Quar Crusader Cavalry

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Originally posted 4th March 2013

I do love Zombiesmith's 15mm Quar range of sci-fi figures, and cannot wait for them to work their way through releasing the entire range.

In the meantime, here are the latest additions to my collection: a Crusader Cavalry Wedge. Note the way that each Squad's cadiers are of the same colour; the wedge-shaped formation with leader in the middle; and, of course, the trooper that I have placed on the photography table facing the wrong way!

Q13 Army Lists

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Originally posted 4th March 2013

As an example of how Q13 army lists can constantly evolve, I have also re-organised my Space Bug, Hive and Stikk army lists. 

The Space Bugs are now the pure Highlander Studio range, unpolluted by other figure manufacturers. 

Now that I've actually built and painted a Skuttler tank from Khurasan's Stikk (Entomol) range, I've realised that the antennae on its, er, rear end are just crying out to be defined as having an EWSO function. So the list has been changed to reflect that.

Finally, I've now gathered together all my red bug-types into one mashed together army list called The Hive. This contains Highlander's Space Bugs; some of Khurasan's Stikk range; and a few other bits and pieces. We'll see who wins next time we play "Invasion Earth"!

Odonate Gunships for the Hive

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Originally posted 8th February 2013

Reinforcements for the Space Bugs in the shape of some Odonate Gunships from Khurasan's excellent Stikk range. Regular visitors may recall how the Bugs were soundly squished by WW2 Americans in my last Q13 "Invasion Earth" encounter. These flyers will hopefully address the balance!

Quar: Coftyran Cheewythl Tanks

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Originally posted 20th January 2013

Just before Christmas, those fine chaps at Zombiesmith released some more 15mm Quar: Crusader cavalry and snipers, and the first of the Coftyran Royalists.

All I've had a chance to paint so far are the Coftyran light tanks and the Crusader snipers, but I have had a rather good idea for a battle or two. Rather than have the Crusaders and Coftyrans fight it out, I'm going to pit a combined Quar force against Space Bug invaders: what better than ant-eaters to fight what are effectively giant ants!

Q13 Army Lists

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Originally posted 8th January 2013

I've updated three Q13 army lists on the site: the Space Bugs from Highlander Studios (a few tweaks following the game, below); the Quar from Zombiesmith (to take into account their new Coftyran releases); and WWW2 Americans with experimental weapons from Clockwork Goblin (tweaks and new releases). I've also added the Stikk (a.k.a. the Entomal) range of bugs from Khurasan.

Space Bugs

The Quar

WWW2 US

The Stikk

 

Weird World War 2: Clockwork Goblins Miniatures

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Originally posted 29th December 2012

Clockwork Goblin are a relatively new miniatures company who produce a range of 15mm figures based on the alternative history premise that WW2 continues into an age of powered armour, walkers, zombies and super-boosted humans.

I am going to use the US forces to combine with my existing WW2 US forces for Invasion Earth! style scenarios using Quadrant 13. Here's a review of what the Clockwork Goblin US range consists of so far. 

Quadrant 13 Published!

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Originally posted 14th December 2012

Quadrant 13 is now out and available to buy!

Here's the blurb about the launch from The Miniatures Page:

Lovers of science-fiction gaming are in for a real treat with the latest arrival from TooFatLardies. Penned by Robert Avery, Quadrant 13 are rules for company-plus-level actions in a science-fiction universe, using 6mm to 15mm figures. So, what are they all about?

As lovers of science-fiction gaming will know, the boom in the last couple of years has been the explosion of superb ranges of 15mm and smaller sci-fi figures and vehicles from a whole swathe of new companies with great ideas. What has been missing, for us at least, has been a "generic" set of science-fiction rules which can allow us to create our own worlds and cultures which we can then populate with these great new ranges.

But what do we mean by generic? Well, over the years, we have seen lots of sci-fi rulesets which are tied to a specific backdrop created by the publishers. Often this has involved a large slice of background "fluff" which is really only relevant to that particular universe. What we wanted to create was a set of hard sci-fi rules which were totally generic, allowing the gamer to develop his or her own setting using whatever races or technology levels they wanted. And Robert Avery was the man for the job!

Robert has worked with us to produce many scenario supplements in the past, and has been a long-time sci-fi gamer with a leaning to the hard side of the genre. He wanted to put together a set of rules where the gamer was in charge, and where the mechanisms were there to allow them complete freedom in their game design. Quadrant 13 is the result. 

