Gamemat.EU Terrain review

Modern Warfare walls and bunkers

Our club have some of Gamemat.eu terrain mostly for our 40k games but yesterday when we played (maybe more than in 28mm :D)
Tomorrow´s War game. We used parts from Industrial set and Modern Warfare set. While modern set is marked as multiscale, industrial set isnt but the generators worked as well in this scale.

This kits while how higher pricetag came prepainted resin pieces, and ready to rock, they are very durable and nice.but now lets look onto sets themselves first we will begin with Modern Warfare set contains 10 walls, 4 lower bunkers and 4 higher ones. while walls are higher the 15mm infantry seems to be capable to fire thru "firing ports".


The bunkers/towers itself  are morelike "scifi sentry towers" since there arent any firing ports on bunkers but it looks cool and thats all that matters. But since they are meant to be multi-scale i understand that.

Generators from Industrial sets

The second set we used is Industrial set which is meant for 28mm miniatures, the main building, 4 generators, 4 containers (they are big but can be used as skycrapper style building since it have grating which with scale 15mm looks like as windows. 2 pipe set which seemed to big for this scale. and 12 ammo boxes which works fine.



As you can see on pics the kits itself are very detailed and nicely painted, these kits can enhance your battlefield and propably should the industrial set is very very nice, and from those which can be used in 28-15mm scale and some of them even in 6mm/10mm. If you are lacking terrain, and you want to set up battlefield in no time i recommend these kits. but it can make perfect addition to any scenery collection

Gamemat also offers as name suggest large number of mats which can be used across many systems

and scales. be sure to at least vist their page.


LINK

Výrobci obrněné techniky pro 15mm Scifi

Nezaleží na tom jestli hrajete Stargrunt II, Fast and dirty, Tomorrow's war Fireteam Andromeda nebo Gruntz je dost velmi pravděpodobné ne-li jisté že časem budete podřebovat obrněnou techniku, od jeepu až po těžké tanky či mechy. V tomto příspěvku se podíváme na některé z výrobců a co nám mohou nabídnout.

Brigade Models je firmou která je na trhu dlouho stojí za hrami jako třeba Imperial Skies, Iron Cow nebo Squadron Commander. Nyní se firma soustředí na vyrobu modelu ke hře Hammers Slammers:The Crucible. V jejich nabídce najdete snad všechny typy vozidel od kolových, přes pasové a polopásové,GEV až po Antigravitační tanky. I když na trhu existují hezčí miniatury vyběr který poskytuje BM je obrovský. Firma nabízí přes 130 různých vozidel (včetně variant), kromě vozidel nabízí BM i pěchotu kterou původně vytvořila firma Armies Army.

Khurasan Miniatures nechvalně známa na The Miniature page však dělá paradní miniatury, vyběr však není tak velký jako třeba u Brigade nebo GZG ale provedení je paradní a pokud chcete hrát něco zasazené do blízké budoucnosti tak není lepší volby. Firma nabízí včetně variant téměř 50 vozidel a VTOLu
Jejich pěchota má trošku jiný styl než třeba GZG nebo Brigade ale je velmi detailní a za tu ceny více než skvělá.

Ground Zero Games 
GZG je zřejmě nejstarší firmou na trhu 15mm scifi, exceletní vyběr vozidel (téměř 150 druhu vozidel, 38 variant různých dron a nepřeberne množství pěchoty kde b si měl snad každý vybrat. A podobně jako Khurasan nabízí mnoho civilních vozidel, ty od GZG se spíše hodí do odlehlých kolonii díkyk svému Hard-scifi looku než do klasické Scifi/cyberpunk velkým plusem pro GZG je rychlé dodaní, většinou firma dodá několik dní i k nám do ČR nikdo neví jak to GZG děla nicmeně muj osobní rekord je balíček doručen do 2 dnů od objednaní. Za zmínku stojí nejnovější řada modelu zvaná Moongrunt která se zaměřuje na boje  na měsící a podobných tělesech ve velmi blízké budoucnosti.

