Stand Off at the Precinct House

Sergeant Kanter paused as he stirred his coffee. He had been in mid-conversation with Officer Dien who was taking a leisurely stroll along the local area, when his subordinate gave what seemed to be a strangled cough. In the background, Kanter thought he heard a burst of automatic gunfire.

'Dien? Did you hear that?' DIEN!

The only thing audible was the hissing of the comm set, and the gentle sighing of his officer's last breath, though he didn't quite believe it at that moment. In the street, a couple of citizens peered around corners to see what was happening.

'Narlo, get up on the roof and see if you can spot Dien down by the square- he's dropped off the grid.'

Officer Narlo dragged himself off the chair, pulled an assault rifle from the rack and headed for the short ladder that led to the ceiling trapdoor. He disengaged the security clamps and pushed the trap upwards. The cool air struck him as he levered himself on to the rough surface of the flat roof, then he drifted across to the low walls of the observation platform and squinted down the street towards the statue of Colonel Cordoba, astronaut explorer and Governor of the City three decades ago, that graced the column in the centre of Distral Square. His eyes flickered in disbelief as he saw the prostrate body of Dien at the foot of the statue. Before he could register his horror, a movement beyond the square caught his eye. Several shadowy figures were emerging from the distant buildings, dressed in an assortment of untidy rags and hoods, but with glimpses of body armour peeking out from between the folds. Without bothering with his comm mike he shouted loudly through the trapdoor-

'Rebels, Sarge, they're coming down the street! Pablo's dead!'

Kanter nearly froze, then instinct kicked in and he reached for the direct comm link to the Army barracks on the edge of the precinct.

'Priority One for Captain Lerner- insurgent incident this precinct- follow this link for location, enemy strength unknown.' He signed off without waiting for a reply. He turned to look at the prisoner in the corner of the station house who was bound and blindfolded. He knew immediately why the rebels were daring to venture to this part of the city, so close to the Barracks. If this man was taken to the Government offices for interrogation, his information could harm the Rebel cause considerably.
With an economy that defined the attitude of the Army, he heard a voice issue from the comm set that merely stated-

' Response Squad en route your position.'

Meanwhile, on the roof, Narlo watched the Rebels move swiftly towards the station house.

He spotted another rebel squad to the right of the first, sidling up the right hand side of the street, as quickly as they dare- time was short to liberate their comrade and they knew it. Narlo slipped the safety catch on his weapon and sent two bursts down the length of the street, but with no success.

As the echoes of his first volleys started to die away, he could see from his vantage point the stealthy appearance of a small squad of troopers from the recon company garrison as they cautiously moved through the alleyways to his left. Dressed in urban design camouflaged uniforms, they looked hard and competent. Seemingly, without a spoken order, they fired their weapons at the first rebel squad by the walls of the square, but the concrete around the monument protected them from the flying rounds.
Undeterred, they fired again and watched with satisfaction as two of the enemy crashed to the ground with fatal injuries, and another wheeled away with blood seeping from a wound.

Narlo dragged his eyes away from the sudden action in time to see a third group of rebels running towards the vacant lot further to the east, heading for the rear of the building.

Down by the square, the Army and the first rebel squad were engaged in a fierce firefight, but neither side were able to inflict any casualties. Narlo barely had time to register this fact when several bursts of fire made him duck down behind the parapet of his rooftop position. Bobbing back up, he retaliated with a couple of bursts of his own but to no avail, as the rebels were now close to the wall of the station house. Sgt Kanter pointed his pistol through the window and loosed off a couple of rounds and the assailants swerved away unhurt. At the rear of the building, the third rebel squad had arrived inside the compound walls. The station house shook as it received concentrated fire at the doors both front and rear, but they held fast.

In desperation, aware that time was ebbing away, the rebels continued to pour fire onto the doors of the building to try and gain entrance. Down the street, the army troopers suffered an injury as a soldier had his armour opened up, but he only sustained a light wound and fired back with extra venom.
The Recon squad leader was growing tired of the fruitless exchanges of fire with an enemy safely hunkered down behind solid walls, so he issued the order to withdraw, and his men followed him down an alley away from the immediate threat, and towards the station house.

