The Hauk

/

Originally posted 25th November 2013

I have now finished my platoon of Hauk airmobile troops. These are superb figures by Khurasan that go really well with my existing Harook. 

One can see the Harook as descendents of the prehistoric Titanis or giant terror bird, with the Hauk as descendents of raptors such as hawks and eagles, both species living together in reasonable harmony, one on the plains of their home planet, one up in the mountains.

To celebrate the arrival of the Hauk, I've also updated the Harook army list to include them as an airmobile option, using the equally superb Aerie dropships mentioned below on 8th November.

Grav Transports for the Hauk

/

Originally posted 8th November 2013

the start of my Hauk troops: avians from Khuarasan who will support Mad Robot's Harook as their airmobile arm. 

First to be finished are the Aerie grav transports. I'm particularly pleased with the cockpit canopies: carefully copied, albeit in a different colour, from the examples on Khurasan's website.

These are arriving just in time to be used in the final playtesting of my Five Planets scenario pack for Q13, which is due for publication before the start of December. Although designed for 15mm Q13, it can be used with any sci-fi rules, so start saving your pennies now!

SuperHeavy Tanks for the Gitungi

/

Originally posted 26th October 2013

One of the problems with 15mm sci-fi is that manufacturers seem to think that everyone wants to play 28mm skirmish games using 15mm figures. This means they release a "range" of figures that isn't so much a range as a taster, with manufacturers thinking a range is complete with a few infantry types and maybe a support weapon or two. This is especially true for alien races.

No, no, no, no, no!

What you need is leg infantry; command figures at platoon and company level; support weapons like machine gun and mortar equivalents; artillery and anti-tank weapons; technical specialists and drones; recon troops; APCs to motorise your force; maybe assault troops and engineers; then scout cars or light tanks, medium tanks and heavy tanks; flyers; and maybe a drop ship. A full range!

Ranting aside, the Gitungi from Micropanzer are a prime example. Beautiful leg infantry and, now that the drones have been sold off elsewhere, that's it. 

Well my Gitungi are lucky: they have managed to get hold of some of Khurasan's Federal Army tanks. The XM-6 SuperHeavy Grav tanks to be exact. Here they are:

Gitungi Support

/

Originally posted 24th September 2013

A change from I Ain't Ben Shot, Mum! as the first of the Gitungi support weapons roll off the production line. These are Recovery Drones which will feature in my Q13 Gitungi army list as engineers: not so good for fighting, but useful for engineering tasks such as mine an obstacle clearing and, more importantly, armed with the Gitungi equivalent of smoke generators.

More Clockwork Goblin WWW2 Americans

/

Originally posted 26th July 2013

The support walkers for the Weird World War 2 US army from Clockwork Goblin. Very nice figures, as I've come to expect from CG, which go together very easily, and paint up well. 

On the right, the Kodiak Walker; on the left, the Ursus Walker:

Ursus

Kodiak

Gallery: The Gitungi

/

Originally posted 25th May 2013

I have added a gallery for the Gitungi: one of Micropanzer's really innovative ranges of 15mm sci-fi figures. Heavily armoured bipeds reminiscent of the aliens from The Fifth Element or even the Sontarans from Doctor Who, the Gitungi range is currently quite limited, but Jason Moore, the force behind Micropanzer, has promised more support weapons soon.

The Gitungi on the Micropanzer website are painted in a desert yellow colour. That looks good, but I wanted something more extreme. Mine are painted in three shades of gold (paints from Games Workshop) with the Scouts then washed with a light green wash. I think the Scouts look best of all, with the extra shading from the wash, but I'm going to see if the pure gold main force grow on me before I do anything else. I need to get them onto the tabletop and see what they look like there!

Here are the Gitungi as shown on the Micropanzer site:

and here are my Scouts:

​

MAKO System for the Felid

/

Originally posted 27th April 2013

I have often raved about Khurasan's range of 15mm sci-fi figures: Garn, Felid, Stikk, Kingdom of the Jasmine Throne, Karkarine...a seemingly never ending list of top class models. Now, however, Jon has broken even better new ground by launching the MAKO range of 15mm sci-fi support equipment.

The range consists of a gun tractor and cruciform stand onto which fit a range of different support weapons: currently an autocannon and a heavy mortar. So far so good, you say: cool idea, but not incredibly novel. The new bit is the fact that Khurasan are producing crew figures for each of their alien races to go with the support weapons,  so that you can use the MAKO equipment with whatever range or ranges you happen to be collecting, with the possibility of two opponents on the same table top using the same equipment to fight each other.

Although the Kark crew aren't launched yet, the Felid are (along with other ranges I'm not yet collecting) so here are the current Felid MAKO units in all their various combinations:

Mako Autoguns with Felid crew on mixed mounts

Mako Autoguns with Felid crew on Mako Gun Tractors

Mako Heavy Field Mortars with Felid crew on Mako Cruciform Stands

Mako Heavy Field Mortars with Felid crew on mixed mounts

Q13: The Ursids Updated

/

Originally posted 15th April 2013

I have updated the Ursid army list with details of the Lesser Ursids: slightly smaller bear-like aliens from Stan Johansen Miniatures. In my Ursid army list, the Greater Ursids (from Khurasan) are pure mercenaries, soldiers if you like, and the Lesser Ursids are miners who fight as militia armed with a variety of sidearms and converted mining equipment, including triple-barrelled mining lasers mounted on grav platforms. Tasty!

Garn List Updated

/

Originally posted 29th March 2013

The promised update to the Garn/Felid list as I add the Mako weapons system just released by Khurasan. 

I've also added a picture of the Mako figures taken from Khurasan's website, showing how the system works. You buy the guns (a mortar and a twin-barrelled piece) with the crew you want (there are crew figures available for most of Khurasan's main ranges), and then choose the mounting you want: either a static stand or a small tractor. This multi-race approach really has to be the way forward for multi-range, sci-fi figure manufactures.

Quar Crusader Cavalry

/

Originally posted 4th March 2013

I do love Zombiesmith's 15mm Quar range of sci-fi figures, and cannot wait for them to work their way through releasing the entire range.

In the meantime, here are the latest additions to my collection: a Crusader Cavalry Wedge. Note the way that each Squad's cadiers are of the same colour; the wedge-shaped formation with leader in the middle; and, of course, the trooper that I have placed on the photography table facing the wrong way!

Odonate Gunships for the Hive

/

Originally posted 8th February 2013

Reinforcements for the Space Bugs in the shape of some Odonate Gunships from Khurasan's excellent Stikk range. Regular visitors may recall how the Bugs were soundly squished by WW2 Americans in my last Q13 "Invasion Earth" encounter. These flyers will hopefully address the balance!

Quar: Coftyran Cheewythl Tanks

/

Originally posted 20th January 2013

Just before Christmas, those fine chaps at Zombiesmith released some more 15mm Quar: Crusader cavalry and snipers, and the first of the Coftyran Royalists.

All I've had a chance to paint so far are the Coftyran light tanks and the Crusader snipers, but I have had a rather good idea for a battle or two. Rather than have the Crusaders and Coftyrans fight it out, I'm going to pit a combined Quar force against Space Bug invaders: what better than ant-eaters to fight what are effectively giant ants!