Spanish Plan to Conquer China

A crazy idea but neat idea for a miniature campaign 

The Best & Worst Fictional Flags & Emblems | Incoming

This is something I'm working on, the top is the national flag, the rest are units

Naming Your Interstellar Empire | Incoming

Mecha Monday: Drachen WHISPER

The Drachen WHISPER is a product of the Draconian War. The combined forces of both rebel Draconians and outlaw pirates in the opening weeks of the war were tough and driven fighters. They had taken over a dozen city-states, and then moved on one of the larger population centers. They completely overran the city-state of New Berlin in a matter of hours.

Out of the chaos, a group of four WHISPERs were able to fight a prolonged three-hour engagement with the pirates, buying enough time for more civilians to evacuate the city's confined streets. These WHISPERs were the first sighting of the Drachen. Two of the pilots were killed in action, with the remaining pair escaping to the wastelands leading to the southern marshes.

Once there, they made contact with troops from Alsafi. Their pilots and maintenance crew revealed they had the entire production program and design specifications for the Drachen in hand. They promised to give Alsafi's governor, Dumas, and troops the specifications for mass fabrication, on one condition; the design was to be shared with their neighboring city-states as well.

When Governor Dumas balked, the commander of the local defense regiment rebuked him and personally deposed the governor. Dumas then fled to the rebels and became a leader in their organization. Meanwhile, First Colonel Petruch took the mantle as Warden of Alsafi until the people could hold a new election. He accepted the terms of the pilots. He then transferred the plans to every other local defense commander of the remaining free city-states.

By the time that the rebels' next offensive was opened on Alsafi, a formidable force of 78 Drachens had been assembled. Led by Warden Petruch and several senior marshals, they were able to destroy 15 enemy WHISPERs, damage a dozen more, and force the rebels and outlaws back across the desert.

The Drachen would remain as the mainstay of the free Draconians for the remaining year and a half of the war. Although in some places the design was stolen and reused by the outlaws, the Draconian militia were quick to find such outlier machines and destroy them posthaste, wanting to keep the design from being used against them or escaping the planet to the galaxy beyond.

Today, the Drachen remains a capable WHISPER, a testament to the ingenuity of the original creator. Its construction is similar in some respects to the Kyzaghan, melding polymer muscle fiber bundles with hydraulically powered components to give it greater strength while easing maintenance and repairs.

The design was made specifically for Sigma Draconis' desert, savannahs, and more tropical southern hemisphere. Its feet are wider, allowing for better weight displacement on soft sand and soil that would otherwise bog the pilot down. Like the Cutter WHISPER and other first and second generation WHISPERs, the cockpit is located directly underneath the sensor head, allowing the pilot to eject in the event of an emergency. Meanwhile, a miniaturized early fourth-generation Tiggs-Dyson generator gives the Drachen a near unlimited range on the planet surface.

The downside to the design is that it is a ground-only combatant, with only a pair of vernier thrusters allowing it to complete a few short boosted jumps to scale higher heights. Otherwise, the Drachen requires an extended backpack containing additional vernier thrusters and fuel for prolonged space combat.

Most standard issued Drachens are armed with a 100mm high-velocity smoothbore cannon, although a percentage were found to be equipped with a directed-energy weapon system. The Drachen's DEW was dubbed the D-72-16 'Pyro'. Designed with an 16-centimeter aperture, it was capable of a rapid 10-shot burst, each pulse 'amassing' 72 kilojoules' worth of energy. The Pyro's 'barrel' is a shroud that protects the internal aperture from being covered in mud, sand, or rain while in combat, ensuring reliable operation. There are also recorded instances where the weapon could have an internal safety disabled and fire bursts of up to 25 shots in rapid succession as a suppressive measure, although this rapidly overheated the weapon and was used more in last-ditch stands than as a standard combat tactic.

The rarest DEW deployed with Drachens was the D-110-25, or 'Lightning' DEW. Reverse engineered from a half dozen varying corvettes' armaments, this massive shoulder-mounted beam weapon could employ a 20-shot burst of 110 kilojoules in 0.4 seconds. The energy output alone required that it have a direct connection to the Drachen's generator to be discharged and recharged, and later models employed a separate generator in a backpack installation to allow the machine to maneuver while firing. A true one-shot-kill weapon, it was known for carving through three main battle tanks in heated combat scenarios, and Lightning Drachens scored kills on a dozen corvettes in atmosphere.

