Here are some pictures including some of my Russian Coalition ships, out on patrol in the stormy waters!

If you’re interested, I answered some questions about the construction of the board here:

Here’s a selection of  ships of the Republique of France, from Dystopian Wars, for a client.
First, a squadron of Marseille Class Cruisers, with a cloud camouflage pattern of off-white and dark grey. One is up on the flight stand.

Next is a Epaulard Submarine, in its surface and submerged versions. Its color scheme is simpler, with the same grey as the cloud pattern of the rest of the fleet.

So let’s kick off with the Daedalus Class.

I looked at the Daedalus when it first came out back in October 2011 and it was this model that convinced me to collect the Covenant in the first place. It’s little wonder, then, that I love this model. I love its elegant galleon-like design and how it clashes with its obviously scientific and industrial construction.

It’s vaguely reminiscent of a paddle steamer with its large, wheel-like, positional thrusters on the sides of what is, ostensibly, a ships hull.

As usual, it’s got lots of lovely detailing, although mine was slightly miss cast so home of the detail around the base of the smoke stack housing is a little vague but once it’s painted black it won’t really matter.

In game terms she’s a bit of a beast. As hard to damage rating as a battleship and a critical rating of an armoured cruiser, she’s a toughie to be sure. Combined with an extra point of speed and the Daedalus is formidable and just fast enough to be a pain in the arse. Armament wise it’s really only at its best once it’s in the thick of the fighting having just forward and aft turrets and broadsides. However 3 shots at range band 4 does mean it can start sniping at smaller vessels right from the word go.

Once it closes to range and gets abeam of something then pain will ensue. At range band 2 it’ll be lobbing 10 dice from the turrets and 6 from the broadsides at you. And then dropping mines on your head. Although I kind of feel this design was intentional by the chaps at Spartan. In my mind’s eye the Daedalus would cut an elegant but threatening shape through the sky, weapons batteries loosing as all around it the sky is filled with flak and exploding shells all the while seafaring vessels below slug it out. Which is all very cool.

In reality you wouldn’t want it to be on its own for long because it would get torn to bits but, hell, it’s certainly make for a dramatic game, the elegant curving hull swooping into view amongst a hail of enemy cannon fire before laying waste to all brave enough to steer too close…

That’s when the Epicurus Class Sky Fortress would rock up and things would get really unpleasant. The Epicurus Class Sky Fortress is an absolute monster of a model. Really huge.

In many ways to relates back to my original review of the Covenant starter fleet when I made the comparison between the energy turrets and the Death Star in Star Wars. Well the Epicurus is the Death Star. It’s big, it’s round, and it has a massive gun bolted to it. Although in the Epicurus’ case it isn’t a planet destroying laser but a launch turret that, if you wonder too close will fire 9 drones at you. Which is just fantastic. It also reminds me of the ‘tripods’ from the 1953 film adaptation of The War of the Worlds. So like other elements of the fleet it’s an homage to science fiction of all stripes.

In the game it is an homage to pain. As tough as a battleship and nearly as well armed, it’s quite the adversary. As with the Daedalus, it’s going to be most effective in a broadside actions but it’s Launch Turret means that if anything strays too close it’s going to get taught a harsh and short lesson. Left to drift alone on in a game I’m sure it’ll make good account of itself but put it at the heart of a flying formation and it all gets a bit unpleasant as it also has 6 tiny flyers too. Throw in your 10 freebies and the fact the drones never run out of fuel and actually you’ve got a pretty horrible formation that has range, lots of guns and enough tiny flyers not keep an exclusion zone around your big stuff. To coin a phrase; I love it when a plan comes together.

Once I’ve got these two monsters painted I shall write an additional fluff post to go with the 5th Fleet explaining their background and how they became attached to the Night Watch.

Full release info for each faction can be found via the links below.

