Let There Be...Well Everything!

This is just a few rambling ideas that I have been mulling over in my head regarding my little sci-fi world/project. The first thing is, how much I am enjoying it, and how easy getting on with the painting is at the mo (more pictures soon!). I havent enjoyed a wargames project as much as this for quite sometime and 15mm sci-fi allows me to explore my quirky ideas about wargaming and try new things all in the same project. I cant wait to get a few units together for a first solo game/tester scenario, for which I have many ideas.

The second thing is, scratch building my own terrain which I dont think I have done since I was in my early teens! Off to some hobby stores this weekend as I have just been paid and its my first days off in twelve days and my first weekend off in 2 weeks (camping trip!). I already have lots of ideas for terrain pieces that I need for this project as well.

Turdly (Irish), in the Dis-United Kingdom not only are there nine super states to buy, paint and build armies for but there will be rebel territories and therefore land grabs etc by the super states with semi-professional rebel troops, roaming militias and mercenaries, pirates and armed bandits- "hang on lads, I've got an idea, all we need is some guns and some knives. Knives are good cos they're silent..." But now I'm thinking of ways to work zombies in- which should be raltively easy- mutant strain of a "rage" virus is prevalent in certain areas of a semi-apocalyptic landscape that is the Dis-United Kingdom etc etc. And then theres the bugs, the beasties and the aliens such as the space demons as sold by Khurasan (business temporarily on hold). The bugs and beasties would be easy to create stories for. Mutants that grew up in the abandoned toxic wastelandsof the Dis-United Kingdom and evolved into an intelligent sentient lifeform on a much larger scale. The aliens, however, are proving slightly more difficult. Unless they were aslepp underground all along and the drastic 'heating up' of the Earth's atmosphere brought about conditions that allowed the dormant aliens to return to the Earth's surface from their hybernation and boy are they hungry. Then there's the abandoned British space colonists of the British Space Expeditionary and Explorartion Service (BSEE). At the moment all contact has been lost since the dark days erupted in the former United Kingdom, the explorers and colonists abandoned to their fates by an anrchic Britain that has more or less forgotten them in their struggle for survival!

So there we have it, let there be everything...totally awesome and I cant wait to continue this. This is sooo much fun!

What's On- Next Blog: Hopefully stage by stage photographs of me painting the AT teams in what I have dubbed the 'MarsGas' pattern camo. Also probably some more general musings and more solid back ground story. So lots going on- stay tuned.

Toodaloo for now

Rhys

The Future's Bright, The Future's Wine Stain

Well, I used x1 pack (8 figures) of Ground Zero Games NAC Command Comms figures to test out potential colour schemes for the 1st Sqdn. Fenland Air Assault Regiment. The results are as the pictures. However, my original thoughts on the colour scheme was for a sky blue and white overall scheme but this has now changed and changed dramatically. Seven of the eight figures were painted using slightly different techniques and colour schemes but with the sky blue colour scheme. However, the eighth figure was done in a completely different colour and I love it. So therefore this will now be the colour scheme for the 'Flying Frogs'! This is why I love 15mm Sci-Fi- its my story and its pink if i want it to be! Cos real men, afeared of nothing, can wear pink!

The wine stain camo on the kneeling figure in the background is the colour scheme for the 'Flying Frogs'.

The various sky blue squaddies surround the kneeling pink figure, ignoring the sneers, the pinky puts pay to a rebel camp by calling in UAV Gunships. The female figure (right, foreground) warms to the dashing young man and his peacock daring!

They assemble around him to view the new pattern camo!

Rear view of the various sky blue themed squaddies.

Rear view of pinky surrounded by the blues!

And there we have it, the new choice for the gentleman of war in the Dis-United Kingdom. The vehicles will also be similarly themed- awesome!

So what do people think? Is pink the new red or black? Let me know if you prefer one of the blues or the pinky?

Toodaloo for now

Rhys

Final Fenland ORBATS For 1st Squadron FAAR

Ok, so having last night, finalised the organisation for the 1st Sqdn. Fenland Air Assault Regiment I thought I would post it up here so that you have some idea of where this initial crazy idea is going. This blog also helps me to keep all my ideas for my home grown sci-fi world in one place so that I dont suffer a complete brain overload!

Organisation first, then discussion:

HQ

x1 Anti-Grav Command Vehicle

x1 Mobile Communication Centre/Post

x1 Logistics vehicle/Mobile Re-supply centre



HQ Fire Support

x2 Mobile Rocket Batteries


HQ AA Support

x2 SP AA Guns (Area Defence?)