Rebel Miniatures
Rebel miniatures velmi omezenou nabídku, které nejsou nikterak ohromující (i když má hezkou
nabídku VTOLu) ale i tak mezi jeho modely najdete zajímavé kousky od mechu přes hovertanky až po scifi Merkavy. Velmi zajímavý je také model RUM-V což je modularní systém dílu ze kterého jste schopni pak postavit různé typy vozidel.

Scene UK
Anglická firma nabízí vozidla původně vytvořené firmou Armies Army od kolových vozidel přes pasové,GEV až po Vtoly. Velmi vhodné pokud hrajete hry zasazené do Blízké budoucnosti.
Scene UK






DLD Miniatures

Americká firma původně vyrábějící modely v měřítku 28mm a 15mm. V roce 2013 se včak firma vratila a začal vytvořet modely pro svou novu hru This is War!  Kromě CMF a Opfor což jsou vícemeně moderní lidská vozidla (CMF jsou inspirovany západem OPFOR oproti tomu východem) nabízí SDF s gravtanky a KIR což jsou hodně retro mimozemská vozidla.
DLD Miniatures

Darkstar Miniatures
Další americká firma která vyrabí standartní scifi vozidla vyběr opět není tak velký jako třeba u GZG nebo Brigade ale i tak lze najít velmi zajímavé kousky včetně civilních vozidel a range modelů inspirované serii Ghost in the shell. Opět se jedná o standartní mix techniky GRAV/GEV/Tracked/Whelled
Dark Star Games


Clearhorizon Miniatures

Tato Americká firma se proslavila díky svým dvoum kickstarterům a autor je i tvůrcem rozšíření pro hru Gruntz 15mm - SpecOps. Pokud hledáte VTOL tak jednoznačně CH má největší výběr. nabízí i celkem skromný výběr vozidel které však jsou docela jedinačná a pěkně provedená. za zmínku stojí i pěchota která je velmi pěkné provedená jako žoldnéři tak i Helldivers inspirované jednou velmi znamou Herní serii.
Clearhorizon Miniatures

Antenocitis Workshop
Firma se specializuje se na výrobu terénu a vozidel pro hru Infinity ale nabízí několik málo vozidel v měřítku 15mm modely jsou velmi dobře provedené a patří mezi špičku na trhu.
Antenocitis Workshop








Ral Partha Europe

Ral Partha známa hlavně svou starší produkcí pro svět Traveller, Battletech nebo třeba Crimson Skies nedávno koupil formy na modely dnes již neexistující firmy Critical Mass Games zatím má sice omezený výběr vozidel vlastně pouze Grav-Tank od ARC který však býval jeden z nejpouživanějších tanků na 15mm scéně, nabízí však velmi rozsáhlou nabídku pěchoty
RPE


Deamonscape
Firma která nabízí starší 15mm terény a výsadkové lodě která kdysi vyraběla firma GZG ale tím že GZG vícemeně odstoupila od výroby resinových modelů. V nabídce jsou také specializovaná pasová vozidla. Je možné se také podivat do 28mm range některé modely jsou menší a jsou použitelná v 15mm
Deamonscape



  Alternative Armies

Anglická firma známá dříve jako 15mm.co.uk. V jejich nabídce najdete různá vozidla vojenská a civilní. Většina vozidel se již dočkala resculptu tak i když mají lehký retro design, určitě jsou zajimavé. Nabízí i řady od sculpterů kteří vytvaří své modely jako Loud Ninja nebo SHM. Napřiklad SHM nabízí vozidla jak vystřižená z 5. elementu a Loud Ninja zase genialní mimozemská Grav-vozítka
Alternative Armies

The Ion Age

Je velký fenomén v posledním roce v 15mm scifi hlavně díky pravidlům Patrol Angis která je velice zajímavá hlavně díky svým mechanikám. Krom toho nabízí také značné množství vozidel různých stylu. Ačkoliv vozidla nemají ten hard scifi feel jako třeba věci od GZG,Khurasanu nebo Antenocitis určitě stojí za to se na ně alespoň kouknout.
https://theionage.com/