PE nation intro

EOTBS nation intro

FSA nation intro

KOB nation intro

The past couple of weeks I’ve been quite busy with work, holiday abroad, insert random excuse for being a lazy bugger here BUT all in all I’ve managed to get a fair bit done so here we go.

So first of all, after over a year of collecting them I have FINALLY finished a Khador model! (to my great shame) However I am very happy with the results and fingers crossed this is a style/colour scheme I can stick with.

I have min unit of IFP nearly done then on to a jack, probably behemoth and just got to keep rolling it out!

Before doing Vlad I made a push to get all my British naval done for Dystopian wars and suprisingly got it all done! Including Tribal class cruisers which I’m unsure I’ll even ever use as they are slightly lack luster.

So that leaves just my air and maybe land to do when I get some. Not a bad start! But for now I want to concentrate on Khador in the hopes of being painted for my next tournament.

]]> http://6inchmove.wordpress.com/2012/09/08/blazing-sun-reinforcements/ Sat, 08 Sep 2012 14:21:41 +0000 gribblin http://6inchmove.wordpress.com/2012/09/08/blazing-sun-reinforcements/ In an effort to show up ZombiePirate and his lack of painted models (I jest friend), I’ve finished painting some reinforcements for my Blazing Sun fleet; an Assault Carrier and a Mechanical Squid.  I finished them last night and I’m particularly fond of the cuttlefish inspired paint scheme on the squid.  Captain Emo will be pleased.

I started with the Russian Coalition fleet, as I like the aesthetic of their capital ships the most.  I am also very excited about the Dominion of Canada land forces coming out this October.

In the picture above you can see the color scheme I have been working on.  It is mostly naval gray with red roofs and metallic piping.

Nothing like some floral-print clouds for a nice steam on the ocean!

The first models I bought for Dystopian Wars were the Russian Coalition Tambov Gunships.  I painted each of them in a different color scheme, to see what I liked.  Turned out I liked the most-plain one the best.  One of the others, in particular, is quite loud…

I was very excited about the mental image I had for this ice blue, grey and yellow naval camo scheme I dreamt up.  But in the end, as my brother said, I think it looked too much like a toy.

I am not sure if I am going to repaint it or not.  I probably will eventually.  But first, onward and upwards with other purchases!

Hobbit and Shane command the pesky Huns to a slithery victory against the Daves’ Romano-British.

Anyway, I thought I’d take a look at some of the goodies beyond the starter fleet and the dreadnought available to the tea drinking, stiff upper lip having, salty seamen (oh yes I did).

So first up is the Avenger Class fleet Carrier.

Now one of the thing I love about the Britannian fleet is, more than any others is that sense of improvised ‘it’ll do’. Good enough is good enough. The designs are low-budget and the contractors bid even lower than that to build them. They’re all crude steel, ballast tanks and prows akin to 1940′s bras.

The Avenger Class is, essentially, two Ruler Class battleships lashed together with a flight deck on top. Which is just awesome. Actually it’s batshit crazy but that’s what makes it awesome.

The great thing about the Avenger class from a modelling point of view is that it is, in fact, two Ruler Class battleships lashed together which means you know what to expect from that point of view. The rest of the model is pretty straight forward to put together with minimal faff and the flight deck is a nice thick bit of resin which holds the struts nicely.

My only gripe about the model there’s nothing to fill the two holes beneath the flight deck where the smoke stacks would normally go. To be fair it can’t be seen when you’re playing the game but you’ll know it’s there and cringe every time someone picks up the model to take a squizz at it.

In game terms she’s a bit of an expensive old dame considering how quickly she’ll fall to bits. But what she lacks in resilience she sure does make for it with bite. Toting no less than four weapon systems, two of which are torpedoes she’ll not only give you a bloody nose but she’ll do so at range band 4. The problem is that she’ll be most effective at range band 2, like most ships. And most ships are far more effective in a straight up fight, although 11 fore torpedoes is not to be sniffed at.

