Review - Ravenstar Studios' Land Core Grav Vehicles

Here's a closer look a few more vehicles in the new Ravenstar Studios Land Core range.  While the new Mecha are excellent, and Chris L. has mentioned that he really wants to focus on expanding the Drones - these grav/hover vehicles are just as good as anything produced for 15mm Sci Fi.  Just like the mecha, these grav vehicles are great sculpts (done by hand - no digital sculpting or 3d printing here) and very clean resin casts.

Blazer APC

Comparison: Old Crow Glaive, Ravenstar Blazer, Rebel Wolverine

The Blazer is a simple, sturdy, yet surprisingly elegant APC.  It scales out to be about the same size as most medium/large APCs in my collection - you'll have no problem believing 8-12 troops could be carried and still receive some armored protection.  It includes a turret with a small support weapon.  

It almost reminds me of a grav version of a GW Space Marine Rhino - maybe a good match for Blue Moon Orion Republic infantry?  This would actually help to round out any grav armored company that doesn't have an APC (or, at least, an APC that you want).  I could see these supporting the Rebel Minis Earthforce grav tanks (which never had a matching APC), or the grav variant of the Khurasan Siler.

Or even better, if you don't want to look at other ranges for a matching tank...

Kensky Grav Tank

Comparison: Rebel Merka 5, Ravenstar Kensky

This chunk of armor is packing some SERIOUS firepower.  Chris L. mentioned that he envisions this as a heavy tank destroyer - I'd take it another step and call it the perfect mecha hunter.  Its massive gun will elevate on its hyrdaulic lifts, but the entire vehicle will have to rotate for targeting.  It has a small bubble turret with a light cannon for close defense - and the turret gun can even position itself for anti-aircraft duties.  

But it's not just the gun that makes the Kensky stand out.  It's a big tank.  Very big.  Borderlining the super-heavy class.  I don't own a Khurasan Siler or a Critical Mass Dragamaa for comparison, but I can tell you that this tank is bigger than my Old Crow Hammer's Slammers Blower.

Comparison: Old Crow Hammer's Slammers Blower, Ravenstar Kensky

Alright, so we have some serious pig iron for massed 15mm battles.  But what about small skirmish players?  Well, Ravenstar has us covered too...

Coyote Jeeps

These could be some of the most useful vehicles ever produced for 15mm skirmish games.

The open-top Coyote is an excellent little four-seat skimmer, and the enclosed version is just as nice.  Their skirts makes them usable alongside any existing hover vehicles.  But their sweeping lines and rear-mounted thrusters would make them right at home alongside even the most elegant Star Wars speeders.  These are suitable cruising around anything from a small ramshackle colony to a massive futuristic city, and could be used by any citizen, corporation, gang, or cult.  I painted my first one to match my Laserburn Law Officers, and plan to use a couple more with my Blasters & Bulkheads forces.  

Each open-top Coyote includes a generic resin driver figure.  It is dressed in generic clothing and a billed hat - but could easily be headswapped to match any figures in your collection.  I actually set one aside (so I could use two in one jeep) and substituted the seated Law Officer from the Laserburn range.  It worked just fine, though the Law Officer has a wider stance than the included resin figure.  

I ordered six open-top Coyotes, and each one had a similar flaw (first real flaw I've found in Ravenstar castings).  The front seats all ended up with an air bubble at the top.  It's really not bad - nothing that can't be filled in with a bit of putty or even a scrap of paper with some gap-filling superglue.  But I wouldn't be much of a reviewer if I didn't find SOMETHING to nitpick about. :)  No complaints about the closed-top versions - they were excellent castings.

The Coyotes are just slightly larger than the (two-seat) Old Crow jeeps. They're just about the same size as a Ground Zero Games Light Civilian Hovertruck.  Which means even if you're playing a skirmish on a pizza box-sized table, these are extremely useful vehicles.  Or, if you want to play large battles on an 8' table, a handful of these would look great inside the walls of a large military installation, or you can mix them with other civilian vehicles from Khurasan and 15mm.Co.Uk to make a bustling city or spaceport.

