Reaper Bones #30 - Lizardmen

Something a bit different for this week's miniature monday with Lizardmen.

Lizardmen / Lizard folk

Reaper Miniatures seem to have a large selection of lizardfolk across a number of ranges including Bones / Dark Haven and their Warlord line.  In my opinion lizardmen get a fairly rough deal from mini companies, usually you get a couple of sculpts and that's it.  I have 3 from the original Bones kickstarter. 

• Lizardman Spearman (SKU 77154) - Ben Siens
  
• Lizardman Warrior (SKU 77050) - Gene Van Horne
• Lizardman Warrior [with spiked club] (SKU 77155) - Gene Van Horne

Lizard Men or Lizard Folk - they all taste like chicken

I enjoyed painting these so much I am tempted to buy the others in the range to flesh out my lizardman warband.  These include:

• Lizardman Archer (SKU 77425) - Gene Van Horne.
• Lizardman with Club & Shield (SKU 77426) - Gene Van Horne 

Bones Progress 

Newsround - 28th Feb to 6th March

What I learned on the internet this week

Swede Dude Makes 3D Catan out of Toilet Paper and Glue

I rekindled my appreciation of Klaus Teuber's Settlers of Catan this week updating my iPad with the latest version of the app, now called Catan Universe.  It's a cleaner rendition of this classic game and just as frustrating challenging to play.  However, I'm damned if I can work out how to restore all my purchases from Catan HD.  Answers in the doubley doo below please.

Of course this has meant that my YouTube recommendations are full of Catan related videos, which is how I stumbled on YouTuber Projects Electrify Weekend.  Strange considering that I subscribe to many of the DIY Science channels like Applied Science, Great Scott, Integza and of course the mad electrician himself Electroboom.  Something is clearly amiss with the reccomendations algorithm over at YouTube.

I've always lusted after a 3D Catan board and Oliver demonstrates that it's only my own procrastination that is not making this a reality.

D&D Adventurers League Drops the PH+1 Rule

I've kind of known about the D&D Adventurers League for some time but as I am not really into tournament play or "sanctioned events" (I had a couple of fairly horrific experiences playing living Greyhawk back in the day when the RPGA (Role Playing Game Association) had a UK presence.

Now call me cynical but, the current modus operandi of WotC is to release mini source books and big campaigns rather than pocket money adventures which would keep your game going for the next few weeks.  

Recently we've had Xanathar's Guide to Everything, Tasha's Cauldron of Everything and Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft drops in May 2021.  Note to the designers please stop using "Guide to Everything" as titles, it looks like you've got a limited vocabulary.

It is entirely possible that rules for some characters may be spread across multiple books encouraging GMs and players alike to buy these wholy unnecessary extra books just for a couple of paragraphs or "official" rules text.

My point is that the rule of PH+1 (ie: characters must only come from the Players Handbook +1 other sourcebook) may well have been preventing the latest cool new character classes from ever seeing the light of day in organised play events.  

In the case of Ravenloft, it's a whole gothic horror subgenre all to itself, which seems to be the saveur du mois (Flavour of the month) these days that could only have been hurting play.

BTW: You can download the back catalogue of Living Forgotten Realms content for D&D 4e if that floats your boat. 

Asmodee Buys Board Game Arena

Well it had to happen sooner or later.  Boardgame publishing behemoth Asmodee has bought the popular virtual table top simulator Board Game Arena (BGA).  Is there nothing this company doesn't own?

Assurances have been made that BGA will continue to be run independently and the good news is that this purchase will ensure that the Asmodee catalogue of games is fully accessible to the games designers.

Thanks to COVID-19 BGA saw 600% growth which must have surely put it in Asmodee's crosshairs.  I for one joined last year and have enjoyed the ease of use and the social aspects of the platform.  Feel free to add me as a friend (Tonybro001) and am always wanting a game of Race for the Galaxy or 7 Wonders.

Hugh Grant Joins Dungeons & Dragons Movie

Hugh Grant

It seems like only last week I was sharing news about the new D&D Movie reboot (Ed: it was) and lo and behold national treasure Hugh Grant has confirmed that he is joining the cast of the Dungeons & Dragons movie to play the as yet unnamed villian role.

A few years ago this might have made me groan with dread as he was still being cast as floppy haired romantic idiots.  However, that was before I watched him in the Guy Ritchies excellent The Gentlemen (2019).  Frankly he blew me away with his portrayal of scheming crime journalist Fletcher.  He can turn on the machiavellian menace when he needs to so I am really looking forward to this movie.

 

 

Gina Carano Firing Controversy

Daughter of the Wolf

You would have to have been living under a rock for the last few weeks not to have read something about Gina Carano being fired from Star Wars: The Mandalorian despite being the most popular character after Grogu (aka Baby Yoda).  Yes she was more popular among fans than Pedro Pascal's title character The Mandalorian (aka Din Djarrin).  

Now I'm not going to get into the whys and wherefores as better pundits than I have covered this in great detail (Overlord DVD, Mike Zeroh, The Quartering, Clownfish TV, That Star Wars Girl and Geeks and Gamers) what I will say is that if you want to show your support for Gina then watch one of her older movies.