The Avenger Class is a genuine warship, unlike the FSA carrier that’s for girls. She won’t take a lot of punishment but the torpedoes means she’ll keep fighting to her last. If it were me I’d take two battleships and stick the Avenger in the middle.

On to the Agincourt Class gunship.

Now these suckers are a bit tasty. 20 points more than a Tribal Class cruiser it has an extra point of damage, critical rating and hull. For those 20 points you also get a slightly improved turret and fore torpedo battery. The gunship however, swaps out its torpedo broadside for a rear mounted torpedo turret. I’m not too sure about this as the cruisers enabled you to sail through an enemy formation and dish out damage all the way through and out the other side. The torpedo turret has a 180 degree arc to the rear which rather suggests that the tactic is deterring anything that’s survived which it will because you’re initial volley won’t be as punchy.

Tactically gunships rely either on a protracted flanking action so they can hammer a larger target, or work in concert with a unit of Tribal Class, one punching a hole, the other sailing through and delivering the killing blow. Just bear in mind they’re still British and will explode from a strong breeze.

The models themselves are a bit mixed for me. They’re kinda like someone put a Tribal Class in a car crusher for a few minutes being shorter and stockier than its sister ship. But I suppose its kinda the point. It’s a blunt instrument. Well, a blunt instrument by the usual blunt standards of the Britannian fleet.

The Swift Class Corvette is quite the contrast. It’s sleek, it’s sexy and…pointless.

Perhaps a little harsh but at 20 points a pop they’re soft and squishy and have a pretty shit gun. What makes them scary is when a unit of 5 mob something, but even then they’ll be outclassed by most opposing models of similar class. However, they are mad fast – movement 13 and they’ve got the Elusive Target special rule. Which I guess is the point of Corvettes, they’re the sacrificial lambs of the Britannian fleets. Not very sporting really but they’re great at getting up close and making a nuisance of themselves.

The models are seriously lovely. As I say, they’re sleek and look as fast as they play. If I’m honest, they’re my favourite models in the Britannian fleet next to the dreadnought (which is the automatic favourite of every fleet – it’s the law).

The Orion Class destroyers, on the other hand, are awesome. The big brother of the frigate and 10 points more it’s essentially the support ship equivalent of the gunship. And like the gunship its the bulkier option. Purely in the looks department you understand, in-game terms it’s no tougher.

What you get for the extra points is one fewer turret but an extra 2, 3 & 2 torpedoes at range bands 2-4. Which is actually bloody horrid. To put it another way, a unit of 4 Orion class destroyers at range band 2 will throw out 15 dice. Fifteen. Fucking. Dice. For 140 points.

They are the ultimate mob unit and worth every penny and every point. They’re just horrible and smell and they are bum faces. But for all their scary mobbing power they are still support ships and made from paper mache and positive thoughts. They will die. But if you use their firepower and 11 inch move wisely they will take something much bigger down with them.

August has seen an almost volcanic explosion of exciting news from Spartan Games. To start with there has been a flurry of previews for both Firestorm Armada and Dystopian Wars. This has included a fantastic variety of new minor faction units for DW including Canadian and Indian tanks, Polish sky fortresses, Belgian land ships and Danish minelayers and destroyers. Each is a fantastically characterful and detailed model (as you would expect from Spartan) and the very existence of these models wonderfully expands the world of Dystopian Wars and really helps bring the world to life by making the game about more than the struggles of the ‘big’ nations and helping give the impression of a full, living world at war. The rules for these models should be in the Hurricane Season/Storm of Steel expansions, though I notice that these expansions are showing on the Spartan online store at a higher price than the core rulebook. I can only hope that this means they are packed full of cool rules and exciting fluff.

Meanwhile we have seen a lot of previews of new Firestorm Armada ships for the upcoming Marauders of the Rift expansion. These have included ships for a whole range of pirates, raiders, gangsters and other kinds of low life and ne’r do well as well as a very interesting prison ship design. Marauders of the Rift will be out soon and is a snip at £10 compared to the DW expansions.

