GAMING NEWS: Five Seconds of Fame: Thanks, Jeff!

. Jeff's daughter designed / inspired this awesome Simian Martial Arts Master!

Hi Everyone,

Yesterday, despite a cruddy day at work, I received a very pleasant surprise:

The author of a blog that I absolutely love linked back to my humble little gaming blog here!

Thanks, Jeff!

Find his link here:
http://jrients.blogspot.com/2007/04/im-thinking-of-number-between-4-and-6.html

All I can say is that I'm flattered and honored to be thought worthy.

Jeff has GREAT taste in movies!

Jeff wrote:

6mm Minis - One of my favorite miniatures blogs. Great photos. Not just 6mm scale.

Here's what I think of Jeff and why you should take a gander at his charming little blog when you get a chance:

Jeff Rients has a wonderful sense of whimsy, a great sense of humor and an encyclopedic knowledge of:
- Comic books (particularly wacky ones)
- Classic old RPG (Roleplaying Game) products of the 1970s and 80s
- Classic gaming artists of the 1970s and 80s
(I share his love of good illustrations...)

His blog never fails to amuse and entertain me whether he features:
- Pictures of his kids in Halloween costumes
(...at least I hope the costumes were for Halloween!)
- His whimsical drawings guaranteed to cheer me up
- A sampling from his rather eclectic musical tastes
(...including videos as often as not)
- Yet another mention of STAR WARS
- His really great, engaging writing skills

- Descriptions of his gaming experiences

(...including some pretty wacky-fun RPG campaigns)
- And so much more...

Jeff's mutant Ninja-kin nephew... love his family photos!

And, perhaps, best of all, I love his self description line:

ABOUT ME: Jeff Rients

Farm boy who wanted to grow up, go to the Academy, and join the Rebellion. Ended up a banker instead. Go figure.

Hey, I told you that Jeff has a goofy off color taste in comics...

Have a great Thursday!

Shalom,
Maksim-Smelchak.

Notes regarding photos / pictures: These are not all my images. I am using various images from around the web, mostly from public sources and/or private sources used with permission. I have tried to include only images under public domain, creative commons, or fair use. If I have inadvertently violated any copyrights, please inform me and I will remove your image/s (if it is indeed an infringement).

HASBARA: Happy Yom Ha'Atzmaut! (24 April 2007)

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Hi Everyone,

Today is the day that a small country survived against all odds to provide a place of hope in a dark corner of the world...

Happy Yom Ha'Atzmaut! (Israeli Independence Day)

Chag Sameach!


Which coincidentally also provides all of this:

Israel, the 100th smallest country, with less than 1/1000th of the world’s population, can lay claim to the following:

