Bio-Dome Gruntz After Action Report

Have a look at this excellent blog after action report for the "Yellow Rose of Messier".  Details on the Crapid fire web site. I really like the creative use of biodomes that are both cool looking and also part of the scenario. Excellent stuff and well worth the time for a read about the action.

http://crapidfire.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/the-yellow-rose-of-messier-67.html

New ACPGames Drop Ship

I received a fantastic package from ACPGames this last week. They have an interesting new Dropship for 15mm which has very nice styling and a large cargo / troop / vehicle hold underneath.

The ship is going to be part of a Kickstarter they are launching soon and if you follow this link you can see a very short video of the model http://instagram.com/p/yDQC01k2mV/?modal=true

2015 First dice rolling of the year!

I had a fun game this Saturday with Jonathan Rogers and Simon Moules.  Had to get the gas heater on in the garage because of the cold but we managed to stay warm enough to roll dice and push models around. The Pizza break also helped with the cold. 

The Gruntz 15mm SCI-FI game was played on my small 3x3ft terrain table which I normally take to shows as a demo table. If we are not using many vehicles it is a good size, however for a larger game I prefer the 6x4ft size to give armour and grav skimmer type vehicles more room for manoeuvre. 

I had my older East Hyadum Trade forces (Futuristic East India Company troops) and Jon had his mostly Khuransan miniatures Neo-Sov force. 

On around turn 3 I appeared to have the advantage but lost my APC after I had loaded it with my droid unit. It suffered a catastrophic engine failure when destroyed and the Droids perished with it. At that point I resorted to mostly just pounding Jon's NeoSov forces with my mortar from a distance and indirectly. It was a bloody game and I think ultimately that the East Hydadum forces held the ground before the NeoSov's withdrew.  I was successful in holding up his main powered armour unit by suppressing them each round which really slowed their progress. 

Here we are setting up with Jon checking his mobile.

These did not come into play but Jon wanted to show his work in progress on his Grav Skimmers from Antenocitis workshop. He has made various kit bash modifications to the turrets. 

This is my East Hyadum Trade force.  A High Energy Laser specialist, a Mortar an a mix of Gruntz squads all from Ground Zero Games (GZG.COM)

Jon's nearly finished Neo-Sov troops and walker (GZG Crustie Walker).

The full 3x3ft layout aerial view.  Having the stack like hills in place gives even a small board plenty of places for tactical movement. 

An early move got these troops into cover. 

This is a GZG APC which I have modified with a plasma turret and a couple of extra bits.

You can see for speed of play I had 

I wrote Gruntz but I still need to check the rule book! I was reminding myself that a rear shot on my APC was going to get a +2 damage on the damage roll in the rear arc. 

Water vaper blown over the board to give it a smoke filled look for the photo.  Jons Khurasan Power armour troops are modified by using a robotic style head. 

In the distance you can see my shielded Spider droids held the line with their force shields in position. 

One of the Spider Droids shields has been over powered. 

Making use of the shielding provided by the Droids giving the troops an added screen. 

My GZG skimmer grav bikes were able to put pressure on troops quickly with their fast movement but they were a little fragile and were soon wiped out. 

Cards placed for Card activation using the Gruntz activation cards which can be bought on Wargames Vault It added a chaotic feel with random activation of units between players. 

Shields Up! 

Robotic assets. 

Activation cards on the dropship launch pad.

Video from the Vallhala

Valhalla in Farnborough was a great show for Gruntz.  It was busy enough for us to get a few games in but not overcrowded like a Salute where at the end of the day I am ragged and have lost my voice!

So I certainly hope to attend again next year.

This is a video of the Gruntz game layout which we played through at the show.  Thanks to those that took the time to participate in a game. As usual the shielded Spider Droids were great fun to play and I also had some fun using the Protolene models from Critical Mass Games.




