Starting infinity

Hi all,

My local gaming group have decided to start infinity now that 3rd edition is right around the corner. (Releasing today actually!)

So for the last couple of weeks there has been great excitement between us deciding on what different factions we will pick. In the end I've gone with the Combined army, as I like the look of the Morat models and to that end I've purchased the Morat aggression force starter set.

So I've been doing my best to read up on the rules and watching battle reps on youtube. I'm looking forward to trying out a couple of trial games during the week to work out some of the rules. 

Until next time,

Vinny

Pre-planning and future shadowing from GW

Hi all,

I was flicking through the WFB rulebook last night and noticed this picture in the Dark Elves section of the fluff section.

Witch Elf!

It's the statue of Khaine in the background that caught my eye. WFB 8th editon was released in July 2010 and the following kit was released only last year. 

Cauldron of Blood

I think it's fairly obvious where the inspiration for the model came from, either the model designers were working on this kit while the book was in production or they took whole scale cues from the artwork in the the 8th edition rulebook.

Until next time,

Vinny 

Island of Blood

Hello gang,

now I realise that I am very very late getting to Island of Blood, but I purchased one in my FLGS for €70 yesterday evening. This coupled with the Skaven army book brought my total spend to €91. So I thought I would give a few inital thoughts about what I got for my cash.

The army book is the army book, I knew exactly what I was getting for €21. A monochrome book, with the exception of a few pages with the strict order of background/spells/unit descriptions/colour pages of models/points costs of models/back page summary. I am happy with this layout, some of the skaven artwork is great (especially the mirrored full page spread of a human city above ground sitting ontop a skaven one underground) and while I have not studied it fully yet, I look forward to getting a couple of solid years use out of it.

At this stage I have to say though I have looked through the full colour Tomb Kings and Ogre Army books and the sooner all armies get this quality of book the better. I think gamers and hobbyists are willing to pay extra money for a hardback, full colour rulebook.

Anyways onto the actual box o'mini's

I am delighted with it to be honest. I bought it for two main reason's. The first being that I travel to any games of WFB or 40K that I have. I have the small rulebook for 40k but I didn't for WFB and hauling that huge hardback version around with me was a pain! I love the little rulebook, full colour and easily transported in an army box or bag. Full marks to GW for producing it. Secondly for the skaven miniatures. Skaven have long been a favourite WFB army of mine.

I think I have already written a blog back in the mists of time about "Gateway Models". The model that you see that gets you into miniatures. That moment where you are either walking past a shop or (in my case) a friend says "look what I have" and pulls a box from his bag with a mini inside. I can remember that moment as clear as it was yesterday and not in 1995. From my friends bag appeared the old red GW style box with a huge yellow banner and black writing which red "SKAVEN DOOMWHEEL". From that box an unpainted silverly lump of metal was drawn and passed around to the group of us there to have a look at. I am not being glip when I say, from that moment I knew I loved miniatures and they were something I was going to be interested in for the rest of my life.

Anyway I degress, but as you can see Skaven hold an affectionate place in my heart but I've never collected them before. I saw the Island of Blood as an excellent way to begin and I am delighted, the skaven and elf mini's are simple one and two piece click together jobs but the detail is a joy to behold, as are the more complicated character models including the Rat Ogres and Griffin.In fact I found myself running my hands over the wings of the Griffin on the sprue feeling the details of the feathers. I think the miniatures included are top class. The High Elves mini's while never my favourite army are just crying out to be painted and the ranks upon ranks of filthy (but lovable) skaven are amazing.

So I am giving GW a thumbs up for this boxed game. I would like it to be a little cheaper, but I say that about everything! But I don't feel let down or overcharged in anyway at all.

I was just left to wonder though, why do they insist on including these in every boxed game they produce and what do people use them for apart from whipping the life out of each other?

Whippy weapons of death!

Talk to you guys next time!

On introduction miniatures and Plastic Doomwheels!

I don't know about you guys, but I can remember clearly the first mini I ever saw. It might not sound that important, but if you think about it, this mini is probably the most important model you'll ever see.

Now I would imagine for the vast majority of people the first miniature they would be introduced to is a Space marine. No problem there at all, and indeed a kick-ass space marine miniature, is probably  the 'perfect storm mini' to entice prepubescent/teenage males into the hobby. (No offence to prepubescent/teenage males intended I was one too!) Space marines are consisently the largest selling model range GW have, and this is down to a very strong imaginary, which is easy to explain and understand. Superhuman warrior monks in space sums their background up and its an image which appeals to pretty much everyone. God knows I've enough of them around to know that they appeal to me! 

But my first mini was completely different. It was not a superhuman soldier, it was not even a normalhuman soldier. In fact it was not human at all! You may have guessed by the title of the blog it was a humonid rat ontop of a giant wheel with spikes. This is a classic mini in my book, and one of the weirdest mini's in an army that always throws up weird mini's!

My friend brought this mini into to school unpainted. With heavy old metal mini in my hands, the weighty feel of it was perfect. The little details like all the rats running in the wheel to provide the power, the unusual seat on top, and the questionable ability of the seer to actually control the thing. It all sucked me in and I was hooked. Hooked on everything about mini's, and I fear now after 13 years I'm going to be hooked for ever. What it says about me that the doomwheel burst my mini cherry, I do not know.

Unfortuanately newer people to the hobby may have never even heard of this old classic. as it was not in the previous army book. Browsing the GW site this morning I see that they are releasing a plastic version of the doomwheel for the new army book!

 

Despite all my eulogising of the old school mini, I never actually owned a version. So here we go again, the old mini collectors guilt. Even though I have no intention of collecting skaven, (even though I do have soft spot for them) I intend to pick up a Doomwheel. Games Workshop reach into my pocket and take my money because of nostiliga. The worst thing? I love them for it.

So? Can you guys remember the first mini that you ever saw? What effect did it have on you?