Big Daddy Jim's Gaming Legendarium

I grew up in wargaming, my Father was a gamer and all through my youth he would host games in our garage or at game conventions wherever we lived. He was a larger than life fellow that made every gaming experience a unique one with its own special flavor. Telling a story on the tabletop was always his goal whether it be a historical refight between Hannibal and his enemies or in some fantastical far off land.

Back in those hallowed days of the 70’s & 80’s there were not many shops where you could physically play within the store, almost everything was garage gaming. It was much more personal than it is for most people today. You were gaming with people that very quickly became close friends or disappeared as fast as they arrived. I can remember when my dad would want to venture into a new gaming genre him leaving our phone number on a message board in the local shops, so we could find likeminded gamers. Running games at the local conventions was also paramount as it always lead to new people to game with. 

So now that I have shared a little piece of my personal gaming history with you, let’s get on to the concept behind what I will be doing with the blog going forward. My father passed away this past January and I have been soul searching a way to preserve and further his gaming legacy. I have decided to recreate the more intimate and personal feel of wargaming that I grew up with. I am slowly but surely setting my garage up to be a gaming destination as my fathers was growing up.

I will be playing games with old and new friends alike then document them here for all to see. I play a plethora of games spanning many genres from biblical ancients to the Dark Ages to the 20th century to fantasy & Sci-Fi worlds.

I will also be sharing more history about my dad and wargaming throughout the past 4 decades. I will also share what the name Gaming Legendarium means in a later post.

Cheers
Big Jim Jr

Tap, tap, tap, is this thing on?

Hello to anyone still listening out there, I know it’s been a long bout of silence with small busts of static. I am going to try once again to start posting content, the last yeah has been the worst nightmarish year of my life and I need an outlet to post my thoughts.

The last time I posted was when I started my Horus Heresy era Space Wolves, the week after I posted my little sister died due to problems in child birth. This was horrifying and obviously derailed my hobby. I spent the next few months helping and consoling my nieces and nephew. The holidays were really tough as well, but we made it through sharing fantastic memories of my sister I cannot remember the last time we laughed so much at Christmas. It truly felt like things were finally turning the corner.

We had a fantastic New Years eve as well we even streamed with my Pop from his place in Panama. It was awesome filled with joy and laughter, we decided to make this a new tradition. Two days later it felt like the world was ending, we got the news that my Father had passed away. I still have numb days over this, my Pop was my rock and inspiration when It comes to the hobby and gaming.

My Dad started me off in this hobby young I was rolling dice for him by age 6 and painting minis by age 8, the thought of not participating in the wargaming hobby has never crossed my mind, it is a part of life for me just like breathing. It’s been 7 months I still keenly feel his loss, but it’s time to start gaming and painting in a serious way again.


I have plenty of projects I would like to complete to play games in my father’s memory. These span the entirety of history within gaming from the Ancient world to the jungles of the Vietnam War. It is going to be an emotional fun filled ride for sure.


On the positive side of things we now have a fantastic 40k gaming reboot with the release of 8^th edition, I think it’s finally time to get the Soul Reapers rebuilt and painted. I owe this to the fantastic folks that contributed the models for it. In fact I have been painting the Lord of the Reapers and he’s almost finished here's a sneak peek! 

Until next time…..

New game Aetherium Kickstarter coming April 1st

My very close friend Brian and his friends have created a new game company called Anvil 8 Games. They are about to unleash their first game on the world via Kickstarter tomorrow on April 1st, here is some info and art for this great new gaming universe!

Aetherium is a tabletop miniatures board game played on customized battle map and schematic tile system that responds directly to the will of the players during the game. Players control one of two evocative factions and battle across a profound virtual landscape. Aetherium unfolds with a dynamic and intuitive “one roll” combat system.

We have compiled a series of story driven scenarios to take you through the game itself, but the unique structure ensures that no two experiences, no two games, can ever be the same.

In the Aetherium, players will:

- Remain constantly engaged in an alternating activation sequence that never pauses for conventional turns.

- Strategically program activation cards in order to anticipate your opponent’s movement, and to sequence your software as you lead your team on a bold run into the Aetherium.

