New Gear Krieg Graphic Novel!

Congratulations to John Bell!

After a long wait, volume 1 of Alfie’s Tenners is finally out!

May 1940, as German panzers and kampfers invade France, one British officer, Second Lieutenant Alphonse March, finds himself separated from the B.E.F. and must lead his walker troop through the countless hordes of the Hun back to the safety of his own peers. But this war, with its walking vehicles, death rays and rocket troops, is quite different from the morass of the trenches a generation ago.

Alfie’s Tenners is set in the Gear Krieg alternate universe, a world where adventurers and super-spies straight out of pulp novels and serial pictures battle the Nazis across the globe, where the poor, bloody infantry valiantly defends liberty from the forces of fascism, and superscience changes the face of the world on a daily basis.

70 pages filled with adventure, intrigue, daring-do and wonder. Check it out!

http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/182126/Alfies-Tenners-vol1

Test at Tulagi NUTS War Against Japan AAR

The following older AAR was gamed using the NUTS! War Against Japan supplement. War Against Japan is often gamed cooperatively, with players on the same side and the Japanese running off of essentially a chart-driven AI. I hope you enjoy it!

Operation Winter Storm – NUTS! Hell Hath No Fury After Action Report

The scenario set-up: a 28mm game set in Operation Winter Storm (December 1942) using the new NUTS! Hell Hath No Fury tank campaign system.

This was a co-op game pitting German players commanding up to a platoon of tanks of the 11th Panzer Regt. against the Soviet Non-Player Enemy forces, basically a dice and paper driven “AI” that allows players to game co-o and solo-play games.

The German players used good armor tactics, moving on bounding overwatch, trying to keep formations in supporting positions and making good use of their scout car to spot enemy PEFs. The manner in which Soviet PEFs were resolved and moved according to the NPE/PEF charts gave the feel of a hasty Soviet counter attack trying to stem the German advance.

The “high water” mark came with the intense tank duel in the village, where the higher REPs of the German players gave them just enough edge to get the first shots off, and some lucky rolls saw more Soviet tanks brew up than German tanks.

“T-34 Spotted, 300 meters, fire! Hit, oh noes, it bounced off the front glacis! Reload! Incoming, KACHANK! Is everyone OK? Loader? UP! Gunner, FIRE! Hit, engage next target!”

The Panzer IV and Scout car were recovered and put back into the fight, but the Marder was a wreck. Leutnant Michaels of the medium Panzer platoon did exceedingly well, adding five “kill rings” to his tank.

On the Workbench: хэви-метал! (1/48th scale KV-1 tanks)

More heavy metal for my”28mm” WW2 armor wargaming collection – a platoon of KV-1 heavy tanks. These are two different 1/48th scale model kits I got cheap on eBay. One is an old Bandai kit, the other is a newer Tamiya kit. The Tamiya kit has lots o great detail, despite the finicky tank tread bits the hull is of die-case metal and makes it feel more survivable as a game figure. I tend to mix my armor scales, with most of my heavy tanks in 1/48th scale and my Medium/Lights in 1/50th and 1/56th/. I’ve found it all looks OK as long as the same kind of tanks are kept to the same scale — so don’t mix 1/48th scale and 1/56th scale Shermans, doesn’t look good!

Let’s see how that platoon of Panzer IIIs I finished earlier fare against these beasts!

 

1/48th scale KV-1 tanks ready for service.

 

 

Nice 28mm WW2 miniature resource page

This is a really nice 28mm WW2 figure resource page. Between this and my older Eastern Front gaming resource page, this should give any gamer of the genre a comprehensive guide to collecting figures for this aspect of the hobby.

http://28mmreview.blogspot.co.uk/p/ww2.html

On the Workbench — 1/285th scale Gear Krieg 3D test prints

While working on 3D artwork to up-scale Gear Krieg from 15mm to 1/56th scale for 28mm Weird War 2 gaming, we also took GK down a notch to 1/285th scale. Here are some initial prototype 3D prints from Shapeways with some 1/285th GHQ vehicles as scale reference. The General Early and Valkyrie walkers were printed in White Strong Flexible and look fairly rough. The gun barrels will need to be re-done, and the models would benefit from finer printing. The G-27 and AWA were printed in Frosted Detail.

