Mike Hobbs

photo by
@Ralph_Plowman

Neil Shuck phoned yesterday evening with the dreadful news that Mike Hobbs had passed away suddenly. 

Mike started out to me as a voice on a podcast, before I got to know him properly through being invited onto Neil's madcap Edge of Empire game, and thence to being a regular contributor to Meeples and Miniatires, and ... essentially he was a friend I got to chat to every week about all manner of our favourite things. 

He was a larger than life character, funny, knowledgeable, witty and opinionated - we didn't always agree (usually about 3D printing), but I always felt he respected my and others' opinions, even when he disagreed. Mike was a generous man, both with his time and with bits of the accumulated craft of wargaming we all have if he felt you could use it more than he could. 

It's a sad loss to the gaming community in general.

Rest in piece, my friend. My thoughts and prayers are with your friends and family, and may you be in a place where Firestorm's wonky shelves only dispense ready-to-play, fresh painted games (except when you feel like painting them).

To everyone else: take care of yourselves, and each other, and make the most of the time we have. 

The final Meeples...

...is up for those who've not noticed yet.

Very much the end of an era: 283 episodes (not counting various multi-parters from Salute, IIRC) over... longer than I've been back in the hobby - 12 years, in fact. One of the first podcasts I started listening to, back in Whispering Neil days, and one I was flattered and honoured to be a part of (counts on fingers) for I think over 100 episodes. It cost me (and probably a lot of other folks) a lot of money that I don't grudge at all, but equally it gave us all, I'm sure, a lot of fun and entertainment - I suspect I can speak for a lot of people when I say that there are games, figure ranges and rules, and probably even whole areas of the hobby, that I wouldn't have come across without the show.

It also created a community, and for that alone it was awesome, never mind anything else.

Thanks guys.

Roll good dice!

End of a day... and an era...

Seem to be having 'days' of late, of the fragmentary nature.

Have tidied the workshop ready for tomorrow's D&D session... sometime after blogging yesterday I had one of those glorious DM's "ahah!!" moments where a scenario hook and a bit of long-standing campaign history came together and fitted with a resounding clunk, which caused me to dash off 300 words of 'note to self before I forget'.

I really ought to count up how many words I write a week sometime. Certainly in the process of considering how to monetise the output and Do More Hobby Stuff (because, frankly, who wants to write code 5 days a week? :) I know what I'd rather be doing.)

We also named the new cat, finally - meet Jolene (probably Joley or Jo for short) - what can I say, Anne, James and I all play in the same country band! She has very much settled in and wormed her way into an Ash-shaped hole in our lives.

In other news, in case I really am your only source of hobby news, Neil has announced that the end of year episode of Meeples will be the last. Very much the end of an era - I used to look forward to Wednesday recording sessions during my time on the show as one of the highlights of the week. While it wasn't responsible for me restarting the hobby (that's entirely the Reverend Phil Marsh's fault), without Neil's reviews of things like IABSM, Duel in the Dark and many other things, I'd not be where I am today in terms of what games (war- and board-) I like and the amount of stuff I do.

Meeples has, for the longest time, I think, shaped the hobby, or at least the corner of it I live in, and it will be a shame to see it end. That said, kudos to Neil for making the call rather than letting things fizzle out to an undignified end.

On which topic... no, I haven't forgotten I have a podcast too. I'm planning on spending December and the Christmas break (what little of it I have given I blew the last of my vacation taking Anne to Brussels for her birthday!) getting my hobby ducks (and Dux) in a row.

Watch this space.

Meeples and Miniatures Patreon

Allow me to quote Mr. Shuck:

After a year or so of procrastination, we have finally launched a Patreon campaign for the Meeples & Miniatures Podcast.

Patreon is a crowdfunding website for people who create –  be that podcasts, videos, music…all sorts of stuff. In short, it’s another – perhaps easier – way of supporting the show, should you so wish. There are a number of support levels available – hopefully they are all self explanatory, but if not, feel free to ask us any questions.

Thank you to everyone who has supported us in our first 10 years of podcasting. We will continue to try and make the best show we possibly can.

What he said. No obligation to support us, it isn't going to stop us podcasting if you don't. It just will allow us to do better podcasts, maybe video, replace ageing hardware, etc etc....

The Patreon link is here.

Another board, another project...

Managed to cross several things off the list today:

• the next tranche of Meeples and Miniatures recording sessions have been planned, which barring unforeseen events should keep you all in episodes till Christmas
• The next Realm of Battle board has been dry brushed, ready for flocking tomorrow....
  
• A little work has been done on Sekret Projekt P, just to see what else I need to acquire...

Eye's a bit sore of late, so that's your lot, terse though may be. Back to the doc on Friday, so...

Back from hiatus!

No, not me, the Meeples podcast!

I'm delighted to report that not only did we record the usual excessive amount of chatter and banter on Wednesday night (with FIVE presenters, no less), Neil had it all edited by the weekend, and it's up as Meeples episode 172, in which Neil and Rich went to UK Games Expo, the two Mikes, Neil and Dave went to OML4, and I somehow end up actually defending "Tanks" (the new Flames Of War Lite game from GF9) against Neil and Hobbsy.

