We finally got a new car, a year after we initially ordered one, and it’s a bit of a tale.
We first ordered a Vauxhall Combo Life Diesel in March 2021, we were told a six month wait due to chip shortages.
I was told that the car was built, it just needed chips a few weeks later.
In October I chased it up, oh the chip shortage means it will be March or May when it’s ready.
So anyway, I was browsing the Vauxhall website to check some details about the car only to notice, it was no longer listed, turns out that model was discontinued in September, before I last spoke to them.
So I called them on Wednesday, and was told that the order would still be honoured, sometime in the next 12 to 24 months!!!
So we said we would select an alternative and were assured that we would have to wait no longer than 12 weeks, maybe a few more depending on trim.
Checking the website, that actually said 19 weeks, so we were already a bit suspicious of their promises.
On Thursday me and Megan decided to make some backup plans in case the Mokka we were looking at, didn’t work out, and we decided to give Hyundai a call.
They told us if we were okay to have it in white, we could have a Ioniq Electric, in 4 days time as it had literally just been delivered from the factory to go in general sale.
And even if we wanted another colour, they said it was just a 6 week wait, 8 depending on sea conditions to get another car. Unlike the ICE versions, it’s not subject to the same chip issues as it uses a pair of SoCs like many other electric cars to control everything that other cars have over 100 chips control.
So we rushed up, and spoke with the salesman, Matt, who was a great guy, and he showed us round the one in the showroom, let us sit in the actual car we would be driving away, although it was totally covered in protective plastic, and then it’s a test drive.
Okay, it ain’t the worlds most exciting car to look at, or drive, but it’s economical, it’s a nice drive and it has air conditioning that isn’t winding the window down!
So we did all the paperwork, paid the £199 advance fee, and arranged to pick it up on Tuesday. Motability need 4 days to set up the agreement with the DWP, start the insurance and send the PIN number.
In the meantime the dealers got it fully detailed and charged up, and although we already have a home charging point, it’s not a type 2 port so will need to be replaced, but that’s covered under the Motability scheme.
Given that it’s white and fancy, the girls have decided that it will be called Enterprise, cause as you probably know, we are massive Trekkies.
What I Am Modelling
I started by finishing up the four Zone Mortalis tiles I bought last week.
Blood Angels Assault Intercessors x 8, Primaris Lieutenant & Librarian in Phobos Armour
Skitarii Rangers x 10
Orruk Weirdnob Shaman
Death Korps of Krieg Medusa x 3
Morg n’ Thorg
T’au Breacher Team x 10
What I Am Reading
School of X was finished today and a review should be published tomorrow.
What Video Games Am I Playing
For my relaxing game, I have been playing Townscaper, which really is very very chilled out, I think I am done with it now as I have 100% of the achievements.
I have been playing some Forza Horizon 5 most days, which is lots of fun, and the occasional match of Halo Infinite.
I am doing okay with Far Cry 3, but after the girls watched me skin a tapier, I am banned from playing it when they are in the room!
What Tabletop Games Am I Playing
Sadly none 🙁
What I Am Creating
The next two battle reports from the Imperium series were published, issues 17, 18 and 19.
The 18th part of the Warhammer 40,000 Imperium Battle Report Series.
In this episode, we see a Lieutenant backed up by a squad of Aggressors attempt to destroy a Necron Technomancer, but he is guarded by soem Skorpekh Destroyers!
Who will prevail in this battle between the sinister Necrons and the noble warriors of the Imperium of Mankind.
The 17th part of the Warhammer 40,000 Imperium Battle Report Series.
In this episode, we see a Librarian in Phobos Armour attempt to secure a drop site and is opposed by some Necron Warriors and the terrifying Flayed Ones.
Who will prevail in this battle between the sinister Necrons and the noble warriors of the Imperium of Mankind.
The 15th part of the Warhammer 40,000 Imperium Battle Report Series.
In this episode, the deranged Flayed Ones of the Necrons make their debut as they try to get between a Canoptek Plasmacyte and the Assault Intercessors of the Blood Ravens!
Who will prevail in this battle between the sinister Necrons and the noble warriors of the Imperium of Mankind.
I have been trying to write this for a couple of weeks now and I haven’t been entirely sure how to get the right tone.
But I wanted to summarise my thoughts on the now competed Warhammer Adventures series, Warped Galaxies and Realm Quest.
I have purchased all of the volumes as ePubs and some for my nephews physically, as well as purchasing them as audio books from Audible.
To be honest I was sceptical, I thought they might be Warhammer adjacent, and perhaps a bit daft.
But to my surprise, they were very much within the universes with little compromise, for example in Attack of the Necrons, we see a character utterly disintegrated by a Necron Gauss weapon.
We see Nurglings tear apart a Forge World and spread disease and pestilence, the despair caused by an army of Nighthaunt, the warpstone crazed behaviour of Skaven.
All the things that make Warhammer, well Warhammer are right here, including the grimdark.
In fact the only area I would really criticise as being out of step with the franchises, so that in the AoS books, they refer to Sigmar as simply a King, rather than as the God-King, but I suppose this was done to appease American parents, who will ban books at the drop of a hat.
The characters are all interesting, the 40K ones are ok, although I found Zelia a little too naive for the universe, but her companions are much closer to their archetypes.
The AoS characters are also good, but it does feel like there are perhaps a few too many and some of them get lost and ignored quite a lot.
The audio books are excellently narrated, David Tennent fits the books so well and does a great Grot voice.
Billie Piper is also a great narrator for the AoS books and her Skaven voice is wonderful, her replacement Helen McAlpine is also good, but doesn’t seem as approachable I guess is the right word as Billie Piper.
In conclusion I really would recommend this book for your kids, and you know what, if you want to paint and have something on in the background, these are perfect and easy to follow along with.
I hope more will come in time.
What I Am Modelling
I spent the bulk of the week working on the Chaos Space Marines that came with Imperium Premium Pack 1.
So that’s a squad of 10 Chaos Space Marines, 2 Greater Possessed and a Sorcerer to lead them.