More Chuhuac Gravbikes

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I've been ill all day:  man flu which, as we all know, is 99.999999% fatal in all cases.

Still, being ill has given me a chance to finish off another unit for my Chuhuac force: the second, desert camouflage, gravbike squad:

I can't emphasise how nice these little models are. The bike-n-body comes in one piece, but the separate head means that you can pose them a little: just adds an extra something.

Painting was easy: undercoat in desert yellow, was with Agrax Earthshade, then two colours of red on the heads and necks, and a light yellow for the armour.

For those who are interested, they are mounted on 2p pieces with a hama bead connecting the bike to the coin. Works a treat!

I've also taken the opportunity to update the Chuhuac gallery: click here to visit.

Q13: More Chuhuac Battlesuits

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My Chuhuac (15mm sci-fi velociraptors with guns from Loud Ninja Games) force consists of three platoons: one camouflaged for the jungle, one for the desert, and one (special ops) for the city.

Each platoon consists of a couple of large squads of infantry in APCs, a squad of grav bikes, and a squad of battlesuits. Or that was the plan, until half way through the usual massive initial paint, I got distracted by other things.

Anyway, had a bit of time to spare this weekend, so filled in one of the gaps: the battlesuit squad for the second (desert) platoon.

Xarledi Hover Tanks for the Hura Technocracy

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According to the Clear Horizons website, "the Hura Technocracy represents an alien species known as the Hura. While possessing traits of both crabs and mantis insects, the Hura are an advanced species that use their technology to give them every advantage. Not only do they have a strong chitin outer skeleton that can deflect blows almost as well as most basic Human body armor, they utilize a powerful series of miniature, close-contact forcefield generators that provide an extra layer of defense without limiting their strength and speed. Their weaponry, nicknamed “Lightning Rods’, strike out with powerful beams that can fry not only organic material but any unshielded electronics as well".

Not my Hura!

I acquired my Hura through the original Kickstarter, investing enough to get a full company of infantry plus quite a few of the cyber-support weapons too. They then sat in the lead mountain for a couple of years until the built up guilt of ignoring them became too much and they moved to the painting table.

Unable to match the skills of the painter who produced the sample figures, I decided to go aquatic, and have the Hura's basic skin colour as light blue with nicely contrasting dark grey armour. Weapons would be the same green as for the infantry of the Pelagic Dominate on the grounds that they are aquatic too, so whatever they use to build the guns will work for the Hura as well.

Clear Horizons don't produce any specific vehicles for the Hura, so when I saw Brigade Models' new Xarledi tanks for their Yenpalo range, I jumped at the chance to have the Hura using these. Lovely models. The crewman's head, btw, is from CP Models.

The tanks arrived from Brigade in a box full of polystyrene chips. I pulled out the three Xarledis that I thought I'd ordered and put the box to one side. I had just finished the third tank when it was time to put out the rubbish, so I went back to the box...and what did I find? Yes, another tank: I had ordered four but forgotten! There's nothing more annoying than looking at three finished tanks whilst you are frantically finishing the fourth.

Anyhoo, all four are done now, and I've also added a gallery of all my Hura models to the Q13 section of the website. Or you can click on the pic below to go straight there.

Q13: Another 15mm Manufacturer Added to the List

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Just when you thought you had them all, up pops another. My thanks to those of you who e-mailed me.

Vanguard Miniatures are mostly a 6mm manufacturer, but have got three 15mm ranges available as well. These are the entomorphs, who are rather nice and need to be purchased asap, some space ork types known as skinnerz (any relation, Nick?) and some human types. They also stock Onslaught Miniatures ranges as well.

Here are some of the entomorphs and, yes, sigh, some space orkz too!

Loving these Entomorphs, will have to get some

Q13: Xar Flying Saucers!

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I've often complained that figure manufacturers have a habit of releasing incomplete sci-fi armies: a few infantry codes but without any support weapons, vehicles etc.

One manufacturer, however, who can never be accused of that is Ground Zero Games (GZG). If ever there was a good reason to use the word plethora, then  looking at the GZG catalogue is it!

