Moving Armies Part 4:The Results of the First Leg

A Pre-packaged Army for GenCon '11

Moving Armies Part 4: Made it to North America - now did my army as well?

So, I'm in Texas now. The trip from Africa was a bit hectic due to a family emergency making us leave about 5 days early. Still, we made it, and so did my little GenCon '11 Warmachine contingent. I've been home for a while now, played a couple games, and now know what I forgot, what I should have brought, and what I am pleased is still with me.

P3 Bag - Not Just for Paints

Due to space constraints, I used the P3 bag to transport my Khador in anticipation of our annual GenCon '11 tourney. I had to make some hard decisions on who/what I would bring since I couldnt bring my full Battlefoam Warmachine bag (which travels nicely and holds all my Warmachine figs). The P3 bag was a stopgap measure because we had very limited space (what, with a 8mo old baby and all) and adding a carry-on that was not carrying babywipes and diapers was not an option. So, the decision was to put the smaller P3 bag into the luggage and take my army that way.

Top layer of foam (standard WM inf) in the bag (pic with it removed is below)

To its credit, the P3 bag fits in a large-size suitcase like a champ. Its small enough to allow a lot of other stuff go in. This, alone, makes it a good choice for gamers who travel a lot. You can sae your carry-ons for your laptop bag and maybe a backpack full of clothes and books (what I normally do). The downside, of course, is that other people handle the luggage (colloquially called "throwers") and breakage is more likely now that it is out of your loving/obsessive hands.

Lots of infantry - only a few spaces.

I used a bunch of my custom foam from my Warmachine bag in the P3 bag to make it a bit more robust and protective for the models. I could have used the Battlefoam standard warjack trays, but I knew the P3 bag would be thrown around a lot by baggage handlers. So, I went with the big, thick tray I had made (detailed in Moving Armies Pt 3).

The top layer of foam is behind, to give you an idea of how the custom foam fits.

I used a bunch of terrycloths to protect the larger 'jacks and make sure they didnt bounce around a lot. I doubled-up a bunch of the models to maximize carrying space. Again, there is an abvous trade-off here - more models, but at the cost of more breakage or paint chipping.

Bowed, broken... but available (at least)

Surprisingly, the army made it with little breakage. Kudos to Battlefoam and their bag. The Battlefoam trays did what they were supposed to do. The only major issues were with the two Talons (merc jacks) and Fenris that I brought. The Talons were the easier of the major issues to address - both had arm issues and the tips of their spears were bent. Luckily, repairs look fairly routine.

You can see where the spears started to bend.

Fenris? Ye gods. I did everything I could to protect that model and even then he still broke in three places. I'll need to reglue him and hope for the best. The pissy think is that his horse had a bunch of black paint, especially on the mane, rub off. The model is sealed so I dont know how/why this happened. Its a fairly large repaint, and I have been holding off - but I cant avoid it.

So badass, even his pretend horse can't handle him!

The rest of the models are good, excpeting some minor paint chipping. I was concerned doubling-up a bunch of the models would lead to more paints chips, but, happily, very little occured. Of the infantry, there is no breakage that I can see. Happy day.

A Plea to PP

I love the Fenris model and his rules, so I'll keep bringing him. But jeebus kreeist, he is impossible to transport for anything longer than a mile. Privateer? If you are reading this, please think about doing a more stable resculpt, please. Please? Please!

See the wear on the tail? Ugh.

Model Choice

Lets talk a little about the models I brought. I ended up bringing a smattering of Khador (mostly focused on the stuff I know I like to play) and my new Mercs (which I have not taken to a game yet).

The Behemoth is on the right

Interesting note/

In dealing with limited model choice Warmahordes really shines. You can bring some core infantry, a handful of solos, some jacks... and a butt-load of Warcasters. The nature of Warmahordes is that each army plays different with different warcasters - meaning you can get a lot of play variation by skimping on the units, but loading on the casters. This makes Warmachine and Hordes an ideal game for traveling gamers.