Today's Drachen has been updated and modified as the decades have passed, and preliminary findings from the Martian Conglomerate and the Federation both estimate that a Drachen is still a medium-priority threat to even third and fourth-generation WHISPERs.

The Draconian pilots, many trained under the very veterans that kept their planet from falling into chaos, are never to be underestimated.

Board The Berserker!

I figured as I have a few sets of the old Space Hulk tiles and others, that I should be able to simulate the interior of one of the Berserkers. Then have the human attack shuttles and breaching craft land and fight off the robotic guard. This would be a sort of capture the flag scenario with several player/teams taking part, first to capture the core wins.

Building on the old Starship Marine ideas: Starship Marines

I've been kicking this idea around for a few years and have managed to get enough
Robots (clankers) to pull it off!

Some earlier ideas:
Exterminator AKA Berserker Warmachine

GZGs Verse

Back in the late 90s (Gods has it been that long...lol) we would run a campaign using all three GZGs systems, we'd start out fighting for system control with Full Thrust, then do a pre-landing (Special Ops) mission with Stargrunt in 25s, then run the main planetary invasion/defense with Dirtside in 6mm, the advent of 15mm troops lets me cut out a step or two.....Thank you Jon (and others) for adding to the addiction ! This is what was used to run the campaign: This is the current Full Thrust/Stargrunt II astropolitical map, showing all the currently assigned empires, canonical and non-canonical. It is in *.gif format. This map will be subject to frequent updates, so be sure to check the "last modified" date at the top. It is based on Map 2. Note that it says "non-canonical" at the top.
http://www.projectrho.com/ft/ftmap2.html

A Tanker's Tuesday Happy New Year!

Wanted to take a few moments to express my gratitude to everyone that has
stopped by here this past year. I also wish to that everyone has a great new year,
full of fun a exciting games. My plans for the forth coming year is to complete my
Stargrunt/Apocalypse tables for the mega -game this summer....wish me luck!

TJOTMS, Ep 18: Arrival - Battle of Apache Canyon

Well They've gone and done it!  Hats off boys great game and the lead up was to die for!

From The Major:

*The big weekend finally arrived. We played 8 games (7 connected) games and it really lived up to everything I thought it would....* *Background* After fighting her way across Sector Six and beyond, the KCS Mary Shelley has finally arrived at her goal, New Texas: the source of teleportium and possibly the key to galactic wide instantaneous galactic wide teleportation. (see all previous posts labeled "Voyages of the Mary Shelly") Unfortunately, not only is the planet engulfed in a brutal Civil War, but the sworn enemy of Colores, the 4th Reich, has also sent a warship to New Texas.

Big weekend!

Madasahatta Campaign

Eric Knowles was one of the pioneers of British wargaming, and his recent death marks the passing of one more member of that small group that made British wargaming what it is today. This book is dedicated to his memory, and particularly the Madasahatta Campaign, the long-running First World War Colonial wargame campaign that he ran

Madasahatta Campaign

Holiday Greetings From The FPPR

Back To Our Beginnings Мой друг? (My Friend?)

Tanker's Tuesday : Part III The Tank Lists (NRE)

My generic (Gray Army) bad guys, Neo Basileia ton Rhomaioi or (NRE)
They are basically anything but American from WWII to modern:

T72  26 Each
T64 10 Each
T62/T55 55 Each
T34/85 60 Each
JSIII  10 Each
PT76 12 Each
Leo II  20 Each
Leo IIA2  20 Each
Leo 1A6 36 Each
Leo I 38 Each
Jadopanzer Kanone  44 Each
Panzer I and II 33 Each
Panzer III  33 Each
Panzer IV  44 Each
Panther 20 Each
Tiger I  20 Each
Tiger II 20 Each
Stug III/IV  40 Each
AMX 30  39 Each
Type  61  23 Each
Type 45 16 Each
Centurion 10 Each
Conqueror 10 Each
Churchill 10 Each  
Merkava  10 each

The Governor General of Sector Six: Jericho Anchorage

The Governor General of Sector Six: Jericho Anchorage: For at least 4000 years, Jericho Anchorage has been in orbit over the Sub-Sector capital of Rentlaw.  Basically, as long as records have be...

Love the ideas this man comes up with!!!!