Sergeant Kanter pointed his sidearm through the window again and shot a rebel trooper dead, right in front of the station house. Looking around himself, the rebel leader spotted the army troopers emerging from the shadows of the buildings behind him, looked at his comrade face down in the road in a spreading pool of crimson, then grunted into his comm mike the order to withdraw. In seconds, the rebels melted away out of the city as the members of the Recon squad arrived at the door of the Police building.

Later that day, a TV camera crew visited the area to report on the day's action.

'Record it in the junk yard Semmi- more atmosphere.'

This was an AAR of a solo game I played today whilst listening to the torrential rain down here in Wales. I tried the USEME rules, and I'm not entirely convinced I followed them perfectly, but they worked just fine for me. This is the first time I have actually set up my 'Cityscape' terrain boards, and I was quite happy with the way they turned out. The rebel figures were, appropriately, Sahadeen from Rebel Minis, the Recon squad were from the GOTA Clan range from Khurasan, and the TV crew were from Oddzial Osmy. Buildings were mostly from Mad Mecha Guy, with two from Warbases (the ruins), and one from Critical Mass Games. Roads were also from Mad Mecha.

Today I ordered a set of the Gruntz rules and downloaded the Barracks app, and I'd like to see if the card based system I've heard about can be adapted for solo play .

Lastly, I should like to thank my blog buddy Jay for nominating me for a Liebster award. I shall find time tomorrow to nominate some blogs that I enjoy but it's getting late, and I'm whacked, and I want to post this tonight.

If you have managed to struggle through this post, thanks for persevering. It's my first attempt to report a game as a narrative, and I quite like this as a way of summing up a game. Any helpful tips more than welcome!

Thanks for looking.

First Contact

Sgt. Alden peered around the outcrop of rock on which he was leaning at the low building in front of him. His mind went back to the recording he had heard in the Comms centre an hour before-

'There seems to be a disturbance outside, I....I think I hear gunshots....clear the room everybody......(interference).....where's the.......Oh God, what IS that?.................(muffled shout from another scientist)......Dr. Olsen, are you alright? For God's sake, can't you............(silence).

Alden could just make out the body of a security guard on the floor to the right of the research facility building, the three Hab units standing behind. This was a remote scientific research station, very small, but regularly served with supplies from a light shuttle that called twice a month. The work was relatively unimportant, but all attempts were being made to gain greater knowledge of this Northern Hemisphere of the planet, discovered a mere 68 years before. The South was settled in many places, with some large towns and even cities. Large mining corporations, eager to exploit the vast riches that no doubt lay beneath the surface of this enormous planet, had set up mining camps, then huge facilities and refineries, taking advantage of lucrative licences issued by a government in a hurry to establish a stable world, and who needed resources to be supplied as quickly as possible to achieve their aims. The military, of course, were seconded all over the planet to address the paranoia felt in higher echelons that other greedy civilisations were eyeing this, their greatest prize.

Alden muttered into his comms mike; 'Jena, are you in position?'

Corporal Jena's voice came clearly through his earpiece, 'Copy that'.

'Moving now, three possible contacts detected in the area, all to our front at the moment, hold where you are'

'Copy'.

The Sergeant looked back at his fire team and signalled that they were moving out towards the research building. As they carefully stalked up  to the west side of the building, Alden kept an eye on the screen of his wrist data unit. The three red blips were moving slowly towards them, converging on the clutch of buildings.

A bead of perspiration trickled down his temple- was the data feed correct? This planet still had some magnetic variations that the comms boys hadn't yet worked out. Was there someone or something waiting for them beyond the building? He whispered into his mike again: 'Jena, move into those woods to the north of the facility, and see if you can get eyes on anything that might be giving me these readings.'

'Moving now Sarge' came Jena's reassuring voice.