Interesting note off/

Okay, here is what I brought:

Infantry and Solos:

full unit of Croes (to proxy as Kayazy as well),

two sets of Doom Reavers,

Widowmakers,

Kell (to proxy as a marksman as well),

Mechanics (4 man)

Kayazy Underboss (he is my universal solo proxy)

Great Bears

(whats left of) Fenris

The Dog

Jacks:

Beast 09

Behemoth

Magnetized Plastic Khador Jack (Destoryer, Juggernaaut, Decimator, and Marauder)

Magetized Torch (so he can play as any of the above magnetized options)

two Talons

two Renegades

Casters:

Magnus

Butcher

Vlad

Sorcha

Irusk

Strakhov

Old Witch and Scrappy

Looking Back - What I Brought and Why

There were two areas I really agonized over - Alexia and her crew and the 'jack selection. To play Alexia right, you need a lots of zombies and thralls. As much as I love the unit, it simply took up too much space. I couldn't justify taking up to half my infantry slots in the bag with Alexia. I really, really wanted to... but couldn't.

A selection of infantry and casters, snug in their beds. They're all doubled-up.

The jacks were an issue because Beast and the Behemoth are so big, but so darned effective. I added Torch and the Magnetized jack because of their versatility and relative space efficiency. I also really wanted to bring Drago and a Kodiak, but could not fit them without changing the warjack tray and/or leaving out Beast and the Behemoth. Drago got dropped because he isnt versatile enough. I dont play with Berzerkers and Vlad is only one caster - meaning Drago would get limited play. The Kodiak ended up being left behind simply because it was the odd man out.

A view of the custom foam in action (I talked about the custom foam in a previous blog)

I kept Magus' smaller jacks for two reasons. First, they are small and fit in odd places in the bag - making them space efficient. Two, I really want to try my mercs out since they offer a very different playstyle than I am used to, and GenCon is the best chance to do actually play with them before we are off to Sri Lanka. So, they made it in.

Magnetized 'Jacks are the weapons of choice for the gamer-on-the-go

Additionally, I also had a Destroyer, Juggernaut and two other khador magnetized jacks I left behind. The Destroyer and Juggy are from the new Khador plastic box set and are so darned wide I am not sure where the heck they are supposed to go. Again, another argument for magnetizing - if only for more efficient storage.

What I Wish I brought:

Looking back, I wish I brought either Drago or the Kodiak. They both fill similar roles in my play style (aggressive, vanguard jack), and without them I am having to train myself in new tactics. I have an odd tourney this Tues (25 points, cage match, mangled metal) and wwant to bring either of them for the format (Kodiak for the two open fists, Drago because I want to run Vlad).

Otherwise, considering my limited space and what I plan to do, this was a solid bring.

Stuff I Forgot that You shouldn't:

See? I brought dice... but thats about it. Dumb.

I talked about this in an earlier blog post, so I want belabor the issue. That said, I forgot my core rulebook, the faction cards, and the templates. The faction cards are the ones that hurt. Templates are annoying, but everyone has a set, so I have to look sheepish and borrow a et each time I play (not fun).

My Viewership in Far-Flung Places

Due to the nature of my work and life, I pay attention to minutiae about countries a bit more than most, I think. In managing this little blog, I tend to watch what days get the most hits, what topics prompt the most visitors... that sort of thing. On a good day I see a spike of about 20 viewers- usually from:

- the U.S. (about 80% of my viewership),

- Canada (love you guys),

- the UK (say "hi" to Kate Middleton for me),

... and fewer but regular hits from:

- Australia (thanks NFB, I know its you),

- New Zealand (way better than old zealand),

- Germany (Koln is one of my favorite cities)

- Scandanavia (mostly Sweden)

- S. Africa (great rugby)

- China (knows how to build a hell of a wall)

.... and then there are the odd ones.

- Iran. I've seen someone(s) from Iran pop in at least a couple times a week. I really hope its a wargamer that, like me, gets stuck in odd places and has to go out of their way to get some gaming in. I cant imagine how it would be to game in Iran - I hear its actually a nice place to live and has a vibrant, if underground, young population. I like to think that Vir Triumphalis is an outlet for some 20-ish gamer who has to struggle to get a couple games. I like that image a lot better than the idea some Iranian intel dude is stuck having to read my blog and try to decipher what the hell I am talking about.