But these previews, exciting though they undoubtedly are, were eclipsed by last Thursday’s announcement of Dystopian Legions, a 28mm battle game set in the world of Dystopian Wars. This came as a huge surprise to many observers, but overall the buzz on the interwebs seem to be optimistic. The previewed images look pretty impressive, especially in terms of detail and there are some very characterful designs such as the FSA tread bike and the Prussian Lucifyre walker.

Dystopian Legions could be a big hit. Victorian steampunk games are not new but most of the existing ones lean much more towards the Gothic and the macabre end of the spectrum(Empire of the Dead for example), while Dystopian Wars and Dystopian Legions are much more toward the sci-fi end. Dystopian Legions is also a full-scale battle game rather than a small-scale skirmish affair. The closest competition for Dystopian Legions are probably Warmachine (though again, that is very much towards the fantasy end of the steampunk spectrum) or something like dieselpunk war game Dust Warfare by Fantasy Flight.

When the news about Dystopian Legions broke, I immediately wondered what the chances were of a similar game being introduced for Spartan’s Firestorm Armada universe. Just a few hours later the Spartan announced the formation of their Studio Sparta subsidiary and their Firestorm Invasion project.

While one certainly wonders why this project has been assigned to a subsidiary – and we all have to wonder if Studio Sparta will turn out to be Spartan’s Forgeworld, or their Fanatic Press – this is certainly going to be an ambitious project, and certainly the one I am most excited about. Simultaneously developing 10mm, 15mm and 28mm games including all the assorted factions of the Firestorm universe is an enormous project and one I sincerely hope Spartan Games/Studio Sparta are up to. So far all we have seen images of are them ideals from the Dindrenzi and Terran 10mm starter sets which are already available from Studio Sparta’s online store, plus a few previews of 15mm Terran infantry. The previewed models so far are a fairly limited selection, but what we have seen so far looks pretty good.

I find it interesting, that stuff for Firestorm Invasion – Planetfall is already available, in contrast to the Dystopian Legions announced the same day which are still some months hence. Perhaps this is the advantage of having a separate division working on the project or maybe a cunning way of helping the new division make a splash from the get go.

Spartan are certainly throwing down the gauntlet with Firestorm Invasion. Each sub-game (10mm Planetfall, 15mm Conquest, and 28mm Special Ops will be competing with other manufacturers. Special Ops for example will have to contend with both Warhammer 40,000 and Warpath (and also to a lesser extent, Warmachine) although as Spec Ops will be skirmish focussed it may escape direct competition from 40k.

Planetfall however will taking on the recently released Dropzone Commander by Hawk Wargames for the lions share of the 10mm market. Somehow I doubt it is coincidental that this particular 10mm game has been launched so soon after the other, especially as 10mm is a relatively little used scale. Maybe the hype surrounding Dropzone Commander proved that there is a market out there. Certainly, the fact that Planetfall has been released with no lead up and only a very limited model range could be taken as signs that Spartan is jumping on a bandwagon. Though realistically, even Spartan can’t conjure a project like this out of nothing, so even is they have opted to accelerate plans they must have had the foundations of this laid for some time. The fact that Hawk are currently struggling to meet demand while also maintaining their quality control is as good an example as any about how you shouldn’t overreach or rush into anything in this industry.

It would be difficult to judge which of the two games might come out on top. Spartan has the advantage of lower prices and having the rule book included with the starter forces, but Hawk has the benefit of a much more comprehensive range of models being available across four distinct factions and a separately available rule book. The rulebook will be available separately in the near future for Firestorm Invasion but for now it’s only available in the starter sets. And there’s certainly an advantage to being able to see if you like the look/sound of the game without having to invest in a full starter set.

