An Oldhammer World?

Inspired by the suggestions that other members of the Oldhammer community have made regarding homebrew rules, I thought it would be a great suggestion to add a fantasy background to B.L.O.O.D, something fairly compatible with Warhammer Third Edition.

Looking around for inspiration, my mind was instantly filled with images of Middle Earth and the Warhammer World itself. Obviously, certain races would be required to fit out purposes in this world or background too. Elves (good and bad), humans, dwarfs (good and bad), halflings, goblins, orcs, ratmen, demons and undead will all need their place. But there is simply no point in copying these worlds. We need something of our own! An Oldhammer World!

Years ago I was an archaeologist and did some work about Doggerland and I felt that this ancient landmass was the perfect starting point for the Oldhammer world's shape.

With this basic shape in mind I whipped up a simple map that could be the basis for our background.

I haven't developed the idea very much, so please forgive the simplicity but two forces were my chief concern when drawing the map; the elves and 'chaos'. I have a few ideas for the full background and these key races are vital to it. Another important factor in a battle game is the armies access to each other and an inland sea would provide opportunity for any race to launch an amphibious assault on any other!

Thoughts..?

I'll have a go at writing up a historical narrative for our world. Good ideas are welcome!

Orlygg.

A Dark Deranged Structure: A first wargames table?

The weather is hot.

The sun beats down like a daemonic oven onto the patio around the back of my home. If you leave a miniature out there, freshly undercoated, its takes just over a minute for the paint to dry. Quite unlike the depressing and tedious autumnal crawl as you wait for the latest wash to dry because the wife will not let you use her hairdryer.

I have always said to myself 'when the time comes to build a wargames table it would be prudent to do so on a blazing hot day. For this will ensure that the bloody paint and glue dries up in good time and the damn thing gets finished.' Having seen those guilty lodgers lurking away in many a gamers' rooms, attics or garages (by this I mean the unfinished gaming board) I have always shied away from producing one of my own, especially as the wife is rather strict on 'clutter' around the house.

Of course I have my tiny board, as seen on my battle reports. This was originally constructed by me in an afternoon a few summers ago for small skirmish games. Its seen a lot of action with the Realm of Chaos campaign I have been involved in but as my numbers of painted miniatures increases the size of this board is woefully small. We can do little now but line up our troops and march in a straight line at each other. Not very tactical, I am sure that you'll agree.

So with my copy of 'How to Build Wargames Terrain' on my kindle I have been busy researching the possibilities of updating my gaming surface. At first I thought 'why not just buy a grass mat?' These mainstays of boyhood gaming have their place but I feel that a proper table or board are far more permanent feel and have a 'I'm here to stay' attitude about them.

Of course, being a gamer I dream about having a table like this...

Or even this...

But such things are pipe dreams at the moment, best left for my 40s rather than my 30s; when the children are all grown and the wife has run out of 'jobs' for me to do whenever the prospect of some 'free time' arises.

What is certain is that I DON'T want something like this...

I mean, paint the board brown and splodge on some PVA and scatter static grass around in unnatural and thoroughly unconvincing manner.

No thanks!

I mean it looks like Father Nurgle had a really bad curry one Friday night and pebble dashed the road!

I am certain of a few points though;


1) I want it to be cheap but not cheap looking.

2) The overall finish should match my old school bases for a bit of coherency.

3) It must be sturdy enough to be stored out of the way of the wife's accusing eye but no so heavy that the thing give me a double hernia every time I shift it!

4) I am not fussed about scenery, I'm old school so have envisaged a fairly flat surface. Hills, woods and buildings can be added later.

So then. Have YOU built a games table? What problems did you come across to forewarn me? What advice can you give good old Orlygg about this, his latest undertaking?

The Citadel Collector Website: Brilliant GW Golden Age Miniatures Gallery

Have you checked out thecitadelcollector.co.uk yet?


Its a website (yes, I real one) concerning the collecting of beautiful Citadel Miniatures. Steve is the proprietor of this wondrous slice of 80s GW beauty and added several galleries of John Blanche's pioneering work (with promises of more to come!) as well as miniatures from the collection of the Mighty Bryan Ansell too!

He recently took a trip to a GW open day and took some snaps of the glorious old school goodness on display. I've unashameably stolen the snaps and posted them here!

Look at these gorgeous lumps of lead! In the top row I can spot some Lords of Battle, second and third row includes that skeleton lifting his own skull, Chaos Sorcerers and Familiars. Look at those minotaurs and elementals on the bottom shelf!

Some Dark Future vehicles from the late '80s. This Big Box Game really intrigues me... I have to keep stopping myself picking up a copy on eBay.

Close up of those fantastic undead models from the classic diorama. There are plenty of other images on his site, including some classic 40k.

So check out Steve's webpage and offer him your support

Citadel Miniatures: How much is too much?

My post about the Citadel Giant got me thinking about my own collection, rather than the wishlist collection I carry around in my head and unconsciously build each night trawling the depths of eBay.