- Russia. I get a lot of viewership from Russia. Okay, not "a lot" but about 10 hits per month of so. Thats statistically significant and usually on par for places like New Zealand and South Africa. I've traced some of the origin pages and its definitely in Cyrillic - and looks to be Russian gaming forums and clubs. Thats very cool. If you are one of my Russian viewers (or the Russian viewer) I say, На здоровье!

- N. Korea. Yup, it hasn't happened recently but for a while there I would get a couple hits a month from N. Korea of all places. Huh. Maybe Kim Jong Il likes himself some Trollbloods and skypes with his buddies while playing Dark Heresy.

Or Maybe not.

***

If you are popping in to this post, and have the time and wherewithall, leave a comment and let me know where you are from - especially if you are from outside the U.S..

Back in Texas, Prepping for GenCon

Life Gets in the Way of Gaming. News at 11.

Its been a long, strange journey. The reason for my tardy update of this blog was simply due to the untimely death of my father. We were on our way out of Gabon when I was told about his death. Luckily, the embassy was amazingly supportive across the board and helped get me and my family out the door and home as soon as possible. From there, its been a whirlwind of training, consultations, and family stuff. Only now am I getting home to Texas to enjoy some R&R - and finalize the crap with my father's estate (anyone wanna buy a plane? No?)

What Not to Wear... err... Lose.

What has the last 3+ weeks taught me? Stuff NOT to forget if you are gaming on the go.

1) If you play Warmachine, dont, for gawd's sake, forget your faction cards! I just had to rebuy my faction cards because its damn hard to play the game without them. They are small and portable and you should have no excuse not to bring them. Faction decks are surprisingly hard to find in LGSs.

2) Rulebooks. This isn't a biggie, but having the core rulebook of your game system should be important. If you forget it or intentionally leave it behind, you can rebuy it. But seriously, who wants two core rulebooks?

3) Templates. Again, small and portable and surprisingly hard to find quickly.


You might think I would say "dice" but unless you are freaky about the hoodoo associated with your particular dice, they are easy and cheap to rebuy. Plus, having more dice is always nice.

Moving Armies Part 3: A Look At Battlefoam's Custom Foam

Foam Fer Everyone!

So, lets talk about Battlefoam's custom foam-maker-thingy...

Seems ready for Indy already!

Why Do Such a Thing?

In anticipation for the upcoming move from Gabon to Sri Lanka - which will involve a stop over in Dallas and Indianapolis (for GenCon '11) - I thought I could use some specialized foam to protect the bigger and irregularly-shaped pieces of my Warmachine army. As you may or may not know, I've been very happy with Battlefoam as of late (see the other posts in this series). Battlefoam's bags and foam are top notch and exactly what I am looking for in terms of durability and portability.

A comparison of the standard and custom.

So, it was only natural I utilize their signature custom foam designer. This was precipitated largely because, while the standard Warmachine foam inserts are solid, they arent large enough to comfortably hold odd/large models. Behemoth and mounted Fenris are the too worst offenders. If I am to bring them to Dallas and Indy to play a slew of Warmachine, I thought having a special foam insert for them would be the best idea.

Peek-a-Boo!

The Basics:

I used a 4'' deep piece of custom foam. The idea was to make sure the really odd moels would fit. Looking at the picture beblow, you can see mounted Fenris (in the fore) and the Behemoth (behind) - they fit pretty nice. Fenris will need to go on his side, but the Behemoth fits wonderfully with a topper covering that last little bit. I chose to put them all upright because I like having only the base touching the foam... its probably illogibal, but I feel better knowing that they arent rolling around on their sides. Plus, all the standard Battlefoam trays have the models lay on their sides, I wanted to see if an insert could be made that is both useful and allows the models to stand upright.

The Template I used

The template designer was easy to use. You play with their program on line, drop some geometry on some simulated foam, and you are good to go. In my case, I was looking mostly for a handful of large slots to hold a couple large figures, so the other stuff I added in was mostly just extra. That said, I could have done a better job utilizing the extra space. The little 1'' circles I thought would be a nice snug fit for tall models like the Thrall Warrior (with his big ass sword) or the Iron Fang standard bearer. Unfortunately, the little circle is too snug, and with a deep foam insert like I bought, it would literally pull the figure from the base if I put him all the way in there. So, those 1'' slots are going to be used for dice or holding magetized arms of 'jacks.

