Q13: Vornid Army List

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Originally posted 6th January 2014

I've mentioned before that one of the frustrations of 15mm sci-fi gaming is the fact that some brilliant ranges are incomplete, in that they might have a good selection of infantry, but they have no support weapons or vehicles.

One range that is a case in point is Khurasan's Vornid range of plantmen. Great infantry, nothing else. People weren't buying them, so the range wasn't expanded. Fair enough, but it means it's difficult to use them on the tabletop, as more rounded opponents take them apart too easily.

I've already expanded the Vornid army list with the addition of GZG support weapons crewed by Fungoid mushroom men (also from Khurasan), and Slishian Big Men and gunners from Hydra, and can now report I've found a source of vehicles as well in the form of Ravenstar Studio's Horrid range.

These are, well, horrid, as you'll see from the first additions, below. Ordering them involves e-mailing Ravenstar, but if you want a source of most unpleasant sci-fi creatures, with guns, then the Horrid are worth the trouble. Just to give you an idea of scale, the tanks below are over six inches long: this is Starship Troopers territory!

To the left are links to the updated Vornid Army List, the updated Vornid Gallery, and the updated 15mm Sci-Fi Manufacturers list (where you'll find a link to Ravenstar Studio's blog). Below are the Chitin Two-Gun tanks!

Q13: Praesentia Army List

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Originally posted 3rd January 2014

I've finally got around to completing the Praesentia army list for Q13, based on the superb range of figures from Critical Mass Games.

I've been wanting to do these for some time as I am strongly tempted to make them my next sci-fi army purchase. They are the first Tech 4 army to be included within the lists, and have some excellent chrome to make them complete. 

Here's a picture of the box set showing the basic robot infantry force with Praesentia Big Men and various drones for support.

AA Support for the Gitungi

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Originally posted 28th December 2013

Some AA support for my Gitungi.

Anyone who has ever played Q13 knows that a bit of AA is absolutely vital, but so few ranges include appropriate figures. Here, Micropanzer's Gitungi are enhanced with a GZG hover vehicle mounting some sort of AA missile launcher.

Incidentally, Jason at Micropanzer is working on his next set of Gitungi releases, so hopefully a  fuller range will be available soon...

New Gitungi Soon

Big Men for the Protolenes

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Originally posted 24th December 2013

I'm trying not to start any more sci-fi armies for the moment, concentrating on completing the many that I have already.

This is actually harder than it sounds, as some of them don't actually come from complete ranges and have to be filled in as and when I come across something appropriate. For example, Khurasan's ambulatory plants, the Vornid, are lovely, but the 'range' only consists of a few infantry poses. I've already added Hydra's Slishians as command figures, and am now waiting for a package from Ravenstar with some 'Horrids' to add bio-vehicles.

Anyway, first up in the gap-filling are some command figures for Critical Mass's Protolene Khanates:

WWW2 US Forces Augmented

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Originally posted 7th December 2013

My Invasion Earth games are based on various alien races invading the Earth towards the end of WW2. Opposing the various aliens are my US troops, augmented by Clockwork Goblin's excellent range of Weird World War 2 figures.

Here are the Goblin's latest releases for the US force: Hyena light jump walkers for the soon-to-be-released Firefly jump troops, and some rocket-launcher types for the powered armour infantry company HQ. Highly recommended.

Hyena Light Jump Walkers

Infantry Command element

Nova Respublik Army List for Q13

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Originally posted 25th November 2013

A new army list for Q13 based on  Khurasan Miniatures range of futuristic Soviets: the Nova Respublik.

This is a very nice collection of figures with plenty of options. There are some good, solid infantry backed up by proper support weapons and a brilliant high command set. Four variants of the same basic medium tank chassis, two APCs, one general transport, and the absolutely super Doe gunship. Add in walkers and robot guns, and you have everything you need to build a rounded company and supports.

Here's the gunship:

The Hauk

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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

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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

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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:

US WWW2 List

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Originally posted 15th October 2013

Clockwork Goblin have released the next in their excellent range of US Weird World War II figures: the Hyena Light Jump Walkers based on the Coyote Light Walker with added flamethrower and jump pack; and the heavy infantry heavy weapons (looks like a bazooka to me).

Now all we need is the Jump Infantry to go with the Hyenas...and I'm sure there were supposed to be some medium Jump Walkers as well...Mudskippers IIRC. Anyway, when I met the Goblin at Colours recently, he said the Jump Infantry were on the way soon. He didn't mention the Mudskippers though! 

I knew I wasn't imagining things!

I knew I wasn't imagining things!

Gitungi Army Lists

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Originally posted 15th October 2013

Odd one here, as Micropanzer seems to have decided that the Gitungi will no longer enjoy the Recovery, Assault and Destroyer Drones as support weapons: these are now part of Dark Star Games' Spec-Sec range! And there was I thinking the transfer window was over! 

Anyhow, I've deleted the Destroyer Drones from the list (I didn't like them anyway!) but have kept the other two (the figures are already painted!) and added some superheavy tanks from Khurasan. These are currently weighing down one end of my painting table (they are enormous!) but will be joining the Gitungi forces soon. 

I'm also hoping Micropanzer will soon release the next wave of Gitungi infantry. Some different poses and some Specialists. Must remember to buy them as soon as they are out...before they too disappear somewhere else! 

Gitungi Assault Drones: now you see them...now you don't!

Gitungi Support

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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

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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