Hobby Progress September update,

Hello and Welcome back, 

It's time for my hobby Progress update for September.

During September, I began trying to catch up on my blog posts. I have them drafted but I still need to get the pictures taken. I have to wait until the cats are asleep. As the weather cools they want to go out less. One of them is really, really interested in everything I do, making a nuisance of himself. 

I finished the Alien for this months @billmakingstuff's alien challenge. I ended up making a space slug. It has been pointed out that it has a Futurama feel to it. But I like it. 

The tallies for September are:

Figures finished* = 0 (total 7) *Figures that needed bases finishing from 2024

Figures painted = 10 (total so far 120)

Figures reworked = 4 (total so far 13)

Vehicles finished = 0 (total so far 1)

Vehicles reworked = 0

Figures bought/arrived = 5 (total so far 71)

Vehicles bought = 0

Paint wise I have got a random selection of figures painted. The Colonists for Skirm and Alien Zoology expedition team are assembled and being painted. Here is a few figures I got painted, which will pop up in future blog posts.

I am still waiting on that Heresy order. I meant to email Andy but I keep getting sidetracked. I ordered a further 5 metal figures inspired by the drawings in the old 40K book by BMT3D. I couldnt ignore this set as it contains a few figures of my favourite drawings in the 40k RT book. These are usually limited runs so are worth collecting. 

The next part of my 5 Parsecs from home campaign is ready to play. I just need to find a hour or so to get the crew of the Problem Child into more trouble. Cats permitting...One of them loves rolling around on the game board. Would it shock you to discover that it is the same cat that is mentioned above? 

Thats all for now.

Thanks for reading and take care out there.

Trollbot

Hello and Welcome Back,

Ready to face another danger of space hulk exploring? 

During the early days of the old Earth Empire, space vessels were equipped with basic security bots to help protect vessel from hostile intruders (pirates, space bugs etc) and mutiny. These bots were nicknamed Trollbots due to their patrol patterns and habit of attacking crew not wearing their ID chips. 

Due to the complexity of space vessels back in the early days of humanity’s space expansion, vessels would often go missing. Meteorite strikes, systems failures, plague, space madness and incompetence were often the reasons for vessel loss. The Troll bots are sometimes still active on some of these ancient hulks, waking when their proximity alarms are tiggered. Salvage crews and explorers when exploring these ancient hulks often encounter the hulking shape of a Troll bot stomping out of the dark. 

Trollbots can also be found in the abandoned space stations and bases that litter the inner systems of human space. 

The Trollbot is a model of the same name from Skull n Crown's Space Scrappers line. It is a multipart resin kit. 

Looking at the pictures, I think I missed some edge highlights on the rear of the Trollbot carapace.

Thanks for looking,

Take Care out there.  

The Space Slug

Hello and Welcome Back, 

Today we take a look at a creature that has become a real pest. The Space Slug is a carnivorous alien creature found in the asteroids in the Blaagon V system. These creatures came as a nasty surprise to the asteroid miners. The Space Slugs can survive for incredibly long periods of time without sustenance and will cannibalise other Space Slugs to survive. 

In time the Space Slugs managed to migrate to other systems on vessles visiting the Blaagon V system. Despite being slow moving they have become a problem for Space ships and stations across human space. Space Slugs are responsible for several ships becoming lost and drifting hulks. They are a real danger to salvage crews and explorers. 

This was a Bill Making Stuff pateron challenge, to make something alien. My orignal idea had to be shelved as I didnt have the right components in the bits box. So I came to the idea of something slithery to prey upon unwary space crews. The Space Slug was an experiment in using EVA foam putty to make models. I found the EVA foam putty to be difficult to use for making the body. It took a long time to fully cure (several days) and didn't take textures well. In hindsight I think that greenstuff or milliput would have been a better choice. 

The eyes are made from wooden beads. The tentacles are made from EVA foam putty rolled around a wire former. I found that this makes good flexible tentacles. It could also be used for cables and pipes on models. The teeth are made from the tips of cocktail sticks. 

Thanks for looking and stay safe! 

 

Wasteland Mutants

Hello and Welcome Back, 

Time is flying by and I am getting way behind on my blogging. So here is a couple of figures I finished back in August to get the ball rolling. 

The Wastelands of Mattblackgod’s world are filled with strange weird mutants. Fixture is a random warrior who will happily fight alongside the Rustlords.

Fixture is from Ramshackle Games, and is a figure with the same name. 

