"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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Gotta Have a Pack of Grunts or Two.....

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I've been asked several times over the past months what numbers/types of troops constitutes a good range of 15mm military minis?

Let's put aside style and posing in this instance and look at what - purely in my opinion - constitutes a 'good' range of military Sci Fi minis.

For me, at the basic level in 15mm it really comes down to having enough grunt poses with identifiable command and squad support miniatures to keep the force from looking stale. Mid-Tech with open helmets? Then 1 Fireteam Leader (preferably two), 4-6 grunts (2-3 female), SAW and light Support Weapon gunner (preferably two of each) provide enough troops to make up interesting and varied combat groups.

You can expand by having a Platoon Leader, possibly also a platoon sergeant character, medic droid, LAW/RPG rocket launcher and man held Plasma/rotary cannon.

Let's cement this, again talking Mid-Tech, as:

Option 1
ABSOLUTE MINIMUM

Pack 1: Fireteam Leader, 2 grunts (1 female?), SAW
Pack 2: Fireteam Leader (female?) 2 grunts, SAW (variant) or LAW/RPG rocket launcher

8 figures per pack - 2x each pose

One of the FireTeam Leaders becomes a platoon leader. Downside - stale and lacks character above squad level.

Option 2
PREFERRED

As Option 1, as above but include a platoon command/character pack. A second different SAW pose would be good - make it character figure (think Blane, Drake or Vasquez) to ring the changes.

Pack 3: Characters. Platoon Leader (preferably two), grizzled Platoon Sgt/Top Kick (barehead or cap), Medical Droid, SAW (female? bandana/barehead Ponytail)

The Top Kick, droid and bandana/ponytail gunner are generic enough that these can slip into existing tabletop forces, or become Mercs/'Adventurers'.

Later expansion can include:

Pack 4 : Plasma or Gauss Cannon Gunner in bandana or specialist helmet, Tech Sgt/Hacker, (see Infinity range for Tech/Hacker inspiration), Wounded but still fighting female trooper (similar to Hasslefree's Kendra, in combat cap like Jas pictured here), Sniper w. Gauss Rifle (ghillie suit or nano-tech).

EN TOTO:

3 packs totalling 12 unique sculpts gives me enough minis for a platoon or two in combat, including command and a couple of characters. The Top Kick can lead second platoon.

4 packs totalling 16 sculpts gives me additional company level support troops and characters. This also allows me to personalise my platoons. Kendra can be a specialist, hero or lead third platoon/company.

What about heavier weapons? Well, if you have been living in a hole for the past couple of years you will have failed to notice that GZG produce a large range of excellent and importantly, generic support weapons for re-inforced platoon, company and battalion level games. You want to produce your own? Fine! But only after core packs 1-2-3......!!!!

If you study FOW's new WW2 pack 812: British Guards Rifle Platoon (NW Europe), each section (squad) has a different section leader & different Bren gunner, plus there's a choice of 2 platoon leader miniatures and a potential company commander figure. This allows me to give each section, each platoon a unique identity of it's own.

OK, what I've suggested above isn't to all tastes - it's certainly NOT the be all and end all - and sure, I'd like a few more poses of this or that, maybe the odd extra weapon here or there, But, I think these pack ideas promote versatility, character and identity within a reasonable number of sculpts/cost bracket - and that is more important to me in 15mm for 2010 and beyond than "one pack grunts advancing, one pack grunts firing......".

Cheers
Mark
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'O' GROUP....... High-tech FWC Battlegroups

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The following are the basic generic building blocks of my Mid/High-tech Hyborian armoured forces. These are basic structures I use to collect my models before I start adding on robotics, drones, UAVs, point defence and other support weapons.

This is a typical TOE I use for a tank heavy High-tech Mech Battlegroup within FWC.

Each of the 'sabre' Gamma units has a scout car Recon/FOO whilst Gamma HQ has an armoured scout vehicle and two fire support AFV. The armour predominates with the Mech Infantry undertaking a true specialised panzergrenadier role rather than just being infantrymen carried in an armoured box.

This is the Mid/High-tech Mech Infantry variant. Gimel is 'Camel' in the Phoenecian alphabet which I thought described an APC/MICV unit perfectly. Res is 'head', ergo 'HQ#. Just sounds a bit more off-world than "Company A" "Bravo Company" etc and more fitting for my 'Eastern' influenced 15mm Hyborian forces. The 'Gimel' battlegroup is doctrinely focused on the primacy of the armoured infantry with embedded armour support.

Given the cost of 15mm armour, I tend to buy one Gimel/Gamma at a time. If I want a tank force - eg GZG Grav Gunsleds (v15-08A) it's the Gamma TOE, if Mech then I go for the Gimel structure.

Why don't I have 3 Gimels/Gammas? Primarily cost! Second is space on my tabletop. Equally important lastly, I have enough robotics, Guncrabs, UAVs or even wheeled mech to have a third unit consisting of these and ring the changes tactically as I require.

Cheers
Mark
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