Shh! Don't tell anyone I'm slipping over to the dark(er) side

Every so often every wargamer gets the urge. The urge to do something different. It may not be different to you the reader or that chap lurking over there in the corner of the internet but it is different to those who have the urge.

We have all had the urge at one time or another. Some resist and others dive in headfirst. Will any of us ever be the same?

I think the urge boils down to who you gaming with at the time. I've had it before and no doubt will get it again when something newer or with more shine comes along to burst the current bubble. And that bubble is science fiction gaming. There I have said it - well written it anyway.

It is all down to a new DDWG club member, Andy. He's been with us about a year and has quietly joined in many games and gradually introduced the club to Gruntz 15mm with his own games. And very nice they look too, as you can see below.

Gruntz 15mm game in progress at Devizes & District Wargames Group

So having visited Blast-Tastic the other week and and soaked up some of the 'pew, pew' atmosphere of sci-fi games the urge has grabbed me and some 15mm figures are winging their way to me this week.

It seems that I am not alone in the need to do something different as I stumbled on this blog:
http://exiledfog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/crazy-15mm-sci-fi-urge-no-pictures-toys.html

As I mentioned this is not the first time the urge has grabbed me! Last time I was influenced by my good friend and fellow gamer Simon Phillips and that game was Space Hulk - the original version. Sadly Simon has passed on to the great gaming convention in the sky but his enthusiasm for all things sci-fi have obviously had a lasting effect on me.

This is where I paint, plot and scheme my games and armies. The 25 year old original
Spacehulk, Death Wing and Genestealer are on top of the book case

So many figures so little time

OK, so May to October is quite a gap.

Since Legionary I have played in two more Saga competitions - Gripping Beast's Grand Melee at Firestorm Games in Cardiff during June and an excellent day organised by Mid Somerset Wargamers at Wells, Somerset, in September. Despite all good intentions - and improving results with several and one win in a competition - I still have to get off the bottom of the competition table(s)!

I have used my Vikings in each competition. At Wells I made several mistakes - one was the choice of army composition and the second was playing the game one die short. I thought that first game was rough going!

The last stand of Eric the Pink (fighting yet more Welsh) in the Grand Melee

One of the most notable parts of my game against Normans in Wells.
Three Hearthguard fought of a 12 strong Norman unit of Hearthguard - some remarkable dice rolls all round!

Today I ventured over to Bristol to the new sci-fi show Blast-Tastic, staged by Michael Stockin of Angel Barracks. I would have liked to been able to stay longer but it is a busy weekend and I could only afford the time for a brief visit.
There were some great looking games and some notable traders present. Michael had worked hard to get his vision off the ground and to my eyes it worked well. Here's to next year.

DDWG AGM tomorrow so another busy day.