Weekly Waffle #415 – Hopefully not the Emperors new clothes.
Weekly Waffle #415 – Hopefully not the Emperors new cloths.
11th April 2026
Good morning and welcome to the new look Weekly Waffle. I don’t have much of a hobby update for you this week, although I have got some painting time in. Instead this week the update is going to be all about the new look for the site. Something I’ve spent far too much time working on. But to be fair most of that time has been spent getting things wrong and having to correct them. For anyone who actually knows what they are doing there has probably only been a mornings worth of work.
But I’m not that star Dev Ops guy so it’s taken me a lot of trial and error to get to this new look. But I really hope you like it. It’s been a manic few week’s, but between dodging the “real world” and trying to find where I left my favourite detail brush, I’ve had a chance to poke around the new workbench:
So, what’s changed
The old site was like a trusty, battle hardened Ork Truck that’s seen a few too many skirmishes, the new version is looking a bit more like a sleek Looted Eldar Grav-tank, though hopefully with fewer pointy bits to poke you in the eye. And whilst I say it’s a new site that’s not technically true. All of the content has remained it’s just been given a nice face lift.
Here’s the lowdown on what’s changed between the old stomping ground and the new setup:
The Visual Mojo
The old site (the one you know and love) is built on the Fashionista theme. It’s functional, sure, and it’s stood me in good stead for a long time, but it’s a bit “classic blog” in its bones. You’ve got that familiar sidebar with a category list longer than a Squat’s grudge book and a layout that feels very much like a digital scrapbook.
The new layout is definitely pushing for a cleaner, more modern aesthetic. We’re talking:
A Header that Actually Breathes:
The new layout moves away from that slightly cramped top heavy feel. It’s now wider, bolder, and I think it feels much more like a professional hobby portal than just a personal diary. Although to be fair there is nothing truly professional about it.
The Grid of Glory:
Instead of the old vertical scroll where you have to hunt for your favourite Mortician’s Guild updates, the new version leans into a much more visual, card-based layout. Which I think makes the hobby pics, the real star of the show, pop a lot more.
Navigating the Backlog
We all know the current site has more categories than I have unpainted minis (which is saying something). The new layout is really trying to tidy the “hobby room.” Although I do still have all of those categories hiding under the bonnet. I’m just trying not to show them all. I’ve tried to group things a bit more logically so you don’t have to look back through hundreds of Weekly Waffles to try and find what you are looking for.
The new Chronicles page is where I’m going to be added gaming lore and tactics. The Gallery is pretty self explanatory and will be where I share all my finished minis. Again the Painting guide is where I show you how I painted the minis. But remember with this it’s going to teach you how to win a golden demon. Hopefully just something nice for the table top.
Then we will have the Blueprints. It’s not there yet but it’s where I’m going to share gaming ideas. I’ve to more ideas floating around in my head and in note books than there are Space Marine units. Which is a lot. I’m not going to turn all of them into finished projects, I’m probably not even going to start most of them. So I’m going to through them out in the hope of inspiring someone else.
Streamlined Menus:
The navigation is getting a tactical overhaul. It’s less about a giant wall of text in the sidebar and more about logical groupings. Finding those specific Yu Jing painting guides or the latest Blood Bowl star player stats I think feels a lot less like searching for a dropped 28mm head in a shag carpet.
Mobile First Thinking:
Let’s be honest, most of us check the Waffle while we’re waiting for a wash to dry or standing in line at a tournament. The new version is much more responsive, meaning less “pinch-and-zoom” and more “scroll-and-drool” over the paint jobs. Well maybe not much in the way of drooling. But I do hope inspiring in their own way.
The Verdict
The old site layout was like that old wooden hobby desk, it’s got character, paint spills everywhere, and you know exactly where the glue is hidden. But the new version is the modular hobby station we’ve all been dreaming of. It’s cleaner, it’s faster, and it puts the miniatures front and centre.
It’s still very much a work in progress, like a base coated army waiting for its highlights, but the foundations are solid. The Chronicles will continue to expand, with some Carnevale in the works. The Painting Guides will also expand on the same time line. And the Blue Prints will start to come into their own as a home for some crazy hobby project ideas.
What’s Next
I know things aren’t all perfect with the new layout. But Jim Lovell once said that if they wanted everyone perfect before launch they would still be sitting on the launch pad. Rather act timing given the current Artemis mission. And I’m hoping things don’t go as wrong is they did for Jim on his last mission. So I’m going to continue to iron out the kinks that are still there and bring you the best platform I can.
I’m going to play around with the format of the weekly waffle a bit. Nothing radical but I want to try and give it a little more structure. Partly to keep me on track so I don’t miss things and partly to make it a little bit easier for you guys to find things.
If you want to reach the whole waffle then that will be great but f you are only interested in a particular section, such as the tactics then you will be able to easily find that content. It’s only putting things into sections and trying to keep them in the same order each week.
On the Bench
Whilst I haven’t brought you any actual hobby updates this week that doesn’t mean I’ve lost my mojo or anything like that. I’ve been working on some more Blood Bowl that I will start to share with you next week. I’ve also got some new Carnevale lined up with a change in faction. And I’ve even got some Trench Crusade in the offing.
So there is a lot there to keep me busy over the coming weeks. And I’m sure that as I see new and shiny miniatures on the inter webs I’ll be adding to my pile of same quicker than I’m clearing it.
Anyway, enough waffling from me. I’ve got some minis calling my name and a cup of tea that’s gone dangerously cold.
Until next time, keep those brushes moving!
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