20Th GZG EEC

GZG EEC AAR

Q&A pt1: 15mm Sci-fi Gaming Campaign

Published on 12 Feb 2017 by Mech Head studios.  This video is intended to begin the discussion of a possible summer gaming campaign for the 15mm Sci-fi Gaming group on Facebook. If you're a miniature wargamer please feel free to watch and voice your thoughts as well. Here's a link to the Facebook group:
15mm Sci-fi Gaming Campaign

15mm Sci-fi Gaming Summer Campaign Announcement!!

Published on 12 Feb 2017 by Mech Head studios.  This video is intended to begin the discussion of a possible summer gaming campaign for the 15mm Sci-fi Gaming group on Facebook. If you're a miniature wargamer please feel free to watch and voice your thoughts as well. Here's a link to the Facebook group:
15mm Sci-fi Gaming Campaign

EXTERMINATOR : aka Berserker Warmachine?

Navy Technology Analysis Section - Technical Report

Hostile Super Battleship

Codename EXTERMINATOR

Background

Following the recent operations in Quadrant 7, combined with survivors' reports from Quadrants 5 and 6, it is clear that humanity is facing an entirely new military threat from a fleet of hostile super battleships. The Second Battle of 116AL provided the Earther Fleet with its first intact example of a component of one of these new threat vessels, codenamed exterminator.

General Structure

The unit captured at 116AL is a hyperspace-capable unmanned warship, controlled by a sophisticated alien AI unit at its core.  These individual units are code-named VIKING.

The diagram below was an initial scan, based on a first contact with Exterminators (much more is now know about them):

       
 The unit has 5 operational decks, plus two pacifier bays, each of which houses one of the hi-performance SHADOW class hostile pacifiers. Further analysis indicates that the unit has at least 4 access tubes that connect when the VIKING is connected with its companion units for form the full-sized Exterminator. The Viking unit has 4 PAD-equivalents, and 8 HELL- equivalents, and 16 lighter energy weapons for close-in defense. The internal deck structure is as follows:

       
 From the long range scans obtained in battle, together with an analysis obtained from the captured unit, it appears that these units are able to lock together to form a larger unit - the full-sized Exterminator. From our initial projections, 6 VIKING units fit together for form a full exterminator.  This makes the exterminator approximately 4 or 5 times the size of our largest interstellar-capable navy battleship.   We have come up with the following projected schematic for a full-sized exterminator:

       
 Each Viking supports 1 or 2 high performance pacifier class ships, codenamed SHADOW.  These consistently outperform our paicifers, being capable of over 10g manoevering.  They have limited types of armament, however, being equipped only with HELL.  The Exterminators don' seem to use missiles (or indeed vary their weapon options at all).  This means that the complete ESB will have 10 or 12 SHADOWS - quite a potent force, probably equivalent to the striking power of a Carrier.

SHADOW CLASS EXTERMINATOR PACIFIER

---

ORIGINS

We have no clues as to the origin or mission profile for these hostiles.  So far, the Exterminators have sought out colonised planets, and destroyed all ships and installations, and as far as possible killed all inhabitants.  Death toll throughout human space is hundreds of  millions of men, women and children to date.   Initial evidence is that the VIKING unit is not designed for organic life to operate, although there was some evidence of some sort of disused briefing room on the captured VIKING unit (codenamed PATEL after the marine commander who captured it .  This may be part of an initial programming or setting up system.  There was a playback system built in, but we have not yet deciphered how to make it function.  There are indications from other captured units that the PATEL unit is not necessarily a typical unit. It may be that there are organic life forms on the main unit, and that it is their practice to use robots and automation extensively (like a number of human cultures).  Until a full-sized exterminator is captured, this cannot be confirmed.              Currently, we estimate that there are at least 10 of the full sized exterminator ships attacking human space at widely spaced points.

---

STATISTICS

VIKING :
HSD.
Fusion power plant.  
4 PAD
8 HELL of which up to 8 can bear at once.
16 light energy weapons
2 x SHADOW class pacifiers
No crew.
approx 200 combat capable maintenance robots ('CLANKERS')
approx 20 weapon armed combat-capable robots (about the equivalent of our Combat Robots) EXTERMINATOR SUPER BATTLESHIP
6 x VIKING units interconnected.
estimated up to 72 heavy energy weapons, of which 40 can bear at once.
estimated up to 10 or 12 SHADOW class high performance pacifiers
estimated 1200 combat capable maintenance robots (CLANKERS)
estimated 120 weapon armed combat-capable robots.

