Year of Rules - Gruntz 15mm Sci/Fi

This is the Year of Rules, one new set checked out every month.  The Rules set for May is... Duh!  Duh!  Duh!  Gruntz!

The cover of the PDF rules v1.0.

One read through and a couple of solo practice games down and this is what I think...

Defiance Games UAMC

Look what came in the mail.  I've been waiting for this package since February.  Defiance Games has finally sorted out their production issues and gotten their production line in order.  My order of USMC, now re-named UAMC due to copyright issues, is finally here.  (Yes, you read that correctly, the United States Marine Corps has copyrighted USMC).

Look what just came in the mail.

The box, looking remarkably like what it looked like on the Defiance web site. 

This box holds twelve sprues.

Romans Completed

I have finally completed my Romans.  The last bit to be done was the shields.  The transfers gave me fits, but are worth it, in the end I think.  I also added some flowers, while I was avoiding dealing with the shields.

Command.  Additional, flowery, tufts for added awesomeness.

Battle Report - Harad vs Corsairs of Umbar

Nuradan knew something was wrong when he saw the Corsair ships approaching.  The Haradrim had fled south, crossing the river above the falls and force marching through Ithilien.  He was planning his return to Kharna when the two ships were spotted tacking up river.  The feeling of foreboding became a certainty of battle when a bolt, fired from one of the ships, killed his messenger.

As Nuradan arrayed his forces for battle, the Wraith was focused on the ships.  Nuradan would have said apprehensively, only Wraiths didn't get apprehensive.  Two boat loads of Reavers and Corsairs left the two ships.  He also saw the black hearted Numenorians of Umbar, and even horses, being ferried ashore.  Then he saw what had held the attention of the Wraith.  The Corsairs had brought another one of the Nine with them.  This day was looking darker and darker.

The battlefield.

Battlefield Academy

I have been a video gamer since the first computers appeared in homes.  I started with pong, attached to our 13" black and white TV.  Oddly, I'm playing almost nothing right now.  There is one exception to this, Battlefield Academy on the iPad.

Screen shot from the game.

Transfers

Shield Transfers.  They are a must for Romans, unless your freehand skills are much better than mine.  The Warlord Legionaries come with a sheet, and very nice looking they are too.  All you need is the decals, some water and your normal hobby tools.  What could be simpler?

 I hate them with a passion I normally reserve for living things.

Collecting to an Order of Battle

When I am thinking about collecting historical miniatures I like to pick a battle, research the order of battle present, then collect towards that.  It gives me structure and form.  Of course I'm willing to deviate from that when a unit is just too cool to leave out.

Monthly Retrospective 3

Month four of 2012 is over.  This year is going blindingly fast, to me at least.  This was a productive month in some respects and not so much in others.

I started 15mm for Sci/Fi this month.  That's a big step.  I prefer 28mm models, and I'll still game in that scale.  The reasons I finally succumbed to the dark side of gaming are probably pretty familiar to all those that have already made the leap.  There is a huge, and ever expanding range of models.  They are dirt cheap.  They paint up quickly.  The terrain is much cheaper than 28mm.  There is freedom to build whatever force you want. (Technically this exists with 40k as well, but GW would have you believe that is not the case).  There are a ton of different rule sets out there.  I bought some test models, ARC fleet from CMG.  I liked them, even the infantry.  So I ordered a bunch of Sahadeen and two Vipers from Rebel Minis.  Those arrived yesterday and look very nice as well.  I'll be doing a review on them as I assemble them.  I'll need to put in another order to CMG to flesh out the first order, but that will give me two armies to game with.

Painted CMG ARC Fleet

Painted Romans

I have painted my first box of Romans.  I still need to put the decals on the shields and attach them, but I'm counting these as painted for April.

Command

Completed 15mm Sci/Fi

I have completed my first batch of 15mm figures.  These were a nice change of pace from 28mm.  Much faster to get done but still with nice detail.

Bike, Grav Scout and two of the infantry.

I have, deliberately, gone with a darker color scheme on these models.  We'll see how it looks on the table, but most of my armies are pretty light.  This is a departure for me.

15mm Terrain

Hobby Lobby carries a line of scenic pieces for kid's school projects.  They are small kits to dress up a diorama.  I was in picking up some Liquitex, for 15mm basing, and saw a set on clearance for $3.00.

The first 15mm terrain, with CMG Recon Trooper for scale.

The set came with two wind turbines and two solar panels.  The stands for the solar panels were broken, which is probably why it was on clearance.  That's ok because I don't plan on having them as stand alone pieces anyway.  The two wind turbines will go on some big round bases.  The two solar panels will go on the roofs of two different foam core buildings, to "sci/fi" them up.  The rear panels for the solar panels will go on the walls to the same effect.

Romans!

I have assembled the first box of Warlord Romans.  I have two of the boxes of twenty Legionaries with a scorpion.  This is one, out of the way.

Box art from Warlord Games.

15mm Sci/Fi III

I was so taken with the CMG models that I just had to get some paint on them and see how they looked.  I am going to be basing the infantry on washers.  That will allow me to transport them with magnets.  I don't have any washers of the appropriate size so I was not able to get them based and, therefore, basecoated.  The grav scout and the bike, on the other hand, were ready to go.

