Fine Historical Miniatures Hardcover Released

The price will ensure this fine tome is not for everyone...but for those for whom such things might be a priority, Kevin Dallimore is (like the releasing company, Wargames Foundry) a recognized and respected name in historical miniatures circles, and I expect the quality of this 308 page, 900+ colour photo illustrated volume to match their reputations.

Get it Here!

Night Spinner Summary

The multipart plastic Eldar Night Spinner is now readily available on your local stockist's shelves, but the rules have thus far only been printed in White Dwarf (North American issue 365, June 2010, the same issue which published the Spearhead ruleset). Although most organized events (like tournaments) still require participants to have the in-print version of any rules in order to use a unit, and Games Workshop will doubtless have the Night Spinner rules available as a codex-legal download from their website, this summary should allow purchasers of the kit who may have missed that issue of the Dwarf to begin friendly play (and allow those facing one to begin readying, as well!):

From WDNA 365 June 2010:

Eldar Night Spinner
Vehicle, Heavy Support
115 Points

BS3 FA12 SA12 RA10 Tank, Fast, Skimmer

Twin-linked Doomweaver: R12"-72" S6 AP- Hvy1, Barrage, Large Blast, Rending, Monofilament Web (any unit hit counts as in Difficult and Dangerous Terrain next time they move)

Twin-linked shuriken catapults (may upgrade to cannon for 10 points)

May take: -Vectored engines...20 points
-Star engines...15 points
-Holofields...35 points
-Spirit stones...10 points

Celt Starter Army Deal at Warlord

http://shop.warlordgames.co.uk/celtic-horde-starter-army-4789-p.asp

Warlord Games occasionally puts amazing historical miniatures starter army boxes together for sale from their website for a limited time, usually centered around their core multipart plastics with key blistered metal figures as special features. This time, they've created a starter army box for ancient Celts--featuring almost US$150 worth of models for less than US$100. If you've an interest in 28mm historicals, you can't go wrong with sculpts of Warlord's quality at a price like this...

The Wrath of the Norse!

Interesting in-scale little plastic kit on offer from Warlord Games:

http://www.warlordgames.co.uk/?p=7385

The application for 28mm historicals is obvious; what occurs to me as well is that it would make a great centerpiece for a Warriors of Chaos army in Warhammer Fantasy Battles--and (for those willing to chop something this cool up a bit) an even cooler terrain/objective!

The Modano Quandary

Mike Modano's future in hockey has taken a new turn with reported comments in the last week, and created what local sports enthusiasts are calling 'the Modano Quandary' for his lifelong team, the Dallas Stars.

Let me help clarify. There is no 'quandary.' There's options 1a or 1b, which are unfortunately mutually exclusive due to NHL rules but which either one offers some positives going forward; there's option 2 which will be initially disappointing but is Mike's call and will be just fine, down the line; and there is *any other effing thing*, all of which will make the Stars, manager Joe Niuwendyk, coach Mark Crawford, owner Tom Hicks and anyone else associated with it irremediably hated men in North Texas. For life. Figure that on struggling ticket sales, Stars management.

Option 1a is, Mike decides to play for the Stars another year, affording him and his fans a farewell-tour year something like those final two storybook games of last year's otherwise disappointing season.

Option 1b is, Mike becomes part of a new ownership team of the Stars (which has the ancillary enormous benefit of seeing off the horrific blight upon North Texas that is the Hicks Sports Group).

Option 2 is, Mike retires. We who believe (unlike some other sports icons like the often-compared Emmit Smith) that Mike has proven he can still play as a contributing 3rd or 4th line center, will be saddened...but last year ended so magically for him, and us, and we know he will become a future enormous part of the franchise going forward if it ends happily like this, so we can live with it.

Any other option--and we. will. hate. the. Stars. He goes to another team and plays, and some part of our relationship with Mike will be damaged, as well--but Mike won't be paying for it in lost revenue and ticket sales and skate fees at StarCenters and whatever else.

A Stars team minus Modano, and Marty Turco, and maybe Jere Lehtinen, had better win quickly because the remaining other draws are known for their appeal mostly only to we hockey faithful who are coming anyway. They *cannot* afford to actively piss off the fanbase.

Mike wants to play, we want him back. In black, green and gold. Period.

Screw this up at your *enormous* peril, Stars.

Deathwatch!

FFG's Free RPG Day offering was 'Final Sanction,' debuting the next (and most anticipated) offering in their 40K roleplaying line, Deathwatch (allowing play as Space Marines, finally). Though I missed getting by my local game stockist for the day because of Astronomi-Con Dallas (a trade I will happily make any day), I've finally gotten to pick through a friend's copy of 'Final Sanction,' and I like it. The system mechanics are what they are (I am not especially a fan, having dealt already with these rules via Dark Heresy and Rogue Trader), but like those previous offerings the art and production values are up to GW standard, as (most importantly) is the embrace of the Intellectual Property: this *feels* like the 40Kverse.

Using the Deathwatch as an rpg paradigm is an outstanding way to get Space Marines into play (and should allow easy cross-integration with RT and especially DH); the only thing I noticed is that the module clearly genericizes the Deathwatch into servants of any and all Ordos of the Inquisition (rather than the pure alien hunters they've always been). Wonder if this presages any changes for 40K, come the new Inquisition codex?

'Final Sanction' has me jazzed to run a session of Space Marine role-playing; if anyone has a friendly gaming store with a copy left, please let me know (and you get dibs on the first slot in the Kill Team!).