---

UPDATE 3200: Exterminator Modus Operandi - Frequently Asked Questions How fast do the Exterminators travel from the system M25 to the colony? Hence, how much warning do we get? As far as you are aware, the main units have never exceeded 1g, although you know their Shadows can do 10g.  It may be that this limit is somehow hard-wired into their systems because as far a analysis of captured equipment indicates, they are physically capable of higher accelerations. This means between 2-10 days warning depending on the size of the M25 and the quality of in-system detection systems. At the end of 3200, a number of Exterminators exhibited the capability to accelerate at up to 2g - but it is believed that these ships were destroyed at the Battle of Tuskan. Do they engage defending ships and the system HSTS immediately; or try to go directly to the colony avoiding combat? There is evidence of both tactics.  The most common tactic is to find and destroy the HSTS first, then close in destroying ships and orbital installations before starting on the colony itself. What do they do at the colony: invade it, bombard it, or what? Bombard with high energy weapons from orbit - sometimes landing 'clanker' forces and giant 'super tanks' to winkle out deeply dug in defenders. Having destroyed a colony, what does the Exterminator do next? Do they loot it, or just leave? As far as we can see there is nothing left to loot after the bombardment.  It seems they just leave once satisfied that the colony has been destroyed. ADDITIONAL:  Further evidence shows that they tend to destroy all intelligent life - that is humans - or any other creatures they think might be capable of evolving intelligence.  This has, in the case of the destruction of Dyme, involved the extermination of a species of small aquatic mammals. I get the impression that the Exterminators usually operate in pairs of 'super battleships'. Is that correct? The indications are that currently the majority of ESB encounters have been pairs - but they have also been encountered singly and even in threes. ADDITIONAL:  Further analysis indicates that they seem to have operated in pairs until one of the pair is destroyed or disabled, when they sometimes link up with an existing pair. ADDIITONAL 2:  Later research indicates that ESBs have been operating singly as well - though most initial contacts were of pairs. ADDITIONAL 3:  Latest reports indicate a Second Wave composed of small groups of VIKING units. ADDITIONAL 4: Recent combat reports from RED SPOT indicate a single fleet of 10 (ten) or more ESBs. (subsequently mostly destroyed at Tuskan).  Is it possible to tell when a planet was destroyed by an ESB? It might be.  The database has yet to be established, but scientists in a Survey Ship or specially commissioned research vessel might be able to work it out, given some time to study the problem. Ordinary warships or merchant ships would not be able to do this.  (Note:  The Earthers are currently conducting just such an investigation under Operation POST MORTEM - see below) ADDITIONAL:  The Earther Government in Q7 developed the Gratermass protocol, which can calculate the date of destruction of a system.
Welcome to The Universe
EXTERMINATOR

GZGs Kra' Vak Acquisition (Up Date)

 

Brazos Evil Empire: GZGs Kra' Vak Acquisition:              

I've always wanted to pick up a Kra' Vak army...

 

I let Jon at GZGs know my order arrived today about

noon, all present and correct.

 

His reply: Hi Don - wow, that WAS fast, even for FedEx -

less than 24 hours door-to-door, they picked it up from

here yesterday afternoon at about 4pm UK time!

Enjoy building all the K'V force…. there will be some

infantry Heavy Weapons coming out for them soon,

hopefully this side of Christmas.

 

It looks like FedEx has access to Jon's wormhole! 

GZGs Kra' Vak Acquisition

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've always wanted to pick up a Kra' Vak army so I placed a good

sized order to Jon at Ground Zero Games 

 

 6 EACH  V15-32A

 6 EACH  V15-31A

 3 EACH  V15-33A

 3 EACH  V15-34A

 3 EACH  V15-81A 

 2 EACH  SG15-K16

 1 EACH  SG15-K15

 1 EACH  SG15-K14

 3 EACH  SG15-K13

 3 EACH  SG15-K12

 3 EACH  SG15-K11

 3 EACH  SG15-K10 

 3 EACH  SG15-K01 

 3 EACH  SG15-K02

 3 EACH  SG15-K03

 1 EACH  SG15-K05 

Kra'Vak Design Doctrine.  By David D. Taylor:

The Kra'Vak use a doctrine of a 4 soldier element unit known as a claw. Most fists consist of 2 claws and a commander, with specialist elements consisting of only one claw and commander. The basic Kra'Vak force is based on a fist of two four man claws with a leader. The second claw can function independently as detached units while the Fist Overseer remains with the first claw giving the platoon a very flexible force. It is a matter of pride with most arms that the first combat fist is made up of the oldest and most experienced warriors (veterans). Normally the Last fist is made up of the inexperienced, new recruits (greens). This same convention is used by all platoons with the difference that the power armour and scout recruits have proven themselves in the combat platoon and the lowest rating will be regular with the first squad being elite. The rest of the squads will be veteran.