How much is too much?

How much are these lumps of lead actually worth? Sadly, there is no David Dickinson of wargaming to step in and advise us, only inflated 'Buy it Now' prices and bidding wars on eBay. I think about Gaj's remarkable journey trying to collect together all the miniatures from the Lichemaster; he's now down to a single figure; the notoriously expensive Lichemaster himself.

But why is he so expensive?

I can understand the giant being pricey, there were after all only 1000 of the things casts. But that can be said of other miniatures out there - Kinky Chaosette, Slaanesh beastman with penis head... to name but a few. So why are certain things in the Citadel collecting world so expensive? And out of all the miniatures, books and other paraphernalia I have amassed in my collection which ones cost me the dearest? And how does the amount I paid compare to the prices other collectors paid?


A lot of questions...


HIGHEST SPEND ON GW STUFF

The single highest item I ever paid out for that was related to Citadel or Games Workshop was The Lost and the Damned. This classic, and essential, publication set me back a whopping £57 a few years ago. 


WAS IT A GOOD DEAL?


At the time, I thought this was a real deal, as I had seen copies go for over £100 in the past. Occasionally, I still do, despite the fact that it is now available as a pdf online. The spread of pdfs has reduced the price of many of these rare publications. I sold my copy of Empire in Flames for £75 back in 2004 (at the time, it was the most expensive book selling online) but I've never seen it reach quite that much since, thankfully! I guess I was there at the right time for Empire and The Lost...


SECOND HIGHEST SPEND ON GW STUFF

This was the Arcane Armorials transfers I scanned some while ago and put online (you can find a copy here). The were posted on eBay with a 'Buy it Now' of £29.99. I just had to have them! Sure, I'd seen small, tattered remnants up for sale but never whole sheets, let alone whole sheets with the packaging. I dropped the £30 there and then.


WAS IT A GOOD DEAL?


I believe so, simply because I have never seen another, and I often look for them. 


THIRD HIGHEST SPEND ON GW STUFF.... Almost!

Not my paint job!

A Nurgle Champion. At the time of purchasing I had just seen one sell for £35 online. It was one of the few champions I did not have and I was desperate to complete the set. Checking out the listing, its had a couple of bidders and things were ate about £5 when, rather cavalierly, I dropped £25 down on the bidding. Bizarrely, the miniature remained at something like £7.84 up until the final 10 seconds. Some sniper took me out by slapping down £35 in the final seconds. Bastard! I thought at the time. A week or so went buy and I received an email from the seller saying aforementioned sniper has disappeared and debunked on payment. I was offered the miniature for £7.84 as a 'Buy it Now'. I didn't wait to ask the wife, I can tell you!


WAS IT A GOOD DEAL?


Yes!


I guess 'how much is too much' depends on the spender. If you're willing, and have the capital, to spend over the odds for things then I guess you can. I prefer to spend less and get a good bargain (as I think the rest of you collectors do, too) especially if you think 'yes, I've got that cheap'. Nothing like feeling a little satisfied with yourself, after all, it makes the painting all the more sweeter!

So, out of interest... What was the single most item you bought relating the GW hobby and was the price you paid worth it?

Orlygg.

The Citadel Giant: Worth the Price Tag?

The Citadel Giant. A 'miniature' that often sits near the top of the Citadel collecting wishlist, though to be honest I hadn't actually seen a good quality picture of one, apart from the add below and a random head on King's Minis.

Well one has turned up on eBay and I'm interested in what it will go for. Sadly, the seller has set a Buy It Now for £850 rather than going for it on an auction. It makes me wonder if the model is actually worth that amount of money?

How much would you drop cash wise for a rare beast like this, eh?

Here's the link!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ultra-Rare-The-Citadel-Giant-1982-Errm-Gigantic-/300659338633?pt=UK_Toys_Wargames_RL&hash=item4600b16d89#ht_5226wt_1185

Oldhammer T-Shirt + Another Idiot = An idiot in an Oldhammer T-Shirt?

Here's my attempt at jumping on Erny's Bandwagon with some 'amusing' shots of me proudly wearing my new Oldhammer T-Shirt.

http://ernysplace.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/oldhammer-t-shirt-idiot.html

Ripping open the celephane reminded me of far off days when I attended music gigs and bought dubious T-Shirts by 90s bands such as The Wildhearts, 3 Colours Red and Sepultura.

The smell was the same!

I resisted the urge to tear off the sleeves, wear a leather jacket and grow a handlebar moustache....

Just...

The Golden Gobbos: Official Artwork Is Here!

Headnhalf has completed the Old and New School art work for the Golden Gobbos.

Check out his fantastical work...

New School

Old School

If you haven't entered the competition yet, then why not? Just email me at orlyggjafnakol@hotmail.com and I'll register you.

Talking about competitions! 

Our Golden Gobbo needs a name. 

If Warhammer had Harry the Hammer, what will Oldhammer have?

Any ideas what we can call him

Orlygg.