The 100th post of The Garage Gamers!! A special post
Hey look, 100 posts! Look at us go, eh? Our views are going up and up all the time! and that's down to you guys many thanks! . Not too bad for two nerds. For this special post, we've gone and interviewed ourselves with relevant hobby questions. It's a good read!
Thank you all for viewing our little hobby blog and we hope to continue!
1. How did you get into tabletop gaming?
Morgan: A buddy of mine got the Space Wolf Battleforce for some reason. I wound up staying over a night, and read the rulebook cover to cover. Well, "read", I looked at the stupendous gothic artwork and the (now campy)(Mart: I say classic!) miniatures and paint schemes (I have a fondness for hazard stripes on minis now). That got me settled in! I wound up getting the starter box for 3rd edition, and the rest is history (Let's just skip over how bad I was starting out...).
Mart: Many years ago when the world was young, in the early 80s anyway I played with 1/72 scale toy soldiers whilst regularly building Airfix kits. I used to head to the local toy shop on pocket money day and buy two packs of opposing soldiers, American civil war, Vietnam war, WW1, WW2, Zulu wars, Ancients, anything that took my fancy, then spend the rest of the weekend lining them up on the floor and knocking them down. After a while I looked for some system in the knocking down parts, and started using dice and making rules (I even designed my own American Civil war game going from corp level to individual skirmishes on a hex map).
I had the old Dungeons and Dragons starter boxes, Then I picked up some of the Avalon hill games, they where complex as hell! And yes, early lead workshop figures when there hardly any for fantasy. I got the first edition fantasy and used to play it with my Grandfather, not well, but I loved it, and I was hooked from then in rolling dice and looking at charts and things. So went through many years of following White dwarf and then expanded into other games. It helped my Grandfather had a double garage sized train layout he built himself and did all the terrain for. Many good elves and men died on that table!
2. What are your top 3 favourite tabletop games and why?
Morgan: Top 3? Uuuuuh... Bolt Action is pretty awesome (Mart: yes, yes it is). I'm no good at it, but that's most games! I still do love the fluff of the Warhammer games, so there's #2 and #3. Pretty boring, eh? Well, not all of us have the same exposure to different miniatures games that you do, Mart! I have been playing a lot of boardgames over the past two years, especially Sentinels of the Multiverse. I can't tell you how many games of that a buddy of mine and I have played, but some of the more popular character decks in the box are starting to show significant wear.
Mart: This is tough, I play or have played sooo many, but for top 3, Bolt Action, I love it, squad based WW2 combat, by warlord games, its an excellent game. Xwing miniatures, I love Star Wars, and I play this regularly with my daughter so much nerdy fun!! And finally a classic: good old Mordhim, I love this game! Warhammer fantasy at its skirmish campaign based finest, superb background, a beautiful book, super rules. we have played many campaigns of this and hope for many more still. I can almost see some articles on it in the future!
Other notable mentions Dystopian Wars, Battlefleet Gothic, Warhammer Historical's Waterloo, the Lord of the rings game from GW (yes I actually liked it unlike many others) and Flames of War.
3. Do you do any other kind of gaming?
Morgan: Boardgames. All kinds. Sentinels of the Multiverse, Pandemic, Elder Sign (I'll only recommend anyone play it with the expansion, so much fun), Settlers of Catan... on and on. It doesn't help that I worked in a comic/game shop for a few months, lots of exposure there to all sorts of games. (Mart: I DO need to expand my board game selection). I prefer to play cooperative games because everyone else can make up for my tactical and strategical shortcomings!
RPGs have been a part of the repertoire since forever. Lots of D&D 3.5 with a little Pathfinder. I wound up doing a 2-year campaign via Skype and Rolz.org with some online buddies and one local friend. It was a ton of fun in a stunning setting with the best DM I've ever had.
I also do a little bit of video gaming. The Total War series on the PC are probably my biggest time sinks, and War Thunder is good for a laugh.
Mart: A few board games, Zombicide, zombies!!. The walking dead board game (see a theme there?)
