tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37252624170997001072024-03-13T07:53:01.975-07:00Tempests in a Teapotkmfrye2001http://www.blogger.com/profile/06157520186066443696noreply@blogger.comBlogger130125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725262417099700107.post-15746552938543189602023-02-28T12:05:00.003-08:002023-02-28T12:05:44.298-08:00Spinward Marches Solutions, LLIC.<!--[if !mso]>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIhTL1D8NlNJYWEfZIM4abG3SdeJ3miwGuuvvvjmk-TtdK4cZQf2-q2i7EBZiZjHAO_RRdlTIngYn9d-KijiOkMk1fYy5UKDPb3zTeTRk_OaVHrAWtqpgMfDsz4A6WfG7Wa_pEfnL1dkbc/s1600/tcon2017broadswords.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="939" data-original-width="1600" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIhTL1D8NlNJYWEfZIM4abG3SdeJ3miwGuuvvvjmk-TtdK4cZQf2-q2i7EBZiZjHAO_RRdlTIngYn9d-KijiOkMk1fYy5UKDPb3zTeTRk_OaVHrAWtqpgMfDsz4A6WfG7Wa_pEfnL1dkbc/w400-h231/tcon2017broadswords.gif" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Art by Ian Stead, by commission.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><span style="font-family: Arimo;">Spinward Marches Solutions<br />Rhylanor/2716
Spinward Marches<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<b><span style="font-family: Arimo; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">UCP:
Im◄2444●23►LLPAR●Sec◄0466●56►</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arimo;"><span>Established at
the end of the Fourth Frontier War by mustered-out senior Naval personnel, </span><span><i>Spinward Marches Solutions, LLIC.</i>,</span><span> is a family-owned and operated mercenary, security and troubleshooter company, based on Rhylanor. </span> <br /><span><br />Using their
naval contacts, <i>SMS</i> were able to obtain a series of tickets for a subsidized 800-ton Type-M cruiser
in the service of various march planetary governments, eager to re-establish peace and order in the wake of the recent war. The first cruiser was paid off in just under ten years (1094). A second Type M was purchased used and paid off in eight years (1104).</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arimo;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arimo;">The recent purchase of two additional Type M cruisers, while allowing SMS to service multiple tickets, has stretched corporate finances to their limit. It remains to be seen whether SMS can make the payments or has over-extended themselves.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arimo;">Corporate recruiting policy
is to engage previous-service mercenaries with either Army, Marine or Navy
backgrounds. While this limits recruitment intakes, it reduces costs by reducing the need for basic
training, and focuses on physical and mental reconditioning, as well as technical education. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arimo;"><br />Benefits
are generous, with the leadership committed to attracting the best veterans in
the subsector to their enterprise.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arimo;"><span><br /></span>
<span>In addition to dirtside security, <i>SMS</i> offers a range of aerospace services, employing 6-ton light aero-space fighters. The company depends on High-Ticket, Moderate Risk assignments to keep operations profitable. Long term tickets with success-only bonuses are preferred.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arimo;">Founder: Seth
Coraille, Count of Aramanx</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arimo;">CEO: Garith
Coraille, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arimo;">CFO: Jone
Coraille</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arimo;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arimo;">Main Office on
Rhylanor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Servicing the Porozlo Schism on a
retainer to Ling-Standard Products and the Free Trade Bloc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>3 Broadsword Cruisers carrying a Light
Infantry Company.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arimo;">Recruiting
office: Marovic/Porozlo (5d+5 recruits per month)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arimo;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arimo;">Subsidiary Office
on Vilis (4d+3 recruits per month).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Servicing Garda-Vilis
brushwar in a government-supportive security capacity. 1 Broadsword Cruiser with
Light Infantry Platoon.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arimo;">Possible
expansion projected to:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arimo;">Aramis Subsector,
with a recruiting office on Aramanx. (4d+3 RPM)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arimo;">Glisten
Subsector, with a recruiting office on Glisten (4d+3 RPM)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arimo;">...</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><b>Ω</b></span></div>
<br />kmfrye2001http://www.blogger.com/profile/06157520186066443696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725262417099700107.post-80241411303478212132022-06-17T10:36:00.005-07:002022-06-17T10:41:18.803-07:00Traveller Scientists for Bug Hunt<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXcGEj-wJvk0uQq39UqDQU1Rt_7ate6VIzf25dGo1g8SzFIykXfTj0wZ9gYvIN13Oo_3VlIBedONw8C0Ro3_qBKM_HZP2_iEVDtnpDErjXNyVlDRQ2r8dis5yqkenio-lDUOeHTdscslt1jzRDsvde3U57rthtGv0P6L0H3Pg9YKWQAnxIkgrg4ckK4g/s1319/Hivers.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="709" data-original-width="1319" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXcGEj-wJvk0uQq39UqDQU1Rt_7ate6VIzf25dGo1g8SzFIykXfTj0wZ9gYvIN13Oo_3VlIBedONw8C0Ro3_qBKM_HZP2_iEVDtnpDErjXNyVlDRQ2r8dis5yqkenio-lDUOeHTdscslt1jzRDsvde3U57rthtGv0P6L0H3Pg9YKWQAnxIkgrg4ckK4g/w400-h215/Hivers.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Traveller miniatures by RAFM</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">For TravellerCON/USA last October, I ran a Bug Hunt scenario where the human forces had to escort a timid Hiver into the infested station and assist the recover of some critical data. I don't remember the result, except that the bugs arrived in deluge. I'll be running the scenario again at next month's <a href="https://www.facebook.com/RetconUSA"><b>RETCON Game Day</b></a>, and I'll be certain to take some pictures for the gentle reader's delectation. </div></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT36ILuFmcG_CL05eE9Kios-J8A8CDovN7mehNEdoH3T8z6zUBUMk3WIKnr1xMOaWmic6vWMvgqEa64yIXvrH-IAUivIF3wp3QCBRdGSZmo4eBzM-c_GUU4aVP7vHUanFSH9b3td4ttonJWWwedV-UdNv-FesczekalW-LADWulRrquxGZDyTzdIVOnw/s898/Hiver%20profile.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="898" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT36ILuFmcG_CL05eE9Kios-J8A8CDovN7mehNEdoH3T8z6zUBUMk3WIKnr1xMOaWmic6vWMvgqEa64yIXvrH-IAUivIF3wp3QCBRdGSZmo4eBzM-c_GUU4aVP7vHUanFSH9b3td4ttonJWWwedV-UdNv-FesczekalW-LADWulRrquxGZDyTzdIVOnw/s320/Hiver%20profile.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Traveller miniature by RAFM</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">The 25/28mm Hivers were had some two decades ago, as part of the Traveller New Era clearance that swept the miniatures and RPG industry. Produced by RAFM, they were, and are very nifty figures. They are easy to paint (once one decides on a colour-scheme), and look good on the table top.<br /><br />My usual rating system is slightly skewed for these, since they were part of a packet that included a human scientist. In consideration, one may add a point for "Variety", resulting in a final mark of "4".<br /><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Animation: 3</span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Detail: 4<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Proportions: 5<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Variety: 3</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p> <br /></o:p>Overall: 3.75 (4) out of 5</span></p></div></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA0nvlm2Ljnkc3oUHPhm-xA6RFXx3XqmD9WaHQjNV6NfPR3G5b4HDJmizwew34tN9uxJp1rj8MUXU9dfA38bJM8F2rFCIUptLem9D2jzHwJLQgUEhtEzwLcy-6G1LLKfoaQJ7SPIzmeaRBmjiGGnq6duuuX6EZiK4cZ0cei6DXLWu-RxRYq5E_-vWXaA/s1282/Darrians%20front.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="862" data-original-width="1282" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA0nvlm2Ljnkc3oUHPhm-xA6RFXx3XqmD9WaHQjNV6NfPR3G5b4HDJmizwew34tN9uxJp1rj8MUXU9dfA38bJM8F2rFCIUptLem9D2jzHwJLQgUEhtEzwLcy-6G1LLKfoaQJ7SPIzmeaRBmjiGGnq6duuuX6EZiK4cZ0cei6DXLWu-RxRYq5E_-vWXaA/s320/Darrians%20front.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Miniatures by Ral Partha</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;">The second set are part of the 25mm Ral Partha Shadowrun line, and are listed as Elven Deckers, or somesuch. To my eye, they shouted "Darrians" and since I need some hi-tech civilians for my games, these fit the bill nicely.</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4jlr7MP4RRjnZzkcxjYXXZN9vBV8ihzlJJw8MMs1Yum9frvRJU3hKBwfwKH63ovbwQt0s-IXZ58hQcmnTu9zL2Z0iKHt5U77s1RgME5uMSmp5snHpF8D36am2fNeYQnbI6cc9lPXhg7qRwZiP_2RZsfA4sIHQ_EPy5IALMjsiaa3HkIXFGgynUDMwbg/s1164/Darrians%20back.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1164" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4jlr7MP4RRjnZzkcxjYXXZN9vBV8ihzlJJw8MMs1Yum9frvRJU3hKBwfwKH63ovbwQt0s-IXZ58hQcmnTu9zL2Z0iKHt5U77s1RgME5uMSmp5snHpF8D36am2fNeYQnbI6cc9lPXhg7qRwZiP_2RZsfA4sIHQ_EPy5IALMjsiaa3HkIXFGgynUDMwbg/s320/Darrians%20back.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Miniatures by Ral Partha</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />These minis are also very nicely sculpted, with excellent detail (observe the data-pad), goggles and froopy 90's style clothes. The camera doesn't show it well, but the lady sports an iridescent body suit. Actually, I think I gave the bloke's shirt a bit of a shimmer as well.<br /><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Animation: 4</span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Detail: 4<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Proportions: 5<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Variety: 4</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p> <br /></o:p>Overall: 4.25 out of 5....</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><b>Ω</b></span></p><br /><p></p>kmfrye2001http://www.blogger.com/profile/06157520186066443696noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725262417099700107.post-70836578499574222352022-05-21T18:39:00.005-07:002022-05-21T18:41:36.704-07:00Bugs for Five Parsecs from Home: Bughunt<b>Editor's Note:</b><i> I found some older draft posts that were incomplete, so I've updated them as best I could and will be releasing over the next few weeks. Saved from the Time Vault: Enjoy!</i><br /><br />Some readers were confused, previously, in that there were no xenomorphs included in the last batch of <a href="https://tempestsinateapot.blogspot.com/2020/03/not-quite-another-bughunt-5pfma.html" target="_blank">Bug Hunt</a> piccies. That's partially due to the way the game portrays the "bugs" Here are some pics of various models to use for Bug Hunt.<br /><br /><u>Slimey Blobs</u><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi04olaRwezSkqOvLl-O2Ia6VGJk9o55nkUZGFm4LA7bKO0j_P3bvZu8zbCylgIvmjgi-7IXVNUkikToVBug7fSiIyRlaoScrcQtxBACGHQ_ma8pl2sMcHSJoGweSfiUZPOMjA1A9huMgdkhBfhM_i7V-DhQI6i14NCuL1v-UFAyjjZVE2hy8N1IeJvPQ/s1352/Disgustung%20Green%20Blobs.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="518" data-original-width="1352" height="123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi04olaRwezSkqOvLl-O2Ia6VGJk9o55nkUZGFm4LA7bKO0j_P3bvZu8zbCylgIvmjgi-7IXVNUkikToVBug7fSiIyRlaoScrcQtxBACGHQ_ma8pl2sMcHSJoGweSfiUZPOMjA1A9huMgdkhBfhM_i7V-DhQI6i14NCuL1v-UFAyjjZVE2hy8N1IeJvPQ/s320/Disgustung%20Green%20Blobs.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />These are Rutans from the ex-Harlequin Doctor Who Miniatures line, now offered by <a href="https://eoeorbis.com/" target="_blank">Black Tree Design</a>. Some folks have had trouble with delays from Black Tree - while I've never had any serious delays from them, currently, I make it my practise to buy Black Tree from eBay when possible, since I know that at least the stock is ready and at hand.<br /><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtEIzXaUEZBjyO6ad2InlmvpzG029hGiu7b8hXw_uvavLNHkcFUGXQePGMJHknth5ZhgNHTtWbCreDqr4ti1gg1q4l0MWDEEszvb15vLbmZ6kHtTBupx9q2uEKbA5onQyl7MPGEMGir_uDPRVntG3A03559dYmujd13qjLqT6Y71Go0zTTfAaAYECMEg/s1121/It's%20not%20Life%20as%20We%20Know%20It....jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="565" data-original-width="1121" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtEIzXaUEZBjyO6ad2InlmvpzG029hGiu7b8hXw_uvavLNHkcFUGXQePGMJHknth5ZhgNHTtWbCreDqr4ti1gg1q4l0MWDEEszvb15vLbmZ6kHtTBupx9q2uEKbA5onQyl7MPGEMGir_uDPRVntG3A03559dYmujd13qjLqT6Y71Go0zTTfAaAYECMEg/s320/It's%20not%20Life%20as%20We%20Know%20It....jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>"It isn't Life as WE Know It..."</i><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">Miniatures by Black Tree and Crooked Dice.</span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><u>Skittering Spiders</u><br />These are some <a href="http://www.rafm.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=RAF&Product_Code=RAF04537&Category_Code=" target="_blank">Stalker Spiders</a> from the RAFM Fantasy Miniatures Line. Fun to paint, and a welcome break from my D&D Abominations. These were quick to arrive and easy to paint.<a href="https://www.reapermini.com/search/spider/latest/02417" target="_blank"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.reapermini.com/search/spider/latest/02417" target="_blank"></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiysV3U0_nFrsgauTuN-CqUmac4YcrYRuWPSZpjMJPRt7zvdiQwkoNtsb0ULhuO4BZ7c5PXIoHPBD-YewOzZEDzn5GCaFe7q3l8rGDuQ4ms7doe7YnE1q0Q1s0rXIP9q1hu_lMEUS6HdHNU8kF8PRL8MG_rB8VsqKXCylFOXyCwtBN_OGDDFw1WTCcYjQ/s1389/Spiders,%20Mr%20Rico!.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="446" data-original-width="1389" height="103" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiysV3U0_nFrsgauTuN-CqUmac4YcrYRuWPSZpjMJPRt7zvdiQwkoNtsb0ULhuO4BZ7c5PXIoHPBD-YewOzZEDzn5GCaFe7q3l8rGDuQ4ms7doe7YnE1q0Q1s0rXIP9q1hu_lMEUS6HdHNU8kF8PRL8MG_rB8VsqKXCylFOXyCwtBN_OGDDFw1WTCcYjQ/s320/Spiders,%20Mr%20Rico!.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOmN6f2eeyPqEi50UoikJ-iuSuzX9lIGPA2lPjIwE5sind7zD7fSg3jo3FVK4y_kmWxN4rBhJN-vf7PvF9ps9mKRH_J57b-UTwPRLDdWDrvwGFaGFNxUNdS7RQDAkpgz7Px2zr3a11SK6OZssiYaoUdHUwQiFXVhaQwE7f2D7Dl2IUeUsoYwR_bO80QA/s1378/Big%20Spiders,%20Mr%20Rico!2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="535" data-original-width="1378" height="124" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOmN6f2eeyPqEi50UoikJ-iuSuzX9lIGPA2lPjIwE5sind7zD7fSg3jo3FVK4y_kmWxN4rBhJN-vf7PvF9ps9mKRH_J57b-UTwPRLDdWDrvwGFaGFNxUNdS7RQDAkpgz7Px2zr3a11SK6OZssiYaoUdHUwQiFXVhaQwE7f2D7Dl2IUeUsoYwR_bO80QA/s320/Big%20Spiders,%20Mr%20Rico!2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Miniatures by RAFM Minis and Crooked Dice.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div>I'm looking to probably pick up some <a href="https://www.cruciblecrush.com/store/view_detail/19/793/91302_Small_Fury_Bugs/" target="_blank">Fury Bugs</a> from <a href="https://www.cruciblecrush.com/the-crucible-store/" target="_blank">Crucible Crush Miniatures</a>. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim9p6ShiI9V6xqKRfur8cw05Rb9Wsb3zLMHu0EhlAb6HA2Pl1MWnmQTL-pzXrzB4go0rPOH3NX_VDz8K3aJCN5uep_ZGi17bmH9GNW1KQhQepNwrWG-J8KiWOY4smHST3fbwpclr9G4cHtuDejenWsvm-vNSn9J1ErPaSDf5fpUphHVbbYBndzHeaXAg/s700/Small%20Fury%20Bugs%20by%20Crucible%20Crush.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="367" data-original-width="700" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim9p6ShiI9V6xqKRfur8cw05Rb9Wsb3zLMHu0EhlAb6HA2Pl1MWnmQTL-pzXrzB4go0rPOH3NX_VDz8K3aJCN5uep_ZGi17bmH9GNW1KQhQepNwrWG-J8KiWOY4smHST3fbwpclr9G4cHtuDejenWsvm-vNSn9J1ErPaSDf5fpUphHVbbYBndzHeaXAg/s320/Small%20Fury%20Bugs%20by%20Crucible%20Crush.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">They have a suitable, scuttle-y vibe about them, don't you think?...<span face="Calibri, "sans-serif"">Ω</span></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /></div></div></div>kmfrye2001http://www.blogger.com/profile/06157520186066443696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725262417099700107.post-75242073265869266342021-12-20T13:30:00.001-08:002022-05-21T19:01:31.235-07:00Skips, Dumptsers, and Related Rubbish<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br />The alternate title "Down in the Dumpster" was rejected a touch too trite and a bit tropey much.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br />Modern urban scenery in the 25/28mm scale can be quite the challenge to locate, especially when one has determined to build a flashback to Philadelphia in the 1970s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did plastic trash bags exist in 1973? (apparently, yes. My old dad used to use paper shopping bags by economic choice, and those old TV averts - showing the soggy bottom falling through - bring back real childhood memories.) <br /><br />What about dumpsters/skips? I remember my father taking me to one, in the mid-70's that was enormous, probably about 20', but to an eight year old, it looked like the whale what swallowed Pinnochio. It was painted red, had some steps to a metal platform, with rail guards. This was not some public dispose-all, this was on a gated site, where Dad knew the security staff.<br /><br />Dad had some boxes of shredded paper he wanted disposed of...I know, that sounds a bit shady, but I think he was just blessed with a surfeit of caution...shady caution.</span><br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Anyway, my dad had me stand at the base of the steps, where the "start/stop" buttons were, while he cast in the box and indicated I should press "start". As I did, I ran up the steps, to see the great. steel piston slowly extend and press the box, crush the box, into the dark depths of Pinnochio's whale.</span><br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Unfortunately, in hindsight, I'm realising that was a compactor not a dumpster, and was probably from a customised shipping container with the engine, piston and platform purpose-built and added on. I haven't been able to find one in 28mm, or indeed ANY scale.</span><br />
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Which leads me back to skips/dumpsters.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg04PZKfw97X9masBhp1qzUOKdEWkLXeK4JzVA-x4tAmAmwHrUR6XSCGaQ9G9h7LO3liiubwuzKx0c5JbuzCp46Z_uifnQRAqKJxrAbEM71p8BsfupTaM1kjmwh6-Xwx1K484KCVEvgximlizmEFgWPWup3lTjo5w6oqlap-Z26DxYqeN-DRTmuvOBEVw=s845" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="419" data-original-width="845" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg04PZKfw97X9masBhp1qzUOKdEWkLXeK4JzVA-x4tAmAmwHrUR6XSCGaQ9G9h7LO3liiubwuzKx0c5JbuzCp46Z_uifnQRAqKJxrAbEM71p8BsfupTaM1kjmwh6-Xwx1K484KCVEvgximlizmEFgWPWup3lTjo5w6oqlap-Z26DxYqeN-DRTmuvOBEVw=s320" width="320" /></a></div></div>
