Skyhook Retrieval Boat - Starship Troopers

Rarer than Rocking Horse S**t ......

Another addition to the Mobile Infantry and Fleet arsenal.

Having missed the boat (get it..) when Mongoose Publishing launched Starship Troopers the first time around, it has proved nearly impossible to source a Retrival Boat. What Starship Troopers game could be complete without an escape vessel. Mongoose produced a limited number of the boats before production of the SST range came to an end. Fortunately Scotia Grendel have a more than suitable proxy in the from of the VTOL dropship. An absolute steal at £15.00     http://www.scotiagrendel.com/Products/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=217_218_42&products_id=2735

Starship Troopers alternative races

The problem with the demise of the Starship Troopers Miniatures Game and RPG Variant was that the universe never expanded, plans were made for a couple of additional races beyond that of the skinnies, but none made it to production, you can find a scattering of articles on the web if you look hard enough.

As part of the drive to rid myself of lead mountain, Denizen's K'hiff made it to the paint table, I purchased these to make the postage up on an order several months back, well thats what I tell myself :-)

Denizen are one of the few companies still manufacturing true 25mm sci-fi figures, the K'hiff were badged up as religious fanatics engaged in a holy war or Jihad to conquer or convert the galaxy, they  looked like robed greyhounds/wolves/crocodiles  and who were armed with advanced weaponry.

My plan was to make them out to be an indigenous race living in the mountain regions of several planets within the Arachnid quarantine zone, avoiding the bugs who are unable to burrow in the rock formations, however with the arrival of the federation they now face an enemy on two fronts and are forced into the light to protect their species.

I went for a style akin to the Tusken raiders in Star Wars

I decided to rebrand the K'hiff in SST games as Limmikin which I took from the Native American name for men who shifted into wolves, very apt given the K'hiff wolf like appearance.

Not sure how much game time they will have, but I see them as useful in raiding parties on the early colonies or scouts for the Mobile Infantry. Worst case they are simply more food for the bugs....

Starship Troopers Campaign Round 4 - Escape

Sunday saw another outing for the mighty Wyverns in the ongoing Wyvern Wargamers Starship Troopers Campaign, once again the players were a mix of now veterans and new recruits straight out of the academy all keen to improve on the last encounter.

After the last encounter the MI are on the back foot and are having to play through the Escape scenario.

The scenario - Escape

The message coming over the comms are not encouraging and it seems every company is hip deep in Arachnids, just as you thought things could get no worse for your troopers, you find yourselves surrounded by bug! Fight for your lives and try and escape anywhere!

Your units must escape the table any way they can, double points are awarded for any troops escaping the table, you get nothing for killing Arachnids.

The players selected quantity and armour over volume, forming up on mass, on the look out for any sign of bug activity.

Turns 1 & 2 pass without incident, the bugs fails to activate and the Mobile Infantry edge ever closer to the table edge, the plan might just work.

With safety in sight the bugs win the initiative and close in on the Mobile Infantry, Deacon's Destroyers and their Chickenhawks break formation and head for the southern table edge, hoping to draw the bugs away from the main body, or were they looking to save their skins :-)

The remaining players rush to take up firing positions with bugs closing in on all sides and fliers sweeping in from each table edge.

The Arachnids close in on their prey as the troopers form square, the CO combat surfer, calls in an orbital bombardment to slow the advancing bugs, but they get every closer to the MI lines. The more they kill the more bugs seem to appear.

The bugs are killed in their hundreds but they are an unstoppable force and wash over the defenders, footage is lost at this stage as the press crew are forced to drop their camera and run for their lives.

The troopers break ranks and run for the table edge, some dragging their injured comrades with them, others just looking to not be last and food for the bugs.

 

The close of Round 4 see's all the active players picking up a haul of points, but points aside it still felt like a defeat,  Combat Surfer is the new leader on route to Sky Marshall, the results could have been far worse for all if the medics had not done such a wonderful job of patching up the injured.

Round 5 see's the MI looking to get off this bug infested rock!!!!

Starship Troopers Campaign Round 2 - Create Perimeter

Last Sunday saw the second outing in the Wyvern Wargamers Starship Troopers Campaign.