Group Shot

US General Early combat walkers and non-canon USMC amphibious walkers

More US General Early combat walkers

Soviet G-27 light combat walkers

German Valkyrie combat walkers

 

USMC Amphibious Combat Walker

This is a prototype WW2 USMC Amphibious Combat Walker. Why should the Army get all the fun? Those jarheads need close fire support against the Japanese, and a combat walker is just the thing. While the Marines used Army Walkers for a bit, it’s only fair and just they get their own. This design is based on the LVT series of amphibious landing vehicles and close support vehicles. The hull of the AWA (Assault Walker Amphibious) is shaped like a boat’s hull and the legs and land propulsion system tucks up against the side creating an ungainly yet seaworthy combat walker. While less seaworthy than a LVT, it can take choppier seas and swells than a Dual Drive Tank and when combined with it’s walking ability can cross coral reefs and other obstacles that would trap a standard LVT or DD tank.

Propulsion and Mobility: A dual-drive inline radial engine powers the vehicle on land and in the water. In water transport mode the AMA’s protected propellers draw water through intakes in the lower hull, with secondary motive power provided by the walker’s tracks, which are modeled after the LVT and have “scoop” shaped treads which help propel the craft. When on land the crew have their choice of “road” travel mode or walker mode. In walking mode the walker’s weight is more evenly distributed than other US walkers through broader feet and support struts that allow it to walk on soft and sandy soil. The AWA also has sharp “toes” in it’s front wheel housing that allow it to climb sharper grades and hills, digging into the soil and providing more traction.

Armor: Like all combat walkers there’s a trade off in mobility and protection and it has about the same armor as the US General Early M11A3 combat walker (GK) or the M17A1 Medium Walker (WWE).

Weapons: The AWA “Satan” is designed as a close support walker and mounts a modified 75 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage M8 – armed with a 75 mm howitzer, and a Canadian Ronson flamethrower. The Ronson has a small napthalene fuel tank with less pressure and range than a standard mount, but sufficient to take out most fortified positions. The AWA also mounts a front pintel .30cal Browning LMG, plus an armored gun tub with an additional .30cal Browning LMG.

There are stats for the AWA given in NUTS: War Without End, but should this become part of GearKrieg’s “official” world?

Guess Who’s Coming for Dinner? A 5150: Fighter Command AAR

The Captain of the Daedalus carefully place the barely sipped wine glass down on the scuffed surface of the “formal” dinner table at which were seated senior members of the crews of the Daedalus and the Z-Class cruiser Bon Chance.

“Captain Avarine, we have reports that Hishen operatives have been attempting to purchase weapon systems and information from an independent…trader…operating from an Z-class cruiser very much like yours. I again request you open your data banks up to inspection.”

The smug looking skipper of the aging Z-Class cruiser Bon Chance leaned back in his lounge chair, and with a dismissive hand wave at the Captain of the Daedalus replied, “Captain, you have no jurisdiction in this sector, and have no authority to request we open up anything on my vessel for inspection – not the data banks, not a cargo bay, nor even the galley.”

“Be that as it may,” said the Captain of the Daedalus leaning forward angrily, “But with the Hishen threat ramping up, with ships on the move, we cannot allow this kind of activity to continue.”

“Threat, what threat Captain? The Hishen are our neighbors ,” chuckled Captain Avarine.

Yet as he opened his mouth to say more, the ship’s alert klaxons shrilled out and the comm system sputtered into life.

“Captain to the Bridge! Captain to the Bridge! We have incoming Hishen vessels, they do not respond to hails…their fire control radar is active!”

“Looks like the neighbors want to have a chat with you, Avarine, “ said the Captain of the Daedalus. “I’m going back to my ship, I suggest you go to action stations in case they have a delivery for you.”

The scenario calls for three PEFs which have already been as x3 bombers close to the Z-class cruiser, a Hishen Patroller in the center and x3 Fighters close to the Daedalus.

1. Hishen activate, Daedalus fails to activate. Hishen move towards targets.
2. Hishen activate, Daedalus fails to activate. Hishen move towards targets. Guess everyone’s still stunned by the sudden attack!
3. Daedalus 4, Hishen 1. The Captain’s boat launches from the Z-Class cruiser. Daedalus launches two Medium fighters on ready status. The Bon Chance alters course towards the Daedalus, which moves towards the Captain’s boat.
4. D3, H2: Captain’s boat hits afterburners towards home. Daedalus pass 1d6 on launch, delayed until next turn. 2x GP fighters move towards Hishen. The Bon Chance and the Daedalus move towards each other. Hishen move – fighters towards the Deadalus, Patroller and bombers towards Bon Chance. Bombers launch strike on the Bon Chance, x2 Dazzler torps and x4 torps. Torps move 10” and close on target.

