Tag: Ultramarines Page 3 of 4

A Spicy Take That Shouldn’t Be Spicy

By

On 16th January 2023

In Blog

This shouldn’t be controversial, but I know some people will choose to unfollow/unfriend me for this, but it needs to be said.

No one should buy or play Hogwarts Legacy, if you claim to be an LGBTQ+ ally.

If you buy the game, or play it, then please, stop describing yourself as an ally, because when it comes down to brass tacks, you ain’t.

JK Rowling has a verifiable and blatant history of transphobia and she uses her money and influences to spread hate and bigotry against our trans friends.

If you are asking for examples, well I am gonna be honest, fuck off, they are super clear, there are numerous articles and examples and if you can’t see that, then most likely you are a piece of shit yourself.

Any purchases or streaming of the game, only benefits her, it makes her richer and allows her to do more evil.

And no, donating money to charity doesn’t make it ok, because you still give her publicity and money.

Listen to your trans and queer friends, do not buy the fucking wizard game!

You might wonder why I care, given that I am not trans, well simple I have a lot of trans friends, and I care about them.

Also, if you take Joke Rolling and her dreadful GC posses proposals, that makes me not a man.

My sez chromosomes are not XY, they are XYY, I am, to be blunt, not a standard cis male

And under the arguments put forward by the GC lunatics, I wouldn’t be allowed to use men’s toilets, because my DNA isn’t “normal”.

But there are a lot of bodies out there that don’t fit the XY/XX binary, not all of our DNA matches what we feel we are, it know ourselves to be.

If we were to mandate ridiculous DNA based classifications of gender, what happens to women with Turner Syndrome (XY) or Swyer Syndrome?

Or if we start down the inspection of peoples gender characteristics, where does a lass with Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia go to take a leak?

The truth is, that there are no perverts wanting to go through the process of attaining a GRC to assault anyone, why, that’s an utterly ridiculous idea.

If a sexual predator is going to attack you, they don’t need a GRC to enter the women’s toilets, this isn’t Hogwarts where men will be magically blocked from entering without a GRC.

Just give you head a wobble, either be an ally, or don’t be.

Don’t try and dress up your decision to buy a game which contributes to transphobia and helps the creator of the IP work to against LGBTQ+ rights.

Oh and the other argument, the devs got paid a salary, they aren’t waiting hungry having worked for years with no pay, they got paid.A

And frankly, if they are happy having their name in the credits of this game, knowing the harm that she does, well, I have little sympathy for them.

Anyway that’s my take, I understand it’s spicy, but frankly it’s shouldn’t be, this should be the accepted standard, be an ally, don’t be a piece of shit and try to justify making a decision that goes against being an ally.

What I Am Modelling

I started off by painting my UCM Vancouvers for Dropfleet Commander.

And then painted up a squad of Intercessors plus a few spares for my Ultramarines.

I then started on the Heroes for Warhammer Quest, with the Knight-Questor being finished first.

A pair of Chaos Sorcerer Lords came next, one from Shadows Over Hammerhall and one from the Silver Tower Arcane Heroes.

After that came a quartet of Duardin, the Auric Runemaster, Doomseeker, Cogsmith and Grombrindal.

And finally I completed the Magistar

On the desk right now is the Lord Castellant, Excelsior Warpreist, Darkoath Chieftain and two Grpyh-Hounds.

So whats coming up next?

  1. Warhammer Quest Heroes
  2. Blood Angels Repulsor
  3. Templar Brethren x 10
  4. Hobgrot Slittaz x 20
  5. Leagues of Votann Kâhl & Einhyr Champion
  6. The Crimson Court
  7. Ultramarines Lieutenants x 8
  8. Battle Sisters Squad x 10
  9. Ogroid Thaumaturge
  10. Killaboss x 2 & Stab Grot

What I Am Reading

I listened to The Holy Terror by Robert Shearman, which was pretty good if a bit surreal, I forgot the time when the Doctors companion was a talking penguin!

I then listened to The Mutant Phase by Nicholas Briggs which was pretty good, an interesting take on a time paradox.

After that I churned through the audiobook of Cthonia’s Reckoning, I have read the book, but needed something to listen to whilst painting and this was on the list.

Not the best Horus Heresy book, but not the worst.

After that my continuing journey into Doctor Who lead me to Storm Warning by Alan Barnes, the first 8th Doctor audio!

I am now listening to Sanguinius: The Great Angel by Chris Wraight.

I reviewed Age of the Undead by C.L. Werner, which you can read here.

I spent time reading The Veiled Masters by Tim Pratt and I am not making as much progress as I’d like, but I am getting there!

What Video Games I Am Playing

A but if time playing The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and a game of Carcassonne on the Switch is about all I did this week!

What I Am Winning

Won a copy of Dolmen before Christmas in a Twitter competition, and it turned up on Tuesday.

I also won Crazy Athletics for Steam as well, so that could be fun.

I also won a €5 credit for Steam on Twitter.

