20K - All Quiet on the Martian Front vehicles for a 15mm not-Imperial Guard force

By Trojan Points

Like most of you, I read about the All Quiet on the Martian Front (AQotMF) Kickstarter back in the day. While I recognized the "H. G. Wells' War of the Worlds Miniatures Game" as a good idea, I've never been a big fan of retro sci fi, VSF and the like... Until a few weeks ago when, with the models release getting closer (the KS should be shipping next month and the rest of us can pre-order them since yesterday) a comment by JBR on TMP (too many TLA?) got me looking back at some of the model. He was eagerly looking forward to the plastic US tanks that he qualified as great conversion fodder for 15mm not-40K Imperial Guard...

 All pictures in this post are from Alien Dungeon's (AQotMF manufacturer) blog or Kickstarter page.

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Vergans, Supabases, Mako Gun Tractors, VSF, and the Grizzought

by Chris

15mm.Co.Uk is continuing their streak 2013 new releases - even with the Salute convention just around the corner.

The Vergan Free Traders have been added to the SHM range. Sculpted by Dropship Horizon's own Eli Arndt, this pack expands upon the original SHM20 Vergan Alien figure. The pack contains a mix of four new poses - a sergeant, a musician, and two different soldiers.  If you're looking for an alien race that doesn't simply resemble anthropomorphic animals or human beings in rubber suits, the Vergans might be exactly what you want.

 

Along with the Vergans, 15mm.Co.Uk have added another brand to their family - Supabases.

The range includes 15 different packs of precision-cut MDF bases - 14 different sizes and a sample pack. There's a great variety to choose from. I'm going to pick up some of the 40mm rounds to replace 1.25" fender washers on my multi-based infantry forces. And the 50mm and 75mm rounds might be just what I need for larger mecha bases.

15mm.Co.Uk has also announced their Salute sale: 15% off all orders through April 26th. I'll post more details about this offer tomorrow.

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Khurasan Miniatures has released the Mako Gun Tractor and cruciform ground carriage.  This is one of Jon's more ambitious releases yet - a weapon system supporting no less than five different factions within his Federation Forward universe. It's an extremely clever way to release these models - you buy the gun tractor separately, with no weapons or crew. Or, if you want static weapons instead, you simply buy the cruciform base separately - again, with no weapons or crew.

Then you buy a twin pack of weapons, which are available with your choice of Felid, Jasmine Throne Foreign Battalion, Satrapal Levy, Sepulvedan Resistance, or Sepulvedan Control Battalion crew. The weapons packs include two crew members, a heavy mortar, and a twin autocannon seems to have something of a semicircular attachment point; it can be mounted in both direct-fire or anti-aircraft positions. Another option that was pointed out on TMP - the crewed turrets would be great additions to other APCs or IFVs. I look forward to seeing how these will be used on the tabletop.

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Highlander Studios has added the Grizzought to the Tomorrow Black range (formerly available from Battle Miniatures Emporium). These fast, stealthy hunters are a threat to many travelers on the wasteland. Its hide is thick enough to shake off the impact of most ballistic weapons. The Grizzought is a nasty beast for any sci-fi or horror setting - I could see these raiding livestock on colony worlds, hidden in the dark recesses of a mad scientist's laboratory or a nuclear waste facility, or even springing from some dark sorceror's cave in a 15mm fantasy game.

On the Victorian Sci-Fi side, Highlander has added three more packs to the Space: 1889 range. The most noteworth are the British Firing Line with high-tech guns:

These are great in any VSF setting, but have some other obvious uses. Anyone who has ever considered playing Warhammer 40,000 in 15mm now has an excellent stand-in for Praetorian Imperial Guard. Either way, I hope we'll see a few additional packs for the British. 

Next, we have Gashant with Tack and Harness. These are perfect riderless beasts for any sci-fi or fantasy setting - I suspect we'll see quite a few different riders used on these mounts. And for a more conventional pack animal, Highlander added a pack of unsaddled horses:

There haven't been many options for "plain" horses until now - most had some kind of recognizable saddle or other gear. I might have to throw a pack of these into a space western corral. Rodrick Campbell said there are more horses coming in the future - stay tuned.

New Watercraft, Street Furniture and Steampunk Adventurers

By Chris

Some new releases for the week. First, The Scene added  seven new items to the Water Craft range. It's a nice little variety - a landing craft, an empty barge, a junker, some fan-driven swamp boats, and a few enclosed river boats that are just screaming "post apocalyptic pirates."

Mike promises even more additions to that range in the coming future - including hover and grav versions of several existing watercraft. It's definitely time to consider making a river or swamp table.. something for those GZG Crusties, Blue Moon Aquans, Khurasan Myzontids, or 15mm.Co.Uk Octopods to fight over. 

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Khurasan Minis has expanded the modern/future terrain range.

For street furniture, there are two vending machines (which are just begging to be painted as Slurm dispensers), some modern barrels (great for biohazardous waste), a street lamp, some really cool looking crates, a bench, and a street-sweeping robot.

On the starship/building interiors side, there is a control chair/station and bank of cryo pods:

These would be great additions to your chosen set of starship corridors and rooms, or inside laser-cut buildings from Mad Mecha Guy, CorSec Engineering, or GameCraft Minis. 