Enjoy!

Administrivia - updates, show, Meeples and pretty things

Apologies for lack of a Lardy List directory update - I had one scheduled for tonight, but after a day's spent Java coding (which I detest with a passion), I took pity on my wife's struggles with maintaining an online FAQ in a really rather rubbish web-based rich text editor, which means I've used up my eye for the night :( (There's still something in it, but I'm pretty sure it's the contact lens :D)

I will be at Partizan on Sunday - look out for the me in a blue Peterborough Wargames Club hoodie with a DSLR. If I'm not wandering around the gaming tables handing out show flyers and taking photos, you can find myself and the Andy's Hawes and McTaggert in the far left corner by the café entrance with the club's NW Frontier game of Men Who Would Be King.

One other thing: for those who aren't followers of Neil's blog, due to unforeseen circumstances, Neil is taking a brief hiatus from recording the podcast. And I quote:

Podcast Episode #171 will be published at some point in the near future, but the next podcast will then not be published until the 15th June, and it will be covering the UK Games Expo and Operation Market Larden #4.

Everything's as fine as it can be, and we'll be back in your lug'oles as soon as we can.

And my Saxon Miniatures order shipped today. Squeeeeeee!

Battle Report - 29 March 2016 - Sharp Practice 2

On Tuesday I was picked up by my partner in podcast crime, Neil Shuck, at a very rainy St. Albans City station and transported to Lard HQ for an introduction to their latest ruleset, Sharp Practice 2.

Rich and Mike Hobbs were already there setting up a table for a game set during the War of 1812 with some of Mike's rather pretty figures. I got roped in (as an official guest) to command the British, aided by Elton and Dougie, our mission to capture Fort Knightly from those dastardly American fellows.

My command was the three groups of British line, along with some lights, while Elton had the Canadian militia (who turned out to be very useful) and Dougie some Indian allies. Leader character names were scribbled up on a blackboard (which I forgot to photograph!), and, as ever from Rich, were a combination of the silly (Indian leaders Wart Knee and Red Barrel) and the whimsical.

I began by marching the British up the road in column - what can I say, I'm a traditionalist! Once there was space (and the Sergeant had forcibly prevented a couple of the men from being over-familiar with the locals), we deployed into line just as the Canadians did, and found ourselves facing an American line. Which we proceeded, over the course of several turns, to pound the living daylights out of with musket fire.

In the meantime, the Indians on the right were slowly working their way along a ridge, and my lights were getting hit in the flank by some Colonial chaps. Poor Neil, on the other hand, was starting to think his activation chits had been left out of the bag (Rich had to prove they hadn't), as his cavalry didn't move for ages. Finally, though, they did, and began a sweeping move round the right that eventually led them into the rear of my line, despite Hobbsy pointing out several times they were only scouting cavalry and not much good in combat. (And, it should be added, Rich encouraging him to charge....)

To be fair to Neil, I rolled some absolutely ridiculous dice, hitting 10 times on a 4+ on 13 rolls. Most unlike me, and the cavalry were not at all happy about it.

Didn't do much for the American's already shaky force morale, either...

That was pretty much it - a very fast paced, fun game with some interesting mechanics and command decisions. If you want to hear Rich talk about it, check out episode 167 of the podcast - the rules are out on the 23rd of April, and you'll be able to preorder from the Too Fat Lardies site sometime soon, I'm sure. I know I will be.

Thanks to Rich, Nick and the rest of the Lardie crew for making us welcome, to Hobbsy for the figures and the work he's putting in on the Sharp Practice 2 War Of 1812 supplement and to Neil for not only picking me up from St. Albans station but driving me home at midnight.

To base or not to base....

So - I appear to have started a debate on the last Meeples podcast. Do you base your 15mm vehicles or not?

Neil's sufficiently convinced of the rightness of his views to post a poll on Twitter: I'm sufficiently convinced of mine to link to it. Vote, do!

15mm vehicles look much better when based...

— Neil Shuck (@mandmpodcast) November 18, 2015

Meeples 150

...is coming up real soon now. and we thought it would be fun to do something different (well, I suggested it and Neil didn't argue :D).

So. episode 150 will be a listener questions show: this is your chance to find out what our Desert Island boardgames are, whether Neil and I will still be talking after the first game of the NFL season, why Rich is now a fan of Chain of Command, if Dave is really that tall, how many loopholes we've all found in our New Year pledge, what Hobbsy is painting next, and if Neil's painted anything yet! The world is your oyster. To quote Neil:

You can:

Post it in the comments [Mike: including here]

Post it in the comments section to this news on the Facebook page

Post it to our Twitter Feed @mandmpodcast with #ep150

Send it to meeples.miniatures@ntlworld.com with a subject of EP150.

Cut off for questions is around the 13th of July – we look forward to hearing from you!

 All yours, ladies and gents. Have fun!