1. The cell phone was developed in Israel by Israelis working in the Israeli branch of Motorola, which has its largest development center in Israel.
2. Most of the Windows NT and XP operating systems were developed by Microsoft-Israel.
3. The Pentium MMX Chip technology was designed in Israel at Intel. Both the Pentium-4 microprocessor and the Centrino processor were entirely designed, developed, and produced in Israel.
4. The Pentium microprocessor in your computer was most likely made in Israel.
5. Voice mail technology was developed in Israel.
6. Both Microsoft and Cisco built their only R&D facilities outside the US in Israel.
7. The technology for the AOL Instant Messenger ICQ was developed in 1996 by four young Israelis.
8. According to industry officials, Israel designed the airline industry's most impenetrable flight security. US officials now look to Israel for advice on how to handle airborne security threats.
9. Israel's $100 billion economy is larger than all of its immediate neighbors combined.
10. Israel has the highest percentage in the world of home computers per capita.
11. Israel has the highest ratio of university degrees to the population in the world.
12. Israel produces more scientific papers per capita than any other nation by a large margin - 109 per 10,000 people -- as well as one of the highest per capita rates of patents filed.
13. In proportion to its population, Israel has the largest number of startup companies in the world. In absolute terms, Israel has the second largest number of startup companies after the US (3,500 companies mostly in hi-tech).
14. With more than 3,000 high-tech companies and startups, Israel has the highest concentration hi-tech companies in the world -- apart from the Silicon Valley, US.
15. Israel is ranked #2 in the world for venture capital funds right behind the US.
16. After the United States and Canada, Israel has the largest number of NASDAQ listed companies.
17. Israel has the highest average living standards in the Middle East. The per capita income in 2000 was over $17,500, exceeding that of the UK.
18. On a per capita basis, Israel has the largest number of biotech startups.
19. Twenty-four percent of Israel's workforce holds university degrees -- ranking it third in the industrialized world, after the United States and Holland -- and 12% hold advanced degrees.
20. Israel is the only liberal democracy in the Middle East.
21. In 1984 and 1991, Israel airlifted a total of 22,000 Ethiopian Jews at risk in Ethiopia to safety in Israel.
22. When Golda Meir was elected Prime Minister of Israel in 1969, she became the world's second elected female leader in modern times.
23. When the US Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, was bombed in 1998, Israeli rescue teams were on the scene within a day -- and saved three victims from the rubble.
24. Israel has the third highest rate of entrepreneurship -- and the highest rate among women and among people over 55 - in the world.
25. Relative to its population, Israel is the largest immigrant-absorbing nation on earth. Immigrants come in search of democracy, religious freedom, and economic opportunity.
26. Israel was the first nation in the world to adopt the Kimberly process, an international standard that certifies diamonds as "conflict free."
27. Israel has the world's second highest per capita rate of publishing new books.
28. Israel is the only country in the world that entered the 21st century with a net gain in its number of trees, made more remarkable because this was achieved in an area considered mainly desert.
29. Israel has more museums per capita than any other country.
30. In the field of medicine, Israeli scientists developed the first fully computerized, no-radiation diagnostic instrumentation for breast cancer.
31. An Israeli company developed a computerized system for ensuring proper administration of medications, thus removing human error from medical treatment. Every year in US hospitals 7,000 patients die from treatment mistakes.
32. Israel's Givun Imaging developed the first ingestible video camera, so small it fits inside a pill. Used to view the small intestine from the inside, the camera helps doctors diagnose cancer and digestive disorders.
33. Researchers in Israel developed a new device that directly helps the heart pump blood, an innovation with the potential to save lives among those with heart failure. The new device is synchronized with the heart's mechanical operations through a sophisticated system of sensors.
34. Israel leads the world in the number of scientists and technicians in the workforce, with 145 per 10,000, as opposed to 85 in the US, over 70 in Japan, and fewer than 60 in Germany. With over 25% of its work force employed in technical professions, Israel places first in this category as well.
35. A new acne treatment developed in Israel, the ClearLight device, produces a high-intensity, ultraviolet-light-free, narrow-band blue light that causes acne bacteria to self-destruct -- all without damaging surroundings skin or tissue.
36. An Israeli company was the first to develop and install a large-scale solar-powered and fully functional electricity generating plant (in southern California's Mojave desert).
37. Israel did all of the above while engaged in regular wars with an implacable enemy that seeks its destruction and an economy continuously under stress by having to spend more per capita on its own protection than any other country on earth.

Learn more about Yom Ha'Atzmaut here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yom_Ha%27atzma%27ut

Have a great Tuesday!

Shalom,
Maksim-Smelchak.

P.S.
Hat tip to Elder of Zion, Michelle & BlueStar PR. Todah Raba! (Thanks!)
http://elderofziyon.blogspot.com/2007/04/yom-haatzmaut.html

P.S.S.
A joke for the celebration:

Digging to a depth of 1,000 meters last year, French scientists found traces of copper wire dating back 1,000 years. The French came to the conclusion that their ancestors had a telephone network centuries ago.

Not to be outdone by the French, English scientists dug to a depth of 2,000 meters. Shortly thereafter headlines in the U.K. newspapers read:"English archeologists have found traces of a 2,000-year-old fiber-optic cable and have concluded that ancestors had an advanced high-tech digital communications network a thousand years earlier than the French.

