Monday, October 14, 2013

Malifaux 2ed: Narrative Somer vs. Sonnia

This Sunday, I had a chance to have my first game of Malifaux 2nd Edition at Game Citadel in Bangor, ME. Great bunch of guys, good tutorial style game with minimal crews and rules, but definitely shook the rust of my Malifaux gears.

I managed to win the game, and as it will no doubt become obvious, I like making narratives to go with the games I play. As such, here are the final moments of that Som'er vs. Sonnia battle;

Som'er dove behind the pile of red rocks, cursing as he landed on one of the bullet wounds he had just taken from the man in a wide brimmed hat. The day had been good so far, but just as it looked like things could be wrapped up and his boys could get on their way, things got messy. 

They'd been wandering through a arid canyon, when they'd seen them; five figures casting long shadow in the noon sun. Three were hunched, covered in thick robes, and had glowing eyes that spoke of power Som'er didn't really want to test. A tall woman smoking a cigarette stood over them, and a trail-beaten man had quickly retreated to cover. Adjusting his hat, Som'er had told his boys to "Git up around dem ruks and flank e'em out eer!" This had worked for the Robed men, who had been filled with lead from a couple of lucky shots. Som'er himself had turned one into (strangely electrified) red mist, and Bub Walkens had filled  another with shot. Of Course, he'd also filled himself with shot in the process, but no matter. 


After a rabid piglet had managed to rip out the last Stalker's throat, it was just the lady and her man. She'd managed to rain fire down on Som'er and his boys, and He'd already taken one bullet that he still couldn't work out; It had seemed to bend around corner as if it here a skeeter thirsty for blood and fire. Witch or not, the woman had slumped to the ground under an excessive amount of gun fire had been pointed her way. 



Now, it was Som'er, Wally  and Jenkins against the man in the wide brimmed hat. He seemed determined to end Som'er's life (no doubt as Som'er's hat was bigger and he wanted it for himself), but Som'er had unceremoniously removed himself from the line of fire as quickly as possible. Wally and Jenkins had rushed him in that breif pause as the man cursed, proceeding to pelt him with fists, rocks, and more than a few inventive curse words. They wouldn't last long, but they had tied him up. Chuckling, and chomping on his cigar, Som'er creeped around the other side of the outcropping. 

As he whirled around the corner, he saw the man; Samuel Hopkins, renowned Witch Hunter of the Guild, was in a bad situation. He'd managed to trap one gremlin under his boot, but that had'nt stopped the crazed gremlin from biting nearly through the man's boot-soles. At the same time, he was furiously trying to prevent the other gremlin from stabbing his eye's out with a rusty pen knife while his hands wrapped around its neck, the gremlin starting to turn a sickly shade of purple. 

Som'er paused for a moment. He wanted to do something; the two Gremlins would no doubt be dead in seconds at the hand's of Hopkins, and he couldn't get to both of them in time. One would have to die. Time seemed to slow as memories of boat rides, moonshine and cookouts filled his head. Jenkins and Wally hadn't been his favorites, but they had been loyal. 

Or had they? Hell, were they even his friends?! Snapping out of an odd moment of emotions, Som'er squinted his beady eyes, smiled and said,

"Eh, Y'all got cousins"

Lowering his boomstick, the gun roared, scarring the entire area with pellets, nails, and embers. Wally,  about to loose consciousness on account of being nearly chocked to death, was liquefied.  He has probably saved Hopkins life, as his small body took the brunt of the shrapnel pointed at the man's chest. Hopkin's was still sent flying and smashed into the hard sun-bleached earth, bleeding from hundreds of cuts and wounds, and loosing consciousness almost immediately. 

Jenkins was less fortunate, and Hopkins had, quite literally, been blown out of his boots. The large, steel toed boot was still planted firmly on his throat, stuck in place due to inconvenient placement of a rock and scraggly root, and as Som'er Teeth Jones walked forward,  Jenkins gave a stuttering squeal before dying. 

Chuckling, Som'er shoulder his gun, turning eastward. Behind him a lone piglet trotted out of the valley sniffing Hopkins curiously before rushing to catch up with its master. Noting the piglet, Jones muttered  with a grin, 

"Luuks lyke ool the bacon is myne tunite!"

