Wednesday, June 22, 2022

Something Old, Something New

The "something old" referred to in the post title is this used copy of One-Hour Wargames.

I purchased the book on Kindle when it was first published and have always found it annoying to use on any device - that's more of a me problem than an issue with the e-book format. After finally realizing that I turn to this book on a monthly if not weekly basis, I decided the investment in a second-hand print copy was well worth the cost.  

It is a joy to behold. The ease of which I can flip to a desired scenario or rules section without navigating to a bookmark menu is unparalleled!

The "something new" is a Tehnolog figure. I don't know what she is. She has fangs, so vampire? She came with some exceptionally buff skeleton-headed types. The latter were given to my son.

She's for yet another project I have in mind - using Maudlin Jack Tar's  The Quests of Brin the Barbarian. This is something I have wanted to return to for sometime, but in 54mm rather than the 28mm I had played it with previously. 

In any case, I blame the growing fascination with this idea at least in part on TheReferee's Fantasy Thread over on Little Wars Revisited. The other influences being Quantrill's Toy Soldiers and another Maudlin Jack Tar entry, Swords, Sorcery, and Squares. Of course, I got started gaming with D&D so there's always a place in my heart for small bands of murder hobos seeking fame and fortune and facing dangerous foes.

8 comments:

  1. I taught English and Reading for 35+ years John, so I am a true lover of books and I think that they are making a real comeback! There is something about the feel and ease of use that is so unique about books! They are always there for you, whenever you need them! Enjoy!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I completely agree on all counts! Books, bookstores, and libraries are among my favorite things. Eventually that even lead me to get my Master's in Library Science. One concept that came to my attention during my studies was that of "serendipitous discovery" where you stumble on something of interest/use based on its proximity to what you were looking for. This is something that, for me at least, seems to happen less often, or as conveniently, in the digital realm,whether in an ebook or on a digital bookshelf.

      Delete
  2. Like you I started with an eBook version and ended up buying a physical copy of the book for the same reasons, I am always referring to it for scenarios or ideas.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is probably my most frequently consulted wargame book. I don't know why it took me so long to realize a print copy was needed!

      Delete
  3. I hadn't noticed the fangs before! If she is a vampire paint her a pale blue-white with a touch of flesh. You could also paint her greenish as a half orc. or you could shave off the fans and paint her as a human.

    The sword you could make a magic sword in various red, green or blue metal tones.

    I use vampires as they were used on the old Warhammer rules. They can be used tom bolster skeleton regiments. Obviously vampires are among the most powerful warriors so you need to think about placing severe numbers limits on them. Their initiative, strength and toughness are all high.

    I have used the one hour book before until I lost it (lent out and never got back?) so I bought another copy. The scenarios are easy to replicate.

    Thanks for the mention of my blog!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Funny you should mention half-orc. Her appearance kind of reminded me of She-Hulk and I thought she might look good as a half-orc in green skin with green hair. But I do like the idea of a vampire as a "big bad".

      I hadn't thought to make her sword magic, but given the adornment it does cry out for some special treatment beyond a swipe of silver. I'll have to dig through my paints and find something suitably exotic.

      Delete
  4. Ironic because I just did the same thing (purchasing OHW in paperback after having used it for years on the Kindle). I still use the Kindle version though, especially for search and copy/paste references for the blog.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I still use it as well - I use the reader app on my phone and it's great for quick reference/inspiration when I'm waiting to check out at the grocery store or at the doctor's.

      Delete