FFG have a few other board games I fancy, I think I can talk the Wife into some of the Game of thrones games they do. I used to play Magic the gathering at tournament level many years ago, still have a deck knocking around somewhere but do not play it really any more. Video gaming when I get the time. Roleplay every other week, we have done all sorts, Warhammer fantasy, Dark millennium, Rogue Trader, Vampire Masquerade, and my favourite at the moment Star Wars Edge of Empire. As a group we have doing it regularly for the last 10 or so years.
4. What online communities do you frequent, if any?
Morgan: Just the Astronomican forum. I've been there for... golly, six, seven years? Really tiny community with familiar faces that keep popping back in. It's quite nice.
Mart: These days not really many, I pop in now and then on Astronomican like Morgan, The WWPD forum, for Flames of War and Bolt Action goodness, and occasionally I lurk on the FFG forums, but that place is in my opinion whats bad about forums, so brutal on occasion its awful.
5. Which hobby project is your all-time favorite so far in your hobby career?
Morgan: Probably the little MG nest for my FoW Americans.(Mart: very nice see it here in fact) I had a lot of fun doing the whole thing up from scratch. I've given some thought to doing one in 28mm for Bolt Action. One day...
Mart: I have not really scratch built things, my building skills are limited, I would have to say it was coming up with a look for my alternate Chameleon Skinks for my Lizardman army for Warhammer fantasy. (my hobby projects are not very exciting) Mainly I would say completing campaigns! mostly for Mordheim.
6. Top 3 favourite Video games of all time?
Morgan: War Thunder, Napoleon Total War (with the DarthMod mod), and Rome 2 Total War. I am not particularly good at any of them, but they have taken up loads of my time. Have, rather, as the computer I'm stuck with now can't really run any of them well. I use a joystick for War Thunder, and won't fly it any other way!
Mart: pretty hard to answer when I have been playing video games since the plug in pong style systems of many decades ago! I'm not too up to date with consoles, I have a 360 not a huge libaray, most of my gaming is PC based, but I shall try..... In no particular order, Fallout 3, I love post apocalyptic nuclear style things, and 50s Americana... this combines both of these things into an epic experience I love it, mind I have played fallout since the first one was released many moons ago ~(useless fact there ARE rules for the Fallout tabletop game, and YES Morgan I do have them)
Next hmmm Silent Hill 2, I love the Silent hill series, still play 2 regularly the journey is fantastic, dark twisted, adult and clever holds many good memories, with a haunting soundtrack. First played it on PS2, but yes I have it on PC still as well.
Finally, hmm this is so hard to call, but time spent and fun had has to be Napoleon total war. I love all the total war series, but this most, with Medieval 2 second. It fulfils my armchair general role well plus has fancy hats!
Some honourable mentions also go X-Com, original series and new one, the new Tomb Raider surprisingly, Rogue squadron series, anything Zelda (still have my N64 Ocarina of time), Resident evil 2 and 4, the Star wars Jedi Knight series, Ace combat games, Civiliastion 2 ate hours of my time, Dune and Dune 2 (huge Dune fan), Metro 2033 (post apocalyptic Russians!) so many more, the older I have got the less graphics matter and I can go back to older games to enjoy them for the experience. Also just for Morgan, Warhammer Dark omen, I love that game! Yes a warhammer game!
7. Any miniatures game that you want to try but have not?
Morgan: Lots of Napoleonics, lots of Ancients. Lots of really colorful units to have all nicely rank and filed up. I know there are a ton of different systems out there, and some that are made for really big games that would take up a weekend. That's my kinda fun!
Mart : Yes, of course! All Quiet on the Martian Front for one. And Shadow Sea and Deep Wars, take a look at those last two on our buddy Hephs blog here http://hephsforge.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/a-closer-look-at-models-of-shadowsea.html
Sharp Practice from Too Fat Lardies, a Napoleonic skirmish game! Yes please.
That's about it for now.... I think (Morgan: For now, for sure!).
8. Favourite historical period to game
Morgan: I have only games proper in WW2 with Flames of War and Bolt Action. I don't know if I'd prefer Napoleonics, but I am definitely down for seeing how I take to it.
Mart: WW2 not surprisingly is number one, it has a strong family connection my Grandfather flew Hawker Typhoons for the RAF. Next Napoleonic and English Civil War, I need to rebuild my collections of those though. Ancients then always fancied a roman legion in 28mm. Had one in 10mm many moons ago. And Zulu wars, I fancy some of those lovely warlord minis as well. Hmmm this is not easy for me!
