#tank battles in miniature series

[gilverrwrites]

Two Wrongs

Roy Harper/Reader, 1.1K words Kinktober entry 14: Voyeurism Warnings: (Accidental) Non-con voyeurism | Tight spaces Requested by: Authors choice

Watching your roommate getting off through a crack in his wardrobe door certainly wasn't how you’d planned to spend your evening, but it was just one of those situations, you know, like quicksand, once you're in, it becomes increasingly difficult to get back out.

It had all started months ago when he had eaten the last of your leftover pizza. You'd gotten him back by putting glitter in one of his caps. He'd retaliated by stealing ALL of your socks, so you'd tied all of his shoes together by their laces with the most complex knots you could find tutorials for online. The war had been raging ever since. Most recently, Roy had ‘you-proofed’ every drawer, cabinet, and door in the apartment with a bunch of contraptions of his own design. Many of which now lay broken in his scrap bin, destroyed by your impatience.

You'd been in the process of hiding a series of miniature Green Arrow figures around his bedroom when he’d unexpectedly arrived home early. With zero forethought, you'd simply thrown yourself into his closet and hoped he'd either leave or fall asleep soon. Neither were the case.

You watched through a seam in the hatch as Roy entered his room, your jaw falling slack when he'd immediately unzipped his cargo trousers and started palming his dick through his boxers upon closing the door.

He doesn't bother surveying his surroundings, why would he? This should be his safe space. As he approaches the bed, he kicks off his shoes and socks. You're treated to the sight of his captivatingly firm and freckled ass when he removed his bottoms before finally, he falls unceremoniously upon the bed, still donning his cap and tank top.

You shouldn’t look, you tell yourself. You absolutely should not look. This is a huge breach of trust, and you'd never intended to see Roy naked, at least not like this. Yet, a depraved curiosity possesses you.

It's big. Bigger than you’d imagined, but not intimidatingly so. More, mouth-wateringly so. Thick, cut, straight, and surrounded by a thicket of fiery red hair to match that on his head.

The whole scene is strangely hypnotic; his even, rhythmic strokes, the sordid slap of his spit-slicked hand meeting the base of his cock while he so casually scrolls through his phone. You could watch him all day, but you can't. This goes far beyond a prank, and it certainly isn't fair to him.

You're not brave enough to come clean, you've seen too much. So you gently lean away from the door, closing your eyes and trying to block out the raunchy sound of Roy's heavy breathing until it’s over. Hopefully, he’ll shower or fall asleep after and you can sneak out then.

You're not expecting to hear a voice, so your heart almost stops when you hear someone squeal his name. Shit. Had he called someone? Was he seeing someone? You're struck with a pang of jealousy until you realise the voice in question is your own.

“Ahh, Roy! Are you filming me?” It’s quiet, and tinny but there’s no doubt in your mind. You can even recall when he’d recorded it; Back in the early days of your prank battle, on a hot summer day. You'd been strewn out on the couch, half-asleep in a moderately skimpy outfit that you certainly hadn’t hoped would grab Roy’s attention when you'd noticed him hovering over you with his camera. At the time you’d just assumed it was ammo for some harmless joke. Evidently not.

Peeking through the door again, you watch once more as he continues to stroke his dick, freckled cheeks growing ruddy, jaw tight as he loses himself more and more, eyes fixate on his phone screen as he uses his thumb to repeatedly rewinds back to the first few seconds of the clip. “Ahh, Roy! Ar- Ahh, Roy! Are y- Ahh, Roy!”

The debauched symphony of Roy getting off to the sound of your voice has your body feeling feverish, and you have to fight the urge to grind your nails into the wooden panel that separates you from your housemate. You’re not sure which you want more, to stuff your hand between your legs and knead you’re aching sex in time with Roy’s thrusts, or to exit your hiding spot, climb his husky, tattooed body, and ride him until you’re both completely and utterly fucked. Paralyzed by indecision, you instead watch him, restlessly motionless as he starts to lose control.

The phone falls from Roy’s hand as he bucks his way to the finish line, your name becoming a quiet, breathless prayer on his lips whilest he fucks into his hand from beneath. His eyes close, and he chews on his bottom lip, muscles growing tight until he finds his climax. You watch spellbound as an obscene amount of thick, white cum leaks from his cock, dripping down onto his hand. Wilder, stray droplets launch high, landing on his shirt but Roy neither cares nor notices as he writhes deeper into the mattress, riding out a full body high until he has nothing left to give.

You’re just as fascinated, watching him lay near motionless, enjoying the aftershock, as you had been observing the climax. There had always been tension between the two of you, but you’re starting to realise that you might be down worse than you’d thought.

Eventually, Roy returns to the land of the living, slowly shifting back up. With his clean hand, he removes his cap and pulls his soiled shirt over his head, using it to mop up the mess he’d made of himself and throwing it out of your limited line of sight. Whatever he was aiming for, you don’t doubt he made the shot.

Though you’re disappointed that the show is over, you’re growing angsty at being confined to the four walls of his closet, so when he kicks his legs over the side of the bed you get excited. The prospect of escape is so close you can taste it, until he grabs his phone once more. If he goes down a rabbit hole, you could be stuck here for hours you think, as he taps away at the touchscreen. You’re about to slink back against the wall and try to get comfortable when you’re heart drops. You feel it first, the buzz in your back pocket followed by the custom ringtone Roy had picked out for himself. Instinctively, your arms fumble to grab your phone and turn it off but Roy’s head has already snapped in your direction, his face looking as pale and as panicked as you feel on the inside.  

If you're reading this, you have impeccable taste.

Kinktober Masterlist

[the-pen-and-the-stethoscope]

So while Six of Crows has been on my to read list for a while now when I saw that Shadow and Bone was coming to Netflix and realized they were all part of the same little universe I was like *rolls up sleeves* K guess it’s time to read five books in one month to prepare for this new series drop. (special shout out to @darklesmylove​ because it’s mostly your blog posts that convinced me I had to read this series...I give you this as a gift...) 

And now I present to you (in the order which I read them) the events in the Shadow and Bone/Six of Crows books that made me go ABSOLUTELY FERAL (wow there’s a lot more of these than I thought there were). 

- “The problem with wanting,” he whispered, his mouth trailing along my jaw until it hovered over my lips, “is that it makes us weak.” (unfortunately the last time I was seduced by the Darkling - NEVER AGAIN BAD SIR! But this was fucking hot) 

- THE. FIGHT. OVER. THE. STAG. (Just...Alina not killing it, the Darkling is here, now he’s going to kill it. NOW ALINA IS IN FRONT OF THE STAG SAVING IT. NOW SHE WANTS MAL TO SACRIFICE HER. NOW THE COLLAR IS AROUND HER NECK AND NOW SHE’S UNDER HIS POWER AHHHHH) Bonus: “Shhhh. Quiet now, or I will let Ivan kill him. Slowly.” 

- When Alina figures out the dream and TAKES THE POWER BACK!!! (yaaaaasss queen!)

- When the Darkling finds Alina and Mal in Cofton and that whole fight scene and her getting bit and then I had to WAIT UNTIL THE REST OF THE BOOKS CAME IN THE MAIL

- “From what I know of the Ice Court, whoever stole my DeKappel is exactly who I need for this job.” “Then you’d be better off hiring him. Or her.” “Indeed. But I’ll have to settle for you.” (I’m 50 pages in and in love with Kaz Bekker, someone help me) 

- “Not just yet, Inej.” The rasp of stone on stone. Her eyes flew open. Kaz. (ugh my cold cold heart is awake and beats only for them!) 

- Because I’ve been looking for an excuse to talk to you for two days. (literally like......)

- When Jordie and Kaz get tricked. (I mean all of Kaz’s back story but that was...ugh..........)

- It was because she was listening so closely that she knew the exact moment when Kaz Brekker, Dirtyhands, the bastard of the Barrel and the deadliest boy in Ketterdam, fainted. 

- When Nina runs into the guards and the alarm goes off and I realize that I’m an idiot and OBVIOUSLY THINGS WERE GOING TO GO WRONG. 

- WHEN INEJ TOUCHES KAZ’S FACE. His eyes were nearly black, the pupils dilated. She could see it took every last bit of his terrible will for him to remain still beneath her touch. And yet, he did not pull away. She knew it was the best he could offer. It was not enough. 

- He slammed his fist against the window. “Do not speak my name.” Then he smiled, a smile as cold and unforgiving as the northern sea. “Welcome to the Ice Court, Nina Zenik. Now our debt is paid.” (like FUCK MATTHIAS GOT ME TOO. WHAT A GOOD ACT!)

- I have been made to protect you. Only in death will I be kept from this oath. It was the vow of the druskelle to Fjerda. And now it was Matthias’ promise to her. (OMGGGGGG) 

- “This is going to sting a bit,” said the druskelle holding the whip. His voice was rasping, familiar. His hands were gloved. “But if we live, you’ll thank me later.” His hood slid off, and Kaz Brekker looked back at them. 

- The sun was out for once, and Inej had turned her face to it. Her eyes were shut, her oil-black lashes fanned over her cheeks. The harbor wind had lifted her dark hair, and for a moment Kaz was a boy again, sure that there was magic in this world. (YEAH OKAY. AND THIS IS HIS LAST THOUGHT BEFORE DROWNING.) 

- WHEN THEY STEAL THE TANK. THE TANK. AND THEN DRIVE IT THROUGH THE FUCKING TOWN. 

- Nina on parem. 

- “I will have you without armor, Kaz Brekker. Or I will not have you at all.” (SCREEAAAAMS. BANGS HAND AGAINST BOOK. DIES.) 

- “Kaz knew the instant he made his mistake...in that moment of threat, when he should have thought only of the fight, he looked at Inej.” (asdlfkasgkjasglk;sdfjl) 

- I’m going to get my money, Kaz vowed. And I’m going to get my girl. (YEAH BITCH!) 

- When Alina first sees the Darkling while they are traveling the fold (I froze, I read it like four times, I couldn’t believe what was happening)

- When Mal suggests they go to that stupid party and then Alina actually agrees (I literally was like...well something bad is going to happen and I hate it here) 

- When the Darkling shows up after Alina and Mal kiss. “Another otkazat’sya, Alina?” the Darkling mocked. (sdflkajd) 

- “I can’t decide if you’re an idiot, or an idiot.” (ugh Nikolai, marry me) 

- two pages later: “You’re a spectacular actor,” I said drily. “Do you think so?” he asked. Then he leaned in and whispered, “I’m doing ‘humble’ right now.” (FUCK ME)

- “I want to kiss you,” Nikolai said. “But I won’t. Not until you’re thinking of me instead of trying to forget him.” (Am I the only one who found this cute??? Why did Alina get upset??? Do I have Nikolai-colored goggles on??? Maybe...) 

- When the Darkling came to Alina in her sleep and then PRETENDED TO BE MAL SO HE COULD HAVE HIS WAY WITH HER?!?!?!?!?! (ahhhhhhhhhh) “I missed you too, Alina.” That voice. Cool and smooth as glass. (AHHHHH)

- Nikolai stood up, his chair scraping loudly against the parquet floor. “When did you lift the blockades? How long have the roads been open?” (LSDAKLFSDLFDKASLDKLSKLKLL) 

- “Not bad looking?” said another voice. “He’s damnably handsome.” Luchenko scowled. “Since when - “ “Brave in battle, smart as a whip.” Now the voice seemed to be coming from above us. Luchenko craned his neck, peering into the trees. “An excellent dancer,” said the voice. “Oh, and an even better shot.” (And then I damn near died.) 

- There’s a whole three pages (that I will not re-type here) after they arrive at the Spinning Wheel of Nikolai just being *chef’s kiss* flawless. Some great lines include: “Everyone needs a hobby.” “I thought yours was preening.” “Two hobbies.” “Should I be offended that he doesn’t want to dine with us? I set an excellent table, and I rarely drool.” “What a filthy mind you have. I was referring to puzzles and the perusal of edifying texts.” “Last chance to run.” 

- “Alina, I’ll be back to fetch you for dinner, but should you grow restless, do feel free to run screaming from the room or take a dagger to her. Whatever seems most fitting at the time.” (asldjkasl;dkfs;lkd NIKOLAI) 

- Okay gunna skip ahead - you can assume any time Nikolai said anything I screamed. 

- Nikolia’s second proposal (THE EMERALD!!! JUST HOW HE PUTS IT ON TOP OF THE WALL) 

- Nikolai’s third proposal. Nikolai’s skin was warm, his grip gentle. I’d wondered if I would ever feel something so simple again or if the power in me would just keep jumping and crackling. (THIS is why he is perfect for her - no jolt of electricity, just warmth and comfort!!!) 

- SERGEI!!!!

- When Nikolai gets fucking taken over by a nichevo’ya (I HATE EVERYONE)

- When Baghra sacrifices herself 

- When we finally FINALLY find out what makes Mal so special (I mean....his tracking was OTHERWORLDLY I can’t believe people weren’t more fucking freaked out by him) 

- “The Darkling marched on Keramzin.” (Literally screamed: “MY HEART HURTS.” I was crying. I nearly threw the book down. “BUT THE CHILDREN!” I say with my fists in the air. I am become a blade.) 

