Putin's Late Xmas Toy: Hypersonic Missile

Travelling at twenty times the speed of sound:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-50927648

Sleep well!

Kipling's Six Serving Men

I Keep six honest serving-men:
(They taught me all I knew)
Their names are What and Where and When
And How and Why and Who.

Imperial Fighters Assembled: 40K

I have to say that GW are turning into a nice modelling shop, comparable with Warlord Games for producing interesting (though expensive it has to be said) pieces of kit. After "doing" the Orc air component for AI (Aeronautica Imperialis) I moved onto the Imperials (see below, for some reason they remind me of the USN Air Force - thinking Corsairs here for some reason):

This is another example of a "game in a box" independent of buying into the whole genre. I am keen to try the rules to see if they work well for modern air. Speaking of air I feel an urge to get into Blood Red Skies (interestingly Renko likes  to play both sets of these "air rules" and was last heard begging me to "finish painting those Orc jets" because he sorely needed help from being blown out of the sky by the heavily gunned Imperials). 

My Cunning Plan for 2020

In the spirit of Spike Milligan's patent way of paying off his debtors (he put their names in a hat and at the end of the month picked one [of the many] out and paid them, but if they have annoyed him during the month [for example by being asked to be paid promptly] he simply omitted to put them in the hat), I have decided to have a "free format small project pool" and "lucky dip" into it (or should I just say "when") I get to an 'artistic impasse' - of wanting to do something but don't know exactly what. The idea being that there can be anything on "the card" - a small painting project, a book to read (or maybe just a chapter), a board game/ziplock to play .. the idea being "just go do it" and there will be a 'good result' at the end of my exultation (kind of like those endorphins at the end of a sweaty exercise session). The "cards" will therefore have to be of limited duration and achievable ideally in either in a weekend spare-time session or series of week day nights 'hobby time' maximum - ideally in a four hour burst.

Suggestions for my first "small project pot" are (and note they are not in any particular order as they are random numbers to be drawn from the pot as required):

1. .. Writing: Compose a Short Article for the Nugget
2. .. Make a Model: Cruel Seas 1/300 E-Boat
3. .. Play a Game: Rummicub (at least one other player required)
4. .. Figure Painting: LOTR Moria Cave Troll with Spear
5. .. Escape from the Dark Castle (can be played solo)
6. .. Figure Painting: D&D Boxed Game Bugbear
7. .. Make a Model: 1/144 WWI SE5a ex Skytrex Red Eagle Miniature
8. .. Painting a Figure: D&D Adventurer - Woodland Ranger
9. .. Make a Model: 1/72 Japanese Chi-Ha Tank - Airfix
10. .. Play a Game: B-17 Queen of the Skies - Avalon Hill (Solo)

It is now standing in the background waiting for "its time to come".
Let's see how it goes in 2020!

Quote of the Day: SCRUM

“Embrace the unknown! That’s where learning lies! If you’re too afraid to learn, you will never get any better. This is the key to being successful at Scrum: embrace change.”

- Dr. Jeff Sutherland, The Power of Scrum

Fantasy 28mm Bugbears:

They started as four dark shapes of low grade soft plastic but I could see they had potential (see below, they were actually the monsters from one of the many variations of a boxed D&D Game, TSR and Wizards tried, crude but a good monster representation - I have seen others use them well [Philotep]):

The temptation is that if you paint them up you have the basis of a "Dungeon in a Box" - big, small and medium monster representations and as they are from a churn out figure mould you can have a little fun with them too! They paint up quite nice too (see below, a Bugbear I call "Bill"):

Another three to do! But there is also an ensemble of "others" (see below, fiendish collection of interesting encounters for the adventurers):

All good fun!

Getting Ready for The Xmas Rummicub "Battle Royale"

With the pending arrival of the Scottish in-laws it was time for me to brush up on the rules - I had already "gone over the rules" with a colleague at work so felt half prepared (see below, getting familiar with the playing pieces):

Note: Please don't be alarmed at the bright red, fake "cap" gun laying on the table, it was something absently minded left on the table by my youngest - so nothing to do with a high-stakes gangster gambling den.

Rummicub is a cross between cards and dominoes it plays an entertaining game. I was to discover there can be regional rule variations - Newcastle to Edinburgh variants, all subject to the subtle interpretation of the English/Scots language. The Scots lore took precedence, something I will pass back to my Newcastle colleague. In the long rule my "rule discussions" with the mother-in-law served to focus the attention of my wife who swooped in to win and be hailed as Christmas House Champion!

Update: Won first game of Rummicub (thanks to wife showing me how I could get out with an "Orange 4"). Technically "Reigning House Champion" but another game is scheduled after dinner and I fear my performance may be alcohol affected!

Back to "Escape from the Dark Castle" for me then!