On Tour to the Frituur part 9: Fritkot Max in Antwerp

 Fritkot Max, located on the Groenplaats in the center of Antwerp city, is an icon.

But often these places are more name then fame, so let's check it out!

 

 

Established all the way back in 1842, this is actually the oldest frituur in Antwerp still in existence.  Located in a beautiful building on the Groenplaats, it has been dressed up in a very stylish manner.  Inside on the first floor there are some seatings, and outside if is not "typical belgian weather" you can sit as well.

 

My order

 

I ordered traditionally, as they don't have any specialties of the house, apart from the fact the fries come in a pointy bag (as it used to be everywhere in my youth) instead of a box.  One small fries with sate spices (given seperatly here in a small pot), tartaar sauce and a cervela sausage, paying 7.80 euro which isn't even much for the centre of the city.

 

 

One can think that having such a "name" it might be a tourist trap, but I can't honestly say anything wrong with the order.  The meat was baked nice and dry outside, and still pink on the inside.  The fries where not greasy, baked off perfectly and crunchy.  The tartaar was of the fresh variety with nice chunks in it compared to the "from the pot" affairs...  

Conclusion

Don't think this is a flat commercial tourist trap living of it's name, it is actually a very good frituur and it isn't even expensive, handling all the regular prices you find elsewhere as well!

If you are in Antwerp, make sure to give this place a try, you won't regret it.  I will give it a thumbs up and a score of 8.5, the only minor thing they don't have all those snacks you can find elsewhere, sticking to the basics.  But I wouldn't call that a bad thing necessarily!

A true classic and well deserved of it's reputation.

Spike! Magazine volume 18

 Time for another magazine overview, and of course that is the recently acquired Spike! volume 18.

The rules supplement magazine Games Workshop puts out when new teams appear, and of course this is all about my beloved Chaos Dwarfs returning to the game.

 

It starts off with the editorial, suitedly taken over by one of our beloved Dawi Zharr, before having a look at the team and it's new skills... and new player types with the Sneaky Stabba's and Flamesmith's.  These add some welcome variety to the basic blocker and lineman types, allowing for some serious variation in play style.  And those Flamesmith's can be really nasty to boot!

 

 

Gold cost wise, the team remains a bit on level with it's previous incarnation, with dirtcheap Hobgoblin linemen and the new classes around the level in cost of a Blocker, so that is okay.  Bull Centaurs are of course more expensive, but oh so versatile to get those touch downs in.

 

There is a team spotlight on the most classic of teams, the Zharr-Naggrund Ziggurats, while also some brief look at other famous teams, and a Hall of Fame roster for the Ziggurats.  We then look at the first of the three star players, as Zzharg Madeye got a model for the first time ever.

 

After getting some fashion advice, the other star player, H'tark the Unstoppable (his model is awesomely impressive) takes the field.  There are rules to play leagues in a Chaos Dwarf setting, including special event and weather tables, the balls, etc...

 

After some obituaries in Coffin Corner, it's time for team tactics tips and tricks.  Detailing not only the various strengths and weaknesses of the types of players, it also gives pointers for potential set-up's on the board.  

 

 

Rashnak Backstabber is the third, and really "brand new", star player.  A master of poisons, he is not there for the big tackles, but for the sneaky stabbin' of your opponents when the referee is (preferably) not looking.

 

Before the closing comic, we get a selection of updated rules to use the Chaos Dwarfs in Dungeon Bowl, and to which Colleges of Magic they would give their allegiance.

 

So, a packed full magazine, and I look forward to putting them on the pitch soon... after I painted the models!

Eureka Seven: Anemone

The second of three Hi-Evolution sidemovies of Eureka Seven, a porject featuring other points of view and using both existing and new material.

 

 

But first of all, please note this is not a sequel to Hi Evolution I!  Instead, forgot everything you've seen before and watch this as something seperately.