And on Saturday I won, The Jumping Salad, honestly sounds like crap, but hey, I’ll take it!

I also won a copy of Doom Eternal, but I had already gotten a copy of that in my library from Humble Choice, so that was donated to my brother in law.

What I Am Spending

I bought myself a Land Raider Proteus for my Imperial Fists, I need two of these, so one this month and one next month.

I also purchased a trio of Havana Destroyers to add to my UCM fleets, which will actually be built as Havannas.

Bought myself a few games, this months Humble Choice came with Doom Eternal, Tribes of Midgard, Encased, OlliOlli World, Grow: Song of the Evertree, Conan Chop Chop, Hokko Life and The Serpent Rogue.

Plus I got Space Wolf: Special Edition from Fanatical which had a bunch of the DLC for just £1, code for the main game was given the a friend and I kept the DLC codes,

And cause I am a sucker, I paid £1.89 and got two mystery keys, got two games I already had, but not on Steam, Doom 64 and Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel without a Pulse.

Having seen it on sale for £3 I decided to keep expanding my Doom collection with the 2016 Doom game, along with Micro Machines World Series.

I redeemed them because in the future I hope to get a Steam Deck and I can’t ever see GOG, Amazon or Epic offering their launchers on that device whilst still maintaining things like cloud saves, so if it’s possible, I am trying to only buy games on Steam now to future proof as it were.

I grabbed a sticker bomb pack of Sonic stickers, I only really wanted a couple to add to my task lamp, but it was cheaper to buy a big pack, but whatever!

I saw Taco, Hat, Gift, Cake, Pizza in Aldi the other day, so I grabbed it cause Lindsay was keen on a copy.

And I added to the studios greenery with a third fake plant for the little bit on the stairs, which the girls lovingly went to IKEA to pick up for me.

How is Hartlepool?

By

On 6th December 2022

In Blog

We have been here for a few months, and I must admit, it’s not actually that bad.

People said the neighbourhood was rough, but in all honesty, other than bonfire night, it’s been alright, but hey, I am from the west end of Newcastle so, rough is a relative term.

The sea air, as weird as it sounds, has helped, I need my inhaler a lot less and my lungs feel a lot less heavy, and there is something about waking up to a sea fret, that’s almost magical.

There are some issues here, our kitchen is so so small it’s difficult to cook in, and the wi-fi on the router is so bad we are going to invest in a mesh system.

Whilst I miss aspects of the old house, what I do like is having my own space, but I am struggling to keep it tidy.

I think in the long run the move is positive, but I do need to make sure the doctors are issuing my repeat prescriptions when needed as this far they are doing awful at that.

What I Am Modelling

I started with a trio of Kataphron Breachers for my Adeptus Mechanicus

Started off with a Praetor in Terminator Armour for my Ultramarines.

And followed up with a Techpriest Enginseer to join my Death Korps of Krieg.

After that I concentrated on the officers for the Imperial Fists and painted up a couple of Praetors first, the Legion Specific in Artificer Armour, and the Praetor Tribune.

And a Praetor in Cataprachtii Armour and Chaplin.

Then it was the Vindicare Assassin from my Warhammer + Subscription.

And then I finished a final pair of Kataphron Breachers

After which I completed an Imperial Fists Legion Champion and Master of Signals.

So what’s coming up next week?

  1. Imperial Fists Tactical Squad x 10
  2. Orruk Gutrippas x 12
  3. T’au Crisis Team x 3
  4. Imperial Fists Contemptor Dreadnought
  5. Ultramarines Intercessors x 5
  6. Silver Tower Heroes
  7. Blood Angels Repulsor
  8. Imperial Fists Templar Brethren x 10
  9. Hobgrot Slitaz x 20
  10. Leagues of Votann Kâhl & Einhyr Champion

What I Am Reading

I finished up Zachareth by Robbie MacNivan, and you can read a review of that here.

And I started Sanguinius: The Great Angel by Chris Wraight

Continuing my listening to the Doctor Who Monthly Series, I listened to The Spectre of Lanyon Moor and Winter for the Adept.

What Tabletop Games I Am Playing

Wasn’t sure where to put this but my Board Game Geek Secret Santa arrived, and it’s the incredible Arkham Horror!

What Video Games I Am Playing

Darktide hit GamePass, so I got that installed on my PC.

I also decided to play my first game on the PlayStation 5, specifically God of War, which is proving rather fun so far.

What I Am Backing

The Car Wars CARnage project

I completed my Backerkit survey for the TT Combat Paints and Washes project and picked my two paints, went for Supernova Chrome and PHR Bone.

What I Am Winning

A while back I won a competition run by Durham Prints Store for anything in their Etsy shop.

So I opted for this personalised slate signed with “Kill, Maim, Burn” on it, the warcry of the World Eaters, cause I thought it would be funny!

It’s taken a few weeks but it’s finally arrived and I am super happy with it!

