Small Soldiers: December 2016

Saturday, 31 December 2016

15mm Alien Squad Leader Army - Mechanoids

One excellent thing about 15mm sci fi is the ability to recycle miniatures into different games and force pools. Here is one example of such recycling.

Many of the models below appear in my Cyborg Enslaver list. So, I will not go into the details of how these were painted. Suffice to say, all metallic armies are quick to paint. The only thing missing from this army is another 2-3 Battle Mecha. Those will be rolling off the assembly line in 2017. As you can see, by adding in just another couple of units a whole new force is created, which is good news for the pocket book.

Alien Squad Leader Army - Mechanoids

The Mechanoids are one of the strongest factions in ASL. Their goal quite simple is to eradicate all biological life. The army is pricey in terms of points, and therefore small on the table (12-15 units it typical in a 200 pt game). However they are reliable and will not break and run away. They are also tough to kill and typically will be upgraded with energy shields, reducing the effects of some hits.

Terminators (GZG)

With a 5+ armor save and energy shields, Terminators will stick around longer than regular biological infantry. Each army requires at least 3 units per 100 points (12 pts per stand)

Battle Mecha (GZG Crusty Mecha)

With Primary Weapon Systems (with a 100 cm range), Homing Missiles and a 4+ armor save, Battle Mecha are amongst the strongest units in the game. Take lots!

Heavy Droids (GZG and 15mm UK Warbots)

With a 5+ armor save and armed with heavy weapons, these larger droids are the little brothers to the larger Battle Mecha.

Polymorphs (15mm UK)

If you have seen Terminator 2 then you know who these guys are. They have no ranged attack capability at all. However, they do have a +2 bonus in close combat (in close combat each side rolls 2d6, adds modifiers and whomever has the highest score wins, with the loser making armor saves if applicable). A +2 on a 2d6 roll is a big deal, statistically wise. Also, enemy units beyond 10cm cannot target these units with ranged fire (they disguise themselves as enemy troops, preventing one from attacking them).

Robotic Gunship (GZG)

Gunships are pricey and they don't always show up when and where you want them. But sometimes they are just the thing to hunt down pesky enemy units which have a habit of hiding (like enemy Psionic Command Stands).

That is it for these guys. Pretty straightforward army to paint and play.

Tomorrow's War DPRG Motorized Rifle Platoon

Tomorrow's War would not be complete without Space North Koreans. So, may I present the "Democratic People's Republic of Glory".

The DPRG is the main antagonist in the planet Glory. Their main foe is the US supported Republic of Arden. They are technologically outmatched (in general) by Arden, but they do receive off-world help from allies in Earth, mainly Brazil.

A typically DPRG platoon consists of a small HQ section and three rifle squads. Additional units are attached as necessary. Tomorrow's War uses an elegant tech level system to represent technology in the game. Level 1 is obsolete, Level 2 is modern, Level 3 is cutting edge new technology. The cleverness of this design is that it does not matter what the actual "tech" is. The level is relative to the game being played. DPRG is typically TL1, with the US Army being TL3. This difference in the game is huge since the higher tech level gains bonus dice when attacking, defending or generally trying to oppose something the opponent is doing. Needless to say, the DPRG has a tough time against the Imperialist American Dogs!

Long live Dear Leader!

DPRG Motor Rifle Platoon with Support Elements

HQ Section with Lieutenant, Senior Sergeant, Com Tech, Robotic Medic and GPMG team

People's Army Power Armor team

People's Army Motor Rifle Squad & Shouting Dragon IFV

"Tiger Force" - obsolete Chonma-Ho-III MBTs

models from Khurasan Miniatures

Models from Khurasan Miniatures and GZG

vehicle from Khurasan Miniatures

Infantry from GZG

Friday, 30 December 2016

Tomorrow's War US Army Light Infantry Platoon

Lately I have been posting pictures of huge armies for Alien Squad Leader. However, for a moment I will go back to the beginning of my 15mm sci fi experience.

Tomorrow's War was my introduction into 15mm sci fi gaming. It plays either at 15mm or 28mm scale and can be played with individually based miniatures or with groups mounted on stands. It has it's roots in a far older game, that being Stargrunt 2, by Ground Zero Games. I will not go into depth into SG2, suffice to say the rules are available on the GZG website for free download. Any serious miniature wargamer should possess these rules. There is an excellent review of SG2on YouTube by Color of the Gods which I recommend watching. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZWkkwnjYX4

Tomorrow's war focuses on near future combat on the modern battlefield. There is no magic, psychic powers or skulls on every flat surface in this game. It is set roughly 300 years from now, with many real world Earth nations establishing colonies off world. Brushfire wars and guerilla warfare is the main focus of this game. The game features rules for just about everything you could want: artillery, air strikes, robotic troops, super-soldier drugs, aliens, the "Grid" (a futuristic electronic battleground), armor, the list goes on and on. Tomorrow's War does not require many miniatures. 30 is more than enough with 40-50 the maximum that one could realistically ever use in a single game. A typical game plays no more than three squads plus some support elements (typically).

