A Sudden Invasion

"Admiral Stone sir, we're under attack."
"What?! I've only just finished my G'dam turkey left overs, and you're telling me there's another G'dam invasion already?"
"That's right sir, no rest for the wicked and all that."
"Who you calling G'dam wicked!? I may be a bad G'damn ass, but I'm not G'dam wicked. Tomlinson, fire up the laser!"
"Yes sir..."

Woah, where has the time gone? Is this how pensioners feel? I mean, one minute I'm polishing of the pigs in blankets during Christmas lunch (this isn't 100% true, I have some frozen for emergency consumption) and thinking about playing some alternative systems for a bit (the shame!), and then a second later Croydon is about to be invaded again!

That's right folks, it's tournament time, but of course not just any tournament, the first instalment of 2016's big-daddy Invasion! After battling hard in September we have another weekend of mirth and mire at the end of January, just four months since the last. Too soon? We think so, but Hawk have a busy calendar, so what's a fan-boy to do... Play five awesome games over the 30th and 31st, that's what!

Walking the Grid

Come here Often?

So after much promising and false starts here's a post with more pics of my Tron PHR. Some things have changed since I last posted about these guys, some techniques have altered a little. I also started the practice of having my command units in the MCP (Red bad-guy) colours to differentiate them and give a nice variation to the army. I also used the red scheme to make my two Medusa look different. The only thing in the MCP colour scheme I changed was the red power lines which really are closer to oranges than red. I kept the coal black highlight on the body the same which I think looks really nice and gives great contrast to the model.

Anyway I also wanted to use a better technique for taking pictures of my models hence why it took so long as I had to research how to 'Focus Stack' while not perfect I think I managed to get some good images. But mainly to my eyes it shows up where I've skipped a little in the rush to get the job done!

Anyway hope you enjoy!

Establishing A Force: PHR

So, you've just graduated from Sphere Academy, and you're ready to face the galaxy head on. Your monthly subscription to Bionic Bonanza means you are up to date with all the latest electronic implants, and the 'No Oil, No Spoil' diet has helped you lose that beer gut and slip snugly into your all-purpose PVC jumpsuit. Basically, you're the personification of cyber swag.

So why is it that when you jump in your Zeus and prepare yourself to take command in your first non-simulated battle, your body starts to shake uncontrollably? It turns out that even androids get the jitters! Well never fear young cyborgs, an experience implant is here! Simply plug it in to your neck socket, but be careful not to cross the stream of your quantum spoonificator.

As promised before our festive break, here is the first edition of my new series; Establishing A Force. In this and the following articles, you will find lists to help give a little direction to the spending of your Christmas bonuses, and the reasons and tactics behind the build of the rosters. I'm going to be running through the different factions alphabetically (not alphaspaghetically this time), which starts us with the all-spherical PHR!

Merry Christmas And Looking At 2016

We only work in black, grey and white, no matter the holiday

Although my work won't let me believe it until Thursday, Christmas is here folks! I am going to take the liberty of speaking for all six of us, when I say I hope your holidays are filled with toys and festivities (but mostly toys)! We are now taking a small holiday break, and will be back in the new year.

We have had a great year, attending more tournaments than I have fingers, helping Hawk at Salute and of course attending the UK Games Expo for the first time. On top of all this we've grown stronger as a blog and published in excess of 80 posts and 16 podcasts (not including the interviews and videos)! We wouldn't have bothered if you lovely people hadn't continued to come back, so thank you for this and all your lovely, lovely comments.

What does 2016 hold though? Well, towards the start of the year we will be focussing on helping the rookie. Christmas is bound to bring toys that people will need help with, but more than that we feel it is important that the hobby grow and we are in a great position to place an arm around the shoulders of these men and women, be them getting into the wargaming hobby for the first time, or a wargames reugee (like myself once upon a time). Dropzone can, admittedly, be an awkward game to get the hang off, so between Mike and myself we will be bringing a couple of series focussing on the new player; don't worry you old salty dogs of the zone, there will be some stuff in there for you too I'm sure!

I would also like to publish a few painting videos, and I know Tech Boy now has the taste for scrap booking, so you can be sure to see more of these! If there is anything you would like to see on the page please let us know, by commenting on this post, tweeting us @OBDZC or popping me an email at obteamdzc@gmail.com.

Until next year, stay cool Zoneheads.

OB Podcast 11.5: Dibdib Dobdob

People of thine internet, hear ye hear ye! Team OB haveth delivered to their promise from ye olde episode 11, and unveil today their 11.5ieth episode!

What can your mind expect to be invaded with this time around? Scouts, scouts and more scouts! We will discuss the best way to assemble a pop-up tent, how to make a fire with only a box of matches and 17 fire lighters, and the difficulties of gathering edible food from an Aldi.

Hah, no, of course not; we don't know anything camping. Nope, you will instead be listening to us discuss the finer points of the Scout choices within Dropzone, ranging from 'which are the better units?' all the way too 'why should I take a squad?'!

Resistance Sappers and Scout ATV's - The Lowdown

Well, we can all breathe now, stick a fork in me, I'm done!

The Dropfleet Kickstarter was an outrageous success. I would doubt very much if there was anyone out there who will be disappointed with their deals. I, for one, am over the moon. I'm also siding more and more with the Shaltari ships. The Scourge are still the best looking, but the Shaltari are really brutal looking. I like it.
Oh, and don't forget - there will be teleporting nonsense too.

Down at Hawk HQ it seems that there is still someone beavering away to give some new Dropzone goodies just in time for Christmas........ and they don't disappoint.

The Elephants That Cross The Urban Jungle

Interesting things are happening in my dropzone related life at the moment. I've managed to successfully flush my Scourge host from my body (a diet of Tabasco sauce and ghost chillies will rid any parasite within you) and turncoat completely, by joining the good fight against the alien scum! Playing the Resistance has opened my eyes slightly to the issues other armies face (for instance, manoeuvrability is a luxury within junk-town forces), and also reinforced a few issues I had with the aliens (focal points are no issue at all for the Resistance, which is the opposite for the Scourge).

More interestingly than that though is you get to learn about all the units, y'know, get all up inside the infantry and tanks to see what they're really about. We do a lot of theorising and postulating here at OB, partly because it fills blog space, and mostly because we're vain enough to think we know what we're talking about. As it turns out, we sometimes talk out of our arse's - I know, shocking stuff!

Take the Hannibal for instance. After all of our initial bad mouthing, the tank is pretty useful despite its flaws, and has a little hidden utility if played in a perhaps unconventional way!