40K OSR? (20)

It's been a while since the last fuller 40K OSR? post, even if the list of Epic-related links came close. Maybe it's the summer, or maybe sixth?

But what is an OSR anyway? A good question.

If you think you might be a part of it, feel free to use Colonel Kane's logo, here to the right. If you do, consider giving him credit and putting Tales from the Maelstrom in your blogroll. They have 1, 2 reports up since last time and more minis.

So here we go, with some fine fusion this time...

• Relic at Lead Space is mixing Rogue Trader - that's first edition 40K - with the Lovecraftian skirmish game Strange Aeons and playing at 15mm scale with classic factions: a genestealer cult and Squats. And he's using 6mm Epic models to play skirmish games, with some good-looking marines here.

• Von is getting into Epic and has some first impressions at GAME OVER...

• ... and something could be up because two other bloggers recently posted about starting too, MANGAMAX here at 2000 AD and Closet Gamer here...

• ... and Zac posted a report from an Epic tournament with a lot of pictures, and a little further back also played another game using second edition.
  

• FrDave at Blood of Prokopius has gone from the idea of using Rogue Trader - the RPG this time - to explore Christianity in M41, to planning a campaign set around Black Reach using Stars Without Number and D&D categories for 40K factions - with some abhumans up already - onto detailing Black Reach, with 1, 2, 3 posts up so far on mapping a hive like a megadungeon.

• James S at Warp Signal has even more examples of custom background.
  

• Dallas at Fawcett Avenue Conscripts has been posting on RT-era minis and fought the Battle at the Farm in a campaign for 40K's 25th, in 1, 2, 3 posts.

• Dave Bone gives examples of campaigns mixing systems at The Wargate.

• Oddleg reported on a final campaign game that used their Space-Munda system and has some thoughts on count-as Chaos marines and guard.

• Griffit is building a set of characters for In the Emperor's Name, with stats.

• The M42 Project is still building an alternative to 40K - updated goals here.

• At Confessions... dwez has 1, 2 marker sets for sixth, and possibly beyond.

• Thor at Creative Twilight has been updating the entries in the mission set.

• At Warpstone Flux jabberjabber posted fortification power source rules.

• Virtual Stranger at The Grim Cheapness... builds a thunderbolt in card...

• ... and Loken highlighted a scratchbuilt blasta bomma at Apocalypse 40K.

• Rictus at Recalcitrant Daze is all but scratchbuilding an Ork kopta karrier.

• Mordian has been very busy, but to pick a few highlights, he converted and painted his own version of Angron, painted up a knight errant and finished even more of his adeptus mechanicus, and is now building a leviathan.

• Warhammer in Progress has some excellent plague marine conversions.

• Mike at Santa Cruz Warhammer is converting up a traitor guard force.

• Ron at From the Warp looks at souping up kit rhinos and builds the turret and the sponsons of the original predator, but in the style of the FW version, and has the start of a heresy-era jetbike and death korps-inspired unit.

• TheAmbit has a marine command squad on jetbikes of a different pattern and converted a Cruorian war beast for Dark Heresy, with the intro here.

• Master Bryss just posted the first part of his revised creature creation rules.

• Carjacked Seraphim posted some rules for a very familiar-looking 'Catachan firebreather', examples of counts-as land speeders in the style of the RT grav-attack vehicle and some pics of the original land raider instructions.

• demi_morgana has some great scavvies and got their bunker into a zine.

• Lasgunpacker used an odd mix of parts to get Neo-Soviet power armour.

• Adeptus-B posted a good-looking Dark Heresy report at Zorcon's Word.

• Mercer at Imperius Dominatus has some ideas for enhancing Planetstrike.

• Fritz posted on experiments with a multiplayer approach to Space Hulk and some musings on Dark Heresy and the current state of D&D and 40K.

• LuckyNo.5 shows some inspiration - it's dark, and could even be horrifying.

• Josh Graboff at The Signe of the Frothing Mug offers up some thoughts on violence in gaming and 40K, also looking at the nature of space marines.

• Hungry Ghosts reminds us of the comment on the Squats that made a 40K myth, has a Ratling and Squat size comparison, completes the series on Squats in Epic and shows another bold conversion, a rust monster biker...

• ... and with chariots back and Chaos big again, there's more inspiration for mounted character conversions in this set of tables at The Dungeon Dozen.

• Finally, Big Jim at Galaxy in Flames reports the Killzone update is close...

I can't possibly have got more than a fraction of it with the length of time involved, so as ever, feel free to leave links to anything else you think should be in, even your own work.

_

40K OSR? (16)

So far, so good then - it's been less than two weeks since the last full 40K OSR? update.

Possible definitions for 'OSR' here and Colonel Kane's logo to the right. If you use it, consider giving him the credit and adding Tales from the Maelstrom to your blogroll as an exemplar.

• Another PSA to begin: Warhammer 39,999 is back - note the new address.

• Stealthy Stealth is working on a Tau Fandex in posts at Creative Twilight.

• Plague Marine at A Plague Spreads is after suggestions for a new fandex.

• If you missed the mention here, Rended Press found some 40K fanzines.

