Randomness XIV: THE FLOOR IS LAVA!

[LittleBluberry]

I have to say, given that I'm now finally starting to get over my jet lag I think that my initial decision that I should not rush off to Reapercon right after getting home was the right one.  Hopefully next year...  

[Pezler the Polychromatic]

44 minutes ago, redambrosia said:

My pen has betrayed me. 

 

 

  Hide contents

 

 

 

 

 

I'm seriously considering redrawing this page because of that. All I've done is ink out the rivers. I haven't even drawn much in pencil. 

 

I just need a new fine point pen...

It's now a deep gorge that the river flows through.

 

[eldamir]

48 minutes ago, redambrosia said:

My pen has betrayed me. 

 

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm seriously considering redrawing this page because of that. All I've done is ink out the rivers. I haven't even drawn much in pencil. 

 

I just need a new fine point pen...

Looks like the beginnings of a reservoir or long lake to me.. 

[Pegazus]

It’s an underwater entrance to a vast cave system. Bit like a moon pool, or a u bend. 

[Doug Sundseth]

7 hours ago, Unruly said:

 

I think you mean the Bf 109, not the Me-262. The Bf 109 is the Messerschmitt that everyone knows, flew with the FW-190, and is commonly misnamed the Me 109. The Me-262 was the first viable jet fighter. And if it weren't for the same reliability issues that plagued everything that Germany made once they started losing the air war, it probably would have been the best fighter of the war in just about every role.

 

 

The late-war long 76mm also had a slight performance edge over the 17pder in the Firefly. It was a tiny bit more accurate and had a couple extra mm of penetration, if I remember correctly. The big problem with the Sherman was that the US Army didn't listen early on about the 75mm gun not being enough against the newer German tanks. Which is why the Sherman was stuck with the 75 for almost 2 years after it entered service, and thus why the British decided to cram an inverted 17pder into the turret instead. So once they were out of Africa, where Rommel had been fighting with outdated equipment, they started to end up with situations where American tanks couldn't punch out German tanks unless they got up close and personal with them. Until they got fitted with the M1A2 76mm gun, that is.

 

Their other problem was that just about any German gun could punch through them post 1943, as well. Which is why we got things like the Jumbo Sherman, where they added an extra thick metal plate to the front glacis.

 

Nope, Me-262. It had very short legs (hence the short-range interceptor), but in that range and when it was actually flying, it was pretty impressive. The Me-109* was a brilliant early war fighter, quite possibly the best available, though there's a good argument for the Spit as well. But by the late war, it simply couldn't compete with the best opponents.

 

Interestingly, there were quite a few 76mm M-4 Mediums in tank parks in England by D-Day, but the field commanders mostly didn't want them. The additional logistic burden of having multiple ammunition types was seen as more of a problem than the increased penetration was an advantage. Not obviously incorrect, though having to fight defending PzVs and PzVIs (where their obvious mechanical problems weren't as important as in a more mobile war) caused this attitude to change over the next few months. That said, even the short 75 worked very well in the vast majority of even tank-v-tank fights.

 

* From the E-model onwards, it was built by Messerschmitt, the D and earlier were built by Bayerische Flugzeugwerke. Though the Me and Bf prefixes were used interchangeably in German documents throughout the war.

 

7 hours ago, paintybeard said:

 And with tanks generally you have to consider; who is your most likely enemy? Probably infantry and anti-tank guns, not another tank.

 

Definitely this. It's interesting to me to take a look at the tanks that were mostly considered the best available at various points in the war. In almost every case, they were the tanks that were retreating, not advancing. It was the good enough tanks with good mobility that were moving forward.

 

7 hours ago, Kangaroorex said:

 

@Unruly, @Doug Sundseth and @paintybeard.  I hope some of you are at reapercon.  I will bring along samples of my 6mm tank collection.  I am hoping identification and nostalgia will get me to paint them and use them. I bought the collection from a friend who need e money but found my knowledge of armor was far more lacking than I had thought.

 

I'll be there, but my tank identification chops are limited at best.

 

6 hours ago, Unruly said:

If that's the case I could probably get you a general model line, but I doubt they'd be sculpted to a specific variant. 

 

If they're C-in-C or particularly GHQ models, you might be surprised. The sculpting and casting quality are pretty impressive.

 

I've heard (without solid backing) that GHQ built 1:35 models and then laser scanned them to create their molds. The person I was talking to said that he specifically recognized something from a Tamiya model, FWIW.

[Cyradis]

Yay the apartment has internet!