- Control between 10-25 highly detailed, beautifully sculpted miniatures to represent your unique team of cyber personalities and affiliated programs.

- Engage in a daring struggle for control of an ever-shifting landscape, set against a backdrop of mind-crushing quantum noise.

-  Struggle for control of the psychological reality itself, while managing your resources to push your collective and to manipulate the terrain to its utmost.

- Revel in unmitigated glory.

30k S.O. Killzone and a request for help

By the end of the year I will release a 30k version of Special Operations Killzone. This version will be grander in scale than standard SO KZ. Teams will start off at 400pts and scale up to 750; it is 30k after all and should be Legion scaled Killzone!

30k Killzone will also add land speeders and dreadnoughts into the lists; which is something that standard Killzone will never do. It will also focus more on the Elite and Specialist units from the Legions.

In other Killzone news, I need some help out with keeping Codex Operatives up to date. The reality of the situation is that GW is updating to fast for me and my freelance game design work has me slammed to the max. This leaves very little time for updating KZ at a reasonable rate.

I need at least two volunteers dedicated to working with me on Codex Operatives. With help I can keep standard SO KZ alive and up to date. Otherwise it will remain lacking and only 30k Killzone will remain fully up to date going forward.

So if you can please consider lending a hand, cause I would hate for standard SO Killzone to remain so out of date in the Codex dept.

Until next time, keep your powder dry and bullets flying!

-Jim

Clear! Zaaaapp..... I'm back where I belong!

It has been a long year and it is high time I just retake my place amongst the blogging community. With my own flair on my original blog! Although the name is changing and more diverse content to be covered, everyone will know where to find me! So lets grab that defibrillator and jump start this pig!

I will begin tomorrow by sharing some details of what I have been through in the past 18 months. It has not been pretty but I have made it through and would like to believe I am stronger for it.

Until tomorrow keep your powder dry and lead flying!

8 Days of Warzone Resurrection: Dark Legion

Sorry for the 2 day delay, life got in the way.

The Dark Legion is an ancient evil comprising five "Dark Apostles" and their horde of hideous mutants and undead. The Dark Legion is the corporeal presentation of Dark Symmetry and minions of the Dark Apostles. The Dark Legion commands the most powerful armies of the solar system, including Legionnaires, resurrected corpses of fallen Megacorp heroes and footsoldiers alike; Necromutants, hideously modified humanoids; Centurions, the lethal lieutenants of the Dark Legion; and Nepharites, fearsome, towering behemoths of unimaginable power.

The reign of the Dark Legion began as mankind set foot on Nero, the tenth planet beyond the orbit of Pluto, where they discovered a citadel. As they entered, the Imperial Conquistadors – a group of interplanetary explorers – accidentally broke the First Seal Of Repulsion, a thin ring of salt spread around the citadel. Inside, a mysterious iron plate was found, and as it was touched, the Dark Legion was brought to our dimension, and along with it, the Dark Symmetry.

The Dark Symmetry prevents computers, "thinking engines", and other electronic devices from functioning reliably, if at all and initially caused complete chaos, and then a forced adaptation of the technology used by mankind. The Dark Symmetry also begins to spread plague, lies, illusions and war on the human population through Dark Apostles known as Demnogonis, Semai, Muawihje, Algeroth and Ilian, The Dark Mistress and most powerful wielder of The Dark Symmetry. Thus the first Corporate wars began. Only through the Brotherhood and its first Cardinal, Nathaniel Durand were the corporations pulled under one banner, driving back the Dark Legion and Dark Symmetry back to the void where it came.

This however cost Nathaniel Durand his life as he fought and defeated Algeroth, the field commander of all of the Dark Legion and the master of Dark Technology. Dark Legion resurfaces as a milennia passes, old edicts to keep the evil at bay are broken and Megacorps begin the 2nd Corporate wars. Yet again Nero is explored and Dark Symmetry is unleashed. It was also during the period of 1000-year peace that Cybertronic surfaced and was first to break one of the edicts; Human must not create or use machines that think like man.