• Daughter of the Wolf - a snowy mom rescues kidnapped child thriller co starring Richard Dreyfuss ( Amazon Prime )
  
  
• Scorched Earth - a high stakes sci-fi bounty hunter thriller ( Amazon Prime )
  
  
• Madness in the Method - Jason Mewes method acting movie ( Amazon Prime )
  

Judge Dredd AudioBooks on Audible

As you probably know I am currently running a Judge Dredd Campaign for my Friday night Roleplay Club Dragons Keep and so I am constantly thinking about Judge Dredd. 

What joy then to hear that Penguin Random House have produced a series of Judge Dredd audiobooks based on a range of popular 2000AD characters.  You can checkout their range over at Audible.

Sector 55 Blues - Prog 5 - The Big Wig

Sector 55 Blues is a Judge Dredd Campaign using the Savage Dredd unnofficial Savage Worlds Expansion.  This is an online only game with members from Dragons Keep Roleplay Club.

Judges Cully, Hammer, Teal and Uthred are deep inside the Sewers under Sector 55 RESYK.

We're Going Deeper Underground There's Too Much Panic in This Town

The Judges progress is slow as they negotiate there way through the network of circular sewer tunnels.  As they enter a 20ft wide mainline sewer the flow current of sewage gets significantly stronger and they opt to keep to the small ledges rather than wade through the middle of the pipes.  

As the team approach a large 10ft wide tunnel in the left wall Judge Teal makes the mistake of moving of the ledge and her leg is almost swept away from under her.  She cries out reflexively.

"Wooooahhhh!! mind that last step, it's a doozy"  

The others hear a low gutteral rumbling coming from this side tunnel.  Whatever is in there knows we are coming.  Hammer takes point and moves into the tunnel his torch illuminating an exit into a large cistern some 50ft away.  As the team approach Cully spots a flash of red leap across the gap from left to right.  Uthred takes point and flashes his torch round the walls of the cistern.  A yellow hairy creature about the size of a large cat is cautiously circling the far side of the cistern trying to stay out of Uthred's torchlight.  He bends down on the right corner of the tunnel and coos at the creature in an attempt to entice it towards him.

Hammer stands on the left corner and the unmistakeable short sharp BRRRUPP of 3 GP rounds sprays the creatures blood, hair, skin and viscera across the opposite wall.  A red flash leaps from the right to the left of the entrance and attacks Hammer.  Cully spies two more of the furry follicular foes circling round the cistern behind Hammer but her shot is blocked.  

Uthred swiftly crosses over the 10ft wide tunnel mouth and feels the edge of the cistern under his right foot.  He doesn't have time to screw a hypo round to take the thing alive and smashes down on Hammer's head with this day stick.  The creature falls off into the water like a well tenderised synthi steak.  Cully shouts at Hammer "Move!!" and he sidesteps off the ledge immediately dissapearing beneath the fetid greenish water.  She lets loose a 3 shot burst taking out the first wig and Uthred takes out the second.

As they scan the churning waters large bubbles about the size of footballs  begin to float to the surface.  Cully uses her infrared scope to pierce the surface and spies two heat masses one about human sized and the other a huge 15ft across.  BRRRUPP retorts Cully's Lawgiver as she exercises carefully aimed deadly force.

The tension and the water errupt simultaneously as a massive hairy beast breaks the surface flinging Judge Hammer into the cistern wall like a ragdoll from a hairy frond like appendage.  Uthred shoots and the creature belows in pain moving north to the safety of the 20ft tunnel which feeds the cistern.

The Giant Hair Beast burst forth

Uthred and Cully give chase but the beast moves swiftly as it swims.  Cully opts for an incendiary round but misses showering the opposite wall with burning napalm.  Uthred scans the tunnel with infrared but his sight is clouded by the heat bloom from the burning napalm.  Cully moves past and scans with her scope,  nothing.  

In the darkness ahead the Judges hear the creature roaring as it rends at metal smashes the synthi-crete walls of the sewer behind it.  Walking further up the tunnel Cully sees that the creature has collapsed the tunnel sealing itself off from the world behind.  A slick of blood oozes down the middle of the tunnel.

Small Hair Beast Stat Card    

 

Forensic Judge Quincy's Analysis

Just as the Judges exit the sewers Judge Quincy radios through his report on the scrap of skin from the cat's mouth and the strands of hair from Dwayne Rockson's apartment.  Both test positive for high levels of background radiation and the DNA is a 99.8% match for that of a rabbit.

The Judges decide to return to sector house for fresh uniforms, get Hammer tested for dsyntery and to turn in the samples to Judge Quincy.  

The Forensics lab is a chaotic scene as labcoated technicians try to wrestle hair beasts into cages scattered around the lab.  A dishevelled Quincy is angry and barks at the Judges

"If you've got another of these drokking things I don't want to see it.  They've been coming in all morning.  The Sector's infested!!"   

He waves a bottle of shampoo which the Tek Judges have confirmed is in fact a very powerful tranquilizer. 

Uthred informs Quincy that they've just encountered a big one, 5 times the size of the one he is currently holding.  Quincy's eyes widen "If they grow that big we've only got a couple of days before the Sector is done for.  He waves the Trend Toppers plastic bag at them.

"Whoever's selling them needs to be found and stopped before this gets out of hand!!"