A lot of people are likely to hold off on Firestorm Invasion until they know when their favourite factions from Firestorm Armada will come out. Hawk, on the other hand, have everything from the rule book already for sale. However in light of the severe supply problems, unfair pricing strategy and keeping the bigger army deals exclusive to the Hawk website it’ll be interesting to see which game ends up on top. And while Hawk models are more expensive, they are made from a more flexible resin mix which mean they will stand up to wear and tear better and in theory makes them better value for money. Whether that counts as a deal maker or breaker probably comes down to personal preference.

Anyway, the news over the last few weeks show that Spartan are clearly a company with big ambitions and the potential to make good on them. I’m looking forward to adding some Firestorm Invasion stuff to my collection come pay-day. With luck I’ll eventually be able to carry through a campaign with my Terrans (and their allies) from the orbital battles all the way to the final ground campaigns and decisive city fights.

Get yourself ship shaped and brush up on your ports and starboards because here comes a Dystopian Wars event not to be missed!

Hard Pounding 2 is a 1 day event at The Outpost in Sheffield.
16 players will be fighting it out to become the ruler of the high seas.
Hard Pounding 2 includes 3 rounds using scenarios detailed in the rules pack.
Players will need a 1000 points force with Naval core as per the DW rulebook.
Painted armies are not obligatory but are highly recommended.

Rulespack can be found HERE

The event will take place on Sunday 7th of October.

Tickets are £15 and include lunch.

The event will start at 0900 and finish around 2000

Address:
The Outpost
30 Furnival Gate
Sheffield
S1 4QP

Prizes:
Gift certificates for;
- Top 3 players
- Best Painted
- Bloodiest admiral

The first big release is Firestorm: Invasion. A 10mm ground war game set in the Firestorm Armada universe. Kinda interesting that this has come out so shortly after Hawk Wargames’ – founded by former Spartan employee Dave Lewis – Dropzone Commander.

But I tell you what, the models look freaking awesome. Only the Terrans and Dindrenzi are available at the moment. Starter sets are £45 which is staggeringly good value, especially considering how much you get in there (20 models, rules and some other bits). I think we can expect a pretty rapid release schedule to capitalise on the stir all the new Spartan is throwing at us will cause. I for one am massively excited and will be getting my grubby little mits on a set of rules just as soon as I can.

WANT!

And were that not enough, Studio Sparta have also released the Invaders for Dystopian Wars. Remember this…

Some may have seen it on this humble blog back in April and I was poo-poo’d no less for suggesting the Martians were coming. Well all I shall say is…

…BOOM!

That’s right, aliens have made their legged bad ass way to Earth and they’re bringing some heat ray pain.

The range is available now so if you’re a Dystopian Wars ground battles player then not owning this stuff would just make a mentalist.

This is a huge progression from Spartan moving into the 28mm wargaming market. And judging by the snaps below it’s going to be a little bit tasty. And I can say, hand on heart, my wife is gonna absolutely kill me…

Here’s the announcement from the Spartan website:

DYSTOPIAN LEGIONS is a fast-paced, action-packed 28mm scale tabletop game set in the exciting world of Dystopian Wars, where Victorian super science fiction has created a fascinating and brutal arena for a deadly world war.

Having brought carnage to the Dystopian battlefields with giant tanks, massive airships and technologically advanced naval vessels it is now time to get up close and personal with your warfare. It is up to your platoons of infantry to storm enemy positions, capture towns, secure strategic objectives and devastate rival nations.

Infantry sections are the building block of Dystopian Legions, but we’ve created so much more for gamers to build their armies with. Also available for battlefield commanders will be elite infantry units, section upgrades, mechanised walkers, tankettes, armoured personnel carriers and special characters, such as leaders and scientists who can inspire your men and cause fear in the enemy.

And if that isn’t enough we’ve created full-scale battle tanks, stoked full of detail and delivered in glorious high quality resin. Marvel at these giant behemoths of the battlefield…

The game is scalable from a small number of models right the way up to a full-blown company of men with armoured support. A modular approach to army building guarantees the game embraces further new releases and game expansions.

