Rylos Spaceport Full Table

If you are looking for the ultimate 28mm Sci-Fi tabletop setup, you will want to get your hands on the Rylos Spaceport Full Table.

It's got everything you need for kick but sci-fi action.

Check it out here (https://www.impudentmortal.com/product/rylos-spaceport-full-table/). It will set you back $449 plus shipping.  Not bad for what you get. 

Lucid Eye Publications -

Here are some rather cool miniatures from Lucid Eye Publications.

Lucid has a large collection of rules and miniatures for their various game systems.  I happen to be a fan of their Toon Realms Elfs.  A bit cartoonish and fun.

They also have a line called Savage Core that might fit in nicely with Copplestone's range.  These are more realistic.

Who doesn't like Nazi's with Lasers.

Going Star Wars X-Wing

So I have been a little Star Wars crazy this past month.

I have gotten into Star Wars Destiny, Star Wars Armada, Star Wars Imperial Assault and also Star Wars X-Wing.

OK to be honest I haven't played Imperial Assault or Armada, but I have a huge fleet of Armada arriving on Wednesday.  I found a deal I couldn't pass up.  My B-Day is next month and I already requested Imperial Assault as a potential gift.

As a gamer, I am always trading/selling stuff I used to be into and now am not.

A good example is Warmachine.  When it was first released I absolutely loved the game.  A few jacks and a single figure controlling them was a ton of fun.  Then things started to get expensive.  Privateer press started adding in all sorts of infantry and then larger and larger Jacks.  At some point, I just gave up.

I see people play all the time, but it just hasn't appealed to me.

Then came my Star Wars obsession.  I saw Star Wars when it was first released back in the 70's and have always been a fan.  Sometimes more, sometimes less.

For the past few months I have been playing Star Wars Destiny and really love the game.  Of course to get the good cards can be quite expensive.  Still for now at least I don't mind the cost.  I figure if I really get bored I can always sell the cards/dice on ebay and recoup some of my money.

After playing Destiny of course I have to get into some of the other Fantasy Flight offerings, thus X-Wing, Armada, and Imperial Assault.

Below are just some of my Warmachine figures I am hoping to trade for some X-Wing.  I am posting them up on Bartertown and see if I get any bites.

Games Workshop Lost Patrol Review

Picked up my first GW Game in quite some time called Lost Patrol.  For those that don't know, GW released Lost Patrol back in 2000 and 16 years later they release an updated version.


Lost Patrol Year 2000



Lost Patrol 2016

The game retails for $60 + tax. You can find it on ebay for a little less, but not much less.

The game comes with
5 Space Marine Scouts
12 Genestealers
6 Infestations
30 Map Tiles
3 dice and rules

Lost Patrol pits 5 Space Marine Scouts against a planet full of Genestealers.  The subtitle "Death In The Jungle" is essentially what happens to the Scouts 99 out of 100 times.



There is a 8 page rule book (6 pages actually have rules) and 30 map tiles.  The rules totally favor the Genestealers.



The Genestealers and Scouts have their own How-To directions for putting them together.



The Genestealers are grey.  There are enough bits to make 12 Genestealers, 6 Infestations with a bunch of arms and heads left over.


The Space Marine Scouts come in a burt red/orange color.  There are bits to make 5 scouts with a few extra weapons left over.

Playing The Game

Lost Patrol is played via a turn sequence.

1. Scout Players Actions
2. Genestealer Player Removes old Jungle Tiles that can't be seen
3. Genestealer Player Places new Jungle Tiles
4. Genestealer Player Takes Actions
5. Genestealer Launches Assaults

Scout Player Actions

The scouts can perform 2 types of actions.  Move or Fire.  They need a 6 to kill a Genestealer, so most of their shots are going to be misses.  They don't have the ability to boost any of their shots, so their weapons are pretty useless against the Genestealers unless they roll a lot of 6s.

Tiles

The Genestealer player adds and removes tiles based on where the Scouts are located.  If a Scout can't see a particular part on the map it gets removed from play.  This can be good news for a Scout, if that part of the map contains Genestealers.  If that part of the map contains Scouts, they are lost in the jungle and die.

Genestealer Player Actions

The Genestealer player can perform 3 actions.  Place Genestealers, Infest and Move.  They can perform any of the 3 actions in any order they wish.

Assault

Assault works based on how many Genestealers are in a hex where the Space Marine player needs to beat the Assault value.

1 Genestealer = Assault 2 2 Genestealers = Assault 4 3 Genestealers = Assault 6 (Maximum Assault value) Bonuses +1 Sergeant gets a +1 bonus on Assaults +1 The Heavy HMG gives a +1 bonus on Assaults if he is supporting from a different hex. -1 If there is only one scout in a hex that is being assaulted Assault Outcomes

• Genestealer wins - Scout is removed, others are pushed back
• Scout wins - Genestealer is removed
• Tie - Scouts are pushed back

I have yet to win a game playing the Scouts and my guess is I would have to be amazing lucky to win.

