NetEA World Championships day 2

        The event's start time changed. The TO forgot that place opened later. We could have slept more. I was still good and drunk when we got there, 2 hours early. The staff let us in. I slept in a chair and then moved tot the floor. Jon was in a chair or walking about.

         We found our Aussie player. One great dude, Norto. Your name and army goes on a card. Teams choose a champion and two options to face the champion. Champions are flipped over and challenges hand to the opposite team. That team selects who will fight the champion. Then those not selected face off. Odd men out face off.
         I would be the champion for the tourney. I got my choice for the tourney. Only game 3 against Chris was a sacrifice. He was the best on that team and would mostly beat any player he faced.
        The day started off ok with a hard fought 0 - 2 loss. Then went straight to the shit as I continued to lose 0 - 3, 0 - 4. First game was IG, Sister next, and Chaos to finish.

Game One

        No real tactical mistakes. Maybe I should have put the Stealths suits all in on turn one. One activation down with them out was a disadvantage for sure. The real problem was multiple failed activations and rolling 25% of my saves. I lost BTS and Take and Hold.

         The armor failed to activate 3 times in game one. Yes, I had a SC.

          Rolling great saves all day.

Game Two

         This was against Sisters. The match up I wanted. I play Kal's Sisters all the time. The dudes list looked like an easy win. In turn one I lit his ass up. The Tau were hitting 90% of the time, marker lit, cross fired. It should have been an easy win.
        UK Sisters are different. They get an Inv Save for minus one to initiative. This dude made every fucking save turn one. I killed one rhino. Turn two 8 others joined that rhino in the foam. His dice were hotter than Dave's. I couldn't kill anything. At dinner it was a huge joke.

 Game Three

         I was against Chaos. I played the famous Chris from Germany. I think his handle is Largo. He baited me with his BTS, garrisoned way up front. I took the bait. Won the initiative and jumped all over that shit. Both Stealths went in with combined fire. Tactical error 1, the shit was on Overwatch. One set of stealths lost 2. The Orca landed, 19 shots, 8 disrupt, and 2 remained. They broke for cover and he would make every save there after.
        The rest of turn one was even. The Rail heads failed to active. The Suits smoked a unit. The path finders got broken and would stay broken. Chris popped the Orca on the ground to prevent the Stealths from reloading.
         Turn two everything went straight to the shit. Followed by turn 3.  I only saved my BTS from him. 0 - 4, Chris is most likely the best I have ever played.

NetEA World Championships day 1

        Day one is actually two days, Thursday and Friday. It take a full day to get there including a red flight. No night, no sleeping equals one day.

        I rolled out at 1300 for my 1900 flight out of EWR. The 3 hour drive to EWR took 4. The car was dumped in day parking, bags checked, and thru security by 1hr 20min. EWR's security has to be the worst in the nation. The TSA pre check was as long as the regular. 

        20 minute raid at duty free for booze. Then chilling in the United club.

Duty Free

         The people were nice and friendly and they were on time for the flight. That was hard to believe. I got two bottles of Scotch for 112 bucks. 

         One 18 year old for 58 that should have been a hundred easy. The second a 15 year old for 54, that one is about a 65-70 dollar bottle. Everything else was grossly over priced.

United Club

        I fly so much for work. Airline free shit comes every year. United throws 2 club passes my way every year. Perfect time to burn them. The year is ending soon and if I fly again I will fly Delta. The passes are use it or loss it. Jon just happened to be kicking around. Which makes it harder to miss the flight if I am smashed in the club with my buddy!
        Except, United is a total shit show at Newark. This is the worst airport I ever flew through.  They own, own, 2 of 3 terminals at Newark. With 5 clubs, 1 Polaris, 2 full service, and 2 crap circus pop ups. The only full service in C terminal was full. No purchase passes, they say we are full. I had to breach with military ID. Then got a seat right at the bar. No wait. 

        The club is following the trend. It is busted. Sky miles are the same way. Draft beers are free, limited mixed drinks are free. The food was high quality. Now its is somewhere between shit and hippie, gains stealing junk.

        

United Airlines

          United is a shit airline. Maybe it is just me? Maybe I am spoiled by Delta? WTF United, I have flown with y'all before, a lot, and it was nice. Now your a budget airline? Upgrade, piss off. Military love, piss off. The seats are jammed into the plane as tight as they can. On Delta my knees never touch the seat infant of me. The dude in front of you leans back and he is in your lap. I was surprised the toilet was not coin operated! 

        Once there customs and security were easy. No wait for a cab, straight to the hotel to drop the bags. I was the guest of the day, +5000 points. And that was the biggest win of the weekend. We dumped the bags and walked to Queens station. 40 minutes later we were in Stirling.

        We went to the castle, Wallace monument, and Bannockburn battle field. The regimental museum was closed. There is nothing at the Battle field, even less than I remember. We walked 11-13 miles there.