Welcome to DYSTOPIAN LEGIONS… warfare just got so much more personal! Check out the nation links to the right for more information.

And because I’m so damn nice to you all, I’ve also robbed the faction fluff too. So far only 4 factions have been announced but you know my beloved Covenant will be getting an outing. And I have two words for you. Iron. Men. Take a good look at some of the snaps, the models look awesome. This game is going to be massive.

Empire of the Blazing Sun

Although the smallest of the great powers, the Empire of the Blazing Sun have carved out an influence far greater than their modest territories would suggest.

This is largely due to their formidable strength in arms. The core of this nation’s force are the elite Ashigaru Sections, better trained and equipped than the infantry of any other nation. The Ashigaru are armed with the infamous ‘Dragon’s Breath’; firing cartridges filled with mysterious compounds that ignite on contact with the air, fired from a rapid-repeating shotgun. These horrifying weapons are truly devastating once the Ashigaru have closed to within range.

The Ashigaru are trained to make the best of their equipment, using fluid manoeuvre and aggressive shock assaults. These are supported with short range rockets, along with the nations unique and highly recognisable Ke-Ho tanks. Further, all infantry in the Blazing Sun’s armies are equipped with gas grenades to suppress and disorient the enemy before launching their assaults.

Additionally, the Empire of the Blazing Sun armies make use of various specialist troops. They range from the subtle and deadly Shinobi, who employ stealth and speed in place of cumbersome armour to dissect vital targets, to the renowned Rocket Corps Samurai, who descend upon the Empress’ foes from the clouds and sunder their formations with ferocity and matchless skill at arms.

Considered amongst the greatest of the Imperial Alchemical Institute’s achievements are the flying Steambikes piloted by their boldest Samurai in crushing charges.

Knowing that they have the world’s best trained soldiers under their command, Officers in the Blazing Sun’s armies demand peerless discipline and execution from their troops. This they use to direct the fast moving, hard hitting assaults their forces are famous for, and they can always be assured loyalty and obedience from their men. Of course, martial prowess is a matter of honour amongst the Blazing Sun’s upper classes, and the majority of their Officers exemplify this trait, able to best any opponent with their matchless swordsmanship.

Federated States of America

Eschewing the rigid formations employed by the majority of European forces in favour of a more flexible and responsive military, the core units of the Federated States’ Armies are the Federal Infantry.

Operating in fluid skirmish formations they manoeuvre into position, then bringing to bear an overwhelming volume of fire from massed ranks of Winchester Repeating Carbines supported by Orlington 1869 Light Machine Guns. The Federal Infantry are drilled extensively to keep their weapons at optimal firing range at all times, coordinating their movements to deny the enemy advance and crush the foe under sheer weight of fire.

The specialists who operate the supporting Light Machine Guns and larger field Gatlings know well how to push their weapons to maximum effect. In turn the crews of the imposing Pioneer tanks and Revolving Cannon gun teams are experts at cracking enemy armour.

Embracing their pioneer traditions, the Federal Armies employ a range of patriotic freelance soldiers as scouts. These hunters are expert marksmen and can use their Buffalo Rifles to pick off high priority targets from great distances, whilst using their matchless skills to remain hidden from return fire.

The fine traditions of the American Cavalry regiments also retain their place in the Federated States military, both in the forms of the valiant Air Cavalry and the elite Treadbike riders. Both use the principles of mobile firepower to great effect; able to use their great speed and manoeuvrability to encircle the foe and strike at vulnerable targets.

The officers of the Federal Armies are expert at employing efficient fire-and-retire tactics. They keep their troops fighting at maximum effectiveness at all times, knowing when to push them forward to harass the enemy, and when to pull them back in good order so that they can reform and keep firing.