Dark Legion units available:

Some close ups of my Faves:

Praetorian Behemoth

Undead Legionnaires

Razide

The Dark Legion has always been a favorite of mine and I will own all of the new minis!

Don't forget to check out the Warzone Resurrection Kickstarter just under 2 days left to make a pledge!

8 Days of Warzone Resurrection: Bauhaus Mega Corporation

Bauhaus is built around the hierarchy of the four ancient houses of the Duke Electors. Each of these four houses is responsible for one division within the corporation. They still remain in power due to a strong tradition of military service within the houses.

The Bauhaus Corporation has a well-deserved reputation for engineering excellence and now, nearly 1400 years later, the reputation still holds true. During the colonization of the solar system all the corporations employed their skills in the construction of ships, atmospheric processing plants and gravity regulators. In addition to this they were recognized for their honorable business ethics. They rarely offered the most appealing deals and they were never the cheapest but agreements signed with them were always honored.

As one might expect the Bauhaus reputation for excellence extends onto the battlefield. Their military hardware is generally of a high standard and their mechanical and vehicular support is notably superior to that of the other corporations. Combined with good discipline and highly trained troops, the Bauhaus army is one of the most effective in the solar system. Following the culture of military service the troops themselves are also well motivated and follow a code of honor that has earned them respect throughout the corporations.

Here are all the units that will be available at launch:

Close ups of some of my favorites

I really dig the Prussian vibe to Bauhaus, but for now I will leave them to my best friend Kevin to build. They are his favorite faction in Warzone.

Link to the Warzone Resurrection Kickstarter!

 

8 Days of Warzone Resurrection: The Brotherhood

When the worlds of man were faced with the threat of destruction at the hands of the Dark Legion and the avarice of their own warring superpowers, it was the Brotherhood who saved them. It was the Brotherhood that had grown from a small movement of the disenfranchised into an organization more powerful than any other before it. Within its ranks existed the righteousness and the hope of a race on the brink of extinction.

In that dark and Godless time, salvation was borne on the shoulders of one man and the desperate pleas of a race, weary of the constant slaughter, received hope. Humanity rallied under the banner of the charismatic Durand, the followers of the Light united humanity as they had never been before and drove back the Darkness. Today, the Brotherhood is represented across the solar system, from Mercury to the distant Pluto.

Wherever the light of the Brotherhood falls, the battle against the Darkness continues. At least that is how it's supposed to be. Even today, a thousand plus years later, the Brotherhood represents an all governing, unearthly power that is personified by one man.

The Cardinal is the spiritual leader of the solar system. In fact, he is the single most powerful man alive, commanding immense loyalty, military might and mysterious power. Aiding the Cardinal in his sacred mission, deep within the vast libraries of the Brotherhood's cathedrals, the Mystics endlessly search into both the past and the ever-changing future to find the answers to lead humanity back into the light.

To do battle against the Dark Legion, the original Cardinal created a mighty sword from his followers so resolute in their purpose, so dedicated to their holy task that they would scour the solar system to insure the Darkness could never return. They would drive the forces of evil back and once defeated, they would maintain a vigil to protect the very soul of humanity from the corruption within. This sword was anointed by the Inquisition and for over a thousand years, this institution has sought to cleanse our solar system of the festering evil that can be found both in the worlds of humanity and stand ready to defend mankind from the cold wastes of Pluto and Uranus to the scorching deserts of Mars and Mercury. They remain forever vigilant.

Here are the units available so far.

Some close ups of some favorites:

Mortificators assassins for the Church

I love games with religious zealots, and will always collect a smattering for narrative play.

 

8 Days of Warzone Resurrection: Cybertronic Mega Corporation

The Cybertronic Mega Corporation is the newest corporation to come to power.

However, in the 160 years since they reached Megacorporation status they have had a huge impact on the solar system. The corporation had its beginnings in a relatively unknown company called Cybertronic Investments Inc., with a dubious reputation for developing technology in violation of Brotherhood directives.

In the year 1103 Y.C. they orchestrated a colossal 'ghost collapse' of the stock exchange on Luna. Billions of valuable share were unwisely sold only to be bought up by supporters of Cybertronic who suddenly emerged from within all the corporations. The company's assets soared rapidly and almost overnight a new Mega Corporation was born.