The CMG Grav Scout.

I'm very pleased with how this came out.

Celts!

As you may remember, fascinated as you all are by all of my doings, I bought a box of Warlord Celts in February.  Rather, SWMBO bought them for me as a Valentine's day present.  They arrived in March and sat for a couple of weeks.  I have finally gotten them assembled. 

A Celtic Warband, marauding across my desk.

15mm Sci/Fi II

My order from Critical Mass Games arrived yesterday.  Only ten days from shipping in the UK to arriving here.  Not bad.  This was a trial balloon to see how I feel about 15mm.  I've been staring at my FoW US Army models and trying to project from there, but I wanted to see these in the flesh.

So... how do I feel about them?  I'm happy.  There's good detail on these.  The vehicles are very nice.  The troops are small but look great.  The price is definitely a sweet spot, and it makes SWMBO happy.

 A little blurry but it does the job.  This is the first order I placed.

Harad Army - Completed

Here are the shots of my completed Harad army for Lord of the Rings.  I actually took these three weeks ago and just found them on my camera.  I'm very pleased with how this army came out.  There is, certainly, room for improvement and I could tweak quite a few details, but all in all I'm very happy.

The entire army, with some extra models to give me choices.

15mm Sci/Fi

I finally took the plunge, sort of, in a "one toe in the water" sort of way.  I placed an order with Critical Mass Games for some of their ARC Fleet models.  This is strictly a trial balloon, so it's a small order.  I am awaiting receipt of one pack of eight ARC Fleet Recon Troopers, one Recon Grav Bike and one Grav Scout.  The total, with shipping to the US, was about $23 dollars.  I've spent more on a few beers at the local pub, so if I hate them then I'm not out too much.

Picture from Critical Mass Games.

Picture from Critical Mass Games.

Picture from Critical Mass Games.

Battle Report - High Elves vs Isengard and Galadrim

The Thursday night league has closed but that is still Lord of the Rings night down at Collectormania.  We have not had any games in a couple of weeks and Jonathan and I were both Jonesing.  In addition, Huntsman is back in the rotation, so there are three of us who plan on being there every week.

Last Thursday was the last night back and with three of us we had to get creative.  We decided to play a three player game, (all right, so not really that creative when you have three players).  There was an objective in the center of the table, victory points for each model within six inches when the game ended.  There is random deployment with a die roll determining where each warband comes in.  A 1 means, not this turn, 2 your opponent chooses a North/South edge, 3 your opponent chooses an East/West board edge, 4 you choose N/S, 5 you choose E/W and 6 you choose any board edge.  There are also points for wounding and killing the enemy general.  For players of LotR this is the Hold Ground scenario.  The effect of this deployment, with just two players, is chaos as warbands come in all over the table and head for the center to mix it up, often fighting as they go.  With three players there was even more confusion. 

Initial deployment.  Arwen will come in behind the ruins top center.  Galadhrim top left and bottom left with Rumil's band bottom center.

Prize Giveaway...

No, not mine.  I'm pointing you all in the direction of a prize giveaway on another blog.  This is a cool one for two reasons.  First is the interview with Rob Lane, of Bane Legions.  If you haven't seen these minis, holy cow, go take a look.  They are producing some awesome stuff, and I mean that in the literal sense of the word, it is inspires Awe.  It's also interesting to get a view into the inner workings of a small mini company.  It's cool, for me at least, to see how these small companies get started and do their work.  So read the interview if you are at all interested in how your minis get made.

Picture from BaneLegions

The second reason to head on over is the prize that is being given away.  Krull.  This is what a Balrog should look like.  This makes a Blood Thirster look meek.  This thing is huge and ugly and down right beautiful.  Getting entered in the draw is easy, so go for it, you have nothing to lose.  To give you an idea of the size of this thing, a 28mm mini, standing on Krull's base will come about to his knee.  Go here to see the size comparison.

I have been remiss...

I usually acknowledge the new joins to my blog.  By usually I mean, of course, the one other month that I've done it.  I forgot the other day, when I was doing my monthly retrospective but now that I've remembered I want to give appropriate props.

Seven new people joined my followers this month.  This probably seems quite trivial to most readers but here's the thing; these are the first followers I have that I don't actually know in person.  I started the blog for my own edification.  It helps me stay focused and motivated and to track my changing interests.  It keeps all of my hobby stuff in one place.  I can look at my painting over time, I can see how my interests change.  All of the blogs I like to follow are in one place, allowing me to quickly see what has been updated.  The blog served a bonus purpose of giving me somewhere to put battle reports from our local club.  Prior to this month all of my followers were people I actually game with.  The fact that others have shown interest is flattering but it also increases the pressure I put on myself to actually try to put up quality content.  This is a good thing, of course.

The first person to join (actually the last day of February, but I'm running the show here and can do what I want) is Lee Hadley of Big Lee's Miniature Adventures.  I've really enjoyed Lee's blog.  He has a wry sense of humor, a variety of interests and, awesomely, lives close enough to the Bovington Tank Museum to visit it. Go visit his blog and watch the video of the Tiger tank driving around; it's pure gold.