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The standard ground combat arm consists of the command fist, six combat fists, and two augmented weapons fists. It will also have a sniper and a Sia'Na as an independent figure. The Sia'Na will attach themselves to the command fist. Both the standard power armour arm and standard scout arm consist of the command fist and four combat fists. The standard power armour is classed as fast and heavy. The scout arm also is trained to act as forward observers for artillery strikes. They will always have enough Kr'Gak riding beasts attached for every member of the arm. They are trained to fight both from the back of the Kr'Gak and dismounted as dragoons.

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It is not uncommon for a combat arm to be mechanized with the addition of 9 Tu'Ha light ICVs. The movement rate of the power armour precludes the need for transport in the combat arena, and the stealth benefits of the Kr'Gak would be undermined by having vehicles attached to them. There may also be one or two Ha'Iv main battle tanks and as much as a fist of Sia'Kol Infantry Walker infantry walkers.

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The basic rifle for the Kra'Vak foot soldier is the Ra'Sak gauss rifle. This weapon is configured to fire shot bursts of up to four 4-mm sabots at very high velocity. The limit is to prevent a soldier in the grips of Ro'Kah from emptying the weapon in a single uncontrolled burst. In game terms it is a firepower 2 impact D12 weapon.

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The Da'Sak Gauss Machine Gun is a larger, fully automatic weapon firing an 8mm armour piercing sabot. It is often used with a giro-stabilized frame. It is a support firepower D10 impact D12 weapon.

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The Va'Sak gauss tank killer is the standard anti-armour weapon. It consists of 3 fixed barrels and a fourth sabot in a chamber in the center of the weapon that is cycled into the first chamber after it is fired. The sabot is a 40mm ferrous iron jacketed spent uranium armour piercing shell with a shaped charge behind it to drive it further into the target upon impact. In game terms it as a 4 shot IAVR firepower D10 impact D12* weapon. While the weapon cannot be reloaded on the battlefield it is not considered disposable and is carried with the soldier for as long as is possible. For long term deployments extra, loaded Va'Saks can be carried in the Tu'Ha and can be exchanged by spending an action in contact with the ICV.

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The general sniper rifle in use is the Ki'Sak. It is a single shot gauss rifle firing a 25mm armour-piercing sabot. Support firepower D10 impact D12

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Independent Characters

Sia'Na: The presence of a Sia'Na on the battlefield can have a calming effect to all the forces on the field. Like a command unit a Sia'Na can pass his activation on to other units. Like a command unit his one activation will give the next unit two actions. The limitations is that they can only be used to take a morale check or pass on down the line. A failed check in this action will not negatively affect the squad's morale. The normal morale check will still risk lowering the morale as per the normal rules. The squad can improve its morale 2 levels by passing both tests. It is possible to have more then one Sia'Na attached to a platoon for special operations. Because of the rarity of the Sia'Na it is all but unheard of to have one attached to each fist. To do so for one Arm would use more then half the available Sia'Nas for the entire body.

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Sniper: The sniper is always an Elite. The need for them to work alone, close to or behind, the enemy lines requires they have the greatest possible control over Ro'Kah.

Confidence Levels:
At Confident (CO) a unit may make any actions that are normally available to it.
At STEADY (ST) They are unable to transfer actions.
At SHAKEN (SH) a unit may not enter cover or retreat from an enemy unless it passes a REACTION TEST.
At BROKEN (BR) a unit must use one of its actions to advance towards the nearest enemy. They may not go into position. If they are fired upon they we immediately drop to routed.
At ROUTED (RO) the unit must use both its actions to attempt to close assault the nearest enemy unit. If they fail both reactions tests passed from a Sia'Na they will close assault the nearest unit regardless if it's friend or foe. If the Sia'Na that transferred the action is within close assault range they will assault that unit even if there is one closer.