Here is a Star Wars terrain layout for the X-Wing board game.  This was another game played as a participation like Gruntz at the Valhalla show.  They have built a great little layout,  made various resin pieces to represent the Death Star with a trench system.  It certainly adds some atmosphere to the X-wing game.

Gruntz at SELWG Convention.

Gruntz is at the SELWG (South East London Wargames Group) convention on Sunday 14th October. The venue is the Crystal Palace Sports ground. More details of traders etc on their web site: http://www.selwg.org/selwg-2012/  There is the usual great range of traders, bring and buy and show games on the day.

SELWG is a classic show, with a great history and always plenty of good terrain layouts and traders to visit. It was one of the shows in the 90's that gave me a major bug for attending gaming conventions. I somehow always manage to find a bargain on the bring and buy and the mix of traders makes it worth attending.

I will be up on the Balcony area which is along from where you walk in.  Jon at Ground Zero Games (GZG) will be trading at the show and will be providing some mini-give-aways and winners gifts for people that join in and have a game of Gruntz.

I will only have the one small gaming table and will run games as and when people approach me and will also find time to chat about Gruntz and discuss painting etc whilst there.  It is unlikely that my printed copies of the latest 1.1 rules will be printed in time for the event, however you will be able to try the new rules because I will have some printed guides and some pre-built armies ready to roll.

I will also be attending the Warfare Reading show later in November and hope to take some printed copies of the rules on the Saturday which will be sold via a trader(s).

This is probably the terrain layout I will take with me, so it will be a small table but great for getting straight into a game.

Even if you are not a Gruntz player, please come over and say hello!

Continued work on the 15mm VTOL

A quick update on last nights continued painting.  With the base coat completed with airbrushing over the weekend the next phase is now detailing and weathering.

Taking a closer look at my base coat I decided that it was the sort of dark blue/black that you would find on a law enforcement type vehicle. So with that in mind I ended up adding decals and details that were in keeping with a police type vehicle rather than the original plan of going for a military stealth theme (like a black Apache helicopter). I added some spot green and red panels which were completed with three colour tones,  a base dark one followed by a medium tone and a highlight. I used the new GW paints for the lights and kept the highlighting bold rather than blending in. I used the same three tones of red as a rim to the engine intakes.

I then also went around the engine components and various other panels with a dark black from lifecolour called cockpit black.  It provided a nice additional shade to blend into the corners and bottom areas of the engine where the various cylinders and bars meet the fuselage.  It is not very easy to see the shade in the photos and the effect on the model is subtle.  I don't plan to highlight up the VTOL because I am after a flat stealth darker look which does not need a lot of highlighting.   I was impressed again at the quality, matte level and smoothness of the lifecolor paints.

 

To avoid the figure looking like it has just been basecoated with no detail,  I selected a range of Bandai decals to use which provide a bold distraction to the eye.  Some of the Bandai decals are very tiny and only just visible on the VTOL, however they still add detail and improved the look of the bland dark base coat.  On the nose of the model I dropped two very tiny white text decals which looked satisfyingly sharp. Note that black text decals would not show up on a dark model like this.

 

The very back of the exhausts on both the central engine and the thrusters was base coated black and then painted with the range of new GW silvers, gradually getting brighter toward the edge.   I was experimenting with thin coats of the new paints and was not 100% happy with the result.  So for now I went back over them with Smoke from Lifecolor. I also dropped some Oil from Lifecolor around the engine and exhausts which is an unusual paint and blobs on just like real oil, leaving a raised blob of paint. They now look like dirty blackened exhausts but could probably do with a small amount of highlighting and weathering to finish them.

I cut the Bandai decals out and dropped them in water to let them slide off the cardboard, before applying them with Microsol which you can see in the photo above (small red text pot).   Bandai decals are very good quality and don't tear easily, so you can be rough and ready with them as you pull them from the water on a brush and lay them on the figure.  I let the water dry on the model for 10mins then applied a thin coat of MicroSol directly to the decal in place on the model. This then thins and softens the decal making it look more like a smooth flat painted detail on the figure.  Finally after about 3-4 coats of Microsol I will add some Microflat which is just a fine matt varnish which has the result of securing and flattening any remaining edges of the decal.   You could easily use your favourite brand of varnish thinned down rather than Microflat. I should have really painted a gloss smooth coat of varnish onto the areas where the decals are placed before I apply them because you get a better super flat look to the finished decal. However  that level of care and attention is only really needed if you are aiming for a showcase standard. This model is for wargaming and does not need to be perfect.

