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Christmas & New Year 2023

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On 1st January 2024

In Blog

Hope you all had a good Christmas, mine was fine, but I was ill for most of it and for one point over 72 hours was awake for less than 10 of them!

But other than that, it was good, we went to my sister in laws for the dinner, which was nice, and we had a great time with Megan’s family.

Me and Lindsay kept up our tradition of a Chinese takeaway for Christmas Eve and a movie, this year it was Super Mario Bros. And Christmas morning it was turkey bacon stotties with mushrooms, and the egg that Lindsay has been adding recently and Tymbark Apple & Cherry juice.

We didn’t do much in the way of gifts, we limited ourselves to £25 each, so I got Megan a book and a rainbow Stich controller holder. Lindsay got a book as well, plus a bunch of Steam games, as she has decided that she wants a Steam Deck in 2024.

My favourite present was a Moopsy toy that Karen made for me, its adorable, I just need to find a place to put it in the studio!

New Years was quiet, me and the otters went to Pauls for a few hours, then returned home and they went to bed, whilst I had a chicken wrap and chips and played the last of Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered.

Hopefully 2024 is gonna be a better year, because 2023 has been challenging.

What I Am Modelling

I started off with a big batch of Ultramarines, starting with a squad of Aggressors

Followed by some Inceptors

And Finally a squad of Infiltrators

After this I turned my attention to a squad of Battle Sisters

Alongside a Repentia Superior

As well as Sister Superior Tariana Palos

And then some Shootas for my Gloomspite Gitz

I also painted some Grot Scuttlings for Warhammer Quest: Silver Tower at the same time

I then painted up Gordrakk, the Fist of Gork over Christmas as a main centrepiece for the Orruk army!

And painted up the Gaunt Summoner for Silver Tower which completed that boxset.

Plus Mollogs Mob

And finally I painted a Whirlwind Scorpius for my Imperial Fists!

So what’s coming up next?

  1. Blood Ravens Sternguard Veterans & Phobos Lt
  2. Hobgrot Slittaz x 10
  3. Termagants x 20
  4. Gutrippas x 10
  5. Fungoid Cave Shaman
  6. Arch-Revenant & Ylthari’s Guardians
  7. Space Wolves Supressors x 3
  8. Bloodreavers x 10
  9. Screamer Killer
  10. Stabbas x 40

What I Am Reading

I finished Krieg by Steve Lyons, and that was a very very good audio book!

After that I moved on to Witchbringer by Steven B Fischer, which was ok, but the lack of Cadian accents threw me. Doctor Who and the Pirates was a lot of fun from Jacqueline Rayner and Creatures of Beauty by Nicholas Briggs was a great mind trip of a story.

And finally I listened to Gloomspite by Andy Clark, which was grim as fuck!

I have now started listening to Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales – Wings of Fury by Brittney Morris, before I play the game.

I read Sammael: Lord of the Eternal Hunt by Ben Counter, which was ok, followed by Astorath the Grim: Redeemer of the Lost by Andy Smille which was really good. Then I read The Sanguinor: Exemplar of the Host by James Swallow which was actually pretty good.

I also read The Nine by Justin D Hill which was pretty good, nice look at a character we have had a lot of time with but not much background on. The Last Loyalist by David Guymer was also excellent.

Then I picked up a few more shorts, Bjorn: The Fell-Handed by Chris Wraight, Marneus Calgar: Lord of Ultramar by Graham McNeill, Abaddon: Chosen of Chaos by Aaron Dembski-Bowden, Cato Sicarius: Master of the Watch by Nick Kyme, Pedro Kantor: The Vengeful Fist by Steve Parker, Gabriel Seth: The Flesh Tearer by Andy Smillie, Dante: Lord of the Host by James Swallow, Helbrecht: The Crusader by Guy Haley, Vulkan He’stan: Forgefather by Nick Kyme, Lysander: The Fist of Dorn by Anthony Reynolds, Typhus: Herald of the Plague God by David Annadale, Logan Grimnar: Defender of Honour by Cavan Scott, Kaldor Draigo: Knight of Titan by L.J. Goulding, Kayvaan Shrike: Shadow Stalker by Gav Thorpe, Azrael: Protector of Secrets by C.Z. Dunn, Kor’sarro Khan: Huntmaster by Graeme Lyon, Torias Telion: The Eye of Vengeance by Graham McNeil and Ahriman: Hand of Dust by John French.

