Caverns and Wolves? Sounds like a new and non-alliterated RPG.

Nope, this is a short video about a couple of the items I picked up last week in Italy. Even though I've been aware of laser cut MDF gaming aids for some time, I'd never seen these before.

Anyway, have a look and see what you think.

Greeting all and thanks for tuning in.

I'm a bit late with this episode as the last few weeks has been a blur of travel with a filming job in Germany, a flying visit to the UK and a family holiday in Italy.

In spite of the carousel of Planes, Trains and Automobiles I managed to find and pursue my gaming urges in all territories visited (apart from Germany as I was wearing a gas mask, but that's another story)

In the UK, despite drawing blank in all the charity shops I visited I did pick up something in Liverpool's Forbidden Planet. Also I struck gold in Italy while browsing the 'Dadi e mattoncini' game store on the outskirts of Turin. A link to the company mentioned in the podcast is below.

The net result of all this means I can forge ahead with Scenario Two of 'Blood Bath at Orcs Drift'

Oh, it was Gary Chalk who did at least one of the floor plans, but not all of them (I was half right)

https://www.pworkwargames.com/en/

Hmm, bit of a different one for this episode as I try to articulate the slight challenges that may occur as we get older.

This is in response to the slight change in my eye health a couple of years ago when I became a glasses wearer. Not the biggest thing to happen to someone over their life, but the way it's affected my painting, gaming and general hobbying has been noticeable.

Alas, I'm not the first gamer to articulate this general subject. I'm following in the wake of Rob Salters, Matthew McLean and Tabletop Minions. With the latter the link to his excellent video on the subject is below.

On the production side of things, this has been another podcast recorded in the heat of a central European summer. I hope my laboured breathing as I make my way through the sizzling temperatures of the countryside isn't too distracting - yep, gotta look after your health!

Tabletop Minions video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viD2z-bZ1Ck

A quick little show and tell today.

Thought I'd take my camera for a little test drive ahead of a filming job and make a little video of my moss preservation activities, two small pieces of area terrain plus some 'curious' minis.

Also, shown is a potential gaming surface that was damaged in an unfortunate ironing accident. Such is life.

Enjoy the video, enjoy the view and cover your ears when the jet goes past.

Greetings all!

A bit late with this episode due to the busy summer schedule. Excuses, excuses!

This episode's topic is coming from an article I recently got published in Issue 496 of Miniature Wargames. The theme is small footprint wargaming, or more specifically how to wargame if you've got limited space. Something I've found myself having to do since moving into a moderate sized apartment after living in a large house.

I'm happy to say I'm not the only one and there's been some positive feedback in response to my scribblings from others doing similar stuff with their hobby.

Big shout out to Matthew McLean of the Bedroom Battles podcast for getting in touch to say he enjoyed the article and how it resonates with things he's doing. Cheers mate!

Small footprint gaming, a new world awaits...

Time for some actual gaming!

Yep, there comes a time in a gamer's existence when it's fine to talk the talk but even better to walk the walk. In other words I thought I would play one of the Fighting Fantasy books I picked up in Edinburgh and see if I could brave the perils of the Citadel armed only with steely determination a sword and spells.

Turns out the book is rather more challenging that I remembered. This is probably in part due to the fact I was playing the game honestly.

Basically no re-rolling dice if they gave low Skill, Stamina or Luck scores, no 'five finger book mark' if I made a wrong choice and actually taking hits and wounds from monsters no matter how puny they are.

Such noble concepts were not part of my FF armory as a kid therefore these recent attempts often ended in my hero being killed in one of many gory ways.

Took me a while to navigate my way through the Citadel and make my way to Balthus Dire.

Did I make it to 400? Listen in to find out....

Howdy podviewers and welcome to another episode of the show.

As you can see I’ve opted for another moving image contribution to highlight some of the goodies I picked up during my recent visit to Edinburgh.

As per other video efforts this one taps out close to 10 minutes as this is the maximum record time for the camera I’m using – sure I could do something longer with my other video camera, but that’s a decent amount of time for a little show and tell video methinks.

