Accounting Catch-Up

Howdy folks.

I hope your week is going well comma and that your weather is letting it get outside and enjoy some time outdoors. Having taken stock this week of my Cangames activities and post Cangames reports, I thought it was high time To do some workstation cleanup and figure out where exactly I stood in terms of miniatures painted miniatures bought and overall progress as we’re roughly about half year complete or maybe I should say we’re grudgingly just over the half your mark this week.

To be honest, I have not been taken a very close look at what I was buying, but I know I had picked up a few things this year that I hadn’t encountered for yet. Anywho, I had picked up a few figures this year from local gaming stores and I had started to go down the rabbit hole of sci-fi and space gaming, which led me over to the Aliens franchise and then I got interested in seeing what I could find from the “Another Glorious Day in the Corps” game line from Gale Force 9, it is out of production now, so it’s a little challenging, but I figured that the miniatures would work well across a wide range of genres. 

Anyhow, having taken the time to do the review. My numbers are now up-to-date and I almost have a new challenge to see if I can paint through the small bump or foothill in my trek up shame mountain. We’ll see what the rest of the year brings and how much I can get through this collection on top of the objectives I had set in January.

I think this picture captures most of it, but I know I’m missing a bolt action book that I bought that came with a free figure a couple of Star Wars legions boxes (Bossk and the battlefield supplies scatter terrain), Oh, and a couple of used Marvel figures that I bought at Red Dragon (Captain America and Kraven).

Have a great weekend folks.

2026's Trek up Mt. Shame

Painted

15mm         44

28mm+       19

Terrain      +38

  

Bought       103, +103

Progress      -2

Cangames - Stargrave - Battle Report

Howdy folks,

Welcome to the last installment of my Battle Reports for Cangames 2026, for this we will take a look at a classic Tod Creasey run game. Tod always puts a little extra work into the planning of his games, along with a bunch of tongue-in-cheek, and is known for big games with lots of players. This year was actually the first time I had a chance to try out one of Tod's games...I've bought a bunch of Stargrave minis and the books, but hadn't had a chance to try it out. Making it a Star Wars themed game...Tod left me little option but to try it out.

In terms of extras, Tod also made sure to tailor each Faction or team choice to the players that signed up for his game, and I even had a custom made Black Suns card complete with a suitably edited pic of me that Tod grabbed from social media.

As far as the game went, and unfortunately we are over a month since, so my memory is starting to fail, Tod's scenario was inspired heavily by the first couple of episodes from Andor Season 2. If you haven't seen Andor yet, you really must! It's a great view on some finer details within the Star Wars verse, and as Stellen Skarsgard says "Its Star Wars, but for adults." You get an excellent feel for the rebellion, the espionage elements that go into developing an insurgency as well as countering, and you get that feel while still having an individual story. Anywho, check it out if you can.

For this game, we had 3 main factions with 2-3 players per faction. The Empire of course, the Rebels also of course, and the Independents. In this case, I think the independents were Black Sun (me) and maybe some Mandalorian players. Each player had their victory conditions and objectives...each leader of the team had their special capabilities (ala the Stargrave crew Captain)...which I promptly forgot about. For me, my objective was to secure the debris of a crashed starcraft which was loaded with my "legitimate" cargo and get it off table. Other players were tasked with taking out team leaders or securing the pilot (Andor).

In the end, there was a lot of action going around, tough to log for each player...but I was able to get a large amount of 'product' off the table with my Captain taking a hit for the team and getting taken out by the Empire. I was able to use a LandRaam (ala old school Battlestar Galactica) and drove it off table, and taking out a droid crew that tried to bump me off along the way...I think they were liberating the machines or somesuch. 

All in all, a good intro to Stargrave...the mechanics were very Frostgrave'y...and the setting was fun.

Enjoy the pics.

Focusing on my part...the layout of the table is as such: random bits of terrain on the table, the spacecraft (looks very similar to a Colonial Raptor) is to the Black Suns 12 o'clock, there is an Imperial patrol over in that area as well, the red crates are the 'legitimate' cargo, and you can see a new TIE fighter to the top left of the pic (this is the fighter that Cassian liberated in Andor Season 2)

Better view of the left side of the field. You can see more Imperials, the TIE fighter, and some Mandalorian Clans, as well as an AirSpeeder at the lower end of the pic (think escape vehicle for Cassian). The coloured puffs are smoke grenades going off.

My crew slowly and deliberately making their way to the aircraft - making sure to stay in cover.

Overhead shot...Black Suns making their way to the cargo, Imperials chasing Rebel commandos.

Same sequence, but better view on the Speederbike chasing down the Rebels.

Black Suns get a Landram making its way onto the board. One of my guys jumps into the turret...which proved very helpful later on. Several others of my dudes are securing individual crates

There seems to be a ruckus around both the Airspeeder and the TIE fighter...and no, I cannot describe the ruckus, but they better watch it!

The Black Suns leader takes one for the team as an overly aggressive imperial speederbike gang jump an innocent legitimate business man on his way to his place of employment.