This mutant is particularly disturbing. No one knows what it is or where it came from. 

This figure is the Toe Tickler by Ramshackle games. This figure was quite fun to paint.

I guess I now need to get taking some more pictures to get more posts written. 

Thanks for looking

Take care out there. 

August Hobby Tally

Hello and Welcome back, 

September already eh? Where does the time go? It's time for my hobby Progress update for August. 

August had the usual stuff happening, plus some illness and cat sitting for a neighbour to keep me on my toes. I managed to get some Blog posts up. There is still some Blog posts waiting to get written up and posted. Although, I do need to get the pictures done too. 

I finished the Expedition Crawler for @billmakingstuff's transport challenge. I had a lot of fun building this beasty. 

This crawler needs some flatbed trailers. They shouldn't be too difficult to build. 

Here are the tallies so far:

Figures finished* = 0 (total 7) *Figures that needed bases finishing from 2024

Figures painted = 27 (total so far 110)

Figures reworked = 3 (total so far 9)

Vehicles finished = 1

Vehicles reworked = 0

Figures bought/arrived = 7 (total so far 66)

Vehicles bought = 0

Paint wise I managed a couple of Mantic Space Dwarf walkers, some Quar and random robot figures got paint thrown at them. There are also a few figures that are wip paint wise, they will hopefully turn up on next months figures. My current hobby plans for September are to knock some colonists together for Skirm and a Expedition team for Alien Zoology. 

I am still waiting on that Heresy order, I know he is a one man band but I am starting to wonder if I should chase him up. I ordered a further 7 metal figures inspired by the drawings in the old 40K book by BMT3D, including a novelty figure inspired by TV artist Bob Ross. These are usually limited runs so are worth collecting. 

I even managed to get a game of 5 parsecs in. The game campaign is getting me inspired to get more suitable terrain finished for Wreckage Station. The next 5PSFH game is planned, hopefully I will get it planned in the next couple of weeks. 

Thats all for now.

Thanks for reading and take care out there.

Loops Heroes Campaign Pt 4 - The Psychos

Hello and Welcome Back,

Time for the next installment of my 5 Parsecs from home campaign with Loops Heroes. I can't believe it has nearly been a year since my last game.

After paying the crew, Loops coffers stands at 10 Credits.  Loops decides to take on the Dockside Association job which was generated in the last campaign turn. 

In the in-between missions Lem Bulla goes training and gains 1XP. T- Bone and Maya go out to act as decoys in case the Iron Ladies gang are looking for the crew. Shorty decides to try and fix the snooper bot but fails. 

There are no battlefield conditions but only because I forgot to implement them.DOH! 

The Dockside Association is paying the Loops Heros to deliver some parts to a stranded work crew. The work crew became trapped in the dark zones when the transport tube they were using broke down. The primatives living in area have killed two of the work crew, trapping the others in the vicinity of the transport tube. When they fix the transport tube the work crew and Loops heros will return to the inhabited zones together. To get to the stranded work crew, Loops Hero's will have to move through the primitive occupied zone. This band of primitives call themselves "the Psychos". The Association has informed the team that a Psycho Chieftain may also be in the area and there is a 3 Credits bonus for taking the Chieftain out. 

The field of battle, deep in the dark zones of Wreckage Station.

Loops Hero's approach cautiously. Joey misses this mission as he is still in the sick bay. Maya and Shorty team up to the left, Captain Loops takes the centre while Lem and T-bone take the right side.

The Psychos notice the intruders on their turf. The Chieftain is the big guy in the centre and weilds a brutal melee weapon. The Psychos are all armed with rusty blades apart from the red mochican Psycho who also sports a brutal melee weapon. 

The Crew don't manage to gain the initiative over the Psychos. Loops is the only crew member to get a fast reaction. He moves ahead of the crew. Leading from the front has always been his style. 

"Raaahh! I am going to eat you!!" Screaming all manner of terrifying and sometimes just plain weird, threats and insults the Psychos rush towards the intruders. Psychotic primitives they may be but they split to stop being too bunched up. These guys have been shot at before. 

The rest of the crew move forward to meet the threat. Shorty rushes towards a place where he can get a height advantage. 

T-Bone gets behind some barricades and considers turning off the laser fence. "Come on man, we got Psychos to kill" Lem shouts as he rushes past. 

"Kill, Kill, Kill!" "I'm gonna mash you like a nana!" The Psychos keep moving eager for blood. 

"Wibble!" The Psychos on the other side are also getting closer. 