9. What is your favourite and least favourite part of the hobby?
Morgan: Favorite- Painting! I'm garbage at everything else, especially gaming. I can't play consistently well, so getting good looking units on the board or up for display is the most satisfying part of it all for me. If you have a good gaming group, that's irreplaceable too.
Mart: I will start with the least favourite first. Painting, I am not good at it, I do not enjoy it that much until it is finished, or near so and I can see it coming together, and I am too impatient to play with my toys!
Favourite parts are playing, building the models, reading the rulebooks, I love reading them, a good rulebook is a vital addition to a visit to the gentlemen's convenience (or hiding from the wife with). Also research, for historical games I love reading up more about the period. Then list construction is always fun as well.
10. Why did you start this blog?
Morgan: It seemed like a way to enforce regular hobby progress. Committing to a three or two posts a week really gave some kick in the rear to get some work done. Then I moved out of the country, fat load of good that's doing for me now!
Mart: A lot of the forums I used to be on, or read where all very tournament focused "don't take that its suboptimal and the maths say you cant win" I do not care. I take what I like, what looks cool, whats fun, what I enjoy playing, I wanted this to focus on things that are fun in the hobby not the boring parts. Its an outlet to encourage me to hobby, and think more about it, since my local gaming is limited this is a good focus. Really I did not expect anyone to read it, that's just a bonus!
11. Best hobby moment?
Morgan: Not mine, but one I witnessed. Back when there was a GW in the mall near where I lived, I'd be in there every Monday evening for some gaming. There was a matchup between Dark Eldar and Daemonhunters (3rd edition, woohoo). The guys who played there were obviously in it for fun, and the lists were 1000 points. The DH player has an idea: can, for fun, he try to have his Grey Knights jump from a tall building onto a Dark Eldar Raider 6" away? His opponent is up for it, and they ask one of the employees for ideas. Difficult Terrain test, duh! Two dice go down... 4 and a 6! Two of the four Grey Knights make it across, board the Raider, kill the Dark Eldar on board, and land the ship. It was the epitome of the purpose of any of these games: to have good, genuine fun.
Mart: An odd couple here, When I think it was Warhammer fantasy 4th edition if I recall when the box set was released, Lizardmen and Bretonians, I went first thing in the morning on release day to pick it up i was so excited and opening that starter set was such an experience I enjoyed every second, only the Mordheim starter came close.
Other hobby moments come from playing, our long running Mordheim campaigns where all the characters have stories and grudges we still talk about years on.
12. Worst hobby moment?
Morgan: I haven't had many bad experiences. When I was getting back into the hobby when 5th edition came out, I found the closest shop and started going. The gaming space was very small and little to no terrain was available. Not even green blankets to go over the banquet tables. Lots of kids and teenagers as well, and invariably there's that one that just has to be a jerk. He commanded Orks all mounted up in Trukks and mostly "Battlewagons" that were just hodgepodges of kits both GW and non-GW, in and out of scale. Really terrible looking stuff. He'd get other kids to play against him on terrainless tables. You'd think, no terrain, hell yeah, perfect for murdering Orks. Yeah, remember Kustom Force Fields? Good luck. It was a little fun seeing him play the kid whose Dad bought, built, and painted his armies. Net lists, the whole nine yards. Needless to say that shop closed down recently!
Mart: Having to fix a High elf army after my Wife stamped on it.... True story. She was mocking me holding her foot above it saying "ohh I'm gonna stomp your toys". Next thing she apparently "slips" and stomped them!. She was apologetic after she stopped laughing. Much gluing and repainting ensued.
13. What hobby projects are on the horizon for the future?
Morgan: Not a damn thing! I'm working on my Masters right now, but Mart thinks he can just send me things to paint. Ah, I'll get on 'em when I can. I did bring some cheap brushes a friend gave me after a crafts project, which I plan on using whenever I get down to Plymouth to help make some Space tables for Mart.
Mart: My Dystopian Wars fleet needs work, and my Mordheim gang needs adding to. Really not much exciting to watch out for, more adding to things really for now. Plus of course more things for the Bolt Action armies, my Brits need expanding and I do fancy some Japanese too! and at some point some Napoleonics and umm yeah plenty!
