Apex- Tomorrow's War

We played our first scenario from the Tomorrows War book. This involves a mercenary group (ARC Fleet rifle troops in green) attcking a mining colony to destroy a power generator defended by the mining company's hired guns (Rebel Mini Shahadeen).

Made a few minor modifications by removing the merc vehilces but giving them a weapon team and medics but removing the body armor from the defenders.

This would be our first game with a score/victory conditions and a set turn limit (6).

The mercs enter from the South split into two squads.

The objective is the generator in the domed building.

The weapon team is taken down early after moving into a position to suppress the defenders but the squad's volume of fire drops the enemy.

2nd squad moves up on the right to seize the first row of buildings.

Back on the left, a team assualts the building just as the defenders retreat.

Mixed success on the right, one team is forced to retreat and regroup but the other takes a building.

Causualties mount for both sides as close range fire flys.

POWs on the right, the battle hangs in the balance,

Closing in on the objective from three sides.

 Most of the defenders are down.

Ready for the final attack.

Prisoner escort.

Actions on the objective- last turn.

End game- Victory to the mercs.

Casualty round up: 4 KIA, 3 heavy wounded, 6 light wounded, 9 unscathed

Power Generator

Final Score: 15 to 8

Plan B

Another battle in the mini-campaign with the new ARC troops from Critical Mass Games. The Drop Troop platoon (purple) has been sent in to rescue a team of captured Recon Troops (blue). The defenders are SAS from MicroPanzer.

Forgot to start taking pictures until almost the end.

After some initial success, the Drop Troops called in the extraction shuttle but could not get a good com link for several turns. This ratcheted up the enemy reinforcements and anti-aircraft fire.

The Drop Troops finaly got the bird on the ground but took off with one team still on the ground.

Deciding to tempt fate, they attempted to hover and drop extraction cables...only to be taken down by the heavy fire. Miraculously, only one of the twelve on board became a casualty (co-pilot) in the controlled crash.

Regrouping, the DTs launched a hasty attack to buy time for a second extraction attempt.


Used Force on Force/Tomorrows War for the battle. Getting a better handle on the rules.

A medal for the pilot that brought the damaged shuttle in with almost no casualties.

Start of the counter-attack.

Braving fire from an overwatch team.

LZ secure, time for another extraction attempt.

Buildings

The first batch of new buildings. These are JR Miniatures Middle East buildings. Painted them with a textured spray paint and then some details. Pretty basic but look good as a village.

These are mostly small buildings...and look VERY small with the newer 15/18mm figures.

The next batch of buildings will be the newer JR buildings that all look bigger and a bunch of buildings (18mm) from Blue Moon.

First Outing

Got in two more games of Force on Force (Tomorrow's War) with my son. He has been setting up a mini-campaign of four battles. Each battle features one of the platoons in his sci-fi company. All the battles revolve around the same board set up.

Still coming to grips with Force on Force. I like the opposed roles with multiple dice types and the wound system. I even like the reaction concept but have a hard time remembering the rules and terms. A series of example and flow charts would help along with a list of if/then statements. Will keep at them for now.

The first game involved the Recon Platoon holding the base the Augment Platoon captured in the last battle.

Recon Platoon fends off a force of Ziva Force Police.

Good overwatch position.

The sniper takes a heavy toll.

Well defended positions.

The second battle (finished up on Easter)...Drop Troop Platoon makes a quick strike to rescue some POWs. The shuutle gets taken down with one squad still on the ground but the troopers rally to win the day.

Events turn ugly for the Drop Troop Platoon.

Plan B...take the base.

Lucky passangers...13 of 14 escape unharmed when the shuttle goes down to heavy AA fire.

VICTORY!

ARC Troops from Critical Mass Games

A large company of sci-fi figures...160 in all. These are the ARC Fleet troops from Critical Mass Games. Painted them by using a spray color base, black wash, then lighter drybrush color.

My son picked the colors as these are his troops. With such a large number, they will also make great generic enemy for all the other small sci-fi groups I have painted.

Company HQ
4 man HQ team (CO, XO, 1SG, medic)
FO team (2 men)
3 x 3 man weapon teams (team leader, missle launcher, auto-gun)

1st Platoon (Rifle)
4 man HQ team w/ medic
5 x 9 man squads (squad leader, missle launcher, auto-gun,  5 riflemen)

2nd Platoon (Recon)
4 man HQ team
4 x 11 man squads (squad leader, 4 riflemen, 2 grenade launchers, 2 lazers, missle launcher, sniper)

3rd Platoon (Heavy)
3 man HQ team
3 x 7 man squads

4th Platoon (Armored)
3 man HQ team
3 x 7 man squads (1 missle launcher, 2 riflemen, 2 plasma gunners, 2 lazer gunners)


They got their first outing before being fully based with the Augments slicing through my modern US infantry.

Lost Patrol

I played a game of Force on Force with my sone and one of his friends. My son set up the scenario involving a reinforced US squad going to search for surviviors of an ambushed patrol. I had initial success on one flank  but the weight of firepower won out in the end.

I am still unsure of the Force on Force rules but this was an enjoyable battle. I like the opposed dice rolling and multiple types of dice, but the reaction system is taking some getting used too. It may still fit the bill between individual skirmish (Flying Lead) and company level battles (IABSM).

The figures on the road were the US objective...retrieve a lost patrol.

After initial success, the militia losses add up on the roof.

Part of the 1st US team that was forced back.

A second effort brought more casualties but also some success.

On the opposite flank, the US troops bounded from building to building.

Shrugging off some casualties, they mass firepower.

A nice flank move takes out the machinegun bunker.

The butcher's bill.

Total losses added up to:
US- 2 KIA, 3 seriously wounded, 3 lightly wounded

Militia- 5 KIA, 5 seriously wounded, 1 lightly wounded

March 2012

Slow progress on painting this month. I did paint the 160 sci-fi figures from Critical Mass Games as a full company for my son, but they still need o be based.

Played one game of Battle Cry. My son beat me in a game. He set up equal forces and complex victory decisions. He made good decisions even after I started with good cards and rolls.

I chose not to attend Cold Wars 2012 due to other commitments and financial concerns. I will be spending four days at Historicon so it should balance out. My spending is way down on the hobby this year and I am tracking expenditures. I have enough unpainted figures to get me through June and then I will buy the next round of sci-fi figures.

2012 Plans

With the first quarter of the year behind me, I evaluated my plans for the year. I had planned to work sci-fi and ancients but that does not look like it will happen. Instead, I will focus on just the sci-fi figures and hold the ancients until 2013. I am also rebasing the 500 individually based modern skirmish figures and I will paint the buildings I bought at Fall In 2011.


2013 will involve the ancients imagi-nation project, and rebasing the Katzenstein force.

Minecraft- a huge distraction this month...check it out at minecraft.net

My son set up several battles on the table...everything from sci-fi to the Splintered Light animals.