Cars - Gaslands and Formula De

A couple weeks back, I ran a Gaslands game at Game-itoba, a local convention (our game is 27 seconds into the video). Of course I already have loads of cars painted, but I'd just bought a couple more and was wanting to try out a "fast-painting" technique I'd seen on the excellent Sho3box blog.

Basically you take your Hot Wheels cars, glue the wheels in place, add and basecoat paint the conversion parts. You can pick out a random panel or two and paint it black, then stipple your colour of choice over that, to represent a replaced panel. I did that on the driver's side fender and passenger quarter panel on the Camaro, above. Then give the car an allover wash of Nuln Oil.

After that's dry, go over it again with a wash of Agrax Earthshade.

Next you sponge a dark brown over the lower part of the car, followed with some drybrushed silver over the replaced panels and guns, and some regular sponge chipping. Final step is to paint in the lights, matt varnish the model, then go back over the lights with gloss. Done!

Here are the two rally cars I did - VW Scirocco and Ford Sierra. As with the Camaro and Beetle seen above, the weapons I used were from the excellent "Implements of Carnage" sprue produced by North Star.

The "wings" were black plastic, repainted with Mechanicus Standard Grey.

MSG was also used on the windows to represent armour plate, with black slits for vision.

And now for something completely different...

I'm a big Formula 1 enthusiast and from time to time in the past I've been able to convince the lads to play a game of "Formula De'. Of course, we can't use the lame plastic cars included with the game - I bought and painted pretty much a whole grid of cars for us to use.

This bunch is based (mostly) on the 2005 Formula 1 world championship season. The first pic above shows Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro (M. Schumacher and Barrichello) and BMW Williams (Webber and Heidfeld). Immediately above (left to right): West McLaren Mercedes (Raikkonen and Montoya), Mild Seven Renault F1 (Alonso and Fisichella), Panasonic Toyota (Trulli and R. Schumacher)...

...Lucky Strike BAR Honda (Button and Sato), Sauber Petronas (J. Villeneuve and Massa), Red Bull Racing (Coulthard and Klien), Jaguar (Webber - 2004 season).

Here's Michael Schumacher's Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro car.

And Mark Webber's BMW Williams.

These cars are tiny. As they say, small but perfectly formed. I'm thinking of getting some more to paint up in some historical liveries. The mid-1970s and early '80s were great times for F1, not to mention the early '90s with Senna and Prost at the wheel. Fun!

After Action Report - Dallas Saves the De

Last night the Conscripts assembled at Dallas' place, expecting a game of Napoleonics. However, it was not to be, because of some bad luck for me at the office - a meeting going until nearly 9pm (lame excuse, I know). Thankfully, Dallas deployed Formula De, the F-1 racing board game, and a good time ensued.

Dallas (M. Schumacher, Ferrari), Cam (J. Trulli, Panasonic Toyota), Bill (D. Coulthard, West McLaren Mercedes), Brian (G. Fisichella, Sauber Petronas), Dave V (M. Webber, Jaguar) and Mike F (Michele Burcholini, Red Bull 3rd World Racing Team) took to the race track - Interlagos, in Brazil. Cam and Mike built huge leads, and were so confident, they took the liberty of a pit stop to restore their cars ("so, you need the tires, right?"). Dallas, sensing an opportunity, ditched "operation bronze medal" and sped past them, gambling that his car could hold up.

As Dallas raced by, Cam fired up and chased. Mike F had leave at that point, so I took over his car, pledging to drive as recklessly as needed in order to win. I lived up to the first part of that, shredding most of the new tires in the first turn out of pit row. But Dallas and Cam pulled ahead, neck and neck through the final lap. It was a great race, and we were all concerned to see Cam rolling hot. And I was shamelessly rooting for Dallas' car to fall apart...but turn after turn, Dallas held it together.

It went to the final dice roll, but Dallas beat Cam for first place. I was so sure Dallas' car would get wrecked, but it was not to be. Dallas repaid my taunting with a cheap little Schumacher victory dance, which he performed with eerie effectiveness (and rightfully so).

Bill and I contested for third place, but his car was pushed just a bit too far on the second last turn, and he ended up in the cheap seats. Dave finished fourth, and Brian's car was retired by his pit crew.

A great race! Sorry about the third place finish Mike...that will teach you to maintain your car.

My apologies again to all for the timing not working out. I definitely hope we can get the Shako game rescheduled.

[Final comment from Dallas: Cam... you learned many things at Interlagos. Mainly, you learned that the board can be wrong, and no amount of counting squares can replace pure driving skill and winning spirit. And that Toyota will never win a Grand Prix.]