Better Know A Blogger: Part 42- Chucking Monkeys

This week's Better Know A Blogger features Luke (AKA Monkey Chuka) from Chucking Monkeys.

Monkey Chuka's blog was one of the first that I followed when I started reading 40k blogs. I was initially drawn in by the awesome look of his Tyranid army and found some really great hobby posts, littered with humourous and random commentary from Monkey Chuka himself. 

One of my favourite series of posts was his work on building a Tyrannocyte conversion. Luke set himself the immense task of converting a Tyrannoctye to feature a sleeping Carnifex inside it! From reading the posts, you can see it was a labour of love and hate in equal measure. Without a doubt though, the end results was absolutely fantastic and a real insight into his hobby skills. 

At some point last year, he stopped posting on a regular basis, leading me to stop following the blog for a while. Fortunately, the return of 8th edition 40k seems to have heralded the return of Chucking Monkeys and I was very happy to see new blog posts appearing on my blogroll, as well as comments appearing on my own and other great 40k blogs. 

His most recent work has been focusing on his amazing Red Scorpions Primaris Marines. This is gearing up to be a fantastic looking army, with ever new post leaving me drooling over the amazing paint jobs he has achieved on the units. 

Here are Monkey Chuka's answers to my questions:

1. What age did you get into gaming and what started it off?

Early teens. I was born in Salford, England, less than a mile away from Old Trafford where football is etched into your neurons at birth. Getting the bus into Manchester and spending the day at Games Workshop (back when they still sold TSR products) taught me that there was another way. I tried emigrating to the opposite face of the planet in order to escape the sports mad crowd but Kiwis are just as obsessed with rugby as Britons are with football. However, New Zealand is Middle-Earth and re-ignited my interest in hobbying, so there is that.

2. What was the first model you ever bought/painted?

Can't remember (Junkers Ju 87 Stuka, painted fire engine red possibly). I had a squad of RTB01 Beaky marines that I was very proud of. My father threw them away when I left home (I steadfastly refused to clean my room for a decade so I don't really blame him). I really wish I'd hung on to them now, but I stopped playing RPGs/board/wargames after my teenage years (I was in denial) and didn't come back to it until I was well into my 30s.

3. What is your favourite aspect of gaming?

Building the models. Its sad I know, but I spend hours just reposing them with blu-tac. Sometimes it gives me an idea for a conversion. I enjoy all aspects of the hobby because they feed into each other and keep it interesting. But re-posing the weapon arm on a model whilst making pew-pew noises is still a guilty pleasure.

4. Fondest memory in gaming?

I had a 15 minute, eye-bulging argument with an opponent during a tournament once about whether he was allowed to overwatch my charging unit. We called the TO over, the TO called someone else over, we mulled over the rules and argued the toss but couldn't reach a consensus. Eventually a small crowd of spectators gathered. In the end, the TO became exasperated and ruled that the overwatch was allowed. My opponent missed all of his shots. Thinking about it always makes me smile and reminds me not to take things too seriously.

5. What are you working on right now?

Red Scorpions Primaris marines. I've just chopped up a Genestealer Patriarch and I'm trying to reposition my new Dreadnought so it looks like its either shooting him in the face at point blank range or thumping him with it's Redemptor Fist. Hours of fun.

6. When you are not conquering the tabletop, what do you do?

I work in IT and play more video games than is strictly necessary for a man my age. I have two teenage sons though, so I can pretend that I'm spending quality time with them via the technological marvel of online gaming.

7. What would you say about your blog to someone who has never read it to draw them in?

'Chucking Monkeys' is a rambling, sporadic record of my personal leisure activities. In handy blog form. With pictures. What's not to like?

8. What is your favourite article that you have written?

Probably the last one: http://monkeychuka.blogspot.co.nz/2017/08/call-to-arms-2017.html I tried really hard not to sound like a grumpy old fart who had just been tabled in 3 consecutive matches at a ranked tournament. I think I pulled it off.

9. Which rule would you like to see changed or removed entirely?

Jaws of the World Wolf. In 5th edition it was just... just.. no. The grief is still too fresh. Its only been 4 years and I don't care if it has been toned down in 8th. It should be redacted from all Imperial records.

10. Which of your armies is your favourite?

Tyranids, although you wouldn't believe it if you saw what I just did to my Genestealer Patriarch. They have 6 limbs which doubles the possibilities for re-posing arms. I'm a fan of the Alien franchise and have a soft spot for American horror writers like Stephen King and H.P. Lovecraft, so the whole sci-fi horror thing was a natural choice.

11. Secret wargamer or loud and proud?

Secret for many years. I'm coming out of the closet now. A bit.

12. Any hobby tips or cheats to share?

Always lick your brush. It brings good luck and may contain nutrients. Seriously? Ok, 'Set Yourself Some Goals'. Just saying that makes me a bit sick in my mouth, but it works. It doesn't matter whether you achieve those goals or not as long as you aren't procrastinating.

13. Tournament or Casual?

Thats a difficult one. I'd say casual because I'm a terrible general. I won the wooden spoon prize at the last tournament I attended (it was a very nice poster actually). But when it comes to 'best painted' I'm deadly serious. Which definitely adds an edge to attending tournaments.

14. Nintendo or Sega?

Nintendo. We still play on the GameCube in our house. Zelda, Metroid and Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem.

15. Xbox or Playstation?

We recently traded in the PS4 for an Xbox One and immediately regretted it. I miss The Last of Us and now we can't play Persona 5 or The Last Guardian.

16. McDonalds or Burger King?

Mickey Ds. The ultimate comfort food.

17. Coke or Pepsi?

I don't drink either. Tea and Biscuits is the cornerstone of British society and although I live on the other side of the world now, old habits die hard.

Thanks to Monkey Chuka for taking the time to answer my questions in such an amusing and esoteric fashion! Be sure to check out Chucking Monkeys for more great 40k content.

If you have a wargaming blog and would like to take part in Better Know a Blogger, please contact me at corrm83@gmail.com