Kickstarter Watch - Secrets of the Third Reich II

As Westwind are Good People (and friends of Meeples), and my former club mate John Austin (come back mate, we miss you) is involved in getting this thing going, here's a reminder that the Kickstarter for the Weird War 2 game Secrets of the Third Reich is now up and running.

30 quid will get you the rulebook and armies book, £79 that plus your choice of starter set.

Enjoy!

Another pleasant evening

...this time spent recording an episode (well, half a one) of Meeples with the exceedingly pleasant company of Messrs. Hobbs and Shuck, which never fails to bring a smile to my face :D

I had other plans for this evening involving sorting out the box of 18 Sails of Glory ships (including a second starter set) that arrived on Wednesday, but that's going to have to wait till tomorrow, I think: Napoleonic ship recognition class here I come!

That and having another read of the rules, since I appear to be running another game on Monday.

Meeples 144 - Salute

I don't normally plug Meeples episodes I'm not a co-presenter on, but
a) this is a great overview of some of the new stuff at the show
and
b) I'm on it as an interviewee... :D

Meeples & Miniatures – Episode 144 – Salute 2015

Editing podcasts

For those wondering, I did manage to get stuck in to the several hours of Meeples' recordings Neil dropped on me. One isn't looking too good, but fortunately for everyone's sanity that's NOT the Sword and Steel one. That had some real problems with hiss, though, which I managed to get rid of.

If you're interested in how(you may want to go to YouTube and fullscreen this):

Meeples

Been a more Meeples-y weekend than I expected. Got a surprise Google Hangout request (yes, we've gone back to Google Hangout for sound quality reasons) for a recording session on Good Friday evening. Fortunately herself was out (duty vet at the dog track) and son and heir has his nose in Elite: Dangerous (I must resist the Mac version), so... watch this space for another new episode.

However, first there's a couple of episodes to still edit, and like a mug (and someone who owns some decent sound kit) I've volunteered to help Neil reduce the backlog by seeing what I can do with one of the outstanding Skype'd episodes. Tomorrow morning's figure painting session is therefore postponed in favour of a stint with Logic and a pair of headphones, I think :D

Meeples and Miniatures 138 - Review of 2014

Neil Shuck, Mike Hobbs and I sat down on New Year's Day for a very pleasant couple of hours chat on what we'd done during the year, and also our own top 5 games for the year.

Neil's finally edited it and posted it (thanks so much for leaving my Jake Thornton fluff in!), and you can catch it here.

For reference, our top 5s were:

Neil:
1: Sword and Spear
2: Chain of Command
3: IABSM
4: Jugula
5: Small World 2

MikeH:
1: Open Combat
2: Pulp Alley
3: Sword and Spear
4: Heroes of Normandy
5: Battlegroup: Overlord

Me:
1: IABSM
2: Firefly Board Game
3: Dreadball
4: Sword and Spear
5: Chain of Command

Meeples Episode 127

At last - after another few abortive attempts to hook up with Neil (the man has the kiss of death to technology) and MikeH, we finally managed to record a piece for episode 127, catching up on what we've been up to of late.

The meat of the episode is a look at Geek Nation Tours, about which I know nothing so I'm clearly going to have to listen to it!

Meeples # 121

I was delighted to be invited to sit in on the recording of this one - another of Neil's chats with Jake Thornton - this time, unsurprisingly, about Dreadball Xtreme.

Enjoy! I certainly did: Jake's a very easy and great fun interview subject.






- Posted using BlogPress from my iPadrt

Meeples and Miniatures episode 120 - Rich Clarke of Too Fat Lardies

Neil's finally edited together his and my chat with Rich Clarke of Too Fat Lardies a fortnight ago into Meeples and Miniatures episode 120. In which we learn about the new Chain of Command campaign supplement and the new Dux Britanniarum 'Raiders' expansion.

Two hours worth of chat, which I hope is as fun and informative to listen to as it was to record!

Administrivia - podcasting, Stronghold Minis

For those of you not paying attention, the latest episode of the Meeples and Miniatures podcast is out, in which Neil, Hobbsy and myself (with audible cold) pick our favourite games of 2013. This is the episode we had something like four goes at recording before finally switching to Google Hangout. Kudos to the boss (Neil) for what must have been a heroic editing effort, since we didn't figure out until after we recorded it how the mute button and the recording software interact! (Not well, for those wondering).

And now, a plea. In an earlier post when I was just cobbling together my Home Guard, I put out a plea for anyone with more details of where I might get various bits of the Stronghold Miniatures range, specifically the Smith Gun, Northover Projector and Blacker Bombard. 'Leadboy' replied with a very helpful comment:

"If you haven't found the Stronghold stuff already, a kind chap over on the VBCW Forum has made contact with the owner and will have some for sale to members of the Forum very shortly. You can join and put your name down - I've been looking for the same stuff for ages ! Good luck"

Unfortunately, I can't find the link, and I don't have contact email for 'Leadboy'. If you're out there, or anyone else saw the VBCW posting, please help!