 

The next step is to hit it with weathering, some streaking around the engines, dust and wear and tear on the paint.  I also need to add colour and detail to the sensor bank on the robotic UAV control panel on the front.  This should be about another hours work plus about twenty minutes to finish the base.   It will finally get a matt spray from Testors dull-coat.

The other models in the photo are Art Crime Productions miniatures called Valkyrie walkers.

Gruntz now in final draft.

I can't believe the 1.1. update is almost done. Last night a draft went out to a group of proof readers, so if all goes to plan I should have some edits and typo fix work to complete next weekend before completing the PDF upload to the Wargames Vault and the prints for the Indiegogo project supporters.

The rules have grown from v1 at 88 pages to  v1.1 at 136 pages which was a signifiant overhaul!   The core mechanisms are the same with the focus of improvements being tweaks and changes suggested by the community. It is still a simple game to learn and play with limited table reference for a speedy game.   I have added more charts and diagrams to make it easier for a first time player to understand the turn sequence, activation and various core rules.

In addition to the rules clarifications, points system update and additions there are some new artworks from Jake Parker, Aris Kolehmainen and story intros for the factions from Jennifer Borzek.  Jenny is a professional award-winning writer and her story intros are well worth reading, even if you have your own preferred setting to use with the game.  Jenny has already had people ask for expansion to some of the story hooks so this might be a future project.

It has ultimately been a personal struggle with Adobe DTP products and my creative ability to convert my ideas into something worth reading and playing (which are sometimes lacking).  However none of this version would be possible without a lot of community help,  ideas and play test feedback.

The 1.1 update is free to existing buyers of the v1 PDF and the download message will be sent from the Wargames Vault when the final proof reader edits are updated.  If you have not previously bought it from the Vault but supported the Indiegogo project I will be adding you to a download link which will also point you at a free download on the Wargames Vault.    The print copies for Indiegogo pleaders will follow shortly after when the copy is processed and shipped. I don't have an exact date because it depends on the printer timeframes which should not be more than 10 or so days after the PDF - but please don't hold me to it because I will be dependant on the print third party to process things quickly.

For players that were not printed copy supporters of the indiegogo project, I am working through the cost options for the final printed copy for "Print on Demand" and I am aiming to keep the price low and accessible like the PDF version.

Thanks again to everyone that has provided support and encouragement.  I will post news again over the next week when I have the proof edits back.

15mm Collection Growing

In order to support the playtesting of Gruntz I have been growing the collection to include some painted Khurasan models.  I have a large group of models here which need some base work done to complete them.  Once finished they will feature in a couple of demo games which I will video to highlight some of the changes in the V1.1 rules.  There are limited changes in the updates to the rules but those items that are tweaked will be featured in series of videos to make understanding the details nice and clear. 

You Tube Videos

I have found a better way of integrating the full range of GruntZ Youtube videos into the blog. If you scroll to the bottom of the blog posts on this page there is now a full Youtube control panel showing a collection of the GruntZ Youtube videos. Please have a browse if you get 10mins. You will need sound switched on, especially for the painting guides where I talk through the progress.

15mm New Products

In this news update I feature myself on camera, which is both disturbing and bloody difficult to film naturally! 20 takes later and I was able to say "Kaamados Dominion - Dragamaa Heavy". It is another un-boxing overview video with a mix of Critical Mass Games models and Khurasan.

The featured new item is the Chewk Drill Tank which I have filmed in its unpainted state. Along with a couple of the little Chewks, which are nice tiny aliens.

