I listen to metal. But what does that mean? What is "metal" to you? It is a word that evokes a lot of different things for different people. When folks ask what sort of "metal" I listen to I find it hard to explain what I mean when using the term. There is a large subculture of "underground" metal bands, each with their own distinct style, and often falling into their own musical sub-genre.
Personally I like my metal in many different styles - heavy, fast, slow, evil, psychedelic, oppressive, hard, gross, etc....
Since I have decided to post the occasional metal video or music link here on the blog (as it is typically what I listen to while painting and modeling) I thought it would be good to get some education material posted as well. As a sort of metal refresher here is a video which covers some of the early UK/US Grindcore and Death Metal pioneers such as Napalm Death, Morbid Angel, Bolt Thrower, Entombed, and Carcass. Most of the coverage is of Earache and Peaceville bands but it is good representation of what the metal scene was like at the time this was filmed.
Did you know that Three Die Block and Zlurpcast have teamed up (in a way) to get a team of APES together for Blood Bowl (or other miniature action)!? It's true! There is a Kickstarter right here!
It's not too late to get involved! I haven't made a pledge (yet) but you can't go wrong with a couple of monkeys... I mean apes... like these!!! Get the word out there!
How are you celebrating your Krampus today? Need inspiration? How about a list of a few possible Krampus related activities you can do with your friends and loved ones:
Make yourself a Krampus mask
Cut and or burn some bundles of birch
Ring bells!
Join in a parade or throw a party
Drink, feast, and be merry (and drunk)
Run through the streets screaming "Krampus is coming!"
Tell a story
Ringing more bells, and beat on a drum
Give gifts and take gifts too
Beatings and/or whippings!
Whatever you do, have a good time and don't forget to celebrate! It's another 364 days until the next Krampus day after all...
Why I am awake so damn early? Because I am headed to beautiful Wisconsin for the 2011 Underworld Cup! I had intended to go to last year's event but the winter elements conspired against me and I chickened out. Not so this year!
While I had hoped to have my additional vampires painted in time to take the Strigoi Slash, I didn't manage to get them done enough to bring along. Thus I have fallen back on my trusty friends of the Nurgland Germs making this their 4th (or 5th?) tournamnent showing in 2011. What did I choose to bring you ask? Well since you asked...
Click on the image for a more detailed look. The gist of it is this: 14 player roster, 5 normal skills and 1 doubles skill, 1 reroll. We'll see how it goes!!
Trying hard to get back into hobby mode. The end of our first KUBBL season has left us with a gap between seasons that has killed much of my ambition. That and Skyrim .... Ragnar the Bardbarian must kill dragons!
So I have been wanting to practice some Khorne painting styles for my eventual (or so I say) Warriors of Chaos army, and I have been wanting a Chaos BB team, and I happen to have all the models I need to make one laying around.... so here is a crappy WIP picture of that!
Hopefully you get the idea from that photo. Working on test models for both. Basically I am using old Bloodletters for Warriors and new Bloodletters for the Beastmen. Still not sure what to do for the eventual Minotaur. Perhaps a Bloodthirster? Or maybe a Bloodletter on Juggernaut? Too early to tell.
In gaming news... planning on heading out to the Underworld Cup next weekend. I haven't chosen a roster yet but I am toying with the idea of bringing the Hooded Menace (undead) or the Strigoi Slash (vamps). I made a vampire roster with 15 players and 4 rerolls that seems almost too silly to pass up. More on that later this week. In the meantime... back to Skyrim!
I just finished the Nagash trilogy from Black Library and that really drives home just how terrible this sculpt is. Here is a list and poll posted by the Chest of Colors about the 25 worst miniatures ever made.
While I don't agree with all the choices (the Kingdom Death models are cool... it's different and I like that) it is still an enjoyable read. Had me thinking... what makes a good model?
I won't bother with "sorry for not posting" apologies. Inhumate does a good job in the video above. It would be a familiar story anyway... a month since my last post... life intrudes...
Sometimes the hobby urge is strong, sometimes less so. I was working on Necromunda models. I blame that for my slow decline into a lack of modeling/posting/painting.
Getting back on the hobby horse though! Just finished up the first new season of KUBBL with my Chaos Dwarf team Dunger Mifflin. Finished with 2 wins, 2 ties, and 3 losses. Not the greatest results but the good news is I also walked away with the team casualty award and the player with the most kills award. In the process I had plenty of injuries of my own - including a dead Chaos Dwarf blocker (Phylis Vance - RIP) and a couple lasting injuries on key players. I didn't manage to sneak into the playoffs but it was a fun season and I am pumped for the next one!
I have a perverse urge to put Mifflin on the back burner and start up my Vampire team the Strigoi Slash. I had a lot of fun playing a limited version of the team at Zlurpee Bowl this year and I would love to see a more developed version of the team in our league. Plus they are kind of like the Ogre team only they suck in a different way (get it?).
Banged up this quick logo which I am pretty happy with...
The models are mostly all done, just need to paint a few more Vampires. The hard part is choosing my starting roster. Right now I am debating between these two options.
Option #1
Vampires x 3
Thralls x 9
Rerolls x 4
Total: 970gp
PRO: More players on the pitch more often with the extra Thrall. Having a little gold left in the treasury gives me some flex in what I spend my earned gold on early.
CON: One less Vampire to start with which means it will take longer to skill up a full Vampire roster.
Option #2
Vampires x 4
Thralls x7
Rerolls x 4
Total: 1000gp
PRO: Four Vampires on the pitch makes for all kinds of interesting opportunities. It really plays up the S4 and A4 madness and opens new avenues for Hypnotic Gaze.
CON: I could easily eat through my entire team in one game with no bench. I would also have no gold in reserve to buy more Thralls.
Any advice on which roster you think is better would be much appreciated. The upfront cost of the Vampires has me shying away from going with 2 although I did compete with some of the best players in the country at Zlurpee Bowl with a roster like that. Hmmm...
