Yes, I know I haven't been updating as regularly as usual, but it has been that time of year -- Thanksgiving, Christmas, relatives coming and going, deadlines to meet, traveling here and there.  And, now I have a presentation to give this weekend!

However, with the new year that means we need to start getting serious about plans for Origins, so expect things to ramp up pretty quickly.  It would, however, help if my supposed <nudge> fellow bloggers <wink> would post more often. <sigh>

Until then let me employ the time honored manipulative Internet tactic of posting the one thing that always gets attention even when it has nothing to do with your blog or Youtube channel -- kittens!

I picked up my new pets over the holiday season -- a pair of (Traditional) Siamese cats named Leo and Martin.  My first Siamese was a great companion, so this time I had to go for two.  I've been trying to teach them 40K so we could play a few games, but so far I haven't gotten them past thinking that when you "kill" a model you aren't supposed to try to eat it.  Sort of like Orks that way, just a lot more fuzzy.

If nothing else the cats explain why I haven't been posting as much -- all that time necessary to feed them and pet them and watch them chase after bits of wrapping and generally be silly and on and on and on.  It's tiring.  Yup, really been too busy.  Haven't had the time.  Yup, not my fault.  No, honest.  Really.

Over the last few days I was off enjoying Christmas the forces of Chaos -- otherwise called spammers -- have been hard at work spamming this blog with "comment spam".  After nearly a hundred spam messages in three days I have decided to impose moderation on all comments from now on.  Sorry, but it's the only apparently way to stop the scourge.  So, if your comments don't pop up immediately now you know why.  At least it is better than having to remove comments completely.

I have an update as to the Armoury Games break-in -- the name of the confessed perpetrator.  Ironically, I have a picture of him because he was at the World's Largest Apocalypse Game at Origins this last year.

William Dupree

Apparently, Mr. Dupree had gotten himself in trouble on various online trading sites for "selling" GW models he didn't actually have.  Partially in an attempt to get out from beneath the problem he broke into Armoury Games to steal its GW stock.  He immediately began to ship out full or partial kits to satisfy the "sales" he made previously.  So, if you have received (or will) models from him in the last week you are likely holding stolen goods.  Don't worry -- since the kits have for the most part been sent out as individual bits Armoury Games will not want the pieces back as they are no longer fit to be sold -- and insurance will cover the losses.  Just keep in mind what happened.

He was caught thanks to an accomplice who gave up his name to the police when questioned.  In turn, William confessed when the police confronted him.  It is likely that he had a third partner named Todd Piotrowski, but so far there is insufficient evidence to arrest him (in large part because Dupree will not give him up).  The best estimate at this time is that Mr. Dupree is looking at 1-3 years of hard time.

Frankly, I have no sympathy which is why I am posting his picture and the name of his likely accomplice.  Whatever happens they shouldn't be welcome in any gaming establishment or group ever again.

Good news -- the primary thief behind the Armoury Games break-in has been caught and has confessed to the crime.  I won't say here who he is (at least until I know it is appropriate), but it was indeed a gamer.  Fortunately, he turned out to be a rotten criminal.  Most of the stolen material has been recovered.  Hopefully, the rest will soon follow.

Looks like Christmas may be pretty good after all!

This is turning out to be just a great week.  More bad news -- Armoury Games, one of the local gaming shops here in Columbus (technically in Pickerington, a suburb), was the victim of a break-in this last weekend.  The thieves took as much as half the stock, primarily Games Workshop models.

What's telling -- and disturbing -- is that the theft was clearly the work of someone who knew the shop well.  That means that in all likelihood a gamer(s) is behind this.

So, I would like to ask everyone to keep an eye open for anyone from the Columbus area with a sudden surplus of models, most likely to sell.  This is the sort of crime that gamers can't afford to let go unpunished.

Some of you might be wondering why GBPrime doesn't post all that much here.  One reason is that he has three young children (including twins!), but lately it is also because of a slow motion tragedy in his family.  His kid sister has been suffering from cancer.  Sadly, she lost her battle with the disease yesterday afternoon.

Julie Elizabeth Meadows
6 May 1973 - 13 Dec 2009

She leaves behind her husband, two young kids (4 and 6), parents, brother -- and all the rest of us.  She was only 36.

I hope you will join me in offering the deepest possible condolences for their loss.

I'm sure some of you may have already seen this, but it was too good not to post to pass along the word.

Inkygirl did this in response to GW's latest jihad against fan made materials.  I am usually more willing than many to cut GW a break in such matters, but they sure do seem to go out of their way to anger their best customers.

Something like this happens on a regular basis and despite the numerous complaints GW seems to go on without changing or even big effect.  Yet, sales are down and shops are closing all across the business, not just in miniatures but gaming in general.  Likewise, GW prices continue to skyrocket.  I fear that in the end something is going to have to give.

After all, wasn't there a time when TSR looked like the unstoppable juggernaut in Role-Playing?  Now it doesn't even exist.  I hope GW is paying attention.

Generally speaking I have taken the price hikes of Games Workshop over the years in stride.  Yes, they have always been pricey, but the models are great and the costs for similar forces from other companies roughly the same.  Yet, looking over the new Skaven models recently I have to admit that I've experienced real sticker shock.

Take for example the new Skaven Battalion.  For $105 you get what amounts to one and a half infantry units (rats tend to go around in large groups, after all) and maybe half of the rat ogres and giant rats you need for full units.  In other words, for over a cool hundred dollars you get, what, a fifth or so of an army?  Sure, you don't play Skaven to have a handful of models, but still...

Then there is the cost of Stormvermin -- $50!  That's $2.50 a model for plastic.  Yes, I know I have spent $50 (well, usually not as I always try to get a discount) for a group of five terminators, but seeing a mere 20 models of an army that can require hundreds cost so much frankly made me go bug-eyed when I first saw it.  I shutter to think what Tyranids are going to cost when they arrive in a few months.  Yikes!  Thank goodness my bug army is basically done.

I read forums all the time where people drone on about how obscene the costs of GW figures are and I am usually willing to write it off to mere griping (and the odd, even masochistic need for some fantasy/sci-fi geeks to find something about the hobby to be offended over) but for the first time I am really beginning to wonder myself.  How far can the Games Worshop form of the hobby go with prices going so high?

Compare the new Skaven Battalion with this army deal from Warlord Games for a Royalist English Civil War force:

For the price of (using current exchange rates) $82.5 you get 120 pike and shot troopers.  Admittedly, the models are nice, but certainly not to the quality of Games Workshop.  They also don't have the options that GW kits usually do.  But, you nevertheless get a lot and you don't need another five or so sets for a complete army (unless you want to play at very high point totals).  You get more from GW, but at what point do players just balk at buying their kits no matter the cost and go with a less expensive game no matter how inferior?  Actually, in this case we are even talking about the same basic system.  Is playing with rats and magic really worth that much more money?

That is naturally a personal choice, but the fact I even have to ask that question is depressing. I really think GW has to do something about prices or at least the negative perception they have with many players thansk to the practical death of grand tournaments and similar support.  People don't like to think they are being taken for granted.  More and more GW comes off (fairly or not) as a sort of ivory tower business remote from the average player who believes it can jack up prices as needed without consequences to the bottom line (and support from its fans).  That doesn't make for a good long term situation.  Showing players that they actually give a damn would give people a reason to accept rising prices, but as it is...

Hmm, maybe I should take a closer look at those new ECW cavalry models...