 

It takes all the characters from the original series, yet gives a twist to the whole point of view as it is told by Anemone, a young girl that lost her father years ago in the attack on Tokyo.  Dominic is present with her, an app powered AI that stands with her for advice, and her stuffed animal, the only thing she has remaining from her life before the events happened.

 

 

Seven years later Anemone is part of the military, preparing to dive in using a device that causes the Acperience, which is the same name from the first film but means something totally different here, to add a bit of confusion to the story.  It allows the pilot to dive into the conscience of another being, and as such sees the "humanoid form" of the Eureka Seven in a Nirvash like mecha that decimates the military of Earth in swift strokes.

 

This makes one wonder is all of the main story is actually layers of dimensions for Eureka to try and get back to save her Renton, and everytime Anemone jumps in to interfere it turns into the epic mecha battles from the originals.  It seems Anemone wins every time, Renton being the casualty what causes the loop to repeat on another plane, as told by the mysterious old captive in the wheelchair the military have locked away, and who acts like a sort of oracle that seemingly sees across dimensions.

 

 

But finally Eureka and Anemone get on each other level, and a crazy fun chase with huge gobbling versions of her stuffed animal ensue, out to eat the world unless they can get out of it. This also leads her to find out finally what happened to her father, in what is essentially a story of grief, loss and how to handle it, both for Anemone and in a lesser degree Eureka.

 

The film also makes use of three (!!!) different styles of animation depending where the story is taking place, and this seamlessly flows into each other.  It in some way also helps to let you know where the story is taking place timeline wise, a nice touch if you ask me.

 

 

Tin Soldiers of Antwerp Bring and Buy IV

 Today it was the already 4th edition of the Bring and Buy event at the Tin Soldiers of Antwerp, running from 10.00 to 14.00 hrs.

So of course, we went there to have a look and have some chats.

Which included someone I met only past wednesday, yet apparently we are in the same club for a couple of years now.  Shows how few opportunities I had the past time to visit, but this will be picking up again going into 2025.

At 9.30 it was already cosily busy, traders mostly buying out each other.  I behaved by the rules, I remained on my barstool until 10.00 before having a stroll around.  I estimated that around opening there will have been around 100 people present already.

And boy, there where bargains to be found.  Now, as my eye drifted of course to the fantasy side of things, I saw like fully sealed older Warhammer High Elf regiment boxes for 10 euro.  I do curse myself not picking up the old GW swarm box for 5.00 euro, as by the time I realized I could really use the rats and spiders in it for Rangers of Shadow Deep, it was ofc already gone.

 

 

I myself did some quick pickings though, like this Naggaroth Nightmares metal complete Blood Bowl team + a blister of the older linemen + a blister of cheerleaders for 20 euro.

 

 

From the same seller, I also picked up 3 more blisters.  Though the Dark Sun nearly immediatly was past on for the 3.00 euro it costed me for a blister to Patrick R., a true DnD afficionado and I just had taken them out of nostalgia and to serve as generic villains in solo games anyways.  That left me with the blister from Trent Miniatures (naked lady on horse, checks my boxes) and a Belgian cannon for Bolt Action.

 

 

From another seller, I found this Rohan army box, the Valliant Rohirrim, for a measly 25.00 euro.  It now went into the closet behind lock and key though, as this will be my christmas present from little Thorin.

 

 

The final piece of loot came from rummaging through Albert's boxes of I have to many stuff so I'm parting with some, and for 2.00 euro the Easterling Captain was dug up.

So this was a good haul from the event, and to when I left around 11.00 it still was nice and busy.  

Onwards to edition 5 in march, and out to look for more loot!

The Haul Report 407: Cheapskating for stuff YAY

 So this has a bit of an unexpected entry for sure.

 

Because I was shopping for some stuff at home in Action, a "dollar store", when I saw these.

 

 

In order to tackle various "rough" projects, I went shopping in the local dollarstores like SoLow and Action, picking up some cheap brushes for things like undercoating and varnishing, but they are actually very good quality and will be used for terrain painting work as well.