What I Am Spending

I need to get back to streaming properly again, and I decided to spend my sponsorship money on a new toy, an Elgato Stream Deck Pedal, which is gonna sit on my floor and be useful for things like muting the microphone, which I think the fellas on Edge of Empire will appreciate!

Resolutions Update – March 2022

By

On 1st April 2022

In Blog

I failed to make an update for February, but this is because I lost my nana and I wasn’t exactly in a very good place.

Anyway let’s see how I have done in the last two months, and I brought my painted models up to 290.

Paint my Sisters of Battle to 2000 Points – 0%

No progress I am afraid.

Paint Both Silver Tower and Shadows over Hammerhall – 0%

No progress here either!

Paint 2000 points worth of Orruk Warclans for Age of Sigmar – 15%

I got a unit of Ironjawz Brutes painted this month!

Paint the Primaris Ultramarines to 2000 Points – 25% Complete

The first 500 points are painted, we now have a combat patrol led by Uriel Ventris, and consisting of an Intercessor Squad, Redemptor Dreadnought and a Suppressor Squad.

The next 500pts will be made up of an Assault Intercessor Squad, Bladeguard Veteran Squad, Eliminator Squad and Eradicator Squad.

I also plan to buy an Invader ATV for them as well.

This should give me the following list.

+ HQ +

Uriel Ventris

+ Troops +

Assault Intercessor Squad
. 4x Assault Intercessor: 4x Astartes Chainsword, 4x Frag & Krak grenades, 4x Heavy Bolt Pistol
. Assault Intercessor Sgt: Astartes Chainsword, Plasma pistol

Intercessor Squad: Bolt rifle
. 4x Intercessor: 4x Bolt pistol, 4x Frag & Krak grenades
. Intercessor Sergeant

+ Elites +

Bladeguard Veteran Squad
. 2x Bladeguard Veteran: 2x Frag & Krak grenades, 2x Heavy Bolt Pistol, 2x Master-crafted power sword, 2x Storm Shield
. Bladeguard Veteran Sergeant: Heavy Bolt Pistol

Redemptor Dreadnought: 2x Fragstorm Grenade Launchers, Heavy flamer, Heavy Onslaught Gatling Cannon

+ Fast Attack +

Invader ATV Squad
. Invader ATV: Onslaught Gatling Cannon

Suppressor Squad
. 2x Suppressor: 2x Accelerator autocannon, 2x Bolt pistol, 2x Frag & Krak grenades
. Suppressor Sergeant

+ Heavy Support +

Eliminator Squad: Bolt sniper rifle
. Eliminator Sergeant: Bolt sniper rifle
. 2x Eliminators: 2x Bolt pistol, 2x Camo cloak, 2x Frag & Krak grenades

Eradicator Squad: Melta rifle
. 2x Eradicator: 2x Bolt pistol
. Eradicator Sgt

Other Resolutions

  • Paint Two Gangs For Carnivale
  • Paint The Warhound Titan

Current Projects

I have just started work on the Corpse Grinder Cult gang fro Necromunda and Fafnir Rann for an Imperial Fists project.

My curren painting queue is thus:-

  1. Corpse Grinder Cult x 15
  2. Blood Angels Primaris Lieutenant, Assault Intercessors x 8 & Librarian in Phobos Armour
  3. Orruk Weirdnob Shaman
  4. Death Korps of Krieg Medusa x 2
  5. T’au Breacher Team x 10
  6. Fafnir Rann
  7. Ork Terrain
  8. Blades of Khorne Blood Warriors x 10
  9. Ork Burna Boyz
  10. Sicaran Infiltrators x 5

Company of Legends March 2022

By

On 31st March 2022

In Blog

The past weekend it was Company of Legends, our twice yearly Horus Heresy Residential weekend that Edge of Empire run.

It was fun but exhausting, and I love doing it.

We managed to pull it off successfully, i always worry that I am less organised than I need to be, but Graham and Chris as usual were amazing.

I got to play four games over the weekend, with my Questoris Knights army list below

+ HQ +

Seneschal. Questoris Knight Crusader: Meltagun, Occular Augmetics, Stormspear rocket pod, Thermal Cannon

+ Troops +

Scion Auxilia
. Questoris Knight Armiger Talon: Armiger Thermal Spear, Dreadnaught Close Combat Weapon, Meltagun
. Questoris Knight Armiger Talon: Armiger Thermal Spear, Dreadnaught Close Combat Weapon, Meltagun

Scion Auxilia
. Questoris Knight Armiger Talon: Armiger Thermal Spear, Dreadnaught Close Combat Weapon, Meltagun
. Questoris Knight Armiger Talon: Armiger Thermal Spear, Dreadnaught Close Combat Weapon, Meltagun

Scion Martial
. Questoris Knight Paladin: Bio-corrosive rounds for its heavy stubbers, Occular Augmetics, Questoris Battlecannon

Scion Martial
. Questoris Knight Paladin: Bio-corrosive rounds for its heavy stubbers, Occular Augmetics, Questoris Battlecannon, Twin Icarus autocannon

+ Fast Attack +

Scion Dolorous
. Questoris Knight Gallant: Bio-corrosive rounds for its heavy stubbers, Heavy Stubber, Occular Augmetics

+ Heavy Support +

Scion Arbalester
. Questoris Knight Dominus: Occular Augmetics, Plasma Decimator, 2x Twin-Linked Siegebreaker Cannon, Two Shieldbreaker Missiles, Volcano Lance

My first game was against Rob on Friday night, and his Mechanicum, which I lost, was in fact tabled.