Duncan Spivey and Melvin Why?

The Judges know from the business card that these two budding entrepreneurs are based in Sector 163 near to the great Western Wall that isolates Mega City One from the Cursed Earth.

The Great Western Wall - Mega City One's defense against The Cursed Earth

They quickly head to Day Watch Commander Judge Belloch who tells them to take an H-Wagon over to Sector 163 and call the Day Watch Commander Judge Govan.

It is a 3 hour flight to Sector 163 and by the time they arrive local Judges have already arrested the pair of toupee dealers.

Govan takes them down to the interrogation cubicles where Spivey and Why? are being held for questioning.  

Duncan Spivey

Spivey is a cool customer who tells the Judges that he hasn't got anything to hide and that his lawyer Half Asian Bill Kraken is already en route.  Judge Govan reveals to the team that Bill Kraken has been in the building for 2 hours but they have stalled him with Justice Department forms whilst they waited for the team to arrive.  Spivey tells the Judges that they will get nothing from him even if they do the Nice Judge Nasty Judge routine.  

Hammer decides to pump the other co-owner of Trend Toppers for information.

 

 

Melvin Why?

Melvin Why? is a comletely different character.  He seems to be enjoying his incarceration a little bit too much.  He tells the Judges that Spivey is just a money man and that he is the real brains behind the operation.  He does all the market research and marketing.  

He's out to change the world for the follicly challenged citizen's of Mega City One.

However, Duncan is mixed up with some dangerous individuals.  He knows who sold them the wigs and they have to promise him that they will put him in a cell where this guy can't get to.  They agree and he blurts out the name Rabies Nesbitt.

 

Judge Govan smiles and in his thick scottish accent replies

"Well, well, well, Rabies and I go way back.  I know exactly where to find him and this is the evidence I've been searching for to put him behind bars for a long, long time."

Leading them down to the motorpool where 5 gleaming lawmasters sit waiting.

"It's been a long time since I've been a street judge but today is a good day to get back in the saddle.  Let's ride!!"

Next Prog - Last Orders at the Two Way Pub ->

Back Issues

Prog 1 - Suits You Sir - Mosh 55 rob Zlooty Slute's Suits You and a body is discovered.

Prog 2 - Hair Today Gone Tomorrow - Rock Dwayneson's apartment and carnage at the Yes-A-Bout

Prog 3 - It's Ugly Out There - Fun and Games at the Ugly Pageant 

Prog 4 - Down, Down, Deeper and Down - Entering the sewers under RESYK

Rescuing the Oldest Game I Own - Belisha (1937)

A few years back a good friend (and fellow bargain hunter) bought me a Christmas Gift of two copies of an old card game game at an antiques fair in Covent Garden. 

Sadly, one of them was missing two cards and so I rescued it from oblivion.

Belisha - The "Safety First" Card Game

Published way back in 1937 by Castell Brothers Ltd (1878-1983) under the "Pepys" series of games.  Belisha is a reimplementation of popular card game Rummy.  The name "Belisha" was borrowed from the iconic Belisha Beacon introduced to UK roads in 1934 by then Minister of Transport the Rt.Hon Leslie Hore-Belisha.

Belisha - The Safety First Card Game (1937)

  A Game of Thrill

"All the family can play this new and entertaining game. Young and old alike. will find in it many a new thrill and many a valuable lesson, for 'Belisha' teaches the ever-valuable and all-important doctrine of 'Safety First'. 

Played on the same familiar lines as 'Rummy' with new and ingenious variations. 'Belisha' is a game of many interests. As the game proceeds the players are taken on a tour of England and Scotland from London to Oban: many of the cards bearing beautiful pictures in colour of famous beauty spots.

Belisha Card Game Advertisements

Each card bears in the top left-hand corner a familiar safety first symbol; some cards illustrate the dangers of the road; some show how accidents may be avoided. 

There's a touch of humour, a smattering of geography, a new method of teaching 'Safety First' and a heap of fun. 'Belisha' is a game that should be played in every home, for it has the merits of a family or party game with the added attraction of demonstrating again and again the way to ensure road safety for all."

Safety First, the birth of RoSPA and the Tufty Road Safety Club.

Tufty Club Badge

The "Safety First" campaign can trace its heritage back to 1916 and the founding of the London Safety First Council.  A public meeting was held due to an increase in road traffic accidents involving motor vehicles and the reduction in street lighting to aid "blackout" during WWI.  Their first campaign which encouraged people to walk on the pavement on the side of the road facing oncoming traffic reduced pedestrian deaths by 70%.

In 1941 the NSFA patron the Duke of York became King George VI he wished to continue his patronage and RoSPA was born.

I first encountered RoSPA, like many of my generation, when having to perform my bicycle safety exam as a child in the 1970s.   

The Tufty Road Safety Club had been around since the early 50s and I distinctly remember having to negotiate a mock road course which had been det up in my school playground.  Getting your Tufty Club badge was a seminal achievement back in my day.  

Tufty and his woodland friends have been iconic champions of children's road safety education for decades and featured on many educational board games over the years.

Tufty Road Safety Boardgame (1970s)

A masterpiece of marketing before the advent of  Baby Shark, "do doo, dee doo, dee doo" he was rocking the hit parade with an album of nursery rhymes related to road safety. 

