Dungeon Crawlers

NECA Acquires WizKids Assets from Topps

The National Entertainment Collectibles Association, Inc. (NECA) has purchased the majority of the assets of WizKids, Inc. from The Topps Company, Inc., including the award-winning Clix family of games, which includes HeroClix, ActionClix, HorrorClix and SportsClix. NECA will also acquire the WizKids brand, the Pocketmodel Game family of games, including the Pirates of the Crimson Coast, Pirates of the Spanish Main and Pirates of the Cursed Seas games, and the Mage Knight line of games.

The assets of WizKids that were purchased by NECA have been transferred to a wholly owned NECA subsidiary operating out of its offices in Hillside, New Jersey, which will operate under the WizKids name.

Clix pioneered the collectible miniature category and HeroClix has been the leading collectible game in the comic genre since its 2002 debut, due to its innovative game platform and deep collection of characters from the respective worlds of Marvel and DC Comics. NECA will continue the successful HeroClix product lines from powerhouse brands DC Comics and Marvel.

The Pocketmodel Game family of games includes the Pirates of the Cursed Seas PocketModel Trading Card Game, which is the latest in the successful line of Pirates card games that has run since selling out its first run in 2004.

“WizKids has created the best games within the collectible miniature and constructible genres and NECA is proud to help continue this great legacy,” said Joel Weinshanker, President and CEO of NECA. “The HeroClix engine is the envy of the industry and many companies have attempted to emulate it without success. We’re thrilled to deliver HeroClix to the gamers.”

NECA has hired Lax Chandra, who ran the WizKids subsidiary for The Topps Company, to be the President of NECA’s newly formed subsidiary, which will operate under the WizKids name. Former WizKids employees Chas Delong, Wade Sugiyama and Mike Elliott have also been brought on to help with the transition.

In the coming days and weeks, the new WizKids company will make further announcements about upcoming release plans.

For further information and updates, visit www.necaonline.com.

To talk about the purchase come to our forum

World Works Games TerrainlinX

World Works Games releases preview for the up coming TerrainlinX

WorldWorksGames is running a very special and rare sale in anticipation of its groundbreaking new terrain system TerrainlinX. From August 27^th to the 31^st you can get your hands on any WorldWorksGames catalog product for 20% off! This is a terrific opportunity to experience the WorldWorksGames difference or increase your existing terrain collection. Please note: your special 20% off discount will not appear until you view your cart and or checkout.

TerrainlinX Launches Sept 1st!

On September 1st WorldWorksGames will be launching the first in a series of products for the fantasy city of Himmelveil. First conceived in 2004 and over 2 years in the making, our first two releases “Streets” & “Sewers” will cover city infrastructure but in a unique way that has never been achieved before in gaming terrain. Utilizing our upcoming TerrainlinX building system; streets, sewers and multi-leveled structures can all happily coexist on the same gaming table! Everything is on-the-fly modular and absolutely everything is accessible! Not only that but we’ve incorporated automated, consumer machine cutter compatibility to speed up your builds as never before!

Magnets and Warhammer 40K

I just wanted to let you know about a new article on our sister site Terrain Monster.  This will show you how to add magnets to your models to make them modular!

Discuss here on the forums

Smith & Tinker to release new Mechwarrior Game

Check out the interview at IGN, HERE

Also from Smith & Tinker

7/09/2009

MechWarrior to be Distributed Free on BattleTech.com

In honor of BattleTech’s 25th anniversary, Smith & Tinker has authorized MekTek.net and MekTek Studios to distribute MechWarrior 4 (along with its expansion packs) completely free. For years, MekTek.net has been the central point for online distribution of MechWarrior 4 expansion packs. Now they can provide the core game free to the fans as well. Keep an eye on BattleTech.com – the free download will be available soon!

THIS IS AWESOME

IMEX Display Case

November 2, 2007.

In my never-ending quest to find effective and affordable storage and display solutions for miniatures, here’s something I’ve come across during my summer foray into model railroading:

It’s a closed-topped clear acrylic display case made my IMEX. This particular version is suitable for displaying HO scale rolling stock, but lends itself rather well to the miniatures hobby.

