Wargaming Recon | Longest-running tabletop wargaming podcast on the planet!

Dead Computer Redux

It has been almost 7 months since I last discussed the issue of my dead PC and my need for a new computer. A resolution has now been put into effect. Santa is bringing my a new iMac for Christmas and my birthday.

This is the brand new iMac that ships with OS X Leopard. It has a 20 inch screen, 1GB of memory, 250GB of disk space, Boot Camp pre-installed, 2.0 GHz Intel Core Duo processor, ATI Radeon HD 2400 XT graphics card with 32mb of memory, and 24x Superdrive (CD, DVDs, and burner for both). Add in the Applecare protection plan, just in case anything goes awry, and this machine is good to go. On top of that I’m personally purchasing a copy of Windows XP Home Full Edition so I can boot into either OS.

I will use XP for grad school (writing papers and etc) and gaming (Civ 2 here I come). The OS X side will be great for everything else from podcasting, blogging, posting vids on YouTube (thank you integrated webcam), the net, and of course video and picture editing.

Since my PC died I’ve gotten used to the old Mac G4 and the OS X setup (it is on 10.3.9). But, it’ll be nice to have Leopard since many Mac programs require the newer OS. After I get used to the new iMac I’ll give GarageBand a whirl for podcasting.

Unfortunately I lost a lot, if not all, of my old audio files for the podcast. The intro, exit music, theme music, songs, and even the old podcasts. This means a complete rebuilding from the ground up. New music, new format, new everything. That will cause a disparity between the old and new but it will also revitalize the podcast.

I’ve gotten used to Cyberduck instead of SmartFTP and it is really handy for the blog and other website endeavors. My only complaint with the program is its lack of alphabetizing the files and folders for me. I’ll continue to use it on my new Mac with great success.

A lot will stay the same despite some changes. This means that you, the reader, won’t notice any major schism with my new machine. The blog will behave the same, podcasts will be back (yay), and I’ll still discuss all things gaming in Massachusetts.

Until then I shall keep plugging along.

White Dwarf #335 Quick Picks

We scoured the new WD and have chosen 5 Quick Picks for your perusal. If you hate reading the entire mag, have a short attention span, or just want the best here’s 5 sections you can’t miss. Our top pick is the Middle Earth in Flames.

Don’t forget to read the complete table of contents for WD #335 from our article Inside White Dwarf #335 Dec. 2007.

New Releases – The Blood Bowl Omnibus p. 8. Blood Bowl is a great game and being able to read three great novels combined into one for $11.99 is a great buy.
Apocalypse Battle Report – Valley of Blood p. 18-37. The Apocalypse batreps are incredibly reading. This one shows a game played at a level most players can mimic. I want some Area Denial Nodes.
Middle-Earth in Flames p. 40-49. Campaign rules are always fun reading. Roughly 26% of you guys love to play in leagues. There’s something about a league that breathes life into a game. Map campaigns are really good at this and this is a great introduction to LoTR campaign play.
Golden Demon 2007 p. 66-75. Some of the nicest painted models I have ever seen. I love the France, Italy, and Gamesday LA winners.
Ordering Direct p. 130-135. There are some great gift ideas for all price ranges. Now is to buy what your favorite gamer wants.

Inside White Dwarf #335 Dec. 2007

Wondering if the new WD is worth purchasing? The table of contents below tells you what issue #335 covers. There’s plenty of great Apocalypse coverage along with a lots of Golden Demon goodness.

This month has 130 pages of Games Workshop goodness to feast your eyes on. Use the below table of contents and Quick Picks, in an upcoming post, to guide your visual appetite.

Apocalypse Battle Report: Valley of Blood p. 17 Tau v. IG & Blood Angels.
Middle-Earth in Flames p. 40 A map campaign for Lord of the Rings, including color map and color tokens.
High Elf Dragons p. 90 How the ‘Eavy Metal team painted the new HE Dragon.
New Releases p. 2 “All the latest models from the Citadel forges.”
News p. 12 “The forces of Harad and Umbar unite!”
Standard Bearer p. 51 “Jervis seems to have gotten himself caught up in a Waaagh! It’s all about the Orks, you see…”
Cities Shall Fall! (Part Two) p. 54 “Andy Hoare presents the concluding part of the apocalyptic cityfighting campaign.”
Painting Masters: Mark Lifton p. 60 “UK hobbyist Mark Lifton talks about Golden Demon and his (long) time in the hobby.”
Toolbox p. 65 “Modular movement trays.”
Golden Demon 2007 p. 66 “We take a close look at some of the best-painted miniatures from around the globe.”
Modelling Workshop: Baneblade (Part Two) p. 76 “Mark Jones gives his expertly constructed Baneblade an expert paint job.”
Golden Demon Los Angeles p. 100 The best painters from Games Day Los Angeles.
Frontline p. 117 “The latest events and activities near you!”
Ordering Direct p. 130 “Taking the effort out of shopping.”

Arcane Miniatures Painting Winners Revealed

Arcane Miniatures have finally revealed the winners of their painting competition after a small delay.

The 1st Place winner is Andy Marshall’s Pan Oceania Cutter. You can find more pics of his amazing paint job by going to Pan Oceania Cutter by Andy Marshall. As always be sure to click the below pics for a closer look.

1st Place Winner Andy Marshall’s Pan Oceania Cutter