for... reasons. 

'Space Station Zero' is more or less analogous to the 40k blackstone fortress game based on watching some bat reps etc.   It contains a pretty decent (simple/quick but diverse enough) combat process, and a good way of working out dice resolved situations/tests.

What I was interested in doing was subbing in Lego minis and terrain rather than shelling out to create a whole new bespoke, single-purpose mini set and terrain.

Why Lego?   Because you can easily swap a gun for a sword, or a scanner or other equipment. You cannot do this with trad minis (magnetising is painful and I don't like it).

The equipment side of things in 'space station zero' is mainly non-granular;  you can arm fighters with 'a side arm', or 'a melee weapon' as well as some equally generic advanced gubbins.  Further, unlike even simpler rulesets like OPR,  SSZ is SUPER simple on the crunch.  So having trad models with a variety of weaponry is conceptually overkill.  Lego on the other hand seemed to embrace the super basic approach.

Which made me wonder... why... don't.... we use Lego... to represent ALL of the miniature wargaming experience?   If not for testing out rule sets, as well as just... for all of it.

I decided there is not a great reason.

Minis are super cool or course, I like them.  But there's the building and painting them to your specifications and they're specifically looking like the 'universe' they're meant to come from.  but... ... ... so what?

Lego as a tool seems a great way of trying out a game  in my opinion.  Customisable in terms of wysiwig on a high level.  i.e you can put different weapons or scanners or armour etc on them without a great deal of effort.

You can even, if so inclined, paint them as you want... they're your toys, so do what you want with them.

The ONLY issue I can see from a technical perspective is that minifigs are inclined to line up with pips beneath their feet. I will be putting all the minifigs on 3x2 pip bases for stability as they're a bit tippy just by themselves (analogous of course to bases on 'trad' minis).  I will still being doing the testing etc on a flat table anyway.

By contrast to this simplicity, I have many Necromunda models, each with their own wysiwyg weapons etc, that represent exactly the stats of the loadouts etc.  This is quite a lot of models and I don't use many of them in any given game.  It is nice to have the options but it was a lot of work, time etc to build up this selection of options... and then not to use them frequently (or at all in some cases).  I guess the 'issue' i was having with real models is that they're too fancy, too specific - they're posed and painted to be unique and beautiful rather than utilitarian. You can't have a horde of them without looking 'mono-pose' (to an extent of course).

So... I got myself some Lego and put together a [rolls eyes] gaming 'workshop' box.

And then I ran a quick test battle using just the basic combat stuff from SSZ.  No scenarios, just extracting out the fighting aspect and placing one quick objective.  And my gut feel is that it worked damn well.  I had one side with more numerous but worse fighters, and one side with fewer but better fighters.  An objective in the middle that the more numerous soldiers had to 'shut down' (reaction test stats - a simple 3x reaction successes).

Generic terrain is a cinch to assemble. And limited only to the bricks you have, time you have, and the could-be-bothered that you have.  I wouldn't mind making some full (but small) building structures, but I'm not going all out on this concept - there will NOT be a full table sized, cityscape of structures.  But as demonstrated, basic barricades and/or ruins and/or rubble is super easy...

Similarly, the objective was more of the same...

I am not a fan of the franchise shown here (for reasons I won't bother explaining) but there is a glut of Lego sets for this setting available at the moment, and I treat the minifigs as 'generic space soldiers'... with sidearms.  You can tell the factions apart (blues and whites) and you can easily see what equipment they're carrying.

Anyway, that's what I've been experimenting with recently.  Decades later and I'm back to playing Legos. Wish I'd thought of this way possibility back in the day.

I'm enjoying the prospect of exploring SSZ in more depth now that I've resolved or scratched the generic setting itch.  It's something I can use to trial more rulesets should I find something tasty.

A little blurb on SSZ...

You have ship classes that your fighters come from, and different fighter types.  These have pros/cons, boons/deficiencies for facilitating completing the system's  'Challenges' which are about exploring the Station.  You progress from Challenge to Challenge going deeper into the space station, gaining experience etc  which is very much analogous to the Blackstone concept.

My other purpose...

While this exploration is interesting, I'm always on the lookout for a rule system that provides THE most quick, simple, unambiguous combat and play constraints that can be used for all models (model agnostic).  And this one is shaping up as pretty good.

Playing around Later...

I have... extracted the combat aspects of the system and run a couple of Skirmish games.  Still working it out a bit, but over all it was a relatively fun experience, and quick, and simple.... beauty!

I did have objectives set on this but only just cos. Whites were probably better with 7 including a leader. Blues were still a little overpowered with 5 and a leader.  Probably would have been better with 4 blues (plus leader).