I found the rules easy, but IMO GW should have added additional rules to make it easier for the Scouts to win.  It doesn't matter what the scouts are equip with besides the heavy bolter.  Having other weapon options that add bonuses could improve game play.

Here are some recommendations

Heavy Bolter - Hits on 5s instead of 6s and gets 3 dice.
Shotgun - 2 dice against adjacent hexes at 5s, 1 dice at 2 hexes away at 6s
Bolter - 2 dice at 6s
Bolter Pistol and Sword - 1 dice at 6s, +1 Assault

Overall the game is fun, although for a scout player it is rather frustrating because you know you will almost always lose.  I really like the tiles.  I decided to sell off the Space Marine Scouts, because I already have painted metal ones.  The Genestealers are Genestealers and are pretty cool.

Alternative Tau Miniatures

In keeping with the Tau theme here are some other alternatives I found a company called Zealot Miniatures that make some Tau Female alternative figures called the Kadesh.

PupetWars.EU has a cool set of head called "Space Insect Heads" that could work for a Tau assassin conversion.



Chapter House Studios has a few conversion bits.

Kevin Adams Space Orcs Are Alive

Remember when Orcs used to have character and were a ton of fun. Well they are back in a in Kickstarter.

There is 7 Days left in the Kickstarter called Space Raiders.

Killer-B Games, Star Patrol

When you need robots in a really bad way, who ya gonna call...the Star Patrol of course. Killer-B Games has some fun and fantastic robots for their GAFDOZ line of figures in the Star Patrol range.

Killer B's GAFDOZ range of figures are just too cool and will work in just about any pulp or sci-fi setting. 

Craig Rowllings sent me 2 the robots he has for his Star Patrol and I really like them.  The metal is clean and any excess flash was easily removed.  You can either glue these or pin them.  I prefer to pin them for additional support.

Boo stands about 45mm tall and VIR7 is about 35mm tall.  Boo retails for £4.00 and VIR7 retails for £6.00.  VIR7 also comes with a big tracked sport vehicle and shovel.

Definitely support Craig with some purchases.  You will love the figures and have a ton of adventures using them.

Star Patrol BOO 12 (£4.00)

Star Patrol VIR7 (£6.00)

Definance Games, Core Forces

Here is some intel on Defiance Games upcoming game.

We divide our sets into two categories - Core Forces and Edge Forces.

Core Forces are those that are associated with the major powers of the Alien War universe. Edge Forces are supplemental sets that add flavor to the universe but don't necessarily warrant a full army.

For example, when we introduce a Core Force like the venerable United States Marine Corps, we will outline the plan for the follow-on sets in that Force over the next weeks and months. So with the USMC you'll have infantry followed closely by power armor (what we call hardsuits), then female Marines, and then heavy weapons. Over time, we will continue to add to those Core Forces with supplemental sets, vehicles, etc. - all in hard plastic. Core Forces will always be treated in this fashion so that you know what's coming and when to flesh out your army.

Edge Forces will represent a unit or small Force that can be done in one or two sets that we really believe should come to life to enhance the Alien War setting. For example, this might be a special operations unit within one of the lesser powers in the game, a "civilian" set, one of the native alien races, or an interesting vehicle that might not fit under the umbrella of a Core Force. Given the dynamic nature of alliances and multi-sided battles within the setting, these Edge sets may be used as auxiliaries with your army or just as small armies in games you play. These sets may never be followed by additional sets for that Force...but wait, that's not necessarily true...

In some cases, there may be a desire on the part of the community to enhance an existing Edge Force with additional sets. We'll always be open to doing this if enough people are behind it. For example, one of our first Edge Force sets are the Valkyries - hardsuit wearing, all-female elite special operations troops of the Nordic Federation. The Nordic Federation "may" become a Core Force over time, but we don't have a specific plan for that at present. We do think the set will be a fun one and add a lot of flavor to the game. If enough of you are interested in expanding the NF into a full Core Force, we can do that.

The division between Core and Edge Forces will give us the ability to launch some really fun "extra" sets while allowing you to have the confidence that a Force you begin to build will be fully realized if it's a Core one. We hope you like this approach to releases!

Hydra Miniatures, Valkeeri

Hydra Miniatures is going to have some exciting releases for Gen Con including the Valkeeri (Sweet Sci-Fi Babes), Space Pirate Ships and The Centurions.  The Valkeeri were sculpted by John Winter of TinMan Miniatures.  The trooper figures are $4.00 each and the leader types are $4.50.  You can get 4 troopers and a leader for $18.50 saving you a little $.

Zombie Smith, Quar Chyweethl (Coftyran Light Tractor)

Here are some concepts of the Zombie Smith Quar Chyweethl (Coftyran Light Tractor).  It seems like a very fun little vehicle.  I could see other uses for it as well.

TinMan Miniatures, Sale

TinMan Miniatures is going Ape again and having another 25% off sale.  The Winter Holiday Sale continues until January 4, 2011.

Now that is one large Ape.  Here are a few goodies from Tinman Miniatures.  The price of $4.65 for the Horde Warrior is a great deal considering how large the figure is (49mm head to toe.).

 

TinMan is working on having a new site up soon.