Vanguard miniatures
Firma dodavající na trh různé miniatury v 6mm se také rozhodla vstoupit na trh 15mm scifi bohužel zatím nabízí pouze dva modely z jejich Defeat in Detail která slouží (v měřítku 6mm) jako proxy pro Epic. Tyto dvě pozemská vozidla APC a MBT tak mají znační Gothic scifi nadech
Vanguard minatures  

White Dragon miniatures 
White Dragon miniatures nepatří mezi nejlevnější ale přesto u něj najdete velmi kvalitní miniatury především mechů různých velikosti a tvarů. Jedna se spíše o moderní mechy ve stylu Metal Gear atp.
ale také i hypermoderní pasovou platformu v několika variatach, a drony.


https://whitedragonminiatures.co.uk/

Bluemoon Manufacturing
Blue moon má pěknou osobitou pěchotu ale vozidla jsou hodně retro tak 50-60 léta provedení také nepatří mezi nejlepší ale uvadím je zde pro kompletnost

Blue moon manufacturing

Mecha Front
Velmi zajímavý výrobce který se zaměřuje jak už název napovídá na Mechy (nikoliv však ty z Battletechu :D ) V současné době nabízí 4 typy v různých zbraňový konfiguracích.

http://www.mechafront.com/15mm.html

Micropanzer miniatures
Micropanzer nabízí mnoho a mnoho různých miniatur, převažně walker, bugyn ale také mechů a pilotů insprovaných serii Titanfall
http://www.micropanzer.com/10-20017_ideal_003.htm

Zombie smith
Je zoodpovědny za fénomen zvaný Quar tedy pravidla This is Quar War a Song of our ancestors. Quar se původně prodávali pouze v měřítku 28mm ale nakonec se rožšírili i do 15mm a 6mm. Technicky to není scifi ale pro kompletnost je zde uvedeme. Najdete zde tedy miniatury a techniku která by v našem světě zapadala do období Weird War I, a ačkoliv se technika hodně inspiruje WW1 tanky má svůj osobitý styl.
https://www.zombiesmith.com/pages/quar15mm

Ravenstar
Tato firma je známa hlavně díky svým miniaturám ze světa BSG prodává také dvě různé řady vozidel v první řadě jsou to scifi walkery, gravtanky a vtoly které mají zcela specifický design oproti jiným vozidlům a tzv. Horrids což jsou bio-mechanické konstrukty
https://www.ravenstarstudio.com/store/c23/LandCore.html





 Samozřejmě existují některé další firmy na které jsem možná zapoměl nebo nezminil, mužete použit i "moderní" techniku od QRF, Team Yankee nebo skytrexu a ponechat tak jak je nebo jí opatřit scifi prvky jako třeba jiné turety, grav pohony atp. 

15mm scifi ground combat in Battletech universe

Few days ago with my friend from different town we started toying with idea recreating ground infantry battles in Battletech universe. Battletech mainly aims for combat big combat robots called Mechs. But there are lots of fighting where mechs arent involved in every battle and sometimes infantry platoons have to takeout on Mechs by themselves as portraied for example in Battletech novel Price of Glory.

Battletech is set in 31st Century meaning you get all that your fancy gadgets you want in your scifi setting - laser rifles, hover tanks, power armors etc are common so you should be worry about losing something. Also this setting can be played across various system from Tomorrows War, Gruntz, Stargrunt and propably many others.

So skipping everythings blachat lets move on how platoon are organised. Most of the platoons shares similiar structure because they share similiar ancestors - Star League Defense Force.

Each Line Platoon consists of  28-men divided into four 7-men squads. first 3 squads are considered maneover squads carrying standart weaponery usually rifles or smgs and two specialist weapons. 4th squad have issued instead of specialist weapons platoon heavy guns for support infantry movement.
Jump Infantry have similiar organisation but they are lacking heavy support weapons squad mainly because this support weapons are hard to setup or carry for jump troops.

There are four basic types of platoon according to their mobility : Foot, motorised, Mechanised and Jump. The last of them are using man-portable "jump packs" to enhance their mobility, in reality in open terrain this mobility is somewhat comparable to motorised troops in terms of speed but in urban terrain these troops have ability to quickly engage troops in upper levels or move past enemy defenses so durning cityfights their skills and abilities are well demanded.
Motorised troops use buggies, trucks, motorcycles jeeps and similiar softskin vehicles for movement. Mechanised are equipped with IFVs. and Foot is good old PBI foot sloggers.


