iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Freddie Foulds @judgefredd.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Ran Tunnel Goons as a quick stand in for RPG night yesterday evening and it was (as always) a lot of fun. The Astral Curse of the Iron Gnomes is a great little adventure!

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Freddie Foulds @judgefredd.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

I think I have the grey one at the back too!

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Freddie Foulds @judgefredd.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Aww, thanks! I’ve backed 2e - just need to sit down with the PDFs and work through them - fortunately they have put a handy conversion guidance section in the back! Would be good to take it out for a spin again, so will have to take you up on the opportunity to run it at some point!

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Freddie Foulds @judgefredd.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

First day lecturing of the new academic year today. Earliest occupation of Europe. Must try not to use the hominin skull casts as hand puppets…

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Freddie Foulds @judgefredd.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Nice! I’m wondering whether I should update Keepers of the Woods for 2nd Ed and leave it as a free download? I’m not sure it needs much in the way of changes to bring it up to date… I wonder how many people have actually played it 🤔

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Freddie Foulds @judgefredd.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Epic. This is why I will always buy a new Forbidden Psalm game.

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Freddie Foulds @judgefredd.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Now you might say “oh well, Durham City is quite affluent” and it is (although the outlying regions still pay the same and are pretty impoverished). So let’s take Blackpool, which is statistically the most deprived region. There, they will be paying just over £2500 for Band D in 26/27.

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Freddie Foulds @judgefredd.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

If you’re going to do this kind of reporting, at least put some bloody comparisons to council tax in other regions in. Up in Durham, Band D is currently just short of £2500 before any rise in the bill… So a 150% increase would start to level the p(l)aying field. www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

theguardian.com

London Labour council warns it may raise council tax by 150%

Hammersmith and Fulham says it faces ‘biggest financial challenge in living memory’ as government cuts bite

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Freddie Foulds @judgefredd.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

I have a load of Anglo-Saxons and Normans waiting to be painted up as Rohan/Gondorians. Mostly Victrix stuff with some additions. Pillage does seem like it would be able to manage some Middle Earth skirmish either a few minor tweaks…

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Freddie Foulds @judgefredd.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

I’ve had the core book for a while (bought before I was aware of the AI issue, but their response to criticism is encouraging). The starter set is the push I needed to actually sit down and give it a go - a good range of bits and bobs in there…

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Freddie Foulds @judgefredd.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

I’m not saying this was @dampscot.bsky.social’s fault, but…

A bunch of grey plastic miniatures from the Pillage Starter Set, ready to be primed and painted.

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Freddie Foulds @judgefredd.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Yes, spend it! You can get more from your fellowship pool when you rest, and your fellowship pool refreshes at the beginning of every session, so spend away!!! I’ve been trying to hammer this into my One Ring group.

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Freddie Foulds @judgefredd.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

This should say I *have* used cheapo yacht varnish to good effect. £2 cans from Poundland. You need to give them a good, good shake up first and only use them on a dry day. Can run a bit glossy towards the end of a can but you can fix that with brush on matt varnish where needed.

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Freddie Foulds @judgefredd.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Vallejo you can buy in Boyes. Citadel you can also buy in Boyes, but look for it in a model shop and you should get a better discount. Don’t pay GW’s premium! Everything else is probably finding a model shop. Pro Tech in Boro/Stockton are is your best shot - great range of paints available there!

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Freddie Foulds @judgefredd.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Varnish - Ian swears by Windsor Newton’s professional matt varnish in a rattle can. I haven’t used cheapo matt yacht varnish from Poundland to decent effect. I wouldn’t recommend Citadel or Army Painter’s spray varnish at all, but AP’s brush on matt is decent.

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Freddie Foulds @judgefredd.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Vallejo’s brush in black primer is also worth having for priming indoors in winter. Very good application and shrinkage means you can slap it on without too much fear. Again, comes with the previous warnings about the company.

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Freddie Foulds @judgefredd.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Primers, I haven’t had much problem with Colour Forge’s rattle cans - good range that is colour matched to Citadel paints, with generally good application. Only had one can fail on me (nozzle bust). The white does act a bit hydrophobic though, which is pain to paint over. Be warned and wash.

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Freddie Foulds @judgefredd.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

On other set of paints I will 100% recommend it Pro Acryl. Do yourself a favour at buy a bottle of their Bold Titanium White - it’s the best!

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Freddie Foulds @judgefredd.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

AK do a range of paints, weathering equipment and basing materials that are some of the best in the biz. They have, however, been known for doing stupid promotional shit with dioramas and advertising and when called out on it have doubled down on it.

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Freddie Foulds @judgefredd.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Vallejo I find a mixed bag. Some paints are amazing, some act a bit weird. Their washes medium varies between them I think which can result in unexpected consistency. Their Model Colour range is better than Game Colour. They do, however, use AI and treat their workers like ass.

