15mm Zhodani Lift Infantry Platoon - GZG

After nearly 30 years of gaming, I've decided it's time to update my 15mm Zhodani Lift Infantry.

Originally, I had started with early resin Ground Zero Games vehicle mini's back in the 90's, with a combination of Martian Metals and Laserburn 15mm for the infantry. The rules were the original Striker and occasional Ashanti High Lightning for GDW.

Times and tastes have changed, and inspired as I am to do some Fifth Frontier War scenarios using StarGrunt II, I've returned to GZG for the vehicles (and Denizen/Darkstar Ventaurans for the infantry).

Reinforcements Have Arrived - Models by Ground Zero Games

For a Consular Guard Lift Platoon, I used 3 x GZG V15-56A, 1 x V15-58A and 1 x V15-57A for point defense. In retrospect, since I had to heavily modify the 57A, I could have used another 56A and saved the gun for future use. Live and learn.

GZG V15-57A

For the point defense sled, the 57A hull was used, and a new deck was created from bits of styrene sheet, with a turret from Combat Wombat.

New Deck and Turret (Turrest from Combat Wombat)

Combat Wombat turrets are nicely shaped, but suffer from a near-future look with too much reactive armour cast onto the turret, so I had to dremel the beggar to far-future standards. Then added some GZG greebles.

Miniatures included for scale: Citadel Traveller Zhodani (OOP), GZG NAC, Laserburn Ships Crew.

I plan on putting together another platoon, plus company assets (CP, EW, FDC, MRL and PD sleds), for either a large convention game or a Dirtside II game.

I suppose this means I also have to update my 15mm Imperial Marines...hmmm - I should have better thought this through....Ω

GZG 15mm 8-Wheeled APC

 Last week, painting was good, and i managed to finish four of Jon Tuffley's 8-Wheeled APC:s from the StarGrunt 15mm vehicle range. Specifically, V15-50A.

One significant difference is the vehicle weapon mount - those pictured are not supplied with the models as listed, they are from the GZG Grav APC V15-20A.  A platoon of which I've shown painted here.

V15-50A Miniature by Ground Zero Games

There was nothing wrong with the auto-cannon as supplied - I'm using these vehicles as part of a Traveller-universe TL-12/13 mercenary troop, named "Spinward Marches Solutions, LLIC".  They need plasma-guns for fire support. (I'll be including a writeup on SMS in the very near future...)

I'm well-pleased with these castings, the parts all fit nicely (I did need to dremel out the gun mount, as I was mixing bits) and the detail is up to GZG's usual excellent standards.
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V15-50A Miniature by Ground Zero Games

One minor hitch was my being able to find, after two year's delay, all of my GZG plasma turrets - only two could be found.  A frantic email to Himself at GZG resulted in a promise to cast me two more, at a very reasonable rate, to include with my next order.

Jon Tuffley's Customer Care simply CANNOT be beaten.  Full stop...Ω

Traveller - Sharushid Type 42 Fire Direction Centre

Sharushid Type 42b ACV/FDC

These second-line vehicles are converted from obsolescent Imperial TL 10 Type 41 APCs.

Miniature by Laserburn/15mm UK - bits from GZG and Grendel

Nicknamed “The Pig” (V. ishalap) by both Confederation and Vilani troops alike, the design dates from the Pacification Wars, and the Type 41 lags a tech level behind its Type 52 replacement.

Tens of thousands of Type 41’s have been manufactured. The Vilani deplore waste, and as a result many of the mothballed T-41’s were sent to the Frontier Legions.  Others were pressed into service as support vehicles.

In conformance with standard Imperial doctrine, the Type 41 was designed without weaponry or firing ports. Frontier Legion motor pools often modify the design by adding firing ports and support weapon mounts. It is known that some Gisadia line artillery batteries on extended active service will add anti-personnel mines to the exterior.  These mines are detonated remotely as a last-ditch defense measure.

The T-42c is the hover version, and coordinates the artillery battery fire missions. In Striker II terms, it acts as a Staff Satellite Uplink Stand for artillery units.

This vehicle was something of a lark for me, in that I can only foresee one or two scenarios where this miniature will appear, but I had the extra miniature and wanted to see it painted. It could also be used as a communications vehicle or as an objective.

The model is an old Laserburn Hover APC, soon to be available in resin from 15mm UK, with GZG and Grendel bits added. I'm only partially finished with painting it, but I wanted to get at least one post up for January...Ω

Rebel Minis Red Guard to Solomani Naval Assault Infantry

It's been a while since we've played Striker II, but the 15mm Red Guard from Rebel Minis have me dusting off the rules book and practising my Solomani Manifesto as they prepare to square off against my Imperial 99th Provisional Marines.

These were easy to paint with good detail and animation. I based mine for Striker II - I found that I can adapt based figs to StarGrunt II using Mark Clambo's StrikerGrunt rules hack.

They are in desperate need for some support troops, not to mention some C3 figures as well.

I went with a dark field grey as a nod to those other famous Confederates - the C.S.A. It doesn't hurt that it also resembles WW2-era Wehrmacht: I don't buy into the Solomani-are-Space-Nazis meme, but it does help to give them a bit of character.

The various light and dark greys were rather monotonous to paint, but I didn't want to mess about with a camouflage pattern.