Each platoon also differ by their role/weapons they are using - Rifle, MG, Laser, Flamer and SRM
(Antitank platoons). the exact number of weapons are different from House to House but most of them have prodominance of slug-throwing weapons like rifles or smgs. with suplementary with squad support weapons.

Battletech universe still offers lot of freedom in terms of chosing infantry and vehicle and mechs for larger battles are accessible via 3D print or old unnofficial model kits. or you cant  leave them completely

For this article i used  old Battletroops book which was infantry combat game from FASA while it proved rather uninteresting back then  (it was released 1989) mainly because mechanics and other factors it contains few interesting pointers like platoon organisation and few scenarios. The only expansion pack this game had is named Clan troops which introduced the battlearmor (Powered-armor) but without any hints of organisation but it can be figured out from scenarios.

Quick note also be taken that book itself is very outdated, it almost 30 years old so few things can be
changed like support weapons- for example if your enemy is deploying armor your mg squad will propably requisition few disposable AT weapons or maybe even change one of their LMG for SMR at least in my opinion

I hope you find this article at least informative
see you soon!

CSAT Marine platoon starting taking shape

Few days ago i started working on my CSAT Marines the bad guys of our Tomorrows War campaing agressor who threating freedom loving people of Confederation of Free City-States. I painted mine first AFV and also first squad plus platoon leader. Each squad is divided to two three man fireteams plus heavy drone and squadleader, but i will post Platoon and Company TOE sometime later.

I used Brigade CDSU miniatures for this which while they are not as nice as GZG ones and somewhat harder to paint i like their style and envoking that evil that CSAT should represent anyway here are few photos of the squad no.1 plus Rhino MBT and Platoon leader

What i found most is lack of poses if i compare them to other manufactures, only two types of special weapons (ML and SAW) and while heavy drones are relativly nice the squad "light" drones are somewhat lacking

CSAT AFV

Yesterday i found out three Rhino MBTs in my pile of 15mm stuff (among the UNSC, Riflethings and few others things) And thinking to add them to my CSAT force for Campaing. Thing is assembling the turrets isnt easy especialy without pinning but i found turret from Monsabert MBT (From eurofed line) i put those together. To my suprise it work very well.

Today i tried experiment little with scheme and it work out realitivly well simple two color camo digi camo, while i am not 100 procent satisfated with this particular vehicle color wise i think this camo will work. Now only need to find name for this CSAT tank. Hades MBT is is quite striking so i will stay with this name for now

Epsilon Eridani day zero - small battlereport from first mission of Campaing

Area of Operation

Convoy rolling through Borderlands

For few weeks we begun playing Tomorrows War as started working on our own background for our battles which will known as Epsilon Eridani the campaing itself are telling story about suprise CSTA attack on COFC overwhelming their defense and Confederates will be making their last stand would they fall or will they manage to stall the offensive we will find that out in upcomming months. we will be using standart campaing rules but from time to time we will play custom mission like the first one.

The scenario layout was pretty simple COFC convoy consisting of three uparmoured softskins and two APCs were moving throught borderlands, CSAT troops however were laying in ambush few rules we got wrong but otherwise it was very cinemating scenario.

"This is Windtalker one we are Oscar-Mike proceeding route A7 we will be at FOB at 30 mikes over"
"Roger that Windtalker, be advised we lost contact with OP Wilhelm over and out"
 "Shit what was that? Everyone okay four?"
"Yes sir! it looks like a IED, but we got damaged wheel 3 and 5! Agatha is not going anywhere soon"
"Roger, dismount and provide cover, i dont like this a bit"

Confed convoy under fire

 The game started and Confeds had iniative which was good for him . but i deployed mine squads along the road in three phase lines, with exception of second line which have HAMR team attached and i deployed combat drones behind building just next to my first phase line in case any of the Confeds try to flank my ambush teams and i got medium mortars on call. Unfortunatly for my opponent he draw worst possible card in this scenario - Cost of lowest bidder and one of his APC has been disabled. i drawed mad minute which was okay

"Stay focused people and scan area, they could be some insurgents hidding here!"
"Incoming!!!!" 
"Ew hell everybody okay??"