- Nikolai visiting Alina while he is the monster and trying to make himself better (ahhhhh tears!!! THE EMERALD!!!) The words died on my lips. Nikolai turned my palm over and slid the ring onto my finger. (FUUUUCK. PAAAAIN.) 

- When Nikolai comes back and FIGHTS FOR THEM IN THE FOLD!!!! HE MAY BE A MONSTER BUT HE IS NOT THE DARKLING’S MONSTER, BITCH!! 

- “Please,” I sobbed. “Bring him back to me.” (lkadsflkj this was actually devastating even though I’m not a huge Mal fan)

- “We need more light,” he said. A choked laugh escaped me. I held up my hands, pleading with the light and with any Saint who had ever lived. it was no good. (UGHHHH. MORE PAIN.) 

- Tamar sobbed. Toyla swore. And there it was again: the thready, miraculous sound of Mal drawing breath. (and also the first time I breathed for an entire chapter!) 

- “Alina,” he said and kissed the scar on my palm, “I remember everything.” (Literally the last like twenty pages of this book I just gave up and was like actually Mal is adorable and I need to protect him at all costs.) 

- “Really I just wanted to look at the words.” (ughhhhh) 

- Once a man arrived with a fleet of toy boats that the children launched on the creek in a miniature regatta. The teachers noted that the stranger was young and handsome, with golden hair and hazel eyes, but most definitely off. He stayed late to dinner and never once removed his gloves. (NIKOLAI SIGHTING IN THE EPILOGUE MY HEART GOES ON)

- When Van Eck thinks Kaz is coming to get Inej and then he tells Inej and then she is WILLING HIM to not show up and then it is revealed he wasn’t there all along (BOOM BITCH THAT’S HOW KAZ BREKKER FUCKING WORKS.)

- “Those were my mother’s favorite flower.” 

- “Why the net, Kaz?” I couldn’t bear to watch you fall. (POETRY OKAY?)

- Jesper and Wylan going to see Wylan’s mother and just fucking everything about that chapter. 

- When Inej almost FALLS INTO THE FUCKING SILO AND IT’S THE END OF THE GD CHAPTER 

- “Pick up the pace,” Kaz said, eyeing his watch. “If I spill a single drop of this, it will burn straight through the floor onto my father’s dinner guests.” “Take your time.” 

- “We’ll fight our way out together,” Inej whispered. Nina glanced from Inej to Kaz and saw they both wore the same expression. Nina new that look. It came after the shipwreck, when the tide moved against you and the sky had gone dar. It was the first sight of land, the hope of shelter and even salvation that might await you on a distant shore. (AHHHHHH) 

- Wylan’s first thought was that this boy had the most perfectly shaped lips he’d ever seen. His second was that his father had sent someone new to kill him. (Wylan you are so adorable it’s adorable) 

- Inej was moving before she thought of it. She couldn’t just watch him die, she wouldn’t. They had him down now, heavy boots kicking and stomping at his body. her knives were in her hands. She’d kill them all. She’d pile the bodies to the rafters for the stadwatch to find. But in that moment, through the wide slats in the banister landing, she saw his eyes were open. His gaze found hers. He’d known she was there all along. Of course he had. He always kew how to find her. He age the barest shake of his bloodied head. (THESE TWO!!)

- “My leg! My leg!” “I recommend a cane,” Kaz said. (cackling) 

- When Sturmhond (aka Nikolai ***swoons***) showed up in Crooked Kingdom. (What actually happened: me reading a description of a “fox-like” man with Genya and Zoya and screaming and saying to myself “OMG WHEN I TURN THE PAGE IT WILL CONFIRM THAT NIKOLAI IS IN THE BUILDING I CAN’T” (did I mention I’m in love with him??? already??? k))

- When Jesper and Wylan FINALLY kiss FOR REAL (this was a big chapter for me) This was the kiss he’d been waiting for. It was a gunshot. It was prairie fire. it was the spin of Makker’s Wheel. Jesper felt the pounding of his heart - or was it Wylan’s? - like a stampede in his chest, and the only thought in his head was a happy, startled, Oh. 

- CHAPTER 33 - just everything, everything about the reveals in this chapter. The money being funneled to the Shu, not being able to trace even the RANSOM NOTE back to Kaz. WYLAN SHOWING UP!!!! “ARE YOU SURE THEY WERE PEKKA’S MEN?” !!!!!!!!

- “Do something,” Matthias growled at Kaz. “This is about to turn ugly.” Kaz’s face was as impassive as always. “Do you think so?” (bahahahahaha) 

- Nina’s just complete glee over the chaos she creates!!! “She was the Queen of Mourning, and in its depths, she would never drown.” 

- Jesper using his fucking power!!!!!! 

- She stared up at him. He was going to miss that look of surprise. (HE’S GOING TO LET HER GO. HE KNOWS HE IS GOING TO LET HER GO.)

- KAZ’S PLAN BECOMING CLEAR IN IT’S BRILLIANCE AS EACH CHAPTER GOES BY. 

- Inej frowned. “I thought you and Nina chose four outbreak sites on the Staves.” Kaz straightened his cuffs. “I also had her stop at the Menagerie.” She smiled then, her eyes red, her cheeks scattered with some kind of dust. It was a smile he thought he might die to earn again. (AHHHHHHHHHHHHH) 

- “A sedative,” said the medik. “Is that safe for a pregnant woman?” “For me.” (This is just FLAWLESS in its depiction of people who don’t do OB care regularly.)

- Matthias saw the anger there, the rage. He knew it well. But he was still surprised when he heard the shot. (NOOOOOOOO!!!) 

- “Has she at least done it before?” said Kaz. “For this purpose?” asked Sturmhond. “I’ve seen her do it twice. It worked splendidly. Once.” (NIKOLAI I BEG YOU!) 

- When Matthias DIES?!??! (I’M SORRY WHO LET THIS HAPPEN??)

- “You will meet him again in the next life,” said Inej. “But only if you suffer this now.” 

- Wylan getting all of his father’s money because KAZ HAS BEEN PLANNING THIS ALL ALONG??!

- Jesper leaned in and said, quietly enough that no one else could hear, “I can read to him.” (alksdflk;jasfl;jkd that was hot) 

- “Well hopefully the medik will be here to fix my ribs soon,” he said as he headed back into the parlor. “Yeah?” “Yes,” said Wylan, glancing briefly over his shoulder, his cheeks now red as cherries. “I’d like to make a down payment.” (OMG WYLAN?!?!?! IN FRONT OF MY SALAD?!?! IS THIS ALLOWED?!?!)

- At some point, Jesper realized Kaz was gone. “Not one for goodbyes, is he?” he muttered. “He doesn’t say goodbye,” Inej said. She kept her eyes on the lights of the canal. Somewhere in the garden, a night bird began to sing. “He just lets go.” (TEARS.)

- She felt his knuckles slide against hers. Then his hand was in her hand, his palm was pressed against her own. A tremor moved through him. Slowly, he let their fingers entwine. (I gasped so loud i literally woke my cat up from a deep sleep.)

- “Wait,” he said. The burn of his voice was rougher than usual. “Is my tie straight?” Inej laughed, her hood falling back from her hair. “That’s the laugh,” he murmured. (THAT’S THE LAUGH. THAT’S THE LAUGH. AHHHHH) 

Okay done. Gunna go stare at the ceiling until tomorrow night/whenever I finally get King of Scars and Rule of Wolves in the mail (BECAUSE YOU KNOW MY SORRY ASS IS DYING AT THE THOUGHT OF TWO BOOKS ALL ABOUT NIKOLAI) 

[anomalytale]

Part 3 - Waterfall (pacifist)

[This is honestly the part I fleshed out the least when I was working on it. Unfortunately I do not have any designs or plans for the random battles, however there's a bunch of new and interesting stuff in the area which i hope is interesting enough to make up for that].

[Just imagine what Tem would do with a human soul. Probably get a PHD idk.]

[if I were to add new things now, I'd make some sentry gun enemies to prepare you for the metta-tank boss fight (encountered later on, only in genocide route), using the same 'safe zone' mechanic. As well as spider enemies.]

Anyways, the first half of waterfall would be shorter than UT, without the Undyne chase, with the major changes happening once you get to the village area. The village area with Undyne's house is now connected to a new cave, with the old dark area blocked off by thick walls of cobwebs.

(pacifist route)

In the meantime, Mad Dummy has been able to deal with their anger issues and moved in at Mettaton's old place. Neither him nor Napstablook are home. Monster kid and Firedrake are waiting patiently for the Demon Squad to arrive because they're coming for a recon mission. Spoder is also there and claims the spider kingdom is close and finally they'll be able to reunite with their own kind.

Following a series of tunnels infested by spiders, you arrive at the Spider Kingdom, an old dungeon reclaimed by Muffet, who now goes by "Spider Queen". She sits on a throne, adorned by the legendary artifact. She announces she has closed the old way to Hotland and offers a quick elevator ride to the Capital for a fee. However, you don't have enough money [it's always your gold+1], after which she'll force you to work to pay for the toll [insert minigame here].

After you're done, you can walk around cells and interact with people who have been enslaved because they didn't have enough money to pay the toll. The annoying dog has also been caught for illegal possession of artifacts. The food and comfort provided by Muffet are enough so he won't escape (For now) (he cannot be contained).

After returning to the Queen, she tells you you can now use the elevator to the capital. She shows you the way. Unfortunately, it's so old it breaks into pieces. She hides her embarrassment with her signature laugh. "Guess you'll have to use the long way around anyways". Once you return to the throne, you find your old pal Spoder. Sitting on the throne. With the artifact. "Who is that?! What are you doing with my precious orb?" The queen screams.

Spoder smiles and a flash of light covers the room. "You. Idiot."

Their legs grow in size, joined by two new pair of limbs, one of which is topped with a sharp scythe-like appendage. "Do you trust anyone with a cute face around here?"

A massive pair of bug wings sprout from Spoder's now fuzzy back, followed by a spiky abdomen full of stingers. "Well, look at me, you two. Look at my true self."

Spoder's head is split vertically by a single, knife-like horn. "This is what a true demon looks like!"

The gargantuan bug monster looms over you and the Queen.

"I"

"AM"

"BEELZEBUB"

-BOSS: BEELZEBUB-

Being a true demon, they are much stronger than any boss you've encountered so far. In fact, they'd be as strong as the game's final bosses if it weren't for the help you receive from Muffet. It is also the first "full-screen" fight you face, in which the arena covers the entire screen, allowing for the massive boss to chase your soul and attack based on AI rather than randomly picking attacks.

With ACTs, you can perform team tactics with the Spider Queen, allowing you to distract BEELZEBUB while she sets traps around the room.

They attack using: stomping attacks, spit attacks that spread in various directions, charging at you with their horn, swiping with their scythe appendages, spawning miniature spoders that follow you dealing contact damage, as well as creating spiderwebs around the arena that slow you down. Later during the fight, they gain additional attack in spinning around with the sharp horn out and a massive acid laser spit, as well as powering up their previous attacks: stomp gains several shockwaves, spit has slight homing, scythe has no endlag, charge can be chained and causes shockwaves when it hits a wall, spoders are larger and explode into smaller spoders.

BEELZEBUB’s turns are very long, but the fight only lasts around 5 of them. The Queen has set down a large spider web trap in the throne room which incapacitates BEELZEBUB. You can then grab the artifact right out of their mouth. The demon reverts back to their spoder self and screams "My soul! I wasn't finished! May you be cursed for the rest of eternity, half-demon!"

-BOSS END-

Spoder tries scurrying away, but they're grabbed by a massive hand made of thousands of spiders. "Let me be! I AM THE DEMON PRINCE. I AM YOUR RIGHTFUL RULER. I-Hey! Stop tickling me!"

The Queen faces you and lets out a sigh of relief. "Who the hell was that?" She only then realizes the amount of damage the creature caused to her 'palace' "M-MY CASTLE!" She falls to her knees. "I didn't think being a ruler would be this hard. My kingdom...in ruins in just a week. Maybe I wasn't cut for it." Her spider underlings comfort her, forming a circle around her. "You're right. As long as I have you sweeties, everything will be alright. Thank you."

She smiles before ordering them to throw what remains of the Demon Prince in a secure vault. "Please keep this artifact with you and bring it as far away as you can from here. You will make better use of it than me." The artifact turns into a memento item. Muffet walks you to the old path to hotlands announcing she'll open it again and, even if it pains her, lower the price of the toll to pass through.

However once you get there you notice the webs blocking the entrance to the dark/mushroom area have already been removed. You hear a big commotion coming from the village area so you both decide to check it out. Undyne has arrived to Waterfall to carry out a mission, much to Firedrake and Monster Kid's. She announces she was supposed to look for a human child, but later her mission changed due to an extraordinary DETERMINATION reading which, according to Alphys, indicates the return of a DEMON. She checks her determination detector and is surprised to see that the source of determination has seemingly disappeared. Her attention is caught by a new source that seems compatible with the primary target of the mission.