Another blip moved on the wrist display, and Alden realised that he had to make a move or they could be overwhelmed if these possible enemy forces moved around them. Making the decision, he motioned the fire team forward across the front of the building and swung around the corner to find the cause of the radar blips. Five figures wearing curious red-sheened body armour were crouching in the lee of the building, their unfamiliar weapons to hand. They wore no helmets, and their skin was a startling blue colour, surmounted with hair of an even lighter blue. All this information entered  Alden's brain a split second before he gave the order to open fire. His well-drilled team instantly poured fire on to the alien figures, and watched three figures go down instantly.

Recovering from their surprise, the red-clad monsters returned fire, their laser rifles scything at the troopers and dropping one. Behind them, Alden could see another squad of 'Reds' turning in their direction, weapons coming up to train on them. Before he could call a warning, this second squad opened fire at them, carelessly aiming through the remainder of their comrades, as if these lives were immaterial. Sergeant Alden felt the searing burn as a Red with a heavy laser targeted him and sliced through his armour as if it was just so much paper. As he fell forward he saw the other members of his fire team had fallen, smoke whisping from armour that had been cut open with ease. In his earpiece he could hear excited shouting, but could not make it out, and gently slipped away.

To the north of the facility, Corporal Jena had been listening to the firefight through his own earpiece, and when the cries of pain and fear crackled through it, he frantically called out to Alden and other members of the fire team, but received no reply. He led his own team across a clearing and took cover just inside the tree line to see if he could spot the enemy that had accounted for the lives of his comrades. He just had time to make out the positions of these unearthly creatures before he directed fire from comrades. He saw one alien figure stagger back and fall under the weight of fire, but the enemy seemed to have no fear of being caught in the open, and stood their ground, returning fire with grim ferocity, slicing the trees and undergrowth with searing beams of light. From the corner of his eye, Jena spotted the survivors of the first firefight skirting around the front of the building, re-appearing on the other side, to add their firepower to the assault.

 He watched as one alien hefted the heavy laser on to his shoulder and swung round to his bearing. He was no coward, but someone had to return and give a report to Headquarters. With a brief glance, he looked towards his fallen brothers, then took the remainder of his team and melted into the woods.


So, this is a 'dramatised' account of a solo game I had today- very simple and quick, using some expanded FUBAR rules kindly supplied to me by Vulture, and bolting on the solo/campaign rules from SA5150 with my own variations. The indigenous troops were all 'Regular', and the Aliens were Veteran, my thinking being that any expeditionary or scout force would be made up of good quality troops. Miniatures were from Rebel, Armies Army, and the casualty figure was from GZG. The Research building was from Critical Mass Games, the Hab domes from The Ion Age, and the grav sled from Old Crow. The game was played over my own hand made hex terrain from Warbases.

It was a quick and simple game, mostly to test out the amalgamation of these rule sets, but it was a bit of fun. I have a hankering to expand the background of my imaginary universe, with the threat from the ruthless 'Red Menace', and incorporate the story into similar AARs, but with more thought and detail- does anybody have any ideas or (polite) suggestions as to whether I should pursue this?
Obviously I am no Sci Fi author, but I feel I would like to build the story and introduce actual characters (well, apart from poor old Sergeant Alden- his race is run!).

Anyway, if you have struggled down this far, thanks very much for persevering, and if you have commented, thanks for that too!

Oh, and Happy New Year for next week!

Post Script

I have just realised that I didn't post pictures of a Critical Mass Games building that I had also painted. These buildings are top-notch as far as I am concerned, and paint up beautifully- they even have detailed interiors (well, reasonably detailed) which is great for resin cast units. Anywho, I love 'em!  Piccies......

I suppose they could do with a little bit of flock/dead static grass at the foot of the walls, but I can still do that.

I finally get off my big, fat.........

I haven't made a post for quite a while, for various reasons which will be completely uninteresting, and for those bloggers who usually receive comments from me, I apologise for not giving you the due attention you deserve. So I'll just give a quick update on 'work' so far.

