Unexpected Reinforcements miniatures swap

We've all been there, those moments when picking up the brush seems like too much of a chore to bother and even priming some new minis feels like a daunting task. To help you get over that and keep your painting output up Dropzonetoe over at Unexpected Reinforcements has started up a monthly miniature swap. This particular swap works very similarly to the annual X-mas swap over at The Miniatures Page though with a twist (the good kind, prizes!). The rules are simple, the blog master over at Unexpected Reinforcements chooses a theme (e.g. this month's was "mechanized squad") and a shipping date. As the date draws near he'll send you the address of your swappee at which point you send in the pics of your swap and then send off your swap. My entry this month was from two lines that I don't see get a lot of love, a Type 567 IFV from Combat Wombat and the previously mentioned (scroll down to #3) New NSL from Ground Zero Games. 

 Combat Wombat Type 567 IFV painted in an urban scheme, I probably spent over an hour applying those camo dots with a toothpick. Scheme is a rough adaptation of WWII German Armor scheme.

 Rear view

 The NSL squad I decided to pair it with, 3 riflemen, a SAW gunner, an AT launcher (I love the box launcher), and a designated marksman.

Everything together.

Oh, I suppose I should probably talk a bit about the prize portion of this contest ;). At the conclusion of each month a vote takes place to determine everyone's favorite swap. After a winner is chosen they receive a prize, this month's lucky winner will get a prize from Clear Horizon. Didn't win? No big deal, because if you manage to make swaps for 3 months in a row you'll get a prize just for participating. 

While it's too late to participate in this month's contest, February's contest is just around the corner. An incentive to paint, some unexpected new minis, and the potential for prizes, what are you waiting for? Pick up your brushes and paint pots and get in the fight!

A great read about wargames design

evilleMonkeigh over at Delta Vector has a great ongoing series on wargaming design. While I don't agree with everything that he says there are a lot of great points, food for thought, and examples of what he believes makes a game great and what makes a game less than stellar. It's a fascinating series and if you haven't already I heartily recommend giving it a look and then thinking about the rules systems you use. It's a great resource for those of us out there who are thinking of writing our own rules, and a wonderful read even if you're just a dabbler in the hobby.

If you're interested, the first piece can be found here.

My project pile and wishlist for the new year

The cold (at least for California) winter months are here in full force, the blockbuster video game season has passed, the holidays are over, and the BBQ's are long put away until the arrival of Memorial day... that can only mean one thing, it's back to wargaming for me!

It wasn't until just the other day that I realized how long it has been since I picked up a paint brush or did anything hobby related. With that being said, it's time to get going and get back into the game. What better way to do it then to detail a list of some of the models that I'm excited to get on the table, some projects I'm planning on working on, and a few sneak peaks at what has me most excited for wargaming in 2014.

My list of projects, and some bonus things to look forward to in the new year after the jump...