The Weekly Top X - Sick, man!

Hi ho there everybody!  Welcome back to the only recurring series where the 'x' in it's title is a variable. As opposed to it being a roman numeral or an indication of soft core porn satus.

I'm sorry to say that after last week's super dose of Top X goodness, that this week is a bit anemic.  So it's not 10 selections or a novelization of Femalien.  Funny story about that actually (the anemic part, not the soft core porn)... I came down with an upper respiratory thing and spent most of my time over the week resting and drinking plenty of fluids rather than reading blogs and wrangling Brent to put his skull in the dick-joke-o-matic.

Don't bother with the sequel.  Or in general.

Now, I know what you're thinking and my illness is NOT due to being face huggered in my sleep.  There was no huggery.  And I understand your worry.  I spent most of Monday, myself, worrying if a tiny dick shaped alien would burst out of my chest.  "Luckily", it turns out that sinus infections CAN be contagious.  But I'm still not ruling out SinSynn's involvement.  There'll probably be an inquest or something.

The Von Show: What Makes A Good RPG?

I won?

That was... unexpected.  Thank you so much if you voted for me, hope I can live up to your expectations, and if you didn't... well, I hope you can find something to enjoy about the series, and I really hope that Lantz and HotPanda end up sharing their thoughts on 40K6 and WFB8 down the line, 'cause their entries were pretty damn interesting if you ask me.

As before, there's a script after the cut, which should be more or less accurate but I reserve the right for it not to be.  Especially not after I've had to film this something like six times just to work out a combination of mikes, cameras, computers and editing software that will actually produce something.  What's gone wrong since last week?  I don't know.  This is why GAME OVER doesn't even have pictures half the time... grumble grumble sulk...

Gaming On a Budget: IG Hull Weapon Magnets

I've made a promise to myself that I must keep regarding this article.  I will not make mention of a certain band oft linked to magnets in the popular culture.  Let's all hope I can make it because even I, ever late to a new meme, am sick as hell of that one.

Having turned in my black V-Neck and coca cola cup at the end of the HoP Idol competition, I'm free to start blogging again.  After Lauby's rousing treatise on using plastic bags for hand protection last week, I'll be returning to this series on the regular.  I hope you've all missed it a little, because I've missed writing it.

Rather than talk at length about the virtues of saving money by using magnets for your miniatures, I'm going to dive pretty much straight into a very common, useful project for all of you guys.  Sufficed to say that the executive summary of "dethtron's treatise on the cost savings and ROI of magnets in the gaming hobby" reads something like 'buy magnets to put guns on your shit so that you can use different guns on your shit without having to buy totally new shit since magnets are pretty cheap and shit.'  I buy my magnets from here. 

SinSynn: Deep in the bowels of GW Headquarters...No, wait...

> PLAYBACK BEGIN

*sound of chains clinking, links scraping against a stone surface. Several muffled voices are moaning in obvious discomfort. A single set of footsteps is heard, heels clicking a deliberately timed pace, back and forth. After every second step, a sliding sound is heard, as if there's something...heavy being dragged. A very faint, rhythmic sucking noise accompanies the footsteps and dragging. It's almost the sound of a baby with a pacifier, just...twisted. A voice is heard. The voice is angry, and petulant. It's high-pitched, but carries an indescribable menace*

"Well....since it seems we've forgotten the lessons from our LAST little 'meeting,' I thought it was best if I recorded this one. Not just so you won't forget what transpires here today...but because I think it's funny...What, nothing to say? No witty rejoinders?"

*The long pause that follows is filled with the obvious protestations of several male prisoners, all of whom are unable to properly retort due to having been gagged at some previous juncture*

"Oh, right...you've all been gagged, and chained here for my amusement. See? It's funny already."

*More muted protests, this time accompanied by the sound of arms thrashing about in manacles*

The Inevitable Necron Article...

You all knew it would happen eventually, so don't act surprised.....

So after many years of waiting the Necron players have finally got themselves a new Codex and I suppose the big question is "was it worth the wait?"

Lets look first at the obvious changes to the background and how that effects Necrons as a whole.

Firstly, They've decided to give Necrons a bit of personality as for many people the Necrons were .....well...a bit fucking dull.....They may have had a point......However.....

Giving each Tomb World a distinct set of motivations has allowed the personalisation of each army so a Necrons players choice of customisation is no longer a matter of picking which metallic colour scheme to choose or scouring the internet for plastic rods of a slightly different shade of green. Many believe this new concept idea is going to allow a myriad of different armies to be seen on the tabletop which is great I suppose...except...

They're no longer really the Necron army that players started using now are they?

Von is the New HoP Idol

Congratulations to Game Over's Von for becoming the first ever HoP Idol, beating out the competition by a mere hair's breadth this week.  Starting soon, Von will now be you all his own weekly series here at the HoP. 

I want to thank everyone who wrote for the contest, read the entries and voted.  You all helped make this the best HoP idol yet!

Don't worry about the chaps that didn't win, though.  I'm not saying anything specific yet, but we've got some super special consolation prizes coming up for them all very soon. 

New Member Monday - Important Information Herein

Hello again, everyone!  It's an exciting week here at the ol' HoP.  The results of the HoP Idol finale will be announced and our new author will be formally introduced?  Will it be Von and his soothing Theatre voice?  HotPanda and his madcap zaniness?  Or Lantz with his rumors and various last name puns?

Well, you'll just have to wait and see.

[Musings of a Game Store Owner] What Do You Do?

I saw a comment on a blog earlier this week. It was asking why one should frequent a FLGS, when they had a hobby basement and there was the internet. It went something like:

"A game store's great, but what does it do?" 

My humble reply: 

I sell games. Board games, roleplaying, miniatures, card and dice games. I sell teeny tiny space menz. I sell paper crack. I sell “poncing about playing make believe”. I sell big boxes of cardboard and plastic with funny rules on how to use them.

I sell fun.