I also read The Staff of Asclepius by Graham McNeill which was pretty class.

What Video Games I Am Playing

I got my VideoGameGeek.com Secret Santa gift, and my super generous Santa gifted me, Stray, Yakuza: Like A Dragon and Crysis: Remastered, all games that have been high on my wish list!

Continued on with Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag.

I also completed Marvel’s Spider-Man: Remastered, total of 33 hours played and it was a lot of fun.

I have started to play The City That Never Sleeps DLC also on the Steam Deck and intend to finish it over Christmas.

Its one of those annoying episodic DLCs, which I hate, so obviously I started with The Heist, which was finished late on Christmas Day.

And yesterday I finished Turf War, which was ok, but felt less that The Heist.

And then I finished off Silver Linings just as the bell struck midnight, which I was happy with, great game, but the DLC felt disjointed because of the episodic nature.

What I Am Winning

I won a voucher from Maltesers which I combined with a voucher from some market research I did for KFC in order to buy a copy of Assassin’s Creed: Mirage, which made me very happy, as everyone knows I am a massive fan of the series.

What I Am Spending

I grabbed myself a few bits on payday, as a treat.

I got myself a Chaos Space Marines Combat Patrol, Necron Datacards, a brush and a few paints.

I also bought a few video games

Goodbye Douggie

By

On 12th December 2023

In Blog

Our beautiful boy Sir Douglas T Cat has today crossed the Rainbow Bridge after a short battle with cancer.

We first adopted Doug two and a half years ago from the amazing Yarm Cat Rescue, he was a special cat who had first been found with a shattered pelvis, so bad they thought he might be best off being put to sleep.

But Becky worked hard and helped him heal and learn to walk again, which he did not with a wobble, but a swagger.

He was the kindest, most gentle boy, who as soon as he met someone, would make them his best friend, he loved children, and other animals especially.

He was such a force of nature, with a tail that made him a disaster, but he was always wanting to be with people and hugging them, then demanding fuds!

He was a little lamb, and I am going to miss his scruffy face so much, he was just a perfect little cat, who helped his brother Lord Barrington come out of his shell and become a more friendly cat.

Sleep well my champion lad.

What I Am Modelling

We started out with some reinforcements for my Blood Ravens Infernus Squad

And both versions of Minka Lesk, both as a Sgt/Lt and as a Captain

Followed by the Putrid Blightkings for Warhammer Quest

After which I painted Lilith for my Drukhari

And a Rhino for Legions Imperialis in Ultramarines colours

Then a couple of Ork Trukks for Waaagh Lindskull

Plan is currently very flexible as I need a paint restock so stuff is delayed until then

  1. Ultramarines Infiltrators x 10
  2. Battle Sisters x 11 & Repentia Superior
  3. Shootas x 40
  4. Blood Ravens Sternguard Veterans x 5 & Lieutenant in Phobos Armour
  5. Imperial Fists Whirlwind Scorpius
  6. Hobgrot Slittaz x 10
  7. Termagants x 20
  8. Ultramarines Aggressors x 3
  9. Gutrippas x 10
  10. Fungoid Cave Shaman

What I Am Reading

I listened to Jubilee by Robert Shearman and finished Sea of Souls by Chris Wraight.

I then moved on to Nekromanteia by Austen Atkinson, which was, after which I hit up The Dark Flame by Trevor Baxendale, now I am listening to Krieg by Steve Lyons.

I also read Visage by Rich McCormick, which was actually really good, then I read Hidden Treasures by Cavan Scott, followed by the Astra Millitarium Quick Reads series which was:

I also read The Desert Threat by Yan Leisheng, which sadly shares most of the faults of its predecessor.

What Video Games I Am Playing

I finished Assassin’s Creed: Liberation HD.

And I started on Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag!

What I Am Spending

Not much, but I did buy a couple of bits of DLC in preparation of playing Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag

It was also Humble Choice, and that got me

And I got a few games on the cheap too to add to the Steam Library

I also had to replace my phone, I had hoped to make my iPhone 12 last 4 years, but its Wi-Fi module on the SOC failed on Friday and it could no longer do any kind of network connectivity at all.