• Big Jim has 1, 2, 3 characters and house rules for the BAO at Adventures in Wargaming, as well as news of Killzone Evolution and more details...

• ... while Brian at A Gentleman's Ones talks about Killzone team-building.

• Neil Gilstrap has a useful approach at The 11th Company BLOG to the discussions of RAI vs. RAW, as does Nurglitch in this post from last month.

• John Bell has more material up at The Retired Adventurer for using Stars Without Number to run the 40K universe, Eldar and DE, Orks and Kroot.

• Gotthammer has Gazetter #3 up at Collegia Titanica, and advice for GMs.

• Kenzie's blog has another 1, 2 more write-ups for the Dark Heresy campaign.

• At Warpstone Flux jabberjabber paints a map tile forest and river, and that reminds me Kraggi's brother is doing ME / PE maps on commission.

• Nurglitch has more thoughts on a combat card-based Adeptus Titanicus...

• ... and the first Spikey Bits post has an ad mech force with Epic walkers.

• Krisken at Scratchbuild 40K has 1, 2 posts so far on a DIY rhino chassis...

• ... and again at Spikey Bits, reposted to BoLS, there's a possible driver.

• Old School Terminator at Dark Future Games honours the many tervigons.

• AJ's gaming world has some converted IG heavy weapon team carriages.

• Rictus posted on sculpting various Nurgly textures at Miniature Wargame Conversions and had more on the 3D printed walls at Recalcitrant Daze.

• Staying close, Cameron at Rust and the city has more on a Nurgle dread...

• ... and Bix at The Veil's Edge makes a press mould, with advice from Ron.

• A big reveal were Mantic's Veer-myn - possible counts-as Hrud - for the board game Grim Cargo by Jake Thornton; it's like GW alternate history.

• Apocalypse 40K has 1, 2 posts on a scratchbuilt Ork thunderhawk, more on the Eldar super-heavy flyer and lots of possible alternatives, including speeders and turrets, a weapons platform and some large resin wings.

• ... while big_d over at The Hogs of War reports on a true-scale marine kit.

• Mad Robot Miniatures updated on the sci-fi greatcoats in development.

• Volomir's near-/not-Rogue Trader cover diorama won official recognition.

• Noel at TheOrky15mm SciFi reminisces about Gorkamorka and shows a converted Ork bike, and also has a few photos of a range of Ork bits.

• CrimsonTurkey at DUKE'S INFERNO builds a bits gang for Necromunda.

• For nostalgia and maybe technical interest, Spikey Bits also posted pics of an old blister pack and the contents of the second edition boxed game.

• Mike at Santa Cruz Warhammer showed some old GW branded items.

• Last time I missed 1, 2 updates at Confessions... on the DoW generator.

• Staying with terrain, if the FW interiors set you off, big_d at The Hogs of War also has two alternatives, assuming you won't build like Brian or Hudson.

• This time round Hudson has a WIP diorama using new Space Hulk minis.

• CounterFett has another 1, 2 pics from Space Crusade at All Things Fett. 

As always, feel free to leave links to anything you think I've missed, even your own work.

Update: Look at what Jeff just posted, but only if you're not easily provoked, and don't mind a bit of strong language - it's Lasfodder, an RPG set in the world of Rogue Trader.

_

Mapmaking merry (1)

Wandering the labyrinthine byways of the internet of late, I seem to have taken a lot of very right turns. Even without a map to guide myself by I've come across reams of maps. The one that set off this post was one that inspired me long ago. It was a city map...

Blacksand!

That's right, Port Blacksand of Allansia, star of the Fighting Fantasy solo gamebooks and Advanced Fighting Fantasy system. Do you shudder with pleasure, or fear?

I relived the memories at Brighton Roleplayers, specifically at their post on urban settings in fantasy. While you're there, check out Sigil too. Right up my alley. They have the map from Blacksand!, and if you want a list of streets, there's one here. (I've added this useful wiki to memory banks in the right-hand column.) We met the city first in City of Thieves, the solo gamebook, helpfully reviewed here at Fighting Dantasy.

But this only set me off. I think we all love urban maps, whether campaign maps, adventure maps or criss-crossed tabletops, for roleplaying or wargaming. So Porky went snuffling for new or lesser-known options, and presents a subjective selection below.

Mainly fantasy 2D

• Lots of map roundups at Carto Cacography, the latest with some real gems
• Plenty of dungeons and tunnels at Aeons & Augauries
• A couple of post-apocalypic at the Forumopolis

Mainly sci-fi 2D / 3D

• S6 Engineering have some modular road, canal and city block terrain
• Jawaballs is hawking copies of the latest Space Hulk with its superb boards
• Litko have space corridors of their own and industrial towers with walkways

Many genre / fantasy 3D

• WorldWorksGames offer a vast terrain range for printing onto card or pre-cut
• Painted or unpainted fantasy buildings from Custom Kingdoms, shown off here by Blue Table Painting
• Impressive new fantasy towers from Games Workshop, one ruined, one dividing out into floors

No dead ends there - a host of atmospheric destinations - but stay in the lamplight!

So what have I missed? What grand thoroughfares, cramped streets and dank alleyways do you frequent? More to the point, which would you like to?
_