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For all you VSF and Pulp gamers out there - Rebel Minis' first pack of Steampunk Adventurers is now available.

15mm will be a great scale for these types of games - these figures would work in the Wild West, crawling through Egyptian pyramids, or exploring islands filled with rogue dinosaurs. I could even see these figures finding a place in narrative Space Western campaign settings.

'O' GROUP....... Mars 1889

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When Space 1889 first hit the shelves at the tail end of the 80's, I was living in New Jersey where I shared an apartment with a theatre director and sometime actress. We met in London over Vodka shots at Break For The Border. She was a typically theatrical type, so you can imagine the dramas and emotional rollercoaster ride. Made more 'interesting' that she was somewhat pissed at having been in the same drama class as Rebecca DeMornay, but not done quite so well on the big screen, and not been quite so blonde!

I remember buying Sky Galleons of Mars from The Compleat Strategist in New York, on East 33rd. I had a strong affinity with the shop through The Courier, which was THE BEST wargames' magazine for many, many years in my humble opinion.....

Sky Galleons was a blast to play! Lot's of fun! There's just that something about Peter Pig's 15mm Sudan range naval crew figures (packs 60 & 61) that make me want to scratchbuild my own 15mm aerial Gunboats.


As if I don't have enough projects on the go......tempting though, definitely one for the back-burner. Where this rambling trip down memory lane going, is to say that I picked up a couple of 'Specials' from the Too Fat Lardies this week. You can't fail to love these 'Specials', with their self-effacing humour and eclectic mix of down to earth wargaming articles.

Of particular note to Sci Fi gamers is the 2008 Summer Special which contains Bag the Jedi - a fun variant for the Lardies superb WW2 aerial combat game Bag the Hun!

Best read for me, was the 2008 Christmas Special. What piqued my interest here was twofold - They Don’t Like it Up ‘Em! Sudan rules in the Gilder manner. Expect more regarding VSF games on the blog as a result. Also, A Damnably Close Run Thing - Scott Dallimore's Indian Mutiny variant for the Lardies' acclaimed Sharp Practice Napoleonic/Black Powder skirmish game. There's something about the Mutiny that makes me think of Victorian Mars more so than the late Victorian 'Gunboats down the Nile' period. It occured to me that this could be a good, racuously fun 'skirmish' game option with only a few tweaks.

Before I hare off at a tangent with other rule systems, I'm going to make sure my VSF armies are ready to take the field first and foremost with ALIEN SQUAD LEADER (ASQL)2.0. Which, when all is said and done, is a fun set of rules that's tactically challenging without being demanding to learn, memorise or play. The 'Victorian Imperial' army template in edition 2.0 opens up ASQL to VSF.

Definitely more VSF and traditional Space Opera games with ASQL in the coming months.

Cheers
Mark
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Blue is the Colour!

My search for an adversary worthy of my Victorian Science Fiction army is over at long last courtesy of SPACE CAPTAIN SMITH by Toby Frost.

Imagine GZG Ixx as the Ghast Empire hive intent on exterminating square jawed Victorian hero, Captain Isambard Smith, his eclectic crew, oh and all humanoid life!

I've only just begun this frivolous Victorian Sci Fi homage to Flashman, but loving it already and left somewhat inspired.......

......And my painting is too, following yesterday's good talking to by myself. This evening I finished 'Blue' Spartan Platoon No.1, Company Command and two scout/recce bases. OK, not a lot of figures compared to what I could potentially achieve in an evening after work, maybe, but through breaking down the task into smaller much more manageable chunks, I'm actually enjoying what I'm doing. So much so that I also completed from scratch an unplanned and very much ad hoc 'strike platoon' (blue armour, silver helmets and green visors). And oh! They do look cool!

But, it didn't stop there! Bouyed up, I also converted a couple of spare New Israeli minis into Vargr Mercs using Wolf Beast Heads from Peter Pig (Range 6, pack 42).

(pics to follow once green stuff is dry)

All in all a successful but more importantly, enjoyable evening!

Cheers
Mark

VSF: NEW Peter Pig Sudan Highlanders

Whilst perusing Mr Peter Pig's finest miniatures on the ether web, I came across a truly astounding new dicovery obscurated amongst their cornucopia of merchandise...... miniature toy soldiers of the finest quality representing Highlanders have appeared this very week in Messr Pig's Patrols in the Sudan range.

15mm Highland Infantry Advancing
Pack 22/82, £2.30 for 8 infantry
from Peter Pig

15mm Highland Command
Pack 22/83, £2.30 for 8 infantry
from Peter Pig

At bloody last I have a decent reason to finish my 15mm Sudan collection, conduct punitive expeditions against the Pathan and make Mars the ruby of Her Imperial Britannic Majesty's crown.

Now, anyone interested in 15mm VSF, or alternatively wants to reenact the Sinking of The Titanic, should seriously consider Peter Pig's Naval ships crew, Pack 22/61.

"Iceberg dead ahead Skipper...."
"Hoover Dam! Smile and wave boys. Smile and wave"

There's a nice retro Sci Fi feel about these figures that could make them useful as a luxury cruise liner crew like those on Fhlotsin Paradise in The Fifth Element. Yes?

Cheers
Mark