1.29.2011

Team Tournament: Game One (How Did Whit and I Do?)

Last week Everyone's Brother From Another Mother Big Whit and I teamed up to take on all comers at the Comic Asylum Team Tournament.  It was a three-round event with 750 points per player.

Let's take a look at Game One.

Right Flank.

1.27.2011

On Blogging Part IX: Jawaballs Salutes Brent!

"Stop!" says the little white dude, who appealed to Brent because of his obvious digital-ness.  "Go no further, lest thee see something thine eyes would fain look past!"  What adult content lurks in this innocuous post?

Ah!  I see Jawa's head!

1.25.2011

Reader Feedback:: GLBT... Oh, My!

On Unicorns and Holidays <---Original Article Link
(What follows is a letter from a reader, and it's by far the nicest feedback I've yet to receive.)

I've taken a few months off from the gaming Blogoshpere and its inherent drama.  My interest in gaming stuff sort of goes in cycles that last a couple months before something else distracts me for a while lol.

So, I've been poking around the forums and Blogs to see if I missed anything worthwhile - and it looks like I did!

The open mindedness in your Unicorns and the Holidays was pretty damn refreshing. I think its a fair stereotype to apply, that the gaming community in general is pretty limited in their scope of social graces. Not only did you address the typical awkwardness girl gamers endure, but you expanded on that to include the GLBT portion of our little niche world.

Not many guys have the balls to do that, and not many guys in the gaming world can earn my respect with a single blog post - but you did.

So, thank you for supporting your local and not so local unicorns. A noble gesture like that can show some scared kids out there that they don't have to hide from everyone and it's ok to be who they really are.

And, your Protectorate stuff is looking pretty sweet (even through my bias for Merc and Cryx stuff ;) )

Take care,
Isabelle

People are it, the big enchilada - the only thing going.  There is nothing more interesting than We The People... in all our beautiful, ugly glory!  It's probably why I do what I do for a living; it's certainly why this is my hobby.  Thanks for making my day, Isabelle!

Video Battle Report: The One That Got Away From Me

What can I say?  This is the video that took on a life of its own - I didn't even bother to edit it, that's how unworkable it is!

It's funny though, and the game is good.  Just don't watch if you prefer your words rated PG; while the adult language isn't used that much, you've been warned.

Oh, and Da Warboss?  Sorry in advance - I'm not sure why the Professor decided to poke fun at you.  Over and over and over...

1.23.2011

Lady Luck is a... Bud?

Maybe I am just lucky?

The Number of the Brent

A 4 and four 6's...

These are two pics taken from yesterday's Team Tournament at the Comic Asylum in Richardson, Texas.  My partner, Everyone's Brother From Another Mother, Big Whit, doesn't like it when I snap pics of lucky dice rolls - he's worried the luck will run out - but I couldn't resist taking these.

My friends are always on about my luck, which I've quietly laughed off, believing as I do that one makes one's own luck... but what if I'm wrong?

Am I just... lucky?

1.19.2011

"I Can't Say Yours Is Great... But It's Certainly Not Better"

The Master Manipulator (every store needs one) is chock full of slightly denigrating compliments - it's a part of his charm.

The title quote refers to the Games Workshop's New Storm Raven as compared to my Storm Buster, the Gun Shy.


1.17.2011

Painting Warmachine

I'm pretty busy working on tomorrow's Bell of Lost Soul's article, which is by far the most labor-intensive to date, but I have time to drop a few pics here at Strictly Average.  As most of you probably figured out, I'm on hiatus painting GW minis until I can choose what to concentrate on.

The current leader is my Dark Eldar army... which I guarantee uses units nobody else is touching right now... and I think will be rock hard!  Fun stuff.


1.15.2011

Menoth Vs Legion (And... the New Face of Evil?)

I'm playing Sam-I-Am in a game of Warmachine/Hordes.  But, before we begin and without further ado...

Yes, he's making a face.  Evil is unapologetic.

is this the new face of evil?  Little Barrera, the Mighty Kibitzer.  He may well be!