No more using my phone's hotspot! 

[Argentee]

Ok. All packed. I think. I hope. 

[SisterMaryNapalm]

Isn't that charming?

 

Week started ... not so good, I think. I am sick again (blargh!) and now I was notified by some of the guys who "WANTED" to help or I asked if they would provide me with their abilities in regards of the Gallia to Arms project ...

 

1st: garage kit of Selvaria, Alicia and Isara (I bought those in Tokyo, but they were completely unassembled and unpainted - Send them to an airbrush and painting expert from the forum where I was - two years ago. He wanted to support my project and paint those in diorama quality. Two years of struggeling I got them back - "hobby burnout - cannot paint anymore. Hope you are not too upset.". Got the unfinished miniatures back.

 

2nd: I made some designs for the Gallian and Imperial forces to match them more to the anime style than my own miniature conversions. Asked a sculpter who I met at the Tactica convention in Hamburg, two years ago. After one year of struggeling. got the info: Sorry - cannot do, hobby burnout. I cannot sculpt anymore. Hope you are not too upset.

 

3rd: Got someone else sculpting a character in 1/35 scale as display piece. As I wanted it to be a good sculpt, I asked a professional sculpter who does work for companies and so on. Met him in person, very nice guy, talked, he was totally impressed and wanted to support, so he started. I gave him some money - some more money for the sculpt - aaaand 6 month of struggeling later. "Sorry, but this is as far as I can get: I want to start an independet business, so no time. Hope you are not too upset" Got the figure - mostly what I expected - but already sculpted to the tank where she was supposeed to stand on - and that tank is not even finished. So it doesn't make sense and the assembly the tank is now a pain in the ... you know what I mean.

 

4th - send the tank to another member of the forum I was in, who is also a very good painter and does diorama pieces and  (after I told in my thread what happened) who said he could fix it. Waited for another 5 month to recieve an answer. Finally got it - tank's coming back, unfinished, figure unfinished, but at least mostly separated from the tank turret (her hand is still sculpted on). "Sorry. No time. I am father now, want to start my own business. Just limited hobby time - I want to use it for my own project. Hope you're not too upset."

 

5th - guy from my neighbourhood dove into the project early on. He really did some stuff (but always very slowly), and together we decided to go to our local wargaming convention. Had to cancel it because suddenly he had no "mojo to do it" left and I was standing alone with all the half finished stuff, which I couldn't finish all by myself in the quarter of a year before it was due - mostly because of my own problems and certain travels for my work. Okay, so we do it next year. So I asked him to finish the tanks he was woking on so I could convert and paint them - then at least we have got the tanks. Now he wrote me. "Sorry, cannot do, I am now playing Flames of War and Hail Caesar and started Warhammer again. No time to do something else. Hope you are not too upset."

 

No. I am not upset. I am furious. Yeah. Okay. it is my own fault for trusting the people to provide assistance and not doing it all on my own. I hoped that some helping hands would be able to get me over some shortcomings I have got in regard of making an idea come to life. Well. I was wrong. Looking back now, that was a huge waste of time, money and nerves and the outcome of it was almost none. As I will go to Japan in now 4 and a half weeks, will be there until November, will then change to a new post, will mostly be on a training through december and then start anew in January, there will be no time for me to finish the stuff until early April when the convention starts.

 

Why is it not possible to rely on people nowadays? I absolutely understand when the own life gains so much importance that you cannot fulfil timelines, promises or commissions for other people. But leaving those people in the dark for month before replying to the question: "Hey - what's with my stuff?" - "Oh, yeah! Couldn't do it. Sits here since January." - "Man - it's already August!" - "Oh, yeah. Forgot to send it back. Sorry." This can't be just mere coincidences. That has to be a conspiracy. It seems like I have somehow committed heresy and the Emperor is now punishing me fo it.

 

Man - I would shame myself to death doing something like this to someone who trusted me with his stuff. (Okay. I admit: I foolishly took two commissions for model ships - but told the owners it could take up to a year to finish them - still have got 8 month to go).

 

I am just disappointed, considering how much effort in planning, money and time I invested.

 

My planned project is ruined - and my weekend is, too.

 

And now I am going to bed. Got to get up at 05:00. Guess I will be awake until 01:00 silently crying.

 

Lessons learned. Never again. Grmph.

 

P.S.: It is already past eleven. I am sorry if my English is not up to the standard anymore. At least for me it makes sense.