<br /><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi3L9NJAMvw9FwChIdy_QAoTBT5jxBhfded7eaWBZHauAIg4eMBLU-_prK7RRXGwfaSckvbQ3swtNi5xQXI_TzxORECZYSaPdh9-BqzPXUiT3rCFp0W9s4mo6YLKkLb6mNgljWbkRyERgXL-ic-MkXxrGK_R5O5cMM_c84g4hvQva8X9xinjD92tcYffg=s844" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="433" data-original-width="844" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi3L9NJAMvw9FwChIdy_QAoTBT5jxBhfded7eaWBZHauAIg4eMBLU-_prK7RRXGwfaSckvbQ3swtNi5xQXI_TzxORECZYSaPdh9-BqzPXUiT3rCFp0W9s4mo6YLKkLb6mNgljWbkRyERgXL-ic-MkXxrGK_R5O5cMM_c84g4hvQva8X9xinjD92tcYffg=s320" width="320" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;">The larger dumpster/skip is from Studio Miniatures. The smaller came out of a model train set. I'll need to find the manufacturer's name, becuase I like it better and would like to find more...<span style="font-family: Calibri, "sans-serif"; text-align: center;">Ω</span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>kmfrye2001http://www.blogger.com/profile/06157520186066443696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725262417099700107.post-46012131812311193152021-11-30T11:30:00.007-08:002021-12-01T04:56:38.956-08:00Crucible Crush - Nice Minis, Once You Get Them...Late in 2019, a new line of miniatures was teased by the redoubtable Bob Murch, of <a href="https://pulpfigures.com/home/" target="_blank">Pulp Miniatures</a>. Originally at home on the Pulp Miniatures page, the Black Sun line of Weird Viet Nam War eventually moved to <a href="https://www.cruciblecrush.com/" target="_blank">Crucible Crush Miniatures</a>. Crucible is managed by Lee van Schaik, nephew and son of the RAFM van Schaiks, and the connections to RAFM are apparent from even a brief glance at the various miniature lines offered.<br />
<br />
For starters, Black Sun is a set of rules and campaign setting for Viet Nam Weird War, set in 1968. Of course, with my current fixation on 1970's street skirmishing, my interest in the project was immediately piqued.<br />
<br />
While I'm not much taken by the Viet Nam setting - thus the GIs and VC are of little interest to me, likewise neither are the rifle-armed Adaro/Deep Ones (if they were armed with spearguns or eldritch magic weapons that looked like spun coral or metallic driftwood, I would change my mind) - my main <br />
interest is in the Children of Hastur.<br />
<br />
Have<b><i> you </i></b>seen the Yellow Sign?<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfotAhKZ9YK0COVZHqaPcoUnRQAoYvP2Aol7jhfXASD7UqQ_vbOGk79cSbUzFmKe6S9Dz0PQ9ZjJNQpcTJJLYB4-OoNm6arA5Fy-5yBcvnvV7PJ1-Vhjref0c2BqT0rhG5FzJML2ZHCe7D/s1600/Hastur-the-Unspeakable-Robert-M-Price.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="759" data-original-width="711" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfotAhKZ9YK0COVZHqaPcoUnRQAoYvP2Aol7jhfXASD7UqQ_vbOGk79cSbUzFmKe6S9Dz0PQ9ZjJNQpcTJJLYB4-OoNm6arA5Fy-5yBcvnvV7PJ1-Vhjref0c2BqT0rhG5FzJML2ZHCe7D/s200/Hastur-the-Unspeakable-Robert-M-Price.gif" width="186" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Illustration by Robert Price<br /><br /></i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Hastur the Unspeakable is reckoned the brother of Great Cthulhu, and awaits imprisoned beneath the lake of Hali, either in or near the Hyades. Hastur was created by Ambrose Bierce, expanded upon by Robert Chambers, adopted by H.P. Lovecraft and fleshed out by August Derleth.<br />
<br />
Crucible Crush has released three sets of the Children of Hastur.<br />
<br />
Some<a href="https://www.cruciblecrush.com/about-black-sun/" target="_blank"> Black Sun </a>28mm figures from <a href="https://www.cruciblecrush.com/" target="_blank">Crucible Crush Miniatures</a> arrived in the post one fine day last year, and I was, and remain, well pleased with them. Sculpted by living legend, Bob Murch, these figures are excellent. Three packs of miniatures were ordered: The Children of Hastur group. Three sets of un-armed and rifle-armed Hippies. Various states of mutations are shown, none, almost none, tentacles galore. There is an excellent "Charles Mansion" in jeans and freaky beard, a rich, daddy's girl "Tanya" in headband and SMG, and a number of other, less remarkable but well sculpted extras.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDIPHhFmSIpXYta0dNfV9-TjBEmLlvbj5zNc4xS_a2zioq4pp1tQldVWJ8tVMD4CJAoIzbo4xoUC6RsrModBnvyHVbkYjiit6uudQvvpUnrWsOCBA2XznppWoaISP6WX0AEL4NmLUmjytE/s1391/Crucible+Crush+Children+1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"></a><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDIPHhFmSIpXYta0dNfV9-TjBEmLlvbj5zNc4xS_a2zioq4pp1tQldVWJ8tVMD4CJAoIzbo4xoUC6RsrModBnvyHVbkYjiit6uudQvvpUnrWsOCBA2XznppWoaISP6WX0AEL4NmLUmjytE/s1391/Crucible+Crush+Children+1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDIPHhFmSIpXYta0dNfV9-TjBEmLlvbj5zNc4xS_a2zioq4pp1tQldVWJ8tVMD4CJAoIzbo4xoUC6RsrModBnvyHVbkYjiit6uudQvvpUnrWsOCBA2XznppWoaISP6WX0AEL4NmLUmjytE/s1391/Crucible+Crush+Children+1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="564" data-original-width="1391" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDIPHhFmSIpXYta0dNfV9-TjBEmLlvbj5zNc4xS_a2zioq4pp1tQldVWJ8tVMD4CJAoIzbo4xoUC6RsrModBnvyHVbkYjiit6uudQvvpUnrWsOCBA2XznppWoaISP6WX0AEL4NmLUmjytE/s320/Crucible+Crush+Children+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></blockquote>
<br />For Crazy Charlie, I removed a cluster of short tentacles from back of his right shoulder, as being just a trifle much. He's chanting from an Unspeakable Tome, anything more is just dotting a capital I.<br />
<br />
The Hippie with the pistol originally had an M-16. He was converted using a an pistol available from Crooked Dice. Crooked Dice seems to be the only miniatures company who had the stroke of brilliance in adding an extra hand weapon or head to the base of their metal figure sprues.<br />
<br />
The order was late in coming, well over a month. Once I emailed CC, Lee v. S. was quick in shipping it out - so quick, in fact, that a miniature was left out and a duplicate miniature included. I'm an odd duck, in that I would like what I've paid for, so I shipped the odd miniature back, with an explanation and a printed PICTURE, from their web store.<br />
<br />
Almost another month goes by - I actually have no reason to expect my parcel ever arrived, since the address is shared with another business, but I email anyway. They replied that they thought my replacement went out in early July - I inform them that it's quite possible; some of my parcels did go astray, disappearing into the black void of Camden County, NJ.<br />
<br />
So, Lee kindly offered to send another. Which arrived.<br />
<br />
And was the wrong miniature, again.<br />
<br />
There's a point one just stops, and this was it. Perhaps they regretted that particular mini - a Black Panther "militant"? The game industry is busy tying itself in knots over "woke" alleged-players.<br />
<br />
But, no, as an email reply to my inquiry assured me there was no agenda, political or otherwise, they'd just got it wrong, twice. They did assure me they were doing their best...<br />
<br />
That's good to know, and a bit bad at the same time. "I did my best" is an admission of failure, it's what Dad or Granddad or "Coach" told us when we lost to the other team. It's what we tell our boss, after we skew the pooch at work, hoping s/he won't fire us. To claim one "did their best" is to acknowledge your "best" isn't really good enough. Failure wasn't for lack of trying, it was for lack of doing.<br />
<br />
The answer is, to do better, and the remedy is to review your processes and locate where and how the errors are occurring, and fix them.<br />
<br />
Maybe the packer is doing six orders at once "to save time". As a university student, I hand packaged for an Aerospace supplier, and we were told NOT to work on more than one order at a time, because any time saved would be lost "times ten" in straightening out the error, and we could possibly lose the customer. "People can get parts anywhere" my boss once said. "<b><i>We</i></b> have to offer superior service to keep them buying from us." That was 30 years ago, and they're still in business.<br /><br />In the end, the missing figure finally showed up - Lee van S. said it was a matter of personal pride, and to his credit, he stuck to it until he finally got it right. <br /><br />Animation: 5<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Detail: 5<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Proportions: 5<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Variety: 4</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> <br /></o:p>Overall: 4.75 out of 5...Ω</p><br />
<br />
<br /><br />kmfrye2001http://www.blogger.com/profile/06157520186066443696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725262417099700107.post-7399147120897464872021-11-14T19:39:00.000-08:002021-11-14T19:39:01.330-08:00The Night Stalker in 28mm<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTZVn0ZY-aiKpe6LMqLVXCEdTUKNnyiLAwWWoIythNjs040zTE8ENDFgrCenJtARDNxSxBcYLShHg-_9JNSJPrSeDnHqLi4RE9__ySo6QXefGgNvJr5Se_OgmvHbLwKDskwNZHuRF7chtM/s716/Kolchack+and+car.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="477" data-original-width="716" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTZVn0ZY-aiKpe6LMqLVXCEdTUKNnyiLAwWWoIythNjs040zTE8ENDFgrCenJtARDNxSxBcYLShHg-_9JNSJPrSeDnHqLi4RE9__ySo6QXefGgNvJr5Se_OgmvHbLwKDskwNZHuRF7chtM/w400-h266/Kolchack+and+car.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">No urban game set in the 70s, which included supernatural elements, would be complete without including a certain newshound who, in the opinion of his editor, "<span style="text-align: center;">looks like he just came from a road company performance of
"The Front Page."<br /><br />The character is question is, as you have doubtless already concluded, one Carl Kolchack, reporter and journalist, and associate of the Independent News Service.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;">An excellent proxy model can be found at Pulp Figures, in their "<a href="https://pulpfigures.com/products/view/75" target="_blank">News Hounds</a>" pack, which also includes a potential Obstreperous Editor, plus sundry other Front Page folks.</span></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitvas2_1e6C8Yvz9SMFECXcZu35qjl9rZpmUJ8eLYWJSx_HVY9MfNmWEs8s4krQpE4D2wF23IK9O_1Nnkjq02T5iQ3Od9EM52MrlWR178ukDnz9MaJhyKJ_xtanXC7F-LjPCm6GrkP4TjL/s486/Kolchack+front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="486" data-original-width="340" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitvas2_1e6C8Yvz9SMFECXcZu35qjl9rZpmUJ8eLYWJSx_HVY9MfNmWEs8s4krQpE4D2wF23IK9O_1Nnkjq02T5iQ3Od9EM52MrlWR178ukDnz9MaJhyKJ_xtanXC7F-LjPCm6GrkP4TjL/s320/Kolchack+front.jpg" width="224" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBWJDmiovdxOVLpet5XdHWWdzNg3nL6v7zRmq-gm5WrraPnBcUwQlfl0qGBUjZAWQqP7JwuHcyVPi5b84e4lc-J2vZddVHC3npDEVxKf6NYB4bV3ea5LJGH76ypwYJc2YarvStLOB8zs7e/s480/Kolchack+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="339" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBWJDmiovdxOVLpet5XdHWWdzNg3nL6v7zRmq-gm5WrraPnBcUwQlfl0qGBUjZAWQqP7JwuHcyVPi5b84e4lc-J2vZddVHC3npDEVxKf6NYB4bV3ea5LJGH76ypwYJc2YarvStLOB8zs7e/s320/Kolchack+back.jpg" width="226" /></a></div><br />For 7TV1 purposes, I would use the "Investigative Academic" profile, and purchase 3 Luck points. Our Carl always seems to be able to pull himself out of the fire...Ω<p></p>kmfrye2001http://www.blogger.com/profile/06157520186066443696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725262417099700107.post-7611839506506933602021-02-25T11:08:00.004-08:002021-03-09T11:18:46.046-08:00"Tide's up. Time to stay alive..." <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguj3pPYpeQVrCL_N_0dulmvkPgyfjVMe6M4DFNOjJ-7PwbQyDaZrETgu8mEaY35auBSKYGK4m3Mj79ryTO7S6ofaCYnNNourHG0igTLCCP57pbJzeRDFo2H8dJAdAIRaYZN2mkOSNj2eEV/s1986/Desolation+Williams+1+Cropped.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1986" data-original-width="1363" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguj3pPYpeQVrCL_N_0dulmvkPgyfjVMe6M4DFNOjJ-7PwbQyDaZrETgu8mEaY35auBSKYGK4m3Mj79ryTO7S6ofaCYnNNourHG0igTLCCP57pbJzeRDFo2H8dJAdAIRaYZN2mkOSNj2eEV/s320/Desolation+Williams+1+Cropped.jpg" /></a></div><br />Yes, admittedly..."Ghosts of Mars" was a fairly disappointing film - especially at the time of release. However, compared to what's being turned out nowadays, that movie is now <b>classic cinema gold</b>. Recently, having viewed a dvd version, I decided to paint up one Desolation Williams.<br /><br />I used the RAFM miniature <a href="http://www.rafm.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=RAF&Product_Code=RAF02811&Category_Code=USXMin" target="_blank">Karl Unger</a>, from the USX Modern Day Heroes line, which had been loitering around my painting table for nearly a year, as the basis for my Williams - the weapon was easily swapped from the stock, and there was no other modification necessary.<p></p><p>Aside from the Martian Red Desert Camo pattern, the colour palette for the character is very narrow - black undershirt, black webbing, black gloves, black boots. Yes, John Carpenter was quite burnt-out in anno 2001...<br /><br />There's actually no scenario from "Ghosts of Mars" that I'm eager to play - it's just 'Zombies meet Wild West on Mars' which doesn't really interest me, tactically. That said, if I can find miniatures suitable for "Uno, Dos, and Tres", I'd paint them up to complete the posse...<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Ω</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p> <br /><br /><br /></p>kmfrye2001http://www.blogger.com/profile/06157520186066443696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725262417099700107.post-73832501813954302892021-02-06T10:32:00.000-08:002021-02-06T10:32:00.400-08:00Old School 28mm Sci-Fi Terrain Round Up<p> "<i>Shh! Wait!...Can you feel that?...</i>" It's 28mm Sci-Fi, and it's coming back to life...<br /><br />I've noticed a trend over the past few years: 15mm Sci-Fi is waning (not dying, just waning - Don't Panic<span style="vertical-align: super;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">©</span></span>) and 28mm Sci-Fi is again gaining ground. To mix metaphors: The pendulum has swung full circle.</p><p><br />Disclaimer/Claimer (Sorry/Not Sorry): When I do an overview/review, I invariably ruffle some feathers - that's the nature of reviews, because they reflect individual tastes, preferences and <b><i>opinions</i></b>. I do not review items outside my area of interest i.e. WH40K. I just don't like it, I don't play it, I don't review it or anything directly associated with it, and that's that. That said, Hail the Emperor, He Suffers for Us.<br /><br />Neither am I beholden to any of these companies under review: I don't get review samples, I don't want review samples, and I decline review samples. The only exception is, if something is included in a regular order, as a freebie - then I review it <b><i>if </i></b>it takes my fancy. I remain a Free Agent.<br /><br />I need to include this disclaimer because there are people who feel that some manufacturer-suppliers are entitled to special consideration, simply because these vendors make stuff these people especially like. That's alright for some, but not here. Whether I like something or not, the reader is free to agree or disagree, but that doesn't change my position - unless I've made a <b><i>factual </i></b>mistake, whereupon I will occasionally change positions. <br /><br />Finally, defining "Old School": <span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">Old School hearkens back to a time when:</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333;" /></span></p><ul style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">We played face-to-face</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Figures were rules-agnostic, made of metal, (or resin, in the case of terrain) and painted.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Content was neither video-game nor anime derived, nor so aesthetically inspired.</span></li></ul><p><u><br />Acheson Creations<br /></u>A neat line of <a href="https://www.achesoncreations.com/index.php/products/science-fiction-1/science-fiction" target="_blank">Sci-Fi scatter terrain</a>. Including pipelines, furnishings and small buildings. They are reasonably quick in dispatching your purchase, and I've always had good service from them.</p><p><br /><u>Amara Plastic Mouldings</u><br />Amara has their <a href="http://www.amera.co.uk/product.php?range=z" target="_blank">Future Zone</a> line of moulded styrene for 28mm. One of my favourite pieces is the Fortress Wall Section, which has appeared in my 15mm Stargrunt Games as well as my 28mm VSF games.</p><p><u><br />Armourcast Terraform Terrain<br /></u>Produces an excellent variety of <a href="https://armorcast.com/terrain/modern-terrain/" target="_blank">Modern/Near Future</a> terrain, alien plants, ruins. One of my <a href="https://armorcast.com/actm005-three-control-panels-new-terrain/" target="_blank">very first Sci-Fi terrain purchase</a>s was from Armourcast. The old <u><a href="https://armorcast.com/miniatures/lance-laser/" target="_blank">Lance and Laser</a></u> and Mega Miniatures <a href="https://armorcast.com/miniatures/salvage-crew/" target="_blank">Salvage Crew</a> line have found their home there.</p><p>From 2000 to 2005, after they lost the WH40K license, and associated business, they branched into "Steampunk", where they flirted with some arguably off-beat designs, like the <a href="https://armorcast.com/acws002-steam-buddha/" target="_blank">Steam Buddha</a> and <a href="https://armorcast.com/acws003-steam-mushroom/" target="_blank">Steam Mushroom</a> (and the wargame application for these are...what again?), while abandoning the higher-demand items like the Grizzley Steam Walker - probably because the moulds had worn out, and they didn't want to deal with the expense of making new ones.<br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0nirXp4mHYVAZW0HV2w6DzlN_VUesN7IWFaPxbai_sT8mAyL2Y0BuNI9UQDF35CVp7DmfA_TKYwZMKFEprpmm1dx9c5_VKqtu8FuVHadUjg8P_210cesR9GD8XA4S306srL7DvCWmn7Wz/s250/Grizzley+Walker.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0nirXp4mHYVAZW0HV2w6DzlN_VUesN7IWFaPxbai_sT8mAyL2Y0BuNI9UQDF35CVp7DmfA_TKYwZMKFEprpmm1dx9c5_VKqtu8FuVHadUjg8P_210cesR9GD8XA4S306srL7DvCWmn7Wz/s0/Grizzley+Walker.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Ex-Armourcast Steam Walker - Sic Transit Gloria </span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br />Armourcast also make <a href="https://armorcast.com/cinematic-effects/" target="_blank">Cinematic effects</a> and <a href="https://armorcast.com/bases/" target="_blank">Bases</a>. Now, these are undeniably cool, and I have a couple of the latter- that said, Cinematic Effects is a niche line and is somewhat over-represented on their website. As an inheritance from the previous owners, I suspect it's intended to service diorama enthusiasts, and not gamers. That said, if you need an "<a href="https://armorcast.com/ggwfx021-high-explosive-hamster-rounds-4/" target="_blank">Attack Hamster Muzzle Effect</a>" Armorcast is your go-to guy.</p><p>In 2007, the company changed hands, though it's sometimes difficult to judge whether Armourcast is a company moving forward, or one whose best days are behind it. Despite any perceived erosion to their previous reputation*, the new owner/operator has spun off a new concept, to breathe life into the "same-old, discontinued" line, and so created "<a href="https://armorcast.com/miniatures/ginfritters-gnomish-workshop/" target="_blank">Ginfritter's Gnomish Workshop</a>". There are new items being added, of a quirky, humourous nature, that you won't find elsewhere.<br /><br />*<i>In case of any doubt, I can pull up the relevant TMP threads. Again, nota bene.</i></p><p><i><br /></i><u>Black Cat Miniatures</u> - An assortment of <a href="https://blackcatbases.com/product-category/accessories-weapons-tokens/" target="_blank">furnishings, set dressing, et al</a>. Very handy for the odd bit no one else make. Reasonably quick dispatch.