Fun times.

Bicycle Road Safety Training and Belisha Beacons

It's Games Master Appreciation Day

March 4th is Games Master Appreciation Day so show some love to those people who make your game happen.

 
I've been a Games Master on and off for well over 35 years and whilst it is a heck of a lot of work it is one of the most rewarding experiences in the hobby. I do it because:

1. I have stories that are begging to be told.  Sometimes it's a funny idea I dreamed of in the shower, sometimes it is a puzzle I want to put in front of my friends to solve.  Often it's just an interesting story idea that I want my players to enjoy.
   
   
2. I enjoy the collaboration.  I feel that GMs who don't feed off the ideas that their players generate are missing a trick.  Tabletop RPGs are a collaborative experience and that comes down to the plot and the storyline.  Many times I am stunned by the creativity of my players.  They will often come up with alternative ways to resolve encounters that I never imagined or they will ruminate on a possible scenario which is may more interesting than I could dream up.
   
   
3. I enjoy the pressure.  GMing can be hard at times, you are juggling a lot of balls most of the time whilst trying to keep your players engaged. 
   
   
4. I enjoy learning from my mistakes.  Even after 30+ years behing the Dungeonmasters Screen I'll admit that I get it wrong.  I love when my players tell me that I did a good job but even more, I look forward to them telling me when I did something that didn't make sense to them.  This gives me an opportunity to try something different.
   
   
5. I enjoy Seeing players laugh and smile.  At the end of the day this is why we are Games Masters.  It's having fun with your friends and getting them to put their ordinary lives into the background for a few hours and just have some fun. 

Check out some of the other Appreciation Days I have added to my Geeks & Gamers Social Media Calendar.  Have a date you think we should celebrate or a story you want to share with the community then pop a comment in the box below.

Why You Should Join a local Tabletop Roleplaying Group

Online is a necessity at the moment thanks to the current year situation.  The internet allows us to be connected whilst being seperated by thousands of miles.

However, being part of your local Dungeons and Dragons group means much more than just playing your favourite Tabletop Role Playing Games (RPG) game. 

A Typical Friday Night at Dragons Keep

Face to Face is Better in Everyway

When Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson invented Dungeons and Dragons back in 1974 (I was 2 at the time) there was no internet and were always meant to be a social experience played face to face.  Those who have played both online RPGs and real world tabletop RPGs will appreciate that face to face interactions have an immediacy and a subtlety which gets lost on a zoom call.  

We are socially programmed from childhood to pick up and interpret body language and facial expressions as part of non verbal communication.  When you are in a video meeting you tend to treat it like a phone call and so your body language reflects that.  Worse still if you have a poor internet connection you can lose video alltogether or it is reduced to a jittering mess of blocky pixels.

When discussing non-verbal communication I am always reminded of one of my players Sam, who when negotiating with a Pirate Captain, started reaching out and drawing his hand back towards himself.  After 5 or six of these motions I asked him 

"What are you doing?" 

He calmly replied  

"I'm grabbing my pet turtle before he escapes off the edge of the table".  

I was blown away by this interraction and grateful that my players feel are encourage to role play in this way.

Creating the World Through Play

Most new players these days get introduced to roleplay through Dungeons and Dragons or by watching computer game streams such as The Witcher, Mass Effect, Fallout, Legend of Zelda and The Elder Scrolls.  When you play a computer game you are getting one vision or version of that world as programmed by the team who developed it.  There is no ability to break out of the box even in the biggest MMORPG.

Pre-written tabletop modules designed for online play also suffer from this to some degree.  Your Games Master (GM) may have bought the module or encounter packs for their Virtual Table Top (VTT) and you are going to encounter them come hell or highwater.  

When you meet face to face play there is so much more time for your GM to get to know you as players and therefore create personalised elements which make you much more engaged.  You get to chat as friends about what you saw on TV, read, or saw on the internet.  You find out much more about a person in this non-game chit chat time than it is ever possible to do if you only log on to play a session.

I know that I have often included references to things that my friends enjoy outside of gaming to embellish my games and create much more engagement for them as players.

Roleplaying is a Wide and Varied Hobby

There are ancillary aspects to the hobby which are firmly rooted in the real world rather than online.  For example if you are a fan of the creative arts like painting, modelling or crafting you can turn your skills to collecting and painting miniatures, scenery building, map making, prop and puzzle making.

I am a 3D Printing nerd and a journeyman miniature painter and love to show off my creations to my friends and more importantly use them in my games.  There's no substitute in my book for trying to solve a tactile puzzle with your own hands, or viewing a combat using little tiny plastic toy soldiers.  It brings and extra level of immersion which you just can't replicate online.

Yorky Smith in a life or death fight against the monstrous Doom Turtle

Roleplaying Breeds Community Spirit

Being part of a group means you have shared experiences beyond just the game itself.  At Dragons Keep we host several events throughout the year at weekends such as Games Days, Poker Nights, Karting, Movie nights, Barbecues and trips to events such as Dragonmeet or UK Games Expo.

When you are part of a group you also get to chat about each others games and share your collective experience.

Lifelong Friendships

I've been playing at my local group (Dragons Keep) for nearly 20 years.  I've met people from all walks of life, young, old and of every culture and background imagineable.  