Cassian works hard and I think makes it into the cockpit of the speeder.

The Black Suns load up their goods and make their way out of another neighbourhood that has gone to pot thanks to gang violence.

Cangames - Random Stuff

Howdy folks,

I hope your May is going as desired. As you can see by the title of today's post, it is/was that time of year again when folk collect to Ottawa for CanGames!! While I made sure to register in advance, I was not as diligent with my game registrations…so I had to play that one from the hip…but more on games played in another post.

I thought I would post a selection of pictures I took of some random tables and games happening around me…admittedly I missed a number of tables, but here goes nonetheless.

Chris’s Force on Force, 20mm,  US Army and Iraqi insurgents 

The Walking Dead, 28mm

Star Wars Legion (?)…not sure if it was themed with different ruleset or not…forgot to ask.

Cangames standard…Rubberboots game and I think they used Silver Bayonet.

Mike’s SAGA Game

And Mike’s Dead Man’s Hand game…

Hello There 20-24

Hey everyone,

Winter is finally upon us…we made it until the second week of January before we saw any snow to follow-up our original snowfall back in mid November. Depending on where you are in Canada right now you are potentially feeling some -40 to -50 Celsius weather, and in some areas that very rarely get any subzero temps…so stay warm Canada.

So, with the dawning of the new year, I guess its time for the mandatory review and some forward thought…last year, my plan was fairly straight forward (I think): paint up more figures, focus on 15mm, get some more gaming in, try some new games, and work through the pile of lead (shame). By year’s end, I was sitting around 133 x 15mm figs painted (vehicle and troops) and 62 x 28mm figs…not my best output, and certainly not my worst output. I worked through a bunch of moderns and Team Yankee figs and I was happy that I started to get into some old starter/expansion boxes that I had laying about.

I didn’t game as much as I wanted to, but I was really happy that I got to give Marvel Crisis Protocol a shot and really enjoyed the game and mechanics. It was pretty cool, finally seeing some figs on the table. 

I had intended on working towards some set projects, but admittedly, I just couldn’t muster the focus. I put plenty of thought towards Afropia, but most of it stayed in the brain pan…although, I did work through some 15mm Team Yankee Red Dawn Insurgents/Militia that will fit in nicely. Funny enough, in the last week before end-year, I ended up looking through some of my terrain collection, put some thoughts towards potential actions, and am thinking that I may need to do a re-think and sync on the project.

So, that leads into the soothsaying and what will the next year hold. Painting more is an ongoing objective, I have plenty in the pile to work through, and some great looking MCP characters to bring to life. So that will continue to be a thing. With the release of NATO Forces, I have some Canadian Airborne Regiment and Special Service Force troops to put together for a continental Canada force. I had started a Cold War scenario some time ago, so I will continue developing that. I have been painting up a good amount of moderns over the last 2 years, so I would like to see them get to the table.

I think I will try to focus my efforts around the following projects and see how it goes:

1. Work on a proper Red/Northern Dawn scenario, ideally 2 of them, and that includes the terrain to get it to the table. So, I would like to work through the VDV starter box, and fill out my Cdn Abn Regt;

2. Work on a 15mm scenario inspired by some of the Bush War actions, I think this will be a good kickstart for me to push som progress on the greater Afropia idea - and really work on some of the wider mechanics and construct of that verse; 

3. I’d like to get some moderns to the table, so thinking of either Danger Close, Spectre Ops, or Force on Force, but moreso a limited small action scenario; and

4. Continue with MCP…and get my Hoth force for Star Wars Legion moving.

I think that covers enough variance over genre…and approaches more of the lead pile. So, we’ll see how we go over the next few months and start getting onto the verse’s.

Take care folks.

Legion BattRep - Empire vs. Trade Federation

Hey folks,

I hope you and yours are doing well in these fluid times. All the best to those who need it the most! Gotta say, the idea of gaming today was a very welcome distraction, and dealing with the imaginary evils in the Star Wars universe certainly felt a much better way to go.

We had attempted to set this up a week or two ago and ridiculous reality along with a migraine got in the way of that one, so it was good to get together with Mike and Duncan. Leading up to this we had settled on 800 points per side (Empire and Trade Federation), with Mike as the Federation and Duncan and I tag teaming to lead the...good guys???

Now as I'm actually only now getting into the whole gameplay of Legion, I can't say if we busted any 'rules' on our force/formation build, but m'eh, we went with what we had at hand. I can't remember all of Mike's forces...I know he had Cad Bane, Darth Dooku (sp?), some Roger Rogers (2 sections), some commandos, a section of larger droids, a couple of droidekas, and a spiderbot...I think. And I definitely don't know what equipment or tactics cards he had!!