************************

Kra'Vak Physiology

Zha'Vak has a very thin ozone layer, as a result the Kra'Vak are much less susceptible to radiation then humans. The low level radiation form spent uranium munitions as well as low level dirty nukes do not have any major effect on them.

The Kra'Vak Physiology is somewhat redundant. With the exception of the brain they have at least 2 organs to perform every task. This mixed with a dermis that is on average two to three times tougher then a human's and you have a very tough creature. Even though they wear Partial Light armour they are considered Full-Suit Light armour (D8)

The Kra'Vak hip and knee joint does not allow it to sit in what humans would consider a comfortable position. In their resting state they crouch. The seating in all vehicles is similar to a high performance motorcycle with the addition of a padded plate to rest their chest on. There are also braces on the calf and the small of the back to hold them in place during zero-g or rough maneuvering.

************************

Progression of Command Levels:
Team = Claw
Squad = Fist
Platoon = Arm
Company = Body
Battalion = War Family
Regiment = War Clan

Basic Ground Combat Arm: (Normal Troops on Foot: movement 6)

Command Fist: (9 men at full strength)

Arm Overseer with Ra'Sak gauss rifle

************************

First Claw
Claw Overseer with Ra'Sak gauss rifle
Communications Specialist with Ra'Sak gauss rifle
Rifleman with Ra'Sak gauss rifle
Rifleman with Ra'Sak gauss rifle

************************

Second Claw
Claw Overseer with Ra'Sak gauss rifle
Rifleman with Ra'Sak gauss rifle
Rifleman with Ra'Sak gauss rifle
Da'Sak Gauss Machine Gunner

************************

The command Fist has a sniper with a Ki'Sak gauss sniper rifle and a Sia'Na with Ra'Sak gauss rifle attached.

************************

Basic Combat Fist: (9 men at full strength)

Fist Overseer with Ra'Sak gauss rifle
First Claw
Claw Overseer with Ra'Sak gauss rifle
Rifleman with Ra'Sak gauss rifle
Rifleman with Ra'Sak gauss rifle
Da'Sak Gauss Machine Gunner

Second Claw
Claw Overseer with Ra'Sak gauss rifle
Rifleman with Ra'Sak gauss rifle
Rifleman with Ra'Sak gauss rifle
Va'Sak Gauss Tank Killer

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Augmented Weapons Fist: (9 men at full strength)

Fist Overseer with Ra'Sak gauss rifle
First Claw
Claw Overseer with Ra'Sak gauss rifle
Da'Sak Gauss Machine Gunner
Da'Sak Gauss Machine Gunner
Da'Sak Gauss Machine Gunner
Second Claw
Claw Overseer with Ra'Sak gauss rifle
Va'Sak Gauss Tank Killer
Va'Sak Gauss Tank Killer
Va'Sak Gauss Tank Killer

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Power armour Arm (Fast Power armour: Movement 12)

Command Fist: (5 men at full strength)

Arm Overseer
Claw
Rifleman with Ra'Sak gauss rifle
Rifleman with MLP and with Ra'Sak gauss rifle
Communications Specialist with Ra'Sak gauss rifle
Da'Sak Gauss Machine Gunner

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Powered Combat Fist: (5 men at full strength)

Fist Overseer with Ra'Sak gauss rifle
Claw
Rifleman with Ra'Sak gauss rifle
Rifleman with Ra'Sak gauss rifle
Rifleman with MLP and with Ra'Sak gauss rifle
Da'Sak Gauss Machine Gunner

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Scout Arm (Very Light Troops: Movement 8)

Command Fist: (5 men at full strength)

Arm Overseer with Ra'Sak gauss rifle
Claw
Rifleman with Ra'Sak gauss rifle
Rifleman with Ra'Sak gauss rifle
Rifleman with Ra'Sak gauss rifle
Communications Specialist with Ra'Sak gauss rifle
Five Kr'Gak Riding Beasts Attached (Movement 10)
Scout Combat Fist: (5 men at full strength)

Fist Overseer
Claw
Rifleman with Ra'Sak gauss rifle
Rifleman with Ra'Sak gauss rifle
Rifleman with Ra'Sak gauss rifle
Rifleman with Ra'Sak gauss rifle
Five Kr'Gak Riding Beasts Attached

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Kra'Vak Vehicles:

The basic design doctrine is very simple; vehicles are designed to fit a specific role as well as possible. The idea is to mix different specialized vehicles to best meet any eventuality. A commander can achieve great renowned by coming up with unusual ways to combine resource to accent the unit's strengths and overcome its limits.