A general rule of thumb if I were to do this again (and I will) is add AT LEAST 1/2'' to the size you think would be appropriate. Another 1/2'' wouldnt be unreasonable either. The foam is cut with precision and the usual high standards are maintained on the custom foam.

If you are worried the custom foam wont be as sturdy or reliable as the standard stuff, as long as you dont go crazy and put too many slots (and degrade the integrity) - you will be fine.

Snug in their beds.

So, the above pic is my tentative layout. Upper left is Beast. Upper right is the Behemoth. The other larger circles are all magnetized plastic Khador jacks with their arms removed. Fenris, obviously, is in the middle. In the medium circle on the bottom right is a Thrall Warrior. Above him is the IFP Standard Bearer. Overall, things fit nicely (excpeting those little holes, which I note above).

I do plan to do a little cutting of my own. If I remove a little foam between the prongs of the "x" in some of the slots, I can fit other irregularly shaped jacks like Drago and Beast. The other problem children are those damned plastic Detroyers and Juggernauts in the new box set. They are very wide and wont fit in anything short of those big circles or the big square. I have access to Juggeys and Destroyers through the magnetized 'jacks, so my motivation to find room for these guys is pretty low.

Another pic of the foam compared to a normal Warmachine troop tray.

I am happy with the X-circles. That extra room fits some of the weapons that hang akwardly off some of the larger models and 'jacks, and will provide a useful spot to start when I make my own cuts. The X-circles also come filled with their own foam, adding to their utility (and the overall stability of the insert). I can cut those fillers as I see fit as well us use them to provide a more base (for foam stacked on top) when not in use.

Lessons Learned:

- When you plan out the foam with the designer, always add at least 1/4'' for each model that is standing upright.

- Those little 1'' circles are pretty much useless.

- Dont be afraid to cut the foam you just customized to accomodate the really odd models.

- 4'' deep foam is deep enough for everyone but mounted Fenris standing upright and Behemoth.

- Really, just because its driving my nuts, the plastic Destroyer and Juggernaut from the battleforce box set are annoyingly large and wide. If you want to find them a nice home using the custom foam designer, go with the really largle slots. Ugh.

P.S.:

Oh! If you look closely at the pics in this Blog you will get a hint of the topic of "Moving Armies Part 4: Bigger Than a Breadbasket" (any guesses?)

Moving Armies Pt. 2: From Old to New

"We're Going to Send Old Grey to the Farm... He'll Play With a Bunch of Other Bags in a Giant Field and Have All The Toy Soldiers He can Hold -- He'll Be Very Happy On The Farm..."

Yeah, right.

Isnt Old Grey Dignified?

As last we saw, Old Grey (pictured above, he's the bag) was close to forced retirement. He served me well for 10+ years, but the rips in his strap were telling and I didnt have confidence in the old man. Just like a 30 year old RunningBack, the performance is expected to drop off precipitously. (note, thats a pro tip right there for you Fantasy Football types - dont ever reach for a 31 yr old RB in the draft)

Rippin' at the seams!

As you can see, I did tape up Old Grey. This isnt the original duct tape I used, but shows just how concerned I was with the integrity of the bag. You can also see a 3-ring binder I used to hold my cards sticking out the top of the front pouch - that would be an issue I wanted to address (remember that for later).

.... In With the New.

The New Hotness next to the Old Standby

After weeks of research I eventually went with the Battlefoam Warmachine bag for a lot of reasons. First and foremost, I am a sucker for the "endorsement" -- having a good looking Warmachine logoright there in front. One of the other big selling points is that the Battlefoam bag is a bit bigger but, supposedly, is carry-on size for the airlines. ("supposedly" since I am havent personally tested it yet) I bought this bag to be portable and reliable for getting my army to GenCon no matter what continent I start on. This year its C. Africa, in a few months its going to be S. Asia -- in a few years, who knows? I need something strong and reliable and the Battlefoam people and their adverts sold me on its toughness.