She heads toward you. “So you are who I was looking for. I’m sure you’ve been the one to defeat the DEMON. Well, I can’t ACT without Alphys’s approval, so for the time being I’ll be keeping my eyes on you.”

Undyne heads out towards Hotland, with the Amalgamate following closely behind, stopping for a moment to look back towards Firedrake.

Muffet breaks the silence: “So uncouth…They didn’t even pay the toll. They could have helped with the castle’s repairs. Alas…”

She turns towards you “It hurts for me to ask you after you’ve helped me deal with that thing, but I would appreciate it if you spared some money for a struggling Queen” [it is optional, however donating money will grant you some healing items in return].

Regardless of choice, she will let you through the old exit to Hotland.

The Amalgamate returns in random encounters until the end of the area, using stronger versions of previous attacks [not as strong as those used in the genocide route].

At the end of the area, on top of her cliff, Undyne awaits you. “Bad news, little fella. I have received...orders.” She jumps off, starting the fight.

-BOSS: UNDYNE (pacifist)-

She uses stronger versions of her green heart attacks from UT but will never turn you SOUL red so as to not let you escape. To compensate, her white bullet patterns allow your green soul’s shield to rotate 360 degrees, meaning you’ll have to be precise with how you rotate the shield.

In addition to the returning attacks, she would feature new attacks in: a barrage of homing spears coming from various directions, a spear spiral [similar to Jevil’s spade attack], bombs that cover the entire screen [you have to shield the blast].

After surviving for about 8 turns, she’ll use her final attack: a combination of all of the above, followed by a long homing spear barrage coming from random directions. Surviving it will frustrate her, causing her to pull out a flask containing a dark fluid. “Alphys said I should only drink this if you retaliated, but...I’M SICK! SICK OF FOLLOWING ORDERS! I OVERTHREW THE GODDAMN KING TO FREE US FROM THIS PRISON! AND FOR WHAT? TO BE SECOND IN COMMAND, AGAIN AND BE TOLD TO SPARE ONE OF THEM?”

She unscrews the container, but out of nowhere…! A small white dog barges in and steals the flask right out Undyne’s hand!

“WAIT! MY HOPES AND DREAMS, CRUSHED BY A DOG?! GET BACK HERE!”

-BOSS END-

You can then access Hotland from the tunnel in the cliff. Right at the entrance you can encounter a demoralized Undyne. “That was embarrassing. Bested by a child and then by a dog. Maybe I do deserve to be second in command. I was just supposed to test you...fine. You can proceed. But don’t expect me to treat you with respect.”

[next: waterfall - genocide route]

[epochxp]

Board Games about the Battle of Budapest, 1945

Hungarian troops man German-made PaK-40 Anti-Tank Gun on the Approaches to Budapest, Winter 1944 | Wikipedia

Until recently, the Battle of Budapest was little known in the West, mainly due to a lack of reliable historical sources available. Since the end of the Cold War, however, this has changed, especially with the release of the book The Siege of Budapest, 100 Days in World War II, by Krisztián Ungváry. The author has read it and if you have any sort of interest in this battle, this is the book to read first.

Since the sources have improved and more sources become available, we’ve seen a much clearer picture of the 100-day fight for the city and the four separate attempts by the Germans to relieve the city. All of this conspired to make a true hell on earth that some historians have said is worse than Stalingrad. In the end, 80,000 Soviets soldiers, as well as 38,000 German and Hungarian soldiers and another 38,000 Hungarian civilians lost their lives. It was truly a vicious fight to the last and definitely one worthy of being the subject of some boardgames.

So, what’s out there for the discerning wargamer?

Board Game Geek

Like most of the games about fighting, this game is centered around the attempts to relieve Budapest through the various German offensives (Konrads I-III and Spring Awakening), all of which failed. By the end of January 1945, no more efforts were made to relieve the city, with it finally falling to the Russians on the 14th of February after an abortive breakout attempt.

I own the game, but haven’t had a chance to play it. I will say, graphically, it looks very good, with well laid-out counters, maps, and play aids. This was, admittedly, a “grail game” of mine, and I was glad I finally got a copy. I have read the rules and some of them are a bit confusing, but I was told some house rules can polish this rough gem of an experience. The situation is a desperate one on both sides, as both sides are playing “beat the clock” from the outset, with the Russians trying to take Budapest before the end of the game and the Germans trying to relieve Budapest before the Russians take the city or the game ends. 

While the game is out of print, it’s available on Board Game Geek, but it’s a bit pricy. I am happy to say that there is a VASSAL module for the game, so online play is an option. I’d definitely recommend Bitter End, even with its minor issues. 

Board Game Geek

I have not failed to like a single game from Against the Odds, and this is no exception. One of the few operational games about the battle for the city, the game itself is a visual feast and I was very impressed with it. The map itself is based on a 1943 map of the city and it just exudes period feel. As for the game itself, it’s a slog, no question about this, and there’s not much in the way of tension, but it does demonstrate what a nightmare urban combat truly is. But it’s a mental endurance exercise to play. Quick, this game is not. I still recommend it, but expect to be in this game for the long haul. 

The good news is that the game is more than available from ATO as a back issue, and between the game and the well-researched articles about the battle itself, I’d say it’s well worth the purchase price.

Board Game Geek

Part of the excellent Gamer’s/MMP Operational Combat Series (OCS), Hungarian Rhapsody is one of the first wargames about the entire campaign written by a Hungarian designer. I would say this is very important as well. They can certainly access sources most of the English-speaking community cannot. He also met with Mr. Ungváry about the game, especially the Budapest portions. The game went through a nine-year development process, five of those being playtests. It’s a testament to how much work that went into this game. It’s a game that covers the entire Hungarian campaign from the Summer of 1944 to the beginning of 1945, and it’s a game I’d certainly love to get my hand on.  The scope of the game is impressive, as taken from the designer’s website:

The Battle of Debrecen, one map, 7 Turns

Grand Campaign, two maps, 43 Turns

The Battle of Debrecen, two maps, 7 Turns

From Debrecen to Budapest, two maps, 25 Turns

Operation Budapest, two map scenario, 17.5 Turns

Operation Budapest, two map Campaign Start, 34.5 Turns

Race to Budapest, two map large scenario, 7 Turns

Race to Budapest, 1.5 map small scenario, 7 Turns

Race to Budapest, two map Campaign Start, 25 Turns

Konrad I-II, one map, 3 Turns

Konrad I-II-III, one map, 13 Turns

Konrad I, two map Campaign Start, 17 Turns

Konrad III, one map, 4 Turns

Konrad III, two map Campaign Start, 12 Turns

Südwind, one map, 3 Turns

It’s a hefty pricetag at $140, but it is well worth the effort and time that was put into this project, but it can be found cheaper through Board Game Geek and ebay. There is also a VASSAL module that facilitates online play. All in all, this was a gargantuan effort that I hope I get a chance to play soon.

In an unrelated note, I wish to inform you all this will be my final article for the Epoch Xperience blog. I’m not leaving Epoch XP, but being asked to take over another large project you’ll be hearing about very soon. I am certainly very excited about it and hope you will be too once I get a chance to reveal what it is. Be patient, I promise it will be worth the wait. It’s been a pleasure to share my thoughts about wargaming and to hear your responses to my work on social media. 

I hope the discussion continues, and, as always, Good Gaming, Everyone.

At Epoch XP, we specialize in creating compelling narratives and provide research to give your game the kind of details that engage your players and create a resonant world they want to spend time in. If you are interested in learning more about our gaming research services, you can browse Epoch XP's service on our parent site, SJR Research.

--

(This article is credited to Jason Weiser. Jason is a long-time wargamer with published works in the Journal of the Society of Twentieth Century Wargamers; Miniature Wargames Magazine; and Wargames, Strategy, and Soldier.)

[theoriginalladya]

Destiny’s Fate (update)(main story)

Chapter 20:  Distraction

Word count:  approximately 3900

Read from the beginning of the story on AO3 here

Read the entire series on AO3 here

Excerpt:

Not unexpectedly, war was chaos and as such, timelines and order of battle were fluid despite the best laid plans.  Common sense dictated this, but somehow in all the confusion of escaping Sol, seeking assistance from the Council and filling out the crew of the Normandy, it slipped Jane’s mind in the moment.  

The call from Hackett, one based off high level intel, became priority and resulted in a detour on the way to Palaven.  A long, opposite-side-of-the-galaxy detour, but Cerberus was involved.  Add in Reaper tech, and even Jane couldn’t argue the necessity.  The Illusive Man was up to something, that much was certain, and it couldn’t be good. If they could nip him in the bud, so to speak, then she could focus solely on the Reapers.  The intel was good, she couldn’t argue that, and if the mission was successful, it could well be their second big break in this war.

Call completed and a quick stop by the galaxy map to change course along with a brief conversation with Traynor, Jane then headed up to her cabin.  For the first time in two days – was it only two days? – she had a moment in which to catch her breath.  

Entering the cabin this time, she paused to look around.  There were some minor changes in the décor from her last stint as captain, but that was about it.  Anything of major importance was pretty much the same.  Fish tank, display shelves, even the miniature galaxy map on her desk remained in place.  The only major source of disappointment came from the fact that anything personal was missing; her fish and Boo, in particular, were not present, and the books she’d been given by Kasumi.  Even the model kits she’d spent so many hours building under the guise of ‘physical therapy’ per Dr. Chakwas’ orders had been removed.  At some point, she hoped, they could be replaced.  After all, it wasn’t like having pets or hobbies on the Normandy really helped with the war effort or anything in the grander scheme of things, and this time around, the need for continued physical therapy focused on fine motor skills was far less.

Still, one thing became quite obvious as she searched the quarters; examining each storage area only reiterated to her that the original plan for this war was for Anderson to return to command.  Fresh dress blues, a few pairs of fatigues, and an assortment of other clothing were tucked away neatly waiting for his arrival.  Jane bit back a grimace, her thoughts returning to that moment over Vancouver; Make them listen! Never before in her career had such a heavy burden been placed upon her shoulders by a direct order.  Hand clenching around the soft cotton of the N7 hoodie in her hands, eyes closed tightly, she prayed she had the strength and skill necessary to make it happen. Letting humanity down, letting him down, was not an option in her book.

With the assistance of EDI, a small crate containing Alliance uniforms in her size as well as a couple of casual outfits for when they were on shore leave was located on the ship.  Vega’s assistance was enlisted to retrieve it, but when he arrived on the doorstep to the cabin, she was shocked to find his arms filled with two.  “What’s this?  EDI said only one crate – ?”

Chuckling, he maneuvered his way into the cabin around her and set them on the floor next to her desk.  “Found the larger one while tracking the other down and thought it might … interest you.”

“Oh?”  Her gaze narrowed on him, suspicion flooding her system.  “Lieutenant, what are you up to?”

He grinned. “EDI said you wouldn’t mind, Lola,” he promised.  Dusting his hands off, he glanced around the room.  “Need any more help?”  

Suspicion bled into curiosity, and Jane started with the larger of the crates.  The moment it was open, however, understanding dawned and she couldn’t hold back a gasp of surprise mixed with a soft squeal of delight as she clasped her hands together.  Contained inside the crate were the models she’d so diligently worked on the previous year.  Beaming over at the lieutenant and feeling lighter than she had since … well, since being brought back to life, really, she nodded and cleared a space on her desk. Climbing up, she said, “Hand those to me one at a time, please,” she requested as she slid the doors open....

[duhragonball]

Field Guide to the Rock Humans

I wrote this earlier today and Tumblr ate the post.   I've noticed that ever since Tumblr last changed the dashboard, this will happen.   I don't think it saves drafts like it should, and if you zoom in on the screen too much it closes the post editior window.   So I'm doing what I used to do on Livejournal and writing this out on Notepad before I commit to posting.   So Tumblr's regressed to 2005 standards.  

Anyway, what I want to do here is go over all the Rock Humans in JoJolion.    While reading Part 8, I kept getting frustrated that there seemed to be an endless supply of Rock Humans running around, and every time Josuke turns around, there's another one waiting for him.  

But as it turns out, there really aren't that many of these guys.   The JoJo Wiki lists 13 characters, and three of them are Rock Animals who may not even have Stands.   Two of them are the A. Phex brothers, who are only a threat when they work together, so really, you're only dealing with nine Stand Battles, which seems like a pretty reasonable number when you put it that way.    Even so, I want to write all this out, because it helped me make better sense of the plot.  

What I'm going to do here is list each character, with their Stand's name in [Brackets], followed by the span of their first appearance to when they were last active.    Let's get the Rock Animals out of the way first, since they're fairly minor characters.

