Thanks, Red Dog!

Red Dog at Dogs of War has been blogging for two months now about two of my favorite games, Saga and Ronin.  He was kind enough to nominate me for a Liebster Award.  I'll need to nominate in turn some of my favorite blogs, although I am a bit behind on my blog reading with the end of the school year rush.  Thanks again, Red Dog.

1. Why did you start blogging? I am not really sure now, but as someone living outside of a metropolitan area, my chances to game are few and far between.  I think I saw blogging as a way to share my ideas and efforts with others, as I had little chance to do that locally.

2. If you could change anything about the wargaming hobby, what would it be?  Not really my place to decide what is best for the hobby, but I would probably wish more success for struggling designers and manufacturers.  Technology is great and information and design technologies are no longer exclusively held. It has never been easier to start a small manufacturing business, but the margins have been squeezed so thin to be almost non-existent.

3. What is best in life? family, faith, rewarding work and time well spent gaming.  A more worldly answer would be Vallejo paints, stout beer and Fender Telecasters.

4. Do you want to live forever? No, but I might like an extended deadline.

5. Fame or fortune? Fortune.

6. What miniatures are you most proud of painting? Usually whatever I painted last.  Like my nominator Red Dog, probably some samurai that I painted for Ronin.  I've put together a Sohei buntai for Ronin, now I am doing a Samurai faction.  Here are some Assault Group samurai with no dachi swords.

I also enjoy painting fantasy miniatures (see next question) and here's some Mithril Miniatures I am working on.  I've had the Gandalf since the early 90s.  I am slowly putting together the Fellowship and a few others.  Mithril's are very nice, but very expensive so it's slow going. Hopefully when finished, it will be the unit I am most proud of.  

7. How do you deal with burnout? Painting is usually my stress reliever, but like any hobby it can be  source of anxiety if you take on too much.  I usually like to work in a fantasy figure to break the monotony.  I buy the Reaper Bones and use it to introduce my children to painting and gaming.

8. Why is a raven like a writing desk?   Because that's the sound of one hand clapping.

9. Star Wars or Star Trek?  My wife was rewatching all the Star Trek movies this past week (she is one of us!) on Amazon Prime and I have to say they aren't holding up with sole exception of Wrath of Khan.  I love the Kirk/Spock and McCoy dynamic but the inconsistent quality of the scripts, effects and universe.  The Abrams reboots leave me cold as well.  I'll take Star Wars Episodes I-III over lens flare and a spoiled brat Kirk any day...which doesn't give me much confidence about Episode VII.

10. If you could only buy one miniature company from now on, which one would it be?  Crusader Miniatures, no doubt.  I would love to have over a hundreds of the Byzantines and Normans each and play the Battle of Dyrrhachium with Hail Caesar rules.

11. What is your favorite takeaway?   Probably a gyro with cucumber sauce from a local diner, Domino's Pizza a close second.