I also picture the Kerr and King bases which are perfect for small artillery or vehicle bases, if you want a urban or rural look.

Video of Terrain Project

I took a quick video of initial progress on the 15mm SCI-FI Terrain project. This is part one of the video tutorial with just an overview of the materials being used. More detail will be provided when I start to glue the terrain down and make progress on the sand texture.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9H0gqevwf9I

You might spot on the video link that there is an old warehouse in resin on one bank of the board. For those of you that play console games, I am aiming for a layout similar to the Panama Canal level on the PS3 game Battlefield2 Bad Company. This level has a warehouse and factory each side of a dry-dock area and various methods to make your way across the dry dock. I don't have the time or inclination to re-construct the entire panama canal level in 15mm but I do want to create similar objectives and conquest zones.

The resin warehouse in the photo is 15mm scale and from fieldworks in the UK: http://www.fieldworks.org.uk/15mm.htm

There are a couple of sawn-off Micromachine building parts which are acting as ramps. Check ebay for these, you have to be selective with them but you might find a micro machine military camp with a couple of sections on it that can be hack-sawed off to integrate into terrain.

The small blue and white resin "pill box" defence emplacement is from http://www.antenocitisworkshop.com/ and is in their new 15mm terrain range. I have cut out a section of the foam terrain to take the pill box. I will be adding more of the Antenociti items to the layout, an artillery emplacement and a larger bunker. The larger bunker might be used as drop on terrain, rather than fully integrated with the high density foam.

The large bridge, is the Arnhem bridge from http://www.magistermilitum.com/ They have a range of JR Miniatures 15mm WWII terrain which is stunning. If only they did modern office blocks and not just the WWII items. There really is a gap in the market for 15mm scale modern office buildings, either futuristic or just modern looking enough to be used in a city layout.

The Sea wall sections from Old Crow models have been used as wharfs along the central channel and will be handy locations for firefight defences across the battlefield. Details here: http://www.oldcrowmodels.co.uk/6waterside.htm

Terrain Buildup

I have been busy cutting high density foam into terrain shapes, with a new project for the show layout for Grunts. It is a dry river in 15mm scale, with a bridge crossing and various other crossing locations on the dried up river bed.

A couple of the photos were taken last night, so apologies for the yellow tinge.  The base boards are MDF (Medium Density Fibreboard) and 6ft x 2ft each and I have two layers of foam to make a dramatic central ravine for the 15mm SCI-FI scenery. The complete terrain layout being 6x4.  I do have two additional extension boards which I might use to create a dam which was the fictional cause for the dried river bed.

I will be using various road and built up areas on the board to make it a semi-urban industrial zone. I wanted the river feature but I did not want to totally divide the board, so the dried up river bed gives me some options for further interesting "gaming locations"with the bridge being a key focus area.

I really don't think I will have it finished by SELWG next week, I am going to give it a shot but being realistic with the time I have it looks like it will be ready for Warfare in Reading and Salute next year.

Here are a few very early shots

Ninja Magic Space Ship Painting Tutorial

I have put together a step by step painting guide and tutorial for Ninja Magic Jun-ila starships including the Dalasin Class Interceptor Drone Carrier and smaller Huala Class Frigate. They are painted with Privateer Press paints. The guide applies to any small scale painting for games like Full Thrust or "With Hostile Intent" which is the Ninja Magic space combat game system.


I think the Ninja Magic ships have some fantastic levels of detail. They are created as 3d designs in CAD before they are printed using a 3d printer. The 3d models are then cleaned up before being made into moulds for casting in pewter. This results in very detailed clean looking model with almost zero flash and a level of detail which would be difficult to recreate with traditional model making.

Old Crow Resin Grav Tanks

Just finally glued my aged 15mm Old Crow Miniatures Alien Grav Tanks together. It turns out they each have a slightly different hull, one with quad and one with dual laser payload.

I was thinking I would use them for Krava'K but not yet 100% sure which force to assign them to.