1st Section

HQ

X1 Light Anti-Grav Command Vehicle

Section
X2 VTOL Troop Transports
x2 Infantry Squads

Infantry Squad
x1 NCO
x2 AV infantry w/small arms
x1 SAW
x2 Riflemen

2nd, 3rd and 4th Section as per 1st.

5th Section

Infantry Heavy Support Section
x2 VTOL Troop Transport (converted) (maybe 3?)
x2 Light Gun Sleds (x2 Infantry Crew per Gunsled) (maybe 3?)

Recon Section (Sqdn. HQ) (Comms Centre)
X3UAV VTOL Gunship

Close Support Section (Sqdn HQ)
X3 VTOL Gunships

So thats the finalised organisation for the first squadron of the Fenland Air Assault Regiment (FAAR) of the New Fenland Republic in the Dis-United Kingdom. The 1st Squadron bares the nickname the 'Flying Frogs' which is a long but hilarious story which we do not, sadly, have time for right now.

However we do have time for some general musings on backgrounds, potential scenarios, operations and events that may or may not take place in the Dis-United Kingdom. That is the wonderful thing about sci-fi, especially 15mm sci-fi- no one can tell you that you are wrong!!! Especially if its your own homegrown world/background/story/planet/space, whatever...

I just wrote a lovely long post and lost it all after this point- thanks very much BT you really are completely useless!!!

So lets try again. My sci-fi world is set 200 years in the future in a place called the Dis-United Kingdom. As a result of economic, social, political, population, and monarchical upheaval (perhaps brought about by the New World Order? Conspiracy theorists get your coat, you've pulled) the United Kingdom fianlly broke down into complete anarchy. Slowly 9 super states emerged 200 years on and each state now wants to consolidate its position in the uneasy peace and slowly lay plans to become the state that re-unites the Dis-United Kingdom. One of these states is the New Fenland Republic. The New Fenland Republic controls at the moment, most of what used to be East Anglia as well as parts of Essex and Kent.

As a result, the New Fenland Republic inherited many abandoned and disused airfields, which one by one were recommissioned and refitted. Slowly, as a result of this, the New Fenland Republic developed an impressive, professional and advanced air fleet from which the Fenland Air Assault Regiment was born. This new unit soon earned itself a mostly good reputation and is now somewhat of an elite in the world of the Dis-United Kingdom.

Due to limited resources, populations and poor global economies, the states of the Dis-United Kingdom are mid-tech sci-fi at best for the more professional, elite units. Most units verge on low to mid tech. I much prefer this sort of grubby, slow to recover struggling land of disparate states each vying for greater power and control at their neighbours expense. On top of this not all the lands fall under the control of one of the dominant states but, rather, are borderlands and rebel territories where miltias and pirates roam and chieftains and warlords (low tech) hunger for alliances and the destruction of their own rivals. Or may unite against a common threat such one of the super states on a land grab.

This, means, therefore, that there is much diversity in this low to mid-tech sci-fi world and offers many differing and interesting scenarios for which I already have some good ideas. However more on this in future posts.

Initially, I will concentrate on buying, building and painting the 1st Sqdn. Fenland Air Assault Regiment as well as blogging about developments about or in the world of the Dis-United Kingdom and hopefully build up the background, stories and scenarios for all to see and hopefully enjoy!? By the way, please please please leave a comment if you have enjoyed reading this but i dont think anyone has yet lol!

One of the main reasons for this blog is so that I can concentrate my thoughts and ideas about this, my first ever foray into 15mm sci-fi, and even if they arent used, it will help to prevent my brain from overloading!

I will initially concentrate on one states forces at a time and develop backgrounds to them as I go. So initially it will be the New Fenland Republic. Once I have forces for this states I will buy and paint some rebel forces for cross border missions and land grabs that affirm and demonstrate to the other states the New Fenland Republic's strength. Once I have sufficient rebel forces for small scenarios I will then build on another state and so on. I hope to have a story/background for each rebel force as well.

The New Fenland Republic can field 3 main forces and these are:

Fenland Air Assault Regiment (FAAR)
Fenland Marine Corps (FMC)
Fenland Defence Militia (FDM)

I will develop the background to each of these in the near future as well as buying and painting the minis. For the time being I will be using Ground Zero Games.

Well, toodaloo for now.

Next Blog:

More photos of painted minis, more background and general musings.

P.S If you have enjoyed reading this or have any thoughts or ideas then please, please, please leave a comment so that I know I'm not some lonely loony!?

Initiating Initial Photos Of My Initial Order

The NAC rifles pack A and NAC AT infantry readied for the undercoat. Quick description and review further down.