We have laughed, cried and argued with each other and shared many adventures both in our games and outside in the biggest game of all...   Life.

Joining Dragons Keep

If you live in South East London we might be the group for you. Our venue is located in Chislehurst, whithin easy reach of Bexley, Bromley, Dartford, Eltham, Greenwich, Lewisham, Orpington and Sidcup. Drop us a line via our Contact Us page and talk to us about your passion.

If you live in another part of the UK then check out our tips on How do I find a tabletop RPG group near me?.

To Boldly Puzzle Where no Man has Puzzled Before

The above statement is not strictly true as this Star Trek TOS 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzle was gifted to me by a friend (Thanks Louise) and I am sure that it has been put together by several puzzlers.

It has been many decades since I've done a jigsaw of this size and I had forgotten how backbreakingly frustrating it was.  I am a recent subscriber to YouTuber Karen Puzzles and used some of her techniques like colour sorting and edgefinding, but it still took the best part of six hours to complete.  

However, once complete there is an enormous sense of satisfaction that your pattern matching skills are still up to scratch and that you pushed yourself through the pain barrier.  Plus it's fun playing spot the character and episode.

Can you find the Lava Monster of Janus IV?

1000 Piece Star Trek TOS Jigsaw Puzzle

Reaper Bones #29 - Valeros, Iconic Fighter

Another Monday, another Reaper Bones Miniature painted.  This week it's...

Valeros, Iconic Fighter - Bobby Jackson (SKU 89007)

Valeros is a desperate looking specimen.  Not in terms of the sculpt, Bobby Jackson has done a fantastic job, but in terms of his expression.  The fight has got to that stage of the evening where it's all or nothing.  The party are out of action and only Valeros stands alone against the horde.

 I chose to give him some bandages and he's dropped his broken shield to fight two handed against twice as many foes.  Let's hope that the cavalry turns up soon...

Valeros, Iconic Fighter

Bones Progress 

Newsround Feb 21st to Feb 27th

In the best tradition of John Craven's Newsround here's my rundown of "What I Learned" on the Internet this week.

Bromley has a new games store called Troll Trader Bromley

Bromley had until recently had only one dedicated games store.  Yes you could get your Games Workshop fix at the Warhammer store and yes you could buy some of the most popular games at Waterstones, but if you wanted to buy anything that was remotely niche or you wanted some Army Painter or Vallejo paints then War Boar was the place to go.  Unfortunately, they bit the dust just before the pandemic, closing their doors in late 2019.

Troll Trader Bromley is a new venture in association with Cornwall based miniature manufacturer TTCombat.com.  The new shop is located at 3 The Mall, Bromley, BR1 1TS (directly opposite Iceland and Poundland).  

Troll Trader Bromley

With the Lockdown still in effect, I sincerely hope that they managed to open physically as I'm running out of paint!!

Bridgerton Star Signs on for New Dungeons & Dragons Movie

Rege-Jean Page has officially signed on for the new Paramount Dungeons & Dragons movie alongside Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez and Justice Smith (Detective Pikachu).  Slated for a 2022 release the movie is written and directed by the partnership of John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein (Game Night, Spiderman Homecoming).

There's scant details at the moment, but this is seen as a welcome 4th movie and a reboot of the Dungeons & Dragons movie series (Which I must rewatch) given the renewed popularity of Dungeons & Dragons.

Here's hoping that they do a serious rendition and hopefully they can feature some cameos from famous D&D fan actors like Henry Cavill, Joe Manganiello, Matthew Lillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, John Favreau and Vin Diesel. 

Wyloch's Armoury is Back

After a 4 month hiatus YouTuber Wyloch's Armoury is back in the saddle and building cheap as chips scenery again.  I have been waiting with baited breath to see the culmination of the Tomb of Horrors Dungeon Series (now on Part 9) and am so glad to see him return to D&D crafting.  Keep up the great work.

Tabletop Gaming Magazine 

I can't say that I've been into a Newsagents for quite some time and haven't bought a monthly magazine in even longer so it's no surpise that I missed the launch of Tabletop Gaming Magazine in 2017.  

However, doing some promotional work for my Friday Night club Dragons Keep has meant that our paths have finally crossed.

They have recently launched a Tabletop Gaming YouTube Channel which is a refreshing addition to my subscribed list rather than than the plethora of American channels which seem to pump out let's play video after video ad nauseum.  It's nice to hear an English accent with high production values for a change.

The Glenn (Ford) and Mike (Hutchinson) show is a particular highlight as the two hosts are responsible for my favourite tabletop game of car carnage Gaslands.

Give it a whirl it might just suit you too.

Sector 55 Blues - Prog 4 - Down, Down, Deeper and Down

Sector 55 Blues is a Judge Dredd Campaign using the Savage Dredd unnofficial Savage Worlds Expansion.  This is an online only game with members from Dragons Keep Roleplay Club.

With their shift at an end Judges Hammer, Teal and Uthred return to the sector house and turn in the scrap of hairy flesh.  A persuasive Teal convinces Senior Pathologist Judge Quincy to run it as a priority job as lives could be at risk.

