That’s what I’ve been up to recently, anyway. I talked more about the painting of these on a recent episode of the Tabletop Miniature Hobby Podcast, so be sure to take a listen if podcasts are your thing!
I found an old copy of Space Crusade for the Commodore 64 up in the attic a while back. This was alongside some other long-forgotten finds like my childhood Space Wolves, Lizardmen, and Undead armies. Oh, and some Monster in My Pocket.
Space Crusade was an 8-bit dip into the Grim Darkness of the far future. I initially thought it was a digital version of Space Hulk, but now I see that Crusade was actually a board game in its own right. Would it be fair to call it a more simplistic and accessible version, given that it was co-produced with Milton Bradley of HeroQuest fame?
To be honest, I don’t have a huge amount of memories of playing this. And, given that I was very much into both Games Workshop and Commodore 64 games at the same time, I wonder if that means that it just… wasn’t very good.
“How to find local gamers” is probably the biggest problem facing the modern-day miniature hobby enthusiast. Very few of us are looking for a game every night, or even every week. But let’s face it, we’d all probably like to play at least a handful more games each year.
Dan and I found there to be six ways to find local gamers to play miniature games against (and with). We go into depth on each in this episode, but at a glance, here they are:
Convert a Friend: Is there someone you already know who might enjoy a game of something. Dan likes to test the water with an out-the-box game like Space Hulk. I think Song of Blades & Heroes works well for this.
Play Solo: Do you need to find local gamers to play against? Not necessarily. Solo wargaming exploded in popularity during the pandemic, and Rangers of Shadow Deep is one of the best games around.
Your Local Club or Store: Sounds like a no-brainer, but here’s a place where you’ll definitely find local gamers.
Apps & Tech:GameFor was a handy app where you could find gamers in your area. It isn’t available at the moment, but it’s apparently on its way back. Dan also recommends Tabletop Simulator which is the best online substitute for an in-person game.
Posters or Flyers: Is there a local community centre or library in your area? Then why not stick something up on their noticeboard. Better yet, order a few thousand leaflets and pop them through every door in your neighbourhood!
Social Media: The low-hanging fruit option. The games you like probably have communities on platforms like Facebook and Reddit. So why not just ask if there’s anyone nearby?
I’ve actually got through quite a few miniatures since my last painting update and photo dump. The latest batch are all from CP Models, one of my favourite Oldhammer-style miniature companies.
These Near Future Mercenaries would fit right into a game of Necromunda.
Future trench warfare figures. Loosely based on World War I troops but with a near-future twist.
The mercs are led by this “Detective for Hire”. If I remember correctly, he came as a generous freebie miniature with my order from CP.
More mercs.
I liked painting these guys. They had a good variety, without being over the top.
The other (more uniformed) squads were fun too though, and I got through them quickly, without opening many paint pots at all.
Anyway, there you have it. Thanks very much for taking the time to have a look. And whilst you’re here, why not check out the Tabletop Miniature Hobby Podcast, too? It’s like Citadel Contrast Paint for your ears.
Does that sound like a good thing or a bad thing? I’m not quite sure…
We talk about Joe McCullough’s games a lot on this podcast. Sometimes, we even talk to him. This episode is one of those times. Join us as we explore the inspiration and creative process behind games like Frostgrave, Stargrave, and Rangers of Shadow Deep.
The table in its entirety.Cotton wool balls to represent cocoons. The red Battlemasters dice are the nests. The old drunk was rescued in the previous mission. He didn’t survive this one. The sort of view Vinny the Vulture had when he flew around contributing absolutely nothing. One of the spiders. Another look down on the tabletop. More spiders. What’s next for this motley crew? They’re off to Tor Varden.
Hobby-enthusiast Mark Smith joins me on the latest episode of the Tabletop Miniature Hobby Podcast. This week, we’re talking about how to get more kids into the hobby. Did we peak in the 90s? Are there simply too many other “immediate” distractions out there now for miniature painting and gaming to compete with? This was a really interesting conversation to have and, though the title might sound pessimistic, there are still lots of things to be positive about.
By the way – as a bit of a nostalgia trip, be sure to check out my childhood Space Wolves, Lizardmen, and Undead armies.
We ponder whether Games Workshop is still serious about marketing towards young people? And if they are or were – are they the right people to be championing the hobby to da yoof?
Would it be better if young folks were introduced to the hobby via clubs, groups, or mentors? After all, a company like Games Workshop’s ultimate aim is to make money, and most kids have little or none of that.
We pose the question of why there seems to be so many world-class miniature painters posting work online these days, and if this could potentially be offputting to beginners.
