Sci-Fi & Fantasy Incoming! – Episode VII

Welcome to Episode VII of the Sci-Fi & Fantasy Edition of Incoming!
This week features new models from manufacturers such as RAFM, Olleys Armies, Khurasan Miniatures & Crocodile Games.

I hope you enjoy the show…

Sci-Fi & Fantasy Incoming! – Episode VI

Welcome to Episode 6 of the Sci-Fi & Fantasy Edition of Incoming!
This show features new releases from Reaper Miniatures, Taban Miniatures, Dragonblood Miniatures & Darkson Designs

Sci-Fi & Fantasy Incoming!- Episode 5

Welcome to Episode 5 of the Sci-Fi & Fantasy Edition of Incoming!

This show looks at the new miniature releases for w/e 9th October 2009, and features new models from, amongst others, Dark Age, Red Box Games, Black Hat Miniatures & Hasslefree Miniatures.

Race for the Galaxy – a new lease of life…

I’ve been a big fan of Race for the Galaxy ever since it came out, and I’ve bought both expansions – however, it has been somewhat difficult in the past to find opponents.

All this has now changed, thanks to listening to the last episode of The Dice Tower podcast.

On this show, they were talking about Race for the Galaxy, and playing it solo against ‘robot’ opponents.

I followed this up on BoardGameGeek and came across the following site:

http://keldon.net/rftg/

This is a full version of Race for the Galaxy (approved by Rio Grande) that allows you to play the game solo on your PC against up to 5 AI opponents, and includes the original game and both expansions.

It does the job for me, and allows me to scratch my RftG itch. A game plays in about 10-15 minutes, and this program would also be good for teaching others how to play (without all the hassle of card drawing and shuffling).

Check it out.

SF&F Incoming! – Episode IV

In this, Episode 4 of the Sci-Fi & Fantasy Edition of the Incoming! Video Podcast, my weekly retrospective includes new releases from Reaper Miniatures, West Wind Productions, Critical Mass Games and Taban Miniatures.

SF&F Incoming! – Episode III

Episode 3 of Incoming, Sci-Fi & Fantasy Edition, includes new releases from RAFM, Reaper Miniatures, Mantic Games & Taban Miniatures…

SF&F Incoming – Episode II

Welcome to the second episode of the Sci-Fi & Fanatsy edition of the Incoming! video podcast.

This show features new releases from w/e 11th September 2009, and includes new figures from Cipher Studioes, Mithril Miniatures, Freebooter Miniatures and Dream Pod 9.

New Incoming! episodes on iTunes

I’ve produced two new episodes of the Incoming! video podcast this week: Episode 17 of the Historical Show and Episode 2 of the Sci-Fi & Fantasy Edition.

I’m having some problems uploading these to YouTube at the moment, but I have posted the mp4 versions of the show onto iTunes.

Incoming! now has it’s own iTunes feed – you can find it here.

Alternatively, you can go to the Incoming! blog site and download the mp4 directly.

As soon as the videos are available on YouTube, I will post them on this blog…

Sci-Fi & Fantasy Incoming! – Episode 1

Yes, you read it correctly – I have now produced a Sci-Fi & Fantasy Edition of my Incoming! vidcast.

I hope you enjoy this new part of my vidcast adventure!

The show will also be available from the podcast feed on iTunes

New ‘Space Hulk’ – oh so tempting…

So, the 20th Anniversary edition of Space Hulk – the best game that Games Workshop have ever produced – has gone on pre-order today.

Whilst the new edition looks very nice – all new unique Terminators, new Genestealers (which look at least partly inspired by the Horrorclix Aliens – leaping off scenery etc), plastic objective markers – it’s already flagging up a single question…

…should I buy it?

OK – if you don’t own the game, it’s a no-brainer – yes, Yes, YES!!!

However, I own the 1st (and best IMO) edition of the game, plus all the expansions, the extra missions and board pieces from White Dwarf and a load of extra board pieces – plus lots of painted (yes PAINTED!) Terminators from my Dark Angels Deathwing army.

People are complaining at the price – £58.75. It’s a lot of money…no more than a big box game from FFG (Middle Earth Quest, for example) but still a lot of money. The new game components would seem to indicate that the rules have gone back to 1st Edition (flamer templates, timer for Space Marines) with addition rules from Deathwing (extra Space Marine weapons, plus Librarian/Captain)

So, should I buy this game?

To be honest, it’s really put me into a quandry. The game components, though nice, are a simple artwork update from the original game  – and my copy is still in perfectly good condition. No plastic doors, no plastic floors or walls, all cardboard. Yes, we now have nice entry point markers for the Genestealers – and a sandtimer – but that’s nothing too groundbreaking is it?

So, other than the new minis, this looks to be the same game that I already own – and indeed, I own much more than what is provided here. Yes, it’s only £60, but having seen several new releases from FFG which should be in the UK before the end of the year, I think I can spend my money elsewhere more wisely.

But its a new version of Space Hulk…

I haven’t got long to decide – with only 35,000 copies, I can see this selling out very quickly on pre-order.

My car insurance doesn’t really need renewing at the end of the month, does it?

…and then of course I remember that I’ve actually got a whole load of painted Eureka Aliens, the full set of Colonial Marines from Gripping Beast, and a whole host of ‘Alien-esque’ scenery from people like Graven Images and Scotia Grendel – and all is well with the world – let’s face it, Space Hulk is really ‘Aliens‘, isn’t it?