The dimensions of this particular case is 14.125″ L x 3.5″ W x 3.5″ H (395mm L x 89mm W x 89mm H). IMEX makes different size display cases, as you can see below (this one is circled in red):

The display case comes carefully wrapped in bubblewrap. I’ve gotten three of these so far, and the finishes on all of the clear acrylic tops have been flawless. These are stackable, and the base tray has lowered (raised?) edges so that the upper stacked case would only touch the lower case’s clear top along the very edges.

The case consists of a clear, enclosed top, and a black plastic base. The top has two locks on the long sides that you disengage by pushing in the sides.

Here’s a front view of the display case, holding various 28-35mm scale miniatures and vehicle. From right to left, you have a Space Marine Razorback, Tau XV88 Battlesuit, Cadian Shock Trooper in front of it, and a Dreadnought and an AT-43 UNA Firetoad.

… and a top-down view. Sorry about the glare.

And, just in case you were wondering, this particular display case can hold 39 25mm round bases. Since the case is tall enough, if you are handy, it wouldn’t be too difficult to install a clear acrylic shelf, thereby doubling the storage capacity for 25mm round based-figures.

The MSRP for this case is $12.50, and I got it for $9 via mail order. Until I have the time and money to come up with an ultimate solution for miniatures storage and display (whatever shape that’ll take), this is a very cost-effective and dustproof way to store and display miniatures.

Originallly written for WeeToysSoldiers on Saturday, February 16, 2008 at 11:15 pm by Hyun
We started talking to Hyun and he’s not sure what’s happening with his site at the moment. I, personally, hate to see good content disappear so we’re slowly going to republish (with permission) his articles either here or on TerrainMonster (depending on the type of article).

Custom White Balance (huh?)

Let’s continue our discussion of some basic photography concepts. Since the miniatures hobby is so visual, and since my website is so image heavy, I figure it’s somewhat pertinent.

You’ve all probably seen pictures on various websites and forums, where images have heavy yellow or orange tints. That, my friend, is usually the result of using incorrect white balance value.

What is white balance? Here’s the explanation from Wikipedia:

… color balance (sometimes gray balance, neutral balance, or white balance) refers to the adjustment of the relative amounts of red, green, and blue primary colors in an image such that neutral colors are reproduced correctly.

Let’s think this through. All sources of light have different color temperatures, measured in kelvin. I won’t go into the theoretical explanation of color temperatures, of which I myself only have a tenuous understanding. Suffice it to say that different types of light sources — the sun, a fluorescent light bulb, halogen light, tungsten light, etc. — all give off different color temperature. Our brain can “interpret” the different sources on the fly without us being aware of it and render the colors correctly regardless of the source. So a red ball has the same color whether we look at it in the sun or indoors or under a light bulb. Read the rest of this entry »

The June 2009 issue of Fictional Reality is out

Here we are with the new issue of Fictional Reality. The June 2009 issue of Fictional Reality is ready and it’s packed with all sorts of stuff.

You can check out the new issue at http://www.fictionalreality.org

Inside you’ll find…

* Battle Report: Learn how to play Warlands from Aberrant.
* Game Reviews: Two WWG sets, Incursion, The Quintessential Fighter and more.
* Miniature Reviews: Red Box Games, Reaper, Mercs, Aberrant, Urban Mammoth and more.
* Painting Workshop: U.S. APEs for Incursion and SOTR.
* Army Building: My (re)entry into Warhammer Fantasy Battle.

Due to a massive laptop failure I’m afraid that our e-mail list of people that wanted personal notification of each new issue has been fried. If you’d like to get on the list to get an e-mail from me as soon as each new issue is available just drop me a line at m.theurer@tx.rr.com with FR Subscription in the subject line and I’ll hook you up.

Thanks!

Mark, FR

Mechwarrior Repair Bay: Disfiguration

In this basic tutorial I will show you step by step how to fix your mechwarrior miniatures that may have slight disfiguration due to bent limbs and other extremities. In this tutorial I will show you an example by using my vulture with a defective arm. The arm will not rotate due to the fact it is bent.