Last time, I showed the little mess-up I made with the Archonia My Box, so I just had the other books send out the week after...

Talking some more anime, another loot box from TokyoCatch came in, hauling me both a Kira Yamato and of course an Ichika.

 

 

 

Then there are a thing called Gaming Buddies, and they make your mind crazy for new stuff.  So yes, I ordered a starting band for Moonstone...

 

What also arrived was my Chaos Dwarf Blood Bowl team, together with the new Spike magazine for their rules.  They will be going to the very front of the paint line as a result, because I want to field them in the upcoming TSA league.

 

 

And I was lucky on Amazon france, as I found an english language edition of Devilry Afoot, a small table skirmish game putting basically witch hunters against folklore monsters for 25.00 euro, free delivery.  This is one game you can expect some battle reports about rather soon! 

 

So a nice and varied haul this episode, check back in a few weeks to see if more has been added to the collections!

 

 

On the Painting Desk 301

 And so another week has gone by and brushes have stroked.

All in all a pretty good week, if though I have some serious RL issues running at the moment.

But the paintbrush provided some welcome distraction to collect thoughts.  As a result, my orktober project has been finished, and I'll show it in a few days during a seperate post.  I have been assembling some models, but got way more in the pipeline, so expect a pretty filled desk in next week's overview.

On the other hand, I do hope by then to have finished those pillars, the blunderbuss unit and if all goes very well Drepur's as well.

So check back next week to see where we stand, in the ever more hopeless battle to make my Chaos Dwarfs Online BATG challenge!

Zillion

 I was there.  I was there 3000 years ago reader when the megadancings of Techno ruled the Belgian nightlife.

And on the contrary to these modern day kids that think they are cool that they saw this movie, I actually lived this movie.

Zillion is based on true and untrue stories about the rise and fall of one of the most (in)famous dancings in Belgium.  And some things you might think that where over the top in the film actually happened.  

The story goes about a young computer genius, Frank Verstraeten, who is making a large sum of money by importing parts from China long before the competition does, being able to sell PC's faster and better then what was on the market.  Of course, with a double bookkeeping, but that is something Belgians are famous for anyways.

One day he does a job for Dennis Burkas, aka Dennis Black Magic, the famous belgian porn producer.  He gets paid with VIP tickets from another dancing, Carre, which was then the place to be, but refused entrance.  Becoming friends with Dennis and making his first million, they go again, where he falls in love with Vanessa, the current miss Belgium.  But when under the influence of his first experience with XTC he is roughly thrown out and vows to open a place more impressive then the Carre.

He buys a location in the centre of Antwerp, and using his knowledge of computers and chinese business locations transforms it to the most modern, impressive dance temple Europe had ever seen, the Zillion.  It becomes an instant success and the money flows in, but the neighbours and the tax services are not to happy with what is happening.  

He gets his wish of starting a relationship with Vanessa, but soon this starts to go sideways as he is more focussed on making money then he is on his personal life, in an eager attempt to prove himself and become someone.  Soon problems with the taxation services begin, and Vanessa spirals down in an life of alcohol and drugs, setting up a homejacking of which he falsely believes Dennis was behind.

But he sees the error of the ways as he figures out the truth, saving Dennis from the Albanian maffia he had become to involved with, but also can no longer escape the tax services.  He loses everything, including Vanessa, as the Zillion is being torn down with it's license revoked, and he is sentenced to incredible fines.

The fun part is that Frank actually makes a cameo in the movie, as the man who at the end during the public auction buys the snake, for those wanting to know how well cast the leads have been.  The miss Belgium part however caused a whole scandal in Belgium, as the actual miss Belgium who had a relationship with him tried to stop the release of the movie.  This gave more public exposure to the film, and the innuendo if the things in the movie did actually happen as shown...

