There’s Gold in Them Thar Cels

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This Sunday I’m thankful for ’90s animation.

There is a lot of great space-poc material in these shows.

I’ve steered clear of huge properties and franchises for this list. A lot are pretty well known for sure. But some might be new to you.

In a perfect world you’ll learn of a new show, watch an ep, love it, turn it into a scenario for Galactic Heroes or Xenos Rampant and throw some dice and pousse some plomb.

The Tick

M.I.B.

Bucky O’Hare

Big Guy and Rusty

Earthworm Jim

Captain Simian

Cadillacs & Dinosaurs

Gargoyles

Street Sharks (season 3) and Extreme Dinosaurs

Futurama

Aeon Flux

Cybersix

Tintin

The Maxx

Honourable Mention: X-Men (Days of Future Past: Eps 11 and 12, mid-March ’93) I couldn’t find a Days of Future Past link that wasn’t nonsense, so you’re on your own.

Most of these I watched as they were coming out. But some, like Tintin — I know — and Street Sharks I didn’t hear about until years later.

Also, some of the playlists out there are out of order for some damn reason — Big Guy and Cadillacs, I’m looking in your direction — so check episode lists for proper viewing order.

Fifty Years of MetAl!

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This Sunday I’m thankful for fifty years of Metamorphosis Alpha.

This post on Grognardia got me thinking again about how much I really like this game.

It’s one of the only settings that can mine pretty well any and every science fiction genre and remain true to itself. You want mutant humans, animals and plants? Obviously. You want robots, androids, cyborgs and holograms? You got it! You want cold-sleepers and clones? No problem! You want aliens and AIs? Done. You want nanites and neanderthals? Who doesn’t? You want dinosaurs? You get dinosaurs; hell, make it dinosaur–people! You want time travelers? Spool up those chronometers! You want Chaos warbands? WARBAND! You want Thundarr?

Everybody wants Thundarr!

The Warden is the thing that makes all of this possible. It’s so vast that any trope you can think of can be stored away in an unexplored back corner of a deck no party has got to yet.

And the technology isn’t just larger than life, it’s cyclopean 1970s. This thing is Mycenae in space. Yes, it’s whiz-bang. But it’s also capable of handling all of this with a mostly straight face. It can make sense with very little effort. You can create stories that will get a chuckle when they first manifest — because the setup of getting your chocolate in my peanut butter is always amusing — but will get an “Ah-ha!” later when the pieces start falling into place.

This is a game about a huge ship that deserves big books.

A small party explores the vast Warden.

And I now use the Warden as the default setting for my Sci-Fi skirmish games, especially at conventions.

Props add an extra layer of fun to any game, and the Color Bands are just that ticket to ride. I think of a bonus, trait, skill or ability each Band could grant, and give it to whichever figure finds it.

For me, the Warden has moved on from being a pseudo-science fiction environment that made me chuckle. These past 50 years have brought with them both science and fiction that have made most of MetAl’s assumptions now merely implausible. It has become an emergent setting that can handle with a wink anything I throw at it.

[Edit: Looks like November it is.]

Genetically Engineered Uplifted Cigar-Smoking Mountain Gorillas. In SPACE!

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This Sunday I’m thankful for half-price AT-43 Karmans.

Yeeaars ago I bought these two figs from my local shop:

I wasn’t looking for a new game to get into, I just thought they were cool models.

Fast forward to early last year and my discovery of Xenos Rampant.

What a game!

While coming up with various detachment rosters from my collection I came across Cornelius and Freezer languishing in a box. They got me curious. I looked up the range of Karmans Rackham had produced. That’s when I noticed they’d made a number of the space gorillas smoking cigars!

I asked my guy at the shop if he had or could get any more Karman figs. He said, “I’ve got a bunch in storage. Come down on Wednesday and I’ll dig them out for you.”

While I was going through the box he told me I could have them for half price! Well, it turns out every box of Karmans includes a cigar-smoking leader. My mind boggled. I bought almost everything he had.

I ended up ordering a last couple of boxes off eBay, to get my hands on enough heads with cigars and to round out my units. And, here we are:

Recovery Force Romeo

Wreckers. Smugglers. Pirates. Smokers.

They are, left to right:

1) Bahia: Recon Infantry, Skimmer, Veterans = 5 pts;

2) Cohiba: Heavy Infantry, Skimmer, Heavy Weapon = 5 pts;

3) Partagas: Support Infantry, Indirect Fire = 6 pts;

4) Quesada: Elite Infantry = 6 pts; and

5) Tatuaje: Light Infantry, Teleport Jump = 2 pts.

They operate from the Salvage Vessel Julieta.

There’s just something about a dead range for a dead game from a dead company.

Where are my matches?

Asking for Pirate Dinosaurs! With a Side of Egyptians.

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HAPPY NEW YEAR!

 

Now that Reaper is finally wrapping up Bones 6 I’m looking forward to them launching Bones 7 sometime — hopefully early — this year.

As I mentioned — Holy Hannah! Six years ago? — Bones 4 gave us both Sci-Fi Dinos and Savage Dinos. Bones 5 gave us Fantasy Dinos and Daimyo Dinos.

Bones 5 also gave us the pirate ship Sophie’s Revenge.

You can see most of Reaper’s Dino figs in my years-old post HERE.

In that post I prodded Reaper asking them to make Pirate Dinosaurs.

Their time has now come. The kids who read these books 20 years ago …

… and 10 years ago …

… are ready.

I’m ready.

We’re all ready!

And Reaper, if you’re listening, do create as many Pirate Dinosaurs as you like. Just — for the love of Sophie — be certain to make the core five. And please shoot for consistent scale, both among themselves and in relation to the previous four groups of Dinos.

I’m hoping for a tricorn hat, an eye patch, a hook hand, a peg leg, cutlasses and at least one duck-foot pistol. A map, a spy glass and some rum would be great too. Maybe a cigar and a pipe?

And while I’ve got you, I’ll also reiterate my request for Egyptian Dinos as well. Now that Lost Tombs of Hakir is available, I say go for it!

Dragon Bait Miniatures has some amazing figures in their Dark Fable Ancient Egypt range. They’re perfect inspiration for what I’d like to see in Bones Dinos on the Nile.

Maybe it’s not just Pygmy Zombies in the Oasis of Ahm Shere:

But remember: Pirates, Pirates, Pirates!

[Edit: Gladiator Dinos would be amazing too! (But remember: Pirates!!!)]

Christmas in July … in SPAAAAACE!

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I’ve had this collection of Saints Nick for a while:

But for the longest time someone was missing. This guy:

50th Century Santa

If you haven’t seen it yet, I recommend going over to take a long loving look at Pulp Covers’ page devoted to Galaxy Science Fiction’s 1950s Christmas covers. Ed “Emsh” Emshwiller does the interstellar elf justice in all the illustrations.

So I decided to bring him to life:

And since Christmas 2020 was a bust for many folks, I’ve decided not to wait six months to release him.

You can find hime HERE.

The two pics currently shown are the final WiPs taken by the inestimable Mr. Muller. Painted examples will be posted very soon.