The team hit the changing rooms and meet up with Judge Cully who has been dealing with the GC Essexwood suicide all day.  It's been a real long one and she is in need of some excitement so she agrees to go accompany them to Dapper John's apartment.

Hob Nobbing with the Big Cheese at Buck House

Dapper John lives at 72055 Buck House Block on the north fringe of the Eurozone.  It is one of the more luxurious apartment blocks reserved for the sectors wealthy or famous elite.  

The robo-knocker announces their arrival and the door is opened by Call Me Arthur, Dapper John's robo-butler, who shows the guests into the palatial living room dominated by a floor to ceiling window which opens onto a balcony terrace overlooking the city.  John descends from a mezzanine floor via a sweeping synthi-marble staircase and immediately urges Arthur to serve the guests drinks.  After taking the Judges requests he waddles into the kitchen to prepare the beverages.

Judge Cully goes upstairs on the pretense of a attending a call of nature and immediately heads for John's office.  Accessing his terminal she is soon copying accounts documents and sending them to Sector House for forensic examination.

Meanwhile Judges Hammer and Uthred question Dapper John about the origins of the Trend Topper Toupee line and the manufacturers.  John reveals that the owners Duncan Spivey and Melvin Why have been suppliers for some time although the Trend Toppers line is relatively new and a vast improvement on their previous wigalicious products.  He gives them a business card with their contact details.

Judge Teal is surveying the room and notices that of all the objet d'art and curios that Dapper John has decorated his apartment one looks out of place.  On the mantelpiece under a huge mirror stand 3 Maneki Neko (Chinese fortune cats) two are lazily waving in sync but one is out of phase. He is joined by Judge Cully who returns from her investigation upstairs.

"One of these cats is not like the others, one of these cats just doesn't belong..."

Despite the protestations of a very anxious Arthur Judge Teal picks up the out of sync cat and turns it over to reveal a sticker which reads "Good Job, You caught us - COVID-55".  Peeling off the sticker reveals a plastic twist bung which when pulled out reveals a complex surveillance device.

COVID-55
Surveillance Device

An embarrassed Dapper John, reaches for the TV remote and pulls up COVID-55 on the 15ft wide Tri-D screen which dominates one wall of the apartment.  The screen is filled with a fish-eye view of Judge Teal inspecting the device.  The screen is filled with snow and a graphic explaining that COVID-55 is experiencing Technical Difficulties.

My John apologises profusely and assures that he will get his PR team on it right away.  He wasn't aware that he was a person of interest but then he is one of the most eligible and fashionable bachelors in Sector 55 so he has always suspected that he was in their sights. 

" They do like to dish the dirt.  Why only yesterday evening they exposed GC Essexwood for her romantic involvement with her robo-butler!"

The hour is late and the judges need to catch up on their regulation sleep chamber time if they are going to be an effective team in the morning.

Another Glorious Morning Briefing

The morning starts with Judge Belloch's customary and compulsory briefing

 

"OK ladies, we had an incident at Buck House last night which has put the city on edge.  The COVID-55 surveillance of Dapper John has unleashed the Justice Department Legal Eagles.  They swooped in last night and shut their operation down.  The citizens are melting down.  COVID-55 was one of their favourite shows and now they're out to get us.  Be extra vigilant out there and expect some retaliation.  

The anti-gang and loony squads have been doing some great work taking out key gang members and keeping that powder keg from exploding.  

Weather control reports that it is still on the fritz with a reboot expected at 14 hunderd hours so expect a cold front to move in from the east.  Cully!, you're with Hammer. Teal and Uthred for the time being."   

A Moloko Droog

As they peel out of the sector house they get a call from despatch

"There's a problem down at Resyk, sewer droid says they've seen something that's put the willies up them.  Asked for you personally."

Alex - a Molok Droogs Gang Member

On their way they spot a citizen in all white overalls and a bowler hat admiring a freshly scrawled "Droogs Roolz" in red paint.  As they approached he runs.  Cully shouts "Freeze Punk" and gives chase firing off a burst of GP rounds blowing the saps legs clean off at the shins.  Uthred spots a bulge in the punks overalls and reaches into a pocket pulling out a recently used can of red spray paint.  

Judge Scully asks the perp if he has anything to say in his defence.  The perp can only manage "AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGG" as he screams in pain.  A meat wagon turns up moments later and bundles him into the back.  Judge Teal retrieves the punks legs and hands them to the Med Techs commenting "Hey punk you nearly got 5 years for littering".  

Trouble at RESYK

When the Judges get to resyk they are met by  Ro-Jaws who recounts seeing several small furry creatures matching the description of the wigs that the Judges gave yesterday.  He says there was a lot of them offers to show them to the spot in the sewers where they encountered the creatures.  Sadly Harry didn't make it out alive.

Descending to city bottom Ro-Jaws leads them to a manhole in the middle of a street in a rough part of the sector close to RESYK.  He flips the manhole cover open and drops down into the darkness below.

Following the fetid stream of waste as it follows the tunnel the judges hear a horrifying bellowing  animal roar.

Uthred goes down a 5ft wide side tunnel into a cistern in which a giant alligator is being attacked by a tiny hairy creature.  The alligator is in obvious distress and lashes out at Uthred who returns fire with an armour piercing round.  The hairy creature leaps into the tunnel and begins to attack Cully.  Teal fires an AP round through the alligators head as Cully stabs the hairy monstrosity with her boot knife.