Following on from my previous podcast video I did indeed pick up some black paint while in the Scottish capital, but not from the city centre Warhammer store. Instead I went to the excellent Wonderland Models of Lothian Road a stone’s throw from the castle and city center. Can’t recommend this place enough should you find yourself in Edinburgh as it’s got something for everyone – model kits, miniature figures in varying scales and genres plus paints and glues to last a lifetime. Not forgetting model railway sets and remote control cars.

Great place!

A shame I couldn’t buy more as I was limited to what I could carry on to my Easyjet flight.

However, at least I am now ‘Back in Black’.

Also in the same part of town, just around the corner, is Armchair Books which not only seems to have every book in existence but features an entire shelf full of Fighting

Not forgetting the other FF book I picked up in a charity shop elsewhere in town.

Furthermore I picked up a 1/72 scale Spitfire with Czech transfers from another charity store in the nearby town of North Berwick. While I may theoretically use it for a WWII wargame (and thus justify its inclusion in this video) I’ll probably just build it for pleasure’s sake some time in the future.

Damn! Just remembered I don’t have any glue. Time for another trip to Edinburgh…..

Links:

https://www.armchairbooks.co.uk/

https://www.wonderlandmodels.com/

Just a quick one today.

To mark the passing of an actor many of you will know from his role as King Theoden in The Two Towers and Return of the King, this mini podcast is a few words about Bernard Hill.

While not exactly a gaming personality, there is a link as he features in an RPG released in conjunction with the films. 'The Lord of the Rings Role Playing Adventure game' was full of still images from the movie series and the boxed set I have is dedicated to the 2nd movie in which King Theoden makes his appearance.

There's probably many more people out there with much more eloquent dedications, but here's my humble effort.

Hail King Theoden, Yosser Hughes, Bernard Hill.

'Gizza job!'

"It's Role Playing Jim, but not as we know it".

Welcome to another episode of the podcast and thank you for dropping by.

This one is inspired by another random event in my life. Not so long ago my wife purchase something online and was rewarded with a three month free subscription to Amazon Prime. As a result I watched all 3 seasons of 'Picard' and it made me realize that over my life, in spite of not being a huge Star Trek fan, I've always steadily consumed the films and tv series.

I had a couple of toys when I was a kid, watched most of the films and saw some of The Next Generation. While being more of a Star Wars fan, I'm very comfortable in liking Star Trek.

Which brings to the game in question - Star Trek Adventures by Modiphius entertainment. Specifically the boxed starter set I picked up a few years ago with the proceeds from the sale of a spare Heroquest.

It's one of several sci. fi. RPGs in my collection, but this one seems very reasoned, well thought out and seems to convey the IP very well. In short a damn fine product with some clever mechanics and nuances.

Also it offers the players a setting far more vast and exciting than some others out there.

Enjoy.

(...apologies if the Star Trek alarm klaxon is a bit annoying at the start, thought I'd drop in a sound effect...)

https://www.modiphius.net/pages/star-trek-adventures

Greetings listeners (and viewers),

It's time for another podcast and this one is a little video. As mentioned in previous episodes I will occasionally be dipping into video occasionally and when I do it'll be something on the short side.

Today I lift the lid - literally - on my paint collection. The reason? I was all ready to start a long overdue painting sessions a couple weekends ago, but disaster struck!

My Abaddon Black had dried up.

Not only did this mean I couldn't undercoat anything as I prefer to undercoat in black, but also a normally long lasting Citadel paint has faded to dust. Something I don't often see.

Some of my paint collection is decades old. The two oldest paints come from some time in the 1990s and they're still going strong. So the discovery that a relatively newly bought paint had dried out was a shock and disappointment. My theory is the design of the pot allows paint to accumulate around the lid preventing an air tight seal that in turns allows the paint to dry.

In either case it caused me to check all my other paints in case others were in danger of turning into mini deserts. Luckily this wasn't the case, but it inspired me to show you all my paint collection and the haphazard container I use to store it all in plus the other accessories and sundry items.

As you will see I don't have a bespoke paint storage system, but something improvised and random.

Just the way I like it!