3 Players stepped up for this outing, The Lucky Devils, Baldwins B*stards and Deacon's Destroyers.

The following briefing was provided.

Everything was going according to plan. Now the landings are complete, you can hear some other companies in serious combat but you have been ordered to create a perimeter that will relieve the pressure on them and allow this invasion to get under way!

Players must defend their deployment zone or risk losing 50 points each.

If they are able to clear the bugs from their deployment zone then each player will gain 100 points.

Turn 1 and the players deploy on mass in the central deployment zone, to their flanks and front mountains rise up masking whatever bugs might be out there. Deacon's Destroyers lead the advance and rush for highest point on the table, having concentrated all their points on 4 heavily armoured troopers.

Baldwins B*stards on the right and the Lucky Devils on the left break out from the deployment zone.

Deacon's Destroyers seize the high ground, awaiting the bug onslaught.

The Arachnids change their tactics and have amssed the bulk of their points in one large wave of Warrior bugs designed to sweep all before them. Panic starts to creep into the MI ranks as a number of troopers forget their fire control training and run out of ammo. Commanders start to cry out that the bugs are just to numerous and too tough....

Matters are not helped by a bug hole opening up in front of the Lucky Devils, the MI stand firm and pour fire into the advancing bugs blocking the hole with several bug bodies stopping the others from breaking ground. Deacon's Destroyers let fly with flame throwers and missiles to take chunks out of the warrior horde, the tide was turning in favour of humanity.

Too late in the day the Arachnid flanking force breaks cover and catches Baldwin's B*stards in the flank, the Tanker Bug roasting three of the MI before the rest fled over the crest seeking support from the other squads. But time had run out, the perimeter was secured.

A second victory to the MI.

With round 2 complete the Luck Devils contiue to lead the way, with Deacon's Destroyers making significant ground on second placed Baldwin's B*stards. 

Stay tuned for Round 3 - Rescue.

Can the MI make it three in a row???

Starship Troopers Campaign - Round 1 - Beachhead.

Each player represents a squad from the 24th Mobile Infantry "The Wyverns". You have been recruited following Sky Marshals Dienes request for volunteers to combat the Arachnid treat.

The campaign begins in orbit around Alpha Fennell one of the outer colonies, SICON has identified a concentration of Arachinds, Fleet Orbital bombardments has degraded the bug prescence and it's now time to put boots on the ground and wipe the bugs off the planet.

MI your orders are to kill anything that has more than 2 legs, push further forward clearing the landing zone to create a perimater and destroying bug central at the far end of the table.

5 Players step forward to clear the beachhead, The Wyvern Warriors and Deacon's Destroyers take the high ground over looking the battlefield as other elements push through the centre.

Sensors pick up movement to the front of the MI, the sneaky bugs are attempting to tunnel beneath the advancing squads, a couple of well placed rocket rounds are enough to collapse a number of the tunnels, so far so good and no bugs in sight.

The MI press on, Baldwin's Bastards - Fleet Landing party take the right flank whilst, Nico's Roughnecks the right and the Luck Devils push straight down the centre supported by Deacon's Destroyers, the first bugs appear on the table rushing towards the advancing MI.

BB's secure the high ground, which prompts an immediate bug response with a bug hole breaking to the right and fliers enter the table sweeping down on the Fleet landing party.

It becomes a shooting gallery as all players light up the bugs looking to amass points.....

The Lucky Devils poor fire into the recently discovered bug hole and send a Marauder  unit to support Baldwin's Bastards who between them make short work of several waves of bugs.

Things are really hotting up now, a second bug hole opens up, with the Arachnid ace card - A Tanker Bug !!!!! But a poor initiative throw gives the MI the drop, players rush forward eager to seek the prize of 250 points for downing the beast, Deacon's Destroyers inflect several hits on it's harden shell before the Lucky Devils inflict the final blow, the Marauder Unit sriking home with several rockets.

Meanwhile in the rear Cliff Mites rush out of the rock formations only to be beaten back by rifle fire and flame throwers, giving the Wyvern Warriors some valuable points as Deacon's Destroyers clen up the rest to add to their tally.

