The 37th Planetary Defence Regiment
lost thirty percent of its strength in the first moments of the Khanate
invasion of Faercycle II. In the years since the abortive Prang raids
the governor of the world had increased the military presence in the
capital Ismere where the starport is located and also in other major
cities such as Darga and Amatrall. Cities like these sat atop deep
mines sunk into the frozen planet in search of ore for the much in
demand titanium for which the whole star system was known Precinct wide.
News of the fall of Camarthen had reached Faercycle in 4331 IC less
than two months after the relief fleet had taken the war back to the
Shia Khan Empire there. What was not known was just how many Dragon
Ships had fled from Camarthen Prime and plunged into deep space heading
for nearby stars such as Faercycle. Without Ancep Drive the transits
would take years, giving time to prepare, but equally it meant there was
no way to track the aliens before they arrived in system. As it turned
out it was a total of seven Dragon Ships which arrived at more than
half the speed of light in 4338 IC rapidly decelerating before plunging
into the atmospheres of Faercycle II and Faercycle III. The lack of
orbital support prevented any of the large starships being destroyed
before reaching the ground but warnings were sent out system and all
space fold capable ships immediately evaded and left local space so as
to prevent capture by the enemy. Ismere was the only place on Faercycle
II which was bombed during the landings and this was thought to be in an
effort to prevent effective air support of more remote locations. Being
stationed on the rubbacrete landing fields the 37th Regiment was mauled
by the projectile and destabliser rounds dropped in passing by Invader
Alpha; the designation of that Dragonship.
Ismere Starport was attacked by
some forty five thousand Shia Khan troops from four different Legions
once Invader Alpha had landed nineteen miles outside of the heated zone
of the starport. They were faced by more than eighty thousand planetary
defence force personnel as well as two thousand Retained Knights of the
Lindworm Company and two dozen Starvaulters. Of the local forces
stationed at the sprawling starport city only half of them were combat
ready with the rest being pilots and other professions not useful in the
battle due to loss of equipment and other reasons. Making use of their
heated Aketon Mk III non-powered armour with synth fur outer layer and
artic training what was left of the 37th along with the 9th and the 25th
regiments engaged the aliens out in the tundra beyond the heated zone.
The wind and freezing conditions lessened the numerical advantage held
by the Legions and their screen of goblinoid Maigs were unable to break
through. A retreat was called under intense pressure from Pioneers
supported by Warlords and Psycoborgs for whom the temperature seemed
less of an issue. In a battle which lasted four days the Khanate were
eventually halted and repelled back into the snow and ice after a high
water mark reached of the commercial district of Ismere. With the
starport and its integral city burning and suffering power losses a
choice was made not to pursue the aliens back to their starship...for
the moment. With only patrols watching the swirling snows the rest of
the military in Ismere set about assisting in ensuring fusion plants and
other energy sources kept the underground heating systems in operation.
They prevented a freezing which would have doomed hundreds of
thousands of people.
Reports came in from across
Faercycle II and from the rest of the stellar system too. This was in
no small part due to the valour expected of the Starvaulters who had
repelled waves of Legionaries who were assaulting the primary dish array
in the centre of the curtained area of the landing pads on the western
edge of the starport. Those who survived were hailed rightly as heroes
having accounted for more than a hundred times their own number. It
seemed the third planet in the system had fallen to the Khanate after
resisting and its signal went dark after a harrowing last stand which
was broadcast live to Ismere. Amatrall city had also fallen after being
burned almost to ashes. The city of Darga on the other hand had
repelled the small force which had mounted an attack upon it and its own
wings of Jangle verticopters and Punk dropships had come through
completely intact. Governor Tumault of Ismere made the choice to allow
Darga to take some of Ismere's troops and to then use its intact air
transport to harass the aliens elsewhere distant on the planet. Ismere
had the largest concentration of Dragon Ships and enemies nearer to it
than other major centres of inhabitation so it kept back and then also
brought in every Gytrash Quad Strider as well as every Steornede
Battlesuit which could be taken from elsewhere. The governor made it
known that the large force he had amassed would be setting out overland
to destroy every enclave and starship the Khanate had one by one. This
would be a mighty challenge indeed and it took several weeks for the
regiments to be outfitted and organised ready to march.
In three snaking columns composed
of hundreds of Hazelwurm Patrol Cars, Colebretta Carriers and other
wheeled vehicles as well as quad striders and the extreme weather
purpose designed Tohlic Crawlers set out. Their targets were Invader
Alpha and then Invaders Beta, Charlie and Delta. The crawlers would take
the most distant target. One by one they would free Faercycle II. To be continued...