A. Iwasuke, JJL #22-Present

Iwasuke is either a stray dog who wandered onto the Higashikata estate, or he was purposely sent there by Yotsuyu Yagiyama to get Tsurugi's attention.   I just assumed Iwasuke was a normal dog who somehow got strange rock characteristics from all the weird stuff going on with the Wall Eyes and the Higashikata land and whatever else, but the JoJo Wiki calls him a Rock Animal, so okay.  Whatever his ties to Yotsuyu, Tsurugi adopted the dog after Yotsuyu's death, and gave him the name Iwasuke.   I don't think he's appeared since Chapter 77, but as far as I know he's still alive.  

B. Doremifasolati Do, JJL #65-70

Unlike Iwasuke, Doremi is unmistakably a Rock Animal because he looks absolutely nothing like any real-world animal.   He burrows underground, and his master, Urban Guerrilla, can ride inside him like a tank.   They died together while fighting Josuke Higashikata, Rai Mamezuku, and Yasuho Hirose.

C. "Hair Clip Rock Animal", JJL #71

This creature lived and died in 2005, several years before JoJolion takes place.   A 13-year-old Yasuho purchased a hair clip, not realizing it was actually a Rock Animal.  For some reason it inflicted various misfortunes upon her, including a dandruff-like skin condition, and making her see a simulation of her father telling her that he would never visit her again.   Yasuho nearly committed suicide because of the Rock Animal's machinations, but Dr. Holly Kira saved her.   While in the hospital, her son Yoshikage Kira stepped on the hair clip, never realizing that it had been alive.  

I never quite understood the point of this flashback, except to illustrate the depth of the connection between Yasuho and Josuke, and to show that the Rock Humans must be inherently evil, since even Rock Animals appear to delight in cruelty and suffering for some reason.    

And now the Rock Humans.  

1. Yotsuyu Yagiyama, [I Am A Rock], JJL #26-32

Yagiyama was the first Rock Human in the series.  He claimed to have killed Yoshikage Kira, but in the flashback shown in Chapters 50-53, that's not actually how it went down.  Like all Rock Humans, he had no name until he stole the identity of some unsuspecting human.   Yotsuyu became an architect, building the Higashikata House, as well as renovating the Morioh baseball stadium.   But he was also part of the Locacaca Organization, a group of Rock Humans who smuggle Locacaca fruit into Morioh to sell to humans and for research at the TG University Hospital.   Yotsusu was with the smuggling wing of the group.  

Pre-JoJolion, Yoshikage Kira and Josefumi Kujo stole a branch from one of their imports, and Yotsuyu and his boss Tamaki Damo ambushed them and interrogated them to get it back.  Later, he discovered Josuke at the Higashikata house, and manipulated Tsurugi into helping him trap Josuke.   His plan ultimately failed, and he died when Josuke submerged him in the sea to interrogate him.   When his body collapsed into rubble, Josuke and Norisuke Higashikata realized that they were dealing with a group of inhuman enemies.

"I Am A Rock" has the power to cause specific objects of Yotusuyu's choosing to fly toward his target.   He has to touch a target to activate the ability, and then the objects will be attracted to the victim and eventually push throug the victim's flesh to reach his very center.  

2. Aisho Dainenjiyama, [Doobie Wah!], JJL #38-42

Aisho was apparently the sales and delivery guy for the Locacaca smuggling ring.  Pre-Jojolion, Kira and Kujo stole a Locacaca Branch from him while he was transporting it through town.  

Following Yotsuyu's death, Yasuho Hirose discovered his connection with Aisho, who worked as a security guard at the baseball stadium Yotsuyu renovated.   She and Tsurugi tried to spy on him, only to run afoul of his Stand.   During the battle, it was revealed that Aisho knew Jobin Higashikata, but he was killed before anyone could find out the extent of that relationship.    

Doobie Wah! is an automatic pursuer Stand.  When activated, it chases after the victim, producing miniature tornadoes from the victim's own breath.   These tornadoes will attack the victim relentlessly, and the only real defense is to stop breathing or attack Aisho directly.    

3. A. Phex the Elder [Schott Key No. 1] JJL #44-46 4. A. Phex the Younger [Schott Key No.2] JJL #44-46

These two guys were the assassins for the Locacaca Organization.   Pre-Jojolion, they were tasked with pursuing Kira and Kujo after they escaped from Damo and Yotsuyu.   Then they were sent to kill Karera Saknami, due to her connection with Kira, and followed her for trail for six months.

Their chase led them back to Morioh, where Josuke saved Karera from their attack.    She then returned the favor, setting the brothers on fire while they were attacking Josuke.  

Their Stands are somewhat limited in power.   Schott Key No. 1 merely teleports objects from the left hand to the right.   Schott Key No. 2 emits toxic gas at all times, so the user has to keep it inside a soccer ball most of the time, as even he is not immune to the gas.  Working together, the brothers can combine their abilities to be more formidable.  

5. Tamaki Damo [Vitamin C] JJL #47-55

Damo ran the "Damo Kan" Cleaning Service as a front for his smuggling ring.   When his four subordinates all perished, he seduced Hato Higashikata so that she would bring him home to meet her family.    Once inside, he used his Stand to incapacitate them all, hoping to interrogate them for answers.   But Josuke appeared and managed to free Hato, enabling her to fight back against Damo with her own Stand.  Before dying, he offered to help Josuke get Locacaca fruit for his mother, but Josuke killed him instead.

Vitamin C liquefies its victims, reducing them to malleable fluids that Damo can torment with ease. The ability is triggered once the target touches Damo's fingerprints, so his strategy is to enter a room without being suspected and then touching lots of things so that his victim will touch the same objects without realizing the danger they're in.  

6. Dolomite, aka Masaji Dorokoma [Blue Hawaii] JJL #59-63

This guy was never part of the Locacaca gang, and had no interest in the Locacaca fruit, because he lost his limbs and most of his teeth in an accident, and figured the fruit's equivalent exchange powers would do him no good, since he was missing too many body parts already.  

But somehow, Dolomite knew Jobin Higashikata, who sought his help in obtaining the "new" Locacaca fruit that would come from the stolen branch that was hidden somewhere in the Higashikata Estate by Yoshikage Kira and Josefumi Kujo.   Jobin suggested that this new breed of fruit might even be able to heal Dolomite, so he agreed to make a go for it. Instead, he was defeated by Yasuho Hirose before he could kill Josuke and tell Jobin what he had learned from him.  

Notably, Dolomite is the one Rock Human that the good guys haven't killed.  Josuke decided that he's no longer a threat, and he doesn't really know anything.  

Blue Hawaii can control the mind of a victim once they touch something that was connected to the user, like a tooth.  The victim will attack and pursue Dolomite's target, and the mind control can be transferred to another victim on contact.  Blue Hawaii seems to only be able to control one person at a time, but the power is very difficult to escape, so the only real defense is to attack the user.

7. Urban Guerrilla aka Dr. Ryo Shimosato, [Brain Storm] JJL #65-70

The other side of the Locacaca Organization was a group of four Rock Human doctors based out of the TG University Hospital.    Dr. Ryo Shimosato, operating under the guise of "Urban Guerrilla" was sent to intercept Josuke and the "Plant Appraiser", Rai Mamezuku, before they can locate the New Locacaca branch on the Higashikata estate.  He was defeated, along with his Rock Animal, Doremifasolati Do.   Unlike Damo's group of smugglers, who were only out to recover their stolen property and protect their secrets, the four doctors seem to view the New Locacaca branch to be a breakthrough discovery, and they want to take possession of it for their own research.  

Brain Storm is perhaps one of the bullshittiest Stands of them all, in that it's not only incredibly overpowered, but also fails to actually do what's it's supposed to do whenever it's inconvenient for the plot.    Supposedly, it dissolves flesh, and when it comes into contact with flesh, it drives "feelers" even deeper into the victim, which supposedly causes even more damage from the inside, and it "multiplies exponentially".  So you'd think this would destroy a person within minutes, but instead the good guys just seem to shrug this effect off, because no one has any healing abilities in this part, and no one wants to see the main characters with gaping holes all over their faces.      

8. Poor Tom [Ozone Baby] JJL #70-76

This is the second of the four doctors, although we never got a real name for the guy.   Does everyone in the obstetrics ward call him "Doctor Poor Tom?"  Following Urban Guerilla's defeat, Poor Tom contacted Jobin Higashikata and offers to stop Josuke from finding the branch.  You'd think that by now Jobin would know better than to trust the Rock Humans, but whatever.  

Jobin buried Poor Tom's Stand, Ozone Baby in the Higashikata Orchard, believing it would prevent Josuke and Rai from entering the property.   Instead, it nearly killed everyone in a 100 meter radius, including Jobin himself.  Tom's real plan was to search the orchard for the branch once everyone was safely dead.  So Jobin set fire to the orchard and called Tom to tell him it was on fire, just so Tom would have to come to the orchard in person and cancel his Stand's attack in order to keep the branch from burning up.   Soon after, he was defeated by Josuke, but he managed to secure a branch and get it to a waiting ambulance, only to die from a gunshot fired by... someone.    But Tom died in vain, as his allies received the branch, only to find that it was not the right one, and Jobin had managed to hide it in his house.  

Ozone Baby alters the atmospheric pressure of its surroundings.  The pressure increases greatly outdoors, but even in an enclosed space, it slowly increases, so that there is no real escape from the effect.  

9. Dr. Wu Tomoki [Dr. Wu], JJL #76-82

The third doctor of the Rock Human cabal at TGU Hospital.   I'm not quite clear on how this got started, but somehow Jobin's wife Mitsuba paid Dr. Wu 200 million yen for medical treatment, and he just kept giving her doses of Locacaca, which would heal one body part only to inflict a new ailment on a different part.   So Mitsuba kept coming back for more treatments.    I'm not sure if Wu was doing this to use Mitsuba as a test subject for his experiements, or if he was just bilking her for money, or if he was using her to get information about the Higashikata household.   Maybe all three.  When Yasuho tracked Poor Tom to the hospital, she discovered Dr. Wu's scheme, and she and Mitsuba fought against him.   Josuke finally killed Wu by drowning him in medical cement.  

Wu's eponymous Stand allows him to transform his body in a cloud of fine particles, which drifts along air currents.  Upon contact with a victim's body, he can penetrate the body and trigger allergic reactions, or fuse with the victim's tissues to control them like a puppet.  

10. Dr. Afeku Satoru [Unidentified Stand], JJL #76-Present.

Presumably the final boss of JoJolion, and the sole survivor of the Locacaca Organization, unless Dolomite wants to join.  

Satoru acts as the Head Doctor of the TGU Hospital, a largely ceremonial role.  His Stand apparenly causes objects to collide with anyone who attempts to follow him or get a look at his face.    The Stand's exact abilities are not yet clear, although it seems reasonable to assume that something has to trigger this ability, since it only seems to work on Satoru's enemies.   He gave a lecture announcing a new Locacaca-based medicine, and his audience was able to see him just fine.  

Satoru appears to show up in multiple places at once, leading Rai Mamezuku to speculate that the image of the elderly doctor is actually the Stand, meaning that the user must be someone else, somewhere else.    Whatever the case, he's been roaming the Higashikata estate, searching for the Locacaca Branch, and in Chapter 96 he entered the house, since that's where Jobin's been keeping it.  

One wonders why he doesn't just strike some kind of deal with Jobin and Josuke.  They only want the fruit to lift the Higashikata Curse and save Holly Kira, and he only seems to want to push the boundaries of modern medicine.   You'd think everyone could get what they want, but Satoru seems to think he's invincible, so maybe he sees no need to bargain.  

More to the point, Holly Kira probably got sick in the first place because she was involved in his Locacaca research to some extent.   She helped set up the lab they used for the research, and when she started asking too many questions, she would up bedridden.   So maybe Satoru doesn't want Holly to recover for fear of the secrets she might reveal, but this begs the question of why he doesn't just have her killed.  

As for Josuke, he seems to have shifted tactics.   Instead of pursuing Satoru at all costs, he's taking Holly's advice and concentrating on a different goal.   If it puts him in Satoru's path, so be it.   On the other hand, Jobin seems to be determined to fight him head-on, which is probably the worst possible move...

[optimusphillip]

OptimusPhillip Reviews 26: Studio Series 59 Shatter

Fourth and final week of Studio Series Shatter and Dropkick. We had a bit of an awkward start, but car mode Dropkick turned out quite well. Today, we will be reviewing jet mode Shatter. Does she keep this new hot streak going, or was Dropkick just a fluke? Well, the fandom seems to love her, so let’s take a look and try to end this subseries on a high note.

Jet Mode

In the movie, Shatter transformed into a McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II. Unlike most Studio Series figures, however, this figure is not actually licensed by Boeing, so it’s not a perfect match for the real vehicle. Most notably, the wing shape is slightly different with under-slung blasters instead of drop tanks and missiles, and there are added fins on the intakes. Still, it looks close enough to the real thing that it looks right for the character. Though like Dropkick, it’s hard to find a clear shot of her in jet mode in the film itself to compare it to, so I can’t tell if the red and black stripes on the fuselage are accurate or not.