Thursday, October 3, 2013

#governmentshutdown

Since everyone's talking about.....

TBH, I'm happy that the government shutdown. I'm not happy people have been furloughed, that government is at a standstill, or that the senate/house/american people are more partisan than they've ever been before. But something needed to happen. Something drastic. Maybe, just maybe, this will be the kick in the pants the government needs...




I'm a staunch Libertarian, so this whole event is rubbing 3 particular issues the wrong way for me: 1) The Budget, 2) Obamacare  and 3) Government being too big. Time to rant a little bit: Nothing long, or too in depth, just some thoughts on recent political events.

Issue #1: The Budget

or the lack there of. We haven't had a budget in over a decade. Is it any surprise shit like this is happening? The American financial machine is stuck in a ditch and the dollar is diving. Our economic solvency should be our top concern; over defense, over education, over social welfare because of one fact: If we let it get too bad, and take the dive into complete bankruptcy (and don't say it'll never happen....it's naive.), then none of the rest matters. We won't have the money to run the military. We wont have the money to fund any education. We wont have the money to help anyone. On this point, the GOP are 100% correct for fighting, and fighting hard. It's a nasty skeleton in our national closet, but it needs to be hauled into the sunlight and dealt with.

Still My Favorite Outcome of the Shutdown....hehehe. Grumpy.

Issue #2: Obamacare

The American Medical System, as it is in its current form, doesn't work. Premiums are too high, there's no easy way for hospitals to bid down costs of equipment/service, and there's a good hunk of people without coverage.

The Affordable Care Act is not the Solution.

I'm not saying a government system cannot work; I lived in Canada for 4 years, and their system works just as well as ours (though everyone who says it is "free" has their head up their rear: I refer you to beer and gas taxes...). I'm philosophically opposed to a government system, based on my free-market, keep-your-hands-of-my-body beliefs, but I'm willing to discuss the idea of it.

The ACA however, is a broken, hypocritical mess that is poorly implemented, a technological mess, and just plain badly planned. The fact that business and congress-peoples are getting added leniency while the individual mandate is pushed through is a crock of shit. The GOP is right to fight this, but I can't help feeling it's due to a blind rage that isn't as reasonable or as focused as it should be.




Issue #3: Dat Government

It is, plainly, to fucking big, bloated and out of control. Additionally, it has become far too partisan, but this sin't the heart of the problem. The real problem in DC now is the lack of respect, and I can't help but feel that Republicans have a little bit more than Democrats. The GOP has continually sat down and said "We're Ready to Talk". Sure, they'll be as bull-headed and potentially as unmoving as ever, but at the very least they say they are willing to talk, sit down and try to negotiate. The Dem's however, have responded by saying "Give us a new CR and we'll talk"....

That new CR, which would extend federal funding for a while, is basically everything the Democrats want...

That's not who a give-and-take negotiation works......

BOTH sides are being pig-headed. BOTH sides are being unwavering. BOTH sides are fucking this all up because they can't admit the other side is full of actual people, who happen to have different views. Not, you know, Evil Commie Bastards or Neolithic Zealots. And, btw, Third Party Candidates are not all crazy....



Sit down. Have a Scotch. Talk it out respectfully. You won't agree on every point; that's what makes our country great, but you can have a reasoned discussion and come to some sort of agreement. Democrats are not Evil. Republicans are not Evil. There's just way too much hate hovering over Washington like a cloud of biting insects.


Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Malifaux: Dusting off the Gremlins

Like I mentioned previously, I'm getting back into Malifaux with the near impending release of the Second Edition. Back in the very first iteration of 1st edition, I tested the waters with this game, and picked up some of the Gremlin Faction models (though they were Outcasts back then, not their own faction...). I'll picked up my brushes once again, and started painting. Here is a sample of what I've retouched and painted a new!

A selection of Regular Bayou Gremlins. I've gone for more "Maritime" and less "Bayou" as a theme.

Two Slop Haulers. Pretty Proud of These Guys!

Raphael LaCroix, A Named Gremlin. His Big Honkin' Gun just wasn't big or honkin enough for me, so I swapped it out for an even bigger, honkin'er one!

The Crew as it stands now. Note the Pig Whisperer and his Piglets in the back left side. 

Next Up: Lenny, More Bases and the Boss...