Starship Troopers - Welcome to the Roughnecks

 It's an ugly planet, a Bug planet!

I have always had a hankering to game this movie, in particular the defence of Whiskey Outpost, it has touch of Zulu about it...

These have been languishing in the draw for a number of years, I thought it was high time they found their way to the table top espically given I failed to get even near them last year on the painting task list. Unfortunately I missed the boat with the miniatures game picking up a copy after Mongoose had discontinued the game and making back filling the required miniatures more difficult.

The box set contains the rulebook, card templates for vehicles and dropships (The card templates will need converting to miniatures in time); several d6 and d10 dice; 16 human Mobile Infantry troopers; and 20 alien Arachnid Warrior Bugs.

The human's MI are dressed in Power Armour inspired by the originally a novel by Robert Heinlein and the CGI cartoon series but my preference was for the live action movie of the early 90's.

I sold off the MI on ebay and purchased 1st Corp's Colonial Marines in 25mm perfect proxies for Raczak's Roughnecks in the movie and a little smaller to the "bugs" in the box which certainly makes them rather more intimidating on the table top.

I picked up all of the 1st Corps colonial packs, enough for 3 sections of Light Infantry and a couple of support weapons.

Radio Operator, Raczak and NCO.

"I only have one rule. Everyone fights. No one quits. You don't do your job, I'll shoot you myself."
 

 1st Section.

 "Come on you apes, you wanna live forever?"

2nd Section.

 "We must meet this threat with our valor, our blood, indeed with our very lives to ensure that human civilization, not insect, dominates this galaxy now and always!"

3rd Section.

 "I'm doing my part."

Heavy Weapon Section.

Javelin Missile Launcher, Inferno Support Flamer & Bugbroom Support Laser.

"Forget the insecticide, bring on the nukes!"

The Press.

"They're doing their part. Are you?
Join the Mobile Infantry and save the world. Service guarantees citizenship."

More than enough for a small scale outing on Planet P.

Painting Guide

Uniform - GW Codex Grey
Combat Vest - Vallejo 70995 German Grey
Back Pack - Foundry 11C Rawhide Light
Webbing - GW Abaddon Black
Weapons - GW Mithril Silver, Boltgun Metel, Vallejo 800 Gunmetal
Insignia - DdA 101 White
Flesh - GW Elf Flesh
Wash GW Agrax Earthshade
Basing - GW Rhinox Hide, Dry Brush Vallejo Desert Yellow, Iraqui Sand.

Next up Power Armour, bug holes and Klendathu terrain...

Redoubt Enterprises Ammunition Bearers - Yet more shock markers !!!!!

Given my earler posting about 2013 being the year of the marker base, how apt that the first real posting of 2014 is yet more shock bases for the RJW project.

I spotted these on the Redoubt Enterprises stand at Warfare back in November and whilst designed for the Zulu War a few minutes with the kraft knife and your pretty much have Russian Infantry...

The ammo boxes are also from Redoubt.

The surgeon is pretty period neutral, initially I thought about adding a operating table, but felt the floor creates a more front line feel.

 

The three completed marker bases, the third one could be used for shock or low ammo markers.

 

Heavy load, more ammo for the front to hold back the Japanese.

"A bloody day in the field"

"Soldiering on" 

All credit to Redoubt they have some of the most stylish designs in the market, the castings are showing a little wear and tear, but given the age hold up really well against more recent designs.

Next up real fighting units.... :-)

Happy New Year - 2013 in summary

Another year has past and time for a rack up of the years efforts.

I started the year determined to record my efforts as a means of focusing on certain projects and to try and stop me wandering off on various smaller projects. Apart from a few distractions such as "Planet of the Apes" I have kept pretty much to the plan....

It seems to have been the year of the marker base, I am not sure what that says for my luck during gaming that I need so many casaulty and low ammo markers. But it did give me a great excuse to use those figures often ignored or avoided in various blister packs.
Thanks Sidney for starting this idea.... look where it's taken me :-)

 

First 2013 in numbers...

New Paints
290 Foot Figures.
29 Mounted Figures
5 Gatling Guns, Artillery Pieces.