What most certainly is not accurate is the exposed legs on the rear undercarriage. Unfortunately, the legs are too heavily detailed for the robot mode to effectively hide in jet mode, so you’re left with a mess of gears, pistons, and armor plates instead of a realistic tail section. On the plus side, though, they do match the curve of the jet decently well, so it all still flows relatively nicely.

This figure also has a rather surprising undocumented feature. The most famous feature of the Harrier jet family is that it possesses vertical take-off and land (VTOL) functionality, and this toy actually features this as well. There’s a panel behind the cockpit, that you can flip open to reveal a pair of VTOL engines, which are also sculpted into the underside. Not only that, but the rockets on the rear of the jet (which, by the way, are compatible with the blast effects from War for Cybertron) can also fold down... even though the real Harrier jet doesn’t have adjustable rockets on the tail. Also, if we want to get technical, the top panel should open double-door style, but it’s still a really cool feature.

Conversion

Shatter has probably the most fun transformation of all four figures. The first time I transformed her, I was practically squealing with how clever the engineering was. The legs transform about the way you would expect: flip down and split the tail, rotate the shins and flip up the feet, though the rear fins do fold up rather nicely. After that, however, is where things get interesting. First, the wings and turbines come apart and fold out on double hinges, then the entire front of the plane folds down to reveal the folded up torso. After that, the arms split apart, the torso rotates, and the head comes up, pretty basic again. But then you return to the backpack and this is my favorite part, to the point where I actually want to give a spoiler warning, because this is truly best experienced blind. If you don’t want to be spoiled on this beautiful piece of engineering, skip ahead to the robot mode section.

You open the VTOL panel and flip the wing-turbine assembly around. Then you take the tip of the nose and fold it up, revealing a slot. That slot connects to a tab on the VTOL panel, which props the entire wing assembly up on her back. I. Love. This! It’s a great way to incorporate what would’ve just been a piece of kibble into the design of the figure and give it an actual purpose. After this, rotate the turbines until they tab into place and bring them down as far as they’ll go. Flip the side panels of the jet up until they’re hidden behind the wings, then rotate the wings down until the swivels for the side panels find their resting spot under the turbine. And now for the coolest part: the front landing gear tabs into the back of her waist, bringing the robot mode together nice and solidly. I repeat: the landing gear is an essential part of the transformation. Is it legal for me to marry an action figure? I think I might be in love. Anyway, once the landing gear is tabbed into place, that’s it: the robot mode is complete.

Robot Mode

This figure is probably the most screen-accurate out of the four I’ve covered so far. The only inaccuracies I can spot are some missing paint apps, the panels on her forearms, and the tail fins on her calves. Aside from that, every detail on this figure is lifted directly from the movie. The turbines and wings on her back, the shape of her shoulder guards, the car parts on her chest, the vents on her kneecaps, even the little nubs on her shins are all just like the film model, and that’s not getting into all of the mechanical detailing on her torso and arms. It legitimately feels like I’m playing with a miniaturized version of the robot from the movie.

This extends into the head sculpt. Unlike the car mode figure, which features her briefly used battle mask, this figure depicts Shatter’s full face, with every individual moving part sculpted in to recreate the movie as close as possible. And aside from some missing silver on her antenna and helmet, everything I can see in the CGI model is present.

Posability-wise, she has a ball-jointed neck, but it can only rotate and look up. Her shoulders are on ball-joints, only limited by her turbines. Bicep swivels and 90 degree elbows on soft ratchets. Ball-jointed hips, with really nice outward range, thigh swivels, and 90 degree knees. For the feet, not only do you get a transformation joint that allows them to move upward, but remember the adjustable rockets in jet mode? Those end up attached to her feet, so you can flip them down to give her rocket boots. Honestly, posability is probably the only spot where she doesn’t wow me, but that’s only because every other figure so far has had good posability... except for her car mode figure.

Finally moving onto accessories, she comes with two guns designed after the forearm cannons she used in the movie. They fit nicely into her hands and give a good illusion of her arms transforming. While they lack any red paint apps, they are a very close match to the shape of the gun in the movie. Plus, the little nubs at the end are just the right size to fit War for Cybertron blast effects. This seems less intentional, though, because they aren’t perfectly round, but it’s still a thing you can do if you want to do it.

Just like the Dropkicks, both Shatter figures are equally tall at the head, so any figure that scales well with one scales well with the other. 

Backdrop

Shatter’s backdrop is dubbed “Sector 7 Deception” on the back of the box, and depicts the inside of Sector Seven Headquarters as seen in the movie Bumblebee. Like most Studio Series backdrops, it’s not a frame perfect recreation of any particular shot, but it bears a close enough resemblance to the set from the movie for me to be happy with it. It helps that the monitor readouts are very nicely detailed, not only with map readouts showing energon surges and a trace on B-127′s location, but lots of little lines of text that are too small to read, but appear to be actual text. If that text is just an illusion, it’s a really good one.

Now is the point where I talk about how the figure fits onto the stand, and... I’m sorry to admit it, but this figure isn’t perfect. Due to the large backpack, the figure cannot stand up straight on the platform without her toes hanging off the edge slightly. You can turn the thighs slightly to fix this, but her backpack still bumps against the backdrop and gets in the way of a lot of poses. And due to her wingspan, she can’t fit on the base in jet mode at all. So despite coming with a display base, you’d probably be better off displaying her on her own.

Final Thoughts

Shatter is a phenomenal figure. For the life of me, I can’t come up with a serious flaw. The jet mode is clean with an fun, unobtrusive feature, the conversion is a marvel of toy engineering, and the robot mode is a perfect representation of the character from the movie. Sure, she has a backpack, but there was no way around that with what the film gave us. This is definitely my favorite figure of either Bumblebee villain, and I would highly recommend her.

[sjrresearch]

Bataan and Corregidor 1941-42 - Part 1

Last Stand of the “Battered Ba%$$rds”

(This article is credited to Jason Weiser. Jason is a long-time wargamer with published works in the Journal of the Society of Twentieth Century Wargamers; Miniature Wargames Magazine; and Wargames, Strategy, and Soldier.)

At the start of the Pacific War, the Philippines became a central target for the Japanese, and the islands were turned into a battleground. The events that unfolded at Bataan and Corregidor during the Japanese assault is not only an important piece of World War II history, it provides an incredible framework for potential wargaming scenarios.

Over a series of three posts, we will look at Bataan and Corregidor in-depth, starting with the lead up to the Philippines’ conflict and ending with an understanding of how learning about these locations can help construct wargaming scenarios. It has also been fodder for several fine boardgames on the topic.

Part 1, The Forces Gather

Author’s Note: Though both Philippine and American units fought in Bataan, I will refer to them as “American” collectively. 

 Most Americans aren’t familiar with names like Bataan and Corregidor. Like most historical topics in grade school, it’s quickly taught and forgotten by everyone, save for historical enthusiasts. In the Philippines, it’s akin to Bunker Hill, or Yorktown. To them, these places are where the modern Philippine nation was founded. Like many others, it was a nation bred on the battlefield.

The Philippines was in a unique state since 1898, when the United States had assumed control of the islands in the wake of the Spanish-American War. In 1935, the Philippines was made an American commonwealth, and a gradual process of making the islands ready for independence by 1946 was begun. To help form an independent Philippine armed forces, General Douglas McArthur was brought in by a Philippine government with the lofty rank of Field Marshal to try to modernize the defenses of the Philippines.

McArthur was seemingly a good choice for advising the nascent Philippine Republic, having served in the islands in his first assignment (1903-1906) after graduation from West Point while his father was Governor-General. He then spent time touring Japan (the future enemy of the Philippines) as his father’s aide de camp, and thus, had seen the Japanese soldier up close. Furthermore, Douglas McArthur and the president of the Philippines, Manuel Quezon, also had a personal relationship, as President Quezon had been friends with McArthur’s father during the latter’s time as Governor-General of the Philippines 35 years before. All of this made McArthur a shoo-in for the job of building a Philippine army. 

There were also other incentives to McArthur taking the job. He had just concluded his term as Army Chief of Staff, and his relationship with the new Roosevelt administration was poor, at best (he had been involved in the suppression of the Bonus Marchers in 1932). Though McArthur completed his term in October of 1935, he probably hoped for a change of scenery. One of the assistants McArthur brought with him on this assignment was none other than Dwight D. Eisenhower. 

What they found was an army that existed only on paper. Weapons were cast-offs from U.S. service and were of dubious provenance. The first class of trainees wasn’t due for another two years, and the camps to train them hadn’t been built either. And the budget to accomplish all of this was paltry at best. The Philippine Army lacked basics, like uniforms and even boots, with many divisions having to make do with the despised blue denim uniforms that had just been put out of U.S. service. The Navy and Air Corps weren’t doing much better, with the latter only forming their first squadron in 1939. 

Worse, the level of training of the Army was poor, with one source stating:

“The men in the 31st Infantry [Division] were more fortunate than those in other regiments, many of whom had never even fired a rifle before entering combat. Nor had their previous five and a half months training under Philippine Army supervision been of much value…Practically none of the men…had fired as many as five rounds with the rifle or the .30 -caliber machine gun. None had fired the .50 caliber machine gun or the mortar.” (pp 29. The Fall of the Philippines, Morton, Lewis, US Army Center for Military History, Washington DC, 1953)

Contrast this with his Japanese opponent, who was most likely a veteran of the ten-year war in China, and was, supply deficiencies aside, well-trained and more than willing to come to grips with his opponent. The Philippine soldier was not ready for war, but war would be thrust upon him anyhow.  This wasn’t true of all Filipino soldiers, as the Philippine Scouts, who numbered 12,000, were considered some of the best troops in the pre-war U.S. Army and were relatively well-equipped. However, they were under direct American command, and not under the command of the Philippine Army.  

The U.S. troops in the islands themselves numbered 31,095 on the eve of war, and they had their own deficiencies. Funds were short for many years, and until September 1941, no reinforcements had arrived from the United States. 

In September, the 200th Coast Artillery Regiment (Anti-Aircraft) arrived, bringing much needed additional anti-aircraft guns. In October, two tank battalions, the 192nd and the 194th, arrived in the islands, with 108 M3 Light Tanks between them, both units were soon formed into a Provisional Tank Group. 

In addition, more P-40s and B-17s arrived to reinforce the U.S. Army Air Corps (USAAC) squadrons deployed throughout the islands. These were some of the most modern aircraft in the USAAC at the time, so this was meant as a deterrent to Japan and a signal that the United States was making a major investment in defense of the islands. At the outbreak of war, there were 277 USAAC aircraft of all types in the Philippines, most either at Clark or Nichols Fields on the main island of Luzon. There was also the construction of additional airfields, and many of them were built just in time. However, early warning capabilities against Japanese air attacks were woefully inadequate, and this would come back to haunt the Americans. For example, of the seven radar sets present in the islands, only two had been set up and were working. 

Meanwhile, the naval presence in the islands was reliant on the U.S. and consisted of the Asiatic Fleet under Admiral Thomas Hart. His force was more to protect American commercial interests in China and “show the flag” rather than be any real impediment to Japanese aggression. The heaviest he had available was the heavy cruiser Houston, and most of the ships he had were of World War I vintage. His air arm consisted of some PBY patrol aircraft, which were useful, and he had at his disposal the 4th Marine Regiment in Shanghai at the beginning of 1941, but the regiment evacuated to the Philippines in late-November. Hart’s hope was that he could rely on support either from the British, or the Dutch, who had larger fleets in Southeast Asia, or the Pacific Fleet in Hawaii. All of these hopes were, of course, to be cruelly dashed when war came. The only ships Hart had in abundance were submarines, having 29 available as of November 1941. However, American torpedo design did little to help these submarines, as the standard Mark 14 torpedo had a high dud rate, and often, American subs were frustrated in the early part of the war in sinking targets they would have otherwise destroyed had they had better torpedoes.

In March 1941, McArthur was recalled to the U.S. Army and was placed in command of all American forces in the Philippines. Despite assurances and little to work with, McArthur had put together a force of 100,000 men to defend the Philippines. But the force still had many deficiencies, and not all of them, despite efforts on both sides of the Pacific to address them, were rectified in time. Many of these deficiencies would haunt the defenders of Bataan in the months to come.

Japanese Forces and Plans

The Japanese invasion plan for the Philippines was part of an even larger strategy that had been arrived at by the Imperial General Headquarters. It had been derived from separate Army and Navy plans, which had differed little in content. The strategic goal was simple: Seize Malaya for its rubber, the Dutch East Indies (Indonesia) for its oil, and expand a defensive perimeter as far out as possible to ensure that any attempt to push the Japanese back was a bloody one, and the Americans and British would prefer a negotiated peace to a long, intractable war. Many of the planned assaults were scheduled to occur within hours of the attack on Pearl Harbor. 

The Philippines was an objective for two reasons. First, it was a linchpin in the sea lines of communication (SLOC) with the proposed advance into the Dutch East Indies and Malaya. The islands needed to fall to ensure the Japanese had a secure rear area. Secondly, Manila harbor was, and still is, one of the finest deep-water ports in Southeast Asia. The Japanese needed access to that as well to sustain their advance to the south. 

