Although I've been mostly focused on fantasy miniatures this year, when starter sets of the Gundam Trading Card Game began shipping earlier in the summer, I couldn't resist the opportunity to give the card game a go and get hold of some of the minis from the forthcoming Gundam Assemble a little bit early as well and I have to say that the miniatures (and the card game) have not disappointed. Like most other plastic miniatures (and full size Gunpla kits), the Gundam Assemble kits come on sprues and are push fit assembly. Clean up of mould lines didn't take very long either and if you were so inclined, you could have them fully built and ready to use for gaming mere minutes after opening the packaging. Although initially I wasn't sure about the design of the Principality of Zeon's mobile suits, they've really grown on me, so of the four Assemble sets available, I went for Zeon's Rush which contains one MS-06F 'commander suit' (distinguished by the ...

Missives from Middle Earth #13 "...we do not stop the fight for night or day, for fair weather or for storm..."

It's been a couple of months since my last Missive from Middle Earth , but I've been busily expanding the battle company into an army using the Lurtz's Scouts list from the Armies of the Lord of the Rings book. This happened rather more by design than some of my other MESBG projects and I'll get into the why of that a bit more below, but suffice it to say that I'm pretty chuffed to have gone from scratching a hobby itch with a few models to fully fledged army in only a couple of months - it's certainly a lot faster than I've done so before! So, how did we get here? Well, back in mid-January, GW kicked off a One Million Miniatures challenge. The idea was that hobbyists across the world would collectively paint up a million miniatures. Being a bit of a sucker for these kind of marketing ploys and being grateful for a change from the New Year, New Army format I signed up to take part at my local store. Knowing my limitations though, I pledged for 25 mini...

Proto-Astartes in k0rdhal pattern powered armour

Though perfectly balanced, the sword feels heavy in his hands. He was told it was an heirloom of a clann of Nord Alba, but it is not the history of the blade that weighs upon him so. He is oathed to this moment. The soft breath of the wind catches the wax sealed parchment afixed to his vambrace but he needs no reminder of the words he spoke not two hours before, for his eidetic memory would not let him forget them even if he tried. Besides, it is not his oath that feels burdensome. His genhanced eyesight allows him to pick out individual warriors among the horde that has assembled upon the Katabatic Plains. Most look to be baseline humans, armed with lasfusils and stubguns, their slight frames encased in carapaces of burnished plate, the edges flaring crimson in the pre-dawn light. A day like this might once have been considered ill-omened for dawning red, but in these enlightened times, such superstitions are frowned upon. There is a commotion among the horde as larger men force ...