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Sia'Kol Infantry Walker
The Sia'Kol is unusual in that it is a 6 legged walker. It is usually meant to fill the place of the Tu'HA for the Power armoured fists. It is also the only vehicle in common use that is not GRAV based. (I use a Reaper CAV scorpion figure)

Class 1 Vehicle, Infantry Walker Mobility, Armour Value 1, 1x Class 2 Gauss Cannon in Fixed Mount, Gauss Machine Gun (SAW)

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Tu'Ha light ICV
This is the standard workhorse of the Kra'Vak mechanized infantry. It is meant to support the disembarked infantry agents other foot soldiers and has a very limited anti-vehicle capability. The 10-man capacity allows for the addition of a sniper or other Independent Character. If there is no 10th soldier then the space can be used to carry 2 extra Va'Sak Gauss Tank Killers. The Va'Sak soldier must spend an action in contact with the back of the vehicle with the vehicle stopped to swap weapons.

Class 3 Vehicle, Armour Value 3, Grav Mobility, 10 Units of Infantry Transport, 2x Class 1 Gauss Cannon in Turret Mount

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Ha'Iv main battle tanks
This is the most common Kra'Vak vehicle seen on the battlefield. It is a vary capable tank mounting a very large main gun. It suffers in that it does not have the flexibility to adapt to changes in the battlefield that some human designs have. This can be seen as a limit with most of the Kra'Vak vehicles.

Class 3 Vehicle, Armour Value 3, Grav Mobility, 1x Class 5 Gauss Cannon in Turret Mount

Chris Kemp's Not Quite Mechanised......Saving it from 404 (part 2)

NQM Summer Holiday Toy Soldier Campaign

Phil Steele's and my Russians pour over the Steppes like rats. The German recce looks worried.

                                     Bombastia  VS.  Lesser Kingdom of Munch (2008)

In 2006, I ran a largely solo refight of Stalingrad on one table. It worked well, so for 2007, I may try something like this again - a battle limited to one tabletop. This is handy, as I can leave my wargames table set up. It represents the border between the Empire of Bombastia, and the Lesser Kingdom of Munch for control of Oilfields. This year the two armies have decided that the border is disputed, and worth fighting to a standstill over. 

My battles follow the spirit  of Lilliput and Brogdignab, but for a real example of a pointless war such as this, look at the Iran-Iraq war over the Shatt-Al_Arab. There might be scope for a whole fictional campaign set in the 1930s. I'm sure that the Italians and Germans would want to get involved in the area of Turkey, in support of Bombastia and that Persia and Syria would be fought over. If oil is involved, America would be in there somewhere too. 

 

Don Maddox's splendid take on the Bombastian army, full of the latest modern armour based on scientific principles of war. Happily, Indiana Jones is nowhere to be seen! © Don Maddox (2008)

The Border Incident at Hill 1  2007

An unruly bunch of Munchkin Peasants attack the Bombastian border post at Hill 1 - allegedly. Perhaps it was due to the unremitting shelling, and loud Oompah band music that they had suffered over Spring, perhaps oil prices were low. The Empire decided that It's dignity had been affronted, and war was declared. Imperial American Allies attacked over the border, to be met by the Tan Border Guard Regiment. The war had begun. 

What follows are a series of comments illustrating the way that the battle was fought, some variations to the rules to make a campaign in such a confined space work, and general comments as the mood dictates.

1. After every move, I roll 1d6 to see if a new box of troops can come on, on a roll of a 6. Boxes are forced off the table when they fall below half strength, and fail a morale test.
2. Ranges are much truncated. Infantry fire one Thumb (Tip to second joint at base of thumb [the two metacarpals], 3" in my case). Tanks fire one Finger Span (6"). Field Artillery , two (12"), and Medium Artillery , three (18"). Heavy Artillery fire  four spans (24").
3. Instead of ammunition dice, if any stand rolls a 1, they are out of ammunition until resupplied. I save ammunition dice for heavy Artillery, and mark stands that are out of ammunition with an ammo marker. I still use artillery dice for Fortress guns and Heavy Tanks (yes, I do own one!)
4. If you really want to get through a game quickly, you can play 1 pip kills a stand. Casualties mount up at three times the normal rate. Great if you have lots of toys waiting for their turn to play.