My next game was the first main game of the day which I played against Ozzie and his Emperors Children and Mechanicum, I lost that but at least wasn’t my tabled!

My third game of the weekend saw me face Mark Frost and his daemons at long last, allowing him to claim the grand slam of beating all four Edge of Empire hosts with the army.

But I held my own ok I think.

My final game of the weekend saw me face off against Henry and his Emperors Childrens allied with Imperial Milita.

That was my most successful game, I did alright, but losing a couple of knights to an Assault Squad with Melts Bombs cost me the game.

The traitors won the weekend, probably because I was playing for the loyalists.

It was an awesome weekend and I cannot wait for September.

What I Am Modelling

With Company of Legends, not a lot got done!

I did have a build session on Tuesday night and got a bunch of terrain for my 15th table built. This is stuff from the Charadon which is going to supplement the Imperium terrain to make a full tables worth.

I then finished painting my Space Marine Primaris Supressors to add to the Ultramarines army.

At the same time I painted up some Thermo-Pipes.

And after that started work on an Ork Kommandoes Kill Team.

And I painted a Thermo-Exchanger Shrine at the same time, also for the Imperium box.

At the same time, I painted up some referees for Blood Bowl.

And late last night I finished off a Deredeo Dreadnought I bought at Ardhammer in January, although I think the guns are recasts, the actual Dreadnought seems fine, but the guns are just not quite right.

I am gonna keep it, I only paid £10 for it, but I need to keep a closer eye on things I buy at secondhand sales.

So what’s coming up next week?

  1. Corpse Grinder Cult x 15
  2. Blood Angels Primaris Lieutenant, Librarian in Phobos Armour & Assault Intercessors x 8
  3. Orruk Weirdnob Shaman
  4. Death Korps of Krieg Medusa x 2
  5. Morg N Thorg
  6. T’au Empire Breacher Squad x 10
  7. Fafnir Rann
  8. Ork Terrain
  9. Khorne Blood Warriors x 10
  10. Sicarian Infiltrators x 10

What I Am Reading

I have yet to pick up a book this week 🙁

But I have been listening to The Wolftime by Gav Thorpe which is really good.

What Video Games I Am Playing

Not a great deal just a daily game of Halo Infinite for the most part to get the points.

What Tabletop Games Am I Playing

Other than those at Company of Legends, none.

What I Am Creating

Two more battle reports were published, issues 22 and 23!

Now that all the tutorial missions are done, I am going to be moving to a new schedule, Wednesday will be Imperium and Saturday will be something else.

I am kinda thinking the first something else will be a Horus Heresy very small Zone Mortalis game.

What I Am Spending

I did manage to pick up Watchmen: Ultimate Cut in 4K from the Microsoft Store for £3.99 which is awesome!

Also when at the North East Model Centre on Thursday, I bought another Painting Handle!

Hello Enterprise

By

On 16th March 2022

In Blog

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.

I then painted a couple of Canoptek Constructs for my Necrons, a Canoptek Spyder and a Canoptek Doomstalker.

And followed a Trio of T’au Crisis Suits, armed with Flamers.

I started on an Ultramarines Intercessor Squad and Redemptor Dreadnought on stream yesterday night.

So what’s coming up for me next week?

  1. T’au Pathfinder Team x 10
  2. Ork Kommandoes Kill Team x 12
  3. Corpse Grinder Cult x 15
  4. Blood Bowl Referees x 2
  5. Blood Angels Assault Intercessors x 8, Primaris Lieutenant & Librarian in Phobos Armour
  6. Skitarii Rangers x 10
  7. Orruk Weirdnob Shaman
  8. Death Korps of Krieg Medusa x 3
  9. Morg n’ Thorg
  10. 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.

And the Company of Legends list episode was published on Edge of Empire!

What Am I Backing

No active projects, but the Doubleclicks Greatest Hits album has been delivered from Rawr! Velociraptor!

What Am I Spending

I picked up Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarock for the Xbox, although I imagine it will be some time until I get to play it.

I also bought some terrain on eBay, specifically a set of Thermo Pipes and a Thermo-Exchanger Shrine to add to my Imperium table.

I also picked up the two store birthday models that I ordered a couple of weeks ago.

Resolutions Update – January 22

By

On 2nd February 2022

In Blog

So the first month has been slow, but we have made a start!

So far I have painted 118 models!