The plan as it stood was for simultaneous air attacks on all American installations within hours of the attack on Pearl Harbor. While this was going on, the Japanese 14th Army was to land along the north coast of Luzon and at Davao on the island of Mindanao. Both islands were the most populated in the Philippine chain. The initial objective was to seize airfields to allow the Japanese Army Air Force to provide direct air support to the forces ashore. Once the main part of the USAAC strength was wiped out, the bulk of the 14th Army was to land in Lingayen Gulf just north of Manila and Limon Bay, southeast of Manila. The two prongs of advance were then to advance quickly to Manila, trap the Americans between them, and destroy the enemy in a decisive battle somewhere near Manila. The 14th Army, under the command of General Masaharu Homma, had been given 50 days to complete this task, whereupon half of his command and most of his air support would leave to support operations to the south. As we shall see, the Japanese came nowhere close to meeting this ambitious timetable.

The Japanese planning and information gathering had been meticulous, and they had a very good idea what they would be facing in the Philippines. The Japanese were of the opinion that Americans were good soldiers, but not up to the task of prolonged combat in the tropical jungles that made up a good portion of Luzon. Additionally, Japan did not think much of the Philippine soldier at all. 

The main flaw in the Japanese invasion planning was they expected the American force would make its last stand around Manila, and then die in place. The Japanese had no plan for any contingency where the Americans withdrew into Bataan and fortified the peninsula. 

As the Japanese expected a relatively easy campaign, they only allotted two divisions, the 16th and 48th Infantry Divisions. It was this over-confidence and optimistic planning that would cost them dearly in the campaign to come. 

To be continued in Part 2 – The Curtain Rises – War Comes to the Philippines 

At SJR Research, we specialize in creating compelling narratives and provide research to give your game the kind of details that engage your players and create a resonant world they want to spend time in. If you are interested in learning more about our gaming research services, you can browse SJR Research’s service on our site at SJR Research.

[light-and-heartful]

These commercials gave me an idea for a toyline called “Insect Raiders”

it’s about 4 factions (each known as colonies and are represented by Color) of almost microscopic beings who live in in a common neighborhood household and backyard, and each faction has a team of militants that pilot mechanized vehicles that are the shape and size of ordinary bugs

each faction has a different goal to their lifestyle

the Blue Colony just want to protect greens and prevent any harm to any living creature, including the humans, their leader controls a tank that’s a horned beetle, a Strongman controlling a tank that a Rolly Polly, a Scientist controlling a walker that’s a Mantis, a Female Rookie controlling a jet that’s a Bee (who was kicked out of the Yellow Colony, but we’ll get to that later), and a Young Little Girl who controls a tank that’s a Caterpillar (which later in the series it evolves into a flying tank that’s a Butterfly)

the Green Colony wants to keep and eat everyone’s food for themselves and they mean everyone’s from the Humans to the People, they do this by using Tanks that look like Roaches, Jets that look like Flies, Hopping Tanks that look like Grasshoppers, and 3 wheeler off-road army rovers that look like Ants, they’re led by one of the Drivers of the Roaches, but later a guy joins the colony with a Mammoth car-esc tank (after leaving the Blue Colony when he first gets there cause he wanted a more fun lifestyle) and becomes leader of the colony after defeating the Roach driver leader in battle

the Red Colony wants two things only, bloodshed and violence, they are completely psycho to kill everyone and destroy all the other colonies, they use blood to moisturize their skin, they’re leader is an insane Cruela DeVille-esc woman dedicated to getting her blood for her skin and drives a Walker Tank that looks like a Black Widow, and has an army of mini-walkers that look like small Tarantulas, High Octane Jets that look like Mosquitoes, and little army Jeeps that look like Fleas & Ticks, and after the lady was defeated, there later would become a new Judge Doom-esc leader that controls a tank that looks like a scorpion

& the Yellow Colony steals the plants and nature from the gardens all to power their hive, will protect them by any means necessary & kill anyone that will get in their way, they consists of fighter jets and planes that all look like various stinging insects (Hornets, Wasps, Yellow Jackets, etc...) and the Bee rookie from the Blue Colony was kicked out because she focused on keeping the power to one Sun Flower rather than the colony’s power

the toys would basically be miniaturized & motorized bug vehicles that each have a cockpit and comes with a mini-figure and interchangeable weapon 

some move with the motorization of the vehicle while some are plastic rockets and launch spinners, some like the beetle & roach tanks will move on the ground on wheels, 

the jets will not actually fly but will move their wings up and down through motorization

the Ant, Flea, & Tick rovers will be little microsized motorized cars they’ll come in a pack of 12 and one big one and the way it would work is that the big will leave an invisible trail when it moves and then the other micros will follow that invisible path,

also there would be special ones, including a motorized Caterpillar that have hanger wings pop out to make it glide in the air when thrown, motorized hopping Grasshoppers, Motorized Walking Mantis, a Big sized Centipede Tank with motors on each two wheel connection, a big sized Walker Black Widow with miniature tarantula walkers

it will have comics, a 90s style cartoon, and will have a Beast Wars feel to it (not by animation, the animation will 2D, I’m talking about a mix of action, drama, comedy, and characters)

would that be good?

[bysombreseas]

Villain Spotlight - Yoshikage Kira

Greetings, readers! Let me begin with a quick summary of today’s source material; Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure. Started in 1987 by Hirohiko Araki, the series focuses on members of the Joestar family, each story arc revolving around a different ‘Jojo’. Jotaro Kujo, Joseph Joestar, etc., I think you get the point. Originally Jojo was about vampires and its protagonists used the sunlight focusing martial art Hamon to defeat them. Villains at the time included recurring antagonist Dio Brando, and the Pillar Men, immortal half-naked Aztec bodybuilders. Later on, Araki transitioned to characters fighting with Stands, psychic manifestations of a user’s fighting spirit. Each stand has its own name, design, and powers, often based on the personality of their user.

Whether you read the manga or watch the anime adaptation, Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure is an experience. There’s the constant posing of its characters, the hyper-muscular designs in its early art style, the bizarre personality quirks of side characters and antagonists… the show/manga has a lot of weird, crazy shit that fans have memed into oblivion. But beyond its ridiculous costumes, powers, and battles, Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure is actually really good. It’s not just funny, there are also likeable protagonists, high-stakes conflicts, and some genuinely reprehensible and terrifying villains. And that’s what we’re here to talk about today; Yoshikaga Kira, the main villain of Jojo’s fourth story arc.

To paraphrase his own self-description, Yoshikage Kira is 33 years old. His house is in the northeast section of the small town of Morioh, where our story takes place. He isn’t married, and he works as an employee for the Kame Yu department store, though he makes sure to get home by 8PM at the latest. He doesn’t smoke, but occasionally drinks. He’s in bed by 11:00PM, to make sure he gets eight hours of sleep, no matter what. Usually he has a glass of warm milk and does some stretches before bed. He never has problems sleeping until morning, like a baby, and wakes up without any fatigue or stress from bad dreams.

A nondescript man, by the sound of it. And that’s the way Kira likes it. He just wants to live a quiet life, like a flower, undisturbed by others. Except there’s one problem, one tiny, insignificant compulsion he has so much trouble ignoring. Kira likes hands, women’s hands, and over the course of his life he has killed forty eight women and severed their hands in order to keep them as his own. It isn’t hard for Kira to get away with murder, of course, for like most characters in Jojo he too has a Stand power; his Stand Killer Queen can turn anything he wants into a bomb, allowing him to implode the bodies of his victims without so much as a shred of evidence.

In a lot of ways Kira embodies the best of both parts of Jojo. On one hand he’s anime David Bowie, whose powers are all named after Queen songs. He serenades the severed hand of his latest ‘girlfriend’, talks about how the Mona Lisa gave him an erection, and inadvertently causes a disgruntled housewife to fall in love with him after disguising himself as her husband. Then there’s the time he had a near-death battle with a sentient flower that’s actually also a cat. Yes. That happened.

But at the same time, Kira is a horrible man whose mundanity disguises his predatory behavior and sadistic streak. Unlike many serial killers in fiction, Kira makes little effort to pursue the protagonists once his secret is out, instead concealing his identity and trying to return to his ‘quiet life’. He does not indulge in over the top murders, he doesn’t taunt the protagonists with haunting phone calls at 1:00am, he just tries to keep his identity a secret. As far as Kira is concerned, his compulsion is an unfortunate personality quirk, but nothing that should keep him from being happy.

And this mundane treatment of his murders is what makes him so unique. In a lot of fiction, we’re introduced to serial killers through some graphic murder, or shots of their torture chamber. With Kira we get an episode of him going out to buy lunch at his favorite sandwich shop, remarking on the beauty of the day, all the while a severed hand rests in the bag he’s holding. This juxtaposition is almost more terrifying than those torture chambers in a lot of ways, because Kira’s ‘normality’ is a lot closer to how real-life killers operate, these bland individuals whose quiet lives are only punctuated by their victimization of others.

As I mentioned earlier, Kira’s powers reflect his nature as a killer. His Stand, Killer Queen, this derpy pink muscular catlike thing, can turn anything into a bomb. Later on in the series he demonstrates a variety of different powers (a miniature tank-stand, the ability to ‘blow up time’, normal stuff really) and goes through several redesigns as he attempts to conceal his identity from the protagonists. A deadly foe who seems to have luck itself on his side, he proves willing to annihilate anyone that might expose his identity to the world, even children, if need be.

At the same time, Kira is never treated as invincible. He isn’t one of these killers who is ten steps ahead of the protagonists. Much of the latter half of the arc shows him struggling with keeping his identity hidden. It gives an element of tension to his scenes because he is really forced to think on his feet. You can never be sure when he’ll be found out, or how he’ll defeat his opponents. As his quiet life is disrupted, he grows increasingly desperate to find an outlet for his compulsions, culminating in one, final a climactic battle against the good guys.

Though Kira is ultimately defeated, we’ll always have a manga and anime series to remember him by, and a glorious English mistranslation of his arc. Hope you all enjoyed this Villain Spotlight. And have a beautiful duwang.

[nixalegos]

⇘ - Has your muse ever used a combat vehicle or siege weapon in battle? Were they enthusiastic about it?

Tagging @astralfox0893, @thalsianiii and that anon for this ask! Hope you enjoy!))

Somewhere on Argus, One Year AgoHeavy boots clanged as they carried the warlock down from the upper portions of the oddly designed bastion. He was running, because the entire structure had just started shaking as if on impact, and as a rule, anything that could cause a felsteed citadel to shake was bad news indeed, and his new spoil of war was simply too precious to lose.So it shocked him when he saw forces of the Army of the Light hobbling -in- swords and shields ready. “Wait! This one is mortal!” Came one, busy half carrying half dragging another who’d seen better days.“What in the HELLS is going on.” Nix said in obvious bewilderment.“We’re doomed!” Moaned from one of the injured Lightforged.“Elf, we are stuck, the Legion have us trapped in here bearing wounded, one of the champions and rest of the Army have already portaled away from that...colossus. We’re too far away now to call for help! And the Legions reinforcements are coming in from the other side. Make peace with the Light, our only hope lays with it now.” The leader of the band said solemnly.“Oh for Fel’s Sake.” The warlock snarled, coming closer to see just how damaged the rag tag band was. “How many.”“A battalion, maybe two, mechanized things, like those along the far wall.” A refit bay held a line of mortar tanks, set on anti gravity pods and half treads, all in various states of damaged.“I meant how many wounded...but I can’t think of a better disguise then six tons of legion forged felsteel.” The warlock said looking to where the other pointed, his mind already set on a plan of action as the others caught on.They sealed the hatch behind themselves in the least damaged one.

Nix had to crouch and lean over the controls, the pilots seat made for something a few feet taller then himself, a wraithguard, surely. Holographic control surfaces and 360 degree view. He had to hand it to the Legion, he’d never bothered to investigate one of the few burned out hulks left on the Broken Shore, but their vehicles came with a surprising amount of convenience and comfort. The symbols were in demonic, but off somehow, a military lingo he couldn’t quite translate.