As the Cybertronic farms continue to deliver citizens at a rate that no other corporation can match the ranks of their military are swelling in step. Many are the rolls that one might fulfill for the corporation but none yield the esteem or the potential rewards of serving in the armed forces. Contrary to what most Cybertronic citizens believe, their soldiers do not always go into battle supported by the finest military hardware to be found in the solar system. It is true that the best that Cybertronic has to offer really is the best there is.

However, Cybertronic's resources and their confidence in their superiority are not as limitless, nor as certain as they would have their citizens believe. As a consequence of this the majority of their troops are sent into battle with equipment that is decidedly average in quality and effectiveness. eached Megacorporation status they have had a huge impact on the solar system.

Cybertronic was always the least unified looking faction in Warzone in the past. Prodos has done a fantastic job unifying them. Here are all the new designs:

 

Here are some close ups of some of my favs

This faction has always been my guilty pleasure faction due to the old miniatures, but now I will have to proudly build a skirmish force of them!

8 days of Warzone Resurrection: the Kickstarter

Today is the first post of 8 days of Warzone related posts, so stay tuned for more Mutant Chronicles Warzone goodness here on GiF!

The Kickstarter has been funded and has been busting through stretch goals. Initially they were shooting to reach 35k and release the Bauhaus faction. It has been so successful that Plastic troop squads for the starter sets and a 5th faction has been unlocked the Capitol Mega Corporation. As of this morning the Kickstarter broke and is sitting at around the 100k mark!

So upon initial release in late June, Prodos games will be releasing 5 of the 7 major factions within the Mutant Chronicles universe. I think this is outstanding as a fan of this IP.

Each faction has a starter set containing plastic troopers, a hero and either a vehicle or monster of some sort.

Below are pics (some actual renders for casting, others concept art) of the Add On's including all the units unlocked so far.

So far the miniatures are looking fantastic, Prodos have done a good job keeping the right amount of character in the designs while updating them to fit modern design styles. I have not been this excited for a wargaming release in years.

Long Live Mutant Chronicles Resurrection!

Bay Area Open Narrative event question for Day 1

Here is a repost of the question I asked yesterday on the Frontline gaming site. Please vote, but only if you plan on attending event.

Hey everyone, we’re gearing up for the BAO 2013, and will have all the pertinent information up by the end of the month. Big Jim, the gentleman who runs the 40K narrative event, has a question about the structure of the event.

Hey Guys,
Jim here your friendly neighborhood narrative event organizer with a question to those interested in Day 1 of the BAO event.
The battles taking place on the first day are probing actions meant to test the enemy lines for weakness. I want to put forth two options for handling these phase of the event.
The first option would be to use the 40k skirmish game that I authored and was run at the past two Adepticons. Special Operations Killzone, is a refinement of the ideas that GW put forth in Killteams. Using Killzone will allow all players on the fist day to square off against all players from the opposing side. This event would use the 2 team format with Operation groups of 500 total points.
Links to the Killzone rules:
Rulebook: https://www.box.com/s/6rok2xkf75xneaeu9kex
Codex Operatives: https://www.box.com/s/56fuyjocojhet3vblr7r
Mission/Fate Cards: https://www.box.com/s/9ma7vknk3lmm241418f1
The second option would be to run the event as Combat patrol. Using last years Adepticon version as the basis for the rules, with the exception that the armies will have 500 point values.
Please post your preference below; we will collect votes until 18^th of this month. Now I leave the choice in your hands.

Please head over to the Frontline Gaming site and make your vice Known!

Podcasting update

Hey guys with Chris leaving Deepstrike Radio, I have had to step into a much more prominent roll for the podcast. I am taking over as the "public" face and point of contact for DSR; plus I am doing a lot more of the behind the scenes content as well.

DSR is running an open casting call in search of a new third chair host. If you are interested follow this Link.

Most of you will have noticed that The Codex Project site has been down for a few weeks. I have spoken with Jeff and he plans to have it back up shortly. With a new straight shooting podcast episode to follow shortly.