Paint my Sisters of Battle to 2000 Points – 0%

So far I have got painted the following

  • Cannoness
  • Battle Sister Squad x 10
  • Arco-Flagellants x 3
  • Repentia Superior
  • Sisters Repentia x 4
  • Seraphim Squad x 5
  • Penitent Engine x 2

Which gives me a total of 495 points right now.

So I am looking to put together another 1500 points roughly.

In the pile of potential, I have currently got:-

  • Battle Sisters x 10
  • Taddeus the Purifier
  • Rettibutors x 5
  • Palatine
  • Dialogus
  • Imagifier
  • Celestine the Living Saint
  • Gemaine Superia x 2

So that’s a good start on expanding them.

Imperium will be at some ping be giving me another 10 Battle Sisters, 5 Seraphim, a Canoness, 3 Argo-Flagellants, a Repentia Superior, 4 Sister Repentia, and a Penitent Engine.

So mostly what I already have, whether that comes all this year, we have to see.

Paint Both Silver Tower and Shadows over Hammerhall – 0%

I intend to start in this in March.

Paint 2000 points worth of Orruk Warclans for Age of Sigmar – 7%

I have painted up the armies general, a Megaboss, who will head up the Ironjawz element of the army.

I intend to write up a list in February.

Paint the Primaris Ultramarines to 2000 Points – 5.5% Complete

I have painted the armies Warlord Uriel Ventris.

I am starting this army by painting a 500pt Combat Patrol which will be as follows.

+ HQ +

Uriel Ventris

+ Troops +

Intercessor Squad: Bolt rifle
. 4x Intercessor: 4x Bolt pistol, 4x Frag & Krak grenades
. Intercessor Sergeant

+ Elites +

Redemptor Dreadnought: 2x Fragstorm Grenade Launchers, Heavy flamer, Heavy Onslaught Gatling Cannon

+ Fast Attack +

Suppressor Squad
. 2x Suppressor: 2x Accelerator autocannon, 2x Bolt pistol, 2x Frag & Krak grenades
. Suppressor Sergeant

Other Resolutions

  • Paint Two Gangs For Carnivale
  • Paint The Warhound Titan

Current Project

I am currently working on some True Sons, a Chaos Space Marines Warband using the Premium Pack that was sent to me though Warhammer 40,000 Imperium.

So what’s coming up next?

  1. Chaos Space Marines x 13
  2. T’au Pathfinders x 10
  3. Blades of Khorne Blood Warriors x 10
  4. Snottlings Blood Bowl Team
  5. Soulblight Gravelords Mortis Engine
  6. Orruk Brutes x 6
  7. Ork Kommandos Team x 12
  8. Corpse Grinder Cult x 15
  9. Necron Technomancer
  10. Ultramarines Intercessor Squad x 5

Starting a Recipe Book and a Trip to Hartside

By

On 29th August 2017

In Blog

​I started a recipe book this week, well a notebook in which I am going to keep the recipes I like cooking.

My nana had one, and she swore by it, and I guess it’s time for me to follow suit, plus it will help with the drive to cook more.

So far it has in it, the recipe I got for Kansas City BBQ sauce from LonCon 3, my Sloppy Joes recipe, my Kansas City, Rub recipe, that I also got from LonCon 3, my nanas cornflake flapjacks, Cajun Spice Mix and my Italian Winter Soup.

As I try things out, I am going to experiment to find the way I like to cook meals, and then add those recipes to the book.

Trip to Hartside

On Bank Holiday Monday, myself, Megan, Lindsay and Paul took a drive up to the Hartside Top Cafe, a place I used to ride to while I had a motorbike. I love it up there, the roads are brilliant, which Lindsay loved and the views are spectacular, and the cafe isn’t bad either.

I had a corned beef and potato pie with chips and beans followed by a broken biscuit cake and its just as good as remember, they have even improved the tea!

On the way back we stopped at the South Tynedale Railway so Paul could buy a book and then we drove back home via Weardale. We then finished the day off by having our tea at Pizza Express in the Metrocentre.

What I am Modelling

I finished up the Inceptors, I am not 100% happy with them, not sure what it is but I just had a bad time painting them, but none the less they are finished and added to my Blood Ravens.

I then started on the Caestus Assault Ram which has been sitting half finished for a long time. I bought it two years ago second hand and a year later I blocked out the main blue, and six months ago I finished off the hull colour.

My Ultramarines need some attention so I figured I would get this done, and it will form part of a Breachers list.

But it didn’t take me long to finish the Assault Ram and I had it done in a day, although it does once again show that I am awful at painting whites!

With that out of the way I decided to paint up some characters for my Space Wolves, specifically a metal Ragnar Blackmane, metal Njal Stormcaller in Power Armour and Geigor Fell-Hand from the Burning of Prospero set, who will also be the first dedicated model for my Heresy Wolves.

What I am Reading

I have been slowly listening to Pharos and am about halfway through it.

Still struggling with written books, the pain makes it hard to concentrate, but I did make myself read a chapter of the Crimson King this week.