Having heavy/weapons and leader variants made for a little difference/nuance to the combat experience.

A bit more to work on but it's a good experiment and I see great promise in the system.

Some short time later...

I've now extracted all the combat basics and got all the mechanics down and smooth.  The result is a quick/light-weight skirmish system and gets a battle story done in no time... in a good way.

There is movement, there is combat, there is tactics, there is purpose/impetus, there is narrative, there is no looking up tonnes of stats and referring back to the rules/army lists.  it just fricken flows.

Last night I ran a basic battle with a totally non-wargamer friend and we got through the game in possibly less than 3/4 hour.  They had 4 blues and I had 8 whites.  I had objectives and they had to stop me. I played the objectives and had (for what it was worth) a victory by activating two minor objectives.  This 3/4 hour included them learning the game mechanics from scratch and included; movement, combat, objectives, retaining, turn precedence... basically all the bits that all skirmish games contain.  We didn't add heavy/veteran/medOfficer but those are all stat'd out for use next time.

I am VERY impressed with this game's mechanics.  It is probably going to remain on my playlist as a quick and easy way of scratching the roll-some-dice itch.

Until next time...

OPR - 28mm new stuff

playing OPR in campaigns at the club i realized/discovered that the forces/armies i have have a number of deficits.  Specifically, i like and have collected infantry largely rather than tanks or big units. 

to make them a big more functional/versatile i had a list of other units i wanted to add to my forces.  this was always a project for the future.

at cancon i had a walk through the bring n buy and found a bunch of cheaper 2nd hands stuff. suffice to say i picked up some this and that, and got actually most of the units i'd hoped to add.  there was not the whole range of things i had on my list but i feel i'd picked up enough.

this is most of them with new base coat...

this is all of them (sans termis) done. yhay...

there are some fleshhounds that will supplement the bloodletters i have.  i don't want to go full out khorne demons, but it's nice to have two options.

two custodes jetbikes to add to the very small number of infantry i have.  probably not enough for a full-strength OPR  but probably enough for skirmish.

a few extra tyranid ripper swarms... kinda just before.

a ridgerunner vehicle for the necromunda/opr inquisitor crew i've got.  this is more narrative than particularly usable.

and two chaos spawn that i picked up ages ago and never got around to putting together and painting. doneski.

there is also a set of 5 chaos terminators which are just black undercoated at the moment.

the termis and rippers i had to paint strip.  not why the termi's aren't done... but they're next up.

all the others are now boxable. again, yhay!

hobby project for a change :D

until next time...

Bestest Buddy

back in 2011 we met a little entity known as 'mango's pup', and on the drive home with this kicking and squirming little fuzz ball this little chap got the name Rosa.

We'd decided that our current pooch Bella needed a buddy to hang out and play with, and... Rosa was that buddy.

 

Involved in everything, even when asleep...

And the sweetest, most genuine puppy face that always drew notice and a comment.

Rosa, like all borders, was a bundle of energy.  Although she absolutely hates water  (beach, river, bath... anything bigger than a water bowl) was happy to roll in the mud and look incredibly pleased with herself.

Suffice to say that Bella disliked Rosa, and Rosa luuuuuved Bella. Many a half assed 'grrrrrr' from Bella (a very introverted little chap) but when we weren't watching we noticed they got along. Funny lil beings.

Two beautiful girls, though chalk and cheese in personalities...

While Bella wasn't exactly 'clingy' she was happy to plonk down beside you and share space. Rosa on the other hand would get up and move if you sat down beside her (little b....  :D)  after giving you a look.

But on a(n extremely rare) occasion she'd want some attention and come over for a pat or for a scritch-scratch on her tail.

Rosa was a SUPER fluffy dude.  Her coat had some of everything from neat n tidy, to fluffy, to flat, to curly, to fuzzy, to woolly, and big fluffy bouffance pantaloons (fuzzy back legs).

In this pics the girls would hang out... on opposite ends of their sofa, but there's enough room for everyone.

Rose was always... well frankly, a little piggy wig and would hoe into Bella's tucker if she left it unattended.

And she loved chomping on a carrot or anything interesting...  ooooooh lamb shanks, YES PLEASE!!

On one occasion we went to a zoo and saw a wombat display and I was shocked at the similarities between Rosa's chonky rear profile and the wombat!

She knew what she liked.

And did I mention, stubborn (if funny)...

[a story...]

when she was young she did 'something naughty' and tried running past me when i was rousing at her, she hit the brick doorway and put a big cut over her eye... of course my heart melted... poor thing, what have you done dumb dumb!!  "i'm running!!"