Ralph Plowman's Xar

One of their latest releases are the Xar:  six legged aliens also known as Critters. True to form, the initial release included basic infantry types with two types of support weapons and separate officer/specialist types. That first release was soon followed by unarmed Xar in a variety of martial arts poses (just brilliant!) that could be used as such or also engineers, gun crews or other such support types, with the plethora of equipment and vehicles available elsewhere in the GZG range.

Now GZG have topped themselves again by launching the first of the vehicle codes for the Xar:  flying saucers! Each one comes as a thickish disc about 2.5cms in diameter topped by a Xar and sided by an impressive array of guns. As you'll see from the pictures below, despite my rudimentary painting technique, these are great. Highly recommended.

Must clean off the spider webs before photography!

List of 15mm Sci-Fi Manufacturers Updated

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With some of my favourite 15mm sci-fi figure manufacturers suddenly disappearing from the scene, I thought it about time to properly update the list that's available in the Quadrant 13 section of the website, or by clicking here. 

Very interesting: about a quarter of the 50 or so listings needed updating. Is it me, or does that seem like quite a lot?

To help you decide, here's a listing of what's changed:

  • Astro Miniatures: deleted as the man behind it is taking a break
  • Cactus:  fairly new on the list, but the website has disappeared: deleted
  • Clockwork Miniatures:  still on the list, but only an information page on their website  now, as their 25mm range has shifted to Warlord Games as part of their Bolt Action weird WW2 variant. No sign at all of the 15mm range :(
  • Combat Wombat: has been only a FB page for ages. Now that says the range has been sold to Skullduggery Press...but nothing on the Skullduggery site. Left on in the hope that they return.
  • Critical Mass:  sold to Ral Partha Europe. The infantry has started appearing on the RPE shop, no sign of the vehicles yet. Left on, but links to the RPE page now.
  • Mad Robot:  deleted, as the Harook have disappeared from their website :(
  • Spriggan:  just before I deleted their entry, I happened to notice that the 15mm Spuggs were also now in the RPE store. Link changed.
  • New entry:  Sayiner Microtoys with a few 15mm vehicles
  • New entry:  Slap Miniatures with their Space Dorks and more

All the above just goes to reinforce my opinion that, whenever you see miniatures that you like, you should buy them immediately as, if you don't, they can disappear from the scene without warning.

That might be why my lead mountain is so high, and why my children look hungry all the time!

Hura: Second Platoon Complete

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Despite my current lack of painting mojo, I have managed to finish the second platoon of Hura: the 15mm four-armed sci-fi infantry originally kickstarter-ed and now available from Clear Horizon Miniatures.

Technically I have one more platoon and the company commanders to go, but I'm unsure about actually painting the third platoon.

That would give me a good, solid, nine-squad company, but I've found that in Q13 I rarely use more than two platoons, so re-tasking these for duty as gun crews and other miscellaneous bods might be more useful than a third infantry platoon.

On top of that, the Hura support weapons now really look to me as if they should form the third squad of an infantry platoon i.e. a platoon would be infantry squad, infantry squad, support squad.

If I do that, I have my three squads per platoon, and all the company command I need, and can concentrate on getting some vehicles and artillery/AA pieces...which I can then crew with my now-spare figures.

Decisions, decisions!

One thing I do need to do is to find the Hura some vehicles, as Clear Horizon don't produce any. My usual solutions would be to pop to GroundZeroGames, who have a cornucopia of such things, but this time I think I'm going to go with Brigade Models' new Yenpalo Heavy Grav Tanks:

What I might also do is get some of the Yenpalo lizard riders and see if I can do a bit of a conversion job: adding half a Hura to each one.

A couple of squads of mounted scouts would add a certain something to the army: it will just be a question of whether I can get the conversion to work without too much superglue, pinning and green stuff!

 

More Goodness from MBA

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Regular visitors to this site will know that a month or so ago I took advantage of the 50%-off Miniature Building Authority sale to order some 15mm terrain from the US. See the post by clicking here (will open in new window).

