úterý 28. ledna 2014

Recon in Force - Tomorrow war battle report set in Unification wars universe

Alliance Marines Advancing
After long time we get to play 15mm sci-fi here in Plzen. For this time we set up small skrimish between Alliance Marines againt Separatist forces from Mineverda  based in our Unification wars setting.

Opening Moves
Alliance Marines patrol consisting of two infantry squad one assault IFV, sniper team and MGS had orders ti checkout old Alliance base on Athens in region of Butcherock, the Rebels set up trap to wipeout Alliance patrol.
Rebels forces consisting of 3 drones with controllers, a Grav tank, Armoured Fighting Suit, Platoon leader, one ad-hoc team and 3 line squads. the Alliance have iniative in first turn. they move-up dismounted squad near complex and MGS to support them, while sniper team provided overwatch. IFV take another route with plan to flank rebel defense.

Rebel 2nd Line of Defense
Rebels answered with walker and two infantry squads (using their disposable AT launchers) engeanging IFV and IFV returned fire. MGS managed to hit Grav tank and crippling his main gun. sniper team wipeout one drone.

for rest of the game rebels gained iniative as Marines run into opposition far larger than intelligence think. there is exchange betwenn infantry and walker and immobilising IFV, mounted marines hit the ground and start to enganging infantry and drones in their vicinity - with little help of IFV weapons they pushed back rebel infantry  and drones while MGS destroyed Walker. unable to push through first line of defense squad leader decided to fix bayonets and breakthrough line - in which they succeced but forces we´re too weared down to continue.

Unable to make final push Alliance marines too weared down by rebel sustained fire, decided to pullback and resulting in Minor rebel victory.

But rebels knew the Alliance will be back and in much larger numbers
Wounded troopers after Alliance failed breakthrough action














more photos here

pondělí 27. ledna 2014

Arming for CSE Spring 2014


What is CSE?

CSE stands for Combo-Strike Event which is basicly only wargaming only Con in Czech republic , other are either mixed with other Nerdy things or are tournaments (well the fall CSE is Nationals for Warmachine so the fall event is basicly tournament). On Combo strike you can try various gaming systems ranging from Firestorm:Armada, Warmachine,Infinity:The game, AT43  and many many more games. You can come and try games which you want to try or play games you are normally playing, of course there is some partying included when gaming is over. If you ask me CSE is event you didnt want to miss if you are Czech republic.
The Event is located in Brno if you will be that time in ČR you should register here
http://cse-brno.rhcloud.com

Tomorrow war 
For some time i have been asked to take 15mm wargaming to CSE, and if everything goes as it should be i will be taking 15mm forces,terrain and rules on CSE. I was figuring what ruleset take on event and only logical step was TW from Ambush Alley games, the basic rules are easy to explain and can get easily people hook up.

The Demo game itself be stated in our own universe called Unification Wars, where Inner Colonies Alliance fighting againts rebels in form Outer Colonies Secessionists. more info about gaming here

Alliance forces were be represented by my UNSC troops while Secessionist forces from Minerva will be represented by Kontrol Battalion owned by my friend Katcher.

Able Archer rules
If time will allow me to finish graphic version of Able Archer rules i will be taking small armoured forces and do some demos of Able Archer rules but this isnt sure as i need to paint to US and Warpac forces also and do some terrain.

Anyway hopefully i will see you 8-9.3.2014 at Brno!



pondělí 20. ledna 2014

Novinky ve světě 15mm

It´s stomp´in time
Critical Mass games  vydali volně k prodeji mechy kteří byli k dispozici pouze učastníkům jejich ZAS kickstarteru jedná se o bojového mecha Ravage a těžkého podpůrného mecha Blackguard autorem těchto strojů není nikdo jiný než J.B. Ross  stojí 10 liber per kus nebo 29 za balíček 3 strojů

Neo-soviet power
Armies army uvolnil k pre-orderu APC BTR-290,  které velice připomínají stroje z produkce DLD lze přeobjednat jednotlivě nebo po třech kusech (8 liber nebo 24 liber) v normalním prodeji pak cena trochu stoupne.

Spartans! To night we dine in hell!
Firma Bluemoon vydala pack s názvem Galactica Mercenaries kteří až nápadně připomínají sparťany z velmi známe scifi-serie her. narozdíl od přechozích produktu této firmy jsou tyto modely více hard-scifi než původní pulp styl.






sobota 11. ledna 2014

Fireteam Andromeda Review

Fireteam Andromeda
this review is done from playtest version of rules however i assume not much has changed in final product as game seems very solid, from my point of view the autor was inspired many game systems but it working well together.

