Home Made Terrain, Buck-Nekkid Alienz, and Being Content

Hey, folks. SinSynn here.

I'm sure it'll come as a great surprise to many of you that I tend to be something of a stubborn, grumpy, sarcastic jerk. I'm always riffing about something. Even with stuffs I really like, I'll find some lil' thing to complain about. Instead of enjoying the thing for what it is, I'll be the guy shooting his mouth off about how it could be better if they just fixed this, that or the other thing.

...But, y'know...it's alright, I guess...

'It's alright' is like a Five Star, 10 outta 10, two thumbs up (I only wish I had more thumbs) review from me.

A couple of weeks ago, my XBox suddenly asked me for my password to log in for some reason. I've had this thing forever, and it's never asked me for a password.
Not. Once.
Hmph.
Needless to say, I have no idea what my password is. The brain cell that carried that information has died. Or maybe he was murdered, I dunno. Either way, I'm screwed.
I try some of my usuals, but no go. I then proceed to do the whole 'go to da Windows Live site and reset yer password' thingy...which of course doesn't work.
Now I'm all aggravated and whatnot, so I totally unhooked my XBox and stuck it in a corner.
Screw you, Microsoft.
:P

In the meantime, I already paid fer my Live Subscription, and I'm sure Netflix is continuing to charge me...pretty sure I could call Microsoft and settle this thing fairly quickly, but....I'm aggravated, dammit. That password thing should magically work itself out, I should just be able to turn my XBox on and it should just work, cuz...cuz it just should, that's why.
-_-

*I'm just gonna stand here and complain until it's fixed*

I sorta know why I'm all burnt over the XBox. It's because that's like basically the only thing I've got in my life to be burnt about right now, and I'm one of those knuckleheads that's not happy unless I've got something to be burnt about.

Hey, check this Infinity terrain that Nascar and I made yesterday:

*These are the first two we built. Everything lifts off so you can move troopies around inside, everything is braced so it retains it's shape, and all the windows and balconies are at the right height  to provide cover and shoot out of or over*

*This is McTag's Garage. Nascar built this one while I did doggie walks. We still need to add the 2nd floor, cut out some doors/windows on the roof exits and add a ladder or two, but you get the idea. And hey- it's handicap accessible!*

*Nascar drew up this sign. The handicap ramps at McTag's and the air conditioner on the small building were all his work. Gotta give him props- he's pretty creative and seems to have taken to the hobby like a fish to water. He's still a knucklehead. He says he built this building to hide his TAG in it, and claims it should have special rules cuz it's a 'Haqqislam-owned facility.' ...Sigh...this is what I gotta deal with*

*Here's all three buildings- the building on the right has the air conditioner on the 2nd floor. You see that black stripe on the wall in the background? I did that priming some models on a table I had set up there. The Crazy Lady FLIPPED!!!*

Ok, so...fine. This isn't exactly the nicest scratch-built terrain anyone has ever made, and that's putting it nicely. Nevertheless, it's very 'playable,' since that was our design priority. It's easy to deal with- the roofs come off and there's enough room to fit your hand in and move a fig to where you want him, or the little shacks on top lift off, and there's markings showing you where to return them to.

We actually ran out of cardboard- we only picked up two 28 x 28 inch sheets. We combined that with some 1/2 thick, 2 foot by 4 foot sheets of styrofoam I had gifted to me by the Ultimate Rival. A lil' tape, a lil' glue (which I also had lying around), and a few hours spent listening to things like the Ghost in the Shell Soundtrack and Nine Inch Nails...and Sleigh Bells cuz I love Sleigh Bells and I'm somewhat obsessed with Sleigh Bells cuz you know why and shaddup you and don't you judge me....

*If you come to my crib, you 'd probably better learn to like these guys*

Anywho, the entire project ended up costing like five bucks. The cardboard was like 69 cents a piece, but the big expense was the pair of Sharpie Markers I bought.
:P
Nascar and I are starting to debate what kinda theme and colors our buildings should have, and the ideas and inspiration come quickly an easily. I mean, c'mon...we've seen Ghost in the Shell, y'know what I mean? That includes all the movies and Section 9 TV series and Laughing Man stuffs an' alla dat....

*Infinity is SO very much THIS*

Nascar is filled with creative ideas, and he's shaping up to be quite the lil' hobbyist-in-training. He's signed himself up to the Infinity forums, he's sending me lists all the time and he's already complaining about Pan-O and ALEPH...which seems to be something you do if you play Infinity and you don't play one of those forces, I guess?
Don't get it twisted- this isn't 40k where stuffs is 'OP,' these are kinda like running jokes in the community. Like whenever someone new shows up on the forums and asks 'what's the best army?' a bunch of wiseguys show up and say 'Nomads,' cuz they actually feature an unconventional playstyle based around Hacking and 'shutting down' the opponent, rather than blasting them with outright firepower.
The DO have the Riot Grrls now, however...a Heavy Infantry Link Team that's supposedly no joke...