1.13.2011

Video Battle Report: Chaos Vs Imperium Team Game

The only 40K I've been playing in the last month has been in preparation for a team tournament at the Comic Asylum.  Here's Game III, where Big Whit and I test our new ideas against the Mighty Mighty Carlos and the Professor.

I actually have reservations about showing this video with the tournament only a week or so away; I know at least a few dudes who'll compete read this blog... but I'm a slave to the Blogosphere.  What can I say?

So it's Daemons and Chaos Space Marines Vs Blood Angels and Flesh Tearers... and be warned, there's *SELF-EDIT* involved.

1.09.2011

Menoth Versus... (Two Battle Reports)

Here's a brief rundown of the Warmachine games I played at the local store on Friday.  I managed to pull out a win in both, but this game isn't one where you can ever feel completely comfortable until it's over!

I won't overwhelm these games with excessive notes; frankly, I'm still learning the names of all my opponent's units and abilities!  If you've not played Mark II, the rules themselves are easy but they're modified by the numerous special abilities and spells each unit and Warcaster has available.  It's this aspect which gives the game its tactical depth - heck, even switching Warcasters can make the same army play in a completely different style... which is perhaps my favorite part of the game.

I welcome any experienced player's ideas and input.  In fact, I'll be disappointed if you don't!

1.08.2011

Warmachine! Again(x3)!

Yea, there's been a lot of Warmachine these last few weeks.  I get that my audience is largely GW, largely 40K, but I've really been enjoying Mark II...

...and ultimately Strictly Average has always been about what I'm doing.  I save the larger articles for Bell these days, just to avoid burnout - with the odd exception thrown in as I feel inspired!

Wyatt never did drop by to mock my take on Thunderfire Cannons.  Maybe he's being nice or something!


1.07.2011

Warmachine! Again! Again!

Lordy but it was a long week!  Orientation everywhere isn't the easiest thing in the world; the work week only goes by quickly when you've become used to it.

Nobody gets used to orientation!  Still, I need some hobby time, so I'm off to the flgs to play some Warmachine.


I'll do an update tomorrow now that I've got a 25 point army painted up.

1.05.2011

Taking the Bait: Dishing 'Advice'

I started the new job this week - yea me.  The money is okay but the benefits are unreal.

Yes, I sold out.  Big Brother is watching me.  I work for the State.

Strictly Average is taking a bit of a backseat this week since it'll take me a bit to develop new blogging routines, but I did want to take a moment to address some questions.  The last post was one of those awesome rarities: the comments were far more interesting than the article.

Not because articles are universally great but because comments are hard to come by.  People live busy lives; they'll read your stuff, but they're probably not slowing down to chat about it - that's true of every blog.

By the way... King: You're always free to comment with whatever is on your mind!  I know where it comes from, so don't sweat it, my man. 

1.04.2011

On All This Internet Advice (and New Years Reflection)

I normally don't do it: provide analysis on armies or units, I mean.

It's not that I can't, it's that I'm not really suited for it.  You see, I have an almost religious belief that's it's a huge, colossal waste of time.

(A quick note: I started this article intending it for Bell of Lost Souls, but pretty quickly decided it wouldn't work.  Those things which made it interesting weren't appropriate for the main page, like the sidebar rants and personal reflections... not to mention the YTTH links and the Not Brent rant!  The readers here might be interested, but I can't pretend the Blogosphere at large would.)

Brent's We Need a List, List: May I Waste Your Time Too?
*...and key music*
  • Others already do it (better).
  • The Blogosphere only pretends to embrace opinion.
  • Who reads between the lines?
  • What works for one...
  • It's best to come by knowledge through hard work.

Let's break it down!

(A new favorite!) Anon: I haven’t even bothered playing a game of 6th yet, cause I have read the rules, and actually understand how they interact with units. I know my armies no longer function how they should, and so I need to change them.

Strictly Average: 'cause 6-inches is all you get.