Thank you all for viewing our little hobby blog and we hope to continue!
1. How did you get into tabletop gaming?
Morgan: A buddy of mine got the Space Wolf Battleforce for some reason. I wound up staying over a night, and read the rulebook cover to cover. Well, "read", I looked at the stupendous gothic artwork and the (now campy)(Mart: I say classic!) miniatures and paint schemes (I have a fondness for hazard stripes on minis now). That got me settled in! I wound up getting the starter box for 3rd edition, and the rest is history (Let's just skip over how bad I was starting out...).
Mart: Many years ago when the world was young, in the early 80s anyway I played with 1/72 scale toy soldiers whilst regularly building Airfix kits. I used to head to the local toy shop on pocket money day and buy two packs of opposing soldiers, American civil war, Vietnam war, WW1, WW2, Zulu wars, Ancients, anything that took my fancy, then spend the rest of the weekend lining them up on the floor and knocking them down. After a while I looked for some system in the knocking down parts, and started using dice and making rules (I even designed my own American Civil war game going from corp level to individual skirmishes on a hex map).
I had the old Dungeons and Dragons starter boxes, Then I picked up some of the Avalon hill games, they where complex as hell! And yes, early lead workshop figures when there hardly any for fantasy. I got the first edition fantasy and used to play it with my Grandfather, not well, but I loved it, and I was hooked from then in rolling dice and looking at charts and things. So went through many years of following White dwarf and then expanded into other games. It helped my Grandfather had a double garage sized train layout he built himself and did all the terrain for. Many good elves and men died on that table!
2. What are your top 3 favourite tabletop games and why?
Morgan: Top 3? Uuuuuh... Bolt Action is pretty awesome (Mart: yes, yes it is). I'm no good at it, but that's most games! I still do love the fluff of the Warhammer games, so there's #2 and #3. Pretty boring, eh? Well, not all of us have the same exposure to different miniatures games that you do, Mart! I have been playing a lot of boardgames over the past two years, especially Sentinels of the Multiverse. I can't tell you how many games of that a buddy of mine and I have played, but some of the more popular character decks in the box are starting to show significant wear.
Mart: This is tough, I play or have played sooo many, but for top 3, Bolt Action, I love it, squad based WW2 combat, by warlord games, its an excellent game. Xwing miniatures, I love Star Wars, and I play this regularly with my daughter so much nerdy fun!! And finally a classic: good old Mordhim, I love this game! Warhammer fantasy at its skirmish campaign based finest, superb background, a beautiful book, super rules. we have played many campaigns of this and hope for many more still. I can almost see some articles on it in the future!
Other notable mentions Dystopian Wars, Battlefleet Gothic, Warhammer Historical's Waterloo, the Lord of the rings game from GW (yes I actually liked it unlike many others) and Flames of War.
3. Do you do any other kind of gaming?
Morgan: Boardgames. All kinds. Sentinels of the Multiverse, Pandemic, Elder Sign (I'll only recommend anyone play it with the expansion, so much fun), Settlers of Catan... on and on. It doesn't help that I worked in a comic/game shop for a few months, lots of exposure there to all sorts of games. (Mart: I DO need to expand my board game selection). I prefer to play cooperative games because everyone else can make up for my tactical and strategical shortcomings!
RPGs have been a part of the repertoire since forever. Lots of D&D 3.5 with a little Pathfinder. I wound up doing a 2-year campaign via Skype and Rolz.org with some online buddies and one local friend. It was a ton of fun in a stunning setting with the best DM I've ever had.
I also do a little bit of video gaming. The Total War series on the PC are probably my biggest time sinks, and War Thunder is good for a laugh.
Mart: A few board games, Zombicide, zombies!!. The walking dead board game (see a theme there?)
FFG have a few other board games I fancy, I think I can talk the Wife into some of the Game of thrones games they do. I used to play Magic the gathering at tournament level many years ago, still have a deck knocking around somewhere but do not play it really any more. Video gaming when I get the time. Roleplay every other week, we have done all sorts, Warhammer fantasy, Dark millennium, Rogue Trader, Vampire Masquerade, and my favourite at the moment Star Wars Edge of Empire. As a group we have doing it regularly for the last 10 or so years.