Meanwhile Nick's Roughnecks advance steadily down the table, destroying several waves of bugs and beating off several Hopper attacks. There Rep 5 Pathfinder status being the difference in a number of tight encounters.

 

As the mission draws to a close, Baldwin's Bastards have lost a number of troopers and are dragging their fallen comrades from the front line, Nick's Roughnecks creast the hill but are out of grenade range to destroy bug central, which gives an opportunity for the Lucky Devils to seal the hole and bring the game to a close.

A great first encounter with others players signing up to get in on the action.

The bug's suffered from a number of poor initiative rolls, which gave them MI the drop on them on several turns, two random holes appeared but when the location was tested for they were both off table.

Let's see how the MI get on when Mission 2 is rolled out - "Expand the Perimeter"

1st Corps Colonial Troopers - Recon Units

So much for just using up stuff stored in boxes from projects that I never quite got around to finishing....

With my self imposed 3 month deadline about to expire for the Starship Trooper Project, I thought I woud take the opportunity of a few more packs from 1st Corps, from their Colonial Troopers range.

I figured that these recon troopers would be suitable to represent a Mobile Infantry Pathfinder section. Trained and equiped to be the elite of the Mobile Infantry, they are often tasked with ranging ahead of the landing zones to reconnoitre enemy dispositions.

Under the campaign rules there are 8 men in the section, each armed with the Morita assault rifle, Frag Grenades they lack a support weapon like their regular counterparts but are a Rep 5 rather than the regulars Rep 4.

Type	Rep	Move	Close Combat	Armour	Cost	No.	Equipment
Sergeant Trooper	5 5	8” 8"	2xD6 2xD6	None None	65 25	1 7	7 x Morita assault rifles, each trooper supplied with a M902F Frag Grenade.

• MI are issued with a helmet mounted comm link, which allows squad members to communicate the length of the table if in LOS or 24" if not.
• One Trooper can be upgraded to a medic at the cost of 15 pts.
• Each trooper can be upgraded to the M-1A4 Power Suit at a cost of 20 pts each (classing the troopers as protected.)
• Sergeant has the ability to call in off table air support ot artillery if purchased as a support asset.
• One man, One grenade and a whole bunch of bugs.
  Anytime a figure finds himself alone and no friends within 6" and in sight he can choose to use a grenade on himself and the attacking bugs, instead of testing on the being charged table use the Game Over Man Test.

With 5 Infantry sections now complete, It was high time I added an addtional Field Headquarters, to give the MI a little more flexability, it also allowed me to use up the last of the spares.

 

Field Headquarters is made up of a Lieutenant, his Radio Operator and a Sniper.

Type	Rep	Move	Close Combat	Armour	Cost	No.	Equipment
Lieutenant Sniper Radio Operator	5 5 5	8” 8" 8"	2xD6 2xD6 2xD6	None None None	75 55 30	1 1 1	Morita assault rifles, each equiped with a M902F Frag Grenade.

• MI are issued with a helmet mounted comm link, which allows squad members to communicate the length of the table if in LOS or 24" if not.
• Each trooper can be upgraded to the M-1A4 Power Suit at a cost of 20 pts each (classing the troopers as protected.)
• RO has the ability to call in off table air support ot artillery if purchased as a support asset under orders from the Lieutenant or high ranking officer.
• One man, One grenade and a whole bunch of bugs.
  Anytime a figure finds himself alone and no friends within 6" and in sight he can choose to use a grenade on himself and the attacking bugs, instead of testing on the being charged table use the Game Over Man Test.

Sunday night at the Wyvern Wargames club is the offical launch night with at least 6 players looking to kill bugs and become citizen's stay tuned if you would like to know more. 

 

I just hope the first outing lives up to expectations........

Starship Troopers - Go Fleet!

What started out as a small side project seems to have grown into quite a winter project, I thought I would give a little variety to the SICON forces and give the bugs someone else to chase around the board.

Using 1st Corps Colonial Troopers by giving them a darker paint scheme they are perfect to represent a Fleet Landing party. Familiar to Troopers as the iron hand that keeps them quiet while on board cruisers, Fleet Landing Parties are the security personnel that handle hostile situations on alien worlds.