</p><p><br /><u>Crooked Dice Design Studio</u><br />A plethora of crates, set dressings for <a href="https://crooked-dice.co.uk/product-category/pigeon-guard-games/" target="_blank">The Village</a>, <a href="https://crooked-dice.co.uk/product-category/mdf/" target="_blank">1960's-style control panels</a>, even a <a href="https://crooked-dice.co.uk/product-category/secret-base/" target="_blank">Secret Base</a> where you can Hideout and destroy your favourite Star Trek franchise. </p><p><br /><u>Knights of Dice</u><br />Based in Australia, Knights of Dice offer several lines of SciFi buildings, some of which can certainly be classified as Old School style. Their <a href="https://www.knightsofdice.com/product-category/neo-sentry-sci-fi/easy-district/" target="_blank">Easy District</a> has a certain Blade Runner feel, with acrylic "neon" signs for good measure. Their <a href="https://www.knightsofdice.com/product-category/terminus-australis/invictus/" target="_blank">Invictus</a> line is a bit more "gothic", but would fit with a game set in the <i>Riddick</i> universe, and their <a href="https://www.knightsofdice.com/product-category/neo-sentry-sci-fi/sandport-hydra/" target="_blank">Sandport Hydra</a> line would make a good Arrakis or Tatooine.<br /><br />My caveat with Knights of Dice is, their buildings span 28mm-35mm, which can be a trifle biggish for 28mm. That said, the workmanship is excellent - with multiple layers that give the buildings depth.</p><p><br /><u>Mantic Games</u><br />Despite my aversion to plastic minis, I'm less fussy regarding terrain. Mantic do a series of Sci-Fi <a href="https://www.manticgames.com/games/terrain-crate/sci-fi/" target="_blank">Terrain Crate</a> sets, and their <a href="https://www.manticgames.com/games/terrain-crate/industrial-accessories/" target="_blank">Industrial Accessories</a> set has proved especially useful for my purposes</p><p>.<br /><u>Miniature Building Authority</u><br />MBA also has a small, newish <a href="https://www.miniaturebuildingauthority.com/products.asp?cat=Sci-Fi+Buildings+and+Terrain">28mm SciFi line</a>, of just under a dozen. It's mostly greebles and bits & bobs, but there is a nice Flux Capacitor that's fairly unique. MBA's <a href="https://www.miniaturebuildingauthority.com/products.asp?cat=Shanty+Town" target="_blank">Shanty Town line</a> is useful for you post-spoc fans. I've had good service from MBA.</p><p><u><br />Sarissa Precision<br /></u>While MDF usually falls outside my definition of "Old School SciFi", Sarissa Precision deserves an honourable mention, due to the clean, futuristic lines and Old School design. I have an <a href="https://tempestsinateapot.blogspot.com/2020/02/adventure-scale-buildings-from-sarissa.html" target="_blank">entire farm</a> from Sarissa. Some of their stuff looks like Blade Runner, some of it looks like <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079285/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_23" target="_blank">Saturn 3</a>. With their <a href="https://sarissa-precision.com/collections/system-sci-fi-28mm?page=1" target="_blank">System 28 SciFi</a> line, you can re-create Hadley's Hope from <u>Aliens</u>, and that's good enough for me.</p><p><u><br />Scotia Grendel<br /></u>Has some 60+ entries in their <a href="https://www.shop.scotiagrendel.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=227_220" target="_blank">Sci-Fi Terrain</a> line, including those awesome <a href="https://www.shop.scotiagrendel.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=227_220&products_id=2750" target="_blank">pillboxes</a> that I use for 15mm SciFi games. Also futuristic doors, cryo chambers, control panels (one of which has a three-ring binder on it - how Old School can you get?) and xeno-eggs.</p><p><u><br />TTCombat<br /></u>These are another 28mm-35mm scale product. I have only one item in TT Combat's <a href="https://ttcombat.com/collections/sci-fi-utopia" target="_blank">SciFi Utopia</a> range, and that's their <a href="https://ttcombat.com/collections/sci-fi-utopia/products/geodesic-dome" target="_blank">Geodesic Domes</a> set. It looks very neat - as I have yet to assemble it, I'll need to wait before I can give it an honest review.</p><p><u></u></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPr84c5JHfRwUdESPNRALwGbZ_5SHlV7DKeV43mLy5YEamxRMk69aHckt00ze4I1X-L4_1sxPmSX5rgIYCrBbKeK2gqb4cJGJHcz-SPV3PSx8jSL8QJ2efSuoSCATG8i91Mqu3KP2t2GZg/s662/TT+Combat+Domes+blog.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="398" data-original-width="662" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPr84c5JHfRwUdESPNRALwGbZ_5SHlV7DKeV43mLy5YEamxRMk69aHckt00ze4I1X-L4_1sxPmSX5rgIYCrBbKeK2gqb4cJGJHcz-SPV3PSx8jSL8QJ2efSuoSCATG8i91Mqu3KP2t2GZg/s320/TT+Combat+Domes+blog.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Geodesic Dome from TTCombat</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><u><br /></u><br /><br /><b>Honourable Mentions</b><br /><br />The following may very well be the best thing since sliced bread - only, aside from searching their websites fairly often, I haven't had the opportunity to purchase much, if any, of their relevant stock. <br /><br /><a href="https://blacksitestudio.com/" target="_blank">Black Site Studio</a> - <a href="https://blacksitestudio.com/haven-cat/" target="_blank">Post Apoc</a>, <a href="https://blacksitestudio.com/the-a-r-k/" target="_blank">Arcology</a>, and a Blade-Runner-esque <a href="https://blacksitestudio.com/zaibatsu/" target="_blank">Zaibatsu</a> line. A lot of Out-of-Stock items...<b>when will suppliers learn that this is almost always seen as a bad sign by browsing shoppers</b>?<br /><br /><a href="https://rebelminis.com/28feuaandte.html" target="_blank">Rebel Minis</a> - 28mm Fenceposts and UAV. Hopefully, they will expand their 28mm Sci-Fi line.<p></p><div><u>Warlord Games</u> - I've included Warlord as the Elephant in the Room, because I haven't quite forgiven them for <u>Doctor Who</u>. That said, I've been very, very close to purchasing their <a href="https://store.warlordgames.com/collections/beyond-the-gates-of-antares-terrain/products/freeborn-trading-outpost" target="_blank">Freedom Colony Outpost</a>, because it's unique and very future-y. I do have some Frostgrave miniatures, via <a href="https://www.northstarfigures.com/list.php?man=195&page=1" target="_blank">Northstar Figure</a>s, and they are very good.<br /><br /><br /><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Closing Thoughts</span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This list cannot be compleatly exhaustive, and there are some smaller startups offering "one-shot" terrain items which may, or may not, fall under the Old School Sci-Fi umbrella as I'm using here - that said, feel free to offer additional suggestions, in the comments, if there's something you think I've missed....</span><span style="background-color: transparent;">Ω</span></div></div>kmfrye2001http://www.blogger.com/profile/06157520186066443696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725262417099700107.post-80788353498749706472020-12-28T10:53:00.001-08:002020-12-28T15:03:56.576-08:00WIP: Columbia Rumble II - The Droogs of War<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir3IgfVu_QmmSLrdtsREsh7y8AFa4g8KSIBGaqd8EMGU2esK0tiCtz5Cu8g_3ePBRQboilsTQvBKCjyQsROv367ZSR4A8j68CmY9re3y54FFmyOwnIv3UqALa1MwF1XDnU-lJ7bq9hiiDi/s1902/Streetfight+Letterboxed.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="763" data-original-width="1902" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir3IgfVu_QmmSLrdtsREsh7y8AFa4g8KSIBGaqd8EMGU2esK0tiCtz5Cu8g_3ePBRQboilsTQvBKCjyQsROv367ZSR4A8j68CmY9re3y54FFmyOwnIv3UqALa1MwF1XDnU-lJ7bq9hiiDi/w400-h160/Streetfight+Letterboxed.jpg" width="400" /></a> </p><p>As the Holidays approached, my wife suggested that the dining room table (upon which rested my partially complete 28mm streets) might be a better choice for Christmas dinner than sitting in the parlour, eating from TV trays...</p><p>Her logic was inescapable.<br /><br />So, I decided to have one more scrum before I boxed up "Lockdown City", to await next year's convention circuit...if any.<br /><br />As an interesting aside, I've found that setting up my WIP urban terrain for six months did *not* encourage me to finish it - I just moved on to other projects. The Boulevard is now going back into the workroom, where I will once again start painting bricks and mortar. <br /><br />Using the <a href="https://www.wargamevault.com/product/226810/Five-Parsecs-From-Home" target="_blank">5PfH </a>supplement <u>Gangwar</u>, along with <u>Full Metal Anorak</u>, I randomly generated the next opponent for the Africanus Agency: 'Roid Gangers. Giving some thought, and considering that <u>Gang War</u> is a generic Sci-Fi setting, I decided to use the <a href="https://tempestsinateapot.blogspot.com/2020/11/28mm-droogs-for-gang-war.html" target="_blank">Friendsies</a> from <a href="https://crooked-dice.co.uk/" target="_blank">Crooked Dice</a>, to represent the <i>Droogs</i> from <u>A Clockwork Orange</u>. In <u>Gang War</u>, they are rated as 'Psycho' and, hopped up on Milk+Vellocet, rate a d10 Toughness, are armed with heavy melee weapons, but only a single figure has a firearm (shotgun) as fire support.<br /><br /> Additionally, as I could see the repetitive aspects of another solo game, I added an additional mission from <a href="http://www.firstcommandwargames.com/mean-streets.html" target="_blank">Mean Streets</a>, by <a href="http://www.firstcommandwargames.com/" target="_blank">First Command Games</a>: <i>Bring Him Back Alive; </i>an associate of the Africanus Agency was stranded in hostile territory, and needed an escort back to HQ.<br /><br />Of course, "hostile territory" can be a relative term - in this case, Clancey Clark, the Agency's "Banker", had stopped for a barbecued-pork sandwich at a local bistro...that was deep in the enemy gang's deployment zone, while the 'Roid Gangers descended on the West Boulevard.<br /><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9dQMmgBEK8NMR3-iBUgnh6GNnlUi0ftigJHkMjHmzHouOFjRW918N190-X_5qFuJ20lH5JII1HAw2aWo7kRaTmXCAlyC36wzOrhR5uj-0xlMoDzTvqUdFzV3y-z_YbTrQ9R-t3R_2_Dga/s779/Porkchop+crop.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="779" data-original-width="627" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9dQMmgBEK8NMR3-iBUgnh6GNnlUi0ftigJHkMjHmzHouOFjRW918N190-X_5qFuJ20lH5JII1HAw2aWo7kRaTmXCAlyC36wzOrhR5uj-0xlMoDzTvqUdFzV3y-z_YbTrQ9R-t3R_2_Dga/w161-h200/Porkchop+crop.jpg" width="161" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Miniature by <a href="https://brigadegames.3dcartstores.com/Spies-and-Patriots--SPY001-Soviet-Agents-I-2_p_5459.html" target="_blank">Brigade Games</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />The Game:<br /><br />The first two turns were spent either hunkering down behind some cover (if you with the Agency) or advancing headlong towards melee, (if you were the Droogs/Gangers) your leader shouting vaguely Shakespearean insults about 'vengeance arising from a black and hollow shell..." or some such.<br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYz997tudFdqSsAy9VS6ZPplGKrwpEglH7qe33DkpK_dMEH5DUN6CBkhlDe1uXqpLtdM_3gY5IYzrxncdb54TjrltjhKW48Xe8-EG5PLE_2c3B7C2E7idp_N2cqBx_AFlyc-I9Y1qID0nA/s1441/Droogs.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="781" data-original-width="1441" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYz997tudFdqSsAy9VS6ZPplGKrwpEglH7qe33DkpK_dMEH5DUN6CBkhlDe1uXqpLtdM_3gY5IYzrxncdb54TjrltjhKW48Xe8-EG5PLE_2c3B7C2E7idp_N2cqBx_AFlyc-I9Y1qID0nA/s320/Droogs.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">"These cats wear cricket whites and talk fancy - probably from Drexel..."</span></i></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW7lrBsRuEeHf547JhbDptYeyE2FQhyphenhyphen7kyLQq-dQVUdVaIFn0HkZapq4v53X-VMv2LtamMUpI3bMlp3xhWA8p9T-15uuWlxqD6QtocYdFSe_t7MXVdHPA0rE8irstkHh2dqBYrcHs9VMW4/s1665/Agency+1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="875" data-original-width="1665" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW7lrBsRuEeHf547JhbDptYeyE2FQhyphenhyphen7kyLQq-dQVUdVaIFn0HkZapq4v53X-VMv2LtamMUpI3bMlp3xhWA8p9T-15uuWlxqD6QtocYdFSe_t7MXVdHPA0rE8irstkHh2dqBYrcHs9VMW4/s320/Agency+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Reverend Bright moves to set up a cross-fire</span>.<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Turns 3 and 4: Once the Gangers entered effective pistol range, the Agency let them have it. Due to the chemicals in their bloodstream, the Gangers were difficult to put down, but a suppression is a suppression, and the hail of gunfire slowed them a bit.</div></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLPECUSusMIp7UEieCxg5ymkaXpWIG4EQYww1eQkcUTeM8YX3peU4L2OMHYcmWTdLyi78BgLzqZa9aBygKv8yxXnslXsY4dwQC9kZI9LUO5JIBiOWiPSrwT1moFGjEtoX5n4hOVVCh2BfY/s1496/Contact%2521.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="863" data-original-width="1496" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLPECUSusMIp7UEieCxg5ymkaXpWIG4EQYww1eQkcUTeM8YX3peU4L2OMHYcmWTdLyi78BgLzqZa9aBygKv8yxXnslXsY4dwQC9kZI9LUO5JIBiOWiPSrwT1moFGjEtoX5n4hOVVCh2BfY/s320/Contact%2521.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_udp49Z2k7AFCjI_DKjNRLPziY45lK2Ea9hjjpmtABdMSAXAJddRSywn9iUnah1-C9h6tbPax5u_H2LZMBdRFVNZ9u0vthNenD4KB5dECPzPZbgKYDhmSWOwIM1XxvsMN_jq9T85i3r0A/s1880/Supressed.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="1880" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_udp49Z2k7AFCjI_DKjNRLPziY45lK2Ea9hjjpmtABdMSAXAJddRSywn9iUnah1-C9h6tbPax5u_H2LZMBdRFVNZ9u0vthNenD4KB5dECPzPZbgKYDhmSWOwIM1XxvsMN_jq9T85i3r0A/s320/Supressed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The shotgun-toting <i>devotchka,</i> having fallen back to cover by the '63 Oldsmobile, let loose a blast that suppressed Alonzo. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir3IgfVu_QmmSLrdtsREsh7y8AFa4g8KSIBGaqd8EMGU2esK0tiCtz5Cu8g_3ePBRQboilsTQvBKCjyQsROv367ZSR4A8j68CmY9re3y54FFmyOwnIv3UqALa1MwF1XDnU-lJ7bq9hiiDi/s1902/Streetfight+Letterboxed.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="763" data-original-width="1902" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir3IgfVu_QmmSLrdtsREsh7y8AFa4g8KSIBGaqd8EMGU2esK0tiCtz5Cu8g_3ePBRQboilsTQvBKCjyQsROv367ZSR4A8j68CmY9re3y54FFmyOwnIv3UqALa1MwF1XDnU-lJ7bq9hiiDi/s320/Streetfight+Letterboxed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><br /><br />Turn 5 and 6: It was here that the dice, once again, failed me. I'm not entirely certain what the odds are of rolling two ones, twice in a row, but it sure felt personal. In any event, any advantage the Agency had was now lost, as the Droogs had initiative, threw off their suppression, and charged into melee.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUaIBA0i4Kc-1FCLCRWaorSGTaBLmrqDuvPlAT8umWDYI8eA_dPmmc2KVLZr_dwFFqPc7VEWGEsnuHM-Eeoq9K4NnVsRGEG4mNA9nQl4Qvmk2jgZvzTabcstjMk6i4ZB6ikBufun4gC0OV/s1357/craps+twice.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="873" data-original-width="1357" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUaIBA0i4Kc-1FCLCRWaorSGTaBLmrqDuvPlAT8umWDYI8eA_dPmmc2KVLZr_dwFFqPc7VEWGEsnuHM-Eeoq9K4NnVsRGEG4mNA9nQl4Qvmk2jgZvzTabcstjMk6i4ZB6ikBufun4gC0OV/s320/craps+twice.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Once again, Dame Fortune uses me a hussy...</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br />Interestingly enough, while I had been dreading a melee, it was in melee that the Agency's higher quality made itself known. Defensive fire from Afrodite Jones had dropped Dimitri-the-Droog during the charge, leaving Leader Alex to attack alone. In FMA, melee resolution is decisive, and a bad roll is often not only a miss, but a self-wound. This is what happened now - Leader Alex bombed out on his melee roll and received a critical wound. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGcGaxchkcWUJ0ya1RqZ4LCyDDtYx80BKwYnwPUMAExljhjkUnlu82i12u8mJKyP0j28-_49Mw93uOMpcd8YXBQozjIJEcwjhljd5wK0rUlsLqweZToSTrgL5CbVdnbmqLYII-UxG61AS5/s1318/Melee.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="879" data-original-width="1318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGcGaxchkcWUJ0ya1RqZ4LCyDDtYx80BKwYnwPUMAExljhjkUnlu82i12u8mJKyP0j28-_49Mw93uOMpcd8YXBQozjIJEcwjhljd5wK0rUlsLqweZToSTrgL5CbVdnbmqLYII-UxG61AS5/s320/Melee.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>With their leader and henchman down, the Droog's morale broke, and they scarpered off back up the Boulevard. The Agency had made another permanent enemy. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT3Z9cqEVDUgy4C3Y7cZgh4fQOejBBF3TNI8Ud2NB3zJHPk7sOCJSnhOFqn8oiLNgLs-BxudiZ_GZDNC2s7ynGSZPXLvcYXjVTl8a9-3Z5HZs5Kz-QIcke3Z9nk44XmG1sebp2lc-LVSWF/s1411/Retreat+Letterboxed.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="779" data-original-width="1411" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT3Z9cqEVDUgy4C3Y7cZgh4fQOejBBF3TNI8Ud2NB3zJHPk7sOCJSnhOFqn8oiLNgLs-BxudiZ_GZDNC2s7ynGSZPXLvcYXjVTl8a9-3Z5HZs5Kz-QIcke3Z9nk44XmG1sebp2lc-LVSWF/s320/Retreat+Letterboxed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">"Time to head home for a bit of spatchka..."</span></i></div><div><br />Their secondary objective, Clancey "C-Note" Clark, following the gunfire, came sidling up the pavement, up to the nudie bar. He had cash for the Agency, and by his clock, it was lunchtime.<br /><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuF2k5tbhyphenhyphenOkmp1A0EZONcQ0e2XOEmW89dt5tgEBLExoFY-iXJATzfUwFADb3TTdLf7O24PtMHrlvqXGciBss5dSOf7VBa61yPfN03_Ukr2MOZ2-c5UgQuHjtDTK2one4OzAoXVsPiQIZo/s1331/Topless+Lunch.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="819" data-original-width="1331" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuF2k5tbhyphenhyphenOkmp1A0EZONcQ0e2XOEmW89dt5tgEBLExoFY-iXJATzfUwFADb3TTdLf7O24PtMHrlvqXGciBss5dSOf7VBa61yPfN03_Ukr2MOZ2-c5UgQuHjtDTK2one4OzAoXVsPiQIZo/s320/Topless+Lunch.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">"Hey guys! They're open for lunch!"</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><u>Post-Game Thoughts:<br /></u><br />This was a quick game, with the Psycho Droogs advancing toward melee and closing by the end of the second turn. Without a lot of firepower, they just muscled their way into the teeth of all that Scipio's posse could throw at them, only to be taken down by rotten melee dice. While I found it a bit anti-climactic, that's life on the Boulevard.<br /><br /><u>Mean Streets</u> is a useful supplement for the combined <u>Gang War/FMA</u> rules set, and introduces primary and secondary missions to the street fight, also a means of incorporating police reactions - especially to gunfire. I'll need to paint up a few more Coppers, since when they arrive, they arrive in force...Ω<br /><br /> <p></p>kmfrye2001http://www.blogger.com/profile/06157520186066443696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725262417099700107.post-19193538229430398782020-12-23T09:21:00.007-08:002021-01-01T09:20:19.102-08:00Merry Christmas<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8KrGIiIkECgPp0qIKxugrTHMpH8x3DAQx4R39RIS4QtlpbHQBZwosgfBfFVNaVTUBHW1vul_UDNkJKd7C5AHquLsg-qdbo0mTKfxjgOazAcDA3UFR6R78u7nJrS3hXnFCSPQbjl1BQNmB/s618/Powers+Xmas.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="404" data-original-width="618" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8KrGIiIkECgPp0qIKxugrTHMpH8x3DAQx4R39RIS4QtlpbHQBZwosgfBfFVNaVTUBHW1vul_UDNkJKd7C5AHquLsg-qdbo0mTKfxjgOazAcDA3UFR6R78u7nJrS3hXnFCSPQbjl1BQNmB/w400-h261/Powers+Xmas.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div>And a <i>groovy</i> New Year....Ω</div>kmfrye2001http://www.blogger.com/profile/06157520186066443696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725262417099700107.post-78183606466994433152020-12-22T13:06:00.000-08:002020-12-22T13:06:08.821-08:00Ultra-Teens by Lucid Eye <p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi34A5GIIwuhKwTFiwHxGYJJZkRaeTmyPrfbc5JGew1JeDAW0m3exlzrAifv2jUl1eJwIFUrLY-j6Y2gJae26nV4K7cbSx0WqTdYuRKzuj2idCaGy4Ii870on_JwpWjRHzjyBsa-_QzQYLM/s1059/Ultrateens+1+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="299" data-original-width="1059" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi34A5GIIwuhKwTFiwHxGYJJZkRaeTmyPrfbc5JGew1JeDAW0m3exlzrAifv2jUl1eJwIFUrLY-j6Y2gJae26nV4K7cbSx0WqTdYuRKzuj2idCaGy4Ii870on_JwpWjRHzjyBsa-_QzQYLM/w400-h113/Ultrateens+1+blog.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Figures by Lucid Eye Publications</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><i>"Ho, ho, ho! Well, if it isn't fat, stinking, billy goat Billy
Boy in poison! How art thou, thou globby bottle of cheap, stinking chip oil?
