Road Outlaws on the way!

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I've ordered several packs of the first set of Khurasans superb new post apocalypse Road Outlaws. I just want them now! They are vindication to myself if needed, for the effort put into creating my post apocalypse scenery. They are also going to see plenty of action in running gun battles through my GZG shantyville and raids on the Critical Mass Games refinery complex.

In a more Sci Fi vein, I can at last finish my ASQL Outlaw Gangs army. Plus these Road Outlaws should even proxy for Reavers in the Firefly 'Verse.

By the time pack 2 of the Road Outlaws becomes available, I'll probably be in a position to put in a larger order to Khurasan which will include the new Mekanoids and I may even want a couple more packs of the characters from the first set!

Shipping to the UK is only $4 for $16 worth of figs, which is about the same as ordering a smilar amount from Peter Pig at the other end of the country, so no worries there. And definitely worth it to push gaming projects forward with these Road Outlaws asap!

Cheers
Mark
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It's all gone a bit Blitzkrieg!

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Master Chef is trying to tell me something. A dozen 28mm WW2 Germans from Crusader Miniatures dropped through the letter box this morning. Very nice grim faced Nazi buggers they are too.

I didn't order them......... but I could virtually feel the evil grin over my shoulder as I inspected them. So my arm was forced, yes forced I tell you, to order a corresponding section of Brits from BEF Miniatures to do battle.

I'm resisting more at this time because I now how easily this could get out of hand - two sections becomes a platoon, then two platoons......

These boys are going to be led by 'Major Cadd' from Artizan's Thrilling Tales range as they are an "absolute shower" and needs someone with a bit of oomph to get them to put up a "good show".

Rules? MC wants to use "Flying Lead" - whereas I want to try out Troops Weapons and Tactics picked up during the recent Lardy sale. Doubtless we'll try both. The 1940 supplement for TW&T (no sniggering at the back) can be downloaded free here (click to download).

I'm also toying with using our own Cross of Iron rules - yes that was us - turning Jerry into faceless 'Goon squads'. All Commando Comics' "Gott Im Himmel!", "Raus!", "Schell!" But let's get 'em painted first.



Cheers
Mark
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Khurasan Goes Beyond Thunderdome!

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Khurasan Miniatures 15mm Sci Fi/Post Apocalypse
Road Outlaws Set 1: x5 for $3.99

Khurasan's new Road Outlaws go beyond Mad Max, beyond Thunderdome, beyond even the Forbidden Zone. If you want to see what artistic ambition can look like in 15mm - look no further than Ben Siens latest Road Outlaw sculpts for Jon at Khurasan Miniatures.

These miniatures ooze with exceptional flair and presence. Leatherface the chainsaw king is one bad two-stroke hombre erupting with dynamic energy!


Whilst of course, they will make great apocalyptic outlaws - the Road Warriors will also be perfect for your Mutants and Death Ray Guns gang of apocalypse born and bred warriors, whether pure, transfigured or even android.

Khurasan Miniatures 15mm Sci Fi/Post Apocalypse

Road Outlaws Set 2: x5 for $3.99 (NYA)

Pack 1 available NOW! Pack 2 will be cast within a few weeks as the caster is mastercasting them now. But don't wait, If the packs prove popular Jon will follow up with mutants and post apoc warlords.

Available from:

WWW.KHURASANMINIATURES.TRIPOD.COM

Cheers
Mark
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Security Bots from Antenociti's Workshop

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Antenociti's Workshop have introduced a new dedicated Goverance of Technology range of 28mm Sci Fi figures and scenery that will be of interest to 15mm Sci Fi gamers too.

Antenocitis Workshop will be familiar to many UK gamers as stockists of Testors Dullcoat, Silfur and a host of modelling accessories. They are possibly less well known for their range of excellent 15mm WW2 German bunkers and Douves Radar Station.

The new Governance of Technology range includes a broad range of models that could easily find their way onto your tabletop. The 28mm Security Bots above (x2 for £5.00) are an easy choice but amongst the G.O.T. scenery range is a plethora of items that would be suitable for 15mm gamers too such as the security barrier pictured to the right (x8 for £6.50), crates, fuel stations, pollution scrubbers etc.