“Engine works, hull is at...either eighty or twenty seven percent integrity? Cannon is jammed, unable to move.” He said as his gauntleted hands flew over the flashing symbols and the death spewing cannon carrier lurched to life, the sound of grinding motors and pistons and magic spinning up as they pulled out and facing the exit door. “We can fire to our left and behind us. That’s it.” “How much more time do we have til they come here?” The warlock said, curious.“Less then a minute, why?” The leader said, clutching one of their squadmates, invoking what healing they could.“Firing.” A blob of liquid felfire brighter then a sun streaked and smashed into the remaining damaged mortars, sending metal and sparks launched in every direction. “Let the Wyrmtongues fix -that-.” He said with a half mad cackle as they rolled out onto the dead worlds soil. And Nix instantly stopped laughing.“Oh fuck.” He said mostly to himself as the cracked viewplate showed a display of red stone like flesh stories tall, and the very air in the surrounding area choked with fire. A titan. A literal titan. Even a mile away it was impossible to mistake the stoic unfeeling expressionless face of a titan.And Nix only knew of one red skinned titan loyal to the Legion. No, not loyal...In command of. Was this the face of Sargeras himself? But it couldn’t be. It looked nothing -like- the images and descriptions ever told. Was there MORE, some lesser copycat? A son?He was so busy staring he didn’t even notice the imps and eredar striding past them, not attacking, heading into the building they’d just left.Sweat had beaded on his brow now as communications buzzed to life, a series of messages, pings, and demands of acknowledgement came from the other mortars they rolled towards drew his attention. He didn’t know the proper codes. He couldn’t properly -read- what was being said without time to properly translate.“HANG ON.” He yelled behind him as he forced the hulk of the craft to turn, and simply slammed the fire control. Over and over, fast as the power cycler could reload, three miniaturized suns streaking landing on the two closest tanks, and then turned them around as the third realized it was a captured vehicle, a started to fire back, nearly turning the damaged mortar to flip from the impact, but landed shakily, and rocketing past the wall of infantry.He said nothing, knowing others would get the signal now to fire upon them. He needed speed or shields, or a proper damn CANNON, he twisted the tank, the dull -THUMP- of a Dreadguard caught under the gav generator, crushing them and rolling past to grind them under the treads. “How far to the nearest fall back point!” He screamed as he alternated firing and feeding power from the drive to the cannon and back again.“Three, maybe four miles! We were expecting the Vindicaar to portal us away!”Nix could feel his teeth rattle inside his skull as every fresh impact, every dip and bump in the way forward slowed them down, forced them to go around, losing ground or cover in turn. Worse, the rest of the Legions forces were now hot after them, screaming for blood at their audacious deception. Nix spun the heavy gun around to the only other direction it could fire, the entire mortar rocketing forward as the next blast was sent screaming back into the face of their pursuers.He was cackling now, mad with joy as he saw soil streak in a bloody plume of fire and ash, again and again he sent more instant death the demons way, forcing THEM to take cover. To hell with the oversized giant now turning to observe the commotion! He’d fire at its ugly face too!The momentum generated by the cannon gave them the edge, the line of demons and their own siege craft slowly grew father and father away as they bolt blasted their way up a mountainsides low slopes, until it at last  enough coolant and...slime overheated the engine a mere twenty minutes away from the nearest outpost of the Light. They crawled out, bruised, bloodied, but alive.Nix was sweating, shaking, nerves a buzz and now, dead set. If he lived through this, he was so going to build his own one day.

[skelegun]

Pardon my terrible photography. Here are most of my *finished* Night Lords miniatures. I got really into the Night Lords when I read Aaron Dembski-Bowden’s fantastic novel Soul Hunter, which came out in 2010, so that places all except the bottom two dudes as almost ten years old! At the time I wanted to go with a Chaos-Space-Marines who-don’t-really-worship-Chaos-but still-want-to-look-like-edge-lords aesthetic of the novel, so I used a mix of Chaos Marine and Loyalist bits, and very few if any 8 pointed stars on this guys. The Dreadnought is an old school solid metal son of a bitch who was awful to build and paint. His crotch plate thing is a Vampire Counts shield. The bottom picture is two guys I painted last night. A lot of my paints had dried up and stuff, but I think they turned out bretty good. One of them was failed venture at doing pre-heresy Night Lords, I’m going to paint up some more of those guys so I’ll have a third squad of five CSMs. The other guy in the pic is a possessed I had laying around, I’m planning on doing a 5 man squad of them as well.  I have a few other basic Night Lord dudes I left out, because they aren’t enough to form a full squad.

My future plans after I finish updating and painting the Heresy era dudes and the rest of the possessed, is to paint this really cool sorcerer I kitbashed to be their HQ. Next, I need to rebase them all on to the 32mm bases that marines use now. After that I’m going to be getting in the mail soon those 2 new Greater Possessed. I also have a 5 man squad of bikers that are in various stages of completion, and I might just have enough stuff to scrimp together a small unit of cultists. After that I’d like to add at least one tank of some kind, after that maybe a squad of combi’d out chosen or termies.

I like to name the unit leaders and stuff, yet the champion for the second squad I guess I never named for some reason. Haven’t thought out super detailed fluff for my warband, but the general idea I have is that after Konrad Kurze was assassinated, Captain Korvinov took his company and what ever external assets and auxillaries he had at his disposal and formed a series of small pirate empires, that would appear, raid Imperial shipping lanes for a few decades, and eventually slink back into warp when things would get too spicy. While he allowed sorcery, he would ruthlessly punish any overt Chaos worship, and refused to side with Abaddon at the beginning of the 13th Black Crusade. Eventually under mysterious circumstances he was injured in battle and forcibly confined to Dreadnought armor, with his once most trusted advisor (my as of yet unpainted, and unnamed sorcerer) taking over the day to day operations, who has decided the ban on chaos worship is too old fashioned and has convinced some of the more unhinged members of the warband to become daemon possessed (”You like being scary right? Whats scarier then being a twisted biomechanical mass of eyes and horns?”)

My ADD manifests itself pretty vividly in my Warhammer 40k miniture collection, as I have tons of dudes, but they are all from different armies. I tend to start projects and never finish them. I’ve wasted a ton of cash on this stuff, since I’ve had a kid though I barely indulge in this stuff anymore except to oggle at the pretty pictures online.

[karmaticinstitution]

Sleep to Rise Again

BakuDeku Positivity Week 2018 || Rise

WC: 2242 | Chapters : 1/2

Bakudeku sleeping habits over the years.

  Bakugou at age five rioted at the prospect of naps, at having a bedtime, at being forced to rest. He was a force of nature, nearly impossible to put to bed. There was too much thrill to being awake, too much excitement for him to stuff it down in favor of something as pathetic as rest. Sleep was for the weak. Heroes didn’t have time for sleep.

  Or that’s how it seemed when Bakugou was five years old.

  “Katsuki. It’s. Time. For. Bed.” Mitsuki scolded through gritted teeth, trying to drag her runt of a son away from the latest battle in Musutafu being covered on the news. It was far too late for him to be sat on the floor, eyes glued to the television screen to absorb every detail and commit it to memory.

  “Deku’s going to know all about it without me then,” he yells back with far more aggression than the average five year old should be able to contain in such a small body.

  “You have school tomorrow,” she fires back, still trying to pull him away from the spot he’s still trying to keep himself into, keeping his center of gravity low and clinging to whatever he can.

  “Exactly! How can we talk about it tomorrow if I don’t know what happens!” Resistance is nearly futile with Katsuki as she finally lets go, unceremoniously dropping him back onto the floor.

  “Izuku probably hasn’t seen it either. He’s probably already in bed, unlike you, brat.” she tries to reason with him. If his best friend can’t be used as motivation, she doesn’t know what will work at this point. It’s the same battle every single day.

  She huffs, dissatisfied with this losing battle, “You can finish this one and then bed. Don’t complain about being tired tomorrow.”

  He hardly even acknowledges her, riveted on the screen once more as he sees explosions in the background, fascinated by the heroes on display. Stifling a yawn, he tries to form a miniature explosion to match the ones on the screen, amazed with his new quirk development.

  “How many times do I have to tell you: no quirks in the house, Katsuki.” Mitsuki opens one eye from where she sits waiting on the couch behind him, falling asleep. He barely pays her any mind, not unusually, until he himself dozes off on the carpet, television still playing recaps of the fight from earlier that day.

  She tuts as she picks him up easily now that he’s dead to the world, unable to stay awake any longer, and tucks him into bed. Sleep is when he defies every opinion anyone forms of Bakugou in the daytime: quiet, sweet, and peaceful. She smiles knowing this is definitely not going to be the case.

  And it definitely isn’t when he wakes up ready to wreak havoc on the world, stomping through their apartment and crankily yelling first thing in the morning while he brushes his teeth. At least she gets a few hours where her son isn’t a complete brat.

When Bakugou is fifteen, he loves to sleep. He adores it, worships the bed he sleeps on and is grateful for any second of slumber he can get.

  Days at Yuuei are exhausting with the way he puts his all into powering his quirk, competing with his classmates, trying to be better on his way to becoming the number one hero of his generation.

  He just got his hero costume, exact to its measurements, composed exactly as he’d requested with what are effectively grenades on his hands. It’s about a week in and he’s still adjusting, as most of his peers are, except for those who’re already near perfection (Todoroki) or aren’t impacted by their costume (Jirou). He heads to the locker rooms, grimy and drenched in sweat. It soaks through his tank top, leaving it to cling to his form.

  Unlocking the door to his unit, he eyes himself in the mirror, seeing the darkening bags beneath his eyes. Kirishima’s shoulders drop at his own form, “Man, that could have gone so much better.”

  He doesn’t even bother looking to know Kaminari is also upset by their loss as a team, but also woozy after short-circuiting, left drooling and running on automatic until he can recharge with some food, a battery, and a nap.

  “Oh, man. Do you think they can get this fixed before next time,” Midoriya bemoans from his seat on the bench. Bakugou remembers the wreck of his costume, he’s most of the reason it’s torn off his body and Midoriya is half naked with only the bare minimum hanging off his core.

  Bakugou slides off his grenades, locking them up for safekeeping, watching Todoroki come up behind Midoriya. He slides a hand over his bare back, “I don’t think this can be fixed at all.”

  Iida chimes in, “Have you considered a different material entirely? Perhaps something that…,” a glance at the ruins of the green fabric, “doesn’t end up gone after every battle.”

  Midoriya sighs, face rubbing the grime on his face. Bakugou spares a moment as he tugs off his arm sleeves, glazing over Midoriya’s figure, noting the freckles spackling his shoulders, the scars branding his body, the definition of his muscle.

  He slams his locker door shut to snap himself out of his reverie, “I’m going to bed. None of you fucks bother me tonight.”

  His friends are all too quick to nod, knowing how seriously Bakugou takes his sleep. The last time someone tried to interrupt, calling Bakugou down for a game in the lounge, Kirishima got a fist to the face and barely managed to harden his skin in time. Nobody is willing to make the same mistake twice.

   At age sixteen, he values his sleep, but he resents it, the way it leaves him more tired than when he went to bed, the way it lets his mind wander and reinvent his capture, grasping at any rest free of nightmares.

  “Bakugou Katsuki, more villainous than a hero,” Dabi taunts him from the nearest bar stool.

  He fights it, thrashing against his seat, hands restrained and mouth enclosed in a metal barrier. He’s treated like a feral animal, chained up and quieted against his every will. It’s just a dream and he can tell by the way his hands clip through the cuffs like a video game glitch. It doesn’t stop the echoing in his head, sounding all too real.

  “If you try anything, you’ll just blow up your own hands. And then you’re what?”

  “Unloved?” Twice chimes in from his lean against the opposite wall. “No, no. Pathetic,” he changes his mind.

  Himiko bends towards him, finger to her chin and licks her lips, “A bloody,” he can hear her salivating in surround sound, “bloody,” she squeals, “ mess .”

  He can feel tears pricking his eyes. It’s true , his mind doesn’t ease him any.

  “He’s an asshole. Nothing more than a success of his quirk. What, when he doesn’t have it?”

Shigaraki doesn’t move, but directs some of his hands towards Bakugou, hovering the loose limbs over his wrists. He taps his dried fingers on the skin, leaving Bakugou’s skin crawling with an itch nobody could scratch. He thrashes under the touch to no avail.

  “Maybe we can find out if he doesn’t want to join us. I could just...,” He presses four fingers into his skin at once. His muscles are tense, taught under the tension in his veins and the skin goes white from the pressure of Shigaraki’s touch, digging into the tissue.

  He can see the last finger approaching his skin, almost in slow motion and he screams. The metal wrapped around his face digs into his cheeks and springs tears to his eyes. His face red in anger, in frustration at this weakness. Why isn’t Deku here yet? Is his last thought as he continues to scream, muffled under the muzzle until he’s not there anymore.

  And he’s thrashing against his sheets, sweating and panting. His screams die out, only a hollow noise coming through his open mouth as his eyes take in his surroundings. When he finally regains his breath, he’s sprawled out, sheets pushed off to the side. He shudders, chest heaving as he looks at the time, a bright white 3:06 displayed on his phone.

He groans, wishing for some undisturbed sleep for once, but it doesn’t seem to be coming any time soon.

   At eighteen, Bakugou misses the bare minimum of sleep he used to get because it’s even less now. Being a hero is everything expected, but it’s also more the way he leaves early in the morning and trudges in, barely willing to cook and eat dinner, before sleeping in the middle of the night. Even then, he’s on call and frequently at that.

  He slides into his apartment, sparse with belongings and minimalistic in design. It has a few photos hung on the walls and they shake when he slams the door shut behind him in exhaustion. He sees a few in the corner of his eye as he walks to his room. He doesn’t need to look to know exactly what they look like.