Come and get one in the yarbles, if ya have any yarbles, you eunuch jelly thou!"</i></p><br />Presented for your Distraction, and intended as opponents to <a href="https://tempestsinateapot.blogspot.com/2020/11/28mm-droogs-for-gang-war.html" target="_blank">Little Alex and his Droogs</a>, are the Ultra-Teens, from the <a href="https://www.lucideyepublications.com/the-plot-device" target="_blank">Plot Device</a> range by <a href="https://www.lucideyepublications.com/" target="_blank">Lucid Eye Publications</a>.<div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnIb4JaCH2y0fllfpCPfjdlywwTICHt7SLxV4sQNfBUYBs4JF0hESleJg40mfnFRTVfNUjY0aMJsinqVKVzcUdBGCekKTvj_9QAFtTvii2KYlLfPnS_76hbJehvgjwBaNfckRgjMJ9RlmL/s999/Ultrateens+2+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="262" data-original-width="999" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnIb4JaCH2y0fllfpCPfjdlywwTICHt7SLxV4sQNfBUYBs4JF0hESleJg40mfnFRTVfNUjY0aMJsinqVKVzcUdBGCekKTvj_9QAFtTvii2KYlLfPnS_76hbJehvgjwBaNfckRgjMJ9RlmL/s320/Ultrateens+2+blog.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Not much going on back here....</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>The miniatures are well sculpted, cleanly cast - presenting few if any mould lines, and have some great character. The figure with the handgun was converted - the original carried the same cane/cudgel as his cohorts. Clearly, some inspiration was drawn from Alex and his Droogs in <u>A Clockwork Orange</u>, but these figures transcend that opus and make their home in a 'Psychedelic themed Future of Dystopian Proportion!'</p><p><b><u>The Plot Device</u></b><br /><br />Set in some presumably not-too-distant future, where bell-bottoms and other 70's fashions rule, <u>The Plot Device</u> revolves around the actions of Super Spies, their multi-dimensional opponents, and the threat these opponents present to the "Psychedelic Golden Age" of a future "Britain".<br /><br />Lucid Eye has backed away slightly from their first introductory description of the Plot Device, but I was able to locate an early vendor (Sally 4th) which preserved the original fluff text as I remember it:</p><p><i> "Welcome to the Pan-Dimensional Neo Golden Age! The Plot Device is a supreme artifact which eternally becomes throughout all of time and space, a writhing hub of actuality in an eternal sea of probability.</i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><o:p></o:p></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><o:p> </o:p>Welcome to Lucidea, City Of The Empire Of All Realities, and look upon The Immortal Dowager Empress, Victoriana V, and her half mad brother, Albrecht, Commander Of The Guard, High Admiral Of The Fleets.</i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><o:p></o:p></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><o:p> </o:p>Join the Queen's Favourite, Titus Verne, Psychedelic Superspy, and his sister, Julia, on their missions to protect the Empire from Synthetics, Seditionaries, Insergents and Infiltrators who all plot to bring down The Empire throughout several realities!</i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><o:p></o:p></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><o:p> </o:p>Groovy</i>!"</p><p>Groovy, indeed! This, IMO, sounds like a really interesting and gameable idea. Similar to Michael Moorcock's eternal city of <i>Tanelorn</i>, <i>Lucidea</i> in <u>The Plot Device</u> exists across multiple dimensions, and (I expect) much like <i>Tanelorn</i>, would come under attack from various, trans-dimensional factions. In my febrile imagination, the world of the Plot Device looks a bit like <u>A Clockwork Orange</u>, mixed with Jerry Cornelius and <u>The Final Programme,</u> and a bit of Jon Pertwee's <u>Doctor Who</u>. As the bloke at the back of the crowd shouted best: "I"ll have one!".</p><p>The only hitch, however, is that the <u>Plot Device</u> has not been fully supported, and seriously wants for published material; several years ago, rules and support material for the multi-dimensional, 'Psychedelic Golden Age' were announced, but never released. There is some good news, however, in that there has been a release of miniatures.<br /><br />Thus far, we have the Hypnocrats, lead by the Wild Lord Saarbrück Thus of the Balefire Club; The gun-toting Suburbanauts, lead by Clinton Shroud of Deathnell Green, and the Ultrateens, led by Zal Krete of Queensway. Perhaps opposing them are the individual agents; the aforementioned Titus and Julia Verne, Candy Peoples, Pryce Compere, Archie Bort (an ennobled monkey), Olga Blok, and as Men Who recently Fell to Earth; Zen Epsilon and Ixym Izveet - alien rockstars and infiltrators.</p><p>How will <u>The Plot Device</u> play? We don't yet know, though I'll hazard a guess the rules will be based on the Lucid Eye house system by Rick Priestly. One of the staff commented that the game will have both skirmish and RPG features. If it has a clean combat system with an intriguing campaign background, I expect it to be a hit...<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Ω</span> </p><p><br /><br /><br /></p></div>kmfrye2001http://www.blogger.com/profile/06157520186066443696noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725262417099700107.post-90278978354609076702020-11-30T09:57:00.006-08:002020-11-30T17:23:00.451-08:0028mm Droogs for Gang War<p> <br /><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1r_ZuZAt3I0pKHijf9-UHJmQWuhEkH6HcTy7rJ5m2G-EGxMgPjdZInGJTbnnCwYdxZBjuOEYr6Y_LsPEnYXhl4tTtZ-cDYUlPJjVagwHzPwbjROGt8Un_QowDoa9hToNajXHivWPqX8K8/s979/Droogs+1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="409" data-original-width="979" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1r_ZuZAt3I0pKHijf9-UHJmQWuhEkH6HcTy7rJ5m2G-EGxMgPjdZInGJTbnnCwYdxZBjuOEYr6Y_LsPEnYXhl4tTtZ-cDYUlPJjVagwHzPwbjROGt8Un_QowDoa9hToNajXHivWPqX8K8/s320/Droogs+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>28mm Miniatures by Crooked Dice</i></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(185, 185, 185, 0.1); color: #333333;">"</span><span style="background-color: rgba(185, 185, 185, 0.1); color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i>There was me, that is Alex, and my three droogs, that is Pete, Georgie, and Dim, and we sat in the Korova Milkbar trying to make up our rassoodocks what to do with the evening...</i></span></span></span><span style="background-color: rgba(185, 185, 185, 0.1);"><span face="Verdana, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: medium;">"</span></span><br /><br /><span face="Verdana, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><span>With that out of the way, allow me to present the Friendses by </span></span><a href="https://crooked-dice.co.uk/" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Crooked Dice</span></a><span face="Verdana, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><span>. </span></span></span><span face="Verdana, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(185, 185, 185, 0.1); color: #333333;">The miniatures are well cast, with good animation, and the heads are </span><span face="Verdana, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(185, 185, 185, 0.1); color: #333333;">interchangeable. </span><span face="Verdana, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(185, 185, 185, 0.1); color: #333333;">Just what's needed to deal out a few </span><i style="background-color: rgba(185, 185, 185, 0.1); color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;">tolchoks</i><span face="Verdana, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(185, 185, 185, 0.1); color: #333333;"> and lashings of the old Ultra Violence. </span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: rgba(185, 185, 185, 0.1);"><span face="Verdana, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><span>During my 1970s Gang War campaign, I found that I needed some hopped up 'Roid Gangers as random opponents, and I naturally thought of Little Alex and Co, a particularly nasty bit of business, yes? Only they needed some fire support, by way of a shotgun-toting little <i>devotchka</i>, modified from the </span></span><a href="https://www.lonegunmangames.com/modern-heroes.php" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Modern Heroes</span></a><span face="Verdana, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><span> line, currently available from </span></span><a href="https://www.lonegunmangames.com/" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;" target="_blank">L</a><a href="https://www.lonegunmangames.com/" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0b5394;">one Gunman Games</span></a><span face="Verdana, Arial, sans-serif"><span><span style="color: #0b5394;">.</span><br /><br /><b style="color: #333333;">Caveat Emptor</b><span style="color: #333333;">: I haven't actually ordered anything from Lone Gunman Games - my set were had from eBay, and the seller (napthyme) shorted me a mini, so...there you have it. You have been advised.</span></span></span></span></p><p><span face="Verdana, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju1dghZIf9QCxLGnCIysINWm-EseRsyesEmCd_DmMRkt3CH4ksumE4BHRRhLw1TpSyvoOMaz-JdJ4uty40DJsTEkGJOamuA20AT08O3cmjtZOX8W1X9hufFY1SlBdcHqcjw0MsOATlvzOC/s1075/Droogs+2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="419" data-original-width="1075" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju1dghZIf9QCxLGnCIysINWm-EseRsyesEmCd_DmMRkt3CH4ksumE4BHRRhLw1TpSyvoOMaz-JdJ4uty40DJsTEkGJOamuA20AT08O3cmjtZOX8W1X9hufFY1SlBdcHqcjw0MsOATlvzOC/s320/Droogs+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>28mm Miniatures by Crooked Dice and Lone Gunman Games</i></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Admittedly, she does look pretty good in the mix. After she was finished, I was surprised to find a female padroog in the very first scene of "A Clockwork Orange", in the Korova Milk Bar, along the left-side screen, sitting with other white-clad droogs. She was also blonde, and had a black head wrap. <br /><br />The subconscious mind is an interesting thing. <p></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb6DSnCo60x7cAOjekpZydTbxoj24gXJqYuLgVN_XCV5y3vuC0m5FeNLBxeER79IdfHV4qse3lOG9ztcDg8zRXITe3Ky_wMCLG4v2s1NY027ELHrIJrtDt71HsKAfCyNLFc4Go6JAuVNXZ/s1419/Droogs+Rumble.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="794" data-original-width="1419" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb6DSnCo60x7cAOjekpZydTbxoj24gXJqYuLgVN_XCV5y3vuC0m5FeNLBxeER79IdfHV4qse3lOG9ztcDg8zRXITe3Ky_wMCLG4v2s1NY027ELHrIJrtDt71HsKAfCyNLFc4Go6JAuVNXZ/s320/Droogs+Rumble.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The new gang, who I'm thinking of calling the Drexel Hill Droogs, has already scrapped with the Africanus Agency on the West Boulevard, the subject for an upcoming post.<br /><br />Viddy well, my brothers. Viddy well...Ω</div><p></p>kmfrye2001http://www.blogger.com/profile/06157520186066443696noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725262417099700107.post-53785082734604400382020-11-29T23:41:00.003-08:002020-11-29T23:45:09.143-08:00Chinatown Gate by Knights of Dice<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_o61JOtZ4BzzDocqm9CYVIXNFiTPrxAJ95NPiqXTzaNvCkrW5RHFIYOXZ8dSKOoxxh2fkf3K2VjDg-7e5t6tsN2ew3JLbzHjWH8VDnx2XBcERTwF5cXYe-iJkTYVb0YipNbg_g3DRwB2E/s876/Chinatown+Gate+1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="876" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_o61JOtZ4BzzDocqm9CYVIXNFiTPrxAJ95NPiqXTzaNvCkrW5RHFIYOXZ8dSKOoxxh2fkf3K2VjDg-7e5t6tsN2ew3JLbzHjWH8VDnx2XBcERTwF5cXYe-iJkTYVb0YipNbg_g3DRwB2E/s320/Chinatown+Gate+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br />Limping in after buying it one year ago is the 30mm+/- Chinatown Gate, from <a href="https://www.knightsofdice.com/" target="_blank">Knights of Dice</a> in Victoria, Australia. This purchase had coincided with a visit to the Friendship Gate in Philadelphia's Chinatown district, during an adventure to some of the less-well-kept neighbourhoods of Philly. The model doesn't seem to represent any specific structure, but incorporates designs from Melbourne, Portland and Philadelphia, and probably others. <br /><br />The model itself took about two months - yes, <i>two months</i>, due in part to poor paint coverage over the mdf. This, after having primed it with Krylon White Primer. Acrylic paint doesn't require one coat, or two coats, but at least three coats to provide an even finish - the mdf is thirsty. And yet, mdf is also slow to dry. Finish the coat, then come back later. So, after an hour or so a couple times a week, over December and January, I took a break, leaving it at about 90% completion, before finishing two weeks ago.<div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixOfGVSVNI5zhod_CC1SkMdp50lMK-eFWvvTK0rE3V_UpMYqZwKPgbx26iJkD-Ujcnm1lL3iwpILYO8_vGuXsIIdbCWu3wGm9M_dh8mcaST4XQWYr0hfU2MEppntmt-Guu5XZ5KckONM_b/s512/Chinatown+Gate+2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="503" data-original-width="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixOfGVSVNI5zhod_CC1SkMdp50lMK-eFWvvTK0rE3V_UpMYqZwKPgbx26iJkD-Ujcnm1lL3iwpILYO8_vGuXsIIdbCWu3wGm9M_dh8mcaST4XQWYr0hfU2MEppntmt-Guu5XZ5KckONM_b/s320/Chinatown+Gate+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">28mm miniatures by Black Cat and Old Glory,<br />included for scale.</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br />By and large, I'm happy with the result. My main complaint with the model is that the tolerances engineered into the design are too narrow, failing to adequately account for priming, painting and gluing. Instructions were not included and had to be downloaded at the KoD website - and then, they print rather small. The ornamental fish at the peak of each side roof broke during final fitting. Both sides. Also one of the roof mounts. <br /><br />Over-engineered as it is, becoming more difficult to assemble as you go, the Chinatown Gate yields a very impressive visual result. Was it worth the effort? Well, where else can you find a 32mm Chinese Gate?</p><p>Ease of Assembly: 3 <br /><br />Instruction Clarity: 3</p><p>Detail: 5</p><p>Quality: 4</p><p>Overall Rating: 3.75 out of 5</p><p>There are two other Knights of Dice buildings, partially assembled and put away on my shelf. In general, they are scaled for the 32mm+ Heroic scale - they are rather a bit too big for true 28mm. Which is a pity, because they are nice buildings. If KoD could be convinced to offer a reduced size for their standard laser-cut buildings, say to 95%, they would open themselves up to a larger market...Ω</p><p><br /></p></div>kmfrye2001http://www.blogger.com/profile/06157520186066443696noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725262417099700107.post-76267232358500214902020-10-12T12:10:00.003-07:002020-10-12T12:11:51.932-07:00Finished 28mm Civilians for The Boulevard<p> A wet October weekend hereabouts gave me the time to finish several small painting projects: One being some civilians for my urban-style 7TV/Gangwar setting: The Boulevard. These will also serve as additional investigators for my 1970s Call of Cthulhu game.<br /><br />Pictured herein are some modern civilians from Old Glory's <a href="https://www.oldgloryminiatures.com/products.asp?cat=339" target="_blank">Civilian Pack 1</a>. While OG describes these as "32mm" they're really closer to 28mm, and are shown next to some 28mm Crooked Dice police for scale.<br /><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUxQ287Hho4KXv35tA_1MSkcYlRygZ69QMyqMOUy-R-njmkslBdFdnj8KFqk2ippI3uvhyphenhyphena_3533VkZ7JWMbewh5NgRD7mDlcCXp5urd-grv6wqt79IbGe8lGl1Tdk9h5wW_ipmiKZ2khZ/s983/Civilians+CD+Scale+1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="292" data-original-width="983" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUxQ287Hho4KXv35tA_1MSkcYlRygZ69QMyqMOUy-R-njmkslBdFdnj8KFqk2ippI3uvhyphenhyphena_3533VkZ7JWMbewh5NgRD7mDlcCXp5urd-grv6wqt79IbGe8lGl1Tdk9h5wW_ipmiKZ2khZ/s320/Civilians+CD+Scale+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Figures by Old Glory and Crooked Dice</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p>These where cleanly cast and fairly straightforward to paint - a series of earth tones, blue jeans and polyestre. I plan to add a Jimmy Hendrix decal to the shirt of the guy in the red & white jacket, once I gather up enough nerve. <p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr9-as1JhPEud8HlAH4Y2PQCWdoisFbK_Ka0TTW3bu3MzrW2hpQZ7kN5DAQxUWAJHYpYZZ4qyo45JDgfzLwngvxePT3NYbIlLKdGHG9wuiHya-3p1DVnJhO0ewrWDQoVMpd8rLo1ul4JjG/s698/Civilians+1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="328" data-original-width="698" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr9-as1JhPEud8HlAH4Y2PQCWdoisFbK_Ka0TTW3bu3MzrW2hpQZ7kN5DAQxUWAJHYpYZZ4qyo45JDgfzLwngvxePT3NYbIlLKdGHG9wuiHya-3p1DVnJhO0ewrWDQoVMpd8rLo1ul4JjG/s320/Civilians+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">28mm Figures by Old Glory Miniatures</span></i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD7OSBsCG6_myydsBtDboqBhvk1ukKkMEONSLnI89QeMB9dOWYg1tMlMhupTrWuBrU3fkqCH3Z9He0drZJYzdPgbd5uTzdSUb4m4epg6zmvPe-3BXJYRn_CoTWOYYSHpJbwQTUO65g36VL/s712/Civilians+1+reverse.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="301" data-original-width="712" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD7OSBsCG6_myydsBtDboqBhvk1ukKkMEONSLnI89QeMB9dOWYg1tMlMhupTrWuBrU3fkqCH3Z9He0drZJYzdPgbd5uTzdSUb4m4epg6zmvPe-3BXJYRn_CoTWOYYSHpJbwQTUO65g36VL/s320/Civilians+1+reverse.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">28mm Figures by Old Glory Miniatures</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />The kid in the middle is another photographer - this one is a young cub, like Jimmy Olsen. I like the James Dean hair. The woman on the end is another favourite of mine, wearing that "Casual with Jacket" look of the late 70's.<p></p><p>The other projects compleated this past weekend were for my D&D game. Those interested are invited to view my Fantasy Blog: <a href="https://countless-hours-of-real-effort.blogspot.com/2020/10/half-orcs-rats-and-kobolds.html" target="_blank">Countless Hours of Real Effort</a>...<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Ω</span></span><br /><br /><br /><br /></p>kmfrye2001http://www.blogger.com/profile/06157520186066443696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725262417099700107.post-12687762317753398882020-07-17T14:06:00.001-07:002020-07-17T14:12:46.037-07:00Boulevard Reinforcements in 28mmThis past weekend, I took a break from working on West Philly buildings in favour of painting some reinforcements for the Norton Agency.<br />
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Reverend Iley Bright operates the Bethel Baptist Bible Mission, a store-front church that aids and supports the neighbourhood, (and occasionally, <a href="https://tempestsinateapot.blogspot.com/2020/05/wip-28mm-columbia-rumble.html" target="_blank">the Agency</a>) spiritually and financially. A blood-and-thunder preacher, he has been known to take to the streets in a righteous cause, brandishing a shotgun and the Bible, because "You get more respect with a shotgun AND a Bible..."<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy4QTFuv6FKyi8wYNM7mUd1Nw-atGSDqLPGbCXdIk-U6ZkGlGUYhfJdrxW2xkvxe9A5mySvlO_dImN8Hf7NQlDQmgj8VlOfVq9w571wYY09HdlrAvNPZcDJw0Y_2AM0n5T0v4r0pnHIwlD/s1600/Reverend+Iley+9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="569" data-original-width="437" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy4QTFuv6FKyi8wYNM7mUd1Nw-atGSDqLPGbCXdIk-U6ZkGlGUYhfJdrxW2xkvxe9A5mySvlO_dImN8Hf7NQlDQmgj8VlOfVq9w571wYY09HdlrAvNPZcDJw0Y_2AM0n5T0v4r0pnHIwlD/s200/Reverend+Iley+9.jpg" width="153" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX8TXRKoumBpJW6ICEWzSzyl7A2rmGDD8tbnvLwwtl0mBm8sL2T8AXBPB-04g-iGWxDlwf11E_-HVQ2zbgLUV1ZSQ4aLKkBaIBoinNJ3J3Axcpzu_zuET6uVQY64nHZMUQAJRGAEKm7giJ/s1600/Reverend+Iley+10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="569" data-original-width="448" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX8TXRKoumBpJW6ICEWzSzyl7A2rmGDD8tbnvLwwtl0mBm8sL2T8AXBPB-04g-iGWxDlwf11E_-HVQ2zbgLUV1ZSQ4aLKkBaIBoinNJ3J3Axcpzu_zuET6uVQY64nHZMUQAJRGAEKm7giJ/s200/Reverend+Iley+10.jpg" width="156" /></a></div>
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Miniature is a modified <a href="https://www.peginc.com/store/reverend-grimme/" target="_blank">Reverend Grimme</a> from <a href="https://www.blogger.com/"><span id="goog_1819093117"></span>Deadlands<span id="goog_1819093118"></span></a>.<br />
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<br />
