Dungeons and Dragons Miniatures

 So apparently I am on a roll, this is the third post tonight. Like most gamers, I like computer games and tabletop wargames, but I love Role Playing Games. I have played quite a few (OK, a lot)and read many more. 

Currently, I play in two games online using a: 

• Virtual TableTop (Roll20, Foundry VTT, Alchemy)
• Discord (to handle conversations, out-of-game chats, and music)
• Obsidian (for notes) 
• A reference site for character sheets and rules (D&D Beyond, Demiplane, or 5e tools). 
• Token Stamp 2 (for making tokens) 
• As for maps, I use whatever I can find or create using online sources. 

And one game using the usual stuff; 

• Books, Big Sheets of Paper, Dice, Character Sheets, Pencils, and Miniatures

Now playing online is awesome, and actually fairly easy once you get the hang of it. The ability to play with friends around the globe is amazing.  When home computers first became a possibility for the average home, I just wanted one so I could organize my AD&D tables and encounters. Little did I know that 40+  years later, I would be able to play online.  

However, I still enjoy playing on an NVTT (Non-Virtual TableTop).  I love the face-to-face conversations, the facial expressions, the DM's raised eyebrow, the nonsense, the bluffing, and ...  

(Whew! Long road to this destination of this conversation.) 

THE MINIATURES!

I love plopping down a nicely painted monster or miniatures that the players so painstakingly painted to represent their characters. I have miniatures on my shelf that, when I look at them, take me back to the great adventures I had with my friends. (Yes, very nostalgic).

I believe that my attraction to miniatures began when I was young.  I was kind of sickly as a child, and my mom needed to take me to the doctor often. (Maybe not more than any other child, but it just seemed that way to me.) After, we would head to a small mercantile store in town and I would get a small plastic figurine of a knight. There was a series of these knights, and their parts, weapons, and shields could be interchanged.  

So when I began playing the new Advanced Dungeons and Dragons game with miniatures, I was enthralled. (Hence the verbiage under the title). Very shortly after playing, I began painting miniatures. 

Ok, Sherpa, we have established you like miniatures, so what is this about? 

Well, DMs for NVTT's need miniatures, and lots of them. My friend who has been playing and DMing longer than I (by only two years) has well over  2000 miniatures (a very low guess, I think). 

So, how does a DM build up his collection of miniatures quickly?  Well, bargain hunt for them, look at posts, eBay, Craigslist, ask friends, and Amazon. 

Right now, Amazon has Wildspire Miniatures sets for a really good price.  There is enough in a set to get a DM started; they are of very nice quality and easy to paint. 

Miniature Storage Revisited

Several years ago, I mentioned Tablewar's incredible magnetic transport cases.  Today, there are several types of similar cases, as well as DIY options. Just a quick look on Amazon and you can see several different cost-friendly magnetic storage solutions. 

Last Christmas, Mrs Claus presented me with a new magnetic transport case. It came with 4 shelves per case (the picture is of two cases stacked and attached to each other), made of white plastic and clear plastic fronts. They are definitely not the top tier of cases, but they work and look pretty good. 

Jucoci Miniature Case

As mentioned several times before in this blog, I try to find ways to build, craft or substitute things to lessen the cost of items that support my hobby, which in turn increases my budget for buying miniatures.  I don't own a 3d printer, they seem really messy and not for me.  And although I have a couple of airbrushes, I still like using a brush. 

So this is what I am getting at;  several v-blogs show using containers, tin sheets (has to be tin, NOT aluminum), and magnets to make storage and transport cases.  Check them out. Duncan Rhodes has a great video about making cases. 

However, just remember for RPG miniatures for games like Dungeons and Dragons to put metal washers on the miniature base, and a sheet of magnetic material in the tote or container.  Most RPG game tables use monitors or TV screens for their maps, and magnets on the screens may or may not cause issues. Better safe than sorry.. 

Shadow War Armageddon

Earlier this week I was binge-watching the current content from my favorite creators, mostly tabletop gaming stuff.  When this video grabbed my attention, it was from Uncle Atom of Tabletop Minions.  He was talking about resurrecting Shadow War Armageddon in the gaming community.

 Resurrection Shadow War Armageddon

This really piqued my interest. Especially regarding my last post. As I mentioned earlier, I was becoming less and less interested in Games Workshop publications. I have been looking into indie games, free games, older rule sets, or fan-made or modified rule sets (INQ28, INQUISAMUNDA).  Also, check out Yaktribes.

Then, Uncle Atom mentions "Shadow War Armageddon". I purchased the boxset, assembled and painted mostly the terrain, bought more terrain, and then ..... stored it away.  I did this because the latest Necromunda, Stormcloud Attack, Kill Team 2018, and Dark Imperium came out. 

Which by the way, I have not played a single game of each...Aaargh.. 

Back to "Shadow War Armageddon", 

Uncle Atom's video got me to open up the SWA box set and remember how excited I was to play this game and the fun I had assembling and painting the terrain.  He's right, this is a good game and should be revisited. Unfortunately, I don't have the ruleset with all the factions in back. I just have the one from the box set, but.... I downloaded the pdfs from Games Workshop before they took them down.  (Smiley Emoji).