I live very near the Cinecittà studios, even called “Hollywood on Tiber river”. Here they make films since 1937. This time I visited them for a special event.

The last Tarantino film, “The Hateful Eight”, was filmed in 70mm. I remember when I was a child, where cinemas were enormous halls with big screens. Nowadays we have only cinemas with a lot of small screens. So inside a Cinecittà studio, the mythic “Teatro 5”, a cinema hall was recreated to play the film with all its 70mm glory.

In the foyer, some Cinecittà set designers recreated a set inspired to the film one. Like making models, but in 1:1 scale.
And in the end we spent more than 3 hours watching a great film as old times. Exciting thing. That was very different than television.

Even this year we celebrated a Legio Palatina reunion. Partial, as usual due to logistical problems. We were in Canino, at Narciso’s house. Special guests Andrea from Terni, and two Narciso’s friends for a visit.

We were still in solstice holidays (Christmas and so on for almost two-three weeks) mood so a mjed bottle and pandoro before the battles. And while Narciso is picking some miniatures, Diego is picking a pandoro slice.

As first instance a couple of playtest games of Fortebraccio. Still minor tweaks on cards. When will have illustrations on cards this game kills. We like it very much. Expansions are planned. In June we will play it in a tournament in Perugia. The game is designed to celebrate the Saint’Egidio battle of the 12th of July 1416. 600 years ago. The game is commissioned by Perugia comune.

After pizza at lunch, in the afternoon a mega battle with HOTT. We didn’t remind all the rules because we are more DBA chaps. But the emphasis was on fun. Sadly my faction (Chaos) was exterminated by misfortune. However I lost my Fortebraccio game too. I don’t care, it was a great day.

Something about December, almost in time. Among markets.

Here we are at the annual appointment with Più Libri Più Liberi. It is a big book fair with small publishers inside a building from ’40-’50 years. Surprisingly I didn’t buy books for me. Just a couple of days before I found some books so interesting that I declined purchasing there. However this is a source of rare gems that you cannot find in bookshops.

Japanese market is always cute to visit, especially in Christmas times. Here in a tea break at the Japanese street food vendor.

This is the ideal place where to bring females and a lot of money. We are males so only bought 3 fridge magnets and a bath towel.

Still in Fiera di Roma for artisans market in two pavilions. Among other things you can found delicatessen from various parts of Italy. I bought Christmas gifts mostly here. Food mostly. Here in a pause with a classic Sicilian dessert with ricotta cheese. After for dinner, tiella (a pastry with octopus and olives) from Gaeta and arancino (a ball of fried rice with mozzarella and other things as pistachio nut) from Sicily. Weiss Beer provided by a German speaking country, instead.

This blog is mainly about my life experiences about miniatures world and what is related at it. And I mainly use photos that I took with my cameras (3 different since the beginning, 5 years ago). But on this post I’m using those that I found on the web. Because even if I saw some of these cosplays I hadn’t time to explore this world. Duties. But my report couldn’t be complete without cosplay. So enjoy what follows.

So it is all folks. I repeat myself: Lucca Comics & Games is a great thing and you can’t understand it even if you are present all manifestation days. Next year I want to be here again. The day after of this year edition I started the countdown for the next one. In the meantime it is Christmas time now. So no more November posts, we are arrived to December blog reports.

These last posts are more involved in reviews about particular aspects of elements present in Lucca. There were so many things that every kind of report lacks always something. I’m reporting things near to the miniatures world, but I could speak only about comics, or living roleplay, or videogames, or tournaments. Reports slant of these posts is more related to things that stroke me. I didn’t took photos about all, and most of what is here were picked fast around. I had to be at my stand for demonstrate wargames. However I took some pauses. And these are things related to statuettes. As these heroes of my first years of life.

So many pieces around. And so many vendors of these things.

Collectors are males for the most, I think. So female statuettes are very frequent. Even sexy ones.

Some time ago I was thinking about some naval game in the space with vessels from anime. It is could be very interesting.

Since a couple of years you can find these dolls everywhere. In my opinion they are too much big to collect easily. Moreover they are infinite, with multiple and limited editions for the same character. Only for Flash I found 7 different pieces. As advantage I can say that you can found so many characters kinds from films, tv or comics that is impossible not to find something that you want. Doctor Who series is only one of the latest ones.

And now a more canonic 28mm miniature. It was in painting contest, the same where Bosio won 4 prizes. I like this one so much for the supreme colour use that emulate two different lights and different temperature.

Lego world meets Gundam world. And this is only one part of the constant influence of that anime on anime/comics/modelling fandom. A very active Gundam club in Italy exists. So we can find always new stuff on this world.

Speaking about modelling, here another example.

Gunpla is called the world of Gundam modelling. It is a sector in its own distinctive life. Here the latest proposals, as first Zion and Earth mechas showed in Origins, or as spheroid mechas from one of the infinite series inspired by original Gundam, as this Orphans. Prices were cheap, so I was tempted to buy something.

And now something more “hard” modelling related. These are Italian Zion inspired stuff by Kallamity. Complexity and beauty.

Lego is a constant presence in Lucca. A large area was full of millions of small bricks. Small children wandered like crazy flies in all this Lego paradise.
This is the city, with trains, ghostbusters, and a pub.

If you want could add this Simpsons setting.

Space oddity.

This year a theme about pirates and their vessels.

Spirit of ’76.

What I like most was this Lego reproduction of Forum of Nerva. Great!

After the Miniature Island review, the Ganesha Games one.

This was the Fungi year and Advanced Song Blades and Heroes rules were played in the convention.

During a pause Andrea drew a sketch of Norindaal world.

A couple of rules explanation and demonstration moments.

The Friday table of Heel Creek, the Ganesha Games spaghetti western rules. Now only in Italian. The first pressing was sold out. When Andrea will find the time, you can have the English version. If you are still waiting Ferrum et Gloria in English you can understand schedule priority…

This man is the author and he could kill Andrea in the following months. In a western time style indeed.

This couple is Crazy Factory, a miniature company that is realising a custom version of Andrea future science fiction rules. You can find a beta version on their website.

An official photo of our hero in Lucca outfit.

Animal rules are practically ready, only some tweaks are needed. I need more tests but now I’m involved in a new project due for the end of the year. More news in a next time.

And here while I’m was testing some food available at the canteen: beans and tomato, together with fried potatoes.