Decisions, decisions, decisions...

When this post publishes, it will be exactly four weeks until the Warhammer Invasion! 

Games Workshop Epsom, Sutton, Croydon, Bromley, Kensington, Chiswick and Putney will all be sending Warhammer players up to Nottingham for an event day, similar to a inter-store Tournament.

Firstly, I can't wait. I've been looking forward to this for a while now.

Secondly, I still don't know which 1500 point army I want to take up!

Our Collections And Us

Apparently, some people just 'have' armies. I don't mean in the sense that they own the army, but rather, that deep down, the army owns them. Now, I know that's dangerous territory to say, it's walking perilously close to the old "In Soviet Russia..." meme/joke, but what I mean is, sometimes, there's just an army or a collection that stands out to you more than others... so much so that it becomes a part of you.

For me, that appears to be the Skaven.

A Flight of Fantasy

I've been back in my hometown in South East Kent for this week, relaxing and visiting family and old friends. I didn't bring Hobby Supplies or models with me as I knew that, a) I wouldn't have much time, and b) I would doubtless forget an important colour or run out of glue or something.

Myself and four friends enjoy a game of Relic

This means that my Hobby fix this week has been a little bit different.

What's Your Game?

Last time I ranted about people who force their opinions onto others, especially those who have one particular aspect of the Hobby that they focus on to the exclusion of all others. I focused on the dangers of such a volatile attitude, and the damage that it could do to our Hobby. Perhaps a little doom and gloom, but I felt it needed to be said.

The Danger of Opinions

Chaos Dwarf Daemonsmith

There's something in this Hobby that's recently been truly getting my goat. No, I'm not talking about the endless waves of people who seem to be in the Hobby for the sole reason of hating it - well, not quite, at least. I'm talking about those who are certain that their aspect of the Hobby is the only one worthy of enjoyment, to the exclusion of all else.

What do I mean? I'll see you after the jump to explain.

Blood Bowl and Specialist Games

So, I've started Blood Bowl. 

As a game, it's always kind of sat in the back rows for me, vaguely waving in interest. Waaaaaaay back in 2003, I played a couple of games of it using a friends Orc team, and quite enjoyed it. I remember then, at the tender age of 14, picking up the Blood Bowl Annual '03 and flicking through the different teams. Even though hormonal teenage me quite liked the buxom Amazons, it was always clear which team I would eventually end up coaching.

Yes, of course, Skaven.

How I Paint: Daemons of Nurgle

A Great Unclean One
And a really cool daemon model!

This is me with my Great Unclean One (Greater Daemon of Nurgle). I first saw this model when I was about 8 years old. It was in White Dwarf; this hugely awesome, disgusting lump of metal miniature, and I wanted it. Of course, being a kid, I was never going to get a £30 model - every time I reached £10 savings, I'd blow it on whatever that would buy me, but that never stopped me wanting a Great Unclean One.

Thank You!

One day I will finish this Titan...

It's been over a year since I first started this blog. In that year I've watched my local community here in Epsom grow, blossom and bloom. In that year I've met a plethora of new hobbyists, made countless new friends and contacts (both in 'real life' and via Twitter), and I've felt my Hobby grow.

Thus, soppy though it may sound, I wanted to pop up a very quick blog post thanking YOU for your continued support of this blog, of my Hobby, and my Hobby Centre for those local. 

It means the world to me to be able to share my Hobby, and to be able to see your Hobby. This is why I do what I do.

Thank you!

The Second Day

The Brettonians line up for battle

After the 45 minute walk home (seriously, why did we book a hotel so awkwardly far away from the venue, town and everything?), a long tactical discussion and a brief nights rest, we awoke the next day ready to try and climb back up the ladder.

As we arrived at Warhammer World, we passed through crowds of coffee-cup holding players and made our way to the first of two tables for the day. Across the board from us was a dauntingly large horde of Skaven and goblins.

The Muster of War

Game 1 - VS Warriors of Chaos / Vampire Counts

So we finally made it to Nottingham on Friday, and after about an hour of slogging around in the rain, we finally found our way to the hotel we were staying at. We checked in, then, realising that David still had 40 Men at Arms, 18 Knights and a chicken Griffon to base, we went to watch the new Star Trek film.

The Road to Nottingham

Lord Narya Silverthorn

 Wood Elf Highborne w/ Spite carrying Arcane Bodkins

For a few months now, this blog has remained silent. I've not been writing due to a number of factors, but, in fairness, the largest of which was likely just a kind of "I'm not sure what I want to write about" feeling when I had a hobby-slip, which then gave way to being out of practice, and so not doing it simply because not doing it had become the norm. If you get me. Well, the blog may have been silent, but my hobby hasn't been.

The 40 Minute BSB

I recently popped this up on Twitter:

SKULLS FOR HIS SKULL THRONE!!! The last #miniaturemonday from me today, a Khorne BSB painted in approx. 40 mins! twitter.com/BKellyCS/statu…
— Benjamin Kelly (@BKellyCS) March 11, 2013

...which led to some pretty nice comments. Thank you all for the lovely words - this has to be my favourite!

@bkellycs 40 mins.You swine!:)
— Da Skwire (@DaSkwire) March 11, 2013

As promised, after the jump, is how I did him...

The Doors of Durin

The following is an alternative scenario for "The Fellowship of the Ring" in "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - Strategy Battle Game". You will need a copy of the "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" Rules Manual to use these rules. Please be aware they are untested home-brew rules designed to give a fun scenario from the film!

In a "The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring" Journeybook Campaign, this battle replaces 'Scenario 11 - The Watcher In The Water'. 

New Links

Today I am home from work early.

At home. Dying. If you've seen The Hobbit, remember the Thunder Battle scene before the goblins? That's going on in my head right now.
— Benjamin Kelly (@BKellyCS) January 4, 2013

Because of this, I'm going to push forward a blog I had planned. Ultimately, if I can't give you content to read, I want to direct you to some AWESOME folks who can. Essentially, I'm popping up a humongous shout-out to the guys whose blogs I personally am following. I'm listing these in order they appear on my links pannel. It was just aesthetically pleasing - it has nothing to do with the blogs themselves! 

Meet the gang after the jump.

A Long Expected Party

Happy Birthday to JRR Tolkien! Raise a mug and toast to Father of Fantasy - without whom this world would be a much duller place.
— Benjamin Kelly (@BKellyCS) January 3, 2013