"One week later, Israeli newspapers reported the following: "After digging as deep as 5,000 meters in a Jerusalem marketplace, they found absolutely nothing." They thus concluded that 5,000 years ago Jews were using wireless technology.

Notes regarding photos / pictures: These are not all my images. I am using various images from around the web, mostly from public sources and/or private sources used with permission. I have tried to include only images under public domain, creative commons, or fair use. If I have inadvertently violated any copyrights, please inform me and I will remove your image/s (if it is indeed an infringement).

GAMING NEWS: ConQuest Sac 2007 Photos Posted!

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CQ-Sac 2007 attendees enjoying a rousing game of Monster Island!

Hi, Everyone!

I posted photos from the ConQuest-Sac-2007 gaming convention for anyone interested.

*** Warning: ***
Some of the sub-galleries have adult-themed games (strong language, but no nudity other than the occasional naked Pict/Gaul armed with blue war paint and an aim to misbehave). If you have an aversion to adult words, then I recommend you avoid the "Zombietown" sub-gallery. The rest of the galleries and sub-galleries are pretty tame.

You can find them here:

http://s44.photobucket.com/albums/f23/Maksim-Smelchak/ConQuest-Sac-2007/

I posted a few photos of attendees under the root and then subdivided the galleries thematically into:

- CQ-Sac_Board-Games-07
- CQ-Sac_Mini-Games-07
- CQ-Sac_RPGs-07
- CQ-Sac_Staff-07
- CQ-Sac_Vendors-07

And then created some sub-galleries as well:

CQ-Sac_Board-Games-07
- CQ-Sac_ASL-2007
- CQ-Sac_B-17_2007
- CQ-Sac_Twilight-Imperium_07

CQ-Sac_Mini-Games-07
- CQ-Sac_40k-Tourney-07
- CQ-Sac_Air-Games-07
- CQ-Sac_Ancients-07
- CQ-Sac_CMGs-07
- CQ-Sac_Monster-Island-07
- CQ-Sac_Naval-WWII-07
- CQ-Sac_Painting-07
- CQ-Sac_Vietnam-07
- CQ-Sac_Westerns-07
- CQ-Sac_WWII_2007
- CQ-Sac_Zombie-Hunter-07
- CQ-Sac_Zombietown-07

CQ-Sac_RPGs-07
- CQ-Sac_Bob-Serenity-07
- CQ-Sac_Capt-Bob-07
- CQ-Sac_Cthulhu-2007

I wanted to also mention that while I volunteer at the ConQuest-Sac-2007 gaming convention, my photos should not be considered "official" con photos... just the contribution of one gamer to the community.

I hopefully removed all the photos with particularly unflattering poses (always seem to get a few nostril shots no matter how I try). I also deleted all the photos of "The Future Plumbers of America Club"... they simply have attrocious fashion sense (...totally unlike the average gamer, right?)...

An exciting action shot from one of the air wargames at CQ-Sac-2007!

If for any reason, someone has an aversion to a photo (I did ask permission repeatedly all day long), drop me a line and I can remove any offending material. I wouldn't want anyone's mug shot to reach the FBI or America's Most Wanted...

With that said, I hope that everyone enjoys the photos!

I had a great time at the con and hope that everyone else did too!

Wishing everyone well!

Shalom,
Maksim-Smelchak.

P.S.
Anyone interested in using photos on their website or elsewhere is welcome to do so. All I ask is that I be credited as the photographer (even the poor photos!)...

P.S.S.
Thanks to Bill at TMP!

PERSONAL NEWS: Air & Space Smithsonian Was Amazing!

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A funky "futurist" sculpture at TSASM.