The next miniature hasn't yet had a character name (actually, I like the name of Dynamite Jackson...) assigned; he reminds me of the fellow from <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1190536/mediaviewer/rm1755783424" target="_blank">Black Dynamite</a> (a jolly great film, btw). <a href="http://www.rafm.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=RAF&Product_Code=RAF02860&Category_Code=USXMin" target="_blank">Action Jackson</a> is from <a href="http://www.rafm.com/" target="_blank">RAFM</a>, in their Modern Heroes category.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7OiPuujs0XJJoKKy4kYfJMD6cL7RyNgOewGnDzAlEauaXl2D43do9NbhMPLCCrFFhgLrhPTzxZbIKzu0BgawXAMkoj07x2VKj6k3nTvUg8CsSGdkch82oPFRkYPBzhdEprP72Y0xdZbM2/s1600/Jackson+Dynamite+11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="489" data-original-width="368" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7OiPuujs0XJJoKKy4kYfJMD6cL7RyNgOewGnDzAlEauaXl2D43do9NbhMPLCCrFFhgLrhPTzxZbIKzu0BgawXAMkoj07x2VKj6k3nTvUg8CsSGdkch82oPFRkYPBzhdEprP72Y0xdZbM2/s200/Jackson+Dynamite+11.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY_wvc4R1Sg2bVRyf3pul69YR7eZb-kvX4z3g_InEXvF99prxxMFT2iOp88_eS3fUSGkbkepK7k86sxV4DYF4gL8irWbbYtlQT4F-xR_RJVoWBkNgc8RAUvUMcHbG7hT-ppthWMWzmi4vO/s1600/Jackson+Dynamite+12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="504" data-original-width="335" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY_wvc4R1Sg2bVRyf3pul69YR7eZb-kvX4z3g_InEXvF99prxxMFT2iOp88_eS3fUSGkbkepK7k86sxV4DYF4gL8irWbbYtlQT4F-xR_RJVoWBkNgc8RAUvUMcHbG7hT-ppthWMWzmi4vO/s200/Jackson+Dynamite+12.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>
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<br />
He so cool, he give Morgan Freeman <b><i>pneumonia</i></b>. I used him straight out the box. I would love to see a pack of disco/leisure suited investigators, some in shades, to round out "That 70's Look".<br />
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Can you dig it?...Ω<br />
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<br />kmfrye2001http://www.blogger.com/profile/06157520186066443696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725262417099700107.post-9144775089056443452020-07-16T14:54:00.001-07:002020-07-17T13:45:29.054-07:00Rocking the LurexOne of the fascinating aspects of 70's wargaming is 70's fashion - a cavalcade of man-made fabrics that would burn like a chemical fire should misfortune strike. Still, it was visually stunning.<br />
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Lurex is one such fabric. Quoth Wikipedia, Lurex is "...yarn is made from synthetic film, onto which a metallic
aluminium, silver, or gold layer has been vaporized. "Lurex" may also
refer to cloth created with the yarn."<br />
<br />
Lurex is still extremely popular in the music industry, but we've all seen it: Julie Newmar's cat suit from the original Batman TV show was made of Lurex. Now I understand the name.<br />
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I decided to attempt a Lurex outfit, based on a picture of Swedish model Ulla Jones. Two types of glitter-based craft paints were employed; a gold glitter with smaller spangles, and a clear glitter with larger ones.<br />
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The miniature is available from <a href="https://castingroomminiatures.com/collections/street-fighters" target="_blank">Casting Room Miniatures</a> as part of their "<a href="https://castingroomminiatures.com/collections/street-fighters/products/street-fighters-tedious-hippie-scum" target="_blank">Tedious Hippie Scum</a>" set.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGujCh-91C4aCfH2PsGb8EtlMVJvTvg7CEstrIt_HAhJeFNup9nfOqhmeVOw61lsIA3oScTjhWp3jpdHtK0Mmql9yK8WsU-cggJCkZ1-sRMORkHdf7K90SyKXbpEXCMf_pyaJJ1qr9S3nZ/s1600/Cher+13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="430" data-original-width="313" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGujCh-91C4aCfH2PsGb8EtlMVJvTvg7CEstrIt_HAhJeFNup9nfOqhmeVOw61lsIA3oScTjhWp3jpdHtK0Mmql9yK8WsU-cggJCkZ1-sRMORkHdf7K90SyKXbpEXCMf_pyaJJ1qr9S3nZ/s320/Cher+13.jpg" width="232" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEZFHWvQBOyktKgeSGAit7sItsnnJ58o-JfB2R65GrDexUgRpHIrGXFtabajMstDRjO3kREKxscnGlEOV4AkkxAnxguXmA1hjfEybHsALRfsQyJs60eHn1szYofEhnM673C6Q8PhKOM40w/s1600/Cher+14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="470" data-original-width="385" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEZFHWvQBOyktKgeSGAit7sItsnnJ58o-JfB2R65GrDexUgRpHIrGXFtabajMstDRjO3kREKxscnGlEOV4AkkxAnxguXmA1hjfEybHsALRfsQyJs60eHn1szYofEhnM673C6Q8PhKOM40w/s320/Cher+14.jpg" width="262" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCluhZffzGfJOmmoczF_vihnGC52ZSxhNuHzFhTDehZ5TaT5YBJBaNZ8HDYuVzj3QcCS7hFAIIMm_wc8t1bQHaws6mPsBOevcivNtfnqAkH3hG2M0xiwgJZCrmrAfpv39RoJ9hyphenhyphenPIwgREr/s1600/Cher+15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="356" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCluhZffzGfJOmmoczF_vihnGC52ZSxhNuHzFhTDehZ5TaT5YBJBaNZ8HDYuVzj3QcCS7hFAIIMm_wc8t1bQHaws6mPsBOevcivNtfnqAkH3hG2M0xiwgJZCrmrAfpv39RoJ9hyphenhyphenPIwgREr/s320/Cher+15.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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These are the third set of pictures, taken with Megz' I*Phone - it allows me to compensate for the myriad of different light bulbs used in our home.<br />
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The bit of gloss on her hair and skin is a side effect of the paint-on dullcoat - it ain't dulling. I might need to hit the fig again to take off the last on the sheen, without dulling the sparkle of the sequins...Ω<br />
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kmfrye2001http://www.blogger.com/profile/06157520186066443696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725262417099700107.post-10358307434575714892020-05-26T13:06:00.002-07:002020-05-26T14:32:19.590-07:00WIP: 28mm Columbia RumbleMost of my readers already know that I don't like to show gaming on unfinished projects - it's simply one of my little peccadilloes. The lock down, however, has me stalking about the house, muttering like the mayor from "Jaws" - "Get past Memorial Day...Maybe we can save the summer...etc..."<br />
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And so I decided to have a wee scrum, using Nordic Weasel's <u>Gang War</u> rules and <u>Full Metal Anorak, </u>setup on some terrain that will <i>eventually</i> look like 1970's West Columbia Boulevard, Philadelphia.<br />
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Please excuse the foamboard pavement and unfinished buildings. Also, don't mind the gaps - they will be covered with crossing lines and other road markings.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrGcBQXWowrsuL7_AsKtD_lVdkmruKV0ha7pnKJpSpQMsjrDps899WV0GSqrjjhHyRsTRiM7f-BWo9gu4UvZDnQfDnsD3D6r5TomUKGXwxVJH50FkpDJ7QAHajF2B9cYkmefIV5wMCtomx/s1600/Boulevard+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="871" data-original-width="1166" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrGcBQXWowrsuL7_AsKtD_lVdkmruKV0ha7pnKJpSpQMsjrDps899WV0GSqrjjhHyRsTRiM7f-BWo9gu4UvZDnQfDnsD3D6r5TomUKGXwxVJH50FkpDJ7QAHajF2B9cYkmefIV5wMCtomx/s320/Boulevard+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scipio's Squad L to R: Scipio, Ravelle H., Afrodite J., Alonzo H.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b>The scenario</b> was generated using Gang War, with some modifications to make it less Apocalyptic. Five orange "Points of Interest" were set up around the 4-foot square playing area. These are either worth money ($100 each), are worthless, or result in a hazard (large sink hole, crazy wino, crack head, etc.) As these can remove a figure from play, they are best collected after resolving all game combat.<br />
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Also, it's a smoggy night, and all missile ranges are limited to 9".<br />
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Scipio "Africanus" Norton and his agency squad are cruiz'en the hood, collecting debts and looking to keepin' it peaceful, when they spot a group of Tong Boyz fixing to expand their territory. The squad sets up to defend.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpJxNDf2Q78wfd0Wbb25muqnKrmI8B0a0tpQMSo2NAtljqcrE4KIo1aXaP1AYsbYHyczElhZF4i3OTHstNg-ylohyphenhyphenYAASQVZ7wt8Kf36PeQ3o971LWkqNS76thMGvZShIigX_TvdEhuk6Y/s1600/Red+Elephant+Tong.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="611" data-original-width="1072" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpJxNDf2Q78wfd0Wbb25muqnKrmI8B0a0tpQMSo2NAtljqcrE4KIo1aXaP1AYsbYHyczElhZF4i3OTHstNg-ylohyphenhyphenYAASQVZ7wt8Kf36PeQ3o971LWkqNS76thMGvZShIigX_TvdEhuk6Y/s320/Red+Elephant+Tong.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red Elephant Oriental Boyz</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ZE_tiWJXRjUjJ0Xn0xWrjxRN9pU1sTnQCdn8sfo-VVAv_i8M6NaetQ6cKKDPqEbRXKf5ocmufg-mE5pqj1On48OBzCmnaxTC4Gcl0jaPPT-7Hu_QdGkGUiqwA8M8QVHplTZMgbUpg3RL/s1600/Scipio+and+Crew.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="1207" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ZE_tiWJXRjUjJ0Xn0xWrjxRN9pU1sTnQCdn8sfo-VVAv_i8M6NaetQ6cKKDPqEbRXKf5ocmufg-mE5pqj1On48OBzCmnaxTC4Gcl0jaPPT-7Hu_QdGkGUiqwA8M8QVHplTZMgbUpg3RL/s320/Scipio+and+Crew.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Get some cover!"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The Boyz are the Red Elephant Tong; in FMA terms they are Trained/Motivation 3, with some Improvised Hand Guns. They are rated for Gang War as 'Aggressive', meaning they will advance on their opponents by half their movement at least, and will use available cover. Their leader is rated Average.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkfAhge9WvgrgeMWDmCxSGRaANSbivkQQzqpbJYfcCCdHhxp3NIsCCbdD8jH1Wu0I62Hc0UkzkwwFWgojjqJT3sos68AHxTxM5eM0frdh8hOBmJvsB9Q8wVoj-axBv5XvpyQtLayYUe44r/s1600/Tong+Advances.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="469" data-original-width="1296" height="115" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkfAhge9WvgrgeMWDmCxSGRaANSbivkQQzqpbJYfcCCdHhxp3NIsCCbdD8jH1Wu0I62Hc0UkzkwwFWgojjqJT3sos68AHxTxM5eM0frdh8hOBmJvsB9Q8wVoj-axBv5XvpyQtLayYUe44r/s320/Tong+Advances.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The Boyz advance</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Scipio and his Agency are slightly better - all are average, with MOT 3, and armed with pistols, except Ravelle (who is rated 'Trained' and armed with a shot gun).<br />
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Turns 1 and 2: were spent with the Tong Boyz advancing and Scipio's Squad taking cover (using "In Position" markers for an additional bonus).<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRz_gfKAeHwYxfkCexauL8ZnRwr1zwWX0Rt5cc90HYWd_bIqXwEzTvCPcn4Ec2XmoJ6prx4caH9c_uOFlzHXaNaibWR0q1nJflrgzdtCs1LABhPMeoRthkKl1UHuVH9VYXtWv23PTiND_F/s1600/Spread+Out.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="769" data-original-width="1286" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRz_gfKAeHwYxfkCexauL8ZnRwr1zwWX0Rt5cc90HYWd_bIqXwEzTvCPcn4Ec2XmoJ6prx4caH9c_uOFlzHXaNaibWR0q1nJflrgzdtCs1LABhPMeoRthkKl1UHuVH9VYXtWv23PTiND_F/s320/Spread+Out.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alonzo and Afrodite take cover by the Chevy Chevelle</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifrhqA4i07wrxg94g3i7LBvX9dMn1IwtNK33UldLp9rNIEU3gbGpD33EJZXQfHi7MuQbTa0GGO0IMpZHDiCfWwrrrzHqurjMGMkhJZ3CMBP0BdW4tbV3h5QmtouOEtT2wC4ftHdate4zyh/s1600/Getting+Real.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="763" data-original-width="1294" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifrhqA4i07wrxg94g3i7LBvX9dMn1IwtNK33UldLp9rNIEU3gbGpD33EJZXQfHi7MuQbTa0GGO0IMpZHDiCfWwrrrzHqurjMGMkhJZ3CMBP0BdW4tbV3h5QmtouOEtT2wC4ftHdate4zyh/s320/Getting+Real.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Tong Boyz gather by the Pontiac.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Turn 3: Two of the Tong Boyz peeled right to flank Afrodite and Alonzo, who have taken cover by a 1970 Chevy Chevelle (as seen in the 2K release of "Shaft"). The leader and his two Tong-mates took cover by the phone booth and yellow Pontiac. Ravelle fired his shotgun at the lead Tong and missed. The Tong returned fire at Ravelle (crouching by the cab) and managed to knock him out/seriously wound him. "This game is rigged!" he muttered as he passed out.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvOhmO01HkJyLhtW1tfFtQuwKs1T_Hz_InqrVIMyVwwyrlfPMJn_tVlw8lvVF8hhhFkKHrpE6-daYdvQ2zsDoY4up49Qry5a1AU-RmlxJZVxsY070dM63tCoeO7jH3q9d_bebSXOq_LNGH/s1600/Do+Not+Scratch+the+Trim%2521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="655" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvOhmO01HkJyLhtW1tfFtQuwKs1T_Hz_InqrVIMyVwwyrlfPMJn_tVlw8lvVF8hhhFkKHrpE6-daYdvQ2zsDoY4up49Qry5a1AU-RmlxJZVxsY070dM63tCoeO7jH3q9d_bebSXOq_LNGH/s320/Do+Not+Scratch+the+Trim%2521.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Do Not Scratch the Trim!"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqERXLrr6wGRwAAH9hInMJjGnc8ytHXsVasEuHMD7X6SgymJ5YTMU1b0PhONyFXGiUtsfEcGIr4YWLiNmEX6T3UwX57Nyt_8dXtPUSb6dU7FMPVgw6fahTEeRkBq5M2UCeYuTjeBprH9_X/s1600/Shelter+in+Place.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="673" data-original-width="978" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqERXLrr6wGRwAAH9hInMJjGnc8ytHXsVasEuHMD7X6SgymJ5YTMU1b0PhONyFXGiUtsfEcGIr4YWLiNmEX6T3UwX57Nyt_8dXtPUSb6dU7FMPVgw6fahTEeRkBq5M2UCeYuTjeBprH9_X/s320/Shelter+in+Place.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
Turn 4 and 5: With Ravelle down, Scipio was outnumbered. The lead Tong member fired, missed and then charged. Scipio shot him down...<i style="font-weight: bold;">mutha&#@%! </i>This while the two Tong flankers, sheltering in a burned out building, negotiated the uneven ground over the two turns.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVzaH5t0fG5MOYw95SkTL5GAspo23mWhgq-MZF7bwMdd4xFHNH60WdDo1wRTTi-nudv3TXXUQyIqo2g3QMgAuqbw5R-Emuss3jejI4TQrVeZZbQoX7ycIGpKjKe9QkcHJjlMSc8SxVP0o8/s1600/Ravelle+Goes+Down.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="766" data-original-width="1283" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVzaH5t0fG5MOYw95SkTL5GAspo23mWhgq-MZF7bwMdd4xFHNH60WdDo1wRTTi-nudv3TXXUQyIqo2g3QMgAuqbw5R-Emuss3jejI4TQrVeZZbQoX7ycIGpKjKe9QkcHJjlMSc8SxVP0o8/s320/Ravelle+Goes+Down.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"One Saturday Night Special, coming up!"</td></tr>
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Turn 6 and 7: Scipio put the charging Tong down, when the leader followed in a shoot-then-charge moment. Scipio was hit, but shrugged it off ("Ain't no thing at all...") and capped the leader with a Spectacular Death. The rest of the Tong failed their morale, except the phone booth shooter who charged. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTgf1BNF1tayfLeWXS0XRUaqJh-euIOYVU-szV1Xm2D9awmm_4GPWMq6aT5fl635flOJDVUHChNeeaEzwyYkElf5X4IylmhET9GwX44Ct7x39lRTZT0ktlFM4_mw3SBiVoC41-Cr7PWtPN/s1600/Bustin+a+Cap+In.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1152" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTgf1BNF1tayfLeWXS0XRUaqJh-euIOYVU-szV1Xm2D9awmm_4GPWMq6aT5fl635flOJDVUHChNeeaEzwyYkElf5X4IylmhET9GwX44Ct7x39lRTZT0ktlFM4_mw3SBiVoC41-Cr7PWtPN/s320/Bustin+a+Cap+In.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Nuh-uh man. Big mistake..." BLAM!</td></tr>
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Turn 7 (continued) Scipio took a point blank shot at the charging Tong, and missed. The TongBoy then failed morale, and ran for the cover of the phone booth. Scipio put one into his back, and the TongBoy went down. That was enough for the last two survivors, who fled down the boulevard.<br />
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The result was a clear victory for the Agency. They made an Enemy of the Red Elephant Tong Boyz (We'll Be Back!), but between picking up POIs and winning the scenario, they netted $600. Ravelle had a local "Doctor" check him out, and the wound was light, only keeping him out of the next tussle.<br />
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Scipio was thinking "It doesn't get much better that this..." when his fav'rite bar suddenly opened for business.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih2vFqBxToSoufNIFLD4Xy7ax-Ya3PwTbiDZByoAcI22PsBKpP6v0ep02eEugHmgjxeWm-bimSnAMqs949-KA8RSmT9tZMWuSBLa4fkLWyFoJ0_ABcNpnmnuMNU9XMhWMzqCgdJE1VcCod/s1600/Open+for+Business.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="1290" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih2vFqBxToSoufNIFLD4Xy7ax-Ya3PwTbiDZByoAcI22PsBKpP6v0ep02eEugHmgjxeWm-bimSnAMqs949-KA8RSmT9tZMWuSBLa4fkLWyFoJ0_ABcNpnmnuMNU9XMhWMzqCgdJE1VcCod/s320/Open+for+Business.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"The Light is On and I'm Open for Business..."</td></tr>
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"Well, Aw right!"<br />
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<b>Post Game Thoughts:</b><br />
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This scenario was originally being prepared for a <u>7TV</u> 1st Ed. game, only I hadn't finished adapting those rules from their British oeuvre to an American, Blaxploitation-themed one. <u>Full Metal Anorak</u> is flexible enough to handle this well. Nordic Weasel's <u>Gang War</u>, though set in a post-apocalyptic world, also adapts well to handle a vigilante campaign, revolving around a neighbourhood "fixer" and his cohorts.<br />
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The odds are in favour of our protagonists. Despite that, Ravelle went down in the first exchange. I made a mistake with the Tong leader, as I should have sent him down the right side with the other two Boyz - I thought about just arbitrarily moving him, but then I heard Scipio (in my mind) say "Don't you mess wi' them figures, boy." I decided to let the action unfold automatically.<br />
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There was a bit of after-action drama - one of the POIs turned out to be a hazard...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbVOsz_hb43ZaDxY-aGk8TOv5D70BYD0iGLEF1K5jM_4fv2FqdRyF_EAknGZXfoboJUK8kRA24v_KYob00n87cx86h0GlUbgcKbS74jkCyd2o7faJP38rR5BfZJPqa_AkFzdJSKIkh1Wj8/s1600/Bronze+5-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="656" data-original-width="1161" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbVOsz_hb43ZaDxY-aGk8TOv5D70BYD0iGLEF1K5jM_4fv2FqdRyF_EAknGZXfoboJUK8kRA24v_KYob00n87cx86h0GlUbgcKbS74jkCyd2o7faJP38rR5BfZJPqa_AkFzdJSKIkh1Wj8/s320/Bronze+5-O.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"We Had a Noise Complaint..."</td></tr>
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A successful Save vs. Int and a Franklin disarms the situation...Ω<br />
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<br />kmfrye2001http://www.blogger.com/profile/06157520186066443696noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725262417099700107.post-15022972951245157622020-05-21T14:55:00.000-07:002020-05-21T14:55:02.375-07:0028mm Civilians from Old GloryWork continues apace on my 1970's game. In searching for some civilians as collateral damage/light backup, I discovered Old Glory's <a href="https://www.oldgloryminiatures.com/categories.asp?cat=47" target="_blank">SuperFigs</a> Civilian Pack #1. These are listed as 33mm on the Old Glory <a href="https://www.oldgloryminiatures.com/proddetail.asp?prod=SF-CV-01" target="_blank">website</a>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaR1GuQCgvGsj04WgNZTnOaixyaccRZn0m698-McX_S8DFkj1UPiNCCARppLBSd8b_3RpNDl5hPR7PrSGS1Jc6VyFXn0nSENH7mGcZsAQ-wPD5Fcwrd9HszvSgvsT0jRVM5MUy1bdSYwsF/s1600/Old+Glory+SuperFigs+Civ+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="473" data-original-width="648" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaR1GuQCgvGsj04WgNZTnOaixyaccRZn0m698-McX_S8DFkj1UPiNCCARppLBSd8b_3RpNDl5hPR7PrSGS1Jc6VyFXn0nSENH7mGcZsAQ-wPD5Fcwrd9HszvSgvsT0jRVM5MUy1bdSYwsF/s320/Old+Glory+SuperFigs+Civ+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SuperFigs Civilians #1 by <a href="https://www.oldgloryminiatures.com/index.asp" target="_blank">Old Glory Miniatures</a></td></tr>
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<br />These were living in my cart for a bit, whilst I debated how much bigger 33mm was compared to 28mm. As it happens, at least in this case, the answer was "not appreciably".<div>