What I am Playing

I haven’t been able to play any games this week apart from Ticket to Ride on my iPhone, must try harder this week.

What I am Backing

The Warehouse 13 Board Game has got me interested, but Megan is the big fan in this house so I want her opinion on it before backing it.

Unspeakable Words Deluxe was delivered to GamesQuest, so here is hoping that they fulfil it sooner rather than later.

What I am Cooking

On Wednesday I mixed up a couple of spice mixtures, the first was a jar of Kansas City BBQ Rub, which uses brown sugar as a base, so when cooking with it, you need a low temperature. And I also made a Cajun Spice mix, which uses paprika and salt as a base, little worried about the amount of salt I used but we shall see how it tastes.

This week I cooked a teriyaki beef meatloaf, it was a super simple recipe and I wasn’t all that excited about making it.

Because my hands were feeling quite weak Megan mixed and shaped the meatloaf. I used Mr Yoshidas Wing and Rib Sauce for the teriyaki flavour, I thought we had the Original Gourmet Sauce, but we didn’t so I hope this was okay to use instead.
It was served up with mashed potatoes, carrots and broccoli, and it was ok, not a dish that will set the world on fire, but it was nice.

Lindsay and Megan really liked it, it was Megan’s first ever meatloaf and she then asked her mum why she had never been fed meatloaf growing up, turns out her mum isn’t a fan of meatloaf.

Although I wasn’t sure about it, the girls have convinced me to add the recipe to my book.

Next week will be a big week and very challenging, I am going to make Pulled Pork and BBQ Pit Beans, which means I need to make up my Kansas City BBQ sauce as well.

What I am Spending

It was the Metrocentre Games Workshops birthday on Saturday so I popped along and bought myself the Birthday Primaris Captain with a Power Fist and Plasma Pistol. I also picked up the captains for a few other folk as well who couldn’t make it to the store.

But I don’t get to pick it up until the 9th September, they are making them to order.

Whilst I was there I also bought a Bloodmaster, Herald of Khorne for my AoS Khorne army. This means I can now run the Murderhost alongside my Gore Pilgrims. I also got the Generals Handbook 2017 for the new points. And top make the purchase up to £200, which bagged me two bags of goodies, I got the Ironjawz Warscroll Cards for Megan and the Eavy Metal dice.

Mood: Tired
Caffeinated Beverages Consumed: 4
In My Ears: Paint It, Black by The Rolling Stones
Game Last Played: Warhammer 40,000
Book Last Read: The Crimson King by Graham McNeil
Movie/TV Show Last Viewed: Big Bang Theory
Current State of Projects: Space Wolves Characters 50% Done

Update for the Last Few Weeks

By

On 6th December 2016

In Blog

It’s been a whiles since I last posted, in that time I have been to Warhammer World, been to a wedding and done very little else really, oh but we did put up the Christmas tree, a bit early, personally I prefer to wait until after my mums birthday partway through the month.

So here is a general update on what I am up to.

What I am Modelling

Gotten through a bit of the to do pile the past few weeks so let’s look at them project by project.

– Ultramarines 

Got painted up three squads, a squad of Cataphractii Terminators with Lightning Claws, a squad of 10 Legion Breachers including a Vexilia, Nuncio Vox and two Graviton Guns, and finally a Legion Heavy Support Squad all armed with Ryza Pattern Lascannons. I am a really big fan of these Lascannons, the MKIII arms needed a little shaving before they fit, but they look really good and look like a nice step from the shoulder mounted Lascannons of the Great Crusade to the 40k Lascannon.

– Word Bearers

I painted up the rest of the Legion Veteran Tactical Squad for the Word Bearers and their Rhino. The two special weapons guys from the squad were armed with Proteus-II Missile Launchers. Now originally when Forgeworld first revealed these I thought they looked a tad daft, I just didn’t think they looked right and swore I would never use them.

That was up until I decided to do a MKIII Veteran Tactical Squad with Missile Launchers, and well the MKIII pack doesn’t come with its own Missile Launchers like the MKIV kit. In my mind I headcannon this as the ordinary MKIII armour isn’t suitable to carry shoulder mounted heavy weapons. Now I could have gotten a pack of MKIII Heavy Support Marines and a pack of Missile Launchers, but that would have been rather expensive, and a bit wasteful. So I went to eBay and bought two of the Proteus-IIs and when I actually have them in my hands, they aren’t too bad. They remind me of the Space Crusade Missile Launchers, and when given to a Veteran Squad, it seems like yeah, this could be the variant of the Missile Launcher that a Suspensor Web is easily fitted to.

The Rhino had been long in the making, when Dark Vengeance came out, I was all for doing Word Bearer Chaos Space Marines, and I bought three sets of Word Bearer Rhino upgrade kits from Forgeworld , anyway, bar two squads and a Dark Apostle, my Word Bearers then never amounted to much because life got in the way. But I am glad I ordered the doors as Forgeworld no longer make them, and I think for my Calth themed Word Bearers they look so much more appropriate than the Legion upgrades do.