So what is FT:Andromeda about? It is classic Reinforced platoon skrimish game as well as Gruntz,Tommorow war or Fast and Dirty. But this one is different in many many ways.
Unlike most of the gaming systems for 15mm it use only one type of dice – old revered D6 and didnt use much counters/markers.

What makes Andromeda so much different it is Control and Command systém – it is similiar to one used in famous skrimish game but i never though it could work in Platoon level game. You have number of command points which comes from number your deployed ,confident (non-panicked,non-broken etc.),regular units, squad attachments like APCs or squad suport teams didnt generate CPs. What are command points good for? One command point is used if you want to activate unit, you also using command points for calling reserves, increasing iniative ratting or perfoming special orders. However there is a catch. Your commander have command ratting which means how many orders he can spend, when orders are spend per phase then hand control to enemy player when he activate units in same fashion. You can also use CPs to react at enemy actions durning enemy phase , but when you run out of CPs the turn is over for you.
Special Commands are orders issued before activation phase, you can order your men to lay suppresive fire, concetrate their fire or fight better in Close combat.

Durning activation of unit, units must follow a sequence:
first regroup which is special action shaken infantry can try to rally while, vehicles with systém down or immoblised status can try repair themselves. Some weapons must need to be reloaded and this is done to i regroup action.
Second action in sequence is move – most infantry moves 6“ inches and can then perform run or shooting (Power armoured infantry cannot run) while vehicles can shoot on move unit they move full speed.
Then is shooting action in which unit can fire or infantry can use run action which grants them additional movement.
And last action is assault old fashioned charge of enemy positions.

Unit which has been activated cannot be activated durning turn but can react durning your opponent phase and perform defensive actions.

Hitting enemy is easy – it is only about how good the shooting unit is and applying modifers. Then if target is hit owning player must roll save on save table and if you are in cover you gain better save. Vehicles use same systém but if hit gets through – shooting player will roll on penetration table – on 1 vehicle will only suffer morale check but if score is higher it can be damaged or destroyed outright. Unlike games which used similiar systém here when the shoot is powerfull enough will grant you additional bonus modiferers on penetration table. Most infantry is dead when their armour is defeated.

Close combat is easy too – there is systém in which units are fighting durning close combat – charges goes first,then confident units, vehicles and shaken units goes last (if they survive that long)
when unit fighting it need to roll to on to hit table where their experience is put againts target there is similiar table to wounding target like in shooting. Vehicles are also more easily destroyed in close combat if units charging vehicle are equipped for this task. After close combat there is good old morale check if both units pass they will hold and fought another phase but combat is over but if one of them fail they will turn tail and run while other unit can move up to their maximal move allowance but cannot assault another unit.

There are other advanced rules like psionic powers, Electronic warfare, Off-board Artillery and ofcourse lots of gear weapons and other upgrades.

There is three basic scenarios with variable deployment all them is Evil company classics.
But what i like on Andromeda is your army cutomization . The game is played by points - the up to 1000 points you can také one platoon on 1001-2000 and so on. Every Platoon use what rules call Template – you can have generic platoon which is jack of all trades have access to most units but it doesnt have upgrades that other platoons have. Then there is Infantry platoon which can be upgraded to drop troops platoon, Special forces or garrison force – Droptroops can deploy from skies, Special forces are better trained and Garrison is conscript type platoon – more guys less trained.
Appart from that platoon can také some other upgrades – marksman guardians and other which improves their effectivness on battlefield.
Third type of Platoon is Rapid Response platoon – which means Mechanised infantry for subtype they can take instead of Mech infantry and jump infantry the mighty power armour troops. Another type of platoon – heavy recon exchange their basic troops for recon vehicles last type of platoon is Assault troops which grants jump troops as core choices and power armour troops will fill the rest.
And last one is for my all Treadheads out there – the Armoured Platoon this type of platoon doesnt have any subtypes and are made of vehicles or battlesuits. But instead they can také traits first is flanking force in which you can hold your units in reserve and then outflank your enemy and other is blitz which grants you additional movement on begging of the game.
When building your platoon you first must také the command units – depending how many you také more you can také your core units. Then there is Command support units – there is only limit maximal allowance in template. Then there is support list – for every core unit you can také one support unit.

There are lots of type of units, all of them can také various upgrades,weapons and armour – in this terms are game very cutomizable and ballanced. For example you can switch your Apcs for VTOLs and make Aircav styled platoon and so on.