For the forthcoming campaign over at the Wyvern Wargames club, I have opted for a mix of the original Mongoose Publishing rules and Two Hour Wargames - Chain Reaction rule set, this should give me the right balance between skirmish and campaign rules.

Each landing party unit will consist of the following.

A senior ensign and seven ensigns. 
Each armed with the Morita assault rifle, Frag Grenades and supported by a ensign armed with the MW206 Derringer Auto Cannon.

Type	Rep	Move	Close Combat	Armour	Cost	No.	Equipment
S Ensign Ensign Hvy Weapon Ensign	4 4 4	8” 8" 8"	2xD6 2xD6 2xD6	None None None	55 15 30	1 6 1	7 x Morita assault rifles, 1 MW206 Derringer Auto Cannon, each trooper supplied with a M902F Frag Grenade.

• FLP are issued with a helmet mounted comm link, which allows squad members to communicate the length of the table if in LOS or 24" if not.
• One ensign can be upgraded to a medic at the cost of 15 pts.
• Senior Ensign has the ability to call in off table air support or Fleet bombardment if purchased as a support asset and a Radio communication channel is available.
• One man, One grenade and a whole bunch of bugs.
  Anytime a figure finds himself alone and no friends within 6" and in sight he can choose to use a grenade on himself and the attacking bugs, instead of testing on the being charged table use the Game Over Man Test.

175 Points to help defend the federation and drive back the bugs......

Would you like to know more..... 

Starship Troopers - Cliff Mites and Incubation Nests

Every bug needs a home....
These Cliff Mites are a useful addition to the Arachnid forces, the first campaign game is less that a month away, I aways paint better with a goal to aim for.

Originally in the CGI series rather than the movie, they seem to fit in well with the general look and feel of my vision for the game. Originally by Mongoose Publishing they are now available by Rebel Mins in the US under the name of Terror Mites.


Small and rugged these forward observers of the Arachnid army are often sent to prepare the way for new tunneling projects, also useful for ambushing any MI troopers who venture to close to any rock formation.

Ultimately I will based them on some Warbase bases to protect the paint work on the limbs, but a rust under coat and a few ink washes and they were ready to go.

I also finished the Incubantion nests from Wargames Terrain Workshop, which I picked up from Minicon a few weeks back, I opted for a desert effect to blend them into my existing collection.

Starship Troopers - Hopper Bugs

Variety is the spice of life or so I am told, can the same be said of wargaming?

One week Russo-Japanese War, the next week Starship Troopers, at least I have not yet combined them into one project that would be just plain weird....

I picked up a box of these from the now OOP Mongoose line several years ago and their they sat on the shelf until the roll out of the new project. The game promises to be a fun club game, ala Zulu with hordes of bugs rushing across the table looking to close with the the well armed but out numbered Mobile Infantry units, it all goes fine until someone losses their bottle.

Although they are simple in design, they looked like a bugger to paint, all legs and wings, hence lying dormant on the to do pile.
 

Now I may have mentioned on a few forums I was on the look out for bugs, several years after everybody else tired of the project. Then a fellow collector "Ghost Panzer" came to my rescue willing to part with part of his collection to aid my cause. 

All ready painted and tabletop ready....
God bless the internet and paypal....

A lovely paint job and a perfect fit for my own collection, now just the challange of painting my own box set to the same standard and palette.

The Hooper's dwarf my MI and should provide the bug forces with a fast strike force to keep the Federation guessing as they stand off and knock chunks out of regular warrior bugs as they crawl out of their various big holes.

The war for mankind just got a whole lot harder.....

Starship Troopers AAR #1 Welcome to Hell

The war against the alien menace of the Arachnid Empire is going badly for humanity and for the first time in history it looks like the entire species is heading for extinction. The only thing standing in the way of the advancing bug hordes are the brave men and women of the Mobile Infantry and Fleet.
An all out attack on our home world left tens of millions of citizens dead in the rubble of what was once the beautiful city of Buenos Aires, and now as we face our greatest threat, it is up to each and every one of us to stand fi rm and give no quarter, and put our faith and trust in the men and women of our armed forces.