– Dropfleet Commander

Now I have my Commodore Pledge for Dropfleet Commander I have been slowly building up some of the starter fleets for it. I have built and painted three out of the four starter fleets, those for the UCM, PHR and Scourge. I am actually going to be playing my first game of this at club this week, where Ken, our regional Hawk Talon will be showing me and Madison the ropes.

I am currently thinking that UCM and PHR will become my main fleets, I just found them so much nicer to paint, but even then, my paint jobs were really basic and terrible.

What I am Reading

For some reason I couldn’t actually get myself to pick up my Kobo for a few weeks, but a few nights ago I did so and finally at long last finished the Ahirman series, and I have to say I found it a little anticlimactic. Which is a shame as I enjoyed the rest of the series, but that said the ending was actually rather hopeful and uplifting in a universe of Grim Darkness.

It just feels like there is more story to tell, in a way because this was more of an ensemble book and you spent a lot mor time amongst the supporting cast than you did with Ahriman himself, and that’s no bad thing, I enjoy Ignis and Cetsias, they are very interesting characters, especially Ignis who is very unusual for a Thousand Son, and to me seems to be more like a member of the Iron Xth than the XVth. I do hope we get to hear more about Asteroes though, I hope his story is not at an end.

I have however had better progress with audio books and have smashed through Scars, Know No Fear, and Mark of Calth plus various shorts set around these books, this evening I just started on Garro – Oath of Moment, which features the awesome Garro and Rubio and I am enjoying that so far.

What I am Playing

Not much as seems to be the usual these days, every time I arrange a game at Club it falls through, which is kinda getting me down, but I am looking forward to playing Dropfleet this week.

I have started a game of Dark Heresy 2nd Edition of Heaton Games Society, I have had l the books for some time and have been meaning to start up a game for a long while.

We have just done character creation, and will be meeting every two weeks, my character is a Seeker from a Garden World who previously served in a Rouge Trader Fleet. I don’t know what the GM has in store for us, but we have been told that initially we are being sent in by the Inquisitor to investigate irregularities with the worlds Imperial Tithe and taxation records.

What I am Backing

Nothing, I was backing Ogre Minitures and Ominoes, but alas money is tight and I have had to abandon this pledges.

The Teenage Mutant Nina Turtle board game is apparently going to be shipping to me in the next couple of weeks, I backed that back in February, it was meant to be delivered in the summer, but there was a perfectly reasonable delay, the only negative is that the Yanks have had the game for over a month at this point, and I am a bit annoyed they couldn’t have gotten the boat for the States and the EU on the water at the same time.

What I am Spending

Mostly just buying Christmas presents, but I did but Blood Bowl, Death Zone Season One, the Skavenblight Scramblers and the Skaven Dice. I also ordered a UCM Battleship to add to my fleet.

Although I had to think long and hard about that purchase. After sharing a photo of my unopened projects (there are a few), I got a bit of a backlash from friends, many of whom were annoyed that I appear to spend more on the hobby than them.

I, as many of you will know, don’t work, due to disabilities I am paid the benefits ESA and PIP to support me while I am physically unable to work, and it was said that I shouldn’t be able to afford these things whilst on those benefits.

Well I don’t really drink, I don’t gamble, I don’t smoke or do drugs, I live in a three adult household with rent that is quite cheap, even for the north east, and I have no debt payments bar the mortgage on the flat me and Lindsay own in Newcastle. I have no children to support, just four cats and a rabbit, and on occasion I get paid to demonstrate board games and stores and conventions. My wife also earns a decent wage for the region and takes on the lions share of bills for us. I have a disabled persons bus pass so I don’t pay bus fare to get anywhere.

So yes I do have a reasonable amount of disposable income each month, and I spend that mostly on things for my hobby or books, and I am told I should feel guilty for that. 

I don’t feel guilty, why should I, just because I am disabled doesn’t mean I should live a life like a monk. I don’t get a huge amount of money a year, just £9,807.20. Okay so I also get a car which if I took the cash instead would be another £2,987.40 a year, so as you can see I don’t get the full time equivalent of someone working full time on the National Living Wage would get, and that’s quite right, why should I get what someone who works gets.

But I am good with my money, I manage to make the £65 a month I spend on my hobby stretch quite far, sometime I add some money from my weekly budget and not go out that week, but generally that’s all I spend. 

I get that’s more than some others, but then again it’s less than others, but just because some of my friends who work feel like I get to spend more on the hobby than they, should not affect me. It’s gets to me emotionally when I am told that I should not be so shameless about claiming disability benefits and buying what are luxuries, it’s like I am being told that I don’t deserve the money I am given. 

I have been told before that the disabled should only be given food vouchers and bare minimum to pay utilities before, because we are scroungers, and that hurts. I worked all my life, ever since I was 13 and got my first paper round, and bar 7 weeks of unemployment I worked continually right up until I got ill, I paid my taxes and national insurance. So why should I not be able to claim now when I need it? And why should I be punished and penalised because I can’t work?