Jackal Grav Truck

This is based on an extended version of the Coyote chassis.  It is fully enclosed, and actually has a smaller windshield than the covered Coyote.  There are access doors on each side.  They also include a very nice optional weapon turret with a HMG/Mark 19-type gun. Chris L. envisioned these as a far-future Humvee, and I think he nailed it.  I painted my first one as a SWAT van, leaving the turret off so I add some kind of riot gas launcher.  

The Jackal is very convincing as thin-skin military vehicle.  It could easily hold 4-6 people with equipment, or be set up as a mobile command center or a fire-support vehicle.  And, just like the Coyote, this would make an ideal civilian speeder.  I plan to mount a small GZG radar dish to my second Jackal - it will be a research vehicle for my GZG colonists.

Final Thoughts

You really can't go wrong with any of these.  Every one of these vehicles has the far-future look that many of us prefer for our game settings.  I'm going to build a mechanized infantry platoon around the Blazer APCs, and the Kensky will provide anti-mech support.  And I'll end up using the Coyotes and Jackals in tons of different military and civilian roles.  Ravenstar Studios has quickly become one of my favorite 1/100 vehicle producers - I look forward to seeing what comes next!  

Cheers,

Chris

Armies Army Near-future Line available

The process that leads from pushing putty around to popping lead figures out of moulds can be a lengthy one. And then sometimes it can seem almost ridiculously short.

Earlier this year I spotted a post on TMP by a chap talking about some near-future 15mm Science Fiction figures he was planning on making. It wasn't too long before he posted pictures of some greens, such as the fine fellow above, who is part of this group below:



Whether a helmet, or a mask, there was a slight hint of the Nort troopers sometimes depicted in the the old 2000AD comic strip, Rogue Trooper. There's a real Twilight 2000, near-future, mid-tech vibe about these guys - they are both familiar and unfamiliar - which makes them just that little bit different from other near-future figure lines currently on offer.

At the beginning of February, Keith was able to advise that he had received the first test figures from his first production mould.

And then, at the beginning of this week, Armies Army announced the opening of the webstore for pre-orders. At £3.50 for a pack of ten figures, these seem like very good value for money, and scale well with Khurasan Miniatures and Ground Zero Games figures. Keith already has plans for support weapons and HQ figures to expand the range.

I should point out that all the photos used in this article have been shamelessly swiped from Armies Army's blog. Chris has just received some sample figs though, so once he does his painting-magic-thing, we should be able to show some different angles and give a more comprehensive review. Anyway, check out Armies Army blog and see if these are the near-future figure line you have been looking for. Orders can be placed at the email address available on the blogsite.

- David

Settings from Existing Worlds - Invid Invasion for 15mm?

The previous article about gaming universes inspired some pretty lively discussion.  I'd like to share my own example of adapting a well-established background into a 15mm game setting.

The Dropship Horizon crew has recently been engaged in a pretty good discussion topic - Post Apocalyptic settings.  Most of the discussion has been about small-scale, inexpensive projects - like a few warbands for Mutants & Death Ray Guns.  But what could I use as the basis for a bigger post-apocalyptic game environment?  Well, there’s one setting that I’ve always wanted to game - the Invid Invasion storyline from the Robotech: New Generation series (Genesis Climber MOSPEADA in its original Japanese form).  That particular Palladium game is the only RPG that I remember fondly from my younger days, and Robotech: Invasion is one of few video games in the last decade to hold my attention. 

But let’s face facts...  Harmony Gold is not going to license some tiny company to produce 1/100 miniatures from that IP.  Maybe it’s something to hope for in the distant future.  But hope doesn’t put minis onto my gaming table.  So, building on the Adapting Universes article, here's my way to turn the Invid Invasion storyline into a playable 1/100 Sci Fi setting.

