Author: Steven Baxter.
Title: Ultima.
Publisher: Penguin Books.
Copyright: 2014., 2015
Pages: 520.
Overview and Impressions:
I was not impressed with this book. The author, Stephen Baxter, spent too much of his time on world building/destroying. The characters were secondary. He assumes the multiverse he built will die in a final heat death. Getting to that point was the a major plot-line in the novel. It didn't help.
Not recommended except for hard-core hard sci-fi readers...
Tuesday, February 28, 2017
Sunday, February 26, 2017
Sapper Joe's Annual Game or AAR: 28mm Russian Civil War, 25FEB17
Here are photos from Sapper Joe's Annual Game or an AAR: 28mm Russian Civil War Game, 25FEB17:
Battle of Tugalos: Initial deployments
Glenn Wilson and I move our 28mm Red Guard Battalion.
28mm Canadian artillery raining down on Glenn's company.
My armed thugs marching in the snow
Steve Hood (Combat Colors) debating his next moves.
End of game when I ordered a retreat. Afterward, I was executed for my actions.
The rules were modified Sword to Adventure using Sapper Joe's modifications. The playtesting went well. I didn't like the scenario of advancing across a snow covered field against artillery shells and light machine gun fire. As the Reds, we paid a price in casualties. Glenn tried running his men. But he had to use a Commissar to shoot reluctant soldiers to move. I kept rolling "1's" for movement. So I walked my troops through the snow. I still didn't like getting shot for ordering my troops from committing tactical suicide. Very Russian Civil War....
Blake
The rules were modified Sword to Adventure using Sapper Joe's modifications. The playtesting went well. I didn't like the scenario of advancing across a snow covered field against artillery shells and light machine gun fire. As the Reds, we paid a price in casualties. Glenn tried running his men. But he had to use a Commissar to shoot reluctant soldiers to move. I kept rolling "1's" for movement. So I walked my troops through the snow. I still didn't like getting shot for ordering my troops from committing tactical suicide. Very Russian Civil War....
Blake
Friday, February 24, 2017
Review of Tarzan and the City of Gold by Edgar Rice Burroughs
Author: Edgar Rice Burroughs.
Title: Tarzan and the City of Gold.
Publisher: Ballantine.
Copyright: 1974.
Pages: 190.
Price: $1.25 (US).
Overview and Impressions:
Quick read of a Tarzan story set in central Africa about two mythical cities. Tarzan deals with the locals who are ruled by an evil queen who likes to hunt her enemies with man-eater lions. It was a fun read. Recommended.
Title: Tarzan and the City of Gold.
Publisher: Ballantine.
Copyright: 1974.
Pages: 190.
Price: $1.25 (US).
Overview and Impressions:
Quick read of a Tarzan story set in central Africa about two mythical cities. Tarzan deals with the locals who are ruled by an evil queen who likes to hunt her enemies with man-eater lions. It was a fun read. Recommended.
Painting Projects...
I've slowly been working on 28mm Masai Warriors. The figures are taking too long to finish. Other things have intruded on my weekly painting time. I've been assembling 30mm WH40K Adeptus Mechanicus figures. I'm also slowly working on painting commissions. I'm unsure how much I'll get for 2017.
Here's my list:
March 2017:
1) Paint 28mm Masai.
2) Assemble 30mm WH40K Adeptus Mechanicus figures.
April 2017:
1) Paint 28mm Masai.
2) Assemble 30mm WH40K Adeptus Mechanicus figures.
May 2017:
1) Finish 28mm Masai.
2) Finish Assembling 30mm WH40K Adeptus Mechanicus figures.
3) Prime 30mm WH40K Adeptus Mechanicus figures.
June 2017:
1) Paint 30mm GW High Elves.
July 2017:
1) Finish 30mm GW High Elves.
August 2017:
1) Paint 30mm Warmachine Dwarfs.
September 2017:
1) Finish painting 30mm Warmachine Dwarfs.
October 2017:
1) Paint 28mm US Vietnam Marines.
November 2017:
1) Paint 28mm US ARVN Rangers.
December 2017:
1) Begin painting 1st Platoon of 28mm Viet Cong.
January 2018:
1) Paint 2nd Platoon of 28mm Viet Cong
February 2018:
1) Finish painting 3rd Platoon of 28mm Viet Cong.
March 2018:
1) Paint 40 28mm Beja Dervishers.
April 2018:
1) Paint 40 28mm Beja Dervishers.
May 2018:
1) Paint 40 28mm Beja Dervishers.
June 2018:
1) Paint 40 28mm Ansar infantry.
July 2018:
1) Paint 40 28mm Ansar infantry.
August 2018:
1) Paint 12 28mm Armored Arab cavalry.
2) Paint 12 28mm Arab camelriders.
September 2018:
1) Paint 28mm mounted Ansar command.
2) Paint 28mm Krupp gun and impressed crew.
October 2018 to December 2018:
1) Work on painting commissions.
January 2019:
1) Paint 18mm SYW Prussian musketeer brigade No. 1.
