Alchemy's Workbench #5: Hulk On Hold

Just a quick update on my little side-project of combining the Dungeons and Dragons Adventure Game System and, Space Hulk to create a truly solitaire experience in the grim darkness of a Tyranid infested hulk.

It's probably not the update that you were all looking for though.

As I have SO many projects on the go at the moment, I have decided to shelve both this and the Diablo II conversion project until a couple of others are completed and, I can give them the due attention that they both deserve.

In the short-term, I have decided that the best number of projects for me to be working on without the risk of getting hopelessly side-tracked is probably two to three. Picking the three with so many pots on the boil was a hard one though but, I have decided to run with the following:

• The Dungeon Masters Series: I'm halfway now and I have really enjoyed working on this one, so there was no way that this one was going to get put on-hold when it's running so well.

• Flashpoint: This is a project that I have had sitting around for a few months that is pretty much in it's final stages now. Unlike my other projects however, this will be a salable product that can be yours for all of a dollar.. What is it though? Oh, it's just the only set of miniatures rules you'll ever need. ;0).. And I'm looking for a distributor.

More on this one to come.

• Assorted Painting and Modeling Projects: I have a whole bunch of miniatures and terrain (some my own, some that I'm doing as favors to other folks) that I am painting up when I have some time to spare, as well as a number of models that I am building from scratch.

These represent some of the only time that I am spending away from my laptop of late, so I certainly wasn't going to can them!

That said though, I certainly intend to showcase some of my finished works here. I may even lend a helping paintbrush in the future to folks who need it (I don't charge by the way but a few miniatures thrown my way as a thank you never goes a miss. ;0))

So, that's where I stand at the moment. Lots of stuff going on to the back burner.. But only until I have time and space for them.

Where's The Doctor when you need him?

Alchemy's Workbench #4: Just Scratching The Surface

Not going to happen. At least not anytime soon.

Getting an early morning in today gave me just the opportunity that I was looking for to hit the drawing board and, to start prototyping my scratch build projects. It's been quite a learning experience.

The first thing that I have learned that is no matter how cool I may think David Gaffam's papercraft model is, it probably isn't going to happen with Balsa Wood.

At least not anytime soon.

This is pretty much down to the second lesson that I have learned today, which is to play to the strengths of your chosen material. Balsa Wood doesn't handle cutting curves into it too well at all, so the arches in David's model are a definite no go for someone as new to scratch building as me, even with an experienced hand to guide me.

This has lead to some interesting compromises from a design point of view, as a lot of science-fiction architecture tends to be curve heavy. It has also lead to what I thought would be a ruins construction project going in a completely unexpected direction, with what I have on the drawing board now resembling something better described as an Imperial barracks.

All this has inspired a number of other ideas that I already had swilling around as well as sparking a new one. That's about as far as I've got so far (well apart from a card mock-up of some of my ideas) but, I have to say that I think I am coming along great guns!

Scratch Building

One of the many things that I have been wanting to do for some time now is try my hand at scratch building.

I've never really been too sure of where to start though but fortune sure does shine upon the bold and a chance conversation has lead to me having a fairly detailed discussion on the do's and dont's of scratch building with a highly experienced modeler, who has even offered to give me a hand, having outlined what I want to do.

In fact, they have offered to do it for me gratis! But me being me, I want to get stuck in and learn something new the best way. By getting involved.

Initially I am going to keep it simple by producing a few toxic craters on the cheap (the very cheap as I have some scrap material already collecting dust that will be just perfect for the job) and, some factory ruins. The classic for any Warhammer: 40,000 battlefield based upon the excellent papercraft model produced by David Graffam, pictured above.

The main difference between the model depicted above and what I am looking to produce will be material. David has opted for paper, which is all well and good but, wanting a more durable model, I will be using balsa wood. Granted, it is hardly the worlds toughest material but the improved durability combined with the ease of use and pliability seems to fit what I need well.

Plasticard will almost certainly be involved too along with a few plastic girders from my local modeling shop to really carry off the theme in a way you just cant with paper and card alone. All the time keeping in mind my overall objectives for this project:

A functional light-weight piece of terrain and templates that I can work from to produce them again if replacements are ever needed (or if someone else wants one).

In my head I have this all planned out. Now I just need to make it happen!