I got kind of lost with this rant, but this is the kind of thing those of us who are disabled have to put up with all the time, we are judged and abused constantly because of general assumption by some people, encouraged by the shit-stirring ultra right wing gutter press, that disabled people like me sit around all day drinking, watching Jeremy Kyle and raking in the money for it.

For the record, Jeremy Kyle is rubbish.

Brain Damage and Games Exercise 

By

On 2nd November 2016

In Blog

2 1/2 years ago I suffered some brain damage, and since then my games have taken on much more meaning. They are one of the few things I can still do with friends. Im a fan of the bigger chunky games that take time to play and I’m just getting into playing solo games. All these mean I have to concentrate and act as a kind of exercise for my damaged brain.Games provide me with a chance to socialise, & provide health benefits. The theraputic value of this also helps with my depression. 

Getting run over has really changed my life, and my whole aim of things now is to try and get me back into a position where I can work again. But having the issues I have currently, it’s not looking likely to happen anytime soon, which is shame, because for all I complained about work, I did enjoy feeling useful and doing something that contributed to society. 

So yeah, games help me, but for various reason, I am not getting to play many games lately, and I can tell because my mental abilities are slipping and I find my ability to concentrate less. So I am not getting the brain exercise I need, and thus I am going to have to make a bigger effort to get to things like Newcastle Gamers so that I can give my brain the workout it desperately needs.

I am, money depended, going to be entering the Kill Team tournament at the Warhammer 40,000 Open Day on Saturday, but it’s very money dependent!

What I am Modelling

This past week and a bit I have decided to clear up some of the models on my painting table that have been started and not finished. I started by finishing off the Blood Angels Tactical Squad to form a basic Kill Team, they are now done and dusted.

I then moved onto the Blood Angels Terminator Librarian, and he was actually a lot nicer to paint than I had expected him to be. And I finally based a Word Bearers Contemptor Dreadnought 

I am currently working on a Scout Squad that’s for Lost Patrol, a Word Bearers Jump Pack Chaplain and a Word Bearers Veteran. 

What I am Reading

I read White Dwarf, but other than that I haven’t been pick my Kobo for over a week now, which is simply down to how drained and tired I have been feeling.

I have been listening to audio books when I paint still, I recently finished the Damnation of Pythos, a book which in my first reading of it, was ok, not amazing but ok. But after listening to it as an audiobook, my opinion of it worsened, and I now have to agree, it just feels out of place in the series.

What I am Playing

I played in a long afternoon playing Horus Heresy on Sunday, however opposite me on the table was Christian and his Mechanicum, so I spent most of the afternoon removing models without doing any damage to him at all, really need to figure out a better way of dealing with the Mechanicum. 

I have a plan involving combining a Reconnaissance Squad with Sniper Rifles and a Heavy Support Squad with a Lascannons. I have bought some Lascannons when a friend did a Forgeworld order a while ago, but he keep forgetting to give them for me. But I have a promise from him to give me them at the Open Day on Saturday.

What I am Backing

I had backed Pretending to Grownup, a card game from Jason Anarchy of Drinking Quest fame, it’s an excellent looking game with some really cool looking art from Megan McKay.

And in a nice surprise, Quatermaster General 1914 arrived with me on the 31st, meeting it’s October delivery date, only had a brief look at it, but everything seems quite cool and I look forward to playing it.

What I am Spending

It’s coming up to Christmas, so too much, I have bought a few gifts for Lindsay and Megan as most of my nephews and nieces presents will be coming from the John Lewis account we put money into every month and the £200 of High Street Vouchers we have saved towards. I also have my nephews Max’s birthday coming up and I have paid for his birthday present.

That’s not to say I haven’t spent money, I did but myself the Burning of Prospero and then traded with a dude on Facebook for an extra two squads of MKIII Space Marines to add to my Word Bearers.

In a spate of depression I also placed a Forgeworld order and am now the proud owner of a Mhara Gal Tainted Dreadnought, which has reduced my money for the rest of the month.

First Steps in Airbrushing

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On 14th August 2016

In Blog

Well I got my airbrush stuff delivered this week, so today I gave it a go.

I had planned to go to a long gaming day at Heaton Game Society, but sadly Megan was not doing so good today after a bit of a nasty shock yesterday, so I stayed home to help her with her day.

And of course I used the time to wisely try out the airbrush. It’s not as easy as it looks on YouTube, I just stuck to the basic airbrush that came with the compressor, before I break out the expensive Iwata Neo I bought.

I base coated five Ultramarine Breachers, three Celestial Vindicator Liberators and Ragnar Blackmane and Njal Stormcaller in Power Armour. I discovered why airbrush painters prefer dropper bottles, some have been ordered, and that Russ Grey in the Citadel Air range is a completely different colour to Russ Grey in the layer range!

Tomorrow I plan to try out the primer and will be priming a Word Bearers Contemptor Dreadnouth and an Airdid European Fountain.

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