2 Wagons
31 Casualty Markers
7 Low Ammo Bases
8 Jump off points
62 Movement Trays
7 Terrain Pieces.

90 Blog postings

138 Followers !!!
Thank you so much to all of you who follow my ramblings it's probably this that has kept the tally so high for the year, it was great to meet some of you at the various show which the Wyvern Wargamers put on and to gain new members at our club, it really does make the effort worth while.

I set out this time last year to document the projects and plans in terms of an end of year report, I would call it a B- much was completed but many of the projects simply did not get enough focus.

Will the Starship Trooper Project ever get completed ?

Projects and Progress FY12 -13

 

Russo Japanese War - 28mm

I spotted these in November last year, excellent designs by Paul Hicks and produced by Tsuba Miniatures, the range is growing and for once I am in at the basement level, where my speed of painting matches the releases, plenty of scope for Trench Warfare, Sieges and open battles.
Initially 4 sections aside but plenty of scope for Cavalry, sailors and trains.
This is the major project for 2013.

Really pleased with how this has progressed, I have managed to keep pace with Tsuba releases and added additional units, to the point where I have enough foot units for the Russians for a large Mud & Blood encounter, This year the plan is for more Cavalary for both sides and more period terrain including trenches and gun enplacements.
It was great to put on a game at Wyvern's Too Fat Lardies Day - Market Larden this really got my foundation for this growing collection. 

Elizabethan Irish Wars 28mm

With the Irish largely complete last year due mainly through the cross over with SAGA, the English are in need of reinforcements, at least 3 pike blocks are needed plus Cavalary and Calivers.

Nothing to show this year, although with the restructuring of the Foundry range and the re-emergance of the Monolith range under Crann Tara Miniatures and of course TAG's new range could see this picking up in 2014.

Boxer Rebellion 15mm

After 10 years I have finally settled on a rule set that works for the period both big and small battles, Mud & Blood from the two fat lardies, fits perfectly for this, with a few tweaks to the cards for the separate nationalities, the figure collection needs a revamp, the paint job is over 10 years old, completed before I had changed my painting style to include inking and shade tones, they are also coated with a gloss varnish which makes them rather to shiny.
Basing them on 1p's was fine when you had 30 figures, but at over 300 hundred it's not the best gaming experience, so they are in need of rebasing.
There is also the small task of another 4 bags from old Glory to finish off.

I did not expect this to be top of the painting list last year in all honesty it was on the potential ebay list, but thanks to Simon and his Colonial adaptions for Big Battles in Sharp Practice the Boxers were firmly back on the agenda.
Painted some 10 years earlier it's amazing what a new wash and some improve basing does for the collection.
418 Foot Figures, 17 Mounted Figures, 4 Artillery Pieces, 2 AT Guns, 2 HMG's, 10 Terrain Pieces.
Still 4 bags of Old Glory to finish off.

Napoleon in Egypt

The Egyptians/Ottoman's are in a reasonable state with cavalry and Infantry for both however they could do with some artillery to support them, the French are nowhere near being ready to face up against them, I brought a box of Victrix plastic infantry from Victrix, nice figures but I am losing bayonets already, I just can't see them being a long term investment so the plan is to switch to Brigades Miniatures metal offering.

The Egyptian project continues to move along slowing aided by the occasional campaign game of

Ensign Claude Canard and his Friend and mentor Ensign Côtelettes de Mouton of the French Sloop "Le Vendeen". This year saw the introduction of Ottoman regulars and artillery and finally the half painted Arab Cavalry cleared the paint table.

 

 

The French were bolstered by Brigade games's French Infantry in Desert uniforms and some jolly sailors, you can expect to see a couple of extra units this year I am sure.

Starship Troopers 28mm

Under coated and based but they have not left the draw for 18 months, a nice figure range produced by 1st corp, they might only take a couple of days due to the colours required, I just need that spark to get them done.

Nothing.... oh the shame - Should this be the New Years resolution?

When I said I had remained on track, I forgot to mention the rebasing of my WW2 15mm Grermans for Chain of Command, a great set of rules, thanks Rich for putting WW2 back in vogue and then there was the kick starter Project for "All Quiet on the Martin Front" which should allow me to complete my Victorian collection for War of the Worlds.

2014 Promises to be busy.

Happy New Year All.

