Noel's Log 7-16-2012

Noel's Log for the week of 7-16-2012

Blog Reviews:
This week I wan to share three blog posts from my reading list. The first is from a fellow that likes Orcs in space just like me. Thorlongus has a blog called "The 15mm Plunge" and has posted a few photos of a great conversion he has completed. He took some fantasy Orcs, and put some AK47 on them and poof he ended up with some cool SciFi Orcs. Have a look.

Next Ken From Proxie Models has posted he created some 20mm round raised lip bases, that he is selling. I have been looking for just such for my single based 15mm troopers. You may know I have used buttons in the past, but would rather uses these. I have dropped Ken a line in hopes he will get back to me with more info.

Lastly here is a very cool Ork troop transporter. I will not build it in paper, but might give it a try. I was more going to take the idea, and build it out of plastic. This thing is like a WWII landing craft with Orky treads and guns. How cool is this????

Workbench:
Well I did not get a hole bunch done this weekend, as it was my weekend to work from home. Once a month I have to update all legacy computers at work. So I did work on some mounted Dwarfs, but did not take any photos. I also tried another cracked earth base, and failed. So I have set up a control strip and will try a bunch of different mixes and see if I can redo what I did the first time. Very sad, I was really hoping for a big wow out of this.

I did take some time yesterday to build some units for Fantasy Rules 3 in Universal Battle. This is a tool that will let you replace your minis, table, and other players and be any ware in the world with internet access. I have been a big fan of this software, but have a hard time explaining it to people. Picture your self playing your game. You have your army on the table in front of you, and your opponent has the same. Now lets take the minis and turn them into digital versions, lets do the same with the table, and the opponent is 100,000 miles away. Here is how you would play the same game with the same rules. This is a pay to play software. There is a free version that can be used, but you can not save any thing. I have found if you have one paid account and every thing is in that account Units and such, you can have people with free accounts join the game.

I think it is $14. for one year, and $29 life time. I started with the one year and went to the life time. Also there is a week, and month pass. Any way the $29. is a deal.

This example can be used to play ANY miniature game. You can use this for RRtK, Pride of Lions, For the Masses, HOtT, Mighty Armies From Rebel. Your imagination is the limit here. Just think if you could play your favorite game with some one across the country, or world. I bet you would play more. To make it better you just need a VOIP call service like Skype, or google talk.

Any way here are some of the units I built this weekend in the army creator.

First up are my Dwarfs. As you will see I was able to recreate just about every unit type I have in real lead.

Starting at the top Left:

Row1- Hand units, Flying maidens, Mounted , Battlewagon.

Row2- Hand units, Xbows, Mounted, same Battlewagon as above.

Row3- Hero, Shaman, General, Blista , Heavy Artillery.

Next are my Lizardmen.

Row1- Hand unit, Heavy mounted, Battlewagon, Large beast.

Row2- Pikes, Light mounted.

Row3- Flying cav, Small turtle battlewagon.

Lastly my knights.

Row1- Mounted, heavy mounted.

Row2- Hand units, Single Mounted chars.

Now I have more units to create and it is very simple to do so. I am also looking into creating a few simple videos on how to use this software for other game types. I have started but not sure how or if this will come to life. I have never really done videos, and editing. I have all the tools just not the know how.

So that is it for this week, and I hope you have a great one.

Please not I have shared the other content with out there permission. If this is an issue please contact me, and I will remove it at once.

May the die fall in your favor.

Noel

Noel's Log 7-9-12

Another summer weekend passes, and what a hot one for my area. I ended up doing yard work on Saturday, and got attacked my my weed whacker. The cord got pulled out, and when I went to put it back in the loop in the handle twisted up and was pushing on the trigger. So holding the whacker up right in my left hand with the head on the ground, and plugging it in with my right hand the whacker drove right up my leg.

Work Bench:
So that put me in the mood to finish my yard work. So I ended up in my hobby room working on the Dwarfs. This time I primed all the minis I had ready on bases and in my jig. Then I took on the Dwarf maidens. Now I tried to do gray horses as my daughter likes grays, but I have mixed feeling as to how they came out.

I also worked on my Dwarf Shaman, and tried to create a cool base. The mini is a mini, but I wanted a base to really set him off. What I was thinking is have him draw his power from the living rock. So I set out to create a base that would be like cracked earth with lava showing through. I did a test base but just as cracked earth not the lava, and it was a full 40x40 base. It turned out great. With the test done I did the same for a 20x20 base and it did not turn out as well as the test.

As you can see the cracks are not very big, and there are to few of them. I tried to help them by scratching the top layer in hopes the cracks would grow by they did not. So I am not going to give up on this I just have to try another approach. 

So this is what I did. I got this idea from a video I saw last week of a guy basing on a cracked earth and he use products to do this that cost money. Thanks to my late Aunt Judy, who told me to crackle paint use PVA glue. So I first base paint my base a dark color, next paint a layer of PVA glue over top (not thinned). After the PVA is dry, I mixed a bit of rock putty, and lighter color paint, and painted this on. I then put the base near heat, I used a lamp. few hours later it was cracked earth. 

What went wrong? I think the base was to small, and I also think I need a thicker coat of the rock putty, and paint. So I am going to try and do two bases both 40x40 scored to me 20x20 so if it works I can snap it done ow size. But I was also thinking of using the 40x40 but put the PVA down in a circle from edge to edge. This way it will look as if the power from the rock is controlled. So that is what I have planned for the week.

Here is another shot of the Shaman.

And yes I went back to the red beards as they show up better on the smaller scale Dwarfs.