        Then jumped into the train back to Glasgow. The train was full of teen girls dressed like hookers. Some rapper dude was preforming near the hotel. Once back in the city we jumped a cab to meet the others. There we proceeded to totally smashed. Beers were 2.5, but the Scottish chase each Scotch with a beer. I bought one round and had like 7 bought for me.

Epic World Championship "packing"

          I have multiple painted armies. Most never see the light of day. Those that do, I would not have the skill to play or knowledge of the rules. Big surprise I am bring Tau. They will travel in my carry on within a chessex case.

My List;

       Being in Scotland in the Fall, the weather is always questionable. I expect chilly and the Scottish rain. The load out is running kit, and wet/cold kit. I was still able to pack my normal roll on. Even with double sneakers the zippers are not popping. It is an international flight, 2 free bags, but I am not humping 2. Everything else is in the carry on. My army, dice, whippy stick, cigars, combat roll, rain coat, and toothbrush. 

        Bags and Cigars packed, almost forgot the dam cutter and the army list. 

         I will hit the duty free on the way out of EWR. Unlike the states, the UK measures every glass down to the drip. Pre game tailgating will help warm up my dice.

Warmaster Weekend 10mm Sengoku Table "test tile"

        Back working for the Japanese, staying in Japan for weeks in Kai, running around Shingen's castle has created another distraction. Enabled by my co-worker saying I should do a Samurai army and pounding Sake. Dam him! Now I am ball deep in Samurai, Samurai books, Samurai terrain.
        When I bought all of Castle Arts remaining stock, I got all the left over buildings and scenery. It is as detailed as the miniatures. No way I am selling it. If I am going to paint, got to play with it. All my current tables are western, city or desert. No Asian themed table.
       
       

         I will build a modular Japanese/Asian table from Sarissa's MDF tiles. When they came out I pre-ordered a truck full. The initial idea is little villages, temples, a castle, rice paddies, rivers, paths/roads, bamboo forest, black pine forest.
         It will be more fancy. Fancy as in, tuffs and details that would or will not wear so well in every day gaming. In the end it will get sealed as the terrain dude suggested/recommended.
         I don't see it getting a lot of usage, nor will I be able to travel with it. This will be the first table I build for my future in home gaming table. (Hopefully this Xmas it will be get done)

The 1st tile is based off of an old village in Japan. (not my pictures)

       The test tile. I went with the spring 2mm grass and late summer 4mm. The spring green was chosen due to Samurai campaigning after the rice was planted or in the off season.
       The plants used for the rice were sliced into narrow strips. Along with the old dry grass, 6mm autumn. The dry grass is removable. All applied with the flock box. The water in the paddies was stained with ink. The bamboo is the cheap china eBay stuff.

         The rice paddy sizes were determined from the buildings in the pictures above. The width is not much more than that of a house. The length about 2 to 3 buildings. My water is brown. I remember the water in the paddies being brownish.

         The buildings are based off of this picture. The only old building I ever saw was Yasu-san's mother's house. It sits in the middle of Kyoto, surrounded by tall apartment buildings near the train station. Her house is pre WWI. It is pretty close to these.

I flooded this field too. Not exactly happy with it. I should have left it alone.

10mm Samurai "Hojo Cav and Samurai"

The sticks are empty. I have Samurai dudes waiting on the weather. Too much rain, high humidity, not ideal for sealing them. The weather breaks and I get shiny dudes. The cheap stuff is porked. The expensive stuff too. The air brush crap is crap and I am all out of testors dull coat. 2.5 weeks to get some by amazon.

       I will have to finish the basing, hiding of circles, and flocking. Also one side of the flag always detaches during this stage.

Both do not matte at all. They are clear without shine. They can suck it!

Barrage 27-28 Sept 2019

        It is right after Worlds. I would love to go. HAWKs are kid friendly. Maybe if I tell the wife, she gets a weekend without the kid, I could go. VV likes playing their kind of games.

        Next year I will have to get on the list to host a few games!

Barrage will have over 50 events, including many kid-friendly ones.  The HAWKs are known for their kid-friendly approach to the hobby.  There will even be four role-playing games Friday evening, including a Star Frontiers game run by author Zeb Cooke and a Star Warsgame run by author Bill Slavicsek.

There are two Flames of War tournaments, one on Friday and another one on Saturday.  Warlord Games is sponsoring Friday's Bolt Action tournament.  Saturday also has the largest Art de la Guerre tournament east of the Mississippi.

There are six vendors and several flea-market tables.  Food is available on premises both Friday and Saturday, and there are many good food options a short drive away in Havre de Grace along the Chesapeake Bay.

Barrage is known for being a friendly, low-stress, no politics, two-day gaming event.  Do not miss out on this terrific event.  Go to www.hawks-barrage.org to register for Barrage 2019 and sign up for any events you’d like to play in.

Warmaster Weekends "Samurai WIP"

       I like everyone else, I guess painting dudes was not on the family funniest for a 3 day weekend. All I could get away with was blocking in the horse, cloth, and some armor. All are Castle Arts.

        Finally started my first test tile for a Japanese board. The Village areas will be covered by rice paddies. All tiered. Still a long way off and still a test tile.