When Liebster comes to town

It's Liebster time again! I've been nominated by Natholeon, whose Kiwi Empire covers a variety of subjects, time periods and realities... all wonderfully painted and photographed.

Liebsters are passed from blogger to blogger to spread recognition of smaller, less well known but deserving bloggers and hobbyists.

Engage 'Smug Mode'

The catch is, I now have to choose a selection of blogs to nominate in turn, and also answer a set of fiendish questions.

There are so many great bloggers out there it is hard to sort out who to nominate (who hasn't already been nominated in the past few weeks!). Regardless, here's an even half-dozen for your consideration:

• Grumpy Dad is an exquisite and prolific painter (who happens to live in the same town as me), with a variety of interests: 6mm Cold War, 15mm modern Africa, Epic 40K, and 'proper' scale models. Did I mention his exquisite and prolific painting?
• Amateur Hour is a very recent 'find' I made- Blood Bowl, Song of Blades, lovely sculpting and terrain... He's already been Liebstered, but he can have another!
• Pawn Cocktail has superb fluorescent alien jungle terrain and 15mm SciFi forces to match. He's also got great 15mm fantasy dungeoncrawl and 15mm modern Africa stuff.
• Polemarch is the thinking wargamer's blog with a steady stream of weekly essays. Low on pictures, big on ideas and philosophy.
• Sound Officers' Call has been blogging recently with a pleasing mix of modern AFVs and Napoleonics. Huzzah!
• Xin's Lair has some lovely Lord of the Rings and fantasy miniatures, and a tendency to go overboard on terrain projects. Take a look at the X-Wing asteroid base game table if you don't believe me...

Check out these blogs, 'follow' them, and if you don't have a blog, consider starting one!

Now, I have to answer some questions... I hope I get them right.

Why did you start blogging?

Here's my first post, which answers that very question! It's grown into something quite positive for me, and I've really enjoyed being part of the hobbyblogging community.

If you could change one thing about the wargaming hobby, what would it be?

I've got to cut-and-paste both parts of Paul of the Man Cave's answer:

"I'd have more time to indulge myself in it.  The irony of young gamers having lots of time and no money to make the most of it with, and more mature gamers having money and no time to enjoy it, is rather frustrating!

OK I'm going to cheat and add a second answer to this one: I'd make more of the Hobby like the Hobby "Blogosphere".  How is it that we have a great online community around the various blogs, but suffer flame trolls on various forums and TMP, and a higher proportion of overly competitive asshats at conventions? Not sure.  So all modesty aside, I'd make more gamers like bloggers: tolerant, interested and fun to communicate with."

What is best in life?

Stories.

Do you want to live forever?

Forever is a long time... but I do want to know 'what happens next' in history and science! And read the final A Song of Ice and Fire volumes when they get published...

Come on, you apes!

Fame or fortune?
Fortune.

What miniature are you most proud of having painted?
My first ones- what a slippery slope they were. It's uncanny how the simplest paintjob can transform a toy soldier.

Airfix Afrika Korps

How do you deal with hobby burnout?
As you may have realised, I have a variety of gaming interests. I flit from one to another if I'm struggling anywhere. Different 'tones' are refreshing to the palate/ palette: I love a bright cartoony look for Blood Bowl, then some boardgame pieces, then a horde army of historicals etc.

Why is a raven like a writing desk?
"Because there is a 'b' in both and an 'n' in neither." Aldous Huxley


Star Wars or Star Trek?
Damn if the prequels didn't make this a hard question to answer. But still, I play X-Wing and not Attack Wing...

If you could only buy from one miniature company from now on, which one would it be?
Eureka. Their products and scales are as varied as my interests!

What is your favourite take out?
There's a gourmet pizza place near me that does a nice zesty smoked salmon pizza... Mouth is watering, I may get one this weekend...