A Healthy Hobby and a Healthy Mind

This week the I discuss how my hobby has helped me deal with the stress of the last year. The last 12 months have been incredibly difficult for most people, particularly for those that have lost loved ones. And while I count myself incredibly fortunate to have got this far relatively unscathed, I have not been immune to the pressures that the last 12 months have inflicted on all of us. But I realised recently that things could have been a lot worse was it not for my hobby.  This week The Quarantined Wargamer discussed how having a pastime (and our hobby in particular) is one way to deal with the deleterious effects on our mental health that COVID and Lockdown can impose on us.

I'd really like to hear from you and hear your own stories. How has your hobby helped you get through these extraordinary times? And will it change the way you view your hobby in the years to come?

AHPC XI - Week Seven - Trenches

I didn't get a lot finished last week and only submitted one entry to the Painting Challenge. This is partly because I am ahead of my target for this point, but also because I allowed myself to get sidetracked planning a big Solo Game. The game took place the weekend just gone and I have started to edit several hours worth of film! Cutting it down to a reasonable length (in maybe two or three videos) will take a bit of time but I hope to have them available to view in a couple of weeks. 

Trenches

I have a growing collection of terrain suitable for 15mm WWII, which now has a sizable gap filled. Painting these Trenches by Ironclad Miniatures has taken a lot longer than expected. They are such good models, with so much detail, they deserved my time and attention to make them look as good as I could get them. 

A with all my terrain and miniatures I gave them several coats of varnish (4 in fact) to ensure they will survive rough handling and keep looking good for years to come. 

I also have a couple of German PAK anti-Tank guns on order to use with this terrain, but I'm still waiting for these to arrive so they will have to be entered to the painting challenge at a later date. 

Using Player Handouts in Wargames

Last week I discussed how to create narrative in a wargame and touched upon the use of player handouts. I thought this was an area worth discussing at more length, hence today's video. I've been a Roleplayer and a Wargamer for decades and I firmly believe that some of the storytelling skills of one genre of gaming can be used to enhance the experience of the other. It is easy to dismiss this as showmanship and irrelevant to the wargamer but I believe the use of handouts such as maps, written orders, captured intelligence and photos can turn a good game into a great game. 

Maybe you already use some of these elements in your games and as usual, I would love to hear your experiences in the comments below, or on my youtube channel. 

AHPC XI - Week Six - Guardians of Felstad

Week Six of the Painting Challenge and we are almost at the halfway mark. My painting output has slowed a little because I have diverted some time to prepare a couple of Solo games for the coming weeks. The rules I am using required a bit of tweaking for the game I want to play (top-secret for the time being!) and I needed to relabel some bases to match the historical units...all time consuming but enjoyable work that has distracted me from the painting table. Another reason for the reduced painting is that I have ordered some resin terrain and 3D printed models and was still waiting for them to arrive. The Terrain has now been delivered and I have started work on it, and if the models arrive I should have the whole thing completed by next week. Fingers crossed! 

Chambers of Challenge - The Orcs Pit - Orc Hero

I bought this model three years ago and its been looking at me accusingly ever since. At first glance, he looked quite simple to paint but as I worked on him I found all sorts of little details that demanded to be painted, such as a tiny gold ring in his lip or the various charms and amulets hanging from his belt. I went for a deliberately dark theme as it seems appropriate and matches the dark look in his eyes... I certainly wouldn't want to encounter him while exploring the ruins of Felstead. 

The model is mostly cast in a yellow resin that must be unique to this manufacturer. The axe hand and shield hand (and their contents) are cast in metal. Combining the parts was trickier than I had hoped, not because they were ill-fitting but simply because they needed to be pinned and supported while the Epoxy I used to join the set. Then both of the legs broke at the ankle! This required yet more pinning and repair work before I could even prime the figure. The sculpting is wonderful, but the choice of material lets this particular figure down. 

Standing at 35mm tall this guy is very imposing and will make a significant presence on the games table. The implied threat in his expression will also leave little to the imagination for any that face him!  

Chambers of Challenge - The Shrine - Cult Priest

Paint something religious said the brief, so I rummaged through my lead mountain and ended up buying two figures from Ebay instead. But the postal service being what it is (or more specifically Royal Mail being what it is) the models still hadn't arrived when it came time to start on this chamber. So I had another rummage in the lead mountain and found this guy/thing. "He looks fairly religious" I thought, so I give you a cult priest raising the dead. 

The not so sharped eyed will notice that the pages of the book are completely blank. Somehow I managed to overlook that until right now when adding the pictures to this post! I'm going to plead tiredness and the fact I allowed myself to be sidetracked by work projects (something I never normally do). I guess it is one of the hazards of working from home... those lines between work and home life become very blurred. I will add a few arcane letters and symbols at a later date. 

The model is from Grenadier I think, although I'd happily be corrected if I'm wrong. The tab on the base had been filed flat and this is usually where the manufacturer and date are located. I decided to go with a simple but bold red and green colour scheme and I'm happy with the result.