Stalking Jawaballs since 2009.

Jawaballs: "My butt just tightened up."

Brent, preferred 2-to-1 over Not Brent in a recent, scientific poll.

Brent: emptied the Kool Aid and DRINKING YOUR MILKSHAKE with an extra-long straw.

Unicorns don't exist.

Home of the Stormbuster, the Dyson Pattern Storm Raven.

I'm a comment whore and this whore is getting no play.

Not Brent hurts Brent's feelings.

I think, therefore I blog.

"You should stop writing for everyone else and worry about your crappy blog." - Anon.

Not Brent has been spotted lurking around with a green marker.

He's not like a bad guy from a cartoon, all devious but never quite evil, Not Brent is bad beans, man, bad beans.

Dethtron: "Again I feel obliged to remind you that trying to sound smart only works if you are."

MVB: "I am not one to join the unwashed masses of self-titled 40k experts out there distributing advice from their blogs about exactly how your list should be built..."

Shiner Bock on tap: that's how I choose hotels.

Strictly Average: The Home of Hugs and Gropings.

Don't feed the trolls!

MoD: "Welcome to Brent's head."

Competitive is Consistent.

Dethtron: "...you could use that extra time to figure out a way to get your panties unbunched and perform a sandectomy on your vagina."

Dethtron: “When calling someone an idiot, it's generally best to avoid making grammatical mistakes.”

Warboss Stalin: "You know, if it actually WAS funny, maybe I wouldn't mind."

Mike Brandt: "It's not a successful bachelor party if you don't misplace someone".

"The Master Manipulator (every store needs one): "...now, enough stroking."

Kirby: "I don't know about gropings. Seriously, Brent, keep it in the pants, please."

Loquacious: "No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get Hugs & Gropings or Stalks Jawaballs into Brent's little tribute."

Captain Kellen: "I rate this article a Brent on the Faith Hill to Nancy Pelosi scale!"

Drathmere: "Come for the balls, stay for the Brent? Kind of disturbing, man."

Go no further, lest thee see something thine eyes would fain look past!

Isabelle: "So, thank you for supporting your local and not so local unicorns. A noble gesture like that can show some scared kids out there that they don't have to hide from everyone and it's ok to be who they really are."

There is nothing more interesting than We The People... in all our beautiful, ugly glory!

On Internet Advice: You see, I have an almost religious belief that's it's a huge, colossal waste of time.

...I think I'll call it the Gun Shy Pattern Stormbuster, because after the Internet destroyed my first humble effort, I find I'm a bit worried about the reaction to this one.

Lauby: "Is it left over from that time you thought that you could just complete step one 12 times to meet the mandates of that court order?"

Not Brent: "I guess we'll have to read on and find out. Signed, Not Brent. Especially today."

Cynthia Davis: "I think the scrolling text is from Glen Beck's new book."

Grimaldi: "Spamming certain units creates interesting possibilities but also fatal weaknesses."

Purgatus: "Math can inform decisions. It cannot make decisions."

Thoughts? Comments? Hugs and gropings?

You'd be that much quicker to figure out what I mean when I refer to a Unicorn if I covered it in a rainbow flag.

SinSynn: (To Brent) "Curse you and your insidious influence on the internets..."

Dave G (N++): "You know you're an internet celebrity when your following is more akin to tabloids."

I prefer the term Internet Personality (or IP) myself, seeing as how I coined it.

Lauby: "Your attempt to humanize him as failed. I feel nothing but scorn for his beard - it's like a warcrime or something."

BBF: "I've always thought you are a good player but I finally figured out that you are a great player. It's hard to see sometimes because your personality is engaging, sincere and quite charming - to me that is kind of a rare combination."

'Clearly cheating?' I didn't misspeak: you jumped to conclusions. If you'd like to apologize I'll be happy to send you an autographed picture of my ass.

Ass.

I thought I was doing alright before I realized I was losing.

Age and treachery beats youth and vigor every time.

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