Klingon/Romulans for STAW, random games and motorcycle stuff to start July out

So, getting ready to play another STAW event at the Gopher next Monday… 

Klingon/Romulan Alliance

I.R.W. Avatar of Tomed (34)

Martok (6)

Cloaked Mines (3)

Ship SP: 44

Scimitar (38)

Mirok (2)

Romulan Helmsman (2)

Cloaked Mines (3)

Ship SP: 45

Negh'Var Class (28)

Donatra (4)

Ship SP: 33

Total Build SP: 120

Generated by STAW Builder

http://www.dracossoftware.com/STAWHome.html

The scenario is based on one of my favorite Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes with Cmdr Riker being assigned to a Klingon ship as part of an “Office Exchange Program”.  Their ship and the Enterprise both pick up some bacteria that eats away their hulls until the crew of the Enterprise figures out the “cure”.  The board for the event will a grid of 12 tokens placed leaving a narrow band in the center of the board without bacteria waiting to latch onto a ship.  Oh, and your ships all start with the stuff on them, so everyone rolls at least once to take damage (50% shot) before being able to clear the token by sacrificing an action more or less…  So, Fighters and small ships are pretty much right out for this event.  I’m going with straight joisting with big ships and big damage with the plan of run up the middle where it’s clear, and use the Cloaked Mines to punish the opponent for doing the same…  Not playing subtle, and with 2 ships that can heal along with the potential 9 Dice Attack from the Scimitar, it should leave a mark.

Hockey season is over…  Really the only sport I even follow a little.  The Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup, and with the hard salary cap, the dismantling of the team has begun…  A real shame, but if it prevents a NY Yankee situation where one team is completely dominant in the league being able to simply buy the best players, etc…  I guess I understand, and why it is impressive for a team to win the cup consistently.  And with the Cup being the most difficult trophy to win in any sport…  Kind of sad seeing the Hawks get broken up like this, but that’s the way it works I guess…

40K is gaining speed, but not I think in a good way.  The Space Marines and Dark Angels just released new Codices.  After a quick read through, I can’t really say that there is all that much new information in them frankly.  The Marines get a bunch of new formations, which is “neat”, but this is something that could have been an inexpensive web/e-book/whatever update, not another $60 hardback book to replace one less than 2 years old.  I think that is what is bothering me so much about it, this situation is the same as my experience with the University when I got here and took Chemistry…  Professor Zumdahl (I think, been a few years) was the instructor of record, and even usually did the weekly lectures…  He also wrote the book we used, and every 3 semesters there would be a “new” version so that you’d have to buy the new version and the used ones were completely worthless.  Nothing really new in basic Chemistry in the last 50 years certainly, just book royalties for the author who was also of course the instructor…  Getting that feeling here with 40K, nothing major changing, just updates in the Marines cases, but new and expensive book to play.  So, on one hand, it beats the LONG time between books for some armies (Orks, Wolves), but trading that for the things like the new AD Mech where you need something like 3 full books to play the army?  And knowing that the books are cycling out so quickly?  Meh, I guess I’ll paint up my Wolves Legion force and get ready for 30K games…  Eventually.  Maybe.

Started painting again, my Warmachine Dwarves (Rhullic) are getting base coated…  Still have some of their light Jacks in the package, and never really DID finish any of the army, so…  It looks OK, not professionally painted, but will look decent on the table I think.  And consistent with the same colors, etc…  Might get back to playing that game eventually…  Liking how it plays, but the Attack Wing stuff is just easier to pack up and get in some pickup games, so…  Looking like STAW at Gen Con unless somehow I can get into the X-Wing event on Thursday…  That sold out quick, so not really all that much a chance, so a nice slow trip over and Friday playing STAW/wandering the center…  Guessing the girls will want to come Saturday, so keeping the day clear…  Hopefully my kilt will be back by then J…

Motorcycle is still running, but apparently we now have a monsoon season in Illinois…  But have a nice new Bluetooth device that allows some background music to be played, and it is AWESOME to have that…  An amazing gift from my patient and understanding wife J…  Workouts are starting to come along, still looking for a new job I guess...  We'll see how things work out...