 
Next is my DLD-era GAIFV (Grav Armoured Infantry Fighting Vehicle).  It looks to me like Dave at DLD was thinking of the Sd.Kfz. 251, also of Wehrmacht fame.

The original model had a sort of duck's bill arrangement under the prow - I tossed those in favour of a milliput fender.

The turret mounts a plasma gun and was purchased from Brigade Models about eight years ago.


 My Assault (Naval) Infantry template postulates that the Solomani don't use marines in the same way as the Imperium does. The ConFed have ship's troops (marines) for shipboard security, but for rapid deployment of heavy combat units, my ConFed uses Naval Infantry in the same manner as the Soviet Union used to do.

Naval Assault Infantry Platoon

Solomani Doctrine may not be as effective as Imperial, but then again, they did come off the worse in the Rim War...Ω

For Confederation and Cause!

A quick dig through the storage boxes resulted in these ready-made grav tanks; mothballed since 2004 and awaiting the Call to defend the Solomani Cause.

They were originally intended as Imperial light scout tanks, but as Jon at GZG has released some models which are much more like those depicted in Traveller, these will now be pressed into the service of the ConFed.

Shown with 15mm GZG New Anglian Confederation officers and staff

These are a kitbash, using the long OOP DLD 15mm Civet hull. Back in the day, I had purchased three, which is just enough for a light platoon of scout tanks.  I might be able to stretch that to two platoons by adding some air/rafts with observers and some infantry in cavalry APCs.

The turret is from John McEwan's Reviresco Starguard line -  part of the Devil Cat Light Tank kit.  Though Starguard is closer to 20mm scale, the big turret fits well to the modern 15mm hull.

The main gun is from the Starseige Rebellion Imperial weapons pack - I think it was designed for some Gundam-style mobile suit. The box off the side of the cupola is a mini-missile launcher.

These models will do fine as GRPZ-IV's - a light grav tank used in the recon companies of the ConFederation Assault Brigades.

All that's left to do is to detail the tanks with Solomani markings and possibly add some dry-brushing, as my tastes have changed a bit in the near-decade that's passed since I first finished them.

Then, ALIENS BEWARE!...Ω

K'Kree Loor'rik'k'ring'r!kir APC - WIP

The Loor'rik'k'ring'r!kir translates to "Carry the platoon to make death" and is the standard design for the armed forces of the Two Thousand Worlds.  According to GURPS Traveller Alien Races 2, this brute is enormous - 100 feet across and 15 feet tall. Green and Trained troops might require a morale roll as it hovers, Independence Day-style, over the battlefield.

Of course, experienced troops, like the Imperials, Solomani and Ithklur, understand that a large target is an easy target, and refer to this family of vehicles as Flying Dart Boards.

I modeled mine from a Chinese take-away container - curried chicken IIRC. The sensor dome was half a styrofoam Xmas ornament blank. There are three VRF gauss guns in remote turrets (K'Kree can't tolerate being cramped into a gunnery turret) and five forward deployment ramps, with an emergency ramp aft.  K'Kree like to charge into battle, following the leader.

The VRF gauss guns were made from small wooden beads, mounted in washers, with muzzles from the bitz box glued on. Some Martian Metals K'Kree military are shown for scale - even at the size of a moderate garage door, K'Kree will need to mind their heads while exiting.

I'll have pictures of the primed and painted version up shortly...Ω

Ravenstar Grav Tank - The Aslan are Coming...

Late last month, Chris at Ravenstar Studios posted a picture of his new 15mm LandCore Mercury Fast Attack Grav Tank on The Miniatures Page.  Some of the posters who replied didn't much like it, citing not enough guns and disliking it's smooth, teardrop, fluted design.

I think it's marvelous!

Shown with RAFM Aslan and GZG New Anglian Confederation for size comparison.

For years, I've been looking for something to use as an Aslan AFV, and this fits the bill, nicely. It's a pity that when it comes to "alien" designs there is such a dearth of available miniatures out there. Chris seems intent on correcting this.

Casting is nice and clean, with no bubbles in the resin. The model comes in four parts - hull, turret, main gun and a small aft propulsion panel. All are in resin, so the main gun is a bit fragile and prone to breaking.  Concerned buyers might like to recommend to Chris that this last piece might be better cast in white metal.

Shown on a 1" grid

Size - the brute is enormous. The turret hatch, with modification, would easily accept a 25mm mini. It will serve as a main battle tank in 15mm and as a light fire support sled in 25mm.  While I was really looking for something in a support sled size, I will happily amend my upcoming scenario to accommodate a larger MBT.

It's just that awesome.

Show with GZG V15-20A for size comparison.

There is only a single main gun - which suits me fine. In Traveller, energy weapons are often of the "Rapid Pulse" variety, and if memory serves correctly, in a Striker II game, this tank's main gun would be able to engage between two to five targets in a turn.  For close in support, there are four small hemispheres that will work as point defense and sensors.

It took Ravenstar about two weeks to send the mini, which is fine in my book. There was an extra mini added to the order - looks like an enclosed air/raft.  Of that, more later.

To order from Ravenstar - visit his blog.

Rumour has it that Chris is preparing to release an APC model - I am hopeful that it will compliment this nicely...Ω