The next turn was almost catastrophic for Confeds as CSAT got iniative and called mortar strike on forward column which was bunched up now. Hitting four vehicles immobilising two of them (including second APC) and damaging weapon of one of the jeeps. first ambush has been sprung and one of the jeeps has been  struck by small arms fire and rpg but only shaken the crew.

"Windtalker to Crossroads! We are under attack by CSAT forces estimated platoon plus infantry"
"Crossroads please respond!"
"Crossroads!"

CSAT Ambush

The dices has been rolled and Confeds tried to push of right flank but were only met by two CSTA fireteams from which they exchanged fire one CSTA wounded and two . HAMR team oppened fire but missed and roll 1 on reaction card, it was incoming which shaken HAMR team but no casualties were inflicted. While still retaining iniative next turn i put even more pressure on Confeds and their player decided to fall back to his edge with his reaction moves using whatever cover and los block he can find, but i was capable of destroying his second jeep before he disengaged, leaving immobilised vehicles behind.

 

Another excelent game of TW, very atmosferic and once again i saw ambush tactic is very deadly affair but lost of the first APC to the Fog of war card was misfortunate as well as bad rolls againts mortar strike. LONG LIVE TO CSAT!

 

Epsilon Eridani focus: Coaliton of Southern Allied Territories

We launched little Tomorrows Campaing focusing on battle on forgotten colony named Epsilon Eridani. After long cold war between two nations from this planet Confederation of Free City-states and Coalition of Southern Allied Nations - CSAT launched suprising invasion on COFC soil.
Formerly for first mission i used NAC figures but since i ordered CDSU miniatures from Brigade games i tried to paint one.

CSAT Squad Leader

Coalition of Southern Allied Territories

Traditional CSAT Flag

Southern Republic was one of the first colony state on Epsilon Eridani. About 120 years ago the Republic launched expansionist war which formed CSAT - militaristic regime ruled by Autrarch and High council. Only forming "counter-alliance" COFC stopped CSAT war efforts.
While service in military isnt compulsary certain positions in goverement and education can be only accesible if you are served in CSAT military.

CSAT Military
is well trained, motivated and equipped. While "premier" divisions are sporting cutting-edge technology, others particulary those stationed deep in south, are equipped with technology that was obsolete 20 years ago. This leads to extreme where 3rd Cavalry division is equipped with Grav based vehicles supported by 3rd Generation of Battle drones, While 9th Reserve Infantry division is equipped mostly with Trucks and self propelled field guns. Drones are common among CSTA forces, mainly as Heavy Weapons teams and recon teams. Most of the CSAT Army still using whelled and tracked vehicles which are compareble to the COFC AFVs.

CSAT Special Forces 
Most foremost known are Orbital Drop Shock Troops premier "airborne" unit capable of striking anywhere on planet within few hours. In concept these troops once landed are light infantry which need to be relieved soon so they are mainly used to surgical strikes before any larger operations knocking out communications, hq bunkers etc.

Mobile Armoured Division or MAD in short are only Power Armor unit in entire CSAT military force. While called division their platoons are distributed throught whole military, mainly to the frontline units. While suits itselfs can be hot-dropped very few platoons are trained this way and very rarely used.

CSFB or Coaltion Special Forces Battalion are only "true" special force in CSAT but used as last resort unit for High Council and Autarch for whom they serve as elite bodyguards. These troops are trained in assasinations, HVT extractions, sabotage, espionage and other "black operations"

Civilian Life
The common citizen in CSAT is happy as long as he didnt step up againts Autarch or Council. Even while propaganda is everywhere, citizens have access to information (althought somewhat tiden up) ,modern technologies and leisure.
On the other side there is secret police arresting any persons who shows any signs of rebelions. Everything is monitored, tv channels you watched, news and articles you read. Those who are arrested are never seen again.

This hopefully give you little insight in CSAT hopefully my friend will wrote article about his faction soon. See you soon and watch news from Epsilon Eridani!