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Below, the same miniatures are presented on a 1-inch grid, alongside a 28mm Copplestone Casting, painted as John Shaft. Taking into account the height of the slotta base, one sees immediately that the minis, even if mounted on standard washers, are size-compatible with regular, non-heroic 28mm.<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz0zqaBgV4nPDREhjN9nLxrZMrv2SjMpLA2QCk-OwcUeUHpfKMQUjruv1Ex5dLO-KlY0uVzoXtqZodcflb7ivJueh5vX9QPldIJi8UKQaPQo827joEcmf4jv4XVNIpSLrG3czecxs8rkIO/s1600/Old+Glory+Civ+Pack+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="1128" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz0zqaBgV4nPDREhjN9nLxrZMrv2SjMpLA2QCk-OwcUeUHpfKMQUjruv1Ex5dLO-KlY0uVzoXtqZodcflb7ivJueh5vX9QPldIJi8UKQaPQo827joEcmf4jv4XVNIpSLrG3czecxs8rkIO/s320/Old+Glory+Civ+Pack+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Figs by Old Glory Miniatures and Copplestone Castings</td></tr>
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Especially pleasing is finding two figures as a news team, and one as a photographer. Two of the figures will join my Funkadelphia street crew, as will the gentleman with the wine bottle. The rest will become random street civilians The boy with the ball is interesting - obviously a football/soccer ball - but not appropriate for 1970 Philly unless he's attending one of the private academies...<br />
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...I think I'll paint it as a basketball and name the figure "Little Foul" as he's leading with his foot...Ω</div>
kmfrye2001http://www.blogger.com/profile/06157520186066443696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725262417099700107.post-21825643114031314252020-03-30T11:32:00.001-07:002020-11-09T10:25:14.530-08:00More 28mm SciFi for Five Parsecs from HomeMore brushwork over the (enforced) weekend, for use with Five Parsecs from Home:<br />
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Inspired by the character of Eve Logan from The Chronicles of Riddick. This is a Copplestone Casting that I've had from the late '90s. Still available from Northstar Figures/Copplestone in the <a href="http://www.copplestonecastings.co.uk/prod.php?prod=4" target="_blank">Babes with Guns</a> set.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFjDTP4Co8Z5dAsoESybgCnEO_9GACoHFO3br8wZt4ib7_RqAlrnXz6gynpKHKD2MLQ4CyVukGeDgVza_pgmZ4sXOjpBi37XttxmPSiYkdjKaWaqXJuXww3CaYX02vFdNlIz5uUHc2xOUL/s1600/Logan+1b.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="482" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFjDTP4Co8Z5dAsoESybgCnEO_9GACoHFO3br8wZt4ib7_RqAlrnXz6gynpKHKD2MLQ4CyVukGeDgVza_pgmZ4sXOjpBi37XttxmPSiYkdjKaWaqXJuXww3CaYX02vFdNlIz5uUHc2xOUL/s200/Logan+1b.jpg" width="117" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyG82a8MNUnjV0LDMQuCtOGdDowfd8Mx0mM8L63ND0VaaUcK0WfrP_iHB4XYyw-ix3RfYjpLcYMJLZ0_bQsBliMAtwAzo31paM2LVl7zN4jx7u51H0JxzFd06_E6eHgKL7UUVqqU954-qV/s1600/Logan+2b.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="839" data-original-width="597" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyG82a8MNUnjV0LDMQuCtOGdDowfd8Mx0mM8L63ND0VaaUcK0WfrP_iHB4XYyw-ix3RfYjpLcYMJLZ0_bQsBliMAtwAzo31paM2LVl7zN4jx7u51H0JxzFd06_E6eHgKL7UUVqqU954-qV/s200/Logan+2b.jpg" width="141" /></a></div>
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Nifty miniature with smooth lines, nice curves and tall to boot. Matches well with the Riddick lore, it that Eve Logan <b><i>might</i></b> also be a Furyan.<br />
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Next; Santana from the 2013 Riddick film. A Moonraker Miniature (Wasteland Adventurer) that I think is intended to be a Road Warrior. The scarf pretty much makes the mini. The machete has been added. The 5:00 O'Clock Shadow at Noon is darker in real life, as is the hair.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhQiF9z0dNSLTDif0Dp3TV_bfKT3TktYoG7bUlMNbpNQyClLN1tg2jatioVHMyrri8BmgIxvsEJ4lNfRobH-wyA5j2GGaUzUNHCcYS0l1k6AbmUO8kXlWCYJrEpopLTz9cjHyvQtih5nBI/s1600/Santana+2.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="897" data-original-width="701" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhQiF9z0dNSLTDif0Dp3TV_bfKT3TktYoG7bUlMNbpNQyClLN1tg2jatioVHMyrri8BmgIxvsEJ4lNfRobH-wyA5j2GGaUzUNHCcYS0l1k6AbmUO8kXlWCYJrEpopLTz9cjHyvQtih5nBI/s200/Santana+2.jpg" width="156" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_rmD_MCweG1Zq_o8_b5WeOciYUbvfdn1Rts6-oKrLOYfHcPeBrceXR-rVBPtYOPUo0q_GAYyWAcX2jD6UhSV5bHVvt4G_-pSJKfOtf_-yVQACOd0ZQPQu6J8woSAZWKKF5NyzXHKgsBIV/s1600/Santana+1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="590" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_rmD_MCweG1Zq_o8_b5WeOciYUbvfdn1Rts6-oKrLOYfHcPeBrceXR-rVBPtYOPUo0q_GAYyWAcX2jD6UhSV5bHVvt4G_-pSJKfOtf_-yVQACOd0ZQPQu6J8woSAZWKKF5NyzXHKgsBIV/s200/Santana+1.jpg" width="138" /></a></div>
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Machete really needs another going over, with shiny metallic silver, to capture the well-kept and honed image, suggested in the film.<br />
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Leeloo Dallas Multipass and the Major. These excellent wee beauties are from <a href="https://heresyminiatures.com/shop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=2_62" target="_blank">Heresy Miniatures</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfNcpsXyYTGkQF2aZP5isZcxZlEvN3aCLn4urs3dUBBEEDNUALthnVUaD5JOAYGdq7Gpc3BQv110zFUp4ZwVyy9EOGMI_2OpvP4eoXCVTtxc8qDgA7PQxJYZ-6V2wQUvqxmX0AS2yGYM4t/s1600/Major+and+Ellie.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="677" data-original-width="978" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfNcpsXyYTGkQF2aZP5isZcxZlEvN3aCLn4urs3dUBBEEDNUALthnVUaD5JOAYGdq7Gpc3BQv110zFUp4ZwVyy9EOGMI_2OpvP4eoXCVTtxc8qDgA7PQxJYZ-6V2wQUvqxmX0AS2yGYM4t/s320/Major+and+Ellie.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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They show what a fine talent Andy F. is, and why he should turn out some new Sci-Fi minis...like <i>Mangalores</i>.<br />
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Final offering of the day - two more Copplestone figures via Moonraker Miniatures.</div>
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I'm unable to provide a hotlink, since Moonraker has temporarily paused trading until the Virus situation stabilises.<br /><br />Edit 11/2020: Moonraker Miniatures is now a part of <a href="https://www.forlornhopegames.co.uk/" target="_blank">Forlorn Hope Games.</a>..Ω</div>
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<br />kmfrye2001http://www.blogger.com/profile/06157520186066443696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725262417099700107.post-55346189907591292682020-03-26T15:11:00.001-07:002020-04-18T13:02:48.521-07:00Not Quite Another Bughunt - 5P/FMA<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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With the lock-down firmly in place, it was time to have a go at a <u>Five Parsecs from Home/Full Metal Anorak/Bughun</u>t game. A fireteam of four was rapidly generated: Logan, Kupperberg, Farlander, and Correia. From various backgrounds: Prison Planet, Hi-Tech World, and Trade World - each location providing some small benefit for that particular trooper.<br />
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Quick word on mechanics: I use the <u>5PfH/BH </u>campaign shell to generate the troopers backgrounds, the scenario and objectives, and the campaign turn in between encounters. The actual scenario resolution is driven by <u>Full Metal Anorak</u>. So there are twice as many rulebooks to search through than normal. But, hey! It's Lockdown!<br />
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For this scenario, I used part of my paper-terrain space station as the encounter board. Three green poker chips were placed as 'Objective' markers, each of these gets a 'Contact' marker (potential hostiles). Also, six 'Tactical' markers are placed, as evenly spaced as possible, about the board.<br />
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Rolling 1d6 for mission Priority, I had a 1, which was a relief, as this was essentially a training mission for me and my squaddies. Priority 1 also means 1 additional 'contact' marker is placed on each objective...you see where this is going? Had I rolled a 6, it would be six times the "fun".<br />
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Mission Priority also provides points where you can shop for support - in this scenario, I picked a tough-as-nails Gunnery Sgt., named Sigler, armed with a boarding cutlass and auto-shotgun.<br />
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Contact markers are randomly moved several d6 in various directions. Your squad enters a random board edge. And the Hunt begins.<br />
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Turn 1 and 2: The squad headed for the first objective, and immediately encountered the opposition: crazed robots. I decided to roll randomly, and that's what was selected.<br />
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"I thought it was supposed to be bugs..." said Logan.<br />
"Maybe it's bugs in their programs!" joked Kuppenberg.<br />
"Secure that pun!" growled the Gunny.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-RhcYIQO27gse3gfgt1UaZFxyOECHKeqIrhs3KVK1RyrvZKlc3K2urpFR-PlffpdKc6qIViHn7bwjyLZODwUlu81ox9Bqri5sAnS0vij5TNqZ32GYiRiO-_1d1W9RT6b7-NiGSqPfuxZj/s1600/Fast+Dice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="829" data-original-width="997" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-RhcYIQO27gse3gfgt1UaZFxyOECHKeqIrhs3KVK1RyrvZKlc3K2urpFR-PlffpdKc6qIViHn7bwjyLZODwUlu81ox9Bqri5sAnS0vij5TNqZ32GYiRiO-_1d1W9RT6b7-NiGSqPfuxZj/s200/Fast+Dice.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">D6 with the '2' will move in the Slow Phase</td></tr>
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Initiative in 5P is slightly different, since it's designed as a solo game. Adapted for FMA, each player figure has a Motivation Rating, from 1 - 3, 1 being best. To move in the first phase, AKA the 'Fast' Phase, a number of d6 are thrown, those that roll over their Motivation may now move, shoot and take special actions.<br />
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The aliens/bugs/robots move and take action in the second phase.<br />
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Finally, in the last or 'Slow' phase, any player models that haven't yet moved are free to do so.<br />
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It's a neat system, and it reminds me of <a href="https://twohourwargames.com/" target="_blank">Two Hour Wargames</a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlpWOuQNDgi1_ZmirOp_V6Vu0deNJSjmhMAk2a1Md_VNzq_MloyxuxUyJ4W8-Q9vhpD4fxrdRXGHB0FdDeNmSTQ6JpSHG4ErLSBOEHJ0IG3BG3yPADLLPIcl9G38g65U3-Zdw2Q3Dy4LQ7/s1600/Kuppenberg+makes+an+error.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="910" data-original-width="1240" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlpWOuQNDgi1_ZmirOp_V6Vu0deNJSjmhMAk2a1Md_VNzq_MloyxuxUyJ4W8-Q9vhpD4fxrdRXGHB0FdDeNmSTQ6JpSHG4ErLSBOEHJ0IG3BG3yPADLLPIcl9G38g65U3-Zdw2Q3Dy4LQ7/s200/Kuppenberg+makes+an+error.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"I just Burked myself..."</td></tr>
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reaction system, but IMO it works more smoothly and is less cumbersome.<br />
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Turn 3 - 4: The robots at the first objective were quickly dispatched, due to some hot die rolls. The objective turned out to be the Evac point. Each objective is rolled for details, usually before actual play begins. One objective was lifted, and the other, in the Med Bay, had a 'hack' result, meaning someone was going to be using their Tech skillz.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhzUu68hnhOjfSJx208f4AXbRxWAWDWtvFqHpSswmv0YarPSbX__1wMfbaiLSdqpBdPidJoV3Wk0sJmkJvdIC6Kb8rBBysIovXzgBJ-tuoB5fAPj6NrdufusEgqv5MzoB0Ps8PnJCSs2Sw/s1600/Kuppenberg+makes+another+error.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="893" data-original-width="1226" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhzUu68hnhOjfSJx208f4AXbRxWAWDWtvFqHpSswmv0YarPSbX__1wMfbaiLSdqpBdPidJoV3Wk0sJmkJvdIC6Kb8rBBysIovXzgBJ-tuoB5fAPj6NrdufusEgqv5MzoB0Ps8PnJCSs2Sw/s200/Kuppenberg+makes+another+error.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"You are BURKED, my lad!'</td></tr>
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While the main squad was clearing the first objective, Trooper Kuppenberg went off to investigate on his own. He found a Tactical marker, made his Tech roll, and was able to remove a Contact marker that was getting close to his fellow squaddies...and then he bumped into two more robots.<br />
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Kuppenburg ran for the exit, and decided to make a Tech roll (5-6 on a D6) to lock the door. Rolled a 4. "NOOOOOooooo!"<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinrfREzbmziDFxkPSeNUh-pQqFWaJAhZk9bj64ZLGx7b8iNB061BfxigRetN9nahblbx1mIDZRBVBb4lXuBMwhYhOO-3sbQrhMc3I0RKyZdOtjpBhaa5bZPqefElAsFIBhEqRiajVwSye4/s1600/C%2527mon+You+Devils%2521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="544" data-original-width="1039" height="104" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinrfREzbmziDFxkPSeNUh-pQqFWaJAhZk9bj64ZLGx7b8iNB061BfxigRetN9nahblbx1mIDZRBVBb4lXuBMwhYhOO-3sbQrhMc3I0RKyZdOtjpBhaa5bZPqefElAsFIBhEqRiajVwSye4/s200/C%2527mon+You+Devils%2521.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"C'mon you Rednecks!"</td></tr>
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As Burke, I mean Kuppenberg, dodged mechanical claws, he dropped his ACR and pulled out his standard issue Heavy Service Pistol. Shots rang out and slugs ricocheted off the robotic steel plating.<br />
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The rest of the squad, hearing the shots, ran toward the sound of the gunfire.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXmBySQ1w54JkewTpLOoXdCOZfRtmGe0gsN-U8wd-aP0cSF_zQtnq4IsgN7PUxGwqxOM26MpS3_ngvJw9EvMRDSv1pU_8K_NzZc3_RU1_eltew95RaYpKBRpwr4cFzqOW83VS8ezNmr5aT/s1600/Kuppenberg%2527s+last+mistake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="665" data-original-width="981" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXmBySQ1w54JkewTpLOoXdCOZfRtmGe0gsN-U8wd-aP0cSF_zQtnq4IsgN7PUxGwqxOM26MpS3_ngvJw9EvMRDSv1pU_8K_NzZc3_RU1_eltew95RaYpKBRpwr4cFzqOW83VS8ezNmr5aT/s200/Kuppenberg%2527s+last+mistake.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"And that's what we mean when we say <br />
'Fight Like Robot'"</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
Running in <u>FMA/Stargrunt II,</u> to me, has always seemed awkward, with many players conflicted on what works best. For my games, I've implemented "Run" as an additional action. First action, you get your regular move distance. With Run, you get to add your movement Die type. So, if your model has an 8" move, it gets that distance, then rolls a D8 when it Runs.</div>
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Results seem to be, you will occasionally fail to make the distance, but you won't be standing 2" from where you started 3 minutes ago.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho887gmOWWg_9lfLWNd9jrILzexF4lkIpc8Iul_Niz5QCEz48hvZsnbcm0NwxOm-0WWYInbutKblELBLAGBpp405mzeoNAYnxGEzjan2d0rVai3lJ4QmwTvoitl3S8ik6btBULokLfy54y/s1600/Kuppenberg+is+Back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="702" data-original-width="1254" height="111" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho887gmOWWg_9lfLWNd9jrILzexF4lkIpc8Iul_Niz5QCEz48hvZsnbcm0NwxOm-0WWYInbutKblELBLAGBpp405mzeoNAYnxGEzjan2d0rVai3lJ4QmwTvoitl3S8ik6btBULokLfy54y/s200/Kuppenberg+is+Back.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pvt. Logan has stabilised Kuppenberg, <br />
and he's walking.</td></tr>
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<div>
By turns 5 - 6, The rest of the squad had reached the room, from where they'd heard the shots. Kuppenberg lay crumpled on the floor, with an obviously chuffed robot standing over him.</div>
<div>
<div>
Extending it's claws, the robot advance on the squad...</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
...however, walking into a three-way crossfire of aimed shots doesn't do anyone a bit of good...and the saucy 'bot was gunned down with dispatch</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcv-lS6mf7Ry9v8DozOg77dHqT8THaRdt1o4TdbXy74tSmiX2eTmwGlxp5lAbf5TklOYO2FH9vUp8d1In-Iy2nArtgl14SECdQrV9YmZobbYR-xvYfof9toELnO4_xhmspceuUOZDxwjxS/s1600/Objective+in+Sight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="855" data-original-width="585" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcv-lS6mf7Ry9v8DozOg77dHqT8THaRdt1o4TdbXy74tSmiX2eTmwGlxp5lAbf5TklOYO2FH9vUp8d1In-Iy2nArtgl14SECdQrV9YmZobbYR-xvYfof9toELnO4_xhmspceuUOZDxwjxS/s200/Objective+in+Sight.jpg" width="136" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Main Objective in Sight</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
Turn 7 - 8: Pvt. Logan was able to stabilise Kuppenberg on the second attempt (luckily she didn't kill him on a '1') and since the damage taken wasn't heavy, he was able to walk and fight at a reduced level (he dropped a Quality die). I was glad I had traded some of Logan's pre-gen points for Medic-1. She is fast becoming my favourite model.</div>
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The rest of the squad headed for the Med Bay, where the objective was to hack the computer and bring the data back to HQ for analysis.</div>
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"Who's our tech?" asked Sgt. Sigler</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
"That'd be Kuppenberg, Sarge" replied Pvt. Correia.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
"Well <i><b>sheet</b></i>!" swore the Sergeant, "I guess you're our new Tech, Correia!"</div>
"I lay awake at night and think of you, Sergeant..." muttered Correia.<br />
<br />
"What's that, Marine?" growled Sgt. Sigler.<br />
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"I said, 'Sergeant! Yes, Sergeant!'" Correia exclaimed.<br />
<br />
"Damn straight, you did." said Sigler. "And now that we're all in agreement, let's get into Med Bay, grab the data, and GTF off this rattle-trap. On the DOUBLE!"<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhVOUhyphenhyphentd9ESkGimwJgmk6Iw2O517TxJwcw5QW61JDgEntPUUa8Rz-K0JAvDgljvl11t_YG7wOesM9ad_IkLczgILR0BNkRnqFG7AjHH_xvVdP7TclBDHy9bbX6IlFHR89bf5lCbAf5n5h/s1600/Take+That%2521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="838" data-original-width="1360" height="123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhVOUhyphenhyphentd9ESkGimwJgmk6Iw2O517TxJwcw5QW61JDgEntPUUa8Rz-K0JAvDgljvl11t_YG7wOesM9ad_IkLczgILR0BNkRnqFG7AjHH_xvVdP7TclBDHy9bbX6IlFHR89bf5lCbAf5n5h/s200/Take+That%2521.jpg" width="200" /></a>There was a single robot in Med Bay, but a Contact marker was slowly moving closer. The Sgt and Pvt Farlander charged the Bot, guns blazing, while Correia swung clear of the brawl and ran to the Med Computer.<br />
<br />
"<i>Jesús en una muleta!</i>" she cursed under her breath.<i> ¿Dónde está el maldito fabricante de capuchino en esta puta?</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbY-WXwi4zVOY1Ob__vJP5LT8euSzOD9Zxd0Z60EwQMIAedy9jcex3ZKIO2HDNThwgp5mQ0sxRziHPStO5x2zn59bOZEnQ20a6A5GS4tUzh_WMf1RzG_YKJATM5dcNORHHr-YGACI19XGd/s1600/Devils%252C+We+Are+LEAVING%2521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="787" data-original-width="963" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbY-WXwi4zVOY1Ob__vJP5LT8euSzOD9Zxd0Z60EwQMIAedy9jcex3ZKIO2HDNThwgp5mQ0sxRziHPStO5x2zn59bOZEnQ20a6A5GS4tUzh_WMf1RzG_YKJATM5dcNORHHr-YGACI19XGd/s200/Devils%252C+We+Are+LEAVING%2521.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Marines! EXFILTRATION!</td></tr>
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Just behind Correia's back, Pvt. Farlander took a swipe from a claw and went down hard. Sgt. Sigler emptied his service pistol into the metal attacker and was pleasantly surprised when it began to gout smoke from it's seams and crashed over satisfactorily.<br />
<br />
"No time for triage" Sigler said to himself, as he picked up Farlander and slung him over the shoulder.<br />