One of the first forces I painted up was for the United States, specifically a US Army Light Infantry Platoon. The US Army is one of the few nations to make heavy use of robotic troops. They are loathe to put living soldiers in harms way if machines can do the same job. As such the platoon contains almost as many machines than human beings.

Reinforced US Army Light Infantry Platoon (miniatures by GZG & Khurasan)

The basic platoon consists of 29 human soldiers and 27 robotic units

HQ Section (5 soldiers, 3 recon drones and 2 autonomous medical units)
3 Rifle Squads (7 soldiers and 7 autonomous gun platforms ea)
1 Light Infantry Weapon Squad (3 soldiers and 7 autonomous gun platforms with heavier weaponry)

The platoon below has been reinforced with an extra squad along with two heavy machinegun teams, one mortar team, one ATGM team and two snipers.

Infantry HQ Section

US Army Light Infantry Rifle Squad

US Army Light Infantry Fireteam

US Army Light Infantry AGP Contact Fireteam

US Army Light Infantry Weapons Squad

Sniper

Heavy MG Teams

Recon Drones, ATGM Teams with Mortar support

I hope this shows that even a small number of miniatures (not necessarily a full platoon like this) can make for a full game experience in 15mm.

15mm Alien Squad Leader Army - Human Imperial 2.0 and Imperial Strike Force

GZG NSL Panzergrenadiers were amongst the first figures I ever painted for 15mm. The model selection is fantastic, with both male/female figures and with and without lowered visors. You cannot go wrong with this range.

Here is another example of two armies in one for Alien Squad Leader: Human Imperial and Imperial Strike Force. The Imperial Strike Force is made up of power armor units and support vehicles. This is my smallest force for ASL, with only 4 tactical squads, 1 assault and 1 devastator squad, with sufficient armored support to fill out to 150 points. Of course the Human Imperial army is much larger.

The army consists of:
3 Command Squads, 13 pts ea
11 Infantry Squads, 8 pts ea
2 Power Armor Teams, 12 pts ea
4 Heavy Weapon Squads, 10 pts ea
2 Robotic Infantry Squads, 11 pts ea
2 Recon Droids, 12 pts ea
4 Heavy Droids, 13 pts ea
2 Battle Mecha, 20 pts ea
6 Main Battle Tanks, 18 pts ea
3 Assault Transports, 15 pts ea
2 Armored Vehicles, 13 pts ea
2 Light Recon Vehicles, 7 pts ea
2 Aerospace Fighters, 16 pts ea
4 Imperial Strike Force Tactical Squads, 13 pts ea
1 Imperial Strike Force Assault Squad, 13 pts ea
1 Imperial Strike Force Devestator Squad, 15 pts ea

Alien Squad Leader Army - Human Imperial and Imperial Strike Force

These infantry models were surprising easy to paint:

Primer: White
Baseboat: airbrushed Tamiya Field Grey armor with Reaper Blue Steel Visors and grey weapons.
Wash: Nuln Oil.
Highlight: Vallejo Field Grey
2nd Highlight: Vallejo Field Grey mixed with Green Grey.

GZG NSL Panzergrenadiers

GZG NSL Panzergrenadiers with Heavy Weapons

GZG NSL Panzergrenadiers

Power Armor teams (GZG)

Robotic Support

Battle Mecha (Iron Wind Metal Mechs)

The Battlemechs were airbrushed with various Tamiya colors: Medium Blue and JA Grey I do believe. They were then washed with Min Way Polyshades Tudor.

Robotic Infantry (Shapeways)

Recon Droids (GZG)

Recon Droids were airbrushed in my standard Tamiy Metallic Grey scheme. The Robotic Infantry are models I purchased off of Shapeways. I have several more to complete. They are 3D printed resin and VERY fragile. They were done in the same colors as the vehicles below.

Heavy Droids (Khurasan)

The Heavy Droids were airbrushed in Tamiya Medium Grey, washed in Polyshades Min Wax Tudor then highlighted with Vallejo White Grey.

Imperial Strike Force

The Imperial Strike was done in the same colors as the Panzergrenadiers. However, rather than using a black wash I used Min Wax Polyshades Tudor. This resulted in a lighter base color. This worked out fine for me since I was looking for something similar but different.