Tag: Zone Mortalis

DAKboard

By

On 6th May 2024

In Blog

As many of you know, I am a diagnosed AuDHD person and one of the things that benefits me, is a visual list of what I need to do, but well, paper isn’t working and we have been looking for a more techy solution for a while.

We were looking at a screen just showing a .txt file for my to do list, and I spoke to Paul about it on Friday, but thinking, hey someone must have done this before, so I googled it and found a few things that would do the job.

I saw the MagicMirror 2 software, but it just wasn’t going to work due to the issues adding modules, needing to be done via terminal and I just don’t have the spoons for it right now.

So instead we are going with DAKboard, which isn’t open source and less customisable, but does the job really well.

Initially I was going to use a TV we had lying around, but well, there was an accident 🙁

So I turned to the old monitor I used for my second screen, and well, its not as good, but its done ok.

So I downloaded the DAKboard software and installed it to the SD card, after a few false starts due to the issues with a counterfeit card I got from Amazon.

I then had to wire up some new extension cables to power it, plus move a set of sockets from behind the bookcase to use with the hoover!

But inserted into my Raspberry Pi and it worked like a dream!

Had to order some specific length cables for the monitor power and the Micro HDMI to DVI needs, but now they are in, it looks a lot cleaner and is perfect for our use case

If this works, we will be buying a touchscreen screen better in the year to allow for dismissing of tasks on the DAKboard interface directly

In the meantime, this has the local weather, our calendars, and both the household and my to do list!

Here is hoping it does the job!

What I Am Modelling

Most was building stuff, but I did get a few things painted, starting with some Thermic Plasma Conduits for Zone Mortalis

And some random stuff, plus a set of Alcomite Stacks for the board too

I also finally painted the Arbite Arbitratror from the Model of the Month a while back.

And some Hobgrot Slittaz were painted too

And Dryca Hamadreth was painted too!

And after that it was a set of Arco-Flaggents for my Sisters

Plus some Sisters Repentia

Then came a Dark Angels Intercessor Squad

Followed by a Dark Angels Ancient

For the Blood Angels, I got a Squad of Eliminators painted

Plus Radukar the Wolf which I got with Stormbringer

And an Assassins from the Cities of Sigmar, also from Stormbringer

So whats up next?

  1. Sneaky Snufflers x 12
  2. Lasrifle Section x 20
  3. Space Wolves Infiltrators x 10, Eliminators x 3 & Battle Leader in Phobos Armour
  4. Psychophage
  5. Megaboss on Maw-Krusha
  6. Boingrot Bounders x 10
  7. Ultramarines Invader ATV x 2
  8. Tree-Revenants x 10 & Branchwych
  9. Chaos Space Marines x 10 & Dark Apostle
  10. Blood Angels Primaris Captains x 4

What I Am Reading

I have been listening to The Infinite and the Divine by Robert Rath.

And before that is was The Twilight Kingdom by Will Shindler.

What Tabletop Games I Am Playing

Got a few league games in, the first was against Matthews Space Marines, which was a loss, but not so bad that I felt outmatched

Then I took on George’s Tyranids, and yeah that was a bloodbath for me!

I was also able to get in a game of Heresy against Paul, and was able to try out Knights in Heresy for the first time in 2.0

What Video Games I Am Playing

Got a couple of sessions of Assassins’s Creed IV: Black Flag in on Stream

I am also playing Final Fantasy II on my Steam Deck, which is a very different game to the first one I played a few months ago

What I Am Backing

I backed a 3D Printing project, the Sci-Fi Outpost – PAY WHAT YOU WANT, which has now completed its funding cycle, and will hopefully soon deliver me some cool STLs!

What I Am Spending

I bought the Sisters of Silence I need for the first Custodes Combat Patrol, along with some paints

And a new microphone to help with Battle Reports, now that they have to be done on Lindsay’s MacBook

And Leon bought a fourth Kroot launch box, so I bought the Codex and Data Cards off him for the T’au

And I bought a few games too for my PC, these were:-

Grifters & Gamergate 2.0

By

On 24th April 2024

In Blog

Gamergate was an utter debacle; it was horrific, disgusting, and merely an excuse to abuse and harass women and minorities in the gaming industry.

It was never about ethics in gaming journalism. If you believe it was, you’re seriously mistaken and need to reconsider, basically take several seats.

At its core, it was a jilted ex-boyfriend’s revenge plot that spiralled out of control.

Following events like Race Fail and the Sad/Rabid Puppies controversies, it was a dreadful time for enthusiasts like me. All my passions, including gaming, sci-fi, and fantasy literature, felt under attack by far-right zealots.

