WWW2 US Forces Augmented

Originally posted 7th December 2013

My Invasion Earth games are based on various alien races invading the Earth towards the end of WW2. Opposing the various aliens are my US troops, augmented by Clockwork Goblin's excellent range of Weird World War 2 figures.

Here are the Goblin's latest releases for the US force: Hyena light jump walkers for the soon-to-be-released Firefly jump troops, and some rocket-launcher types for the powered armour infantry company HQ. Highly recommended.

Hyena Light Jump Walkers

Infantry Command element

Nova Respublik Army List for Q13

Originally posted 25th November 2013

A new army list for Q13 based on  Khurasan Miniatures range of futuristic Soviets: the Nova Respublik.

This is a very nice collection of figures with plenty of options. There are some good, solid infantry backed up by proper support weapons and a brilliant high command set. Four variants of the same basic medium tank chassis, two APCs, one general transport, and the absolutely super Doe gunship. Add in walkers and robot guns, and you have everything you need to build a rounded company and supports.

Here's the gunship:

The Hauk

Originally posted 25th November 2013

I have now finished my platoon of Hauk airmobile troops. These are superb figures by Khurasan that go really well with my existing Harook. 

One can see the Harook as descendents of the prehistoric Titanis or giant terror bird, with the Hauk as descendents of raptors such as hawks and eagles, both species living together in reasonable harmony, one on the plains of their home planet, one up in the mountains.

To celebrate the arrival of the Hauk, I've also updated the Harook army list to include them as an airmobile option, using the equally superb Aerie dropships mentioned below on 8th November.

Five Planets Scenario Pack for Q13 Published

Originally posted 19th November 2013

I'm pleased to announce the release of my latest scenario pack: Five Planets.

Five Planets is a campaign and scenario pack for Quadrant 13 (Q13), the company-sized, sci-fi wargame rules from the TooFatLardies.

The pack contains twelve scenarios set within the Pankova solar system, with two adversaries fighting over its priceless resources. The action begins on Peach, the outermost planet, a most desolate, moon-like place but the gateway to the system, then moves through the asteroid belt to Cheteria, the ice planet. After Cheteria comes Three, the garden world that feeds the system, followed by D’Var, the desert planet whose sands conceal vast seas of valuable oil. Finally the campaign climaxes on fiery Adeen, closest to the sun, but the source of limitless power.

The campaign is designed to be played through twice: with each player first taking the part of the race invading the Pankova system, the Attackers, and then taking the part of the incumbents, the Defenders. Be warned, sometimes the Defenders are attacking, and sometimes the Attackers are defending: as first one side then the other gains an advantage.

Although written for Q13, Five Planets can be easily adapted for any sci-fi rules system. Each scenario contains a full game briefing, a map, and then a briefing for each player, including a description of the forces available. All players need to do is print off the appropriate pages for the scenario that they want to play, set up the battlefield, break out the figures, and away they go. As the army lists given are generic, players can use them to play any sci-fi army that they choose: whether based on a particular range of figures, background from another ruleset, background from a film or book, or even a background that they have made up themselves.

So set your weapons to exterminate and prepare to do battle: there’s glory to be won on the Five Planets!

AAR: Carroceto

Originally posted 14th November 2013

Lardy Craig Ambler takes a trip to Italy to play Carroceto, the second scenario in the Anzio: Wildcat to Whale scenario pack.

A game characterised by lethal dice rolling:  the British suffering fifty Kills and only three points of Shock. My only question is where I can get dice like that!

Grav Transports for the Hauk

Originally posted 8th November 2013

the start of my Hauk troops: avians from Khuarasan who will support Mad Robot's Harook as their airmobile arm. 

First to be finished are the Aerie grav transports. I'm particularly pleased with the cockpit canopies: carefully copied, albeit in a different colour, from the examples on Khurasan's website.

These are arriving just in time to be used in the final playtesting of my Five Planets scenario pack for Q13, which is due for publication before the start of December. Although designed for 15mm Q13, it can be used with any sci-fi rules, so start saving your pennies now!

AAR: Near Avaux II

Originally posted 3rd November 2013

Unusually, both my usual wargaming opponents were available in the same week. Last night, Dave and I fought to an epic draw (see below), tonight was Neil's turn. As I didn't have time to set up anything new, we'd fight the same battle as before. Not only that, but I would play the Germans again, and decided to set up in almost exactly the same way as before, looking forward to seeing how the two games would differ.

Well, it was indeed a very different game...

SuperHeavy Tanks for the Gitungi

Originally posted 26th October 2013

One of the problems with 15mm sci-fi is that manufacturers seem to think that everyone wants to play 28mm skirmish games using 15mm figures. This means they release a "range" of figures that isn't so much a range as a taster, with manufacturers thinking a range is complete with a few infantry types and maybe a support weapon or two. This is especially true for alien races.

No, no, no, no, no!

What you need is leg infantry; command figures at platoon and company level; support weapons like machine gun and mortar equivalents; artillery and anti-tank weapons; technical specialists and drones; recon troops; APCs to motorise your force; maybe assault troops and engineers; then scout cars or light tanks, medium tanks and heavy tanks; flyers; and maybe a drop ship. A full range!

Ranting aside, the Gitungi from Micropanzer are a prime example. Beautiful leg infantry and, now that the drones have been sold off elsewhere, that's it. 

Well my Gitungi are lucky: they have managed to get hold of some of Khurasan's Federal Army tanks. The XM-6 SuperHeavy Grav tanks to be exact. Here they are:

AAR: Operation Biting

Originally posted 25th October 2013

Here's an AAR that's been on my to-do list for some time. John has designed and is playing an IABSM scenario around the Operation Biting raid at Bruneval, where the Paras went in to capture some German radar technology.

A great AAR currently in two parts. You can see the details of the historical raid at the beginning of part two.


AAR: West of Pierrecourt

Originally posted 20th October 2013

As promised, here is Topi's AAR from playing the first scenario of the Blenneville or Bust! scenario book campaign: West of Pierrecourt. 

To quote his introduction: "Kicked off our Blenneville campaign this weekend. A German panzergrenadier recon unit tries to stop the American machine in the bocage country. 'Greenhorn, this is nothing compared to Kursk' was the German motto, as more and more American troops arrived. Quite a few spoilers to the scenario, so be warned."