Unboxing: Macrocosm Miniatures - Dark Dwarves

I first found out about Macrocosm when I was at UK Games Expo 2015, where their stand was tucked away on one corner in a particularly cramped trade room. While I wasn't looking for anything in particular, their Digger Corps and Malignancy ranges caught my eye, and the gent behind the stand was willing to cut me a deal on the Sunday, which is always appreciated.

When I heard they were doing a Kickstarter campaign to make some Dark Dwarves, having picked up the range previously released by Hasslefree Miniatures, I decided to back it to both support a small company and get some quite cool armoured Dwarf models. While I wasn't a major backer, I did spring for two 5 Dwarf units and a character, as a potential starting point for a force for Dragon Rampant.

The campaign went pretty well for Macrocosm, raising £6,713 against their initial goal of £1,000. Delivery was listed as November 2016, so I'd mentally pegged them as arriving in the new year - imagine my surprise, then, when I received a package towards the end of September.

With the package in hand, I thought it might be taking a look at what was inside. And yes, I know it's taken me nearly a month to get to this point...

The Joy of Six 2016

Most wargames shows I've attended over the years have had a wide spectrum of genre and scale. Historical tables mix with science fiction and fantasy games, and fleet battles are shown off in the same hall as skirmish games.

The Joy of Six is a little different to your average show, then, as it is focused purely on models in the 6mm scale¹. Peter Berry at Baccus 6mm, with the aid of John from Wargames Emporium have been putting this show on in Sheffield for the last couple of years, and it is now the largest wargames show² in the Steel City.

The show has expanded and improved year on year, and in 2015 moved from the Workstation to the Heartspace at Sheffield Hallam University, to allow for the size of the show. Given that this year side rooms were required to house some of the games, I think we can safely say that there is growth in the 6mm scene.


The Joy of Six tends to have four main types of attractions, even if who is putting on what may change each year. There will be participation games, display games, traders and seminars. I'm going to take a look at each area in turn, and give you an idea of what was there on the day.

UK Games Expo 2016

For the third year in a row, I've had the good luck to spend a weekend in Birmingham. To most people, that wouldn't necessarily qualify as good luck, but then I do choose to do this on the one weekend in the year when it is the UK Games Expo - one of the biggest geek events in the UK, and the self-proclaimed "largest Hobby Games Convention in the UK."

The event has obviously been growing year-on-year, and 2016 marked the first time that the Expo felt the need to expand into the NEC, taking over Hall 1 for the duration. Given that one of my concerns on the previous two trips was how little room to move there often was in the various trade halls, this seemed like a good call.

Unboxing: Infamy Miniatures One Shot - Goblin Chieftain

Despite not yet having assembled or painted anything from them, Infamy Miniatures have impressed me since they started up. Leading off with a small IndieGoGo campaign, then a Kickstarter for the upcoming Infamy: Welcome to the Big Smoke game,

Having backed both of those endeavours, I was interested when James announced the Kickstarter campaign for the first model in his One Shot range, the Goblin Chieftain. While Goblins aren't usually my cup of tea, this sculpt had enough character to it that I was interested - and when a pledge option opened up that allowed me to pick up this figure, along with 54mm versions of a couple of the characters from the Big Smoke, I jumped right in.

The Trouble with Triples

There's a definite advantage to having a wargaming show in your home city, let alone two. London has Salute, Edinburgh has Claymore, and Leeds is a sorry, has Fiasco. Sheffield puts on two shows a year at the minute - the 6mm-centric Joy of 6, and the scale-agnostic Triples. I attended the latter on March 19th and 20th, and came away a bit concerned.

Before I get onto why I'm concerned for the future of Triples, a quick apology - when I went on the Saturday, I wasn't expecting to write this piece, so didn't take my camera with me. On the Sunday, I just forgot. However, I can draw your attention to the picture in this post on the Pendraken Miniatures forum as to why Triples may be in trouble.

Pathfinder: Bestiary 5

Image credit: Paizo.com

If there is one thing you can't accuse Paizo of, it is not providing you with enough material to expand your game with. From the numerous Adventure Path modules, to the various Advanced Guides and Ultimate books, to the assortment of Campaign Setting supplements, they've spent the last several years working to make sure as many options as possible are covered.

One key element of this for me, as a GM who is trying to relearn the ropes, is the series of Bestiary books that have been released. While I'm unlikely to get to a point where I'm writing scenarios where my group are having to fight Dagon or C'thulu¹, there have been a whole host of creatures - and potential character races - introduced in each book that I am likely to make use of.

In November, the latest Bestiary volume was released. I picked a copy up from my local game shop as it was released, and have been reading through it since...

And it begins again...

Morning all - just wanted to put up a quick post wishing everyone a belated Happy New Year, and to take a quick look at my plans for 2016.

I'll be continuing to post elements of the two main article series I've worked on in 2015 - Dysartes vs. the Warlock, and Finding a Path - as well as introducing some new material, including:

• Taking a look at games designed with a single-player mode, starting with Space Hulk: Death Angel, by Fantasy Flight Games
• Chancing my arm at RPG book reviews, starting with Bestiary 5 for Pathfinder
• Sharing my painting process for models outside my usual comfort zone
• And more as ideas spring to mind.

Hopefully I'll see some of you around as I post during this year.