Thursday, July 23, 2015

Historicon 2015 - Gnome Wars: It's too quiet at Elmore's Castle......


Our first game at Historicon took place on Thursday afternoon. Each of the Gnome Homeworlds sent a small patrol into the village near Elmore's Castle to investigate reports of strange happenings. 


Each group was sent to explore, find supplies, and secure a spot to "hunker down" for the night.

This father and son team were playing the Irish. They accomplished everything they were supposed to. The kid had a plan and executed it perfectly.

Some cultists appeared and were headed for the statue near the fountain. Maybe they just wanted a drink......

...but instead they started urinating on the statue and into the fountain.Good lord, it's a band of evil Urinitius cultist. They empty their bladders and unleash the zombie horde.

Andrew and Gavin, both veteran Gnome Wars players both turned to me and asked if there was any holy water around. (dumping holy water in the fountain stops the zombies from coming) I simply pointed to the church.

As the Swiss and Highlanders attended to the holy water task, The Sikhs rush immediately into the fray with elephants trampling and machine guns tearing zombies apart.

The Cultists try their best to hold onto the fountain and to continue to desecrate the statue but the Germans (and their tank) hold onto the Eastern side of the square. They formed up and continued to fire into the massed horde. The Irish reluctantly, but with devastating effect, send the walker to  fire canister from the West.

The Swiss and Highlanders, with Holy water in hand, both calmly sit wait for the right time to emerge.

The Cultists' leader is wounded and the Sikhs turn to finish him off. A unit of skeletons rush in help him get away.

With the zombies thinning out, the Swiss and Highlanders make their move and get the holy water into the fountain. Also at this point, the Irish went into the bakery and pissed off the gingerbread men. They took up candycanes and went out into the street.


With the greater threat gone it was time for mop-up duty.

It was time for gnomes and MBA bucks. Everyone walked a well deserved prize!

Thursday, April 9, 2015

Custom X-Wing Miniatures Tabletop Play Area -Part II

I finished my X-Wing Table. I think it turned out pretty well.

We left off with the table sanded and ready for paint.
 
I used KRYLON primer.
Image result for krylon black primer

I used 1 1/2 cans to get good coverage. I let it dry overnight.

 
Then 2 cans of RUST-O-LEUM  Textured Metallic spray-paint called "GALAXY."  

I used 2 coats which ended up being 2 cans worth. The 'Galaxy' paint has silver speck in it, so it looks like space/stars.


 
I did clear-coat it with KRYLON Crystal Clear Flat.
Image result for krylon clear coat flat

 Here is the finished table.



I think I'm going to add some X-Wing Rebel and Imperial symbols. We'll see.



Monday, April 6, 2015

Custom X-Wing Miniatures Tabletop Play Area

To All,

I have decided to build an X-Wing Table Top. Here are the simple steps:

1) I went to Home Depot and bought a 4x8 sheet of Purebond Poplar plywood. When you purchase the plywood at HD they will give you 2 cuts for free, so I had the gentleman cut the 3'2"x 5' section I needed. 

 Here is the board on my sawhorses:
 Here is the X-Wing: Death Star Assault Playmat  on it to give you some scale. I bought the mat from Cotton Jim's Flags. Great prices, great service, fast shipping!
I had considered using MDF board, but I had no use for the extra pieces. I'm going to build a birdhouse with the leftover plywood.

2) I wanted to frame the two "player boxes" on each end, so I purchased 6 simple 3/4 inch dowels. They come in 36" sections so I only had to cut the short sides.

 This is the "making sure it fit" layout.
 I used a countersink bit to make conical holes in the dowels so the screw heads wouldn't be exposed.
 I picked up 24  EVERBILT #6 x 1" wood screws
 The long edges are just the 36" dowels laid out, I had to cut the other two dowels into 12" sections for the short edges. I then secured the dowels.
Elmer's Carpenter's wood filler to fill the holes....
 ...as seen here.
Then a little sanding with 150 grit sandpaper.
 It awaits paint.

Part II tomorrow.

Monday, March 2, 2015

Some Cold Wars games cancelled......

To All,
Around Christmas I ruptured my Achilles tendon and had to have surgery. As the convention was approaching I had full intention, with the help of my son, on running my full docket of games. Unfortunately my son has a prior commitment and physically I can’t haul in the bins, set up the board, run a 4 hour game, pack up the terrain and figures, and re-pack the car on one leg. So I have to cancel these two games:

F-314 - Gnome Wars: ....just not the slowest.
Fri. 8:00 PM, 3 hrs, 30 players
GM: Steven Stanton and Stout Gnomes
Prize: GNOMES!
Fantasy 28mm, Rules: Gnome Wars
S-316 - Gnome Wars: The Battle of West Point -
April 16th, 1865 - Theme Game
Sat. 2:00 PM, 4 hrs, 8 players
GM: Jim Stanton and Stout Gnomes
Prize: GNOMES!
American Civil War 28mm, Rules: Gnome Wars

I will still be running the joust:
S-315 - Gnome Wars: The Joust
Sat. 8:00 PM, 2 hrs, 30 players
GM: Steven Stanton and Stout Gnomes
Prize: GNOMES!
Fantasy 28mm, Rules: Gnome Wars
Gnome Jousting Tournament. Rules Taught - quick, easy, FUN!
PRIZES!!
No one under 14 without a playing adult.

Sorry about this, but it is what it is. You will see me limping around the convention.
Jim Stanton

“The Gnome Guy”