It took me years to regain my enthusiasm for gaming as my love for it waned alongside my interest in literature.

Now, there are opportunists attempting to ignite a new Gamergate to make themselves relevant again or simply to stir up anger for profit. I refuse to let this happen again.

Take Mark Kern, for example, a once-prominent figure now irrelevant since being ousted from his company in 2013 due to his egregious behaviour.

And it’s disheartening to see creators I once admired, like Lady Decade, getting involved, which really stings.

Yet they persist, desperately seeking to spark a new “scandal”. Their efforts with Sweet Baby, who actually advised for widely praised changes in games, have failed.

They’ve targeted Stellar Blade, lauding it as “Game of the Year” material solely for its characters tits and arse and ‘jiggle physics’, blatantly ignoring the story and gameplay, they never mention that at all, so I have no idea if the game is actually any good.

Now, they’re criticising a tabletop RPG adaptation of Tomb Raider because it focuses on uncovering historical truths rather than grave-robbing. Clearly, they’ve never engaged with the Survivor Trilogy, which explores similar themes.

Furthermore, there’s constant griping about the portrayal of women in games, claiming they all should look like porn stars with heavy makeup.

Take Aloy, for example; they call her ugly when in fact, she’s stunning and lives in a post-apocalyptic world devoid of beauty salons. And Mary Jane in Spider-Man is portrayed beautifully in a realistic way.

So, if you see me confronting these chuds, know that I’m not backing down this time. This is my hobby, and these ignoramuses need to understand it’s not just a space for cis-het white men!

What I Am Modelling

Started the week with some Tyranids, specifically the Neurolictor

Then the Neurotyrant and its Neuroloids

As well as rebasing my Lictor on to the new 50mm base size

I then painted some Thermic Plasma Regilatoes for Zone Mortalis

And a Haemotrope Reactor too

After that I worked on some Wulfen for my Space Wolves

After that I turned to the Flesh Eater Courts and painted the Royal Beastflayers

Then a couple of Teleport Homers for the Blood Angels

And a squad of Seraphim for my Sister of Battle

https://www.instagram.com/p/C6Aa20RI99h/?igsh=OHk4aDU2YW00czY=

The Boarding Actions Terrain was finished up as well. This stuff is going to be used for my Zone Mortalis table mostly, the idea being it’s going to be the neglected and horrible service corridors of my hive

https://www.instagram.com/p/C5_H27rNeyy/?igsh=MXZjb2g5c3ZpdTFrZw==

I still want to add the marketplace stuff, a gang stronghold and some promethium containers, perhaps another set of shipping containers, but for now, I am quite happy with this!

And these Dark Angels Aggressors were finished as well!

https://www.instagram.com/p/C6C9y6qI-dA

So what’s next?

  1. Sisters Repentia x 4
  2. Hobgrot Slittaz x 10
  3. Drycha Hamadreth
  4. Sneaky Snufflers x 12
  5. Lasrifle Section c 20
  6. Arco-Flaggents
  7. Dark Angels Intercessors x 10
  8. Space Wolves Infiltrators x 10 and Battle Leader in Phobos Armour
  9. Paychophage
  10. Mega Boss on a Maw-Krusha

What I Am Reading To

I listened to Mort by Terry Pratchett my first of the new Discworld audiobooks, a real classic story and a hell of an update with a stellar cast!

I weirdly find it far easier to listen to the Discworld books than read them, dunno what it is, but the structure just seems to work better in audio, for myself that is!

Then I moved onto The Natural History of Fear by Jim Mortimer which was fairly interesting, but depressing, but a really cool twist at the end!

I have now started on Deathworlder by Victoria Hayward and am almost through it!

What Tabletop Games I Am Playing

I played Alex and his Tyranids in the 40K League on Thursday

https://www.instagram.com/p/C58zbCNNUk8/?igsh=MTN1Zm4yanMxZ2R1Mw==

The game went ok until it started and then my army was dismembered, I did ok on objectives, but it was a solid loss

Then on Friday I played Edward and his Aeldari, also for the league

https://www.instagram.com/p/C5_KInENPnH/?igsh=MWFkNnN3N285cGd6cw==

And that was a game in which we both thought I would be tabled by turn 3, but I managed to keep it going and survived the whole game, still a major loss!

Think I am gonna win the leagues wooden spoon!!!

What Video Games I Am Playing

Not much this week, Megan is anxiously waiting on something so I have leant them my Steam Deck to help distract them, they are mostly using it to play Disney Dreamlight Valley, on my Xbox profile I might add!

