Thoughts On - The Third Edition of 5 Parsecs from Home Pt1 - Updated 28 Dec 2021.

 Hi Everybody,

                     Here I am again with another large gap between episodes. My gaming has lapsed for a while, for assorted reason, mainly job searching and getting fitter, not fantastically so, but I am walking better than I was. I have been watching youtube vlogs on the topic of roleplaying games and following the volcanoes in Iceland (eruption finished, but maybe a new surge or Lava flow underground), La Palma (Just finished) and Mt. Etna (Smoking).

                       I have an old wargame episode still in the works. The pictures are on and I am editing in the text now. I am about to shoot another quick battle using "Rally round the King" fantasy rules by Two Hour Wargames or possibly Warhammer fantasy battles (Similar to Mordheim). Its the first time that I have actually used it in anger, so I am not sure how much detail to include with it so that it does not get bogged down explaining the rules. My terrain and figures are on the table as I type. I am hoping for a weekend shoot, after I fix my flat tyre on my bike. 

                      As you can see from the title, Ivan Sorensen has combined with Modipus to put out a hardback annual book of the Third Edition rules of Five Parsecs from home. I have not checked out the price. It has been available for a few months now, but I have only just become aware of it. There are reviews and playtests on youtube that you can watch to see if it is your sort of bash about.

There is at least one expansion pack available, as of the 3rd December 2021.

Five-Parsecs-From-Home--Expansion-1--Trailblazers-Toolkit

Have you played this latest version ? What are your thoughts ? 

                    I have the second edition of Five Parsecs, as you may know. So, that would my next sci-fi go to when I have got some more models and terrain painted. Not sure what timeline that will be though, being honest. I hope you enjoyed my last WH 40K outing.

                     That's about it for today. Stay safe. Fingers crossed that COP 26 is a success, otherwise, you can start dusting off those post-Apocalypse rules to get some early life change tips.......Greta T could have a point, "We want less words and more action, people. When the government starts offering free swimming lesions, BEWARE".

Regards all, 

Ivor Cogdell

Birmingham UK

UPDATE - 22.12.2021 .Five Parsecs From Home - Marked Copies

If you're looking for a bargain on Five Parsecs From Home, the hit RPG-lite solo adventure wargame by Ivan Sorensen then we've added some marked copies to both stores. The cover has a few slight marks to the laminate that you can only see under the light but it's perfectly useable and it's 20% off as a result. You can get it here in the US or here in the UK

Planetary Data 1 - System 623, Lighthouse - Hougemont

 

Planetary Data 1

System 623, Lighthouse - Hougemont

Planet	Moon	Axis	Atmos	Grav	In Orbit	Port	Beacon	Notes
Eltran		05	NIL	0.32				Uninhabited
Otran		17	NIL	0.42				Uninhabited
Hugemont		30	Variable weather	0.98		Rostof Mine  1 + 2	451,461	Dust Storms Mercenary Activity
Hugemont		30	Variable weather	0.98		Capital - Plients	450	Dust Storms
Hugemont			OK	100	Wheel 1		454
Hugemont			OK	100	Shack 1 (Habitat)		448	1 Emergency Lock
Hugemont			OK	100	Wheel 2 (Partial)		458	3 Emergency Locks
Hugemont	1-Toros	10	OK	0.50		Dryden Base	456
Asteroid	235	75	NIL	0.04		Petrov Base	459
Asteroid	7762	18	NIL	0.08		Janis Base	460
Comet	469512	75	NIL	0.002		Globule Mine	483
Comet	482383	72	NIL	0.0015		Canary Mine	457
Ritran		45	NIL	1.84				Uninhabited
Vetran		21	NIL	2.16				Uninhabited

This will be expanded according to the travels of the Magic Carpet.
(All planetary data generated by (C) Nordic Weasel Games supplement Every Star an opportunity) and embellished by myself.

(C) Ivor Cogdell.

Thoughts On - 5 Parsecs From Home - Second Edition - Updated.

 Hi all,

             Its been a while since I did anything with my 5 Parsecs unit, mainly to do with the lack of scenery than anything else I have got some in the works, but they need assembly. I knew that Ivan had brought a second edition out, but I had not had chance to flick through it until recently. He had given it a complete overhaul, with colour headers for the different sections and tables. The tables have been given values that change the gameplay more than it did before, which is good. The enemies have bee increased to give the storyline more flavour.