I'm going to buy that 28mm trooper - she is a perfect proxy for the default female Commander Shepherd in Mass Effect.

G.O.T. 28mm Sci Fi (28mm trooper in pic)
Secure Crates (x12 for £7.50)

Secondary Heat Converter: £4.50

I like this one as it's useful as a15mm secure comms uplink station, defence grid generator, alien greeblie device (bomb, energy shield, beacon).

Aegis 4 Turret: £4.50

Defend your colony and starport with real firepower

Well worth your time to visit ANTENOCITI's WORKSHOP and take a look.

Cheers
Mark
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NACHT DER UNTOTEN 15mm style!

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I've been playing Call of Duty: World at War Zombies on the train home in the evening this week. Had a blast with this and want to recreate the feel of these games in 15mm. So, I need some appropriate 15mm WW2 US troops to beat off my Rebel Minis Nazi Zombies.

A WIP photo from January

I was hoping the latest WW2 US releases from Flames of War including the Devils Brigade and Late War Assault Platoon would supply some cool miniatures - only find that they are essentially just repackaged and rebadged versions of previous miniature releases - with the odd new fig thrown in. All very much 'emperors new clothes'.

The 'fluff' on the FOW website for the Assault Platoon platoon says "They were specially trained in reducing enemy strong points and bunkers using demolitions, bangalore torpedoes, and flame throwers." Not so much fluff as 'fluffing' as there is not one demolitions, bangalore torpedo or flame thrower figure in the pack, but instead several guys on their knees with entrenching tools. Which reminds me of a sketch from Eddie Izzard's Definite Article live show.... "I got done for assault, and I was running away! Assault is motion towards, I feel… it takes an accusative".

Not the first time FOW has badged one guy with a shovel, three guys buying newspapers, four walking the dog and six weeding the lawn as an assault pioneer platoon or similar.

So we turn to Peter Pig, who have some really laudable WW2 ETO American Infantry. My favourites from the range and absolutely perfect for fighting Nazi Zombies are Pack 60: US with SMGs.


This pack just hits the button with some classic US soldiers in great poses which ooze character. Plus, the figures really look comfortable and experienced holding and using their weapons - not always true of Pig but more so with the many of the recent sculpts. But this can be said of and is often worse with other manufacturers lines. Anyhoo....a couple of the carbine troops, the LMG being carried and fired at the waist and we are done - ready for NACHT DER UNTOTEN 15mm style!

The video above from the XBOX360 game will give you a flavour of the game action. The iPhone version is subtely different, with more of a bunker setting than ruined farmhouse and much more claustrophobic as a result.

Cheers
Mark
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Even the Master Chief needs more firepower

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Why do we insist that a Sci Fi figure line must have heavy weapons at the squad and individual level? Afterall this is Sci Fi - I mean SCI FI - where that itty bitty energy pistol could potentially have the same firepower as a modern day SAW or even an Abrahms tank in plasma energy form.

For me there are four reasons:

1) Tactical diversity. Especially if you play squad level games.

2) Figure diversity - 5 standy abouty figures with the same WTFIT firearm and only apparently different because they have differing degrees of tennis elbow doesn't pop my credit card.

3) Character diversity. The chopper gunner is alway the hard ass of the squad eg Blane (Predator) Drake and Vasquez (Aliens).

4) They are generally just frikkin cool. Admit it, you loved the stabilised M56 rapid fire support weapons when you first saw them on the screen in Aliens (back in 1986...ahem).

Of course, in the far future man carried squad support and heavy weapons may well take various other forms - robotics, heavy walkers, gun drones etc but it's safe to say that there will always be an eight tentacled accountant on Tharg or slimy blue skinned Minister of Defence on Planet Millibrand that will work out the cheapest way of upgunning their soldiers is to give some poor grunt in each squad/pod a bigger, meaner, heavier piece of killing hardware to carry
(supplied by the lowest bidder of course).

Khurasan Miniatures 15mm Sci Fi
Felid Heavy Battle Circle: TC1301

Critical Mass Games 15mm Sci Fi
Light Recon Support Weapon Greens

Cheers
Mark
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