We'll start by stripping away the characters, visuals, aesthetics, and other specific details that we'll never see from a 15mm range, and see what remains.  Here's the basic story elements:

• A massive global war has just concluded.  Humanity is in the process of rebuilding, but Earth’s governments, militaries, and global infrastructure are devastated.
• A hivelike alien species invades with the entirety of its population - untold millions of dronesa nd warriors descend upon Earth.  The fragmented states of Earth aren’t able to resist the invasion.  They are taken over, one by one, and most of humanity is either caught or killed during the invasion.
• The captured humans are enslaved and forced to help the invaders gather and process... something.  This something didn’t appear on Earth, or wasn’t significant enough to merit attention, until mankind’s previous war.  
• It gradually becomes clear that the something is the reason the aliens invaded Earth.  It is critical to something in their society, either technologically or biologically.  
• Some humans are still free, and others escape the work fields.  Most of these humans are concerned with their own survival.  But some form together into small groups of freedom fighters - attempting to overthrow the aliens and free humans from the work camps.
• A handful of these freedom fighters have discovered the location of aliens’ hive center.  They are trying to coordinate an assault - hoping if the hive is overthrown, Earth will be free of the aliens’ grasp.

Well, look at that.  That's not just a list of plot points... it’s a complete game setting.  It has enough depth and detail to play everything from a random encounter to a detailed multi-player campaign.  All that remains is figuring out what miniatures will best portray the factions in that setting.  So, building on these elements:

• Alien invaders.  There are several good options for a hive race with some technology aspects.  It would be possible to adapt Khurasan Space Demons to this role, but they’re far more “biology” than “technology.”  Or we could go “technology first” with a biological core - ArtCrime Makat or Rebel Scourge would be great choices in this role.  But I’m going with the line that has the closest aesthetic fit to the Invid - Critical Mass’ Kaamados Vivipara, Agaamid, and Draco suits.  
• Enslaved humans.  There are probably some good fantasy ranges to consider - especially the further this setting’s timeline advances.  But minis as simple as GZG Unarmed Colonists would work perfectly as human workers/objectives for rescue scenarios.
• Human freedom fighters.  These willl be the most enjoyable forces to create.  We can tap into GZG armed civilians/colonists, GZG Ravagers, Rebel Post-Apoc gangers and survivors, minis in the Khurasan post-apocalyptic range, Laserburn and RAFM characters, HOF Post-Apoc Warriors and Rim Mercenaries... the list goes on and on. 
• Human military remnants.  We could go as low- or high-tech as we want with these, depending when the previous war took place and how much technology survived.  I can see some of the more "sci-fi: human infantry being useful in this role - GZG NAC, Islamic Federation or OUDF with helmets stand out in my mind.  But you could go with more conventional near-future minis like Rebel Homeguard, Khurasan Nova Respublik or Oddzial Osmy NVL, or even higher-tech like GZG New Israelis, ArtCrime Federals, or Rebel Minis Drop Troopers.
• Human vehicles.  Thinking back to the original TV series - 4x4 vehicles and motorcycles were the most common human vehicles (especially for civilian freedom fighters).  Lots of good options from GZG and Old Crow in those categories, and a few good items from Rebel, Khurasan, and others.  
• Mecha. Large flying mecha like the Alpha/Beta are simply not viable at this scale/size of game.  But the most iconic vehicle from that series was definitely the Cyclone.  So, ignoring the motorcycle transformation mode, why not look at mecha/battlesuits in that size?  The GZG Cyclops battlesuit is a pretty good option, but I think the best choice is the ArtCrime Valkyrie range.  They are the perfect size and bulk, and would look great squaring off against the Critical Mass Draco battlesuits.

From this point, it's just a matter of prioritizing armies, selecting figures, and getting units ready to play.  It helps to start small - say one pack of Critical Mass Vivipara infantry with a Draco suit on one side, and a squad of GZG New Israelis for the opponent.  Get those forces assembled and painted and we're ready for a small game of USE ME or Forge Of War.  As time and budget allow, we can expand those initial forces, add more armies, and create special terrain pieces for this new, and mostly original, gaming universe.

Cheers,
Chris

News & New Releases

Ravenstar Studios is having a 25% off sale through February 5th.  This is a great chance to pick up some mecha, drones, and other unique walkers.  Small skirmish gamers should take a close look at the Coyote and Jackal grav jeeps - they have the perfect look and feel for Blasters & Bulkheads, Traveller, or Laserburn cities and spaceports.  The sale also applies to the starships and 1/60 items, for all you heretics who don't exclusively play 15mm sci-fi.