Some time ago I ordered some MDF buildings from Mad Mecha Guy, and then more recently bought the roads, walls, and paved area packs. One weekend I made the effort to paint all the road pieces, the pavement/sidewalk pieces, the paved areas, pedestrian crossings and various other things. I didn't bother with any clever shading- too lazy, and the etching on the MDF helped a little here- but got it done. So here are a few pictures of a small set-up using a fraction of what comes in these packs.

Sorry about the muddy looking brown between everything- that's just my tatty desk.

As you can probably see, I haven't bothered to paint the interiors of the buildings. I know, I know- no attention to detail.

I have also painted a few vehicles using the Mask sheets from Critical Mass Games, specifically the digital camo sheets. Using an air brush, I am reasonably satisfied with the result, though it may be too subtle to show well, but that is just my incompetence. The first vehicle is from Khurasan miniatures....

and the next two are from GZG.

I am slowly getting used to the airbrush, but as I don't have a permanent 'work station' I have to set it all up each time to use it- it can become a chore.

Now, bear with me a little longer, it will soon be over. Next up, some miniatures- NAC guncrews from GZG....

followed by a sniper crew from GZGs new Power Armour range....

and then the rest of this range that I have completed, support weapons included.

I also recently made a start on another of GZG's ranges- I believe it is the 'Republic of Arden' range for Tomorrow's War. I just think of them as modern French Foreign Legion! This picture isn't very clear I'm afraid, and the fact that they have been gloss coated but not matt doesn't help the situation. However, on the plus side, you can see the Tricolor on the shoulder pads!

So finally, I took advantage of an offer from 15mm.co.uk/The Ion Age and ordered a three pack of their 'prefabricated hab' buildings. I'm really pleased with them- nice clean castings, and best of all, because of the shape, they fit beautifully on the terrain hexes I use!

So that's it. Thanks for spending the time if you have read this far and not dropped off to sleep. I have been challenged, sort of, to a paint off by Barks from 'Wargaming with Barks' and Allison from 'The Painting Agency' to have a go at a Khurasan figure or two that completely don't resemble characters from a certain  '50% existence' game (if you get my drift). You know the one. Both Allison and Barks have made outstanding jobs with their renditions, so I don't think mine will be half as good, but I'll have a go....might not be this week though!

Thanks for looking in!

Yellow Peril!

It's been a busy ole week, both domestically and at work, but I have managed to dig this figure out from the pile, and splash a bit of paint on. If I'm not mistaken, it's a Mercenary from Critical Mass Games, and is a rather nice figure, as it happens. I included two frontal shots, as I missed the visor detail with the first one. I just love the trick of putting a little dot of white to simulate light reflection. So simple, yet so effective! Thanks to whoever came up with that one. I'm probably only thirty years behind everyone else.

I'm going to have to be a bit more liberal with the paint this weekend, but sadly it will all be on the dining room walls. Er, yes, I do mean emulsion, and not just a case of the shakes.

I even remembered to use the Picasa just for dummies picture improvement facility first this time, so I don't need to re-post.


Just for good measure, here's a shot of his sandwich and fizzy drink pouches.

This week I have been mostly.......

Well actually, I started last weekend by biting the bullet so to speak, and deciding to re-base a lot of my earlier sci-fi minis to gain a measure of uniformity. I had originally used mdf bases that were 15mm in diameter, but my more recent figures have been on 20mm bases. Somehow, this made me dissatisfied with the initial strategy, so I set about whipping off the bases of 78 minis-45 of which were painted- and starting again. It was a labour of, well, not love exactly, but definitely a labour! Having finished though, I was completely satisfied that it was worth the effort. For some reason I was much happier with the appearance of the miniatures. My wife suggested that it probably had something to do with proportion- I believe she was right.

Here they are then, at least, the 45 painted ones! A mixture of all sorts.

Since that little marathon, I have continued with modelling the hex terrain, and painting up a few more offerings.

This is a gathering of minis from several manufacturers, cobbled together as part of a light recon unit (can you have a heavy recon unit?). From L to R: Splintered Light, Critical Mass, Oddzial Osmy, and The Scene.