In 20... 20  or there abouts Rosa had a medical 'event'. One day I noticed her 'dragging' herself around in the garage.  We took her to a vet, thence the major vet hospital and found that a disk had popped in her back, blocked her nerves and paralyzed her back legs and tail.

I was distraught and had no idea what to do but my partner (thank you) was adamant that we'd do all we could to fix it.  And for that i'm truly grateful.

So scans, surgery and a bunch of professional care later we'd got back a shaved, scarred and barely waddling/limping poodle back.

an aside:  i always called her a 'poodle' because she pooped so much (yep gross)... cos she ate so damn much... cos she was a little piggy (did i mention)  :D

[an aside...]

rosa would scarf down her own dinner then try to hoe into bella's tucker.  so i'd shut the garage door and take rosa out the front for an amble to leave bella in some peace and quiet to dine in her own time  = post-dinner rituals and funny times.

anywho, so because she was a stubborn lil b and we were told to make her take it easy, she immediately jumped up onto the couch (her couch)... and so i got her a playpen to stop her doing stupid things [doggy jail!! oh noooooooo!!].

i was happy to sleep downstairs and look after her during her recovery and on the nice days take her out to the backyard for some fresh air, some grass, and blue sky.  a bit of nature cures everything, no?

water therapy was obviously a minor nightmare that we forced her through (the trauma!!). but she got a really stylish blue terry-towelling number from the experience. and she eventually she got her mobility back which was suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuch a blessing (and an extra 5+ year of cheer).

even in the hospital she was a bright and positive soul.  [i don't know why i'm here but i'm going to kick it's ass and get through it. always. love ya. yhay!]

i started working from home (even before covid) and my secretary helped me out so much... 

we went for many breakie walks and there was always a hefty Rosa tax...

and even during covid we would sit out the out the back of the local cafe and it felt like the secretary and i kept the cafe afloat. [bacon! is! my! favourite!]

during this time i got 'winter pink nose'  which appears to do nothing but make my nose pink...

and i abided in unlimited patience... ... ... [sigh, you humans]

so fast forward to 2025... we've been through... a lot.  beautiful Bella had passed during this period.

suffice so say that i firmly believe that this lil champion saved my life. i was exceptionally low and my responsibility more than anything to this little soul kept me keeping on when i did felt i could not.

i loved making birthday cakes for her, layers of mince with egg, bacon and cheese, candles of carrot sticks with cheese flames. the small things maybe, hahaha...

didn't stop her trying to inhale the whole things.  my lil lamb ALWAYS loved her tucker.

my mum took these pics of my buddy during the last couple of years. always a beautiful girl.

over the last few months/weeks her mobility deteriorated rapidly.  she walked soooo slowly when we went for smellabouts... then took soooo long to get herself standing (did i mention also sooooo very stubborn... i'll get there god damn it)...  then her front end started collapsing...

:(

but she was in an environment where she was loved and hung out in a super green backyard, blue skies, frequent pats and chats...  we love you buddy.

last night she could not pick herself up and ended up dragging herself around again during the night, and i'll save the details but her back end wasn't capable of doing what the front end required.... [deepest of sighs]

we went to the vet and he (a very kind soul, as are all vets i've encountered are) said we can keep her keeping on to an extent for 'weeks to months'...

[sigh]

then last night at 3:30, after spending a day sitting by her side and chatting to her almost constantly (rosa falsetto:  'please shut up'),  i picked her up and carried her to my car.

we went to the vet (another different but empathetic vet) and the vet said (paraphrase) "she'd not looking good."

...

...

i took my buddy. my best friend, and the person who got me through some dark days, to the place of her journey's end.

she trusted me to get her through the pain and complications of life...

and i said "yes, she needs to pass on."

...

twice i've said that... it does not get easier.  it gets harder.

...

i had my hand under her head as it slumped the last time. i had my hand on her ribs as it stopped moving up and down.  i had her fuzzy body against my tee shirt and felt her body heat start to dissipate.

i felt... so guilty, so inadequate... to someone who had helped me to carry on no matter what.  someone who had loved me unconditionally, though i always gave her some bacon (the rosa tax) for her efforts.

i have never done something so hard as what i had agree to there, to my best friend. to say (regardless of tear) yes, go ahead. 

i can rationalize, that her limited mobility and existential fret was unconscionable...

...

...

i would give her sunrise after sunrise...  steak night after steak night...  limitless walkies...  as many pats and scratches as she could possibly bear. 

but...

her time was concluded as time moves forward for all of us.  her anxiety and discomfort swayed my decision and i hope she realised my words and decisions were made from a position of love. 

without question the hardest thing i've ever had to do in my life. bar none. 

bar none.  i will not expand.

i loved this little soul unconditionally. as much as any soul i've very met.