Usually this game is played solo, but if friends drop round, they are usually invited to play a turn or so, as time permits.

Have Fun!

"Our pride of the Munchkin Armoured Cavalry and envy of civilised nations  is the Char 2C."

                                                                                                                                    General Christophorus Ager 1939 -Royal Armoured Cavalry Division

Chris Kemp's Not Quite Mechanised......Saving it from 404 (part1)

NQM Summer Holiday Toy Soldier Campaign

The Author's African Militia bravely attack an abandoned helicopter!

The Inspiration for this campaign came from two sources:

In my youth, I met Martyn Simson, (Simmo to his friends), who ran a campaign in the Summer Holidays. The idea was simple - if you bought and painted a model (it had to be painted), you could use it in your Army. Sales of  Airfix Tiger Tanks and JSIIIs soared in Scunthorpe in the 1970s!

More recently, I came across "The Army Men" homepage (see the links page). Again the idea is simple. If you own it, think up a rule and use it! There are only two armies, a green friendly one, and a tan enemy one (or blue or grey or whatever).                                                            

1. There must be some rules of course:

Each Faction owns a Country. Draw or trace a Map, or cover an existing map with sticky clear plastic. You can then draw on the map with re-usable markers. At the start of the war, each Formation must be in a home town or city. I define a formation as the number of troops, vehicles, aircraft or ships that will fit into one of my standard boxes. There is no reason for the boxes to be a standard size (or indeed to even have boxes Ben!), but you must write the name of the town on the box, and you must mark on your map where the town is. Real belligerent nations can join in as allies, but they support one of the two warring factions

2. Each country must have the following facilities in towns :

a. Oil and petrol production resources. There may be more than one location. The total number of production resources must equal the number of boxes that a country owns.

b. Repair facilities for Tracks, wheels, Aircraft, artillery and ships.

                 

Roy Harrison's African Scenery showing an International Airport!¹

c. Ports, Railway yards Hospitals and Airfields.

d. A Capital City with Radio Station, Palace, Ministry of War (or Defence!), Cultural buildings.

 

1. If the town is captured, then anyone who cannot find a space in another friendly box is captured by the enemy. Captured vehicles may be used; captured men cannot.
2. The battle starts using the oldest period equipment that you have (for me that is the1920's). When that is exhausted, you may start using the next oldest equipment and so-on. This ensures a smooth transition from your oldest equipment through to your newest, and avoids you having to fight Challenger Tanks with Panzer I's. Alternately, rate all your tanks and guns the same - not as daft as it sounds, AK47 rules do this.
3. When troops or vehicles are destroyed, put them in the hospital or repair depot box. If there is no space, they are marked with a "dead sticker" of some sort. (I use the pages of little circular sticky dots that you can buy at stationers) At the end of every battle, half of the casualties may be recovered, half are not (you can alter these proportions to suit yourself of course).
4. The winner is the one with the most territory at the end of the summer holidays when school starts again!

Using this system, older period troops can co-exist on quieter fronts as militia against newer troops. You suddenly find that you need troops that you previously had no use for: Engineers, Transport troops, Airfield troops, AA troops, military policemen are all examples that spring to mind. You find that you need infantry to garrison railway junctions and Headquarters. Your President or King needs a Palace Guard, and you need to build oil storage facilities, Radio stations, and much more.

For me, the attraction of these mythical campaigns is that I have an excuse to build things that every real army has, but which never seem to make it onto the wargames table. There is no reason why you should not fight whichever period you want with this method - Ancient, Medieval, ECW, Napoleonic, ACW, WWI, WWII, Modern, Sci-fi, Fantasy or whatever.

Have fun! If you do run your own campaign, you will be following an honourable tradition that includes Eric Knowles' "Madasahatta" campaign²  and the ill-fated "Tin-Tin" campaign in the "El Mundo Mythico" world, to mention but two. Currently, the "Lesser Kingdom of Munch" is collecting all sorts of strange military oddments for it's army in case it should ever be invaded by one of the major powers. With the rise of the Web, Googling Imagi-Nations will uncover a rich vein of imaginary countries and campaigns.

 ¹[© Derek Hooper (2005)]

²[© Eric Knowles (1974)]