Sigler yelled to Corriea, "Don't be gentle,<i> Cariño! </i>Kick the drive loose if you have to!"<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAf73NxQvhxme3vhI1_W_buJar6HP-50u9kfPThWJm2U_aPy-rWdA754ugOEitMtRLKrGwXgyemkF91GSuc7aZi3nlsy-Teqz5FZ9sxiisRIP8ACyg7c5y3bVvZ0OODUZFRacpU5ZIBnxd/s1600/Crossfire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="838" data-original-width="866" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAf73NxQvhxme3vhI1_W_buJar6HP-50u9kfPThWJm2U_aPy-rWdA754ugOEitMtRLKrGwXgyemkF91GSuc7aZi3nlsy-Teqz5FZ9sxiisRIP8ACyg7c5y3bVvZ0OODUZFRacpU5ZIBnxd/s200/Crossfire.jpg" width="200" /></a>Correia drew back her armoured combat boot. Wham! she kicked. Wham! Wham! WHAM! The impacts kept time to shouts in Spanish:<br />
"<i>Abre! Abre! ABRE! TU PERRA!</i>"<br />
There was a snapping sound, accompanied by the skittering of some plastic something across the floor. The drive, with a data crystal, slid open.<br />
<br />
Correia picked up the crystal and grinned as she showed it to Sgt. Sigler. "Just like Prom Night, Gunny!"<br />
<br />
"A natural Romantic..." said Sigler. "Marines, EXFILTRATION TIME!"<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0yTkg4wRzJRRmy2sCMLcdD_guMfTc4azZTLEoSDGwkMUqtA5OeP_hRwFYmDRpFXEkY7UUAANI7pzL3v4YhNMhmBnPJm7khAVgbUv2FePU9tvmWkFzMpuPB20zY22TPhQTmHkajA9auxZ2/s1600/Lock%252C+stock+and+two+smoking+bots.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="774" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0yTkg4wRzJRRmy2sCMLcdD_guMfTc4azZTLEoSDGwkMUqtA5OeP_hRwFYmDRpFXEkY7UUAANI7pzL3v4YhNMhmBnPJm7khAVgbUv2FePU9tvmWkFzMpuPB20zY22TPhQTmHkajA9auxZ2/s200/Lock%252C+stock+and+two+smoking+bots.jpg" width="190" /></a>Outside the Med Bay, Logan and Kupperberg headed cautiously into the comms room. Logan held up Kupp's ACR, "Can you handle this?"<br />
<br />
"Yeah" he said. "Just don't ask me to dance..."<br />
<br />
Logan grinnned "I'm not asking you to dance. I'm asking you to fight..."<br />
<br />
FMA allows for fighting while wounded, unlike SGII. For a light wound, the model has it's combat quality degrade by one level, so Kupperberg drops from a D8 Quality to a D6. He also cannot run.<br />
<br />
The two marines made slowly for the EVAC point.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN94UrqHgI26pbB-FMm2VIG-Kb7xHMb4USNZH_ed12mRoWwiBAgxeNgoX2A3dmYBPuf3-UmMUXsCPN1tY-tpy_cnfBm_5yfddzSt49T3kKilay6PhAD0FvKg8T2l7yIjtPK6m2gQclfAm4/s1600/Dust+Off.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="871" data-original-width="1166" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN94UrqHgI26pbB-FMm2VIG-Kb7xHMb4USNZH_ed12mRoWwiBAgxeNgoX2A3dmYBPuf3-UmMUXsCPN1tY-tpy_cnfBm_5yfddzSt49T3kKilay6PhAD0FvKg8T2l7yIjtPK6m2gQclfAm4/s200/Dust+Off.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Dropship Kalgon; take us away!"</td></tr>
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Turn 9 - 10. Just behind Logan and Kupperberg, Sgt. Sigler crossed the main corridor. Several close contacts were being held off by a Tactical marker (more on these in the notes).<br />
<br />
They entered Comms just as two more Robots moved in.<br />
<br />
Putting the unconscious Farlander down, Sgt Sigler swore, "<i>Jesús en una muleta!</i>" as he raised his shotgun. Correia raised an eyebrow.<br />
<br />
The shotgun blast caught both bots, destroying the lead one. The other advanced on Corriea,metal claws grasping.<br />
<br />
Actually, Gunny Sigler took the brunt of the melee, because he is one tough hombre (AC d12!) and I was playing the odds. Correia and Logan provided fire support, again, playing the odds that any stray shots wouldn't damage Sigler. The strategy worked, even had it failed, Sigler is not a regular member of the squad, and can be replaced by an exact copy - but I would have missed him.<br />
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By turn 11(pursued by yet again two more robots) the Squad had reached the EVAC objective - not sure how they were extracted, possibly a hole in the ceiling. There was one walking wounded, one incapacitated, and two objectives achieved. Mission: Success.<br />
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<b>Post-Game Thoughts:</b><br />
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<u>Tactical Markers</u> - these add a neat twist. When contacted, a successful Tech roll (5-6) creates a tactical effect - it can be removing a Contact marker or creating a Blocking Zone vs. Aliens. This latter was how the Sarge got across the main corridor whilst carrying the wounded Farlander.<br />
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This scenario was pretty hard, for a priority 1 game. I was getting close to despairing, until I realised I had short-changed the main squad a second Fire Team. That's an automatic back up, and then you can requisition heavier weapons, etc. by paying some Priotity points. Of course, the first Smart LMG the squad acquires goes to Pvt. Correia.<br />
<br />
<u>Creature Movement Does Eventually Get Boring</u> - rolling movement dice for a dozen Contact markers does get a little tiresome, especially on the far side of the board, where one just <i><b>knows</b></i> they will never come into contact. I'm thinking about a hack.<br />
<br />
On the other hand, there's always an off-chance that a new Contact marker will appear in your squad's way. This happened on the penultimate turn, where the EVAC point was attacked by a single robot. Logan and Kupperberg were able to bring it down with concentrated, aimed fire. Still, made for a tense turn.<br />
<br />
<u>Campaign Turn</u>: After the encounter, models use are assigned experience points, roll for reputation increase, apply for cross training, go on R&R, if up for some and recover in sick bay. In the case of Kuppenberg, since he had been stabilised with a light wound, he would require a turn in sickbay, so if the team goes out, it will be without him, and Farlander as well.<br />
<br />
Farlander had been recovered while incapacitated, so he had to roll on the chart and take his chances - fortunately, he also came up "Lightly Wounded" so he'll have Kuppenberg to keep company.<br />
<br />
Correria had enough experience points to buy a trait upgrade - she was a half-point down on her Move trait (3.5") so that was increased to 4". They're still slow, but at least they're all slow together.<br />
<br />
Logan was able to improve her Motivation to a "2", meaning she will be taking a more active role in future encounters.<br />
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Sgt. Sigler went on to his next assignment, nannying another set of wet-arsed boots on a thankless job of keeping Mankind's Final Frontier safely expanding.<br />
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"Damn Straight!"...Ω<br />
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<br />kmfrye2001http://www.blogger.com/profile/06157520186066443696noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725262417099700107.post-10733202195213274462020-03-16T19:52:00.000-07:002020-03-28T08:11:17.714-07:0028mm Colonel Virginia Lake<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghHHeK1xODDtfyhopy_a-BG4lhcOIQtmoMeJKNih3e0Az53NWd5o0d6Z-hnB1glb0W6Gou2fDivzj1GyNDwaRNgkmZiUepe484tLTV9kvsMGoJMcvgxHxOhbbB_ZqEjYxGuQnzugo4tVOe/s1600/Major+Caroline+Loch+1b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="845" data-original-width="1278" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghHHeK1xODDtfyhopy_a-BG4lhcOIQtmoMeJKNih3e0Az53NWd5o0d6Z-hnB1glb0W6Gou2fDivzj1GyNDwaRNgkmZiUepe484tLTV9kvsMGoJMcvgxHxOhbbB_ZqEjYxGuQnzugo4tVOe/s400/Major+Caroline+Loch+1b.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If she was quick, there'd be just enough time to hit the hand wash at Tesco's.</td></tr>
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Karl Perroton over at <a href="http://www.crooked-dice.co.uk/wp/" target="_blank">Crooked Dice</a> has released a teaser for tan upcoming 7TV2 expansion: Albion Rocket Group aka A.R.C. This is one of my favourites in the 1st Edition line, and I'm looking forward to see what shiny new bits those Crooked Minds come up with for 2E.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyuD_MMvx_CiZVdprPparVhO1kd6N6kBbh64RtLVZDTKu5O5kZZWUC3Me7Rns_pFQ6MV8RD5y6UBAXXunpffhfqrzsnIhiQn_xVqCE4mDOSITzDxRyw6-BZyZDngXnnBgmz9roy2zs-R17/s1600/Major+Caroline+Loch+A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="857" data-original-width="1142" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyuD_MMvx_CiZVdprPparVhO1kd6N6kBbh64RtLVZDTKu5O5kZZWUC3Me7Rns_pFQ6MV8RD5y6UBAXXunpffhfqrzsnIhiQn_xVqCE4mDOSITzDxRyw6-BZyZDngXnnBgmz9roy2zs-R17/s320/Major+Caroline+Loch+A.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everything's better with Wanda</td></tr>
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If you ask me, A.R.C. needs someone to hold the fort while Melody Lake is off gallivanting across space - why not her kinswoman, Major Caroline? Inspired by the heart-stopping Col. Virginia Lake from Gerry Anderson's U.F.O. (and played by the equally heart-stopping Wanda Ventham) she's the no-nonsense (and reasonably-priced) supporting actress that defends the gates against the Argonauts, The Mist, and SHIVA. And she's let a fancy car from Department X.<br />
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Miniature was converted from Crooked Dice <a href="http://www.crooked-dice.co.uk/wp/product/daredevils/" target="_blank">Daredevils </a>set, with a head-swap from Hasslefree's HFA004 <a href="https://hfminis.co.uk/shop?product=kat~hfa004&category=modern-%26%0D%0Apost%252dapoc~modern-adventurers" target="_blank">Kat</a>. Now I need a George Sewell miniature for Colonel Alec Freeman...Ω<br />
<br />kmfrye2001http://www.blogger.com/profile/06157520186066443696noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725262417099700107.post-73322843409372376852020-03-09T09:45:00.000-07:002020-03-09T09:48:34.261-07:00Pegasus Models Banana Trees<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqvIfpD_bc-4xLQvLLdvQgIETpzrre1HYI-1nJei_XkVc0u4q5LIBuMVCxGfN3sc-IRaRiDCr2i7VV2OnWmOkOGW9vsqq9hQwc2BDjZLi_BVu4dIfcnJK02IrySpaVBg8La7bWxdqTpXOc/s1600/Pegasus+banana+trees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="702" data-original-width="1302" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqvIfpD_bc-4xLQvLLdvQgIETpzrre1HYI-1nJei_XkVc0u4q5LIBuMVCxGfN3sc-IRaRiDCr2i7VV2OnWmOkOGW9vsqq9hQwc2BDjZLi_BVu4dIfcnJK02IrySpaVBg8La7bWxdqTpXOc/s320/Pegasus+banana+trees.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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As part of my 15mm Modern African Wars Project, I've been collecting and building jungle vegetation. Pegasus Models make a <a href="http://pegasushobbies.net/catalog/p167/%236509-Banana-Trees/product_info.html" target="_blank">Banana Trees set</a>.<br />
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Though suggested by the manufacturer to be both 28mm and 15mm scales, my opinion is weighted toward the latter. I suppose they would work for 28mm if they were depicting young, immature trees. At any rate, they look more 15/20mm to me.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE3Eyb9XnG21aQYxjc-DsKaWmnfvjo2a9l3k5TbMJlM_OI9GgEAxLQGyVfA-7l3jW15hW7Z29oLlTSRx7F5zHdR6Ho846XKOX5y4NUvOewA0bjpLRBIoivPwLw_4Hp_Bx98Ksz-zICM8et/s1600/IMG_1163%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="782" data-original-width="855" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE3Eyb9XnG21aQYxjc-DsKaWmnfvjo2a9l3k5TbMJlM_OI9GgEAxLQGyVfA-7l3jW15hW7Z29oLlTSRx7F5zHdR6Ho846XKOX5y4NUvOewA0bjpLRBIoivPwLw_4Hp_Bx98Ksz-zICM8et/s200/IMG_1163%25282%2529.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">15mm Frontier Soviet Infantry on 1" grid</td></tr>
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While I like most every Pegasus pack thus far, this one is my least favourite. Cast in semi-soft plastic, the tree-trunk tips have a hard time accepting the palm-leaf like fronds. Whittling away with a hobby knife does the trick, as well as using drawing/push-pins to stretch the frond's axial hole. This does make assembly rather fiddly, and I suggest assembling and basing the tree base and trunk, priming and painting them, before attempting to attach the palm fronds.<br />
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Because the palm fronds are held together by 1mm plastic stems, I'll be mounting these on larger bases, away from the edges, to help reduce damage.<br />
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3 out of 5...<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Ω</span>kmfrye2001http://www.blogger.com/profile/06157520186066443696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725262417099700107.post-67437284313630002272020-02-09T12:25:00.000-08:002020-02-09T12:54:26.630-08:0028mm Adventure-scale Buildings from SarissaIn preparation for <a href="https://www.retcon-usa.com/" target="_blank">RetCon-USA</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/491982598073774/" target="_blank">Gameday</a>, I finished some MDF structures from <a href="https://sarissa-precision.com/" target="_blank">Sarissa Precision</a>. These were their Storage Pod, Small Water Tower, and two grain Silos. These will dress up my Zhodani Colony farm on <i>Zdovesil</i> (Foreven 1212) A65588A-9.<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><br />
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Sarissa do a good job of cutting the parts to fit - I had no trouble assembling the bits. The detail is very good.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkgf4rsgO3B9O5sa8bcSH5paKI100DsFfun6aRMh2NzprazmUjBy4MZp-UwhxFGh9f1AmxAdwuEJhCalAl9LMHxGb3Jt_07gbPGoLHAjRFchYXYWlogZLBb20SDo_xRzSX3XVe6L7dtSFk/s1600/IMG_3539.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="857" data-original-width="1142" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkgf4rsgO3B9O5sa8bcSH5paKI100DsFfun6aRMh2NzprazmUjBy4MZp-UwhxFGh9f1AmxAdwuEJhCalAl9LMHxGb3Jt_07gbPGoLHAjRFchYXYWlogZLBb20SDo_xRzSX3XVe6L7dtSFk/s320/IMG_3539.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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MDF does like to drink paint, though. All surfaces had to be primed and painted, at least twice in the base colour, then several layers of highlighting. Still, the result was well worth it.<br />
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Unfortunately, there was no time to play the game, due to competing events at the Gameday, but I'll be running this again, with great enthusiasm, at <a href="https://www.hmgs.org/page/CWHome" target="_blank">Cold Wars</a> and <a href="http://www.warpfish.com/gzgecc/gzgecc23/index.shtml" target="_blank">GZG-ECC</a> next month...Ω</div>
kmfrye2001http://www.blogger.com/profile/06157520186066443696noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725262417099700107.post-69806199519818759052020-01-29T10:44:00.000-08:002020-01-29T10:45:09.585-08:00The Crew of the Betty - 28mm Sci-Fi<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo6VuUd_PcpLDRR7WI4n9ze-ZarncE8U0z9PGVcSm2tMEQZVm_JXNZHGopXbKB-Im_f3QJvDY4cfhI9P9vZP34UrjbrlW_QMQaitSrYg0x69D7V7k7G6ldAUtyAc3Cj8-2DMyw8Egi_2KV/s1600/Elgin%2527s+Crew+-+Posed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="787" data-original-width="1263" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo6VuUd_PcpLDRR7WI4n9ze-ZarncE8U0z9PGVcSm2tMEQZVm_JXNZHGopXbKB-Im_f3QJvDY4cfhI9P9vZP34UrjbrlW_QMQaitSrYg0x69D7V7k7G6ldAUtyAc3Cj8-2DMyw8Egi_2KV/s400/Elgin%2527s+Crew+-+Posed.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Models by Hasslefree, Heresy, and Moonraker. Vehicle Bay by Sarissa.</td></tr>
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Work on assembling the bitz for a <u>Five Parsecs from Home</u> game continues; presented here is my crew representing the members of "The Betty" from <u>Alien: Resurrection</u>. Whatever one's thoughts on what the fourth film in the Alien franchise did, or failed to do, the crew of The Betty were an interesting and eclectic bunch.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjovkzVxmXw-WehRNH51JwkcaeDLiawBePiurKusiCkJgyUOhttDmE-vSgaJWppQxtdIaK5WsuZcWTKYjF_Lc8xCMk6IgzF9hIySriTIhYaEhQW5gP8jjE0aQjGcHMqp_yojgFeuwePBPET/s1600/Betty+Crew+-+Film.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjovkzVxmXw-WehRNH51JwkcaeDLiawBePiurKusiCkJgyUOhttDmE-vSgaJWppQxtdIaK5WsuZcWTKYjF_Lc8xCMk6IgzF9hIySriTIhYaEhQW5gP8jjE0aQjGcHMqp_yojgFeuwePBPET/s400/Betty+Crew+-+Film.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Crew of "The Betty" - Alien: Resurrection</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5UBT0cJlsln48eHqJI06aYXb7MxTgAqu9bJtncFlAh-DrjyrnmK8BCiF74eM4WjyJltL4ZVpTtwm2JCuqOsvcIwW268BhCyM8XQF3g3p8iq6aAZVE-_phXi_NTd5NcEsysK1M44zwtXwk/s1600/Elgin%2527s+Crew+-+Obverse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="857" data-original-width="1461" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5UBT0cJlsln48eHqJI06aYXb7MxTgAqu9bJtncFlAh-DrjyrnmK8BCiF74eM4WjyJltL4ZVpTtwm2JCuqOsvcIwW268BhCyM8XQF3g3p8iq6aAZVE-_phXi_NTd5NcEsysK1M44zwtXwk/s320/Elgin%2527s+Crew+-+Obverse.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Models by Hasslefree, Heresy, and Moonraker. Vehicle Bay by Sarissa.</span></td></tr>
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When painting Sci-Fi miniatures, I find myself greatly slowed down by a lack of vision as to what I'm painting - especially civilians. What colour are the so-called uniforms? Weapons? Gear, etc.? Re-creating a movie crew helps solve this issue - even if the miniature isn't exactly "spot-on", the paint scheme can be.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_F4AQl6i3GNwwEe2p90jp1ceTo9Pr9jE9hJJZKnJS10mO7APlY0R974n0Itf3gzSbd516XhcnHOhi-v1QRym4RaXe6uL9upODgeWqaoC4wzaGIW7XCGdMWEWATy_7-7B89XO8FoODwFSr/s1600/Elgin%2527s+Crew+-+Reverse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1332" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_F4AQl6i3GNwwEe2p90jp1ceTo9Pr9jE9hJJZKnJS10mO7APlY0R974n0Itf3gzSbd516XhcnHOhi-v1QRym4RaXe6uL9upODgeWqaoC4wzaGIW7XCGdMWEWATy_7-7B89XO8FoODwFSr/s320/Elgin%2527s+Crew+-+Reverse.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Models by Hasslefree, Heresy, and Moonraker. Vehicle Bay by Sarissa.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpaeNRhdwDskriYemHs5XpwIRnqR5uUEFNizZjqcvKY6bJDwCiDlRdqNk3l1o5IRUAOGwsTKZwuZEt7qEnyr1UcPPZg87bTrqvsVt2kKt9UDGmPnxT-RCZzmS9Lr4OTK4V9GlKVfyJERK1/s1600/Elgin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="358" data-original-width="280" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpaeNRhdwDskriYemHs5XpwIRnqR5uUEFNizZjqcvKY6bJDwCiDlRdqNk3l1o5IRUAOGwsTKZwuZEt7qEnyr1UcPPZg87bTrqvsVt2kKt9UDGmPnxT-RCZzmS9Lr4OTK4V9GlKVfyJERK1/s200/Elgin.jpg" width="156" /></a>Frank Elgyn: On film, it looks to me that Elgyn is wearing a dark purple under-shirt/vest, with dark grey trousers. Miniature: Heresy 28mm sci fi Ships Crew - Discontinued. Sorry lads, I bought this figgie about ten years syne. No longer in production. Take it up with Big Boris.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC0_2Sm96QIagk-kxzmyllfylkCmlx4jFqL3WbZm7uE9LMteJaWCw2_AsiRNUTa7xLByZ4OCsgZ72EnlU3iwSOPkkTD3IE0lFM6J8h6d1csNqjy3iQksTaWfryZBsXCEPKfgddqcPwSx3L/s1600/Diaz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="329" data-original-width="257" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC0_2Sm96QIagk-kxzmyllfylkCmlx4jFqL3WbZm7uE9LMteJaWCw2_AsiRNUTa7xLByZ4OCsgZ72EnlU3iwSOPkkTD3IE0lFM6J8h6d1csNqjy3iQksTaWfryZBsXCEPKfgddqcPwSx3L/s200/Diaz.jpg" width="155" /></a></div>
Johner: This <a href="http://moonrakerminiatures.com/rebels.htm" target="_blank">Moonraker Miniature</a>/Rebel is actually painted as Diaz from Santana's Crew in "Riddick" (more anon). It's acting as a fill-in, as I had ordered two different "Grant" miniatures from Hasslefree, with the notion of a head-swap, and got two of the same with different labeling. I'll need to order again and ask them to correct the error.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWjURfymsu40MzHo1uSkjcJXo8X_KlvFSW9UwGpT9eQdWF6tycaM_ArCjdS_Z-jdKbGNxRrwda5FQLqQfLh2GZK81lC_ah0NFQI16wry-fIQffeAf_WpC1SlXnDiCS9uiZsGb_aXNXU2aI/s1600/Christie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="349" data-original-width="201" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWjURfymsu40MzHo1uSkjcJXo8X_KlvFSW9UwGpT9eQdWF6tycaM_ArCjdS_Z-jdKbGNxRrwda5FQLqQfLh2GZK81lC_ah0NFQI16wry-fIQffeAf_WpC1SlXnDiCS9uiZsGb_aXNXU2aI/s200/Christie.jpg" width="115" /></a>Christie: Watching the film, Christie wears a coat that's a blend of gray-green/brown. Also, he's a two-handed shooter. Most important to me, however, was getting his hair right. Moonraker Miniatures has a "Rasta" in their <a href="http://moonrakerminiatures.com/rebels.htm" target="_blank">Future Skirmish/Rebels</a> line. His coat has epaulets, which I debated removing, then decided against. The point isn't to model these chaps exactly, just use them as a guideline/theme. I painted the eps in the colours of the <i lang="fr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><a href="http://xn--lgion%20trangre-6mbeh/" target="_blank">Légion Etrangère</a></i> - if anyone is wearing epaulets in the far future, it will be <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Boudin" target="_blank"><i>Le Boudin</i></a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD7s4xPoj-DWvW6Va4DzmctyaSVhRItdGUk__-mspjaPu2EJbWL8fBuH2LhStNIDoWjTNb-XO_GEZPu8CFyrJm8nlyqHpUhyphenhyphenAo6rwPrAtQW5J4_Q5Rg6bEmN4E1UzSPnY9-Q_F7uP82jxf/s1600/Call.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="362" data-original-width="278" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD7s4xPoj-DWvW6Va4DzmctyaSVhRItdGUk__-mspjaPu2EJbWL8fBuH2LhStNIDoWjTNb-XO_GEZPu8CFyrJm8nlyqHpUhyphenhyphenAo6rwPrAtQW5J4_Q5Rg6bEmN4E1UzSPnY9-Q_F7uP82jxf/s200/Call.jpg" width="153" /></a><br />