I will not be doing my podcasting with my friends idea anytime soon. I need to settle into my new duties at DSR before I can even start thinking about it again.

“Plugged In” with Big Jim

I have decided to create an extremely laid back audio blog/podcast where I talk my wargaming hobby. Sometimes I will have one of my friends on with me to help cover the topic thoroughly.

Most of the time I will be covering something 40k related. With that said topics can and will cover anything wargaming from the far future, to Imperial Colonialism to gaming in the ancient world.

Each episode will be short ranging from 20 to 45 minutes at most depending on the topic at hand. If a topic would take longer to cover it will be broken up over multiple episodes.

The first episode should be up in the next couple of weeks.

Blog news and narrative gaming updates

I have started up a new Facebook page for the narrative events I run locally. I plan to talk about narrative gaming in general as well a do all the lead up work for my events and campaigns there.

If you are interested feel free to jump into the conversations on Big Jim's Narrative Gaming Productions!

Now onto the blog news:

It has been hard to maintain Galaxy in Flames as well as podcasting on 2 shows, commission paint, watch over TCP, while keeping engaged on the Custodes forum. I have become so busy in the hobby the blog has suffered, so goes life.

So the plan for the blog going forward is to put my painting and modeling here as well as battle reports. I do plan to post once a week from this point on as well, I am behind in posting pics of miniatures that I have finished in the past few months. Everything else will move to the appropriate other sites that I maintain.

So Killzone will move exclusively to TCP. Although I will post links to updates here.

Narrative gaming other than battle reports will move to FB

S.O. Killzone 6th ed update info

I appologize for the silence about the 6th ed update, I have been busy with commissions, dealing with tendonitis and learning the proper way to play 6th.

I have been asked many times in the past week about the release date for the update and to be honest I don't have a date set in stone. The plan is by mid to late September, cause I'd like to make it a solid update. I still need to format the changes and re-write some of the rules to fit with 6th.

The initial release will probably be very basic as I need to shoot a bunch of photos for the new book and my time is extremely limited right now.

If anyone is good with photoshop and wants to lend a hand with some of the pics would be welcomed. If you are interested in helping out with that just shoot me an email. Credit will be given as always.

Cheers,
Jim

Chaos Astartes are set for release soon

So the Chaos Space Marine codex did not drop in August as my sources had told me. Times are apparently really tough for rumor-mancers these days.

I have been fed tidbits of info on the CSM codex since late last year. So I had a pretty good idea that a lot of the tasty too good to be true rumors at that time were hogwash.

The latest and most accurate rumors to what I know come from Tasty Taste over on Blood of Kittens. I am glad that he has sources that are still willing to spill the beans, cause mine seem reluctant at best.

So with the post from BoK I feel ok spilling a bit of what I know to confirm some of his rumors.

Basic Chaos space marines are definitely getting a points drop, at first I heard 2 points per model, later only one point.

I had heard most units had a rule similar to preferred enemy verses space marines, now with 6th out the Hate USR fits with this.

Units would potentially get better as they destroy enemy units in assault, this was probably a vague reference to the Eye of the Gods table.

Cultists are back, but with very few options. 

Oblits would gain more close combat weapons options, but this now seems to be a new unit entirely.

Defilers would get better by getting more resilient to taking damage and gaining an Invul save.

Chaos would gain a new skimmer/flyer.

Daemon Princes would get a significant price increase.

Now here are some things I heard that have not been mentioned or confirmed by Tasty's post.

Chaos Bikes would drop in points equal to the value of they loyalist brethren.

Daemon weapons would still poke you in the eye if you rolled a 1, but you would still be able to attack your enemy.

Chaos Dreads would still be crazed, but less likely to kill your own units.

Possible new Chaos Land Raider. (now this was one of the earliest rumors I got, so could have been scrapped early in the process)

I had also heard very early on that a Chaos Lord on a Bike or with a Jump pack would move similar units to the troops slot.

Now with all that said I am still very excited about the imminent release of this codex although at this point I have no idea when it will actually drop. Could be early September or sometime in October.