The KAFERS ARE HERE!

I wrote rules for them for Ambush Alley and Force on Force...and they're free from the Yahoo group...get them while they're hot!

Get them here

The Tanstaafl Free Legion-Welcome to Aurore!

Aurore, Tanstaafl Colony, 20th January, 2302.

2nd Lieutenant Hans Schrager looked on in some measure of impatience. He wanted to get on with the latest patrol of Aurore’s Hotback. It had been 5 days since Admrial Borodin and his fleet defending Aurore had smashed the latest attempt by the Kafers to take the colony. He’d let them gain orbital superiority, even begin landing ops, then caught them in a very nasty englobement. Not a single Kafer ship had gotten away, though, true to the nature of the aliens, none had tried.

What had complicated things was that not all the landers had been caught, and a number of Kafer lifepods had made planetfall. Any Kafer who had made planetfall was dangerous. Kafers were hermaphrodites. They could reproduce easily and a three year old Kafer was an adult. And they had a nasty habit of being able to use anything from sharpened sticks to captured human firearms once they “got smart”.

Tanstaafl was an independent colony. It didn’t have a Terran government back home to support it. It had been fighting the Kafers on its own, with only its militia and mercenary “Free Legion” to keep the Kafers away since 2298. This was slowly changing. Rumors were that American Marines and Texan Rifles would be arriving any day now. Schrager hoped so, his men and equipment were worn out. His “Ramrod” platoon was being called out after an all too short rest and refit cycle to do a 250-kilometer sweep of the Hotback where radar in Tanstaafl City had detected some Kafer landers go down. Recon flights were too risky, as the area was too thick with Kafer “Snapfire” remote SAMs.

Schrager walked the line of his troops, stopping here and there to make sure a trooper had secured extra ammo or water. The Hotback gave new meaning to the words “desolate” and “barren”. They were a far cry from the lads he’d led against the frogs at the Somme ten years before as an Oberfeldwebel in a proud Bavarian regiment. Post-war reunification politics had done him in. He was a Bavarian, and that was all that mattered. After knocking about as a hired gun and bodyguard up and down the French Arm, he’d found a new war on Aurore. And he’d done well, he’d taken a Texan wife and was expecting his first child any day now, which made this deployment all the more galling.

To make matters worse, the TFL’s fame in taking on the Kafers had attracted an influx of recruits. The colony’s leaders, as well as the TFL had been able to be picky. The good news was that all the men and women who had come, they were willing to fight. After that, the headaches had compounded. Schrager, thankfully, was blessed with several quality NCOs and his vehicle crews had been with him since he’d arrived two years ago as a Corporal. Promotion came fast in the TFL, all you had to do was two things..survive and prove your competence. Neither came easily. If the Kafers didn’t kill you. Aurore just might. Oddly, Schrager wouldn’t have it any other way. He smiled grimly at that thought.

His helmet headset crackled and the singsong voice of his platoon sergeant came over the platoon push. Sergeant Major Lien’s voice chimed like fine porcelain over the tinny speakers, her Manchu accent in full force. Her German and Texas accented English was fluent, but she had never lost the Manchu accent.

“Boss, Company wants us out there already. Captain Gross wants that sweep yesterday, that and we have to go check on a downed relay near Distant Thunder.”

Schrager shook his head. Such things could be nothing more than mechanical problems, or, they could be Kafers. Either way. Ramrod 131 would go check it out, and deal with it if there was something the militia couldn’t.

Time to get on with it..”Ok, Lien, mount the kids up and let’s get this done.” As he responded to Lien, the old Kangaroo IV APCs spooled up their MHD turbines with whines of protesting metal and sputtering fans. The old machines were past their prime, battered and pockmarked by stray rounds and splashes from spent plasma bolts. But, they’d done well for their second war. But he’d seen what happened when the Kafers had caught one straight on. It wasn’t an accident that APCs were called “coffins” in TFL slang.

Schrager shouldered his AS-89 and sighed again in resignation. What would happen, would happen. He was a soldier, and this was his world now. Time to go do what they paid him to do, thus, another day on Aurore began as Murphid cast it’s blood red glare over the open plain as Ramrod 131 departed in a flurry of dust and the whine of turbines.

Did I have a productive weekend!

I got a lot done on the 15mm front this weekend, the TFL are almost done. I think we will see pics next weekend as all I need to do is flock the figures, decal the vehicles and seal the lot, and then, we have a completed TFL force. I am really enjoying seeing these figures come together. The Wombats from GZG are a simple pleasure to paint and they complement the infantry well.

Right now, the figures are based on pennies and I am doing the wet Liquitex, then sand over the figures. It's not meant to be complicated and since most of Aurore is desert, that base seems to work. I wish someone made blue-green clump foliage. It would complement the sand well, but c'est'la vie.

In any case, stay tuned for a really neat looking army.

Also printed out my copy of Ambush Valley. I'm torn about doing Vietnam...I'd probably do it in 20mm and I gave it a run in HS, but it never seemed to get off the ground. I have the figures for the US troops as I was intending on using them for 2nd line types for Twilight 2000. However, the boat rules are darn useful...and the "improved guerrillas" rules...they're perfect for insurgent armies like the VC who were pretty hardly little fellows. I'm thinking certain sci-fi projects would benefit...like the Sahadeen perhaps?

