Tintin Vs Cthulhu

I so wish that some one would write this book. This has to be the greatest ever idea for a Call of Cthulhu adventure.
This is the work of artist Murry Groat, who has made four Cthulhu/Tintin covers, including Tintin in Innsmouth. It's very cleaver and right up my street.
It's kind of got me thinking, as Mark Copplestone already does a Tintin character, and some snow-bound explorers, it could be great fun to do as a mini project (And could possible tie in with my Pulp stuff).
Great, just what I need- another mini-project to distract me!

More Battle Cars

My 10 year old son and I have been at it again, and have created two more battle cars for our Axles and Alloys game. Charlies is the Red Rocketeer, a van armed with a turret mounted medium missile launcher and a smoke launcher, while I opted for the more 'up-close-and-personal' Disco Inferno, a pick-up truck armed with a huge flame-thrower on the side, a rear facing military grade pulse laser, and a big ol' rusty ram on the front.

The cars are matchbox-scale Fast Lane cars, and the weapons are old Games Workshop.

Big Game 3 (VBCW) review

Last week end I went to the famous Big Games 3 (Or BG3), one of the biggest annual event in the 1938: A Very British Civil War (VBCW) calender. Organised by hardcore VBCW nutter Mort, and attended by some of the big names in VBCW, including some of it's visionary creators.

Trades Union Band

(Not my picture, but so nice I had to use it)

Unfortunately because of work commitments, I could only attend one day, but I proudly took my VBCW militia along. The weekend was a bit chaotic, in a good way, with various battles being fought simultaneously on various tables, and events occurring on one table directly effecting the events on another table: For example, it was possible for a force to retire from one table only to enter another table, based on a rather random map in Mort's head (or based on Mort's whims, I wasn't sure which).

The campaign had a narrative style, not a competitive one- no one bothered with points values or trying to make sure the fights were balanced, it was all about building up an interesting narrative based on the battles going on.

British Union of Fascists Tank show scant regard for the high way code (again, not my picture, but too good not to pinch)

For my part I was rather on the periphery of the main battles. I was allied to the Anglican League, a militia based around the Church of England. My job was to organise road blocks and extract a tithe from passing traffic, in order to fund the Leagues continued campaigns.

In the first battle I advanced with about half my force onto a tiny hamlet, hoping to extract some money from the unsuspecting villagers and any passing travelers hoping to make their way through. Unfortunately I encountered stiff resistance from the Somerset Freedom Fighters (SFF), and their allies in the RAF, who had managed to muster up an anti-tank gun. My troops performed poorly, not least because my commander got shot down in short order by the troops of the RAF. My 3" mortar made a good showing, wiping out the best part of an RAF platoon, but eventually I was forced to withdraw and leave the village to the SFF.

My boys advance on the village, hoping to extract tithes form the locals, unaware that a large force of Somerset Freedom Fighters were heading our way, determined to stop us.

In the second battle, I managed to secure an undefended village, and construct a road block. My troops took up well defenced positions in the village. Again I was attacked by the SFF, this time controlled by Mort himself. This time I performed better, and although some heated shots were exchanged, I managed to drive off the SFF without sustaining any casualties. Once their HMG was wiped out by my armoured car they lost the stomach for the fight and quit the field.

My boys hold the line and repel a SFF attack.

All in all the event was a lot of fun, the VBCW guys were very welcoming, and the native driven plot was a welcome change form the highly competitive Warhammer 40K tournaments I have been to in the past. Things were chaotic, and often the people organising the event seemed as confused as everybody else, but it was a a great laugh. It was fantastic to play on some lovely scenery, and to see so many brilliant VBCW armies in one place. I am defiantly looking forward to BG4.

Just one of the fantastic battlefieds we

fought over- exactly what a VBCW battlefield should look like.

More Grey Aliens Sighted!

The evidence of a plot by the Grey aliens to invade Britain continues to mount with the siting of two important members of the alien delegations were spotted surveying tactically sensitive sites around Birmingham.

Lady Bitnarg, supreme mistress of the fourth rite,

and undernarg to Master Psynarg.

Science Officer Scarnarg,

Wielder of the Trans-portal communicator.

Yet again these grey aliens are form Black Cat Bases. I have really enjoyed painting these little chaps, and I am looking forward to incorporating them into my supers campaign.