Loops moves behind a vent and takes a shot at the approaching Psychos with his Military Rifle, missing his targets. 

Lem rushes up a ramp, trying to get a height advantage. He takes a shot with his new needle rifle at the two approaching Psychos missing them. Freelancers they may be, but they wont make decent mercenaries.

"Aw kak, I am missing the fun". On hearing the shots T-Bone leaps the barricade and moves to support Lem. 

Maya moves to a barricade and fires at a psycho with her Colony Rifle, missing. 

Shorty finally gets into position. 

"Lampost! Banana!" "Kill!" The Psychos are starting to get uncomfortably close. 

Lem fires his needler at the Psychos missing. 

"Heerreees T-Bone!" T-Bone yells as he turns the corner of the laser fence firing his plasma rifle wildly. 

"Eat it!" T-Bone yells triumphantly as a Psycho drops to the ground screaming. 

"I am gonna chew on your innards!" The Psychos are getting too close for Maya's tastes. 

Maya's colony rifle barks and the Psycho falls to the ground screaming. 

Shorty spots two Psychos flanking Maya. 

A hail of needles pushes one of the Psychos backwards, the pins sticking obscenely out her body. 

Shorty triggers the needler again dropping the Psycho with the brutal melee weapon. 

Loops shoots at the Psycho Chieftain hitting him, pushing him back. 

With a roar the Chieftain rushes Loops, while the remaining Psycho dives into cover to avoid getting more piercings. 

"YYEEHHHAAA!" Over the other side a Psycho charges T-Bone. 

The Chieftain and Loops exchange blows. 

But the Chieftain is too strong and Loops drops to the ground injured. 

T-Bone's ripper sword makes short work of the Psycho trying to bite him. 

Before Maya can respond the Chieftain leaps at her and the two are locked in mortal combat. Maya has to use her colony rifle as a makeshift club to protect herself. The other Psycho leaps the wall and runs towards Shorty's position.

Shorty spots the other remaining Psycho rushing towards the vent riser he is standing on. A hail of needles forces her back. This nutter is starting to look like a pin cushion. 

"A little help!" yells Maya as she fights off the Chieftain. T- Bone and Lem rush to help her.

"Your gonna be my meat poppet!" The pin cushion Psycho makes it to the ramp. 

Maya and the Chieftain are still locked in deadly combat. 

A glancing blow pushes Maya backwards, stunned. 

"Ello pinhead!" Shorty chides the approaching Psycho.

Coolly Shorty triggers the needler. With a scream finally the Psycho drops. 

Maya staggers backwards trying to put space between her and the Chieftain. 

"Oi, ugly!" T-Bone yells at the Chieftain as Lem arrives to support him. 

A stream of plasma bolts smash into the Chieftain killing him. 

The team quickly apply first aid to their Captain, grab some loot and head onwards to find the trapped work crew. Soon they are all back in Wreckage Station's inhabited zone. 

Post Battle: 

The Psychos have not become rivals of the crew, without their leader they have fled deeper into the dark zones. The Dockside Association are pleased at the success of the crew and have become a new patron. 

The crew receive 5 credits for their mission success plus a further 3 credits for killing the Psycho's Chieftain. Not a bad payday. 

A brutal melee weapon was found on the battlefield and another was looted from the Chieftain. Lem and Maya received these weapons as they don't have any melee weapons. Hopefully it will make them more effective in future fights.

Loops has a serious injury, the crew deicide to utilise the Nano Doc in the ship's stores. Loops is fighting fit in a couple of hours. Sadly the Nano Doc is used up. 

Shorty uses his XP to boost his Toughness. 

This mission showed how poorly equipped the crew are for Melee. So a couple of blades were purchased and given to Shorty and Joey. 

The crew are making a name for themselves and a new patron has shown some interest in the crew. The Wreckage govt are asking if the crew can work for them. 

Joey has announced that he has business elsewhere and will be away from the crew for the next two campaign turns. Stay safe kid and don't get into too much trouble. 

Thoughts: 

This mission could have been a walk in the park, execpt the Psycho primitives have a much larger movement stat which makes up for the lack of ballistic weapons. Poor to hit rolls plagued the crew early on which allowed the Psychos to get too close. Maybe I should get them all training to improve their combat stats? T-Bone was the hero of the mission. He got first blood and accounted for three of the kills including the Chieftain. The plasma rifle and ripper sword is a good combo. 

Thanks for reading and stay safe out there.