5. D1, H4: Hishen move. Torp strike on the Bon Chance, which does a Brace roll and turns into torps and accelerates.

Dazzler EW torpedoes conduct a directed EW attack on the Bon Chance’s aging counter measures systems and  knock out sensors on the Bon Chance and cause -2 to hit penalty to it’s next action, which is to fire it’s defensive AA turrets.  The Cruiser rolls a total of 15 dice against the x4 incoming torpedoes using the Fighter Combat chart and only shoots down two of them. The other two torpedoes successfully strike the cruiser, knocking out its shields and the bridge.

The three light Hishen fighters move into range of the two medium Gaea Prime fighters, Reaction tests. H: 5,4,2, G: 3,2. H1 fighter shoots two missiles at GP1. GP1 decoys both, passes Under Fire.  GP1 cannot react fire, so it Barrel Rolls. G1 then fires two missiles at H3, damages it as it attempts to avoid being hit by jinking. G2 then shoots at H2, misses. Hishen dodges both missiles, it cannot react fire and so fires missiles on its turn, which are decoyed.

Two GP Light fighters launch from the Daedalus as the CapShips move towards each other

6. G2, H3. The Hishen go first. A Hishen fighter moves to gun attack GP Fighter 2, and misses. The GP fighter “Dogfights” in reaction doing a high energy Yo-yo and guns the Hishen, tearing it apart. The damaged Hishen attempts to also dogfight  against G2 and shoots guns, misses. H3 and G1 both engage in a dogfight with no hits. Both Hishen pass Ship Down.

Hishen Patroller advances on-the Bon Chance and triggers an Insight test. The Patroller wins and opens fire on the Bon Chance causing Hull Damage. The Bon Chance amazingly passes the under fire test despite damage from the torpedo attack and, returns fire and hits knocking down the Hishen Patroller’s thrusters and shields. The Hishen CapShip fails under fire and alters course away.

The Captain’s boat lands back at the Daedalus, and the Captain sprints for the bridge to assume command.

7. D3, H6: The Bon Chance moves towards The Daedalus, while Daedalus launches x2 more Light fighters (G 5&6)and moves towards the Bon Chance.

The GP medium fighters continue the attack against the Hishen. G1 goes in for gun pass on H1, x3 hits, kills it. G2 attacks H3, damages it. H3 passes under fire, reaction is to dogfight and does HighYo, gun attack. Misses. H3 passes ship lost test. GP 3 & 4 go afterburners towards the Bon Chance. Hishen all auto move.

8. D4, H1: The Bon Chance fires on the Hishen patroller, scoring one hit on Engines. The Hishen patroller fails reaction, but can’t change course so moves away some more. The Daedalus continues to move towards the Bon Chance. G1 must Dogfight to engage H3, does HiYo, gun pass, kills it.

GP fighters G3&4 move into close gun range of Hishen Patroller and conduct mass driver gun attacks. Note that all hits against CapShips with shields down can score damage on a “1.” The fighters score two hits, Engines and Hull, and the Hishen Patroller explodes. The Hishen bombers make Ship Down tests after seeing the Patroller explode within 5” of them, fail and veer off from their intent to do a gun pass on  the Bon Chance.  GP fighters 5&6 go afterburner towards the fray.

9. Over the next two turns the Gaea Prime light fighters use missiles and guns to blow the Hishen bombers into space dust.

In the aftermath of the skirmish, the Daedalus sends damage control crews to aid the Bon Chance in its DC/recovery efforts…and while on board discovered information linking Captain Avarine to arms and information sales to the Hishen. Avarine was arrested and the Bon Chance was impounded sent to a nearby GP starbase for further legal action.

Excellent Weird War 2 blog!

A most excellent gaming blog, featuring NUTS weird war batreps:

http://wargamesinhk.blogspot.hk/

On the workbench: Finished Dark Ages battle debris terrain for DuxB

After a lag in terrain making, finally got around to finishing off this battlefield terrain piece for Dux Britannarium and other Dark Ages games. This piece uses a combination of salvaged lead and Dark Ages casualties, and bits and pieces from LOTR, beads, and other odds and ends in my bits box. It adds a different touch to the game, hopefully I’ll get around to some of the other ones I have planned.