But I did play some Boltgun

What I Am Creating

We published a new episode of Edge of Empire, this one was a Solar Auxilia special!

What I Am Spending

Not really anything this week, I grabbed a HDD caddy to add a further 2TB for the PLEX server

From a mystery bundle on Fanatical, I got Internet Cafe Simulator 2 and GRIP, and also purchased Oddworld: Soulstorm Enhanced Edition.

I also bought the Train Sim 4: Top Up Your Timetable bundle from Humble Bundle, which scored me

  • West Somerset Railway Route Add-On
  • Southern BR Class 313 EMU Add-On
  • Hamilton – Oakville Add-On
  • Hagen – Finnentrop Route Add-On
  • Duisburg – Bochum Route Add-On
  • Aschaffenberg – Gemunden Route Add-On
  • Marseille – Avignon Route Add-On
  • Boston – Providence Route Add-On
  • Brighton – Eastbourne & Seaford Route Add-On
  • Mainz – Koblenz Route Add-On
  • DB BR 101 Loco Add-On
  • Cheyenne – Laramie Route Add-On
  • DB BR 363 Loco Add-On
  • Ambergate – Chinley & Buxton Route Add-On

And my Saints Row IV key from a previous Humble Bundle finally landed in my account!

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.

Not The Best Week

By

On 14th February 2022

In Blog

This past week hasn’t been the best, simply because it was my Nanas funeral, so not the greatest week.

However I did have a couple of nice meals with my parents, brother and nephew, and I helped a friend build his new PC.

So a few bright spots amongst a bunch of rubbish, and frankly that’s what you have have to do in life.

What I am Modelling

I started off by painting the Charnel Throne for my Flesh-Eater Courts!

And then I painted a couple of Ferratonic Furnaces for my Zone Mortalis board.

I am now working on some Blood Warriors for my Blades of Khorne, but so far they have just been primed!

So what’s the plan for thisweek?

  1. T’au Pathfinders x 10 (Awaiting some paint)
  2. Blades of Khorne Blood Warriors x 10
  3. Snottlings Blood Bowl Team
  4. Soulblight Gravelords Mortis Engine
  5. Orruk Warclans Brutes x 6
  6. Ork Kommandos Team x 12
  7. Corpse Grinder Cult x 15
  8. Ultramarines Intercessor Squad x 5
  9. Blood Bowl Referees x 2
  10. T’au Crisis Suit Team x 3

What Am I Reading

I finished Witched Unleased, you can read a review here.

I have now started on School of X, edited by Gwendolyn Nix.

What Video Games Am I Playing

I have been playing The Legend of Zelda: Links Awakening on my Switch, it a lot different than the last time I played the game on the original Game Boy.

I started playing Horizon Zero Dawn on the PC, and its a beautiful game, I am playing this on Stream so I expect it will take a while.

Got a session in on Saturday and another on Sunday.

https://youtu.be/R0Jq4XE7FAw
https://youtu.be/8w3jknYxoQs

I have also finished working my way through Doom 64 and been playing some Forza Horizon 5 and Halo: Infinite here and there.

So let’s update you on my next games I intend to play on Stream.

  1. Horizon Zero Dawn (PC)
  2. Assassin’s Creed: The Ezio Collection (Xbox)
  3. Control Ultimate Edition (PC)
  4. Assassin’s Creed III (Xbox)
  5. Borderlands (Switch)

What Tabletop Games Am I Playing

None Sadly

What I Am Creating

The Issue 13 Battle Report for Warhammer 40,000 Imperium went live on Saturday.

What Am I Spending

I needed some dopamine on Thursday so I bought a couple of paints from Travelling Man.

I also bought myself some video games, I got Dying Light Platinum Edition, and the remaining Star Trek games on my GOG wish list, those being Hidden Evil, Armada, Armada II and Starfleet Command III.

The Zone Mortalis Board

By

On 16th September 2021

In Blog

This post has been very delayed due to being unwell, nowt serious, just really feeling under the weather and an inability to keep any food down.

As I will mention in the Modelling section I have finished my Zone Mortalis board, well in its 2×2 configuration at least.

Really happy with how it’s turned out, it I have actually painted way more than needed so plenty of stuff to help expand it to 3×3 and perhaps even 4×4.

Next up, I think I want a Charadon box to add some big furnaces to block line of sight, and add a bit more variety and probably some more Munitorium Armoured Containers.

I also have somewhere a Repressor unbuilt that I will be building and painting up in Enforcers colours to be parked up to show that the brutal security forces of the Hive have been deployed into the area.

What I Am Modelling

I started off by finishing the Galvanic Servohaulers for my Zone Mortalis board.