  Midoriya and him playing with an All Might action figure in their youth. His parents and him after his eighth birthday. It was just them, not that he’d had many friends at the time which was entirely his fault. He’s acknowledged that after some time. It’s a large time gap between that photo and the next— a series of him and Midoriya. His eighteenth birthday party, more of a get-together with the people he finally considers something of friends. Midoriya’s eighteenth birthday party, much more populated, with an entire crowd of attendees, but all of the photos from that night have Midoriya’s eyes glued to Bakugou. The pair of them hanging over each other after graduation, celebratory thrill embedded in their expressions.

  He trudges into his bedroom, shucking off extra layers of clothes to get more comfortable. He wraps himself in the fluffy blankets layered on his bed and plugging his phone in on the bedside table. He gets comfortable, still unused to the new apartment, settling into the mattress. The second his breathing evens out and his joints are relieved of the tension from the day he hears his phone chime.

  He groans, reaching over to slam his hand across the screen and put an end to the buzzing.

  “Meeting at 7, Ground Zero. No need for costumes,” his boss curtly informs.

  He counts it a win that he doesn’t have to get ready in the morning, grunting in response and cutting off the call. He sighs, rolling over to try and fall asleep for the second time.

   When Bakugou is twenty years old, he gets as much sleep as he can, taking in mornings he gets off, finally being acknowledged with some benefits as a hero and getting less of the shitty shift times. At twenty years old, Bakugou is also as deep in the throes of love as he can get. He’s also in love with an absolute fool who, for whatever reason, is also head over heels for him.

  Bakugou used to think mornings were warm and glowy like a hallmark film or like when he’d have breakfast in the Midoriya household on Sunday mornings after a sleepover when he was little. He also used to think mornings were meant for getting up and tackling the day with vigor.

  At twenty years old, he finds out that mornings, before the sun rises, are blue and grey, bleary and bright. He also finds out that as much as he loves to sleep and hates to cut it short, he much prefers to see Midoriya curled up on his side of their bed in their apartment.

  He gets to see Midoriya, soft and comfortable, always touching Bakugou in some way. In the summer heat, it’s sometimes just a finger wrapped around his own. Too hot to be touching and too much sweat ready to pour between them both even with as little as they wear and as few blankets as possible. In the winter, they’re tangled together, in any way they can. Legs entwined, pressing every inch of skin together.

  Sometimes Midoriya is already wrapped in his arms, snuggled against his chest and Bakugou will wake up, squeezing him closer, relishing in this time he gets for himself, for just the two of them together. Sometimes he traces patterns against his soft skin, dragging them across worn scars and counting the freckles that form constellations on his body. But that’s nothing compared to the way the way Midoriya fills his world, making galaxies look small, his eyes brighter than the sun, and making him believe in soulmates.

  Other times, he gets a limb, outstretched towards him, but keeping space between them. And from there he stays put, watching the rise and fall of Midoriya’s chest as he continues to sleep. The mornings after a rough day at work, Bakugou is greeted with a trail of drool on Midoriya’s lips accompanied by a small snore. These days, he can’t help but snort and wonder how he got so lucky, even when Midoriya will try to kiss him with his stale, drooly breath.

  At twenty, Bakugou still worships sleep, but he’s so in love and mornings with Midoriya quickly outweigh an extra few minutes of sleep.

[landmiral]

Battletech toys

The EXOSQUAD story line is set in the 22nd Century and involves confrontations between the conquering, genetically engineered, Neosapien race and an enslaved human race living on Earth, Venus and Mars. Among the MechWarriors' adversaries are the Clan Elementals, "men and women bred to be foot soldiers." FASA Corp., BATTLETECH THE RETURN OF KERENSKY TECHNICAL READOUT: 3050 (1990) at 8. The battles between worlds are dominated by BattleMechs (also called Mechs), massive man-shaped, robotlike tanks of various shapes and designs which are piloted by human soldiers called MechWarriors. The BATTLETECH universe is comprised of empires such as the Star League, an empire consisting of five cosmic houses each of which encompasses hundreds of interstellar worlds. The present lawsuit centers on *1339 Playmates' alleged infringement of FASA's intellectual property and proprietary rights in BATTLETECH by designing and marketing the EXOSQUAD toy line.īATTLETECH created by FASA in 1984 and originally sold as a role-playing game is a fictional universe set in the 31st century. Playmates is a marketer of toys including a line of six toys featuring characters and vehicles found in the EXOSQUAD animated cartoon series. VWE is a virtual reality entertainment company formed by the creators of BATTLETECH to create and develop virtual reality games simulating adventures in the BATTLETECH universe. FASA also licenses the intellectual property and proprietary rights in its fictional universes to third parties for the development of interactive entertainment games, models, miniatures, merchandise, toys and other items. įASA is the creator, developer, and distributor of various fictional universes, including BATTLETECH, which form the basis for board games, role-playing games, novels, and various game supplements. The following undisputed facts are gleaned from the parties' respective Local Rule 12(M) statements of material facts and accompanying exhibits. Pursuant to Rule 56, Playmates moves for summary judgment on all counts. ("Playmates") alleging federal and common-law unfair competition (Counts I and II, respectively), copyright infringement (Counts III and IV), trademark infringement (Counts V and VI), dilution under Illinois' anti-dilution statute, 765 ILCS 1035/15 (Counts VII and VIII), and tortious interference with prospective business advantage (Count IX). Plaintiffs FASA Corporation ("FASA") and Virtual World Entertainment ("VWE") sue defendant Playmates Toys, Inc. Ryan, Pattishall, McAuliffe, Newbury, Hillard & Geraldson, Chicago, IL, for defendant. Garcia, Kirkland & Ellis, Mark Van Buren Partridge, David C. *1335 *1336 *1337 Karen Beth Ksander, Liza Marie Franklin, Sonnenschein, Nath & Rosenthal, Chicago, IL, for plaintiffs. FASA CORPORATION and Virtual World Entertainment, Plaintiffs,

[epochxp]

Whatever Happened to 20mm World War II Miniatures?

Yeah, I can’t say it’s been a question on everyone’s mind, but it has been on my mind and the minds of many like-minded aficionados. Many have proclaimed that 20mm is a dead scale for World War II. I can honestly say it’s the furthest thing from the truth. There are quite a few established manufacturers, as well as some new quality manufacturers out there. I would even argue that the scale is on a cusp of a renaissance., both in plastic and metal. This is going to be the first article in a series about 20mm and World War II, starting with a look at what I consider some of the best lead 20mm World War II manufacturers out there and where I’d go to get started in the scale.

Part 2 will be about the plastic side of the hobby, and Part 3 will be a discussion of various rules sets. 

Why 20mm?

20mm has had many advantages traditionally for miniatures gaming. The availability of soft and hard plastic figures has always been good, and for a box of $10, you can put together the beginnings of an army in many rules sets. When I was a kid, I used to call it “platoon in a box.” Most lead manufacturers back in the 70s and 80s used to have their 20mm lines supplement these plastic figure lines. But that’s not the case anymore. Now, there are many fine lead 20mm lines that stand on their own that we’ll be discussing here today. This list isn’t exhaustive, but it’s meant to show that 20mm as a scale for World War II is far from dead.

So, what is 20mm? 

20mm, as wargamers call it, is a nebulous scale. We’re using it to refer to the height of a miniature, from the sole of a figure’s foot to the level of his eyes. To be honest, most “20mm” figures range on a scale between 18mm and 23mm. Let’s be honest, most scales have that sort of range, and sometimes, some manufacturers don’t play well with other manufacturers. It’s just a question of getting to know what you’re looking for. 

As for vehicles, the scale corresponds with 1/72 to 1/76 scale, with many gamers preferring 1/76, but I personally like 1/72. I just like the larger vehicles, and it’s easier to find vehicle kits in 1/72 these days. That not to say you can’t mix the scales on the table-top, but I wouldn’t do it too often. The differences in scales can be a bit jarring, to say the least.

Here’s a comparison side-by-side of some of the more popular figure lines out there:

A Whistle-Stop Tour Through the Land of 20mm!

A.B. Miniatures – Their offerings in 20mm are basically the gold standard of 20mm World War II right now. The sculpts are excellent! (I can personally attest to their British as those figures are excellent in their quality and proportions). The packs are well-designed, and one pack usually gets you what you need for a given squad or heavy weapons crew. The packs are designed to mostly cover the mid-to-late war period, with Americans, Brits, Germans, Soviets, with some extra tank crews for the Italians and the French and some Polish paras for Arnhem. I will say the German Fallschirmjager works well for the Low Countries, Norway, and Crete, so long as you remember which kit you’re buying (no Stg-44s or Pak-40s). Their website is easy to navigate, and for American customers, you can purchase them through Eureka USA. One plea from this American customer, can you please do late war Americans in M43 uniforms? 

Wargames Foundry – This is a reissue of a miniatures line from the 1980s. There are things to like about the line, and there are things I don’t like about the line. I have some of the figures from some secondhand purchases at conventions, but not a full set of anything. The sculpting quality, like all Foundry products, is excellent but not quite as good as AB in 20mm. I don’t like that in many sets, you mostly get the same poses. I wish there were more dynamism in the sets. That said, you have German DAK, Fallschirmjager, Panzergrenadiers, winter dress, late war Germans with the anklet boots, tank crews, as well as early war Germans. You also have Italians in European and African uniforms and Askari colonial troops. You also have Nationalist Chinese (one of the few 20mm manufacturers to have them), as well as 1939 Poles, 1940 French, including Colonial infantry, and Foreign Legionnaires for Bir Hakim and Resistance types to fight the Boche at home! There are also Australians, Finns, Indians in turbans (all suitable for North Africa) as well as the SAS and Americans in summer and winter dress. It’s a fairly complete range, but the poses are an issue for me. Prices are a bit high with shipping on this side of the pond, and I am not familiar with any American distributor of the line currently.

Britannia Miniatures – Currently being sold by Grubby Tanks, I own a lot of these. The depth and breadth of the line is extensive! Want SS Cavalry on Horseback? They have them. Want late war Japanese? They have them. There’s very little they don’t have. Much of my Soviet army are Britannia and I rather like them and their manner of sculpting makes them easy to paint. Some aren’t nuts about it, as the figures tend to be on the larger side than other 20mm, but I find they mix well with most lines if you’re careful. Again, I am not aware of any current U.S. distributors for the range, but the prices are reasonable, but postage these days is going to take a bite.

Simon’s Soldiers – Simon Ford has been in the miniatures industry for a long time. He has retained the services of Andrew Stevens who has sculpted for Drews Militia, Battlefield, Wartime, and now Simon’s Soldiers. I’ve always liked Andrew’s sculpting style, especially for the Germans (of which I have legions of). All of the figures are full of character and give you that “I’m a tired guy on the frontline” look and I can recommend his Volkssturm line and the Panzer Lehr. The late war Americans are also particularly good figures. There’s really nothing bad I can say about them. My only regret is there’s no U.S. distributor, as while the Australian Dollar is lower than the U.S. Dollar, you’re gonna get nuked on postage these days. But, if you make a big order, you can probably order enough to make the postage not hurt as much! And you have to love Simon’s customer service. Who can’t like a guy who reminds you on Facebook you haven’t purchased any figures lately? Pay Simon a visit, and tell them Jason sent you. Simon and I are friends, and I can honestly recommend his product. Andrew also works for Playa Manor, a new Spanish company focusing on Battle of the Bulge, and the figures are gorgeous!

Ehliem Miniatures - I really like their sculpts, and Matt Hingley (See our previous interview here) does a fine job of customer service and providing miniatures nobody else does in 20mm for World War II. I mean, he has early, mid, and late-war Waffen-SS (FAA does Early War S.S., but their sculpts are a bit…eh compared to Ehliem). One of my favorites—and I might be a bit biased as I commissioned them—were the Soviet Navy sailors he produced. They’re the only ones with helmets in 20mm. Everyone else does them in the full uniforms, rather than the mixed uniforms of Army and Navy gear they wore as the war ground on. Again, postage is a bear from the U.K., but Matt will work with you! Again, tell him Jason sent you. 

This article barely scratches the surface of what’s out there, as you have Xan and Adler, whom I haven’t tried, but hear good things about, and the multitude of fast build plastic kits out there, which we’ll discuss in a subsequent article. But 20mm World War II is a plethora of options. If you want to wargame World War II in 20mm, a grand adventure awaits. One more piece of advice. I’d pay the Frontline Wargaming – WW2 Facebook group a visit. The group is a great place for the novice 20mm gamer to visit, and you’ll get tons of help and advice there.  

--

At Epoch Xperience, we specialize in creating compelling narratives and provide research to give your game the kind of details that engage your players and create a resonant world they want to spend time in. If you are interested in learning more about our gaming research services, you can browse Epoch Xperience’s service on our parent site, SJR Research.

-- (This article is credited to Jason Weiser. Jason is a long-time wargamer with published works in the Journal of the Society of Twentieth Century Wargamers; Miniature Wargames Magazine; and Wargames, Strategy, and Soldier.)

[trustwash]

Micro machines world series cheats

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