Duncan and I:

 

The Emporer

Boba Fett - stims and hunter cards

Royal Guards - don't know if they took anything extra

Stormtrooper (Reds) - stims, frag grenades, extra trooper, HH zooka

Stormtrooper (Blues) - stims, impact grenades, extra trooper, DL sci-fi looking mg42 thing

Death Troopers - stims, impact grenades, E11 config card, extra troop with DL sci-fi looking mg42 thing on steroids, and hunter

Speederbikes - straight up, no cards

I can't remember the actual scenario process steps, but we ended up with setup on long edge in the corners (opposite) with 4 objectives for recovery and carry to table edge. Cad Bane and the Fett man both had the ability to put a bounty on an enemy unit, so we ended up putting bounties on our bounty hunters...the rub being that the bounty hunter has to get the thrill of the kill to get the payoff.

The table was already setup by Duncan, a desert-y looking environment with low-tech low development community. As well, we had set up about 16 barriers for cover and LOS.

Overview of the setup...Mike is at the bottom of the shot, Duncan and I are at the top with all the rocky outcrops...

 

Close up on the Empire side...Stormtroopers (Reds) on a low ridge, Death Troopers near a structure behind cover, Boba Fett on the rocks, along with speederbikes, the Emperor and his guard, and another section of Stormtroopers (Blues) on the other side of the structure.

 

Turn 1

 

Initial moves across the board...Mike brings up his droids from the left side of the shot. He also lays down a few 'stealth' tokens for Cad Bane. 1 of them are Bane, and Mike can reveal him when he wants. As well, a unit that gets within 'range 1' of a token will also reveal it, in this case, the Blues (stormtroopers) initially pushed towards the line of barriers on the top part of the pic and revealed a sci-fi IED...I think they lost 2 troops to the blast. With their 2nd action they pushed behind the structure to chill...the Reds take a suppression from Mikes commando bots...long range snipe shot...no kill, just suppression.

The Fett man makes a dramatic jetpack launch to the rooftop of the structure to get a survey of the land. The Death troops do something...I think they shot at some droids, took some points away from his shield, I think...

Turn 2

The troops take a real liking to the droid section moving forward...lots of blaster and even the zooka gets involved.

 

 

Mike keeps moving up from the left, hello spider bot...Bane joins the action and reveals near an objective. The droid troop near him is all that remains from a round of shooting prior. During this turn, there was definitely a concerted effort to target Bane...Fett man jumps closer into the mix, hits him with rocket pack, carbine, and wrist rockets. I think even the Reds and Death troops may have joined the mix...oh yeah, the Death troops got the kill, so no bounty for Boba.

Turn 3-ish

Spider bot keeps on moving and hits the Reds with some flamethrower action...they take a bunch of suppression, they stay the field because the Emperor threatens them but end up taking way to much and quit the field.

The droidekas pace up as well, the speederbikes move in from the right, lots of blaster fire...i think one of the droidekas goes down hard. I think Fett man and the Guard took the droideka and the speederbikes put some pressure on the spider bot.

Turn 4-ish

 

As this turn opened, we ended up losing a bike to blast fire...I think it was either the droideka or the commando bots, but one bike down and the other is feeling some damage.

 

 

 The Guard move up and get closer to the droideka...I think they took care of it this turn. The spider bot takes a shot at the Death troops and they pretty much love the fireblast, all good on their end. The Emperor keeps on shuffling forward, movement 1 each turn...

If I recall correctly, the DT's and the Fett man put some more pressure on the spider bot and take it out...funny thing, it has a self-destruct blast when it malfunctions or gets damaged bad enough...so yeah, we had that to look forward to. Boba shrugs it off and says heyo was that the wind...the DT's lose a troop and keep on grinding.

Turn 5-ish

So at this point, Mike pulls a fast one and actually reveals that he has been paying attention this whole time and Duncan and I see that he has systematically pulled 3 of the 4 objectives towards his table edge...the Guard continue to move forward, nearing the corner of the structure and getting in range of the Count...the bigger bots take their objective back towards their lines and the distance between the Fett man and DT's keeps getting larger...i think we were good range-wise, but LOS was another issue and there was no way we were going to retrieve and move those objectives.

So yeah, end result...had a great time leaving bits of plastic and robot parts all over the field, only lost a few troopers, but did not get any objectives...so a victory for Mike.

Star Wars Legion - Barriers

Hey folks,

I hope all is well on your respective fronts. The times are certainly a little crazy out there, so…smoke ‘‘em if you got ‘em, enjoy your hobbies, connect with your buddies, and toast to being on the right side of the dirt.

Now if you’ve been reading through my posts from the beginning or midpoint of this blog thing, you’ll know that I like to have projects on the go…and little by little things do eventually get done. While I won’t claim to be complete the SW Legion core box, I have nonetheless gotten around to painting the barriers.

They took much longer to get to than the actual painting process…I wanted to keep a rather simple process to the pieces do they could be at home in almost any battlespace. I’m pretty happy with the result, please enjoy the pics.

Take care.

2022 Lead Mountain Climb

Painted

15mm               8 

28mm+             14, +8 (barriers) 

 

Bought              0

 

Progress          +22