February 2019:
1) Paint 18mm SYW Prussian musketeer brigade No. 2.
March 2019:
1) Paint 18mm SYW Prussian musketeer brigade No. 3.
April 2019:
1) Paint 18mm SYW Prussian fusilier brigade No. 4.
May 2019:
1) Paint 18mm SYW Prussian cuirassier brigade No. 1.
June 2019:
1) Paint 18mm SYW Prussian dragoon brigade No. 1.
July 2019:
1) Paint 18mm SYW Swedish provincial infantry brigade No. 1.
August 2019:
1) Paint 18mm SYW Swedish provincial infantry brigade No. 2.
September 2019:
1) Paint 18mm SYW Swedish regular infantry brigade No. 1.
October 2019:
1) Paint 18mm SYW Swedish garde infantry brigade No. 1.
November 2019:
1) Paint 18mm SYW Swedish Horse brigade No. 1.
Here's my list:
March 2017:
1) Paint 28mm Masai.
2) Assemble 30mm WH40K Adeptus Mechanicus figures.
April 2017:
1) Paint 28mm Masai.
2) Assemble 30mm WH40K Adeptus Mechanicus figures.
May 2017:
1) Finish 28mm Masai.
2) Finish Assembling 30mm WH40K Adeptus Mechanicus figures.
3) Prime 30mm WH40K Adeptus Mechanicus figures.
June 2017:
1) Paint 30mm GW High Elves.
July 2017:
1) Finish 30mm GW High Elves.
August 2017:
1) Paint 30mm Warmachine Dwarfs.
September 2017:
1) Finish painting 30mm Warmachine Dwarfs.
October 2017:
1) Paint 28mm US Vietnam Marines.
November 2017:
1) Paint 28mm US ARVN Rangers.
December 2017:
1) Begin painting 1st Platoon of 28mm Viet Cong.
January 2018:
1) Paint 2nd Platoon of 28mm Viet Cong
February 2018:
1) Finish painting 3rd Platoon of 28mm Viet Cong.
March 2018:
1) Paint 40 28mm Beja Dervishers.
April 2018:
1) Paint 40 28mm Beja Dervishers.
May 2018:
1) Paint 40 28mm Beja Dervishers.
June 2018:
1) Paint 40 28mm Ansar infantry.
July 2018:
1) Paint 40 28mm Ansar infantry.
August 2018:
1) Paint 12 28mm Armored Arab cavalry.
2) Paint 12 28mm Arab camelriders.
September 2018:
1) Paint 28mm mounted Ansar command.
2) Paint 28mm Krupp gun and impressed crew.
October 2018 to December 2018:
1) Work on painting commissions.
January 2019:
1) Paint 18mm SYW Prussian musketeer brigade No. 1.
February 2019:
1) Paint 18mm SYW Prussian musketeer brigade No. 2.
March 2019:
1) Paint 18mm SYW Prussian musketeer brigade No. 3.
April 2019:
1) Paint 18mm SYW Prussian fusilier brigade No. 4.
May 2019:
1) Paint 18mm SYW Prussian cuirassier brigade No. 1.
June 2019:
1) Paint 18mm SYW Prussian dragoon brigade No. 1.
July 2019:
1) Paint 18mm SYW Swedish provincial infantry brigade No. 1.
August 2019:
1) Paint 18mm SYW Swedish provincial infantry brigade No. 2.
September 2019:
1) Paint 18mm SYW Swedish regular infantry brigade No. 1.
October 2019:
1) Paint 18mm SYW Swedish garde infantry brigade No. 1.
November 2019:
1) Paint 18mm SYW Swedish Horse brigade No. 1.
Sunday, February 19, 2017
Saturday, February 18, 2017
Review of Into the Storm: The Malcontents: Book One by Larry Correia
Author: Larry Correia.
Title: Into the Storm: The Malcontents: Book One.
Publisher: Skull Island Expeditions.
Copyright: 2015.
Pages: 285.
Price: $14.95 (US).
Overview and Impressions:
This was a rousing tale set in the Warmachine fantasy universe about a fallen Storm Knight and his malcontent underlings being turned into professional soldiers. Hugh Madigan led his Malcontents to war against the fanatical Menoth Protectorate and their unyielding religious warriors. There are twists and turns and losses throughout the conflict. Enjoyable fantasy epic and an easy read.
Recommended.
Title: Into the Storm: The Malcontents: Book One.
Publisher: Skull Island Expeditions.
Copyright: 2015.
Pages: 285.
Price: $14.95 (US).
Overview and Impressions:
This was a rousing tale set in the Warmachine fantasy universe about a fallen Storm Knight and his malcontent underlings being turned into professional soldiers. Hugh Madigan led his Malcontents to war against the fanatical Menoth Protectorate and their unyielding religious warriors. There are twists and turns and losses throughout the conflict. Enjoyable fantasy epic and an easy read.
Recommended.
Review of Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson
Author: Kim Stanley Robinson.
Title: Red Mars.
Publisher: Bantum Spectra.
Copyright: 1993.
Pages: 572.