I then painted the Praetors, Anhiliators, Knight-Vexillor, Knight Arcanium and Lord Imperitant from Dominion for my Celestial Vindicators alongside a Vindictor from the Getting Started magazine.

I also got the first delivery of Imperium so I painted the three Warriors that came with issue 2.

This was followed by finishing off the Zone Mortalis Terrain (for now) by painting the barriers, cranes and pipes.

I then painted up my Agamatus Jetbikes for the Legio Custodes.

And finally a pair of Remora Stealth Drones for Aeronautica Imperialis.

  1. Blackstone Fortress Cultists x 16
  2. Blitzkrieg German HQ x 4 & MG34 MMG Team
  3. Death Guard Fire Raptor
  4. Necron Canoptek Wraiths x 6, Hexmark Destroyer & Warriors x 3
  5. Magos Macrotek Enginseer & Servo-Automata x 4
  6. Flesh-Eater Courts Crypt Flayers x 3, Crypt Haunter Courtier & Crypt Infernal Courtier
  7. Death Guard Lord of Virulence, Blackstone Fortress Plague Marines x 3 & Poxwalkers x 6
  8. Skitarii Marshall
  9. Thousand Sons Terminators x 5 & Ahriman
  10. Blackstone Fortress Negavolt Cultists x 6 and Rogue Psykers x 3

What I Am Reading

I published my review of Outlaw: Relentless by Tristan Palgreen, which you can read here.

I also read In the Shadow of Deimos by Jane Killick and will release a review this week.

I am now reading Dark Avengers: Patriot List by David Guymer.

What Tabletop Games Am I Playing

Not a sausage 🙁

What Video Games Am I Playing

Not a great deal, just bits and bobs.

I completed Halo 2: Anniversary which was a lot of fun and really beautiful to behold.

Played a bit of Forza Horizon 4 and State of Decay 2.

What I Am Creating

Nowt this week, but a few things are on the production queue.

What I Am Backing

I did get an email about Car Wars giving me a chance to update my shipping address so that can’t be long in coming!

Also we are backing Rawr! Velociraptor! by The Doubleclicks, not for the plushy, sadly shipping to the UK makes that impractical, but we have gone in for the digital version of their Greatest Hits album.

What I Am Cooking

Not a thing sadly

Paint Zone Mortalis – Floors

By

On 2nd July 2020

In Tutorials

I have been asked by a couple of people, how I painted my Zone Mortalis Floor Tiles, so I will tell you guys how I did it!

First off, this scheme is the result of lots of googlefu and searching Facebook/Twitter/Instagram for ideas.

None of this is my own original thought, but I didn’t make note of posts that inspired me, so if you see a likely candidate, let me know so I can credit them. There are a few people who contributed to this and I am kicking myself that I didn’t make a note of them!

Step 1

The first step is to prime the tile black, for this I have used Wilkos Satin Black spray.

Step 2

In this step I lightly spray the tile with a dark brown, in this case I have used Rust-Oleum Satin Espresso, but you could easily use something like Land Rover Russet Brown from Halfords.

I aimed for about 80% – 90% coverage of this.

Step 3

Next I take some Burnt Siena, I got this from Amazon, and tear up a bit of cheap sponge to apply it, but I use a piece of kitchen towel to take off as much of the paint as possible.

I then apply it rather heavily to the tile.

Step 4

Next I sponge on some Fire Dragon Bright, but much lighter this time.

Step 5

Now I take some Humbrol Maskol, but you could just as easily use Vallejo Liquid Mask, and I sponge this on to the tile quite randomly.

Step 6

Now we give a thin layer of Iron Warriors, I applied this with a cheap make up brush.

Step 7

You can skip ahead now if you don’t want to put any hazard markings on your board.

But I apply a couple of thin layers of Averland Sunset to where I want to put the hazard stripes.

Step 8

Then some masking tape is applied to protec the parts I want to remain yellow.

Step 9

Then a couple of thin layers of Abaddon Black is applied to the uncovered area.

Step 10

At this point I now remove the masking tape and begin to rub off the Maskol, be that with a singer, it my finger.

As it comes off it shows the rust effect underarm the Iron Warriors.

I also paint any details I want to be bronze, in this case I used Balthasar Gold.

Step 11

The final step is to mix Typhus Corrosion 1:1 with water and apply it to the tiles, leaving it to dry for a few seconds before dabbing it off with kitchen towel.

And this is the final stage in how I paint my Zone Mortalis Floor Tiles.

And that how I paint my Zone Mortalis floors, I think it looks ok myself.

Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norén