Monthly Summary for February, 2019

Whew, pretty late for this one.  I ended up having a laptop issue that I couldn't resolve well enough, and ended up having to buy a laptop.  Couple that with two weekends of traveling, setup time for the laptop, and the various other things I do, it just wasn't possible to get something posted.  BUT, I should be back to a regular schedule, I should be able to get some good write-ups done, and as of this post, I can honestly say I've been putting paint on models.  That's for a March update though.  So let's see what I did in February.  February ended up being kind of a crappy month for getting anything done, for quite a few reasons (my wife got sick, and managing that took a lot of time).  I wasn't completely idle though.

Games Played

• Catan - Three games, all with Megan, Christian, and Marina, and one including Chelsea.  I didn't do so hot, I think coming third in two games, and fourth in the last.  Marina won one, Christian won one, and Megan won one.  My skills with this game seem to have atrophied!
• Warmachine/Hordes - Three games.  I have notes to write these up, but just neglected to do so for various reasons.  I'm trying to get this on the table more, and I intend to write some of them into battle reports.  Anyway, three games, against three different opponents.  First, I played my Maelok list against Rob's Wolves of Winter list, using Vlad2.  I was on the losing end of this game not so long ago, but I had a better game plan this time, trying to limit how far his Doom Reavers could penetrate at any given time.

  

  Mid-game, our armies clash

  It ends up going pretty well- I pull ahead pretty heavily on the attrition game, and am able to eventually get ahead on scenario, and win.  Second game, I take my Rask Will Work for Food list against Joey's Ossrum Hammer Strike list.  It's the first time I've actually had Rask WWFF ready to go in its almost completed stage.  I had a lot of concerns about how I would generate enough attacks to deal with his infantry, but it ended up being a pretty good matchup.  I removed his battle engine bottom of Turn 2, and ended up putting myself in position to win.

  

  Top of Turn 2, Joey attempting to put some damage on some of my army

  Unfortunately, even though I ended up 'winning', I had to concede the following day when I read up on the rules, and realized I had played Eyeless Sight wrong.  Turns out, it doesn't let you see through forests.  So, two of my charges were illegal.  One, I am fairly certain I could've found a way to do the same amount of damage in a different way.  One, I definitely couldn't have (my Swamp Horror charge that ended up destroying his objective).  That was a big enough deal I have to count it as a loss.  Final game, I played a random person from the store, Zach L, who was playing the Tharn theme in Circle, using Morvahna1.  This was actually the first time I had ever played against Circle, in any edition of the game... and, well, it showed.  He was able to destroy a full unit of Posse bottom of Turn one with his Lord of the Feast, and although I was able to kill quite a bit, I wasn't ever able to get back into the game, and he won by scenario.
  
• EXCEED Fighting System - Two games against Rob, using fighters from the Street Fighter set.  I won both games, once as Ryu against Chun-Li, and one as Dan against Vega.  This is my first time trying this game against a real person, and I had a great time!  I really like how tactical the game feels- and having control over your movement (as opposed to BattleCON, where you don't) makes a real enjoyable game!
• Monsterpocalypse Miniatures Game - Two games against Rob, both single monster games with me using the Planet Eaters starter and him using Ares Mothership and roughly a starter's worth of Martian units.  We each win one game.  We used to play quite a lot of the initial version of this game (the collectible one).  This was our first time playing this version, and although it definitely had some differences, it was similar enough that we really enjoyed it.  I can't wait to try it again, maybe with a two monster per side matchup!

  

  I spent a lot of the game on his side of the board

• Warhammer 40K: Kill Team - Two games against my brother.  I take Necrons in both games.  Matt drops Death Guard in the first game, where our objective is to exit off the opposite side of the map.  I somehow get him stuck in combat, and he can't extricate himself, and I'm able to win!  My first ever Kill Team win!  The second game, he took Harlequins, came over to my side of the board, killed everything, and had no problem with a victory.  Ah well.