4. What online communities do you frequent, if any?
Morgan: Just the Astronomican forum. I've been there for... golly, six, seven years? Really tiny community with familiar faces that keep popping back in. It's quite nice.
Mart: These days not really many, I pop in now and then on Astronomican like Morgan, The WWPD forum, for Flames of War and Bolt Action goodness, and occasionally I lurk on the FFG forums, but that place is in my opinion whats bad about forums, so brutal on occasion its awful.
5. Which hobby project is your all-time favorite so far in your hobby career?
Morgan: Probably the little MG nest for my FoW Americans.(Mart: very nice see it here in fact) I had a lot of fun doing the whole thing up from scratch. I've given some thought to doing one in 28mm for Bolt Action. One day...
Mart: I have not really scratch built things, my building skills are limited, I would have to say it was coming up with a look for my alternate Chameleon Skinks for my Lizardman army for Warhammer fantasy. (my hobby projects are not very exciting) Mainly I would say completing campaigns! mostly for Mordheim.
6. Top 3 favourite Video games of all time?
Morgan: War Thunder, Napoleon Total War (with the DarthMod mod), and Rome 2 Total War. I am not particularly good at any of them, but they have taken up loads of my time. Have, rather, as the computer I'm stuck with now can't really run any of them well. I use a joystick for War Thunder, and won't fly it any other way!
Mart: pretty hard to answer when I have been playing video games since the plug in pong style systems of many decades ago! I'm not too up to date with consoles, I have a 360 not a huge libaray, most of my gaming is PC based, but I shall try..... In no particular order, Fallout 3, I love post apocalyptic nuclear style things, and 50s Americana... this combines both of these things into an epic experience I love it, mind I have played fallout since the first one was released many moons ago ~(useless fact there ARE rules for the Fallout tabletop game, and YES Morgan I do have them)
Next hmmm Silent Hill 2, I love the Silent hill series, still play 2 regularly the journey is fantastic, dark twisted, adult and clever holds many good memories, with a haunting soundtrack. First played it on PS2, but yes I have it on PC still as well.
Finally, hmm this is so hard to call, but time spent and fun had has to be Napoleon total war. I love all the total war series, but this most, with Medieval 2 second. It fulfils my armchair general role well plus has fancy hats!
Some honourable mentions also go X-Com, original series and new one, the new Tomb Raider surprisingly, Rogue squadron series, anything Zelda (still have my N64 Ocarina of time), Resident evil 2 and 4, the Star wars Jedi Knight series, Ace combat games, Civiliastion 2 ate hours of my time, Dune and Dune 2 (huge Dune fan), Metro 2033 (post apocalyptic Russians!) so many more, the older I have got the less graphics matter and I can go back to older games to enjoy them for the experience. Also just for Morgan, Warhammer Dark omen, I love that game! Yes a warhammer game!
7. Any miniatures game that you want to try but have not?
Morgan: Lots of Napoleonics, lots of Ancients. Lots of really colorful units to have all nicely rank and filed up. I know there are a ton of different systems out there, and some that are made for really big games that would take up a weekend. That's my kinda fun!
Mart : Yes, of course! All Quiet on the Martian Front for one. And Shadow Sea and Deep Wars, take a look at those last two on our buddy Hephs blog here http://hephsforge.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/a-closer-look-at-models-of-shadowsea.html
Sharp Practice from Too Fat Lardies, a Napoleonic skirmish game! Yes please.
That's about it for now.... I think (Morgan: For now, for sure!).
8. Favourite historical period to game
Morgan: I have only games proper in WW2 with Flames of War and Bolt Action. I don't know if I'd prefer Napoleonics, but I am definitely down for seeing how I take to it.
Mart: WW2 not surprisingly is number one, it has a strong family connection my Grandfather flew Hawker Typhoons for the RAF. Next Napoleonic and English Civil War, I need to rebuild my collections of those though. Ancients then always fancied a roman legion in 28mm. Had one in 10mm many moons ago. And Zulu wars, I fancy some of those lovely warlord minis as well. Hmmm this is not easy for me!