We also talk about the benefits and appeals of analogue hobbies, the rise of video games, and the wonders of monopose miniatures.
For anyone looking to introduce their kids to an accessible miniatures game too, I thoroughly recommend Song of Blades & Heroes. And bonus points if you make your warband out of Monster in My Pocket figures!
On this episode of the Tabletop Miniature Hobby Podcast, we’re exploring the world of wargaming in the 6mm scale. This is a great conversation highlighting the many joys of six. Peter is keen to point out that this isn’t a case of one scale OR another (most of us love 28mm first and foremost, after all), but using the right tool for the right job.
It almost goes without saying, but, the smaller the scale of your troops, the bigger a battle you can have. I’ll bet many listeners to this show will have first-hand experience of that, too. Do you remember navigating multi-based squads of Eldar and Orks through the cardboard skyscrapers of Space Marine in your youth?
There are other practical appeals of 6mm. You can buy an entire army for less than £50, paint it up in a day or two, and store it in a shoebox. People might find the thought of painting these miniatures intimidating but as Peter advises, you should try to “paint the unit, not the man”. He has some painting guides on the Baccus 6mm website, too.
Also on this episode
We talk about the solo and co-op game that is Pony Wars.
6mm is popular with historical wargamers, but Perfect Six, Microworld, and Rapier have great fantasy ranges.
The Joys of Six is a 6mm wargaming event that takes place in Sheffield each summer.
Oh and I talk about the worst Patreon campaign in podcasting, too. This won’t be used to improve the show, nor will it include any rewards. Don’t worry though, I won’t bang on about it all the time, either 😉
We all try our best to look after our brushes, our paints, and our miniatures. But what about ourselves?
Though talking about health in the hobby might not seem as interesting and escapist as chatting Chaos Dwarves and Snotling Pump Waggons, it’s something that we ignore at our peril. There are a few reasons why we’re going to cover it in this 2-part episode.
This is a sedentary hobby where we remain in the same position for long periods of time – and indoors, too.
Most of us have also been stuck working from home these past two years.
The beginning of a new year often gets us thinking about our physical and mental health, and, at least toying with the idea of making improvements.
So I’m joined by Dan of the Paint All The Minis Podcast. Dan is as heroic-looking as a modern-day GW sculpt. He wouldn’t look out of place on the cover of Men’s Health magazine, and he’s here to lecture you and make you feel bad about yourself.
Dan, just out of the shower
I’m being tongue-in-cheek of course. This definitely isn’t a lecture, a “how-to”, or an exercise in body shaming. It’s merely a chat where we talk about the health-based things that have worked for us (or haven’t!) over the years.
The aim is simply to get you thinking about your own health in the hobby. Either to start exploring avenues of improvements you might be able to make. Or, to laugh heartily at two puny weaklings attempting to talk about things like weights and fitness.
Because we are far from experts in these fields, and absolutely none of this is “advice”, we’re linking to some handy follow-up resources too. Always do your own research, and don’t take our word for anything we say here.
On a recent episode of the Tabletop Miniature Hobby Podcast, we took a look through the rulebook of Rangers of Shadow Deep. Now it was time to get the table set up and test it out for ourselves. In this episode, we talk through our experience of the deserted village scenario.
RoSD is a popular and exciting solo/cooperative game. There’s a lot of adventuring to be done with the core rulebook containing more than a few missions and scenarios. On top of that, there are various expansions available too which build out the story world and develop your rangers.
That said, we thought we’d start at the start, and that was a scenario that tasked us to venture out and look for one of our companions, a chap by the name of Aventine.
Aventine has been missing for a few days, and on top of that, there have been reports of an attack on a nearby village. It’s up to our party to take a look around and get to the bottom of things.
Our party are, admittedly, a bit of a gang of misfits. Hardly the noblest looking of bunches.
Ranger Harald Half-Orc (right), backed up by Boarus the “Boarbarian”, and Vinny the Vulture. These guys came from Otherworld, Midlam, and North Star, respectively.
Ranger Grubb (centre) flanked by Count Gunther and Fun Gus. The wee mushie man came from CP Models, whilst the other two were bought from Otherworld Miniatures.
“Count” Gunther. Probably not a real Count. Just a brutal thug in some plate armour. Or, potentially, disgraced nobility. But who’s going to ask?
“You might’ve lost your kettle, Vinny, but you’re still making the tea. Hey? What? That’s why they call me Fun Gus!”
Ranger Harald Half-Orc looking “pleased”.
Boarus the “Boarbarian”, ex-slave and arena combatant. Now, hired muscle.
What will become of this partygoing villager if we take him along in the next scenario?