It was an okay movie in the end, the music was "my thing" and it was full of nostalgia, even seeing some people featured in cameo's that I know from real life back then.  So if you can get your hands on the movie abroad, surely give it a watch!

Oh, and Zundays in Zillion... it was as heavy as depicted.

Warhammer Underworlds: Hrothgorn's Mantrappers

 Now this is a warband I painted with a mission!

When I finally got my hands on this all but forgotten warband, I just heard a voice inside my head telling me my hobby motto: F*ck the META.

I just needed to paint this warband up, and build a Nemesis deck for them to take them to a tournament in the future!

When I got my hands on the warband in a recent lot haul, I just loved the huge over the top crossbow he hauls along.  And to that end, I wanted to paint him up.  

Now, his warband is a pure "voltron style" band, his Rivals deck for example are almost all objectives the leader scores and the upgrades are mainly for him as well, even able to push him to 8 wounds, making him the biggest badboy in the game.

Now, my plan for him is to connect him with Rimewyrm's Bite after the Under-Ekeren tournament, as the deck is currently melted together with my Dread Pageant.  The ping damage should compensate for the minor damage the three gnoblar attendants dish out, and it has some objectives that should be easily do-able with the ogre / cat tandem.

For the cat I went for an icy colourscheme, allowing it to blend good into the lore, while the gnoblars had a regular greenish skin and brown furs, nothing to fancy on them.

And of course, there is the trap as well, which basically turns a hex into a lethal hex XXL, the goal being to goad / push the enemy onto it for a juicy automatic 2 damage.

I'm curious how he will play for sure, and look forward to try him out in a month or two on our casual game nights!

Warhammer Underworlds Battlereport: Skaeth's Wild Hunt vs Fomoroid Crusher - Desecration

 Time for the second confrontation between noble Skaeth and his Wild Hunt against the savage Fomoroid Crusher in scenario 2 of A Crushing Terror.

And this is kind of the hardest one if you read the battleplans, as you face a ferocious beast out to toss objectives at your head, inspiring along the way.

And with all his special abilities, it won't be easy to do the needed 12 damage swiftly... or will it?  Especially as the Crusher has Breaker in his activations, dealing an automatic 3 damage to an adjacent enemy and as such almost autokilling every Kurnothi...

 

 

So the Wild Hunt deployed, circling the mighty Crusher, as their opening hand was drawn.

The Crusher immediatly goes into action, charging Lighaen, but misses the nimble little cat completely.

In retaliation, Sheoch strikes the beast for 2 damage.

But the little beasts luck ran out, as the Breaker action immediatly smashes it down, and I salvaged an upgrade card for him.  In these scenario's, as no glory can be scored, upgrades are given automatically after a fighter's activation.

Skaeth thunders across the battlefield, his hooves impacting on the back of the Fomoroid and doing two points of damage, and giving him the Shield Slash upgrade.

Sheoch in the meantime is smacked down by the lumbering giant.

Karthean joins the fray, in an effort to keep Skaeth alive, and wounds the beast for yet another two, taking it down to 4 wounds remaining and getting an upgrade as well.

 

Which he won't have much joy from, as he is taken out by the brute next.

In the final activation of the first round, Althaen shoots another wound off the tally from the beast.

And so with the first round ending, the beast already suffered 7 hits out of his 10, as he keeps getting locked in combat to prevent it from inspiring.

The power cards are replenished for the second round as Skaeth inspires himself.

 

The Breaker attack hits the leader for 3 damage, but as he has 4 wounds, he has that one chance to make a difference as I salvage some more power cards.

And he attacks with his Shield Slash, scoring that important Critical Hit to allow him to do the full three damage, as the Crusher can't defend against a crit and a success.

With a load roar, the Crusher topples and the Sylvaneth are victorious!

So that is the second game of the three scenarios ran with the Wild Hunt, and I must say it went amazingly swift.  But now onwards to the finale, where the monster will be inspired, and a LOT more dangerous!