Borrowing the game engine used for Charlie Don't Surf, our Vietnam rules, and I Ain't Been Shot, Mum!, our WWII rules, Robert took Quadrant 13 and applied a whole new layer of technological detail and sci-fi feel. Now you can field forces of differing technologies with a whole raft of settings. Quadrant 13 is a stand-alone game: no other rulebooks or supplements are necessary to play. The rules contain a guide to creating your forces as well as a scenario generator and several army lists. 

What is more, there are plenty of other lists are available on the author's own site. 

Quadrant 13 is available in printable PDF formt or as a navigable PDF designed for use on the iPad or similar tablets for just £9.50 GBP. If you'd like both, the bundle for both editions is £12.50 GBP.

Pouncer Portable Missile Launchers

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Originally posted 22nd April 2012

As I have often mentioned, one of the problems with some figure ranges is that they don't include any infantry support weapons. Plenty of men-with-guns, sometimes plenty of vehicles, but very little in the way of things such as the sci-fi equivalent or mortars and medium/heavy machine guns.

I accept that argument that in the future that sort of weapon might be redundant (firepower supplied via enhanced personal weapons, battle suits, different sorts of vehicles etc) but it's still nice to see that Khurasan Miniatures provides "full" ranges rather than just the grunts.

Here's my latest bit of painting: Pouncer Portable Missile Launchers for the Felids, and the other great thing is that the mortar operators can also double as drone operators for the Snaggletooth attack and Whiskers scouting drones.

Christmas Painting Part 1

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Originally posted 7th January 2012

With the forthcoming launch of my IABSM-based, company-sized, sci-fi rules, I also spent a lot of time painting sci-fi figures. The biggest holiday project was painting up the Chewks from Khurasan: they are cracking models a bit like the Jawas from Star Wars.

One of the best things about Khurasan is that they make an effort to produce figures that will give you more than just infantry squads: as a rule, each of their ranges (and they have many!) have infantry, command, support weapon and vehicle models...and lovely models they are too. Particularly good are the Chewk drilltanks: vast tunnelling AFVs which come with option to have a chewkannon artillery piece mounted on a boom arm. Here they are in troop carrying mode: click to go to the gallery to see the whole range.

Other manufacturers are also realising that they need to produce entire ranges rather than just infantry squad models. Highlander Studios, manufacturers of the excellent Space Bug range, have augmented their basic offering with anti-tank, anti-aircraft and flamethrower teams: also painted up over Xmas.

Finally we go back to Khurasan again for some APCs for the Karkarine Landser "shark-headed" infantry from their Pelagic Dominate range. Called, appropriately, Karkwagons, these are all plastic kits that are really nice to paint. They seem a bit small for the size of the Karks themselves i.e. it looks like it would be a tight fit to get a squad of seven inside...but they will look good on the tabletop anyway!

​So that was Christmas 2011: a couple of cracking games of IABSM3 (see the AAR below) and a load of painting. About 150 foot and nine vehicles: not Kev standards, but not bad! Roll on 2012!

More Airpower for the Aphids

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Originally posted 22nd September 2011

The Aphids were still badly in need of some air power, so I have changed my mind about them having drones, and decided that their air assets are a bit more advanced than their ground troops: they have bought in better technology than they have invented themselves. The Aphids now have two types of aircraft: Lilypad-class single-Aphid fighters (featured as part of the 2nd September update) and Tadpole-class two-seater bombers. Both models are from Spartan Games' sci-fi fleet battle game Firestorm Armada.

Here are the Tadpole-class bombers: 

Air Power for Q13

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Originally posted 2nd September 2011

Air power is proving an important part of the new, full-length version of the sci-fi rules based on IABSM that I'm writing. With that in mind, I thought I'd better reinforce my ground troops with a selection of aerial drones: sort of uber-Predators.

All the drones, below, come from Spartan Games' excellent range of starships for theirFirestorm Armada game. They paint up very easily, and I would highly recommend them to people looking for this kind of thing. Each of the drone models, below, is about 3-4cms long, so ideal 15mm drone size. So, for my sci-fi armies, we have...

Lilypad Drones for the Aphids: 

Stalker Drones for the Felids:

And Cone Drones for the Spug contingent of the Hive:

Those of you who have followed some of the AAR on this site will know what a pain this type of drone has proved to me in the past: time to arrange a game with Neil for payback!