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Khurasan Miniatures has released three more packs for the popular Sepulvedan Control Battalion infantry.  Riflethings Set Two ($ 4.99) includes eight minis in four poses: two more poses or Riflethings, and the equivalents of SAW and RPG gunners.  The Mortarthings set ($3.99) include two full mortar teams.  Finally we have a pack of Tank Crew Halves ($1.29) - four in two different poses.

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Earlier this week RAFM re-released their 15mm Plasma Grav Tank, now with the hull cast in resin. This has dramatically reduced the price, to a more economical $12.95, and their Grav Tank Platoon deal has also had its price reduced, to $49.95! Classic Traveller fans will remember this tank as the Instellarms Light Grav Tank, originally released by Martian Metals. Even if you aren't a fan of Traveller,  this tank will be a welcome addition to any 15mm sci-fi wargamer's motorpool.

Cheers,
Spartan 117

More Junk Building - Comms Transceiver Objective

I needed a new terrain piece for the second scenario of the Christmas War campaign.  This had to be a key piece of Laurentian military infrastructure - something the invading Cimmerians must destroy to gain a tactical advantage.  Since the Laurentian Tactical Command Network played such a key role in the first scenario, I decided a communications bunker would be the perfect objective for the second.

But what to use?  I already had three modular buildings painted in Laurentian colors (like the checkpoint bunker from the first scenario).  The easiest solution seemed to be adding a large satellite comms dish to one of those buildings.  I've picked up a few assorted building parts from Ground Zero Games and The Scene, but never did grab either of their dishes.  I had a few left over from GZG command vehicles, but they were far too small for my tastes.  Then I remembered Eli's Junk Building article and started rummaging through my drawers.  Here's what I ended up with after experimenting with a few bits:

Quick and dirty, but it got the job done.  Parts used:

1. The cap from a 20 oz water bottle
2. Part of a tail rotor from a G.I.Joe Locust helicopter (been in my bits drawer for years)
3. A small scrap of round plastic sprue
4. A searchlight and crew hatch from a GW Imperial Vehicle Accessory Sprue.

I ended up gluing a few steel washers into the bottlecap, just to give it some extra weight and stability.  It will be a nice, flexible piece once it's finished. It can stand free on the ground (it would look really nice sitting next to a parked command APC), or I can rest it on top of a building.

Once I get this comms transciever (and two more HAMR suits for my Cimmerians) painted, I'll be able to run the second scenario of the Christmas War.  

Cheers,

Chris

Rebel Minis releases VIPER mecha

Painted by Jeff Racel

Rebel Minis has released their latest 1/100 mecha: the Variable Payload Raiders (nicknamed VIPERs) by their operators).  Sculpted by John Bear Ross, these match up well with the previous HAMR suits in terms of size and armament options.  Three different weapon loadouts are available, along with two different leg poses for the mech itself.  The weapon arms are completely interchangeable with the existing HAMR sprues, which means Rebel now offers a nearly infinite variety of mecha configurations.

Painted by Jeff Racel

Rebel Mike is trying something a little different with the VIPERS.  Instead of all-metal kits like we saw for the previous HAMR suits, or resin-metal hybrids like his armored vehicles, the VIPERS are 100% resin.  This allows Rebel to offer them for only $6.49 each.  Mike has stated that, if this is successful, the HAMR suits will also be revised into an all-resin (and less expensive) product.  An "advancing" pose of the HAMR will be included in the re-release - good news for those of us who like the original design but think they are a bit static.

Many more VIPER configurations and comparison shots can be found on Jeff Racel's Skydrive: link and link

With these latest mecha releases by Rebel Minis, along with recent offerings from Critical Mass Games, Ravenstar Studios, and Micropanzer Wargames Studios, I'm predicting 2012 as the year where 1/100 Mecha-centric warfare will surge in popularity.  I'd love to see a game featuring two platoons of three VIPERS squaring off against a pair of Gruntz Imperators in the ruins of a futuristic city, or a team of HAMR suits defending a crowded spaceport from a Khurasan L-HAC.

Cheers,
Chris