The "standard load out" as Battlefoam calls it.

To put things in perspective, when I travel with my army to a con the basics of that travel involve at least 24 hours on a plane and transiting (not including going to the airport or security). It usually involves at least one transfer in an airport like Heathrow or Frankfurt, I have to go through customs and explain that, yes, I still play with toy soldiers -- and in some cases the whole shebang can take more than 48 hours. With all that movement, I absolutely need a bag that is durable and portable.

I wont go into all the nice features the Battlefoam Warmachine bag has since those bells and whistles are covered elsewhere (such as http://www.battlefoam.com/products/%28Warmachine%29-Privateer-Press-Warmachine-Bag-Standard-Load-Out.html) - but I will hit the highlights that justified the purchase of the bag to me.

/Begin Highlightage:

Thorough stitching and a tough (canvas-esque) exterior:

Easy access and lots good (deep) pockets (that has its own built-in binder):

Great foam:

Let me go into the foam a bit. Old Grey's Sabol foam trays are really starting to age. They are becoming discolored and the bottoms are starting to sag. Granted, they have been to hell and back and expecting themnot to show some signs of age is unfair - but still, no one wants to nestle their little soldiers in crappy foam (that last bit sounds dirty). Even when I first bought it, I was never quite happy with the foam's bottom/base. I always felt the pluck foam was thin and flimsy. Now, the bottom never ripped on any of the foam, but I was always extra careful because I worried the foam would bend and let a fig or three slip out. Agian, us gamer types are an anal lot, and thin foam bases annoy the crap out of us (us = me).

Older Sabol foam on the left, Battlefoam on the right -- fight!

The foam that game with the Battlefoam bag was great. It was both softer and studier (dont ask me how -I think its magic). In stark contrast to the pluck foam from Old Grey, the bases on these foam inserts are made of a soft rubber (or somesuch) and create a much more stable tray, even when filled with minis. This make me very happy and is worth the extra money Battlefoam charges for their foam.

Teh sexay rubber bottom.

SD holding my space elves -- Battlefoam tray up front... see the difference?

There are some issues with the Battlefoam bag. Not the least of which is that for a bag made to carry Warmachine minis, certain minis are conspicuously too big for the standard loadout.

Square peg, round hole.

Models like Behemoth and mounted Fenris simply dont fit -- even in the big tray that is supposed to hold big models like warjacks. My othe 'jacks do fit -- Kodiak, three Juggy/Dest/Marauder, Drago... they all fit nicely. But if you think the Battlefoam standard trays are enough for the really big models in the Warmachine line you will need to look for other options.

Still, remember that the Behemoth is BIG! and WIDE! - so again, its not unreasonable that he doesnt fit. My other 'jacks fit just fine and thats a good thing.

So, great new bag - solves all my travel and storage problems, right?


Well, in a word. No.


In another word?


Remember how I have a new baby? Yeah, well thats pretty important and sacrificing a carry-on (or a check-in) on a flight for my toy soldiers isnt an option. Worse, the Battlefoam Warmachine bag is bigger and a bit heavier than Old Grey and that means a lot more hassle when I have the family in-tow. Since the plan is for us all to leave Gabon this spring and vacation in the U.S. and Canada before relocating to Sri Lanka -- and during that time I will go to GenCon 2011 -- I have to make some hard choices about luggage, carry-ons, and what makes it back on this particular trip.

Beatings shall continue until morale improves!

I expect we'll have three seats, six bags, a lot of carry-ons, fly through three continents... and, consequently, little room for a full-sized bag to carry all my Khador minis. Bottom line - when it comes down to having carry-on luggage with diapers or one with Iron Fang Pikemen... diapers win. Always. Diapers win always (keep that in mind dads-to-be).


So, while I am a very happy customer with my new Battlefoam Warmchine bag, its a wee bit too big. To be fair, Old Grey would be too big for our return back to the States as well so its not a specific fault of the Battlefoam bag. In other situations , my new Battlefoam bag is going to be perfect (such as when I go to cons on my own, without the family in tow) -- but for this summer, I need something else. Its just the nature of the beast.