Hi Everyone,

I just got back from my mini-vacation yesterday evening and I have to say that The Smithsonian Air & Space Museum (TSASM) was everything I'd expected it to be and more. So many pieces of aviation and space exploration history were there... in the flesh... Chuck Yeager's X-1, the X-15, V-1s, V-2 "Buzzbombs," the Apollo Lander, WWI aircraft, WWII aircraft, civil aviation aircraft... you name it and TSASM probably had it on display. I was absolutely overwhelmed.

A classic DC-3 civil transportation aircraft at TSASM.

I took lots of photos and hope to share them soon.

I also got around the Washington D.C. area, which was beautiful... The Capitol Building, The Treasury Building, The Kennedy Center, The White House, The Jefferson Memorial... I loved it.

I also noted that the underground portions of the D.C. Metro (public transportation system) look frightening like the Deathstar of Star Wars mythology... loved it! I got some cool snapshots of it... wish I had the Photoshop skills to insert a spare R2D2 or two into them...

However, my favorite "site to see" was a display at TSASM on the evolution of space suits... from the earliest underwater exploration suits (aqualungs) "used" by Captain Nemo in Jules Verne novels to the newest and most modern spacesuits used by the Russians and Americans. One of my favorite displays showed a Victorian impression of a spacecraft... COMPLETE with a liquor cabinet... priorities, old bean! Very amusing.

Some real history-makers at TSASM: Chuck Yeager's X-1, Spirit of Saint Louis and Space Ship One.

I hope to share photos and more about my experience soon.

All the best to everyone!

Shalom,

Maksim-Smelchak.

Notes regarding photos / pictures: These are not all my images. I am using various images from around the web, mostly from public sources and/or private sources used with permission. I have tried to include only images under public domain, creative commons, or fair use. If I have inadvertently violated any copyrights, please inform me and I will remove your image/s (if it is indeed an infringement).

HUMOUR: Bill Gates Hiring Process Joke (11 April 2007)

. I love Terminator movie mock-ups and this is a Bill Gates themed post...

Hi Everyone,

I love a good joke and have had a few good ones tossed my way lately... Enjoy!

My good buddy L-4 loves the Ferengi of Star Trek...
This joke graphic seemed to follow...

Bill Gates decides to organize an enormous session of recruitment for a chairman for Microsoft Europe. The 5,000 candidates are all assembled in a large room. One of the candidates is Maurice Cohen, a little Parisian-Jewish Tunisian.

Bill Gates thanks all the candidates for coming and asks that all those who do not know JAVA program language rise and leave. 2,000 people rise and leave the room. Maurice Cohen says to himself - "I do not know this language but what have I got to lose if I stay? I'll give it a try."

Bill Gates asks all the candidates that those who have never had experience of team management of more than 100 people rise and leave. 2,000 people rise and leave the room. Maurice Cohen says to himself - "I have never managed anybody but myself but what have I got to lose if I stay? What can happen to me?" So he stays.

Then Bill Gates asks all the candidates who do not have excellent management diplomas to rise and leave. 500 people rise and leave the room. Maurice Cohen says to himself - "I left school at 15 but what have I got to lose if I stay? So he stays in the room.

Lastly, Bill Gates asks all of the candidates who do not speak the Serbo-Croat language to rise and leave. 498 people rise and leave the room. Maurice Cohen says himself - "I do not speak Serbo-Croat but what the hell! - have I got anything to lose?" So he stays in the room.

He finds himself alone with one other candidate - everyone else has gone. Bill Gates joins them and says: "Apparently you are the only two candidates who speak Serbo-Croatian, so I'd now like to hear you both have a little conversation in that language!

Calmly Maurice turns to the other candidate and says to him: "Barukh ata Adonai."

The other candidate answers: "Eloheinu melekh ha'olam."

Just in case, you missed the punch line, the two candidates are speaking Hebrew, not Serbo-Croat!

I'd prefer this restaurant to our conventional Burger King...
My Lebanese friend Mahmoud sent me this joke graphic.