Map of the Sewers

Uthred calls Ro-Jaws into the tunnel and orders him to open up his trash bin and stash the dead wig.  Reluctantly he agrees but demands that he wait outside for their return.

Exploring further down the tunnel Hammer and Cully are ambushed by a pair of wigs who lay in wait in side tunnels.  Uthred assists Hammer and attempts to bash the wig with his day stick.  Teal aids Cully and tears the thing off her helmet and whips it against the wall until it stops squeaking.  Cully fishes out an evidence zipper from her utility belt and bags the evidence for the boys back at forsensics.   

Prog 5 - The Big Wig ->

Back Issues

What on the D&D Earth is this?

The Dungeons and Dragons movie is 21 years old this year and after a 9 year hiatus there is 4th movie in production.  Hollywood does love a reboot.

However, The thing that has been bugging me for the last two decades is...

What the hell is Phil Cornwell supposed to be?

Phil Cornwell as uncredited Purple Humanoid

Obviously someone spent a whole heap of effort to design the prosthetics that Phil wore (you can't disguise his voice though) but I don't know of any civilised humanoid race which matches his description.  I do think he is kind of cool though. 

Is he supposed to be a triclops? Perhaps he is supposed to be some form of demi-beholder?  What is the purpose of the third eye? what is that vestigial fin on his head? why is he purple?

Answers (and any homebrew builds) in the comments box below.

My favoured explanation is that he is the product of some ill conceived magical experiment fusing the DNA of Mick Jagger with Xanathar?

What if Mick Jagger and Keith Richards ran a corner shop?

Of course this comes several months after the sad passing of John Sessions who was a long time partner of Phil during the 80s alternative comedy explosion.  Mick and Keith's corner shop on Stella Street holds a very dear place in my heart.  He is sorely missed but I will immortalise them both in my RPG campaigns.  Mick & Keef's Magical Emporium & Shoppe of Convenience.

Phil Cornwell (Mick Jagger) John Sessions (Keith Richards) - Stella Street

Netflix Binge - Tribes of Europa

Every now and then Netflix has a bit of a stonker on its hands and Tribes of Europa feels like it's going to be another one.

Pitched Like a Young Adult Novel

Tribes of Europa
art reminds me of 80s Chocky

I was a little wary going into this series as I knew absolutely nothing about it except for the teaser photo and the trailer.  It came across as another Hunger Games / Scorch Trials style post apocalyptic YA novel.  I've been burned before with the sanctimonius "Kids save the future" mantra but I'm a glutton for punishment and so I fired up the Netflix and gave it a go.

Older Cast Members Show the Kids How It's Done

Whilst the 3 main protagonists we follow through the series are all young performers in their teens or early twenties, the cast is made up of some heavyweight older actors who put meat on this stories bones.  I dont want to sound dismissive about their acting talents, they do a reasonable job, but they pale before their much more experienced co-stars. 

Perhaps that is exactly the point.  Liv (Henrietta Confurius), Kiano (Emilio Sakraya) and Elia (David Ali Rashed) are supposed to have led a sheltered life as forest dwelling Origine, protected by the forest and their elders non-confrontational philosophy.  

When they are exposed to the other tribes and the world outside their tiny microcosm their naivete, like their acting, is laid bare.  

The standouts for me are Moses (Oliver Masucci) sporting a moustache that would make Nikola Tesla proud.  A grifter and con man who befriends Elia (pr. El-e-ya), he is a pre-collapse survivor and a necessary tool of exposition filling in the blanks about how the world got to where it is. 

Sebastian Blomberg steals every scene as the menacing Kapitan Yvar of the Crow gang.  He looks like he has just stepped off stage supporting Danzig or The Sisters of Mercy (Flood period).  Cutting an imposing figure he rules a post apocalypse Berlin with a studded leather fist and demands undying loyalty from his subjects or, you guessed it, you die horribly.

Mekika Faroutan (Lord Varvara) oozes seduction and machiavellian schemery with every graceful step.  She craves power and position among the elite Crow but you get the distinct impression that Yvar knows that she is a threat and keeps her subdued with promises of elevation dangled in front of her like a ball of string to a cat.

Tonal Shift and Adult Themes

The opening episode reminded me of classic 80s TV Scifi shows like Chocky (1984), The Tomorrow People (1973) and The Tripods (1984) 

As the series progresses we are gradually introduced to the other tribes and the tone shifts to something much darker.  Some of the scenes are distinctly adult in nature and the series carries a 15 rating for a good reason.  I guess that the TV landscape has changed since Game of Thrones.  Now every show has to have its fair share of bloody gore and nudity. There is also a strong drug reference with the Crows being fueled on some strange inhaled narcotic much like the war boys from Mad Max: Fury Road.

This makes for engaging adult viewing and to be honest is a refreshing change from the usual Young Adult glittery vampire or schoolboy scorceror nonsense that we had to put up with in the noughties.  I for one think that you should let Young Adults watch things which challenge them rather than shield them from adult themes and concepts. 

To the writing crews credit, they've managed to make a believeable world in just six episode short series and I now now eagerly anticipate a second.