So I ordered an iPhone 15 Pro, the big advantage is that I can now get rid of my Lighting cables and move to just USB-C for everything but my power bank.

I intend to replace the power bank next year with a USB-C one, so once that’s done, I am a totally USB-C man for charging my personal electronics, other than the MagSafe for my watch.

Nerdy Musical Advent 2023 – 11th December – Honeybee – Steam Powered Giraffe

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On 11th December 2023

In Nerdy Music Advent

This is a wonderful song, that really hits me at times of sadness and happiness, its weird how it just fits those two moods exactly the same.

Steam Powered Giraffe are a great Steampunk band that have been around since 2008 and have a fantastic mythology for the bands backstory that has been expanded into comic books written by Isabella Bunny Bennett one of the bands founders.

Right now I am feeling very sad, one of our cats Douggie is booked in at the vets for his last trip tomorrow and this is helping me process my feelings about it

Nerdy Musical Advent 2023 – 10th December – Flash – Queen

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On 10th December 2023

In Nerdy Music Advent

Another mainstream one today (I promise not to make a habit of it), and this is from Lindsay’s favourite movie, Flash Gordon.

Obviously its by the incredible Queen and its the title song, and lets be honest, this is a massive banger and the whole album is in fact!

Nerdy Musical Advent 2023 – 9th December – Take On Me – Weezer

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On 9th December 2023

In Nerdy Music Advent

The first mainstream band of this year, Weezer are one of those bands that wear their geekiness on their sleeve!

This song is a cover of the A-Ha classic, from the Teal Album and accompanied by an amazing 80s inspired video, which has loads of cool 80s pop culture nods!

Nerdy Musical Advent 2023 – 8th December – Laser Printed Hero – The Mary Sues

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On 8th December 2023

In Nerdy Music Advent

I am a big fan of The Mary Sues, an excellent trio who mix Irish bouzouki and keytar which is pretty cool!

Anywhere here is a really cool song about a DnD character that most players can relate to!

Nerdy Musical Advent 2023 – 7th December – Noise Marine – D-Rok

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On 7th December 2023

In Nerdy Music Advent

A sound of my childhood here with D-Rok a Warhammer Records band that made songs about 40k that were championed by Brian May of all people!

Brian May even contributed to two of their songs too, after meeting them in a Games Workshop store with his son.

But yeah even though they only released one album, it was a banger, and this is the opening track!

Its not really avaiable anywhere right now, but I am sure you can hunt down a copy of Oblivion somewhere, I am surprised it hasn’t been rereleased after being used in the Boltgun game this year!

Nerdy Musical Advent 2023 – 6th December – Sensitive Badass – The Doubleclicks

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On 6th December 2023

In Nerdy Music Advent

The Doubleclicks are frequent features on the Advent, probably cause I really, really like their music.

This one, well its not my favourite, but it is Lindsay’s, the first time she heard it, at the 77th WorldCon, Dublin 2o19, she cried her eyes out and then played it again and again for months (she still insists that she isn’t an autist).

And well, I have been meaning to include it, but it always got displaced by something else, but this time, I am sticking to my guns and its staying put here!

Nerdy Musical Advent 2023 – 5th December – Pac-Man Fever – Buckner & Garcia

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On 5th December 2023

In Nerdy Music Advent

This one is older than me, and really captures the very early days of video gaming when Pac-Man swept the world!

And lets face it Pac-Man is a fantastic game that has stood the test of time and its no wonder that Buckner & Garcia scored a hit with this one in 1981!

Interestingly they pioneered rerecording an album when the masters ownership was denied to them, and they rerecorded the whole Pac-Man Fever album (yes there is an album, and its worth a listen/download)

Nerdy Musical Advent 2023 – 4th December – Over The Hills and Far Away – John Tams

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On 4th December 2023

In Nerdy Music Advent

As a nerd who loves war games, and approaching a more mature age, there is a part of me that’s getting very interested in Napoleonic’s, probably doesn’t help that I recently rewatched Sharpe!

So here is a traditional British song, that was featured heavily in Sharpe, performed by folk singer John Tams, who also starred as Hagman in the series.

It also featured in Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, which is also an excellent version of the song, which I am sharing because the John Tams version is sadly hard to find for online listening.

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