As an aside, if you've never tried schwarma, I highly recommend it. When it's done right, it's heavenly! Here's a link with more about schwarma (thinly sliced meat usually served with fresh vegetables in a pita pocket) if you've never heard of it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schwarma

Next joke:

An Arab general was advancing on towards Israeli land, when he spotted a single Israeli soldier by some rocks, mocking and daring the advancing Arabs to come get him. The General sent a platoon to go deal with him, and was flabbergasted when it was wiped out and the soldier reappeared from behind the rocks.

So he sent a battalion to take out the enemy soldier, and it also was quickly decimated just out of sight.

Angered, he sent a whole division to make short work of the Israeli soldier, and it too was wiped out.

A single wounded straggler made it back to the Arab lines with the message:

"Don't go, it's a trap! There's two of them!"

This is my favorite Arab General...
My buddy Mahmoud in Lebanon sent me this joke graphic.

As an aside, I had an Egyptian cultural anthropology professor at university and she used to tell us about Egyptian society. One of the things she shared with us was a memory of when the Kentucky Fried Chicken fast food chain first arrived in Egypt. She mentioned that it was extremely popular and the chicken bucket was a status symbol in Cairo... she spoke about how people kept the buckets and displayed them proudly... it was a very "The Gods Must Be Crazy" moment. I seriously doubt that KFC still holds such a position in Egyptian popular culture, but it's still an amusing anecdote. She had all kinds of great stories and I really loved her. The only bummer about her classes was she made us learn some serious geography, as in big honk'in tests on the names and locations of EVERY country in the world. I learned a lot, but what a chore!

Another quick one:

Q. What's the difference between an Israeli and an Israelite?

A. About 40 pounds :-)

Thanks Hillary, Mahmoud, and Jarrod!

Have a great Wednesday!

Shalom,
Maksim-Smelchak.

Notes regarding photos / pictures: These are not all my images. I am using various images from around the web, mostly from public sources and/or private sources used with permission. I have tried to include only images under public domain, creative commons, or fair use. If I have inadvertently violated any copyrights, please inform me and I will remove your image/s (if it is indeed an infringement).

GAMING NEWS: MWSS Session Report (10 March 2007)

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Jarrod, Mike W. and Mike O. having a great time hunting zombies!

Hi Everyone,

Well, I finally got around to writing the battle report for the 10 March 2007 meeting of the MWSS (Miniatures Wargaming Society of Sacramento) gaming club. It was a fun meeting with lots of attendees during a very busy weekend. I didn’t keep track of victories this time… only who played. Without further ado, here’s what happened:

Dick and Mark chuckling as the zombies ran wild.

Attendance:

1. Andrew
2. Anthony
3. Charles
4. Connor
5. Dave S.
6. Don
7. Chris
8. Dick
9. George
10. Greg
11. Jarrod
12. Joe B.
13. Joe R.
14. Keith
15. Ken
16. Maksim
17. Mark C.
18. Mike O.
19. Mike W.
20. Randy
21. Mystery Guest #1
22. Mystery Guest #2 (Improved model)

Game (miniatures) #1:
Armati (15mm ancients historical game)
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/10266

Gauls (Germans) vs. Romans
(Hosted by Chris) 15mm Roman and Gaulish lines mix it up.

Gauls (Germans):
- Don
- Joe R.
Romans:
- Chris
- Randy

- In a fairly standard game of Armati, the Gauls were trounced by a more devious pair of Roman commanders, Randy Randulous and Christophero Christophicus. The poor Gaul commanders were more like Hanz & Franz from the 1980s Saturday Night Live television show than fearsome hulking Germans from ancient times! You can't win them all and Armati does have a learning curve...

Game (miniatures) #2:
Gaslight (15mm Victorian Science Fiction game)
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/7071

Prussians vs. Confederacy vs. Mercenary Spanish vs. Cruel World
(Hosted by Mark C.)

A huge 15mm British VSF vehicular contraption overuns a smaller brother.

Prussians:
- Dick
- Maksim
Confederacy (Tinkertons):
- Anthony
- Charles
- George
American Adventurers
- Greg
Spanish Mercenaries led by an Insane British Lord & Arab Allies
- Mike O.