It's Alive!!! - New 3D Printer at RGP HQ

A sad and sorry tale has finally come to an end...

I have been without a 3D Printer since November 2020 when my something got fried on my CTC i3 Pro B motherboard.  I blame the operator carelessly backdriving the extruder motor when extracting filament although it didn't help that the printer was equipped with an early Mk3 extruder with no way to disengage the drive wheel.

Geetech i3 Prusa Pro W

I took delivery of my new printer last Thursday, but opening the box revealed a kit of parts which filled me with dread.  My previous printer came partially assembled and I had no motivation to get stuck in to what could possibly be the larget single meccano challenge I have embarked upon.

Two days later and the printer was built.  

My New Geetech Prusa i3 Pro W

What were my initial observations?

No Manual - I am no newbie to 3D printing and this printer is essentially the same as my last one.  I knew I would find a comprehensive guide to building the printer on the Geetech YouTube channel and lo and behold there it was.  What I wasn't expecting was getting to the final stage in the build process, wiring the control board and there being no final step!!!

Luckily the printer uses the ubiquitous GT2560 control board so finding a manual and a picture online was no problem.  However, by following the manual I did manage to connect all the limit switches incorrectly which meant the printer didn't home properly (cue horrible motor clunking sounds as the x-carriage refured to recognise the limit switch).

In addition this printer differs in one respect from my old printer in that the x-axis limit switch is set considerably further back and so the home position is actually off the print bed by about half an inch.  I could have fixed this by updating the printers firmware and setting an offset, but I've been here before.

Half an inch makes all the difference

My old printer had a similar problem in the Y-axis which meant that it would home too far forward.  The solution now as then was to print off an extension finger which would press the x-axis limit switch that half an inch early.  

So off to thingiverse I went and lo and behold someone had made a model and bish bash bosh my printer was off to the races printing out its first part.  Given that the Prusa design is derived from the Rep Rap project itself I think this is quite fitting.

First Part Printed - An x-axis trigger extension

Upgraded Parts - The reason I bought this particular printer was that it was one of the cheapest I could find with a Mk8 extruder.  However, this was not the only upgrade that the printer came with.  No siree, I got proper lead screws for the z-axis instead of plain old threaded rod, proper flexible couplers not pieces of rubber tube and a significantly better x-carriage assembly with threaded holes for mounting a second hot end fan.  The hot bed was also an upgraded version without the annoying brass rivet in the middle like my old printer.  The borosilcate glass platter now sits perfectly flat on the hot bed ensuring no distortion in z height and no hot spots.

Laser Cutter Dust - I could not believe how dirty I got when handling the laser cut plywood panels which make up the frame.  Every edge of the printer is covered in a thin film of wood ash which comes off on your clothes and hands.  If I were ever to build another laser cut framed printer then step 1 would be to wipe down all the wooden parts with a damp rag.

Jessie Will Be Chuffed

Now I have a working 3D Printer I can return to blogging about the things that I print in my Jessie's Prints series.  Jessie has been on a severe no PLA diet since June 2020 so he will be chuffed to bits.

Curse of the Mummy's Tomb - Vintage Fun from 1988

Recently I blogged about rescuing my copy of the vintage Games Workshop boardgame Curse of the Mummy's Tomb.  This weekend I actually got to play it for the first time in about 30 years. 

Curse of the Mummys Tomb

Vintage Games Play Very Differently

Back in 1988 boardgames were very different.  Wolfgang Kramer had only just invented the Kramer Track implemented for the first time in Heimlich & Co. (1984) and no-one had heard of the term Euro game.

Curse of the Mummy's Tomb is essentially an exploration game set in a 3 tiered cardboard pyramid.  You move your token by playing movement cards on yourself but your fellow players can play movement cards on you to send you off your chosen path.

If you land on an encounter space, numbered 1, 2 or 3, they can also play encounter cards on you up to the value on your space.  These can be either a hazard, a creature or a discovery and you can have only 1 of each.  This means as a player you must search out the encounter 3 spaces in order to guarantee that you can lay a discovery on yourself.  Of course the more players the more chance that they will play hazards and creatures on you.

Heavy Player vs Player

I was quite surprised at how heavy the PvP action was.  In fact in order for you to get the right movement cards for yourself you have to get rid of as many hazard and creature cards in your hand as possible because you can only hold 5 cards at a time.  

The Mummy Is Not That Much of a Threat

Players bid to control the mummy each round by bidding with their Tana leaf tokens.  This auction style movement runs out of steam unless players are regularly pausing to burn their cards and acquire new tana leaf tokens.

If I were to play again I would definitely up the ante and instigate two house rules.

1. The Mummy moves every turn not just every round.
2. Either the player to the right of the active player moves the mummy or the mummy moves randomly using a d10.  (1 North, 2, North East, 3 East etc.. 9 Go Up, 10 Go Down)

The End Game

Once you find a Key of Osiris you can attempt the end game and ascend the pyramid to find the Chamber of Osiris and try to find the elixir of immortality by testing 3 of your attributes.

This is a bit of a lacklustre endgame to be honest as I hate a dice off.

Player Reaction

My boardgame pals didn't hate it completely.  Once they had gotten to grips with the forced PvP nature of the whole thing and the crippling nature of some of the hazards the pace of the game picked up.