WW1 Russians Musketeer Miniatures

And so the last post of the year....
This is the last of the Russian Foot Infantry for The Russo-Japanese Project unless of course Markus over at Tsuba Miniatures produces extras next year, being a sucker as I am for shiny new models.

These are from Musketeers WW1 Range but fit in quite nicely with the Tsuba RJW infantry and provide a little more variety to the Russians.

I particular like the officer with the loud hailer urging his troops on, now he must be a Status II Big Man, I now have 10 Russian Sections more than enough for most regular games of Mud & Blood.

Now just the Artillery and Cavalry to follow.

Happy New Year all !!!!

Flash Gordon & The Shark Men

And now for something completely different....

Back in November at Warfare a few of us over at Wyvern Wargamers were tempted into the excellent 7TV rules after playing a "Blake 7 "ish skirmish game. 

The rules seems to be perfectly weighted towards low level skirmishing where the lead characters take centre stage recreating the sci-fi drama's of our childhood.

It prompted me to dust off my partial collection that has been held in storage for several years - which is crying out to be adapted for the 7TV rules - Flash Gordon......

I started this project some 15 years ago but a lack of rules and a complete figure range consigned them to the box at the back of the wardrobe, most of the range was from The Wargames Supply Dump -Dick Garrison range with other figures drafted in when they had the right look and feel.

Languishing in the unpainted draw were two blister packs from what was the Superfigs range originally available from Westwind, which I planned on using as Shark Men. This could be their window of opportunity to finally appear on a table top.... and with free time over the Christmas break I give you the first offering.

More to follow over the coming weeks.
 

Shark Men ready to step forth from the sea to do Ming's bidding.

 

I misted the lens to give an underwater feel.

The Shark Men live in an undersea kingdom on Mongo; they're ruled by King Kala.

In the 1936 Flash Gordon serial appearing in several episodes, the Shark Men capture Flash Gordon and Dale Arden on the orders of Ming the Merciless.

Stay tuned for more updates every Saturday morning... :-)

Brigade Games Sailors - Yet More Russian reinforcements....

A slow month on the painting front and with Christmas just around the corner I am running the risk of missing my painting targets for this year, but I did finish the Naval detachment for the RJW project, based on the crew of the Battleship Retvizan who helped defend Port Arthur.

The figures are from Brigade Games RCW range, but the Infantry fit in fine for the earlier period you just have to ignore the Machine pistols on the officers.

Two sections of Sailors with a Bigman each and Naval Standard

First Section.

2nd Section

 

The Russian Navy rushes forward to plug the gap, I have used a slightly different shade of blue on their neck ties to identify them on the table top.

  

The inspiration from the guy's at Osprey.

Uncharted Seas - Beware Croc's....

It must be two years since the Shroud Mages last took to the seas and it has to be said they performed as badly this time as in any other outing, or is it that the Orc's are their nemesis of the High seas?

Uncharted Seas from Spartan Games is one of those games you can throw on to the table in under 10 minutes, perfect for a club night or where time is limited.

 

The Imperator - Intruder Class Battleship sets sail for the Orc fleet.
I took the trouble to sculpt the base with Green stuff, I am really pleased with the result, it probably took longer to complete than the actual ship, but it also adds a little to the playing piece which stops it shifting on the table top.

We played the 1st Scenario from the rule book, which allowed each of use to use the full starter packs, of 6 Frigates, 3 Cruisers and a Battleship.

The Orc's rush straight in, all their fire power massed at the front, I had to turn to port to bring my more numerous guns to bear, by which time I was already taking hits.

Early exchanges saw both sides lose a Cruiser, but the Orc frigates were closing fast and the linked fire from the squadron was starting to really hurt, my own Frigates I had deployed too far out and were struggling to get into the action quickly enough.

Another Two Cruisers slip below the surface, this would be a battleship face off.

Finally my Frigates arrive on the seen only to see the battleship be sunk, the nasty little Orc row boats had succeeded in getting behind my Battleship and had inflicted a critical hit, jamming my steering and reducing my speed to next to nothing, with no guns in the aft and significant Hull points reducing my fire power the game was lost.

Aside from the loss - which must be now six games to nil, it was good to dust off the Dwarven fleet, somewhere in a box in the garage are 4 or 5 more ships, they may even make the project plan for next year although I may steer clear of flaming Orc's......