- This was definitely a wildy and wooly game. Mark specializes in writing colorful and funny background stories as well as creating wacky special rules that often don't come into play. For instance, one of the Confederate characters was a mad scientist with a "pig zapper" gun/device that literally turned its targets into... PIGS! Mark also built a number of scratch items for the game including all of the vehicles and scenery pieces. It was a great game and we all had a blast playing it!

A 15mm Mad Sheik fights an Indiana Jones-like American adventurer.

- As a side note, I have detailed notes of this game and will create a separate battle report for it in the near future.

A beautiful scratchbuilt 15mm VSF robot, the "Firebelly," made by Mark C.

Game (miniatures) #3:
Xtreme Zombie Hunter (28mm Sci-fi)
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/20901

Zombie Hunters vs. Zombies
(Hosted by Nils)

A 28mm "chainsaw chick" is surrounded by marauding zombies.

Zombie Hunters:
- Connor
- Dick
- Jarrod
- Maks
- Mark C.
- Mike O.
- Mike W.
Zombies:
- Nils (The gamemaster)

- This amusing game of commercialized zombie hunting had all the best zombie themes: rednecks, store clerks, hopping zombie legs, crawling torsos, hot chicks, etc. We all had a good time hunting down the zombies and spouting one-liners... think of a mix of Duke Nuke'em and The Running Man!

An apprehensive Connor doesn't like what Nils is pointing out...

Game (board) #4:
Battlecry (Civil War Board Game)
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/551
Connor (North) vs. Mike W. (South)
(Hosted by Mike W.)

Another scratchbuilt 15mm robot built by Mark C.

Game (board) #5:
Iliad (Ancients Card Game)
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/21654
(Hosted by Dick)
Players Unknown

Two 28mm "redneck brothers," a crik savvy zombie hunting team.

Game (board) #6+:
- A number of board games were played after I left early.

MWSS Meeting Outcome:
- It was a great day… plenty of folks showed up! We had three major miniatures games hosted and all three were great fun. I played in two of them, the VSF adventure and the Zombie Hunting thriller! Everyone was a great sport and with the exception of a little vendetta between two players (…solved on the field of zombie hunting), we all got on fabulously. A special thanks to Mark C. and Nils who both put a tremendous amount of effort into their gaming set-ups!

Thanks again, Mark and Nils!

Joe Riddle showed off some of his finely painted 15mm HOTT Fantasy figures.

I took lots of photos of the session and they can be found here:
http://s44.photobucket.com/albums/f23/Maksim-Smelchak/Gaming%202007/MWS_3-10-2007/

Nils has his own blog here:
http://blackcavalierswargaming.blogspot.com/

And Mark C. keeps a gallery here:
http://s81.photobucket.com/albums/j213/MACarper/

The 15mm British roller tanks were particularly effective at running over infantry.

Have a great Tuesday!

Shalom,
Maksim-Smelchak.

Notes regarding photos / pictures: These are not all my images. I am using various images from around the web, mostly from public sources and/or private sources used with permission. I have tried to include only images under public domain, creative commons, or fair use. If I have inadvertently violated any copyrights, please inform me and I will remove your image/s (if it is indeed an infringement).

PERSONAL NEWS: Mazel Tov, Von Compton (9 April 2007)

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Baron and "gentleman adventurer" Otto Heinrich von Compton, Grand Naval Commander, Knight Of the Realm, Doctor Emeritus and Scholar Extraordinaire.
This photo was taken before the Baron acquired his "gentlemanly girth."

Hi Everyone,

GREAT NEWS!

The Baron's dear friend, President Scott "Pride O' the Rebs" Davis, American gentleman, distinguished scholar, and Phlogiston expert.

I wish to formally congratulate former local gamer Grand Naval Commander Otto Heinrich von Compton (otherwise known as Jon) on the successful and blessed birth of his first child.