So final verdict – if you are looking for easy and smooth systém or game systém which you can show to fortykay outcasts this game is for you – if you are looking for Hardcore hardscifi simulation you should také look on Tommorow war,Stargrunt II or Platoon Leader.








pátek 3. ledna 2014

Strike Legion Platoon Leader



Strike Legion Platoon Leader
I bought this game sometime ago but when i discovered PDF in my PC about week ago i decided we should
give Platoon Leader a chance.
SL:PL is one of the wargaming rules series from lesser known Legionnary games, while other games are ground or space combat on much higher scale (Battalion/Division) the humble platoon leader was designed for Platoon/Company ground combat.
As always rules are nicely written and lot of photos of various miniatures,diagrams and tutorials how certain rules works. The rulebook is dividend into seven  sections – basic infantry combat,advanced infantry combat,vehicle rules,optional rules, training scenarios, army/unit construction rules and apendix containing stat cards, markers and QRS.


The Game
SL:PL pits reinforced platoons or companies againts each other in ground battles of tommorow, but game could be used for WW2 or Modern wargaming. Game itself uses alternative activation systém. So player activate his unit perform actions with it and then his oponent activate his unit. The lowest element is team but you must activate whole squad and teams from this squad perform action simultaneously. Every Team on his stat card have motivation rating this is number of actions it can perform durning actiovation, the team can perform different actions than other teams from his squad. this number however can drop if they are pinned down or even broken .  the squad can perform number of actions ranging from move to armoured assault where it is activated with near vehicle which provide extra protection againts enemy fire. Another action worth to mention is Overwatch, unit can go on overwatch anytime durning its activation and he then transfer his remaing actions to overwatch. That means if unit have 3 action he use one action to move behind building and then perform Overwatch and then he will have 2 overwatch actions which he can use to react on enemy actions.

Combat
Combat itself is very intuitive. Every unit have experience statistic marked in die, most units will use D6. If unit shoots or fight in close combat, owning player must roll experience roll and the he will roll dice printed on datacard for every weapon shooting againts target unit, after taking together experience and weapon die, player must beat target defense here is no brainer systém -  if it higher by 1 or 2 target must take pinned Check, by 3 or 4 team member has been injured and render squad less combat effective, if the reset is higher than 4 on team member is KIA. If there is wounded or KIA reset the team must still také pin Check.
Powered Armour infantry are real beasts here more akin to Armour or Starshiptrooper books basicly – walking tanks armed to teeth, they have tough armour and can cut through light infantry with ease.
Vehicle combat is little different than infantry weapons have AT factor which lowers down the damage which is used to beat enemy armour. The more you score than enemy armour value the higher dice you can use on vehicle damage chart. You can destroy vehicle outright or only damage various vehicle systems.
Cover systém is little strange but it work well.

Leaders and Recce
Unlike many systems i saw, leaders in Platoon Leader are Essential because orders they give can turn tide of battle, you can get rerolls for your shooting,boost iniative, rally broken troops or even regroup depleted teams to bring them into combat effective state, and few more. However the orders are issued in secret (marker topside-down next  to squad)  and before begining of turn. You have two types of leaders  integral, these represent squad  leader and can issue orders only to his squad, normal leaders represents Platoon, Company or higher leaders and can issue orders to any squad.  Every leader have its number of orders he can issue per turn.  
Scout troops works little different they didnt Lower cover save or deploy before other troops but to figure out what orders has been issued by enemy leaders and to work out strategy to counter this orders.

Other stuff
When constructing your own teams and units you can give your units lot of equippement and trans, you can create heavy weapon teams with HMG,Mortars,Missle lauchers (RPGs, Fire and Forget missles or Guided munitions), Markerlight teams,Medic teams and many more. Weapons can be many types – gauss,energy based, underslug grenade launchers, slow firing, rapid firing and list goes on. Equipement ranging from Active Camouflage to stimpacks or even some traits like automatons or heroic (never také pinning test) and many more. Same goes for vehicles, you can equip them with various weapons or traits like CRAM, transport capacity, PDS, stealth and so on. There are also various type of armour. Armybuilder is well balanced and can create regular Armies,insurgents or even exotic aliens.

What i didnt like is lack of stand off scenarios and campaing rules but there are lot of scenarios availible online same goes for armylist – few has been created online but you can easily devise your own.

Platoon Leader is solid systém with some nice concepts like Tommorow war this systém is not for everyone, but it have its own fanbase, while lacking its own message forums they can be catched by TMP or 15mm scifi wargaming Facebook group. While this systém is not for everyone i recomend this game.

If your are not decided yet you can try demo rules availible on creator webpage