[my jack nicholson impersonation, hahahaha] 

thank you rosa posa.

i am numb with your passing. my tears seem unlimited.  that you are no longer here amongst us with your happy demeanour.

i had an acquaintance say they could never do this again... and i understand so completely.  dogs are... capable of projecting and inducing profound love.

i feel i have let you down. but know i loved you soooo much. my bestest buddy.  you made my life so much better. thank you. soooo much gratitude my fuzzy lil one.

good bye rosa posa. love you. love you.

side story (post-bella):  during covid we went for daily walks to a local cafe. we'd sit out the back and eat egg and bacon rolls. good times.

associated story:  this same cafe (post covid) got a new owner.  they had the best hamburger i've ever had.  NOTE THAT DOWN cos i keep a list.  anyways, we often went for breakie walks, and got pancakes with bacon... no prize for guessing where the bacon went.  similarly, if i got a meatball sub i ended up with a salad roll.

09/01/2011   -   23/02/2025

nowhere near long enough lil friend.

Hobby - Wood Work - Fairbairn Sykes

Recently I learned something.  It was something I wasn't expecting to learn and it showed me that;  a) sometimes things aren't always as they instinctively feel they should be,  b) people of yore did know what they were doing,  c) sometimes physically dealing with an object or place is invaluable to your perception.

nebulous?  you betcha.

So in my recent spate of woodworking events I had cut out three blanks for yari tips.  I made up one of them as documented in a prior post, and I pretty much swore off making up the other two.

I decided for an unknown reason that I wouldn't mind making one up as a modern fighting knife.  My teacher here has a wood bowie knife that someone whipped up for him.  Not a huge fan of that style myself but I do happen to like these instead...

The Fairbairn Skyes dagger/fighting knife as made famous by the WWII Brit Commandos.

With that in mind I quickly chopped down a yari blank and started shaping...

No way that thing's turning into a yari tip now!

I didn't have a specific methodology planned, but it wasn't difficult to rough out a silhouette, then the topology.

Bada bing, bada boom one Fairbairn Sykes 'tanto' ready for training.  It's not perfect by any means but it's an arts and crafts project just for the sake of it, and turned out as good as I had hoped for.

I found dimensions/lengths on the interwebs and freehanded an approximation of the shape onto the blank. While I really like the blade shape of this dagger, I was less sure about the handle shape, preferring a more cylindrically/fat shape like the usa M7 bayonette.  But I'd committed to the project and it turned out relatively FS in spirit, though chunkier because it's wood obviously.

Anyways, so this lead to my revelation. I had assumed that the round, quite thin/tapered handle might be... somewhat unwieldy, or hard to get a solid, locking grip.  At least from my default position dealing with sageo wrapped tsuka (handles) in the Japanese style it seemed very spartan.

With the piece done I spent a while just carrying it around, handling it and working out how it worked. Turns out that the design is quite cunning.

In my experience with Japanese blade weapons we generally grip the handle strongly with the ring and pinky fingers, leaving the middle and pointer fingers to direct and nuance the blade,  i.e. we do not grip it like a hammer.  The shape of the FS dagger thins down right where the strong fingers wrap around, which I thought was really cool - well done Fairbairn... or Sykes... whoever did the handle.

The top fingers can adjust above, and the thumb can either wrap around for a 'slashing' grip, or press against the guard for a 'thrusting' grip.  If I have to make one critique the handle is like 1/2 an inch shorter than is ideally comfortable for my hand (it was made matching the specs for blade and overall length) but it is still a very functional fit.

Similarly when the dagger is taken in the 'reverse' or 'dagger' grip the index finger and thumb can tightly wrap the end of the dagger - the other fingers less tight. This would help minimize the change of the hand sliding along the handle and thence the fingers up onto the blade. Bloody brilliant.

So there you go.  If I'd not made the physical item I'd still be thinking, "I like it, but the handle looks dumb."

Until next time...

Hobby - Wood Work - Mon

Just a really quick something something...

All of the wooden weapons I've made have my symbol/icon/signature on them.

For recent pieces I've just engraved it on the item itself.  In prior eras I embedded a chit in the handle and engraved on that... just cos.

This symbol is referred to as a 'Mon' in (historical) Japanese culture.

Mine is a simple/stylized ant, and my workshop name is 'shiro-ari' or white ant - in probably mangled Japanese.

I chose this because my technique is largely centred around the sanding or gradual scraping or grinding of the piece to get the shape.   Unlike many wood techniques that do more planing or cutting (there's a difference).  I end up with a lot of wood dust... like a white ant  hahaha.

That's it.

Until next time...