Disfigured arm

First remove the dial from the miniatures base. This is important as it will keep your dial from becoming damaged by later steps.

Remove the Dial

Select your hair dryer

Grab a hair dryer. Any hair dryer with variable speeds will work. Set your blow dryer to high. This is important as timing is key with this procedure. The plastic needs to be heated at a fast rate.

Place the setting on High

Be carefull not to over heat the mech!

Aim the dryer while on high heat to the specific area that needs adjustment. It is highly recommended that you heat the part for 5 to 10 seconds. If your miniature is a little thicker you can heat for a few seconds longer but do not exceed 15 seconds. It is also recommended that you rotate your miniature as to focus the heat on the specific part you are adjusting. The heat will loosen the plastic allowing it to bend easily

Rotate the Mech slowly

Hold the disfigured part

When you have reached the apropriate heating time quickly turn off your blow dryer and position the piece you heated where you would like it. It is important to be very careful as it will bend very easily. While holding your thumb over your heat dial and keeping your hand on the disired position of the part you are fixing, quickly run the miniature under cold running water. When the cold water meets the warm plastic it will cause it to instantly cool and shock the plastic to stay in the position that you are holding it in.

Coolant Flush!

Pat or air dry and reattatch the dial. You now have successfuly fixed a disfigured mechwarrior miniature. On a side note it is imporant to cover the heat dial as there is no lamination of the sticker and your heat dial could face water damage if not protected.

Fully repaired!

I would like to thank my good friend Zecks for taking the time to write up this article and for taking the pictures to help explain the entire process.  If you would like to see more photos on this Mechwarrior Repair Bay article please check the forums HERE

Warhammer 40,000 Expansion: Planetstrike

Currently Available for Pre-Order

Warhammer 40,000 Planetstrike

From Games Workshop Website: Planetstrike is a game of glorious invasions and desperate last stands set in the battle-ravaged universe of the 41st Millennium. Will you take the role of the defender, repelling the enemy’s vanguard with heavy weaponry and heavier fortifications? Or will you play the attacker, raining hellfire and damnation upon the foe before sending an army of your best troops to claim the smoking remains of his strongholds? This is truly a war on all fronts in which the enemy can appear at any time, from anywhere – especially from above!

This 80-page expansion book contains all of the rules and information you need to play games of Planetstrike; including: full rules for configuring your forces for planetary invasion, a full-colour hobby section on preparing your defences, and a comprehensive background section detailing some of the most infamous planetary assaults.

You must possess a copy of Warhammer 40,000 in order to use the contents of this book.

Also Available for Pre-Orders are some fantastic defensive terrain including Imperial and Chaos Bastions; Aegis Defence Line; Skyshield Landing Pad; and Mines, Bombs, and Booby Traps.

Imperial Bastion

These new plastic terrain pieces are very nice, and reminds me of the “Old Days” when Games Workshop had released the Imperial Bastion and the Imperial Firebase for Second Edition.  These where thick card with printed textures used with the plastic bulkheads.  I still have the instruction manuals for them.

Imperial Firebase

I must admit that I’m very excited for Planetstrike to come out.  Apparantly you can mix Planetstrike, Apocalypse, and Cities of Death into a massive campaign setting that may resemble those of the Dawn of War video games.   So dust off your figures and squrce up you gaming table as it is time to take back the galaxy!

The Cartographer’s Annual 2009 March edition

Written by: Highland_Piper

From Profantasy

The March issue contains a detailed multi-deck plan of a sailing ship plus drawing tools and templates to draw your own. Fine-tuned sheet effects make the deckplan come alive and create maps useable both for reference and as a battlemat.

The map pack Sailing Ship includes

• 4 detailed deckplans and a sideview of the ship (png and pdf exports included)
• 1 3-page pdf Sheet and Effects Guide
• 1 5-page pdf Ship Description
• 1 new template wizard
• 1 new template
• 73 new drawing tools
• 1 new symbol catalog containing 7 new symbols
• 8 new bitmap fill styles
• 2 new effect settings