I was so pleased with the buildings, and the fact that the 50%-off made them affordable to buy from the US, that I decided I'd better get some more in order to make my middle eastern town a bit bigger. A few clicks later, and I had another of the compounds and four more little houses on the way.

Whilst I was on the site, a couple more of the buildings caught my eye, and I duly ordered some of them too: manufacturers take note: all you have to do is get me there!

First up is the sawmill. Great little building this, and ideal for one of the scenarios in Bashnya or Bust! Unfortunately, the site said it was out of stock, but an e-mail to Kirk (good man that he is) led to him uncovering one deep in the recesses of the warehouse.

A nice little building, quite distinctive, that comes with a couple of piles of wood (okay, so they are a bit pants!) and some fencing to make an outside area. Loving this: will make any wooden Russian town or village a bit more interesting.

The next thing to catch my eye was the MBA Russian church. I'd coveted one of these for some time, but the problem is I already have at least three (it might be four, I deliberately forget!) Russian churches. If I bought this one, I was well on the way to having enough to portray a different church in each of the various towns and villages  in all 32 of the Bashnya and, indeed, all the Vyazma, scenarios as well. I definitely did not need another Russian church.

So here is my new MBA Russian church proudly sitting on the tabletop:

Another lovely model that comes with two gold crosses for the steeple: a really nice touch as I am bound to break or lose one over the next few years.

Here are the two buildings together rather than in isolation, and you can see the new middle eastern kit behind them as well:

So how did the financing work out this time?

Using an exchange rate of $1.30:£1.00, here's the calculation, rounded to single units for ease of consumption:

  • List price: $290 (£223)
  • 50% off: $145 (£112)
  • P&P:  $85 (£65)
  • Tax: $36 (£28)
  • Total Paid: $266 (£205)

So a saving of around £20...and I have some very nice buildings that are usually only available (due to cost) in the States.

The MBA sale is still on, click on the banner below to visit their site. Please mention VL if you do end up buying: I've already received one angry e-mail from a spouse about the money spent by her other half the last time I posted about MBA!

New Battlemats Arrive

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One of my impulse purchases at Salute this year was a couple of battlemats from Tiny Wargames. As my tables are 6'x5', I custom  ordered one of the South Pacific coastal mats and one of the planet Mars mats, both cloth only, paying £150 for the two, including p&p.

Arriving home yesterday, well within the 21-day custom order time given by Tiny Wargames, I was greeted by a good sized package containing the two mats...and they are cracking!

First up, the coastal mat. Okay, so I could have got a slightly bigger one made (that's my fault!) but the mat looks fantastic and I cannot wait to try it out.

Here's a few pictures without any other terrain on board, just a couple of Japanese landing craft:

And here's the Mars mat: again looks great...and it makes me almost sorry that I've homogenised all my sci-fi troopers onto grass bases.

So a couple of recommended purchases there, and I shall be treating myself to a winter mat once the finances have recovered.

www.tinywargames.co.uk

First of the Hura Infantry

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Just a quick post today before we're off to the cinema to watch Guardians of the Galaxy 2. Can't wait!

Anyway, the first platoon of Hura infantry leaves the painting table: three squads of eight plus a Big Man:

Two more platoons to go and then it's time to find them some vehicles.

Oh, and the Scorecard for the Painting Challenge is finally updated! Apologies for the delay.

Armour for the Xar

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As I've said before on this blog, one of the main problems with the 15mm sci-fi marketplace is that figure manufacturers tend to produce ranges aimed at the platoon-level gamer rather than the Q13 company-level gamer.

What I mean by that is that they produce a range of core infantry, with maybe a few support weapons, with maybe one vehicle...but not the whole gamut of kit that you'd need to create, say, the sci-fi equivalent of the modern day army.

Where are all the different sorts of infantry (grunts, scouts, engineers, specialists, exotics etc) and all the different sorts of vehicle (recon, MBTs, APCs, SP Artillery, specialist AA etc)?

Now I know that's all to do with initial outlay and all that, but it is a problem for the company-sized gamer such as myself.

Take Ground Zero Games' Xar, for example. I'm a huge fan of GZG, and before Xmas bought and painted a whole lot of their infantry, which come with the equivalent of MMGs and Bazookas as well. They even have specialist Tech and FOO figures. So far so good.