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Freddie Foulds @judgefredd.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Citadel are ok, but super expensive - their Tone Pro stuff is getting good reviews at the moment for consistency of paint, but the pots are crap. Their generic range = a mixed bag, from thick and gloopy to water consistency wise. Shades = mostly good, Contrast = a bit mixed. Technical paints = good.

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Freddie Foulds @judgefredd.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

I would recommend Army Painter Fanatics paints. Their Speed paints are also pretty good. Their washes are some of the best - I highly rate them - though the medium can be a bit glossy so be prepared to Matt varnish at the end.

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Freddie Foulds @judgefredd.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Maybe this is when the UK’s love of beige stems from? Like houses, like fences, like food…

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Freddie Foulds @judgefredd.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Milk Chocolate Rounds? You can buy them in packs by themselves if you’ve endless amounts of cash and can afford Fox’s prices…

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Freddie Foulds @judgefredd.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

A good tip I've seen is to take the primed model into a dark room, illuminate it from the angles you want light to come from and then snap a picture of it on your phone or similar so you can use it as a reference for where the flight falls/reflects. Works best with a black primed mini, mind.

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Freddie Foulds @judgefredd.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

I got from that video to this as my first NMM attempt. I think it’s a good one as the mini Rich uses has a variety of shapes to show off different approaches to lighting.

Stormcast Eternal mini painted using NMM techniques.

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Freddie Foulds @judgefredd.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

I found Richard Grey’s NMM gold tutorial very good - yes he is god tier at it, but he breaks it down pretty understandably and shows what you can do with only about 4 paints. I’ve since used the concept to paint gold and steel using similar palette selection. youtu.be/T0Le3Y2E4WY

youtu.be

How to Paint: NMM Gold on a Stormcast Eternal Annihilator from Dominion!

YouTube video by Richard Gray

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Freddie Foulds @judgefredd.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

100%! Peak enjoyment is mid game. Immediately after riding an adrenaline wave before crashing with exhaustion. Then comes worrying about what I could have done different and whether everyone was engaged… I just tell myself now, if everyone laughed & smiled then I can assume they had a good time.

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Freddie Foulds @judgefredd.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Hope he’s alright, nothing serious and he’s recovering ok!

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Freddie Foulds @judgefredd.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Ooo! Exciting! Any update on when the Rubble City Greeks landing?

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Freddie Foulds @judgefredd.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

I hope they have a good time at my place of work! I know I did - so much so, I never left 😂

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Freddie Foulds @judgefredd.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Took my first proper day off for Sept yesterday and spent all of it playing Wind Waker on the Switch 2.

static.klipy.com

Link Sailing The Great Sea in Wind Waker

Alt: Link Sailing The Great Sea in Wind Waker

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Freddie Foulds @judgefredd.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

What I want to do today on my day off: vegetate and read books What I am doing today on my day off: sorting out teaching prep, finishing the figure layouts for next article, meetings, catching up on work for main job, email, prepping for term, email, drinking caffiene and trying to stay awake…

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Freddie Foulds @judgefredd.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Who would trust an electronic devices these days…

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Freddie Foulds @judgefredd.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Should have gone for Buxton - it’s a whole 30p cheaper at our rail station…

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Freddie Foulds @judgefredd.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

A bit tight, but I didn’t give it a full overnight proof, so that’d explain that. Doing so would probably improve the flavour a bit too. Otherwise very good!

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Freddie Foulds @judgefredd.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Coming from the bread master, that means a lot!

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Freddie Foulds @judgefredd.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

First attempt at baguettes. But rustic looking but not half bad…

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Freddie Foulds @judgefredd.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Just look a bit drab and boring. Remember when dwarfs were fun, with gyrocopters and shit like that?

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Freddie Foulds @judgefredd.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

I am a card carrying Yorkshireman and thus it is right to grumble about how things were better 'back in my day'... 😂

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Freddie Foulds @judgefredd.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

True, but you certainly got more chocolate and coconut for it.

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Freddie Foulds @judgefredd.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Reduced to 90p. Remember when you’d get a bounty twice the size for like 40p…

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Freddie Foulds @judgefredd.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

I’ve been impressed by The Old World so far - a solid mash up of Soulbound and WFRP. Much more deadly than Soulbound with a good death spiral mechanic, but not too lethal that it impinges on over the top heroics.

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Freddie Foulds @judgefredd.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

The individuals words make sense but the whole…the whole is unintelligible garbage.

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Freddie Foulds @judgefredd.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Just up the road (well, a fair bit but not too far!) from me too!

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Freddie Foulds @judgefredd.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

LAIKA do good work. They put out a behind the scenes bit a few weeks back - amazing stuff.

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