Overviews and Impressions:
The technical aspects of this hard sci-fi book are awesome. The social implications aren't. The whole premise of the novel is the colonization and terra-forming of Mars by a group of American and Russian scientists. Afterward, the UN allows for mass-colonization of the northern part of the planet.
While a group of scientists set up another secret colony in the southern polar region. There are space-lifts and the usual cyber-punk frontier "Rim" towns. The idea of a quiet American "revolution" against the international land-grabbers struck me as disappointing. I thought more could be done with it the social development of Mars. The author assumes the worst excesses in human nature regarding interplanetary settlement in the mid twenty-first century.
Still recommended for the technical descriptions of the Red Planet....
Title: Red Mars.
Publisher: Bantum Spectra.
Copyright: 1993.
Pages: 572.
Overviews and Impressions:
The technical aspects of this hard sci-fi book are awesome. The social implications aren't. The whole premise of the novel is the colonization and terra-forming of Mars by a group of American and Russian scientists. Afterward, the UN allows for mass-colonization of the northern part of the planet.
While a group of scientists set up another secret colony in the southern polar region. There are space-lifts and the usual cyber-punk frontier "Rim" towns. The idea of a quiet American "revolution" against the international land-grabbers struck me as disappointing. I thought more could be done with it the social development of Mars. The author assumes the worst excesses in human nature regarding interplanetary settlement in the mid twenty-first century.
Still recommended for the technical descriptions of the Red Planet....
Monday, February 13, 2017
WIP, 28mm Masai Warriors, 13FEB17.
Here's a photo of some 28mm Masai Warriors I've been working on....
Sunday, February 12, 2017
Mid-February 2017 reading....
Here's what I've been reading this week:
1) The Road to Guilford Courthouse by Buchanan. Started reading about the American Revolution in the Carolinas...
2) Ultima by Stephen Baxter. More of the Roman Empire in space as an alternate universe book. Several humans from our universe cross over and become involved the Roman and Celtic interstellar empires. Interesting so far...
3) Eden to Armageddon by Ford. Depressing reading about the Middle East in World War I. I'm reading about the Caucuses right now and the Armenian genocide of 1915-17.
4) Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson. I'm on page 400 of a hard sci-fi book about the colonization of Mars in the mid 21st century.
5) Into the Storm: The Malcontents - Book One. Fantasy book set in the Warmachine universe about a failed Cygnar Stormknight and his platoon of malcontents before a big invasion of Menoth Protectorate, the crazy religious zealots who cleanse everything with fire. It's an easy read. I'm on page 50 right now....
1) The Road to Guilford Courthouse by Buchanan. Started reading about the American Revolution in the Carolinas...
2) Ultima by Stephen Baxter. More of the Roman Empire in space as an alternate universe book. Several humans from our universe cross over and become involved the Roman and Celtic interstellar empires. Interesting so far...
3) Eden to Armageddon by Ford. Depressing reading about the Middle East in World War I. I'm reading about the Caucuses right now and the Armenian genocide of 1915-17.
4) Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson. I'm on page 400 of a hard sci-fi book about the colonization of Mars in the mid 21st century.
5) Into the Storm: The Malcontents - Book One. Fantasy book set in the Warmachine universe about a failed Cygnar Stormknight and his platoon of malcontents before a big invasion of Menoth Protectorate, the crazy religious zealots who cleanse everything with fire. It's an easy read. I'm on page 50 right now....
Tuesday, February 7, 2017
Early February 2017 reading...
I'm reading the following books:
1) Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson. Hard sci-fi book about the colonization of Mars. I've begun the part where the colonists are introducing genetically engineered lichen to the planet.
2) Ultima by Stephen Baxter. It's an alternate sci-fi tail about the Celts, Chinese, and Roman empire in interstellar space. Interesting so far...
3) Eden to Armageddon by Ford. It's a comprehensive story about World War I in the Middle East. I finished Mesopotamia and now getting into the Caucasus Front.
4) The Road to Guilford Courthouse: The Revolutionary War in the Carolinas by Buchaccan. Just started this book with the beginning chapters about Charleston, South Carolina....
1) Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson. Hard sci-fi book about the colonization of Mars. I've begun the part where the colonists are introducing genetically engineered lichen to the planet.
2) Ultima by Stephen Baxter. It's an alternate sci-fi tail about the Celts, Chinese, and Roman empire in interstellar space. Interesting so far...
3) Eden to Armageddon by Ford. It's a comprehensive story about World War I in the Middle East. I finished Mesopotamia and now getting into the Caucasus Front.
4) The Road to Guilford Courthouse: The Revolutionary War in the Carolinas by Buchaccan. Just started this book with the beginning chapters about Charleston, South Carolina....
Wednesday, February 1, 2017
WIP, WH40K Adeptus Mechanicus Army, 01FEB17
Here are some photos of my new WH40K Adeptus Mechanicus army that needs to be assembled;
Unit of Adeptus Mechanicus Sigarians from Mars.
Punched out sprues from my first box of Adeptus Mechanicus.
Remaining boxes of WH40K Adeptus Mechanicus.
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