Book Review:

We I am just about finished with the third book in the  Paksenarrion series from Elizabeth Moon. This is the lat boo in this three book series. I have ordered the first book from the next Paksenarrion series. I hope to start this second series this week.

************ Warning************

If you like Apple and there products please stop reading here.

************ Warning************

Tech Review A:

Well if you know me I have a second hobby, and that is computers, it is also how I make a living. I am a PC support for a Pharmaceutical, both desktop, and lab support. So when it comes to computers I love to tinker. I am also a Linux fan and user. Now I am not hard core techey I just love to play, and this past month  brought the next release of PinGuy OS. This is such a big deal to me that I have had to put the minis, and my Android tablet down for the last two weeks. I can go on about how it blow Windows, and Apple out of the water on so many levels, but I can not argue with the brain washing they do. If you would like to take you current Desktop/Laptop and make it safe, secure, and run free powerful programs give it a try. All you have to do is down load the iso file from HERE, burn it to a DVD then boot you system with the disk. Now it will not install unless you select it to , but it will load the full operating system to your ram memory. Once loaded this is what you will see.

This OS is so easy to use, my kids 8, and 9 have it on there laptops, as well as my 76 year old Dad runs it on his machines. 

Tech Review B:

Well my Daughter wanted a Ipud touch, and I would not let here as I hate Apple with there over priced products, and their My stuff is better than your stuff bull crap. So Best Buy had the Samsung Android 5 player on sale, so I let her get that. Boy she is happy. I got far more product for the money, then I would at Apple. I loaded my account on it and all my games, and content came down. This crap about Itunes is the only way to buy and manage music is bull crap. Amazon music, buy and download direct to device, Google play is the same buy and download direct to device. And the music on my pc Open any player software and hit send to device. So you see I hate apple, and this Android player is very good, I will get the smaller one when my Sandisk dies.

Well that is enough for this week, and I am sorry if I have offended any Apple people, but the shoe is on the other foot now. You put Android, and other products down I will do the same to you.

Oh one more thing Did Apple stop the Galaxy S III from coming out? I do not think so!

My the Die fall in your favor!

Noel

Workbench 7-4-12

Yesterday was the 4th of July, and for many that means a day at the beach, or a cook out, and many other things. For me the same is true, but it is one more morning I get to work on my minis. I was up at the crack of dawn, and at my painting desk. I finished painting another unit and mounted them to the base. Now that I have new base material I decided to base all the stuff I will not paint in my jigs.

The photo below shows off the bulk of the Dwarven forces I hold. Units I have based yesterday are as follows.

• Three bases of saber toothed mounted cav (BRF). The riders are in the clips to make it easy to paint.
• Two bases of bear mounted cav (Mirilton)
• Two Bolista (BFR)
• One canon (Mirilton).

Next are the units in my jigs, and some valkyries.
On the jigs I have.

• One unit of xbows,
• One cleric.
• One unit of vets, left over minis I have no clue what to do with. (back jig)

In front of the jig are the winged horses of the valkyries, and I am using them as dwarf maidens. I the way back are two more cannon units of unknown maker. I am not sure if I need that much fire power.

Trying to put the wings on the horses sucked, and I am sure I will grow to hat them, as I see nothing but repairs in their future. My daughter loves them as she loves all thing horse. My plan it to layer Super glue over the joints to beef them up. I was thinking of pinning them but only if this fails. I will need to buy a new drill bit to work on the wings, as they are very thin.

So what is next? I am waiting for the static grass to come in and I will grass every thing I own. I am hope full to see it over the next few days, but if not I have priming, and painting to be done.

The rest of the day was spent at a neighbor's house doing the hamburgers, and dogs. Then watched Journey 2 mystery island. All in all a very good day.

I hope you enjoyed you day.

Noel

 

Noel's Log 7-2-12

Well it is July, and the 4th is just 2 days away. I had a good weekend, went fishing down the Jersey shore with My Dad, his wife, and my Kids. My girl caught her very first fish, and was not grossed out by the bate. She was batting her own hooks. Me and my boy got skunked. Spent Sunday in the sun, at our town beach, then grilled up dinner.

Work bench:
I have been working on my 15mm fantasy, and was in need of new basing material (plastic sheet) and I have all ways wanted to try out static grass. I got the plastic at my local hobby shop, but no static grass. I have flock and have been using it for years I just want to try something new with the tall grass look. So I have placed an order for three different colors today from the Warstore. So I hope to have it by next weekend.

I did not let my lack of flock stop me form getting some work done.

First up is the Dwarf King from Mirliton with a Dwarf knight. I still have to finish the bases.

Next is some cross bows from the Mirliton. Also need to finish the base.

Lastly here are two units I finished during the week, just need to flock the bases. These are Black Raven Foundry, from Old Glory 15s. The one on the left is a sword unit, and the right is an ax unit.

Next week I hope to get some work done on basing with the static grass, and I will try and do a how to on how I base my fantasy units. As a intro I basically use plastic card cut to 40 x 40mm then apply a magnetic backer. Next I mount the minis, followed by layer of Rock putty to create the ground. Paint the putty earth tone, follow with PVA glue then flock. I will follow the same but add in the static grass. In reading up on static grass I have seen a number of way of applying it, but I think I am going to try super glue, and dip the figure in the grass. I will start with blank bases and go from there. I will make the blanks this week, and report next week.

So if you have any tips, on static grass please email me, or share them in the comments. noelvh (AT) gmail [DOT] com. Any tip shared via email well be posted in my next log.

I also do not have any reviews for movies, but I am still reading the Elizabeth Moon books, and they are great.

As all ways may the die roll in your favor.

Noel