           I have also obtained the Every Star an opportunity, Salvage Crew and Planetary generation supplements, which can be used with the second edition. I notice that there is at least one alien race that is new on the scene since I was on his website last, along with the K'Erin. Ivan has started a paetreon group which grants members supplements on a regular basis. 

            He has also got a low fantasy setting -5 Miles from the Borderlands which has assorted supplements, plus a new medaeval skirmish game too.

Regards all,

Ivor Cogdell

P.S. There is now a third edition out. Check for later posts.

Eyes On - Iceland's Volcanoes

 Hi all,

           This is slightly different than my usual post, in that it is not a review or comment, just something that had caught my imagination. The subject is the volcano that had been erupting for 64 days on Iceland, near the fishing harbour hamlet of Grindavic. 

There has been an eruption on the Congo too. Sadly, 14 people have passed away, I'm afraid.

Mount Nyiragongo: DR Congo residents flee as volcano erupts

BBC Report - 23rd May 2021.

I'm glad to say that the Iceland volcano is much tamer than Mount Nyiragongo, although it has been rather frisky at times.

I have done some watercolour sketches of it in action, I hope you like them.

(The sketch of Volcano Cone no.1 was shown in my earlier post  "Thoughts On - Ups and Downs" - 11th May 2021).

Volcano Cone 02 - (C) Ivor Cogdell  7 May 2021.  Index Number 0633.

Volcano Cone 03 - (C) Ivor Cogdell  7 May 2021.  Index Number 0634.

Iceland Volcano From Nearby Hill Top - (C) Ivor Cogdell  9 May 2021. A4 size.  Index Number 0639.

There are live links to the action and the quiet phases, newly posted is a drone video looking down into the crater itself and the hole the lava spurts out of,  Youtube 23rd May 2021. I did not get the link correct, unfortunately.

The lava has diverted past one of the walls put up and is now flowing down into a new valley closer to the sea. The sea road has telecom stuff that connects communities together and they do not want it destroyed.

Updated 1st November 2021 - The volcanic eruption lasted for 183 days. It did not reach the sea, unlike the latest eruption in La Palma. I have not done any artwork of the La Palma volcano yet.

Update 3rd December 2021 - The La Palma eruption is continuing, this is day 73, two streams of lava have reached the sea and are in the process of creating more land, in the process destroying lives and property.

Regards all,

Ivor Cogdell

P.S. for more information and views of the eruptions, check out Youtube, including drone flyovers.

Thoughts On - Intergalactic - Updated

 Hey all,

            I have watched the first couple of episodes of SKY's new Sci-Fi show, Intergalactic. (No, this is not the TV sequel to the film Interstellar.) I'm not sure if it has gotten up to speed yet. The plot is a bit weak, the lead is a female cop, who is the only one who can pilot the prison transport, after a break out, who are trying to get to Arcadia (Paradise planet / heart of the rebellion etc. fill in the blanks of the dialog as you please.

          The first episode graphics were good, as you would expect from a pilot, to grab the audience's attention, the second was in the usual "Dr. Who" quarry setting they dig out for backward planets. Spaceship design - fair, a habitat ring above an engine module and cockpit. The acting is not fantastic yet, but I hope it will improve as it goes along. I presume this is their first gig, as it were. I can live with it for now.

       The early promotional hype was put out there as bait, this did have me wondering if it could stand on its own two feet. So far, this show has been better than nothing, but don't hold your breath for it being another series like Firefly, I don't think this is it. I could be pleasantly surprised, though.

Next episode - Steal from a fuel depot. Good luck all.... A bit more action in this one, but not enough to change my rating mark. There is 8 episodes in the series. I'm not sure yet about a season 2. There seems to be an underplot developing of the cops not being all that good and that they could be doing something naughty in the side. Warning, warning - plot twist, plot twist.

Next episode - The Mad Scientists Lab, as you do.

Updated 1 Nov 2021 - The season came to a close with myself still watching, so it did have some appeal to it, I'm not sure quite what though. The young and inexperienced actors did give it a sort of rough around the edges quality.

Rating 6 / 10.

