Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Games Day Play-By-Play

A couple days later than when I hoped for this recap to be posted, but none-the-less, join me for a reselling of what was a friggin blast for me.

Yes that's right, I said the day was a blast. Was it the type of Games Day that we remember from yesteryear? The kind where it used to be a two-day event of a GT and a Games Day event? The kind where the were some great sneak-peek seminars, and more? No, no it wasn't. We've already established that so long as GW's philosophy doesn't change towards events, we won't have those types of events back.

So what made it so great?

What didn't make it so great? Let's start with the fact that those who entered Golden Demon and Armies on Parade got into the doors about an hour early!!!

Speaking of Golden Demon, I promised a finished picture of Bugman.

Here's another after I made FIRST CUT!!!

Making First Cut was my goal this year. Last year I just missed it. While I made it off the table into the case, I missed First Cut. This year I made it and I couldn't be happier. Well, okay, I could have won a Demon, but I made my goal. That, and entering into the same category where the Slayer Sword winner was picked from speaks of the competition I was under as well.

So what else made the day? I got to spend some serious time with Jawa from The Blood Angels by Jawaballs, MiCho from MiCho Miniatures, Fritz from Fritz 40k, Jim and Cathy Wappel (Find Jim's blog here), Randall Sizemore, Chris Borer from Full Borer Miniatures, Dave Taylor at Dave Taylor Miniatures, and Rich Erickson from Rich Erickson's Minis.

Congratulations to Jawa for winning the Banner Contest yet again!!!

Whew, there's a list of names and links, eh? I got to have conversations concerning everything from hobby tips, to blogger get-togethers and Chris Borer and Dave Taylor were kind enough to critique my Bugman. Last year Chris gave me an honest assessment of my Inquisitor I entered, and what do ya know, I did better this year than I did last year. Huh...see what happens when you listen? MiCho and Jawa and I talked about painting, new projects, and what it's like to hobby with a little one in the house. I met Rich Erickson for the first time early in the day and I swear 30 minutes of us talking had gone by before I knew it. I spoke with Jim and Cathy on and off throughout the day and learned of a fun little tool he used on his Armies on Display called Magnetic Primer! I could go on, trust me. I haven't even gotten to meeting James Swallow and Aaron Dembski-Bowden from Black Library.

What's that above? What, did I forget to mention the new Necron Scarab Sculpts and the new Necron "Locust" Harvester models from Forge World we hadn't see yet? Sorry, my bad.

I was right in my previous post when I said that Games Day for me wouldn't be about GW. It wasn't. It was about the people I got to meet and talk to, share stories with and exchange techniques. GW didn't make the day for me, I and the people I hung out with did. I don't get to see these folks but maybe once or twice a year, and that's what I look forward to!

Did you go? Did you see the short Irishman wearing the Miniature Tm shirt and not say hi? Shame on you if that happened, but make it up to me and tell me you caught sight of me at least below, heh. Did you have fun? Did it suck? Tell me!


I'll even make my Games Day Picasa Gallery available via this link HERE.

- Tim

...oh yeah, one last thing. I did pick up an extra Games Day special figure to give away on the blog at some point in the future!

 

5 comments:

  1. Congrats on making your goal of the first cut. That's pretty awesome!

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    1. Thanks Reid!! I'm still pretty stoked about it myself. Of course, looking over the figure now quite a few times, in addition to the advice of Chris and Dave, I see multiple areas I can improve upon. I really need to stop rushing my competition figures :(

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  2. I must know more about these locusts!

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    1. The way the sculptor and game designer described them, they are like 'locusts' that basically tool around planets the Necrons are conquering and repurpose materials, both raw and already used, for the Necrons. They didn't go into any true rules when I was talking to them about it, except to mention they would function like jump troops if I remember correctly. I could be wrong about that as well because there was a crowd and I may have misheard them :P

      The bonus is that the sculpts look great close-up and considering they had them in a group of three, perhaps that is the unit composition?

      Oh... the second bonus is that it helped to solidify my ideas for the insect-like conversions for my own necrons! Check your email ;)

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    2. Hey Tim, it was great to be able to "talk shop" with you at games day. Congrat on the final cut...Well earned! I was amazed by all the outstanding painters I saw up there. What a great turn out. I also liked the display cases this year...a lot better then the ones in 2011. On a whole I think games day was awesome, but not for reasons one might think...It was a bit lack-luster by way of GW input, but it was great to meet all the people I really look up to in the painting world. I did managed to get a bronze demon in the open cat...but the award was not a demon trophy...it was a piece of wood with a citidal castle glued to it. I was kinda bummed about that...not to sound ungreatful. Heres the thing, I have been in this hobby for a long time and a person goal is to have a demon in every catigory. Although I finally won a demon in the open catigory I did not get awarded one, I got a plank...that's kinda messed up. If you want to see the plank I got feel free to go to my facebook page and take a look in my photos Tim. It should be in "My Games Workshop Hobby." So thats the Good and Bad as I saw it.

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