WIP TFL 15mm Sci-Fi

Well,
I'm not QUITE done, but I have made some real progress. I am working on as you all know, a Ramrod Platoon of the Tanstaffl Free Legion.



The original color plate from the Aurore Sourcebook, included for comparison purposes only and not intended as a copyright challenge.



A Roo analogue, it's a Wombat II from Ground Zero Games 15mm Line...the resemblance is uncanny.









Figures are by Force XXI Miniatures, they're not bad and look good beside miniatures from other lines.

The methods to paint were simple, a method I found in the tutorial section of the Guild Wargamers website.

Comments?

Not much going on, but expect more soon!

Well, due to the fact I need new spectacles (and am getting them Tuesday), my painting schedule has taken a bit of a hiatus. But, I have made some forward progress on the 15mm Tanstaffl Free Legion I've been working on in 15mm, and I am rather happy with the lads, as soon as that's done, I plan on working on some other armies, probably some USCM types for Aliens...now if only somebody could tell me where I can get a decent 15mm analogue for the M577 APC? I'd be happy.

On the CBT front, I need to do finishing touches on the last of my 4th Donegal Guards company, then finish up a ELH company, and then? I dunno, there's a couple of lance and single sized units I'd like to build up, but for some reason, working on a generic Marik Company also sounds appealing. I think I have some interesting stuff to fill that out with.

Not much going on in 20mm right now, I barely have enough time to paint as it is...but I think things will improve shortly.

I also expect to post some reviews of some product I've managed to procure recently from Rebel, Top Gun and QRF.

A note to all who have supported this blog and my endeavors...THANKS!

Organizing Blues, Part 2

Things didn't turn out SO bad...the bad news is I will probably need more Litko flex steel bottoms...the good news? As I transition over to the Wargames Accessories steel bases, that need will decline. I just wish Wargames Accessories made circular 1/2" Penny Bases.

In other news, I have a new Digital Camera to break in soon...and next weekend should have some new 15mm sci-fi to look at, this time from the 2300AD Universe...but these guys will work for mercs anywhere...btw...anybody have a line on some extra, preferably unpainted Force XXI sci-fi infantry they're not using? I especially need heavy weapons guys (MGs, Plasma Guns, RLs, ATGM and the like). I think I can work a trade or two..Also, does anyone out there know if DLD is still producing...I may make an order with them at the end of the year if I can be assured I'll get what I order within six months.

As for other matters, all is good, other than a small injury to my left hand...sliced my middle finger with a pair of scissors... embarrassing more than anything else.

SITREP..24 JUNE 2009

The good news is that the CBT stuff is mostly selling, or at least getting nibbles. Now all we have to do is get the Full Thrust stuff put up. For those inclined, the for sale post on here. I am very happy the exterminator's coming soon as I dearly want to get back to painting in earnest. I have a lot to do...and little time to do it.

I am also working on a side project of mine...sort of a unexpected fusion of the RDF Sourcebook from Twilight 2000 and Ambush Alley/Force on Force. It's called "Blood Upon the Risers" and it is going to be a free scenario pack by yours truly for said games set during the fighting between the 82nd Airborne Division and 1/75th and 2/75th Ranger Battalions against the Soviet 104th Guards Airborne Division in the area of Bandar-e-Khomeini between April and May of 1997. I think the name is apt, and I am using Google Maps to help me come up with the maps for the scenarios. I think it's a new and fun use for all those guys who have Americans wearing DCUs and Soviets for Afghanistan. Now, if somebody knows where a good source of Iranians in 20mm are (think Iran-Iraq war, I know about Lib Mins multi purpose line, and that's a good start, but the only guys he has with G3s are his incomplete West German line). It'll get done when I can, the main stumbling block being using CC3 to create the maps...it's a steep learning curve, but doable.

In other news, CLDecker and I are really embracing the Terminator theme, and I think the latest release of the rules may finally have terminators of the requisite toughness to sustain human fire. We'll see in the next playtest.

GZG is at it again, and they're so tempting me...especially the Ravager fellows as pictured on Dropship Horizon. I think I am going to get those and the Mantises I need for my Terminator flyers..now I just gotta work on John Connor's army. After I get the Tanstaffl Free Legion done I suppose.

Wow, lot's happened!

Well,
As you can see, I have been busy. I finished the 20mm building seen in the earlier post and am working on another one and the Terminators. Gotta put the finished pics of those up, and I have some Traveller Imperial Marines to finish the basework on and spray up. Gotta get some vehicles for them at some point. I am next going to work on some old Force XXI figures (only thing I have from them). They'd look good as Tanstaffl Free Legion troops from 2300 fame. And, since I am a big 2300 fan...they make a natural fit, and the scheme is easy to paint from the looks of it.

Ambush Alley goes well, and I am working on the Terminator rules because recent playtests found out a few things that need tweaking...but I want to be careful with the rules as written.