Mr Plowman's Xar: a bit better than mine!

Now GZG themselves can provide attack drones to give them a bit of punch, but there aren't any vehicles in the range.

Well this gives you the opportunity to have a look around and see what you can find...and the unfortunate demise of Critical Mass Games (well, they have been sold to Ral Partha so hopefully will rise like a Phoenix from the ashes) and the 50%-off sale that resulted gave me the opportunity to buy my Xar some vehicles from CMG's Kaamados Dominion range.

These chunky, and very tall, vehicles really suit the body shapes of the Xar, so go together very well. Not only that but, as with all Critical Mass' stuff (I have their Protolene Khanates (c.f.) and Praesentia (still to be painted) as well) the kits are full of character and paint up very well.

Here are the Gekotaa Armoured Cars: two with guns, one with a scanner:

And here are the Dragamaa Heavy Tanks (and they are heavy!):

Now my Xar are ready to take to the field with the beginnings of a combined arms force!

The Hura Technocracy

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I like to back the occasional Kickstarter project, but such is the length of time between backing the project and actually receiving the goods, that usually my interest has moved on by the time they arrive, so the figures languish somewhere in the lead mountain waiting for me to remember they're there.

One such project is Clear Horizon Miniatures' Hura Technocracy, a Kickstarter I backed over two years ago. To quote the CHM website:

The Hura Technocracy represents an alien species known as the Hura. While possessing traits of both crabs and mantis insects, the Hura are an advanced species that use their technology to give them every advantage. Not only do they have a strong chitin outer skeleton that can deflect blows almost as well as most basic Human body armor, they utilize a powerful series of miniature, close-contact forcefield generators that provide an extra layer of defense without limiting their strength and speed. Their weaponry, nicknamed “Lightning Rods’, strike out with powerful beams that can fry not only organic material but any unshielded electronics as well.

I came across the box containing the Hura figures whilst cleaning up my painting table. As I've just finished a major paint of Polish WW2 figures, a bit of sci-fi would make a welcome change, so time to paint them up.

Here's the first of my efforts: a company of Hura Heavy Support Weapons:

Again from the CHM website:

The Heavy Support Hura are part of the lower-tier of the Hura Species. They are genetically and cybernetically modified to the point of becoming biological computers. The Heavy Support Hura are lead by a handler who controls them.

Now to start on the three platoons of Hura infantry!

Q13: New Releases from Khurasan

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As I've been a bit obsessed with Poland lately, I haven't been paying any attention to anything else:  such as Quadrant 13 and 15mm sci-fi in general.

Well, that's apart from buying and painting a whole load of Xar from GZG of course!

Anyway, and moving swiftly on, browsing around the Internet the other morning I came across the Khurasan website again, and thought I'd better check what was new...especially as I think John is still banned from publicising his miniatures on TMP (don't ask!). You can see them all on FB, but who has time these days?

There were two new ranges on here that I'm seeing for the first time, both of which are now firmly on my shopping list.

Alien Invasion

First up are a range of aliens specifically designed as invaders of the Earth. There's plenty of background that I won't repeat here, but basically you've got some science caste types who are your, er, basic greys, and then you have some absolutely wonderful warrior types:

These warrior types are supported by what are called Kalinekt Warborgs, and I quote: "these are both machines and living things -- implanted with the brain of a hunting animal long ago discovered and domesticated by the War Caste. Like earth's sheepdogs, these creatures are relentless in encirclement and pursuit, and keen for the approval of their masters. Brains now housed in a complex chassis constructed of titanium alloy, plastic and other materials, and using advanced weaponry, they are formidable foes."

Finally, and I'm afraid completely ridiculously, there are the Manoeuvre Elements which are...which are...well, see for yourself:

Yes, that is a 15mm tank squatting between its legs.

Now that is one big model. It costs $119 which, for its size is not that bad...but I can't see myself ever getting it onto the wargames table.

So I'm loving the warriors and the warborgs, and will be getting a platoon or two of them. I'll probably use the greys as Big Men.