Regards all,

Ivor Cogdell

 

Thoughts On - Ups and Downs

 Hi All,

             I'm sorry that the content on here has been a bit non existent lately. I hope the "Shout Outs" I mentioned in the blog from last time kept you going ok. My GM has been having Covid problems with his other half, so the RPG has stalled (I do have some more content for it though). I have been getting out a bit more, some socially distancing biking (Castle Bromwich Hall>Digby and Dog Pubs, Water Orton > Hare and Hounds Pub,  Minworth, >Fazely Canal > Tyburn Pub) and walking to the local parks, which is very good, but it eats into my PC time. 

           Speaking of  my PC time, I am now doing a home study course on Information Technology - that's Networking and stuff. (Part way through the second week of my course, I pranged my computer for a week (I was havingBoot Password problems and could not  get in) and was having to follow the class lessons through my Mobile, it was not ideal. I am still looking for a job.

         I have been doing a few watercolour sketches of the Icelandic Volcano and some other stuff when I have been out and about, as you can see below.
              Castle  Bromwich Hall grounds, just time for a picnic before the sun sets.

Fazeley Canal, Western sunset from Wiggins Hill Bridge.

Castle Bromwich tree

Bluebells on the lower Common Triangle. First time seeing them there.

Bluebells

A close up of the Iceland Volcano Cone No. 5 in action, 7 May 2021. Copyright ?

That is one frisky volcano. You can see live feeds on Youtube at the moment, *May 2021.

The view from Wiggins Hill Bridge, Minworth. (C) Copyright 2021. Ivor Cogdell.

 Another very nice picnic stopover spot. There is a pub the other side of the bridge too - A bonus, but I was driving, as it were. 

 I have had the second of my two Covid jabs, so that is very good to get out of the way. I was late to the local Doctor's surgery by 30 minutes. I called them to tell them of my error and they fitted me in, which was very good of them. 

More on Jab-itis, which I mentioned in the last post, according to BBC radio 4 last night, a new poll stated that around 20% of youngsters (I'm not sure from where), do not want any of the Covid jabs available. The mind absolutely boggles. Very sadly, people are dying all over the world through this wretched virus and these young people are refusing the best chance they have of survival. Barmy.

 "Whom the Gods wish to destroy, they first drive mad."— Leo Tolstoy

There you have it that's about four months or so of not doing a lot, encapsulated in a few pictures and watercolour sketches. The sun is out today and I feel a quick bike ride is in the offing. Stay safe all, but get out when you can.

Regards all,

Ivor Cogdell

Thoughts On - Post Xmas Blues Shout Out

 Hi all,

           The January gloomies have struck. Christmas is over and there is nowhere to go, no sales to rummage through for bargains with friends and family. There is trouble at the UK ports (Brexit-itus), the Scottish National Party want to have another border with England and cast their lot in with the EEC again, I'm not sure how that would work out for tourism though if they went back to Euros. 

There is still trouble in the States (Voting-itus), I hope everything calms down there. Not to mention Jab-itus. I do not understand why people are skeptical about well researched vaccines. Apparently, 40% of French folk do not want it. It's got to be better than the possible alternative, which is dying, right ? I am being good, going out for the occasional bout of "fresh air" walking around the streets of Brummagem and getting shopping done at the same time.

I have just finished a wargame, so that is going to be in production next. The photos will need cropping and text typed, as per usual.

A great big thanks to all the Vloggers on you tube that have kept me sane through this last year. Here are a few for you to try out if you don't know them.

Andy and Alex - A teenage duo listening to retro music for the first time and giving their comments.-

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcY4kD-XWPo

Jamel - Same thing -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h14HGR87U8A

Wargaming Recon Podcast - Historical Wargaming -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_N_wdhcNVls&t=1102s

Black Magic Craft - Wargaming terrain building.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4GcSRN73Fo

Mel - The Terrain Tutor - 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQ_UvVHn6JA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNB5BmERsWY

OnTableTop - Hobby info -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXa77lcE50c&t=665s

Paintings

Artist-Viktor Yushkevich

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfuHnJ0yOxw&t=1934s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXY-mncY-xg&t=8s

Artist - Andrew Tischler

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzM2yP6ysR4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hccUMogZAko

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67iMIP2KesQ

That should keep you going for a bit.

Regards to one and all. Stay safe.

Ivor Cogdell

P.S. Bonus - I have just had hit number 8601. Better than a slap in the face with a wet mackerel.