Workshop Hell

I've been running workshops over the past few days. It's only wednesday and I'm exhausted. After today's session, I am tempted to take something a little more persuasive with me tomorrow............


Cheers
Mark

Life, The Universe and Spugs

Last week was a mixed week both at home and at work. Ups and downs in both cases.

I'm fitting in with a new boss, nice person, who I don't actually report to. I now have three people to consult in order to take a day off. I'm afraid that 'matrix management' in our organisation is ......well, not a happy experience.

"Simply demanding results will not achieve them"
Quote: Resident Evil Extinction

I have 15 working days left as a Project Leader, currently on loan to M&I, before I move to IT, due to scaling down within the organisation. I still have a job, so am thankful, believe me I am thankful. Possibly I could have a grumble but there's no real complaint given the financial climate.

Over the next 10 days I'm running workshops for the great and the good. Will probably have to work into the evenings this week processing the outcomes of each day's gap analysis event, so I am going to postpone GREYS Week till after the coming weekend.

Meanwhile, job hunting has taken a back seat as I've been promised a not insignificant bonus if I'm still with the organisation in May. This will help pay for both Heather's birthday present - a pair of Russian Blue cats and dental repairs. It will also give me time to reflect and repair myself mentally following several mentally and emotionally demanding months.

Friday night I played a small(ish) game based upon a Chechnya style armoured assault on Mudd Eisley using FWC with individual figs rather than squads. A platoon of Guardia Imperial Mudde Eisley Proteccion (G.I.M.P.s) supported by the 'Reservoir SPARTANS' and an ex-Star Wars Walker stood off attacks by a reduced company sized armoured force of Light Grav Tanks and Grav Panzergrenadiers in Grav APCs (yes, painted silver!). Neat little game. It was nip and tuck though, with the SPARTANS using the Walker to hold the line whilst they regenerated shields to meet the armour. The final assault brought the armour right into the main square - pictured above - Commandante Hernadez Baal'gag leading the insanely heroic but daft counter-attack.

The Spugs simply aren't gelling with me in the way I expected, so I've put them away in a drawer until I receive the new bases, which are on order. Instead, I spent Saturday preparing Rebel Minis' L.A. SWAT Team for painting this week, as they'll be simple - black undercoat and blue drybrush.

I've mounted four pairs of miniatures on small FOW bases and mounted the remaining 4 figures individually on some redundant small round bases that came with the Old Crow Sci Fi infantry.

Works quite well I think. I had been tempted to do some kind of urban camo which certain SWAT forces use, but I do just want to keep it simple at this stage.

Most of the day disappeared painting and basing, another 'cohort' of Terminators - HOF30 Automata Infantry from 15mm.co.uk. Effectively doubling the number of robotic infantry available to me. I love these miniatures and have played several fun games with them using ALIEN SQUAD LEADER V1.0 (ASqL).

My current 200 point Mechanoid Army is:

10 Stands of Robotic Infantry
3 Stands of Heavy (Assault) Droids
- or three GZG GunCrabs depending which suits
2 Titans

I will upgrade this force with GZG's unmanned AV-12/U Mantis VTOL Gunships as Robotic Attack Craft (Distant Flyers in the rules) and possibly some GZG MAWP Mobile Autonomous Weapons Platforms (tracked) - shiny metal finish of course!

The Mechanoids are probably the easiest possible army to get on the table. Attach 10-15 robot infantry onto an old CD and liberally coat them in black ink. Once dry, take a lightly moistened cloth and brush across the miniature to wipe the ink off exposed surfaces. A minute per miniature! En masse they look stunningly malevolent! All they need now is to have their eyes painted a glowing red and the bases finished off. I'm not even worried about varnishing!

Automata Infantry from 15mm.co.uk
on the workbench

Yesterday evening Heather and I had a magnificent Indian Take-Away from the Alma Hotel in Laurencekirk. Pricey, but consistently good, absolutely lovely Indian food. It was a celebratory meal as Heather had good career news at work during the week.

We went for a Tandoori 'blow out' - the mixed Tandoori Grill supplemented with Tandoori Giant butterfly Prawns - plus all the usual trimmings - Aloo Sag, something spicey Aloo, Poppadums and garlic Nan. I think we may be able to eat again on Tuesday!

I'm afraid we couldn't face the complimentary Nan bread that was included with the meal, so that has gone out to feed the Crows in the garden. They enjoy both Nan and Garlic bread - which we can never put out for them without mimicking Peter Kay's "Garlic Bread" routine.

Today I'll get the Rebel Minis' BIO-Hazard Assault Group cleaned, ready for painting during the week as time permits. Even if it's just a couple of figs a night. Once again, magnificent miniatures for just being what they are - guys in Bio-Hazard suits. I can already feel the need to settle in with a couple of Magners and watch Resident Evil Extinction on DVD this afternoon. Nothing at all to do with Bio-Hazard suits, I simply like Ali Larter and Amy Smart (click here). Oh, and Mucho Zombieness!