Since the last photo showed The Scene's figure bearing a striking resemblance to 'Dutch', here is one of Khurasan's Holiday alien minis. Sorry for the indistinct photos by the way- not really my forte.

Next up, some of Khurasan's Exterminators. I'm not really happy with the colour scheme, but it isn't awful, and as I, like most of you, have a significant pile of lead to besmirch with paint, I won't be starting again on these!

Armies Army miniatures on the advance. These have been stripped and started again due to my ongoing varnishing incompetence, although I think I may have worked out that I have simply been too heavy handed with the spray can!

Here is a picture that hopefully gives a better representation of the new colour sceme.

The mini in the foreground is from GZG- an armed colonist I think, taking a potshot at the Alien with a woefully inadequate hand gun. He's probably going to regret it......

This is a nice mini from Khurasan-Jaka Walsh I believe. Of course, I lifted most of the colour scheme from the website, but I like these colours!

   Here are a couple of views of my mixed bag recon unit, whilst being painted.



I'm just going to chuck on a few more pictures, some from the past, because my very clever son has just shown his very dull father how to put pictures on the blog in a much simpler fashion than I did before.

This is a commander figure from Oddzial Osmy, from one of their more recent packs (I love the kneeling sniper-see below). I have just received more figures from their Vistula Legion, and I really like them. Mind you, I like minis from most 15mm manufacturers!

   Here are a few selected minis from recon again-L to R: The Scene, Splintered Light, Oddzial Osmy, The Scene, Oddzial Osmy.  

 Bear with me, nearly done.

Khurasan's Rebels with Rockhopper- as noted before, you can see these minis are on the original 15mm bases, but if you screw your eyes up really tightly, you might be able to spot them in the first picture of this post on their lovely new 20mm bases (all bases from Warbases).

Well that's it for now. I'm currently finishing off my Exterminators and Sepulvedan Riflethings, both from Khurasan, various single minis from several manufacturers, and I've got a batch of figures from Rebel Minis based and undercoated, so I had better get on with it. Thanks for looking in, and any helpful criticism is welcomed!                                                                             

At last-a new post!

 First picture is a scratch built abode made from foam card and coated with quick drying Polyfilla. A bit rough, but only a first attempt. Next pictures are the Special Forces range from The Scene-these are pre-varnish pics, because they never seem to be quite as nice once I have gloss then matt varnished them! Very nice figures to paint-plenty of detail and clean castings.

 Here is the 'Arnie' figure from the set-obviously not from Predator (we wouldn't like to upset any franchises!)

 My, I do like powerful guns, and this one will do nicely.......

 .....and grenade launchers-what can I say?

 Here is an Old Crow Gecko with a head conversion figure from GZG, gloss varnished, but not matt. I think I may have made an error by adding the MIG dirt pigment before spraying with matt varnish, but I'll soon find out.

 These two minis are from the Critical Mass Games Mercenaries range (I think). Once again, excellent minis with crisp detail and clean casts. I love the Cyborg figure, and again, big gun!

 Last, but by no means least, some of GZG's most excellent UNSC troopers- Jon produces a fantastic range of 15mm figures and vehicles as we all know and his service is seldom less than fantastic-thanks Jon. I've had a little dabble with some green stuff and wire to alter a couple of these. Some of it is a bit ham-fisted, but I can identify the squad weaponsa little easier. These have had their gloss coat, and are awaiting the matt one, and then the addition of some static grass. I used to use the loose stuff from various manufacturers, but on a bog that I follow (it was the Gruntz blog I think) I came across the 'pre-clumped' stuff from miniNatur, which I bought from Atenociti's

website.

I have been purchasing a lot of things recently, and would recommend all of the above companies for service and quality. I also found a company called SnMStuff, where I got the MIG pigments, and some Vallejo paints. Their service was excellent too, so I must give them a mention, and sorry to any I have missed out! Apologies, this is becoming an awards ceremony!
I must confess to pinching the colour scheme for the UNSC from Spacejacker, from his wonderful blog, and a little from Bug Man's blog. I'm a bit short on imagination, so why not learn from the masters?