Ismere Starport, Faercyle II, Camarthen Cluster 4338 IC
Its well into September and all of the releases for this month for The
Ion Age are now online in all their glory! Some of the finest 15mm
science fiction miniatures created by Sam Croes in my opinion. Super
sharp and crisp and with excellent poses too we have new packs and a
platoon for you. A brand new Planetary Defence Force comes into being
with the Cold Climes Militia. Two squad packs of ten different poses, a
five pose command pack and a platoon pack with all of these and an
extra free unique female sniper in it. Go
HERE
or read on for all the information and to see some in game photos from
our testing with these figures when we were trying them out against the
Khanate, the Prang and those damned Ymel Sandworms too. Plus I hope you
liked the little snippet of new fiction which introduced these figures.
You did! Good. It will continue next month.
IAF142 Cold Climes 1st Squad
This is core rifle squad for your Planetary Militia Cold Climes 15mm
defence forces. Pacification and Xeno Combat in remote and central
locations. This pack contains ten different 15mm scale white metal
miniatures including eight armed with Moth Type 6 Rifles, one with
Pardoner Fire Projector and a lesser officer with Tumbler SMG. As always
this code can be bought as a pack or as single miniatures or select the
three packs and save 10% option on the page. Price 5.00GBP per pack.
IAF143 Cold Climes 2nd Squad
This is the support squad for your Planetary Militia Cold Climes 15mm
defence forces. Dealing with tougher targets than civil unrest. This
pack contains ten different 15mm scale white metal miniatures including
three armed with a Moth Type 6 Rifle, several loaders and four armed
with the heavy Bodkin AP Rifle plus a lesser officer with Tumbler SMG.
As always this code can be bought as a pack or as single miniatures or
select the three packs and save 10% option on the page. Price 5.00GBP
per pack.
IAF144 Cold Climes 1st Command
This is the platoon level leadership and specialist poses for your
Planetary Militia Cold Climes 15mm defence forces. Co-ordinate the
efforts to keep civil law in place on your planet. This pack contains
five different 15mm scale white metal miniatures including a senior
officer with Tumbler SMG and data slate, banner bearer with pole (bare,
no flag included) and Moth Type 6 Rifle, medic with gear, comms
specialist and a casualty trooper laying face up. As always this code
can be bought as a pack or as single miniatures or select the three
packs and save 10% option on the page. Price 2.50GBP per pack.
IAFP11 Cold Climes Platoon
This pack gives you a full platoon of Cold Climes Planetary Militia as
well as a unique miniature only found in this code. If you want to
field a full force suitable for skirmishing then this is the code for
you. Twenty five different miniatures which are IAF142 Cold Climes 1st
Squad, IAF143 Cold Climes 2nd Squad and IAF144 Cold Climes 1st Command.
On top of this you get the unique miniature which is a female Cold
Climes PM Sniper with a modified Moth Type 6 Rifle in cloak which is
found only in this pack and what's more its free within the pack.
Excellent! As always this code can be bought as a pack or as single
miniatures or select the three packs and save 10% option on the page.
Price 12.50GBP per pack.
We hope you like the new Cold Climes and we certainly do. Go
HERE. Want to know more about them?
They are closely related to the Planetary Defence Forces (PDF) or
Militias detailed in IAB03 The Khanate Return and they use the same
statistics, weapons and a lot of the same vehicles which you will find
in that book. You can see the Patrol Angis game system on the website
HERE including the third book in print and as a digital download.
You can see the other Planetary Militia on the website
HERE and their vehicles
HERE.
We have a platoon pack, squads, command, battlesuits, portable weapon
platforms and gunners as well as larger vehicles like Patrol Cars and
Carriers.
Below are a series of pictures of the Cold Climes doing battle with
various foes using Patrol Angis taken from our collection. There is a
caption with each one telling you what is going on.
The Above Three Images show an Cold Climes fire team being ambushed
by Canlastrian Retained Knights among the Geo Shelters of an attacked
settlement.
A Cold Climes fire team lays down some hurt against advancing Khanate
Legionaries in the shadow of a smashed Red Adder Combat Lifter.
A Colabreta Patrol Carrier is temporary home to banner element of the Cold Climes 87th Regiment.
Cold Climes troopers prepare to loose Bodkin shots at advancing Maligs shown from two directions.
A Prang Army rescue team confronts Yordist allied Cold Climes
as they attempt to enter a Command Dome.
Frosty chicks! The sniper from IAFP11 next to Missiletoe Claus from
the Year Three Collection with a Skylark on its Cradle behind them.
Confront your fear! Cold Climes infantry defend
a Power Spire against a pair of terrifying Psychoborgs!
Lastly we have some close up photos of poses from the new packs for you
to see. A standard Cold Climes Trooper, a Trooper with Pardoner Fire
Projector, a Trooper with Bodkin AP Launcher, A Comms Specialist Trooper
and a senior Officer of the Cold Climes. It ends with the free female
sniper from the platoon pack. From packs IAF142,IAF143,IAF144 and
IAFP11.
Thanks for Reading,
GBS