*Remember when some people riffed about the little 'landing strip' piece of armor?*

*None of those people ever complained about Iskaller's weird appendage...Jeez- put some pants on, buddy*

*And we should prolly never, ever mention Skiavoros' mighty, mighty codpiece. I mean...it's got a headlight...*

*Clearly, the Avatar is guilty of Indecent Exposure! (o_0)  Nice buns, but put that thing away, will ya buddy? Someone could lose an eye, or sumpthin'*

*Ewwwww...You know what? I don't even wanna know what's going on here. I just REALLY HOPE that's not his Close Combat Weapon*

My army of choice runs around with their dangly bits dangling about...Waddayagonnado?
Now...where was I?

Oh, yeah- so it was fun to spend a day working on a hobby project, and having that project be somewhat successful. Besides the home-made stuff we've started building, I unzipped 80 some-odd megs of printable terrain a generous reader was nice enough to send to me, and it's got some really nice pieces, like pre-fabricated stores (an auto parts place and a 'med-stop,' for instance), various warehouses, shanties, containers and more.
Nascar and I were supposed to go to our local Staples to see if they could print it (anyone know if they do cardboard?), but we got stuck on a friend's couch for a few hours watching Independence Day in HD on a giant 60 inch TV screen...
...Yes I haz a lil' shame...but not a whole hell of a lot...
Please don't judge me...that movie was so bad, I was like, entranced or sumpthin.'
....
...Gawd it's bad.

See? THAT'S what I've got to complain about- watching a bad movie with my friends, goofing and laughing about it the whole time, and missing Staples before it closed.
I'm starting to realize that, since I've got no major issues to complain about right now with my hobby, I must be...content with it? Actually...*gasp*...Having genuine fun?
...Say it ain't so...

Since I haven't really been wrapped up with 40k, I don't have the usual 'Games Workshop Gripes' I always have. I hate to say it, but I find GW, as a company, extremely vexing.
Even so, although my Chaos army might be on the back burner, spring is coming, and that'll mean Garage Games of 40k against the Ultimate Rival.
I'm looking forward to it, but there's no way I'll be able to take 40k 'seriously,' if you know what I mean. 6th Edition is just way too silly, but I still waited in line overnight in front of Best Buy to get my copy of the Space Marine Movie on Blu-Ray.
What?...You didn't?
;)

Since I also haven't been involved in Flames of War, I have fortunately missed the whole Late War period getting even more unbalanced, from what I understand, with the new British Firefly's getting...AT 17 (?) or something ridiculous. I guess Battlefront sold enough Panthers, and not enough King Tigers and Jag Tigers, or whatever.
-_-
When I return to that game, I'll be playing Mid-War.

I'm not mad at either of those games, even though both of them put me through ups and downs (Thanks, GW, for Imperial Guard, and Space Wolves, and Grey Knights...and thank YOU, Battlefront, for Blood, Guts and Glory and all the subsequent Late War books, and for American Tank Destroyers and for not giving us new, actual GOOD Missions with 3rd Edition...).
To tell ya the truth, I feel a bit chagrined about getting all bent outta shape about these things now, in retrospect. I'm trying to enjoy my hobby more, and to try new things- terrain building was one of the things on my list.
Can you believe these are the very first pieces of terrain, of any kind, that I've ever built?
...Yes, I know...that's clearly obvious. Ha, ha- yer verr funnie, wiseguy.
-_-

*Not bad fer a couple of first-timers who need adult supervision to handle sharp objects*

It sorta feels weird to be as happy as I am playing Infinity. I've just honestly never had so much honest-to-goodness fun doing anything in this hobby as I'm having now.
Is that because I'm learning to do it on my own? I feel closer to the game because it's all me, y'know? This was something I chose to do, something I took on myself, something I wanted and I went and did it and that's what's up.
Everything is new and fresh and all the game mechanics are so different than anything else I've played....and I'm loving it.
20 Sided Dice! 20 Sided Dice are Craaaaaaazy, man, I'm tellin' ya!
I built terrain!! Me! If building yer own terrain outta cardboard isn't the geeky epitome of our hobby, then I don't know what is...and gosh-darnit, I'm prouda me.

Sure, Infinity might have had me at 'hello,' but adding it to my repertoire of games has helped me mellow towards 40k and FoW, since now I have an gaming option that doesn't actually frustrate me, I look forward to revisiting those games with a different attitude.
Right now, I'm playing a game with the models I want to play, on my own gaming table in my own apartment, with terrain I'm building by hand with my buddy. I'm learning the rules, reading the wiki and posting on the forums virtually every day. It's a lotta fun to be this enthused about something.

Last night The Crazy Lady I Live With peeked into the room as Nascar and I were deeply intent upon constructing our lil' miniature make-believe buildings. I proudly waved at what we had accomplished.
'Pretty cool, huh?' I beamed.
She just chuckled and shook her head.
'How old is everyone in this room,' she smirked, 'what are you guys, like fifth-graders now?'

I could only grin wider.
What could possibly be better 'n' that?


I'd like to give a shout out to the following blogs.
These are some of my peeps from the Infinity forums. Cool cats, all around!

The Myrmidon Officer

EI = Infinity

Fire Broadside

And I wrote a post this week over at World of Wonder, discussing some of my fave new Xenos from Infinity.  Cuz you know I luvs my Sneaky Sneaky Shasvastii!
:)

*Cuz how can I not love hawt Twi'lek tentacle-head girlz?*

Until next time, folks- Exit with Catchphrase! (and happy gaming!)

- SinSynn