Monday, 13 September 2010

"as we march through hell, to reach the gates of heaven"

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Tomorrow's War TOE:
 Holy Order of the Knights of Byzantium
Pro Fide, Pro Utilitate Hominum


Inspired by Dr Who double episode: The Time of Angels/ A Time of Stone,  this tabletop force is a work in progress. It represents a secular military order similar to the Knights Hospitaller whose purpose is to protect humanity amongst the stars. And sometimes, they get there in time!

More tinkering needed, maybe add some specialist roles and drones/bots.............. note that whilst I've used a Byzantine theme, I've deliberately steered away from any particular religious order or heirarchy.

NEW BYZANTIUM CONRIS (platoon)
Confidence Level: High
Supply Level: Normal
Tech Level: 2
Networked Command (Grid): Sometimes (TL2)
Body Armor: Light Body Armor (+1D), Brother Friars: Armoured (+2D)
Troop Quality/Morale: D8/D10

CONRIS Tactical Command

1 x Bishop w/St.Nicholas Cabasilas MkIV CR&U/GL (Light Support)
1 x Gonfannonier w/St.Nicholas Cabasilas MkIII CR
1 x Hospitaller w/St.Nicholas Cabasilas MkIII CR
1 x Brother Specialist w/St.Peter of Sebaste MkI SMG (bots/drones/Grid tech)
1 x Brother Sniper w/Saint Theophilus the Penitent Gauss Sniper Rifle

2x Fannons each:

 Fannon command element
1 x Arch-Deacon w/St.Nicholas Cabasilas MkIV CR&U/GL (Light Support)
1 x Deacon w/St.Nicholas Cabasilas MkIV CR&U/GL (Light Support)
1 x Cleric Grenadier w/St. Gregory MK7  MAW (Med. Support/Class 2 AT)
1 x Cleric Riflemen No.2 w/St.Nicholas Cabasilas MkIII CR


Fireteam 1
1 x Father w/St.Nicholas Cabasilas MkIII CR
1 x Cleric Gunner w/St. Gregory of Nyssa SAW (Light. Support)
1 x Cleric Grenadier w/Holy Antioch RPG (Med. Support/Class 1 AT)
1 x Cleric Riflemen w/St.Nicholas Cabasilas MkIII CR

Fireteam 2
1 x Father w/St.Nicholas Cabasilas MkIII CR
1 x Cleric Gunner w/St. Gregory of Nyssa SAW (Light. Support)
1 x Cleric Grenadier w/Holy Antioch RPG (Med. Support/Class 1 AT)
1 x Cleric Riflemen w/St.Nicholas Cabasilas MkIII CR

Fireteam 3
1 x Father w/St.Nicholas Cabasilas MkIII CR
1 x Cleric Gunner w/St. Gregory of Nyssa SAW (Light. Support)
1 x Cleric Grenadier w/Holy Antioch RPG (Med. Support/Class 1 AT)
1 x Cleric Riflemen w/St.Nicholas Cabasilas MkIII CR

Fireteam 4
1 x Brother Abbot  w/St.Constantine MKII PGMP (Heavy Support +3D)
3 x Brother Friar w/St.Constantine MKI PGMP (Heavy Support +3D)

Python fans will note that I couldn't resist the Holy RPG of Antioch!

CR = Combat Rifle
RPG =  Rocket Propelled Grenade
PGMP = Plasma Gun Man Portable
U/GL = Underslung Grenage Launcher

Cheers
Mark
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8 comments:

  1. Any news about a release date for TW?

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  2. Then fire the Holy RPG of Antioch at thy foe, who being naughty in my site shall snuff it! Cute!!!
    Saw these guys on Doctor Who, I wonder if the writers got their inspiration from 40k or some such?

    Don

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  3. Hi Mark, thanks for posting. Question: don't you have a rather high percentage of support weapons in the unit? Think it's about 1:1 support to combat rifles.

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  4. Not really Jon. Traditional packaging of sci fi minis - 1 saw, 1 rocket launcher/fusion weapon and 6 riflemen is WW2 or at best Pentomic Cold War thinking and barely reflects the present let alone the future.

    Take a look at the Ambush Alley Forum where the TOE thread will demonstrate that many modern 1st world forces have a 1:1 support weapon to combat rifle mix - or even higher.

    Hence why I think manufacturers should look at less rifle armed troop variations and more leader/SAW/RPG/MAW poses etc.

    In this instance, each Conris is a light infantry ship based brotherhood. To paraphrase someone on TMP (I think), "when you are shooting down Zombies bullpup combat rifles are fun, but when you are faced with every alien demon in the universe, you need all the heavy firepower you can get".

    In fact your Federal Army Support packs make great ready made Fireteams for the New Byzantines!

    Cheers
    Mark

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  5. Thanks, but aren't British fire teams (for instance) made up of three men with the SA80 and one with the LMG?

    The Federal army models will be sold in a squad pack, 12 figures, by the way.

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  6. LOL! Peacetime yes. The equivalent of 12 men would have 3 LMGs ;-)

    I doubt there is any such thing as a 'standard' fireteam structure in Afghanistan but 1 SA80 + U/GL, 1 SA80, 1 LSW (SAW), 1 Minimi (LMG) seems to be a commonly quoted structure.

    RUSI found that section weapons (heavies) won firefights, individual rifles were effective only at 200 yards or less. They advocated a future section of 8 men: 1 grenade launcher, 1 LMG and 6 men armed with 'sub-machine guns' like the HK MP7.

    The future is open to speculation as far as small unit structure is concerned, especially once we take force multipliers - smart weapons, smart ammo, grid fires, bots, drones and synthetics - into account.

    Cheers
    Mark

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  7. Here's what a current British Army Squad in Afghanistan would generally look like (like everyone else, the Brits are taking mission oriented approach gearing up, so weaponry carried will vary from mission to mission at times):


    Fireteam 1
    1x Squad Leader w/SA80
    1x Grenadier w/SA80 UGL and Benelli Shotgun
    1x Gunner w/L108A1
    1x Gunner w/L108A1

    Fireteam 2
    1x Asst. Squad Leader w/SA80
    1x Grenadier w/SA80 UGL
    1x Gunner w/L108A1
    1x Gunner w/GPMG

    UGL = Under-Slung Grenade Launcher (a'la M203)

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  8. Thanks Shawn

    There's a great article "Adapting the British Light Infantry Section and Platoon Structure for the Contemporary and Future Operating Environment" on platoon organisation, tactics and future developments - excellent stuff for anyone interested in Future/Sci Fi small unit battles.

    Pdf download here: http://smallwarsjournal.com/blog/journal/docs-temp/255-shaw.pdf

    Cheers
    Mark

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