The Tah-Sig Empire

Next up are the Tah-Sig, part of the Zantin Reconquest range. These are properly alien aliens (not just humans with funny heads!), and come complete with a detailed background as well.

Available are all the figures you'd need for a basic infantry company: sections of riflemen organised in to platoons, with platoon assets such as mortars and LSWs available as well.

So that's my Christmas money all used up now!

You can visit the Khurasan website by clicking here. Feel free to mention VL when you buy something: John might give me a discount!

Q13: Next Steps

Incidentally, I am producing a second edition of Q13 which will be a fairly radical redraft. Apparently, in an attempt to provide differences for all different types of weapon etc, I've allowed the thing to get cumbersomely complicated for tabletop play.

I can see this: after all, I myself have found it easier to produce almost a battlefield QRF sheet for all my armies (downloadable form the Q13 section of this website). So that will be simplified, with those changes running through to army construction etc.

Watch this space for more.

Xar: Infantry Almost Finished

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Quick bit of painting done whilst I wait for my next batch of Poles to arrive: two more nine-man squads of Xar, the 15mm Critters from GZG.

Just one more squad to go (the Critters in hand-to-hand, martial arts poses!) and then I think I have enough Xar infantry for the moment. Just got to think what armour to get them now...

Q13: More Xar Line Infantry

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Just a quick post today to showcase the latest nine-being squad to come off the Xar production line:

Note that this lot include the first of the squad commanders: painted up with the gloves-of-rank, but without the red edge to the base indicating a Big Man.

Only eighteen more Xar to go to give me two full three-squad platoons!

Q13: Xar Officers etc

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I'm really driving through the Xar at the moment, mainly because I know there's a big Battlefront order on its way, and I want to clear the painting table before it arrives!

Today's offering are the Xar officers and specialists:

First up are the Xar Big Men (above). Note the natty gloves: they are what I decided to use to indicate rank, as the Xar don't appear to affect any other form of clothing or insignia, and only the command-type figures where gloves.

Next up (below) are half the specialists: probably to be used as FOOs to bring in some off-table artillery.

Then we have some of the most important chaps: the drone operator specialists, along with two general purpose GZG drones that have been, er, purposed for the Xar. 

These look so good, that I might actually get a couple more of each type, giving me two platoons of three drones each. The Xar shown, by the way, is for size comparison only.

Q13: This Week's Xar!

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I said I'd finish a squad of Xar every week until I had painted them all, so here's last week's offering: the first of the Xar "line infantry".

I've also managed to take a better picture of the little blighters!

I now have eighteen more Xar to complete from my original batch, plus another eighteen from the new batch...and then some drones and unarmed Xar as well. That will give me two platoons of infantry plus support drones, with only the armour to be decided upon.

Q13: More Xar and more Xar!

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Finished another squad of the Xar this weekend: this time the chaps with grenade projectors.

My original plan of a single platoon has gone out of the window: I'm now going for two platoons-worth, so need another eighteen of the little critters.

Choice to buy made easier by the fact that I can use my special Xmas sale voucher to get 15% off, and the fact that Jon has just released a pack of unarmed Xar:

I am absolutely loving the ninja-poses! Check out the kung fu critters!

Even better, I think that these will do very nicely for crew figures for some of the GZG generic vehicles and guns that I want to buy to give the purple menace a bit more of a punch.

Watch this space for more...

Even More Xar!

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I'm still sticking to my target of painting one Xar squad per week. This time it's the first of the main infantry contingent: nine Xar with heavy beamers:

Although I'm very happy with the way that the Xar have turned out, I'm less happy with my photography at the moment. For some reason, I just can't get what I want in terms of a nice sharp, matt image that properly shows the detail of the figures.

Can't quite understand why, as I've done it before many times. At first I thought it was too little light, as relying on the spotlights after dark makes everything very yellow. This time I think it's too much light, as the winter sun at the weekend was streaming in through the windows. Or perhaps it's the combination of purple figures and green background?

Whatever the reason, it's driving me crazy! I shall have to go back to the various articles I have saved about photographing miniatures, and check the camera is set up properly...