Another Twenty Questions

I have about twenty projects that have gotten behind because of Gen Con. So, of course, I'm going to answer this set of questions posted by Ray at Don't Throw a '1'.

1) Favourite wargaming period and why?

I've got a couple competing for the top spot - mostly World War I, Dark Ages Britain, and various fantasy and sci-fi settings. At the moment, Dark Ages Britain is leading in preference because of the Saxons I picked up at Gen Con.

2) Next period, money no object?

I've got quite a few projects on the painting table right now that cover a huge number of periods. If money is no object and I'm limiting myself to historicals, I'd love to do a lot more World War I, with huge forces on each side to get the feel of the big charges over the top.

Otherwise, I'd like to do some ancient and medieval naval; Greek and Persian, Roman and Carathaginian, and Roman and Gallic Ancients; Early Crusades; Hundred Years War; Warring States Samurai; English Civil War; and Inter-war period and World War II.

I'd also like to do more Victorian science fiction, pulp, near-future science fiction, and fantasy gaming. Fanticide, Tomorrow's War, and Puppet Wars are heading the list for these. All Things Zombie is heading the list for horror minis, but that's liable to be a smaller project. Eventually I'll add some more post-apocalyptic stuff to the mix, too.


3) Favourite 5 films?

I have a ton of films that I love, but I have a hard time not sitting and watching these five when I catch even a bit of them.

Casablanca
Breakfast at Tiffany's
Star Wars
Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow
Ronin



4) Favourite 5 TV series?

I have different TV shows that I like depending on my mood. Normally, lacking something else to watch, I default to cop shows and cooking shows as background noise. These are shows I actually watch and give attention. I'm listing six because I can't decide between Breaking Bad and Sons of Anarchy.

Doctor Who
Battlestar Galactica
Lost
Arrested Development
Sons of Anarchy
Breaking Bad



5) Favourite book and author?

If I have to keep mysef to one book, it's going to be Le Morte D'Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory.



6) Greatest general? Can’t count yourself!!

I've got to go with Alexander the Great.



7) Favourite wargames rules?

That all depends on the period, really. At the moment, the set I have with the broadest range and playability is probably Warmaster.



8) Favourite sport and team?

American football and the Indianapolis Colts. They're my home team again. When I can't root for the Colts, I go with my other home team, the Chicago Bears.



9) If you had a only use once time machine, when and where would you go?

My top three possibilities would be Paris in the 1920s, the Midwestern US in the 1830s or 1840s, or the Columbia Exposition in Chicago in 1893.



10) Last meal on Death Row?

A traditional Canadian tourtiere, garlic mashed potatoes, gravy, roasted brussels sprouts, and lemon tarts.



11) Fantasy relationship and why?

No idea on this one. I've had plenty of crushes, but I'm pretty happy being single.




12) If your life were a movie, who would play you?

James Spader



13) Favourite comic superhero?

Captain America, hands down.



14) Favourite military quote?

"Iacta alea est." ("The die has been cast") This was attributed to Julius Caesar crossing the Rubicon at the head of his legions. It's the best military quote I know for a wargamer.



15) Historical destination to visit?

There are way too many places I'd like to visit to study the history there. At the top of the list are some of the places my great grandfather fought in World War I - Amiens, Vimy, and Ypres.



16) Biggest wargaming regret?

Waiting so long to get started playing historical games.



17) Favourite fantasy job?

Making sculpted terrain boards for wargames and conventions. I've built a few boards for clubs and conventions, but I'd love to be able to do it full time.



18) Favourite song - Top 5?

My music tastes shift too much with my mood to have a static top five list. Some of my favorites are:

Get Me Out of Here - Billy Pilgrim
Pure Imagination - Gene Wilder (from the Willy Wonka soundtrack)
Celluloid Heroes - The Kinks
Little Boxes - various (I love Pete Seeger's version, even though it's not the original)
Rainbow Connection - Jim Henson as Kermit the Frog (from the Muppet Movie soundtrack)
Come Sail Away - Styx
Rich Fantasy Lives - Tom Smith and Rob Balder
Paint It Black - Rolling Stones
Lover's Cross - Jim Croce

Add lots of songs from AC-DC, Iron Maiden, Dead Kennedys, Queen, Styx, Pink Floyd, the Beatles, Blue Oyster Cult, the Who, Tom Waits, and quite a few others to the list.




19) Favourite wargaming moment?

My favorite moment recently was playing a game of Land Ironclads with Nick that came down to the last roll of the game. The Germans were invading Britain, and I had to hold a strategic town and slow the German advance. The British were expected to lose, but I held my own and got lucky with some good rolls. On the last roll of the game I managed to stall the advance and force a draw.



20) The miserable git question; what upsets you?

I have a lot of pet peeves that annoy me. I don't have a lot of things that really upset me though. The big ones would be intolerance, inflexibility, and generally unreasonable behavior.

Having to deal with a lot of health issues and having worked with people with disabilities, anyone who deliberately discriminates against people with disabilities is at the top of the list.

Following them are people that use religion as an excuse for bigotry.



And here's the original questions if you choose to answer them yourself:

1. Favourite Wargaming period and why?
2. Next period, money no object?
3. Favourite 5 films?
4. Favourite 5 TV series?
5. Favourite book and author?
6. Greatest General? Can’t count yourself!!
7. Favourite Wargames rules?
8. Favourite Sport and team?
9. If you had a only use once time machine, when and where would you go?
10. Last meal on Death Row?
11. Fantasy relationship and why?
12. If your life were a movie, who would play you?
13. Favourite Comic  Superhero?
14. Favourite Military quote?
15. Historical destination to visit?
16. Biggest Wargaming regret?
17. Favourite Fantasy job?
18. Favourite Song Top 5?
19. Favourite Wargaming Moment?
20. The miserable Git question, what upsets you?