Sunday 5 September 2010

REVIEW: Khurasan 15mm Sci Fi Federal Army

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My week has been stolen by the arrival of samples from Khurasan Miniatures forthcoming 15mm Sci Fi Federal Army range. Not only have I been playing around with the miniatures, working out different organisations and fireteam basing options, but using my 'Google-Fu' to get inspiration for a suitable camo scheme.

The figures are 18mm sole to eye, and all of comparable heights and proportions to newer figure ranges on the market The soldiers all wear closed helmets, chest, shoulder, knee and lower leg armour. Overall the figures have the right 'feel' to them of being soldiers in miniature. This is particularly demonstrated by the way the weapons are carried. You can feel the weapons have a weight and balance in their hands.

No apologies, I'm going to begin with my favourites from the Support Weapons pack. This pack contains a Team Leader, Grenadier, SAW, MAW Gunner MAW No.2.

Khurasan 15mm Sci Fi Federal Army
L-R: Team Leader, Grenadier, SAW

Khurasan 15mm Sci Fi Federal Army
L-R: MAW No.2, MAW Gunner
  • The Team Leader is in the middle of communicating and will make a good alternative squad or platoon  leader.  
  • The Grenadier is poised at the ready, looking like he's stacked and ready to breach a room.
  • The SAW gunner is a gem. Kneeling, his SAW has a large capacity drum and at his feet there's a satchel with further drms. He would easily make a heavy sniper if you chose.
  • The MAW No.2, possibly my favourite figure from this pack, he is kneeling at the ready with three rockets hanging from his right hip.
  • The MAW gunner is a tasty heavy duty tank or VTOL killer. Whilst some of you might not like this style of 'cumbersome' rocket launcher in a Sci Fi setting, I see it as being a multi-purpose weapon system, perhaps firing thermobaric rounds or 'beehive' canister-like drone killers.

There are five different castings in the Fire Team pack. A Grenadier and four Riflemen. My photo does not do these figures justice, particularly the two advancing figures on the left.

 

Khurasan 15mm Sci Fi 
Federal Army Fire Team


The figure holding his rifle in his left hand can be used as an alternative fire team or squad leader. The Grenadier is not just some johnny standing bolt upright firing his weapon. You can see that he has it braced and firing slightly hgh to compensate for the trajectory of the lower velocity grenade.

Finally, there's a Command Pack which contains a Squad Leader and armed Medic.


Khurasan 15mm Sci Fi
Federal Army Command Team

  • The Squad/Platoon Leader is standing pointing forwards. Less dynamic than I would prefer, but a decent figure nevertheless.
  • The 'Medic' is IMO, one of the nicest miniatures in the range. He is only identifiable as a 'medic' by a large rucksack with side pockets, so can easily join his mates as a rifleman or demo specialist. I really like his no-nonsense advancing into combat pose. And if that was the only rifle armed pose Jon produced, I'd be happy with dozens of him alone.
As you can see, the Federal Army range are suitable as Near Future transitional troops or Sci Fi planetary forces. If you are searching for an opposing force for Eureka's Sci Fi Germans, the Federal Army miniatures would make great Neo-Sovs in an AT-43 style Red Blok camo scheme. I can also certainly see these in the role of Ghost Recon Future Warriors, HALO Marines or even ODST (Orbital Drop Shock Trooper) proxies. To an old Sci Fi grognard like me, there's just that something about them that cries 'classic' Traveller: Mercenary. And of course, they will be right at home in Ambush Alley Games' forthcoming Tomorrow's War.

Jon envisions his Federal Army troops to have smallarms that are equivalent in firepower to today's SAWs, Grenadiers deploy underslung grenade launchers capable of firing powerful, programmable RAM Grenades. 

Due to a little slippage in the casting schedule, it's likely to be a few weeks yet before the Federal Army packs are available, but it's well worth the wait.

All in all, a versatile, well thought-out and designed set of miniatures, allowing you to build a platoon or two with enough variation to prevent becoming stale. Armour is on the way and Jon has plans to augment the range some time in the future with more command, snipers and at least one heavy weapon. If you have any thoughts on additional troops or the type of heavy weapons you'd like to see, share your ideas in the comments section below.

Now off  to paint them!

Cheers
Mark
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13 comments:

  1. One trooper with an energy weapon along the lines of an FGMP, plasma gun, melta gun. Give him a huge backpack power source with connecting hose / cable. I would prefer an action pose with the guy firing from the hip, legs spread and needing both hands to hold the weapons steady.

    Excellent range!

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  2. One trooper with a pistol to represent a high ranking officer, vehicle crew, heavy weapon crew out of ammunition or non combat support trooper dragged along on the mission for some skill he has.

    RTO with hitech backpack communications array. The Corporate Marine looks like he is talking on his cell phone. I would like to see a Federal Trooper that looks like he could communicate with a ship in deep space.

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  3. I agree on the RTO thats a must! mabye also a man with sci-fi´ish pair of binoculars

    but i dont know about the SAW guy... he dosent work... not at all, i think it needs to look more like a minimi

    and a pack of kneeling rifle men and a saw would be very nice!

    I am definely going to collect this range

    Robbert

    Denmark

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  4. Great looking figures, a resemblance to the Venturian Marines from Denezian maybe? Anyway will look great as Mercs in Slammers.

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  5. I just wrote up a sample TL2 force for Tomorrow's War with these guys in mind.

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  6. Nice range here, love the pose. Are we starting to see more scale creep in 15mm. Almost up to 20mm :) I will be ordering these though, they are different enough to field as a force without looking too much like the NI. How do they compare toe 2 toe with some GZG NI?

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  7. "I just wrote up a sample TL2 force for Tomorrow's War with these guys in mind."

    Cool news Shawn! Can't wait to see that.

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  8. I would suggest a Missile Launcher Team, then they would be usuable for Mercs in Hammers Slammers. Lots of them have Buzzbomb [ATGW} options.

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  9. Ruskies! Ruskies! Ruskies!

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  10. They definitely need a sniper. The SAW needs to be cut down a little. Definitely some more officer/NCO poses. The command pack could be restructured to something like a Lieutenant, Three squad leaders and platoon medic (Or a platoon medic and 3 squad level medics.) Some more heavy weapons are a must...Some sort of energy rifle. Maybe some drop-portable weapons like MMGs...or...Something. Hard to think, I've been up a while at this point.

    Hey, when are these guys being released anyways?

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  11. I dont mind the SAW at all! I would love to see an anti-material rifle sniper and mabey a mortar/arty crew.

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  12. What are the cool soldier minis in the logo for this site? Where can I get them?

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  13. Hi

    Laserburn Imperial Troopers from 15mm.co.uk:

    http://www.15mm.co.uk/Imperial_Troopers.htm

    Cheers
    Mark

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