The Lady and Baroness Karolyn Malonski showing off her finest smile.

Baron von Compton was only married last year to the Lady and Baroness Karolyn Malonski so it's a very blessed event to welcome Lady-to-Be Lauren G.A. von Compton to this world, 7 lbs, 7 oz, born at 4:42am on the fourth day of April of the year two-thousand and seven.

The wee angel next to one of the Baron's smaller aetherboat shells.
She's a real beauty, isn't she?
Wonderful shell. Simply marvelous.

Mazel Tov again, Baron and Baroness von Compton!

The Grande Admirale Jan-Michel "Mikos" Vincent-Brandeisium, foe of the Baron, paying his respects.

Baron von Compton is sorely missed around these parts and his annual Fourth of July and Birthday bashes were the joy of all. The Baron also has one of the finest collections of American Wild West and Victorian Science Fiction miniatures this side of the hemisphere. Baron von Compton is currently studying Advanced Aethersphere Engineering at an undisclosed university.

The von Compton Summer Home on Mars Colony.
The lady takes the utmost of effort in training her roses to Terran Imperial standards.

Have a glorious day and long live the Queen!

Shalom,
Maksim-Smelchak.

Notes regarding photos / pictures: These are not all my images. I am using various images from around the web, mostly from public sources and/or private sources used with permission. I have tried to include only images under public domain, creative commons, or fair use. If I have inadvertently violated any copyrights, please inform me and I will remove your image/s (if it is indeed an infringement).

GAMING NEWS: Grimm's Lost World (4 April 2007)

. Visit exciting & exotic Grimm's World, home to the fauna and flora that time forgot!

Hi Everyone,

Ace Reporter Maksim-Smelchak reporting from Grimm Port, fantastic entryway to THE LOST WORLD!

There are many beautiful women on the island even if the clothing is at times lacking!

Solution: Don't wear ANY!

Continuing the Lost World theme running lately here at YIAWWS, you may wish to look up Grimm's version of it. Here are some lovely figures (...beautiful women, dashing heroes, salty sailors, etc.), beautifully painted and well photographed. Inspiring stuff!

Digging expeditions are available for the eggheads in your party!

You never know just what you might turn up!

And don't forget to check out his other very impressive galleries as well!

Find the site HERE:
http://grimm.backofbeyond.de/gallery_lost_world.html

In such a beautiful and pristine environment, the local animals really GROW!

Here, some locals are interacting with a cute and fuzzy animal!

Ace Reporter Maksim-Smelchak signing off!

Shalom,
Maksim-Smelchak.

P.S.
I crossposted this review from my friend's blog "Yours In A White Wine Sauce":
http://pauljamesog.blogspot.com/2007/03/grimms-lost-world.html

Notes regarding photos / pictures: These are not all my images. I am using various images from around the web, mostly from public sources and/or private sources used with permission. I have tried to include only images under public domain, creative commons, or fair use. If I have inadvertently violated any copyrights, please inform me and I will remove your image/s (if it is indeed an infringement).

PERSONAL NEWS: Happy Holidays!

.Hi Everyone,

I wanted to wish all my Christian friends and readers a Happy Easter!

And all of my Jewish friends and readers a Happy Passover!

Shalom,
Maksim-Smelchak.

Notes regarding photos / pictures: These are not all my images. I am using various images from around the web, mostly from public sources and/or private sources used with permission. I have tried to include only images under public domain, creative commons, or fair use. If I have inadvertently violated any copyrights, please inform me and I will remove your image/s (if it is indeed an infringement).

MINI WARGAMING: New 6mm Sci-fi Terrain by L-4 (1 April 2007)

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An Overview of Ralph's fantastic Nieuw Friesland 6mm sci-fi scenery!

Hi Everyone,

Still working on battle report (...or two ...or three) in between the fun stuff and I just received an E-mail the other day ago from my old friend Ralph AKA Legion-4 AKA L-4. Ralph is a retired US Army trooper who lives in Youngstown, Ohio, USA. Ralph and I have known each other for ages and he does much for the 6mm sci-fi community, BUT... he is best known for his prodigious miniatures work and conversions.