Anti-Gravity Command vehicle for the 1st squadron Fenland Air Assault Regiment (FAAR) nicknamed the 'Flying Frogs'! A hilarious story for another day! This is the bare bones HQ more vehicles and figures will be added to the HQ in a secondary order- lots of overtime pay this month! This model is also from Ground Zero Games. A lovely little command vehicle but did require more cleaning up than the other vehicles but only had one small air bubble. This is a five part kit and again was really easy to put together and after a bit of cleaning up this again has plenty of crisp detail and will look very good in FAAR sky blue and grey.

The Ground Zero Games VTOL troop transports. The primary frontline dropship for FAAR troopers. These are lovely models with alot of detail and only required minimal cleaning with no air bubbles or nothing. How very refreshing! Although its a sixteen part kit they are very simple to assemble with minimal model making skills required. So dont be put off, buy a squadron, I love these models and inspired me to go into this project in 15mm- originally it was going to be 6mm.

These are some of the NAC Command/Comms figures also from Ground Zero Games. Again, very very minimal cleanup required (bases only) clean crisp figures with alot of detail and a preference for Ipads. Very well proportioned, with meaningful and nicely animated realistic poses. The female figure definitely means business from the look on her face. These are initial test figures for possible paint schemes. I have almost decided upon this now with further testing and the final scheme is being tested at the mo. So FAAR so good ha ha! Oh come on!?

Up close shot of the bare metal NAC Command/Comms figs. The female officer is the one on the end carrying the helmet in one hand and assault rifle in the other. Definite attitude problem on her! I think she may be from Huntingdon!

Above we have an upclose shot of the bare metal NAC Command/Comms figures from Ground Zero Games. These are very nice figures, especially the female figure carrying helmet in one hand and assault rifle in the other. The poses are very nice too, animated but with an air of going about some serious business either standing up playing with Ipads or kneeling down playing with Ipads plugged into what I can only describe as a mini Genny for prolonged field use I'm guessing!? As well as the aforementioned female figure carrying helmet and assault rifle who has a sense of deadly purpose- almost like a pilot walking away from the wreckage of her downed VTOL in hostile territory with a Sean Bean look across her face as if to say "Someones really gonna regret that!"

A not so upclose shot of the NAC Command/Comms figures.

This is a shot of the NAC Rifles pack A from Ground Zero Games. Again, clean crisp and well proportioned 15mm figures with lots of detail. The poses again are animated but also realistic with the same deadly purpose as the female comms figure. Perhaps one of these men are her lover and about to go in on a search and rescue mission Bad Boys 2 stylie!? Hmmm, that gives me an idea...wousssa, wousssa. I ordered 3 packs of these with 1 pack of the command/comms figures. Each pack contains 8 figures.

A picture of the total sum of my order. x1 NAC comms/command pack, x3 NAC rifles pack A, x1 pack NAC AT infantry, x4 transport VTOLS, x2 VTOL gunships. This will make up a bare bones squadron for the Fenland Air Assault Regiment. Their nickname is the 'Flying Frogs'. A hilarious story for which there will be time later.

A closer shot of the order. NAC Rifles pack A from Ground Zero Games in the foreground- no not the cutting mat you numty!

Next Post: The Dis-United Kingdom background story- my own invention and everything, honest guv!

The First Post...

So, here we are, my first ever foray into 15mm Sci-Fi and aside from Games Workshop Warhammer 40k, my first ever foray into Sci-Fi really. The first big question is does the F in Sci-Fi need to be a capital F or can it be a small f? Does there need to be a hyphon between Sci and Fi even? All of these riveting questions and more will be answered in later posts. Something to look forward to then and worth subscribing for eh? Eh? Ok maybe not. But you might as well keep reading now you're here. Pretty please?

Anywho, enough of the inane begging and more of the Sci-Fi. I placed my first order with Ground Zero Games: http://shop.groundzerogames.net/index.php a couple of weeks ago and got my order through within two days which was all very impressive and I'm very happy with the quality of their products. I will get a better review done tomorrow as I have the day off and I have only just started this blog this evening as my other blog wasnt really meant to cater for Sci-Fi! Anywho thanks to GZG for a start. they are lovely people! (Oi, oi, GZG- discount please???)

I will also post a background to my own, home grown Sci-Fi world around which my Sci-Fi wargaming will concentrate and probably see me develop some home grown rules and scenarios accordingly which I also hope to eventually post here.

The first unit I am going to be painting and basing is a squadron of the Fenland Air Assault Regiment (FAAR) which is one of the specialist units in the Dis-United Kingdom. The order from GZG was for the bare bones squadron complete with VTOL Dropships hence the title of this blog.

Anywho, toodaloo for now, but stay tuned as the next update will be tomorrow afternoon/evening with any luck.

Rhys