Sky Marshal Dienes. Address to the Federation on the eve of the Klendathu drop

Klendathu surface.
D+0:15 Minutes
 

Echo Squad of the 173rd Invasion Company have landed badly on the planet surface of Klendathu and have become separated from the rest of the invasion force at Drop Zone Charlie. To compound matters their lieutenant has been killed during the drop and they are without a command structure. The squad is down its sergeant and now troopers on their very first drop into hostile territory must do what they can to survive until help arrives.

A platoon from Hanford Greys have picked up the distress signal sent out by Echo Squad and are on their way to help. Unfortunately for Echo Squad, bugs have antenna which can pick up and hone in on transmissions and their location has been detected. Now in a race against time Hanford's Greys must reach Echo Squad to escort them to the extraction point, before they are swamped by the approaching bugs massing on their perimeter.

Things go badly for the MI from the get go, hardly out of their deployment zone and a bug hole erupts in front of them. Many of the MI failed to react to the sudden appearance of the bugs and were unable to fire on the bugs before they closed with Hanford's Infantry.

Fortunately the lead units were experimental Exo-suits, their protective shells saved them from the razor sharp claws slashing at their suits, the bugs were put down by rapid Morita fire. Hanford breathed a sigh of relief. This was going to be one tough mission.

Meanwhile Echo squad faced off against a swarm of advancing Arachnids rushing towards their human prey. Echo squads rushed training had not prepared them for what they were facing (Rep 3) and they fired early and high.

Rescue force reorgansied throwing more troopers into the front line, to give them a clear fire zone.

The FedNet Reporter looked on giving a live stream of events back to Terra.

Hanford send first section forward to rescue Echo Squad, whilst a Javalin missile launcher collapses an approching Bug tunnel, before it can release it's deadly content.

1st section rush forward, on the look out for any approching Arachnids.

Menwhile echo squad were having a tough time of it, several bugs had been killed, but the bugs got ever closer, they just could not bring enough fire to bear, as the bugs closed, trooper Chang thought it was high time he would try out his M902F Frag grenade after all that's what they gave it to him for!!!

Chang unpins the grenade but drops the bloody thing at his feet, catching the full blast and making himself obviously dead, his fellow troopers duck back, for a few seconds the firing line is broken.

The bugs close with the still dazed troopers tearing a number of them limb from limb, 1st section moves fast in a frantic effort to support their beleagured colleagues, howver they soon had their own troubles as bugs appeared on either flank, mean while at the extraction zone, things are hotting up with a futher surge of bugs begins to press the defenders holding the line.

The Longbow Missile Launcher finds it's range and takes chunks of the advancing bugs.

After a number of frantic rounds whereby the MI finally won the activation round, the pressure was easing on the Federation, the remaining members of Echo squad had met up with, 1st Section and their combined firepower had driven off the waves of bugs sent against them, when suddenly the ground breaks open and another bug hole rips open. The bugs shrieked seeing the humans shoulder drop.

12 bugs pour out, many catching the troopers by surprise. the bugs faced with targets to their front and rear rush out in all directions which probably saved Echo Squad and it's rescuers from being wiped out to a man.

Man vs is Bug is no contest and several troopers are ripped apart, but the bug has one weakness it likes to dismember it's prey before seeking out it's next victim, the dead troopers brought their comrades valuable seconds to pour fire into the feasting bugs, now a bug vs a TW203a Morita Assault Rifle is a contest that the bug won't win....

The game draws to a close, the scarfice of many had aided the Mobile Infantry to win the day, that and a shed load of bullets, Missiles and Flame throwers.....

Hanford looked over the battefield and then at his watch, D+0:28 Minutes, less than 15 minutes had passed, this was nothing like boot camp.

This is the first in a number of linked campaign games following the exploits of Hanford's Grey's. I plan on using CR3 from Two Hour Wargames, with the traits and weapon detail from the Starship Troopers Miniatures game. 

As an initial play test it followed really well, after the second turn there was very little need to refer to the rule book, the bugs are tough the MI need to throw down alot of fire to slow their advance, support weopons such as the flame thrower and missile launcher are the key to keeping the bug at bay.

The tunnel generation rules need a little work to increase the random element and we increased the Missile fire power half way through to improve the MI lot a little.

All in all it was a lot of fun surprisingly there were only ever 24 bugs on the table at any one time, it felt like a lot more......