I think I have the solution on order.


TBC.

Moving Armies Across the World Pt. 1

Troop Movement!

Suitably lofty title, yes?

Its been said, and I am paraphrasing here, that amateurs study tactics, experts study strategy, and veterans study logistics. So, too, is it for wargamers.

Just like we obsess over minute gradations in shading and the technical specifications of little symbols we paint on our minis, we (usually) freak out about moving our little armies. The key, for many of us, like real generals, is simply getting the army to the fight. Get the army to where its supposed to be, and you have won more than 50% of the battle. For wargamers, getting our armies to whereever we are playing, with a minimum amount of damage and chipping, is a big deal. (why "minimum amount of damage?" -- because something always breaks in transit. Always).

I've seen army transport handled a lot of different ways - but all of them are loving. I've seen people use blankets, foam-filled shoe boxes, Styrofoam, tackle boxes (guilty!), gun cases, and, of course, specially-made carriers. I think you can tell a lot about the type of gamer you are playing with by how they carry their army.

We who are about to die, Salute You!

Simple shoebox? Probably just got into the game or are in the hobby exclusively for the competition and see the modeling aspect as superfluous.

Tackle box? Somebody who has been in the hobby for a little while, loves their army, but doesnt have the cash on hand to get a really snazzy bag.

Gun case? Someone wants to protect their army but is uninterested in a custom bag.

Professional Bag/Carry case? Been in the hobby for a while and has a sizable collection. Probably someone who has been in a tourney or two.

As you can imagine, army transport for someone like me is a very big deal. I travel a lot and as I build my Warmachine army, I need a way to be confident my travels arent going to overly stress the army. Being gainfully employed, money is certainly a concern, but not an impediment.



The Story of a Stalwart

For the last 15 years I used an old Sabol designs bag. At the time, this was cutting edge for moving armies. It has all this nice foam to carefully place your individual figures, a nice sturdy bag holds the foam, and it is carried by a solid nylon strap. After 15+ years of gaming with this bag, I call it "old grey." Old Grey has been a stalwart -- I count three moves to DC, one move to South Asia, one move to East Asia, one move to Africa. At various points doing those last 15 years, Old Grey ably protected my Dark Angels army and my Eldar Ulthwe army. Breakage did occur, but nothing serious. Old Grey is a good bag.

Old Grey is so old, I cant find a stock photo for his model. But his great-grandson is this guy.

Old Grey has been part of this blog. He/it was the bag I used to carry my Khador army to GenCon in 2010. I ended up buying some foam trays from Battlefoam to replace the (now seriously aged) SD foam of my bag. 15 years later, the Battlefoam foam was a bit of an upgrade - sturdier and softer. I was happy.

Old Grey was getting old and 2010 GenCon finally broke him. On the travel back home (to Dallas, not Africa) I noticed a bunch of rips in the bag around where the straps are secured. Apparently, the plastic covering of Old Grey, able to endure Asian monsoons, DC crappy weather, and trips around the world, finally started to become structurally unsound. Shoot.


My solution to a ripped bag? What any god-fearin' Texan would do.

Duct Tape!

If you cant Duct it F- it!

Old Grey was on his last leg. I decided, upon return from GenCon, that Old Grey was not going to serve as a carry-on any longer. The rips were too deep and I had these horrible images in my mind of the strap breaking and the army tumbling out. So, Old Grey went to Mailboxes Etc., got wrapped in bubble tape, put into a box, and mailed back to Africa.

Old Grey and my Army was waiting for me in Libreville when I returned home (re: the title of this blog). I made it back in early November after Elliot was born... but before Tracie or my daughter joined me. So, I had some quiet time with my army to see what made it through the mail. Props to Mailboxes Etc in Grapevine, Tx for doing an amazing job. The guy there took his time, listened to my story about why I was being totally anal, and simply smiled and added more bubble wrap.

Dear MBE - thanks for not sucking.

Only Fenris was broke when I unpacked the army in Libreville, and for those of you familiar with the Fenris model, its just this side of impossible not to break that guy.

Dont look now, but I think this .img of Fenris just broke.

To be Continued...