Cheers
Mark

Rebel Minis - 15mm Marine Support Weapons

Following my preview of Rebel Minis new Earth Force Marines, Mike has sent along photos of the infantry support weapons that will give his 'grunts' additional firepower. They will be available in a separate 'support' pack containing two of each miniature.

15mm Earth Force Marine
Support Team

15mm Earth Force Marine
Support Team Detail

The Rebel Minis Earth Force Marine snipers (below) were compleley unexpected. I currently use the WW2 British Snipers from Peter Pig (pack 413) which I've 'Ghillied up' using dried herbs. They are not so useful on Mars or similar planets though, which makes these new miniatures doubly welcome!

15mm Earth Force Marine
Sniper Team

I like the look of that sniper rifle as an anti-tank rifle and am even wondering about converting them into a guided anti-tank rocket launcher team along the lines of MILAN or SPIGOT/KORNET. Should be fairly straight forward with miliput and a piece of plastic rod/sprue.

15mm Earth Force Marine
Sniper Team Top View

I think the detail in the pictures speaks for itself. Like the 'Grunts', these are photos sent by Mike, so I have no actual figures to review and provide comparison with other ranges just now.

Keeping this short as I've broken a tooth down to the gum and the pain is distracting.

Cheers
Mark

Rebel Minis - 15mm Earth Force Marines PREVIEW

Dropship Horizon is delighed to share with you a preview of Rebel Minis forthcoming range of 15mm Earth Force Marines.

Rebel Minis 15mm
Earth Force Marines

These space grunts are the first of a complete range of Marines in vacc / environmental combat suits which will include NCOs/platoon leaders, support weapons and snipers (pictures will follow soon).

15mm Earth Force Marine 'Grunts'
from Rebel Minis

What can I say? A squad of troops that tell a coherent story in complimentary and natural advancing poses, wins me over every single time. Bloody Marvellous!

There's something really down to earth about these figures. The mini's in the photos exude the gritty feel of the universal grunt of the future. I don't think they would look out of place as C21st futuristic troopers on Earth, tumbling out of a hover APC on Mars or moving forward in Mudd Eisley under the protection of plasma cannons on their Untra-tech Grav MICV.

To this 70's teenager, they are very reminiscent of classic Traveller Sci Fi, and that appeals to me at a deep level. I must admit that I'm really tempted to purchase hordes of Rebel's new Earth Force Marines when they are available, give them GZG's new Ultra-tech GRAV armour and warm up STRIKER the Traveller based futuristic mass combat rules for a complete nostalgia-fest.

Nevertheless, these minis will be perfect for FWC, Ambush Alley and the obligatory space corridor guncrawl. Did someone say "Bughunt?"

Mike also plans a complimentary range of Sci Fi AFV's and a corresponding gunship. An opposition force is already in the works, I've seen the greens and you will be pleased!

Keep an eye on DROPSHIP HORIZON for information on further figures in the range and forthcoming release dates.



Cheers
Mark

Chattanooga Woo Hoo!

I had a good day at work, which is infrequent these days. To cap it all I got home to find a small parcel from Rebel Minis which was posted by Mike in Chattanooga USA, last Thursday, the 26th February. Great turn around. And only $5 postage anywhere in the world!

My order included a real hotch-potch of X-Files style Sci Fi. Mike's new Alien Greys Armed, Alien Greys Unarmed, L.A. SWAT, Bio-Hazard Zombie Hunters and a couple of packs of human Hunters. With one pack destined as a little pressie for the Master Chef.


I'm very pleased with all the miniatures. Heather took to the Greys immediately. She wants to paint them herself and even get some games in with them. So, in order to capitalise upon her enthusiasm, next week will be GREYS Week on Dropship Horizon.

Keep Watching!

Regards
Mark

Pitch Black - Boneyard in 15mm

Pitch Black (2000) with Vin Diesal and Radha Mitchell had it's moments. You can't help but love those pterodactyl raptors and I've always wanted to recreate something similar to the bone graveyard on my tabletop.



I tried chicken, pheasant and partridge bones, and in each case grossed out my wife. But none really did the trick.

Friday however, I found the perfect solution in my local POUNDLAND. Plastic dinosaur skeletons. Went back today when I had time and picked up several of these FUN-TIME 'kits' at £1 each.


Various skeletons are available, including a pterodactyl, which they didn't have unfortunately as I think it would have been really cool.


Still, you can see by the photos, not bad eh?

My plan is to mount the best parts of these skeletal structures as scatter terrain, half buried in sand on CD's. Although, I do have an incomplete vision of a long single piece of terrain with several skeletons strung out as a bone graveyard.

Cheers
Mark