Edited August 28, 2018 by SisterMaryNapalm

[TheAuldGrump]

When last we left our young heroes, they had managed to kill a giant adder that had taken up residence in the ruins of the Moathouse - getting two characters poisoned in the process, fought and killed a giant spider in the tower - getting two more characters poisoned, and been swarmed a by a large number of bats - which freaked out the party's witch, but did no actual damage.

 

There was some treasure found, a jeweled dagger, and some minor loot - and, just as they turned to leave, they discovered that a band of brigands has taken up position between them and the gate....

 

Tonight will begin with those famous words - 'Roll Initiative!'

 

The Auld Grump - the brigands are getting a surprise round of missile fire, even before the party can act.

[PaganMegan]

Chicken casserole is smelling much better than I expected.

 

I think I got a false image of casseroles somewhere, since I have liked all the ones I have tried so far, even the ones with tuna.

[Chaoswolf]

>runs through the thread as though all the demons of hell were two steps behind<

 

 

MUST PACK EVERYTHING!!!!!

[Green Eyed Monster]

Made it into the Embasy Suites/ReaperconHQ ~despite Mapquest, which should be called TRAPQUEST.

 

The instructions worked OK for getting to Denton but ran us into the backside of the WalMart Parking Lot instead of taking us to the hotel.  The hotel is actually visible from a mile or more away, it's the very large building with the big letter E on each side.

This place is POSH!  Opened in January and it still has that "New Hotel" smell.

We are in 914, just off the elevators in a full suite.  There's a big enough table in the living room area for gqaming or painting, even with stuff spread out it will comfortabley accomodate 4 people, plus the couch will hold several more  Living area has a "huge screen" TV, pluss the 40" job in the bedroom  The bathroom is almost as big as some of the rooms we've stayed in in budget motels.  8^)

More later, time for dinner.

GEM

[Kangaroorex]

5 hours ago, Doug Sundseth said:

I'll be there, but my tank identification chops are limited at best.

 

 

If they're C-in-C or particularly GHQ models, you might be surprised. The sculpting and casting quality are pretty impressive.

 

I've heard (without solid backing) that GHQ built 1:35 models and then laser scanned them to create their molds. The person I was talking to said that he specifically recognized something from a Tamiya model, FWIW.

you are probably better than I.  I have some skills with american and english but the only reason i know any of the Russian or French tanks is because they are marked. 

 

I have both types C-in C and GHQ and i have always marveled at the detail of the casts.  they are also really clean casts.  Its one of the reasons i would occasionally like to shoot my friend for mini destruction.  he used outdoor furniture paint to spray the T-78s   A lot of detail was lost in the process and they still look pretty spiffy

 

 

[SparrowMarie]

Finished paying off Bones 4! Spent way too much but managed to get everything we wanted. 

[Green Eyed Monster]

Dinner had, at Houlihan's, the in Hotel Restaurant and Bar.

Prices reasonable for a hotel.  For example:  burger plates from $12.50, steaks from $16.50.

They have a selection of soups every day.  Potato, with lots of goodies, French Onion, Chicken and ????

for $4.50.

Plus weekday specials.  I had the Tuesday special Terriaki Burger, looked like a half pound of good quality ground beef, cooked med rare with a side of fries. Verry tasty!  Couldn't finish it all.  Iced tea, unsweetened.  Tea was adequate but nothing to write about.  Wife had fish and chips, also with unsweetened iced tea.  Total check came to just short of $35, about what we would pay for similar meals at Red Robin.

Well stocked bar, with a Milk Stout that I will be sampling at some point.

Now to just kick back and reflect on the day.

The drive from Amarillo had a detour through Groom, Tx. as wife remarked last night about the Giant Cross, which we have visited before. Checked how far out of the way it was and looked to add about an hours drive time.

If you are of a Christian persuasion the place is worth the visit for the portrayal in bronze of the Stations Of The  cross.  If you aren't a Christian it is still worth a visit because of the quality of the life-sized bronzes that are the sculptures.  Accuracy down to the fastenings of the armour of the  Roman Soldiers.

They were working on sculpting the rockwork for a new art installation, a bronze figure of Christ as the centerpiece for a fountain and pool in the courtyard adjacent to the gift shop.

Did I mention that they also have a room with a copy of the Shroud of Turin on display?

Drive was uneventful except for having to slow down for every tank-town that US-287 runs through from south of Amarillo down to just short of Witchita Falls.  Really makes one appreciate the convenience and speed of freeways.

See you all tomorrow, going to get caught up on what everyone else has been doing now.

Gem