Battle Cars

My son Charlie (who is 10) and I have embarked on a new, exciting, and slightly silly project. We have started converting old Matchbox type cars into crazy post-Apocalypse Mad Max style battle cars, by gluing on lots of bits and bobs I have in spadefuls in the garage- all sorts of Games Workshop guns and such from a myriad of half finished projects or spares. The result looks surprisingly cool, and we are delighted with the way they turned out. Cue a frenzy of filing and gluing as we both embark on an arms race to create the ultimate killer car.

I will point out that the black car, aka The Destroyer, is Charlies. He painted it himself, and I think that it's hard to tell because his standard of painting has improved so much. I am very proud of him. My VW, aka The Battle Bug has come out very well too. Charlie added an Imperial Guard Lascannon, and death spikes made from part of the GW 40K buildings kit. I added a Heavy stubber, and oil slick dropper, and armoured wheels.

We will use the rules Axles and Alloys, which is available free of the net in a play test format. Although the cars are nominally 20mm scale, we can us the rocks and cactus etc from the western board for scenery, so I won't have to start making lots of new scenery (but I might anyway, just to use up some of the bitz I have in the garage).

Here's some WIP shots, to jive you an idea of what we did. We are hoping that when me old mucka Leon sees these pics he will feel inspired to rise to the challenge, make a few himself, and try his hand in the Arena of Death!

That's if he has got the balls.

Two cars- 70p each from Tescos

Key the paint with a file to create a good surface.

Add detailing from left over bitz box stuff, and aluminium body mesh (from car repair shop) to windows to keep the zombies out.

Bullet holes added with a pin drill.

Spray Chaos Black, paint with GW .

Don't forget some mud spatters and weathering on the paintwork.

easy.

VBCW Chester Local Defence Force

The Duke of Farndon's own militia forces continues to grow, their ranks swelled with volunteers from the dukes personal estates in and around Chester. Here is Lieutenant Arthur Maxwell, recently commissioned to the CLDF. Luckily for the CLDF, Maxwell has some previous millitary experience, all be it during the Boer war in 1902. He was retired from the army after receiving a wound in battle, and since then he has worked as a solicitor in Chester. The Duke himself personally persuaded Maxwell to once more take a commission. At 57, Maxwell is well past his prime, but his experience and maturity are useful in tempering Captain Grover's own excessive enthusiasm. He also like to point out that he won his medals in battle, unlike his commanding officer.
Maxwell's adjunct is Second Lieutenant William Pinkerton, who previously worked for Maxwell as a solicitors clerk. Pinkerton is, at best, unimaginative as an officer, but his meticulous attention to detail is ideal for his role as adjunct.
Their uniforms are specially made by the good women of the Chester Women's Institute to a design made by Captain Grover. Not quite as nice as his own, but certainly conforming to his own sense of what an officer should look like.

2nd Lieutenant Pinkerton and Lieutenant Maxwell

of the Chester Local Defence Force

These minis are from West Wind Games (I think, or they might be Black Tree Designs). They are WW2 Soviet officers, but Maxwell has had a head swap with one of WWG's own WW2 British army heads. I added a holster to Maxwell's belt using green stuff.

The Rat Catcher

This unsavoury character is the Rat Catcher, and while he might look harmless enough, he is mastermind behind a series of audacious crimes that have plagued the city over the last few months. Leading his minions of giant rats, rat swarms and even mutant rat-men, he has infested the sewers of the city, meaning he can strike where ever he wishes, emerging from storm drains and man-holes to wreck havoc, before escaping back to his sub-terrainian lair.

Law enforcement and heroes have made it a priority to locate the Rat Catchers lair, but so far have turned up nothing, despite numerous sweeps of the city's archaic network of Victorian sewers.I painted this to prove that this blog is still about superheroes and super villains, despite the fact that all I seem to be painting at the moment is 1938: Very British Civil War (VBCW). If you like the VBCW stuff fear not, there is a glut of it on the way soon.

The miniature is a limited edition Wargames Foundry one I picked upon ebay for a couple of quid. it's a lovely characterful model. it was nice to paint brighter colours after the dowdy 1930's armies I have been working on lately. I also plan to get hold of some ratty minions for him, but as always, money is in short supply.

A big hello goes out to the newbies Nick and Cash1204. hope you enjoy and as always comments and so on are always welcome.