Area 95, a former piece of Star Wars watch packaging, now a feature of Nieuw Friesland!

His latest creations are entitled Nieuw Friesland, inspired by the Hammers Slammers novels by David Drake. He has taken a number of commercially produced scenery pieces and combined them with some scratch-built and readily found items to create some really neat scenery for miniatures game usage. Take a gander and enjoy!

A view of some well-painted New Hope Design structures in Nieuw Friesland.

Ralph writes this about his creations:

Nieuw Friesland is from Hammer's Slammers!

Many of the pieces came from lines that GEO-Hex carried. Some are resin and some hydrostone.

Guard Post 1-0, with the UN flag, I might add, like our GPs flew on the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in the Republic of Korea (ROK)! It is an OOP F/W Bunker on top of a plastic cylinder with bitz added.

And Area 95, is a Star Wars piece, it opened up and there was a S/Wars watch inside. I gave the watch to my buddie's kid. And then bitz'd it out, covering the hinges, etc., with plastic strips, etc.

My War Room is just a spare bed room with gaming table, shelves, etc. ...I'm rapidly running out of space! But I'm 50 so I have to complete all my 6mm Sci-fi...

Next up - 6mm Lizardmen (Kraytonians) Temple and ruins!

You can meet Ralph, myself, and other members of the 6mm sci-fi miniatures gaming community in a number of on-line spots including at the EpiComms AKA Tactical Command Forums (Link on the right sidebar) or at the Yahoo 6mm Sci-fi Discussion Group (Link also on the right sidebar).

6mm sci-fi structures by New Hope Design (NHD) in Niew Friesland.

Some more NHD buildings in Nieuw Friesland.

Guard Post 1-0, a bunker / observation point in Nieuw Friesland.
(Scratch-built piece with a FW bunker on top.)

City statue of "Frazetta, the Deathdealer" in Nieuw Friesland.
(Building on left by NHD, center buildings by LMS, and the statue is a 28mm fantasy mini.)

For those of you interested in purchasing some of these terrain pieces, many of them are still available:

New Hope Design (NHD) in the UK
(web site temporarily down)
E-mail: Newhope design@hotmail.com
- This line was sold in the USA by GEO-Hex as "The Drum" while it was better known in the UK as Mayhem Miniatures. This UK company was later sold to Kennington Miniatures, which was, in turn, sold to New Hope Design. All of the sci-fi line are still being manufactured and sold in the UK.

GEO-Hex AKA Monday Knight Productions (MKP) in the USA
http://mondayknight.com/
- While GEO-Hex went out of business a number of years ago, most of their stock and lines are now carried by Monday Knight Productions, run by one of the nicest gentlemen in the business. I highly recommend their product and they STILL carry the same line of resin 6mm Battletech buildings that GEO-Hex did way back when!

Forgeworld (FW) in the UK
http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/
- Forgeworld is very well known throughout the business and still carry a line of 6mm sci-fi miniatures and terrain for their Epic-Armageddon game (I worked and that game and am credited in the rulebook!). Some of their pieces including the bunkers that Ralph used are now, unfortunately out-of-print (OOP).

Little Minis Shops (LMS) in the USA
OUT OF BUSINESS
- LMS disappeared a number of years ago, which is a distinct pity since their hydrostone buildings were a lot of fun and painted up quite well. The gentleman who ran LMS in the American Northwest disappeared from distributors and retailers a number of years ago. They are unfortunately OOP.

And if you're interested in the 6mm lizardmen that Ralph mentioned as forthcoming, please check out the link for Dark Realm Miniatures (Link on right sidebar), a company run by a mutual friend of Ralph and I.

Have a great Monday!

Shalom,
Maksim-Smelchak.

P.S.

You can check out all of Ralph's photos here:

http://s48.photobucket.com/albums/f248/Legion4/