Alien Anarchy!

"Oh, shi...!" A hapless scout finds himself trapped
between Predator and prey.

Nearing the end of unpacking the various boxes under and around my newly erected games table, I rediscovered my wonderful, pre-painted Aliens Vs Predator Horrorclix figures... and immediately wondered how they would measure up against the AT-43 figures I already had displayed on the table.

I pictured a scenario where the UNA had set up camp around a deserted town that happened to be an alien queen's nest.

The UNA have been ambushed by the xenomorphs, but a gang of Predators are also on the way through the surrounding forests to wipe out the alien nest; but will they assist the UNA troopers or just count them as additional trophies?

More pictures can be found below.

I've thought about trying to rebase the Horrorclix, but then again I might be able to persuade Nick to join me in a game "by the book" - I imagine it's pretty staright forward to translate the games' grid-based rules into tabletop measurements, by simply substituting one inch for each square.

Aliens (2000)

To 'celebrate' (in my own strange way) the release of Wizkids' Aliens Vs Predator Horrorclix figures, I thought it was time to dig out one of my all-time favourite monster movies for another viewing: Aliens.

I still find it hard to believe that when I saw the original cut in the cinema in 1986 I didn't like it!

I'd gotten used to the single xenomorph in Ridley Scott's Alien being virtually indestructible and my 19-year-old brain found it hard to process these gun-totting marines mowing down bugs left, right and centre.

By the next time I saw it, I'd come to my senses!

In all its 2000 director's cut, two-and-a-half hour glory, Aliens is the definitive example of how to make a great science-fiction flick with just models, puppets and men in rubber suits.

Forget Titanic and finding "Jesus' tomb", this is what James 'King of The World' Cameron should be remembered for.

He not only gave us a truly monumental "last stand" storyline, but a script peppered with one-liners that have become everyday parlance for geeks and university students around the world ("Game over!"; "Get away from her, you bitch!"; "Have you ever been mistaken for a man?" "No, have you?"; "Another glorious day in the corps"; "It's a bughunt"; etc etc etc .

Now I can't wait to crack open my pack of plastic aliens and start eating some scientists! I hope they bring out some marines ...