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Annalee Call: Another Hasslefree miniature: <a href="https://hfminis.co.uk/shop?product=kendra~hfa031&category=modern-%26%0D%0Apost%252dapoc~modern-adventurers" target="_blank">Kendra</a>. It was surprisingly difficult to find a jumpsuit/coverall-clad female in 28mm scale, especially without heavy ordnance. Thissun was close enough. In the film, Call is mostly a non-combatant, so the pistol isn't much of a stretch.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNmdoKXffywhLO79mat9saJUDGj1d3pyOkGlaJ7L6PkQLVjijEF_nJpNiGJC6pt3KWOfx1ZcPrwfnzLXYy1P_9SATwpRvutdJQwrNUnLCenEGzQ63jJAYP_Inf4kh7Db6Ooki6cg_bY0sD/s1600/Hillard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="347" data-original-width="234" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNmdoKXffywhLO79mat9saJUDGj1d3pyOkGlaJ7L6PkQLVjijEF_nJpNiGJC6pt3KWOfx1ZcPrwfnzLXYy1P_9SATwpRvutdJQwrNUnLCenEGzQ63jJAYP_Inf4kh7Db6Ooki6cg_bY0sD/s200/Hillard.jpg" width="134" /></a>Hillard: Another Moonraker Miniature - this time, from the <a href="http://moonrakerminiatures.com/troopers.htm" target="_blank">Troopers</a> category. I suspect it's meant as a proxy for Ripley in Aliens. This is the second <a href="https://tempestsinateapot.blogspot.com/2019/12/ships-crew-28mm-heresy-et-al.html" target="_blank">Hillard-theme</a> mini painted in as many months.<br />
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Vriess: Where's Engineer Vriess? At the moment, back at the ship. I'm looking for a motorised chair for him, as well as a figure. I intend to paint him both seated and standing, since it's possible to go back in time to before he had his debilitating accident.<br />
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Also in the works, seeing that I've tipped it, are the merc crews from Riddick. And possibly some space-cowboys/rebels etc....Ω<br />
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<br />kmfrye2001http://www.blogger.com/profile/06157520186066443696noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725262417099700107.post-50091228124018746662020-01-19T12:53:00.006-08:002020-11-16T08:26:13.396-08:00Old School 28mm Sci-Fi ReviewAs progress continues apace on my Five Parsecs from Home/Traveller project, I've been struck with how few resources are available for 28/25mm old school Sci-Fi gaming, and those that do exist are rather scattered.<br />
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"Old School" needs to be defined, I suppose. In my judgement, Old School hearkens back to a time when:<br />
<ul>
<li>We played face-to-face</li>
<li>Figure were rules-agnostic, made of metal, and painted.</li>
<li>The Content was neither video-game derived, nor so aesthetically inspired.</li>
</ul>
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These are the basic qualities, and they may be tweaked as time and experience march on. Other details, like paper maps, cardboard/cardstock boxes and that the scale was more like 25mm, I'll leave off as not compulsory for my particular purposes.</div>
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So, alphabetically then:</div>
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<b>Alternative Armies</b></div>
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Based in the UK, Alternative Armies has been a mainstay of my 15mm Sci-Fi collection, but they do 28mm Sci-Fi, too. The <a href="https://www.alternative-armies.com/collections/alternate-stars" target="_blank">Alternate Stars</a> Space Opera figures are there, as are the old Asgard <a href="https://www.alternative-armies.com/collections/space-marines-and-adventurers" target="_blank">Space Marines and Adventurers</a>, as well. The <a href="https://www.alternative-armies.com/collections/28mm-ion-age-miniature-range" target="_blank">28mm Ion Age</a> also has an Oldhammer Old School feel.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtzxgE3515gc_2snJ8KL45QuA7ICgLW1zKCH8eEYJ2uyCuEmV1REdl7Crzd2Ck_XSRAlYD6YQXJ8dBtmb0oB38Pk9-98Mg8-Q_uiAcDaEA9n5FjR_6gIBxR6697Zbsmz9pYRlqeKNedo1c/s1600/Asgard+Space+Marines+and+Adventurers.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="150" data-original-width="479" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtzxgE3515gc_2snJ8KL45QuA7ICgLW1zKCH8eEYJ2uyCuEmV1REdl7Crzd2Ck_XSRAlYD6YQXJ8dBtmb0oB38Pk9-98Mg8-Q_uiAcDaEA9n5FjR_6gIBxR6697Zbsmz9pYRlqeKNedo1c/s320/Asgard+Space+Marines+and+Adventurers.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Figures by Alternative Armies</td></tr>
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<b>Copplestone Castings</b></div>
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I will admit a personal bias in that I love, and have always loved, Mark <span id="goog_1318413387"></span>Copplestone<span id="goog_1318413388"></span>'s sculpts. The <a href="http://www.copplestonecastings.co.uk/list.php?cat=1&page=1" target="_blank">Future Wars</a> line embodies all that is good in Old School style - good proportions, not cartooney, reasonable weaponry. Nick Eyre at <a href="https://www.northstarfigures.com/" target="_blank">Northstar Miniatures</a> has assumed the distribution rights for this line, giving Mark Copplestone greater freedom to design and sculpt new models.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYoyCj4kYTTEkjIXmuA4fcGBSsghD8eOjkUyFOvFuDyselRAyu7rPVNkwcH-zyF6U_dbwrAhslK1b4_e0RkOJVxTfkBMLICcmiNGVv1npNnf412elu3_YJoHZBSKCC9BY6HvjWnyY4QW-q/s1600/Coppleston+Castings+img4.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="176" data-original-width="463" height="121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYoyCj4kYTTEkjIXmuA4fcGBSsghD8eOjkUyFOvFuDyselRAyu7rPVNkwcH-zyF6U_dbwrAhslK1b4_e0RkOJVxTfkBMLICcmiNGVv1npNnf412elu3_YJoHZBSKCC9BY6HvjWnyY4QW-q/s320/Coppleston+Castings+img4.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Figures by Coppleston Castings</td></tr>
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<b>Denizen</b></div>
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Probably the grandfather of the UK companies, <a href="http://www.denizenminiatures.co.uk/" target="_blank">Denizen</a> make large 25mm, which will work with moderate 28mm. They are well detailed, even by today's standards, and well proportioned. Lines include Sci-Fi, Fantasy and modern race-car crew and drivers. They do not have many photos of their lines, which they seem to be working to correct, albeit slowly. Denizen have an email-based ordering system.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZAkC_sttaSLWh54brMlGeebjVfw6ZVxmEVvf_50zcgnwYKXRvdR2dqanHeUREeu4swsjWnUfjYpvz406csFsUVHmgsbY1m_duJNqGclF6cEBUQs258SCe-u807T5xPIUYlJCeaCwtKX5p/s1600/Denizen+SciFi.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="282" data-original-width="1042" height="107" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZAkC_sttaSLWh54brMlGeebjVfw6ZVxmEVvf_50zcgnwYKXRvdR2dqanHeUREeu4swsjWnUfjYpvz406csFsUVHmgsbY1m_duJNqGclF6cEBUQs258SCe-u807T5xPIUYlJCeaCwtKX5p/s400/Denizen+SciFi.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Figures by Denizen Miniatures</td></tr>
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<b>Grenadier</b></div>
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See <a href="http://www.mirliton.it/" target="_blank">Mirliton</a></div>
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<b>Ground Zero Games</b></div>
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The Gold Standard in miniature figure companies. Other companies beat each other up over who can be more like <a href="https://shop.groundzerogames.co.uk/" target="_blank">GZG</a>. IMO, GZG inspired the 15mm SciFi trend in the mid-90's, and helped usher in the "Golden Age of 15mm Sci-Fi" which only began to wan in perhaps the last year-or-so.</div>
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Unfortunately, there aren't many photos of the GZG 25mm line up on their website - one of the very few errors of judgement Jon@GZG has made over their long history.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh11kCrx2U-aBweazCP-lvo7cyeUdlyIYP8575TqHZVxlEIjBZprVtRzNwGWcC7AYaO6t3PyITw549_H6V-QqQoCbqX2x6stSWVZus_eWpgK9QMrARSbPoRDTYjGt1nfce1DjiXd45vBnjB/s1600/GZG+goth-1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="375" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh11kCrx2U-aBweazCP-lvo7cyeUdlyIYP8575TqHZVxlEIjBZprVtRzNwGWcC7AYaO6t3PyITw549_H6V-QqQoCbqX2x6stSWVZus_eWpgK9QMrARSbPoRDTYjGt1nfce1DjiXd45vBnjB/s320/GZG+goth-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Goth Figures by Ground Zero Games</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyefba33mUhWJb_KncYDIQfsbik_nCVKodzOve01BDtEbd7q9UJBibgNEhUmGH2IXTRlR4yLjA6E2e22xffvYsu9MX_LGl5vCMcrhup1vxiaLa-zVwDcDqFOsilHr7bBQI0mu7xlhdJ2L_/s1600/GZG+SGA-03B.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="328" data-original-width="375" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyefba33mUhWJb_KncYDIQfsbik_nCVKodzOve01BDtEbd7q9UJBibgNEhUmGH2IXTRlR4yLjA6E2e22xffvYsu9MX_LGl5vCMcrhup1vxiaLa-zVwDcDqFOsilHr7bBQI0mu7xlhdJ2L_/s200/GZG+SGA-03B.gif" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">NAC Figures by Ground Zero Games</span></td></tr>
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<b>Mirliton</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.mirliton.it/" target="_blank">Mirliton</a> acquired the last-gen line of Grenadier fantasy figures, which overlaps with some EM4's Sci-Fi line. Many of these figures are mirrored on Copplestone Castings website, though Mirliton has been slowly adding some new figures to their line. Given the ruinous shipping rates from Italy to the US, I've been very selective of what I've ordered - nothing, to date. The distributor, Noble Knight, acts as the US source for Mirliton. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCOuT6LnMRvjbh3WxslwJoKZYTT8lQg1_zx9IgfCplST9ls8ckLDM8KNXlLqdyRC8LCg0IMjg_QJ2rDoKBDGNhhWqoTd0x1oBseE5ZpYfJGXklGhxGPpyk-Yf-rNjkaPdPJgKtcXVeOBxi/s1600/Mirliton+CW1552.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="212" data-original-width="709" height="95" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCOuT6LnMRvjbh3WxslwJoKZYTT8lQg1_zx9IgfCplST9ls8ckLDM8KNXlLqdyRC8LCg0IMjg_QJ2rDoKBDGNhhWqoTd0x1oBseE5ZpYfJGXklGhxGPpyk-Yf-rNjkaPdPJgKtcXVeOBxi/s320/Mirliton+CW1552.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Figures by Mirliton</td></tr>
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<b>Moonraker Miniatures</b></div>
<div>
Also inheriting the <a href="https://em4miniatures.com/collections/future-skirmish-miniatures" target="_blank">EM4 line</a> of Future War/<a href="http://moonrakerminiatures.com/future.htm" target="_blank">Future Skirmish</a>, <a href="http://moonrakerminiatures.com/" target="_blank">Moonraker Miniatures</a> offer many of the figures on the Mirliton site, as single models, at a fraction of the shipping cost. I have had good service from them, with dispatch, notification and post taking about 10 days.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3XUCS-GrWU4MHOExxLohJezAsQxbw0ypTBGd9Rs2ZzFqZlyVL9GuSiPs0Y7HEdJW-V5TWpan6OTjboejMlTE9_q4tQ9Rp9ACQDU87R1WaSDXjwVFr-CEDG5J4E7bD9p-Q_iLvlY3de3Un/s1600/Moonraker+Miniatures+Screen+Cap.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="797" data-original-width="760" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3XUCS-GrWU4MHOExxLohJezAsQxbw0ypTBGd9Rs2ZzFqZlyVL9GuSiPs0Y7HEdJW-V5TWpan6OTjboejMlTE9_q4tQ9Rp9ACQDU87R1WaSDXjwVFr-CEDG5J4E7bD9p-Q_iLvlY3de3Un/s320/Moonraker+Miniatures+Screen+Cap.jpg" width="305" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Figures by Moonraker Miniatures</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Editor's Note(3/11/2020) : Moonraker Miniatures are now owned by <a href="https://www.forlornhopegames.co.uk/" target="_blank">Forlorn Hope</a> Miniatures. Best of Fortunes to the new owner.</div>
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And now, some Honourable Mentions:</div>
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<b>Black Cat Miniatures </b>aka<b> Black Cat Bases</b></div>
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<a href="https://blackcatbases.com/product-category/figures/" target="_blank">Black Cat </a>has a veritable cornucopia of Old School style miniatures, just not a lot of generic Sci-Fi. What they have do mix well with other moderate 28mm. I've always had good service from Black Cat Bases.</div>
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<b>Crooked Dice Design Studios</b></div>
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One of the first companies to understand the Power of Nostalgia*, <a href="http://www.crooked-dice.co.uk/wp/product-category/miniatures/" target="_blank">Crooked Dice</a> entirely qualifies as an Old School Miniatures Company, only they're scarcely a decade old. Still and all, their miniatures are spot-on for the Old School vibe - they just need more generic in their Sci-Fi line..</div>
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(*which, by the way, suggests that the neo-PULP genre is the Next Big Thing. Nota Bene!)</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCT9LHmWYaWOHMvDUYPfVQV09D0xHfZzyKaO5ISnZFVL0kVDFK-aZ3FEB0EdtRHlFSiO436KfIRD8du2b4kKsawLFNv_8txpae8UUpaoyjLh8fSsX8jby2IWhN3s16CXjM68NfDO0eCzqL/s1600/Crooked+Dice+Cyberpunks.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="295" data-original-width="300" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCT9LHmWYaWOHMvDUYPfVQV09D0xHfZzyKaO5ISnZFVL0kVDFK-aZ3FEB0EdtRHlFSiO436KfIRD8du2b4kKsawLFNv_8txpae8UUpaoyjLh8fSsX8jby2IWhN3s16CXjM68NfDO0eCzqL/s200/Crooked+Dice+Cyberpunks.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crooked Dice Cyberpunks</td></tr>
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<b>Iron Wind Metals</b></div>
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Ral Partha Miniatures live on at <a href="https://store.ironwindmetals.com/store/" target="_blank">Iron Wind Metals</a>. There is a Post Apocalyptic line, as well as a Shadowrun and (although drifting into the cartoon & ridiculous category) the VOR line. I'm not going to list any pictures, due to the abysmal web design Iron Wind Metals employ.</div>
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<b>RAFM</b></div>
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Canadian company <a href="http://rafm.com/" target="_blank">RAFM</a> has a few figures that work for Sci-Fi in their <a href="http://www.rafm.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=RAF&Category_Code=USXMin" target="_blank">USX Modern</a> line. They also have a line of the old <a href="http://www.rafm.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=RAF&Category_Code=SKRM" target="_blank">Reaction Marines</a> - though these are too far gone into the bulky/cartoony style to fit me definition of Old School. If anything, to my mind, they are Oldhammer School.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaqoQuGiUhpvyTPq0E73A34CrnhlT_FEST4lfZa6AVBEVfLkhVhSoGpppN3E618U7yHFiGMFx1h3-dVqps25p5WLxLczRmKVkwp7Uh69XIX5pWUVoQYV87Ap_hiURGrmmt8RDLrY56KekS/s1600/RAFM+Reaction+Marines+5012.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="174" data-original-width="300" height="115" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaqoQuGiUhpvyTPq0E73A34CrnhlT_FEST4lfZa6AVBEVfLkhVhSoGpppN3E618U7yHFiGMFx1h3-dVqps25p5WLxLczRmKVkwp7Uh69XIX5pWUVoQYV87Ap_hiURGrmmt8RDLrY56KekS/s200/RAFM+Reaction+Marines+5012.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">RAFM Reaction Marines 5012</td></tr>
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<b><i>Personal note</i></b>: without exception, I like RAFM's miniatures, a lot, only I've never seen a company work against it's own interests the way RAFM seem to do*. From frivolous Indiegogo campaigns ($<a href="https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/rafm-miniatures-space-1889-figure-collection#/" target="_blank">18,890</a>) to (edit...) some questionable <a href="http://www.rafm.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=RAF&Product_Code=RAF07000&Category_Code=GRAV" target="_blank">marketing skillz</a>, it's almost as if RAFM is playing at Gollum: hating and loving themselves.</div>
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(Edit: I've redacted my observations regarding how RAFM posts to the USA, having tried an exercise using Canada Post - I can see that RAFM's method is a much sounder one, and I apologise for seeing a bug where there's really a feature...)<br />
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End of day, it's easier for me to order RAFM through third parties - once again: Noble Knight.</div>
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(*Except possibly GDW...)</div>
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<b>Reaper Minis</b></div>
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Another of my favourites, <a href="https://www.reapermini.com/" target="_blank">Reaper Minis</a> tend to be a trifle biggish, though not incompatibly so. Their Chronoscope line as a number of Old School Sci-Fi minis - you must be willing to <a href="https://www.reapermini.com/miniatures/chronoscope+metal+sci-fi+human/latest" target="_blank">search</a> for them. </div>
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<b>Rebel Miniatures</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.rebelminis.com/index.html" target="_blank">Rebel Miniatures</a> has a 28mm Horror line, and a 28mm Sci-Fi line (as well as a plethora of 15mm lines). Some of these figures fit quite well in the Old School genre.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy4nl6J4QfBmZevt1Wdi13EtcLWn5G-_7DvjmuIZ5fcUwhISR4u30-BxQKKpJ9m7eA4k6pW6KvxzdItCoY3YsC9lZN-Rq-UFloNc5Ro_pUMY2OaLO-zukh0vDLyFeN-Gekvh7nrdIoPiHW/s1600/Rebel+Miniatures+28mm-earth-force-vixens-3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="301" data-original-width="717" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy4nl6J4QfBmZevt1Wdi13EtcLWn5G-_7DvjmuIZ5fcUwhISR4u30-BxQKKpJ9m7eA4k6pW6KvxzdItCoY3YsC9lZN-Rq-UFloNc5Ro_pUMY2OaLO-zukh0vDLyFeN-Gekvh7nrdIoPiHW/s320/Rebel+Miniatures+28mm-earth-force-vixens-3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rebel Miniatures Earth Force Vixens</td></tr>
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Rebel Minis seem to be another of the companies that hasn't quite found their footing, unless it is to provide miniatures for <a href="https://twohourwargames.com/" target="_blank">Two Hour Wargames</a>. During the 15mm "Golden Age" they added to their 15mm lines quite prolifically, and now they are flirting with 28mm. I hope they continue to expand their 28mm Sci-Fi line, and not go too far into the blocky/cartoony aesthetic.<br />
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<b>Scotia-Grendel</b><br />
<a href="https://www.scotiagrendel.com/" target="_blank">Scotia Grendel</a> has the Kryomek Line, the Void Line and the Urban War (ex-Urban Mammoth) line. These lines, in my opinion, straddle the Old School/New School line, in that they display the beginning of the video-game reality, with odd profiles, weird creatures, etc. Some of the Nexus Marines work very well with Old School themes.</div>
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<b>Closing Thoughts</b></div>
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This list cannot be compleatly exhaustive, and there are lots of smaller startups offering "one-shot" miniatures which may, or may not, fall under the Old School Sci-Fi umbrella as I'm using here - that said, feel free to offer additional suggestions, in the comments, if there's something you think I've missed.</div>
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kmfrye2001http://www.blogger.com/profile/06157520186066443696noreply@blogger.com0