  

  My Necrons are set up to deal some beatings to the Nurgle forces

  

  I'm a guard!

• The City of Kings - Played with Mark, Rob, and Larry.  I play as the Dwarf (Thralir Hillfeet), and focus all of my level ups on getting health.  It doesn't start off well, as people very quickly keep up with this with gear, but I continue, end up with so much health that the end game monsters can't easily kill me, and I am able to hold them in place long enough for my team to win the game!  This was pretty enjoyable-a co-operative game with a lot for everyone to do.  I'd definitely like to play it again, although I can't really justify buying it myself.
  
• KeyForge - One game against Mark, using Larry's deck.  This game was odd, as my deck had a lot of things that triggered on me having creatures on the table... but it had very few creatures, and I couldn't get a lot done.  The few I do get out, Mark is able to clear out with two board wipes, and basically goes unopposed the rest of the game.
• X-Wing (second edition) - I played a game against Ben, using a Scum list with a Falcon and a Lancer against Ben's list that had a Decimator and some smaller ships.  He flies his Decimator off the board... and that's the only damage I manage to do.  He kills my squad with no problem.

New Arrivals

• A bunch of Warmachine minis- I didn't keep a good record of what exactly.  A variety.
• Star Wars: Imperial Assault- Tyrants of Lothal expansion.  I love this game, although I never get a chance to play it.  Games and Stuff was offering it at a steep discount, so I picked it up, and a bunch of other Star Wars stuff...
• Saw's Renegades, M12-L Kimoglia Fighter, and the First Order and Resistance conversion kits for X-Wing, and a 1.4 FD Laser Cannon for Legion.  Again, they had a steep sale on some overstock.  Figured I'd get in on it!
• Middle-Earth: Gondor at War.  The first book expansion to the new version of the Middle-Earth Strategy Battle game.  I own tons of Gondor minis, and when I get back into playing, that'll likely be what I play again.  Wanted to have the book handy for when that day comes!
• EXCEED - the Street Fighter stuff.  Twelve new fighters from the Street Fighter franchise.  Can never have too many fighters!
• Blitzkrieg in the West.  The first release from Canvas Temple Publishing, and a game that I backed on Kickstarter.  Nice mounted maps, and it looks to be an interesting system.  I can't help but be intrigued. Who knows when I will get a chance to play it.
• A new KeyForge deck.  Now I have two.  This one has Martians, but I don't know much else.
• A Gate of Hell: The Campaign for Charleston, July-September 1863. New magazine issue from Against the Odds Magazine.  As I understand it, this game actually includes some action by at least one Ironclad, and it sure looks interesting.  
• All or Nothing: The Fight for Fort Mercer – October 22, 1777. A bonus game included with the above issue of Against the Odds Magazine.  
• HATE. A miniature skirmish game with a campaign system, and subject matter some would find objectionable.  I backed the Kickstarter, and all of the expansions, and they finally arrived.  And wow, what a lot of stuff!  That's CMON Kickstarters for you, I suppose.
• Operation Pincher: Stalin's Drive In the Middle East, 1949.  Magazine game from Counterfact Magazine.  I'm behind on reading these, and haven't tried any of the games.  Something I'll work on.

Miniature Assembly/Painting

• Star Wars Legion - Finished assembly of all my Rebel miniatures!  I now have an assembled 800 point army.
• For Warmachine/Hordes, I finished the Gremlin Swarm, Dahlia & Skarath, the second Thrullg, and about half of my Bane Riders.

Reading

• January and February issues of White Dwarf.  I was behind on reading them, but not so now.
• The most recent Annual from Against the Odds magazine, with a lot of discussion about railway usage in wars, including the Confederate use of Rails in the Civil War.  Very interesting articles!
• Bone Desert and Heart of Winter, books nine and ten from the Black Library novella series.  Bone Desert covers more of the exploits of Gotrek in the Mortal Realms, but it was just okay.  Fairly predictable, and kind of bland.  Heart of Winter I really liked, and would love to see a series based off it!