9. What is your favourite and least favourite part of the hobby?
Morgan: Favorite- Painting! I'm garbage at everything else, especially gaming. I can't play consistently well, so getting good looking units on the board or up for display is the most satisfying part of it all for me. If you have a good gaming group, that's irreplaceable too.
Mart: I will start with the least favourite first. Painting, I am not good at it, I do not enjoy it that much until it is finished, or near so and I can see it coming together, and I am too impatient to play with my toys!
Favourite parts are playing, building the models, reading the rulebooks, I love reading them, a good rulebook is a vital addition to a visit to the gentlemen's convenience (or hiding from the wife with). Also research, for historical games I love reading up more about the period. Then list construction is always fun as well.
10. Why did you start this blog?
Morgan: It seemed like a way to enforce regular hobby progress. Committing to a three or two posts a week really gave some kick in the rear to get some work done. Then I moved out of the country, fat load of good that's doing for me now!
Mart: A lot of the forums I used to be on, or read where all very tournament focused "don't take that its suboptimal and the maths say you cant win" I do not care. I take what I like, what looks cool, whats fun, what I enjoy playing, I wanted this to focus on things that are fun in the hobby not the boring parts. Its an outlet to encourage me to hobby, and think more about it, since my local gaming is limited this is a good focus. Really I did not expect anyone to read it, that's just a bonus!
11. Best hobby moment?
Morgan: Not mine, but one I witnessed. Back when there was a GW in the mall near where I lived, I'd be in there every Monday evening for some gaming. There was a matchup between Dark Eldar and Daemonhunters (3rd edition, woohoo). The guys who played there were obviously in it for fun, and the lists were 1000 points. The DH player has an idea: can, for fun, he try to have his Grey Knights jump from a tall building onto a Dark Eldar Raider 6" away? His opponent is up for it, and they ask one of the employees for ideas. Difficult Terrain test, duh! Two dice go down... 4 and a 6! Two of the four Grey Knights make it across, board the Raider, kill the Dark Eldar on board, and land the ship. It was the epitome of the purpose of any of these games: to have good, genuine fun.
Mart: An odd couple here, When I think it was Warhammer fantasy 4th edition if I recall when the box set was released, Lizardmen and Bretonians, I went first thing in the morning on release day to pick it up i was so excited and opening that starter set was such an experience I enjoyed every second, only the Mordheim starter came close.
Other hobby moments come from playing, our long running Mordheim campaigns where all the characters have stories and grudges we still talk about years on.
12. Worst hobby moment?
Morgan: I haven't had many bad experiences. When I was getting back into the hobby when 5th edition came out, I found the closest shop and started going. The gaming space was very small and little to no terrain was available. Not even green blankets to go over the banquet tables. Lots of kids and teenagers as well, and invariably there's that one that just has to be a jerk. He commanded Orks all mounted up in Trukks and mostly "Battlewagons" that were just hodgepodges of kits both GW and non-GW, in and out of scale. Really terrible looking stuff. He'd get other kids to play against him on terrainless tables. You'd think, no terrain, hell yeah, perfect for murdering Orks. Yeah, remember Kustom Force Fields? Good luck. It was a little fun seeing him play the kid whose Dad bought, built, and painted his armies. Net lists, the whole nine yards. Needless to say that shop closed down recently!
Mart: Having to fix a High elf army after my Wife stamped on it.... True story. She was mocking me holding her foot above it saying "ohh I'm gonna stomp your toys". Next thing she apparently "slips" and stomped them!. She was apologetic after she stopped laughing. Much gluing and repainting ensued.
13. What hobby projects are on the horizon for the future?
Morgan: Not a damn thing! I'm working on my Masters right now, but Mart thinks he can just send me things to paint. Ah, I'll get on 'em when I can. I did bring some cheap brushes a friend gave me after a crafts project, which I plan on using whenever I get down to Plymouth to help make some Space tables for Mart.
Mart: My Dystopian Wars fleet needs work, and my Mordheim gang needs adding to. Really not much exciting to watch out for, more adding to things really for now. Plus of course more things for the Bolt Action armies, my Brits need expanding and I do fancy some Japanese too! and at some point some Napoleonics and umm yeah plenty!
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