Kingdom of Britannia

The Kingdom of Britannia holds dominion over an empire upon which the sun will never set, and as one would expect, the defence and policing of these lands has long required The Crown to uphold a tremendous body of professional Solders.

The Britannian army is structured around a solid core of Line Infantry Platoons, who by virtue of their training and able aristocratic leadership are able to keep the enemy at bay with well-coordinated volleys of rifle fire, before advancing and overwhelming whatever remains with the time-honoured combination of savage flamethrowers and the cold steel of the bayonet.

These platoons benefit from a great deal of support from the other Admiralties of the Britannian military, at any one time able to draw upon the support of the machine-guns and field batteries of the Royal Artillery, and the Tanks, Tankettes and Armoured Transports of the Royal Armoured Corps.

Like all modern warring nations, the scientific men of the Kingdom have been called upon in recent times to produce new and ever more astounding machines and weapons of war. These efforts take form on the battlefield in the form of the soaring Sky Hussars and the redoubtable Knights Templar.

The Sky Hussars utilise the very pinnacle of personal flying-machine technology to roar at incredible speed across the skies above the battlefield, descending to cremate their enemies wherever they stand with their Flame-Projecting weaponry.

The machines of the Knights Templar are no less an incredible sight to behold. Their great, hulking, humanoid forms are able to wade into the thickest of enemy fire with little fear of injury, before bringing their awesome might to bear.

These forces have never been left wanting for competent leadership. The Britannian Officer Corps is comprised, as it has been for centuries, almost entirely from the men of the Upper Classes. These individuals are born and raised knowing they are destined for great things, and can be expected to excel at the front by virtue of their ample training and self-confidence.

Prussian Empire

The great Prussian Reichswehr has proven itself throughout its history to be one of the finest fighting forces ever to have devastated the surface of the Earth.

The hammer-blow of any Prussian offensive comes in the form of the Grenadiers. These fine infantry are drilled to their cores and well equipped with some of the finest personal equipment. First and foremost is the Mauser-Tesla M69 Breach-Loading Rifle, a weapon made to the highest standards. At the end of this weapon is a violent ‘Tesla Bayonet’, a two-pronged electrical device that gives every Prussian Infantryman the upper hand against their opponents. In battle the Grenadiers favour highly offensive tactics, close range firepower followed by a stern charge to rout their enemies.

Prussian attacks are generally combined arms affairs, their infantry supported by various incarnations of the deadly Prussian Panzer tanks and transports, supported further by Machine Guns and Tesla Artillery batteries.

Perhaps more than any other nation, Prussia has drawn the new sciences of the modern age and applied them to its armed forces. Wherever and whenever they are deployed, a Prussian force can be expected to be accompanied by the fearsome aerial Luftlancers or elements of the mysterious Teutonic Knights.

The Luftlancers are a fearsome sight in battle, balancing high above the battlefield on tesla-powered plumes of smoke, they wait until the moment comes for them to strike like the knights of old, plunging down and charging into the enemy ranks, decimating them with their Tesla Lances.

The Teutonic Knights are little less than Ironclads in human form. They take up the foremost positions in any Prussian force, slowly but surely wading through the fire towards enemy positions, fearless and indefatigable. Each armed with a Maschinengewehr 71 Machine Gun and strength augmented far beyond the greatest human potential, many enemy lives have been lost to these great machines.

The Prussian Reichswehr has never to fear that their elite military units are being squandered as they are led by only the finest of the Prussian Nobility. These Junkers take to the field with their men. Raised on a steady diet of Clausewitz and Jomini, trained in the finest military academies and hardened by years of Mensur, Prussian leadership is the envy of the world. In battle they can be expected to be seen at the front amongst their men, lending their martial skills into the fray.

You may recall a while back I wrote a post about Tabletop Nation, a new place that I can now confirm will be in Hockley, Essex, dedicated to offering a space for tabletop games such as Kings of War, Warhammer, Warmachine, etc. What’s doubly great about Tabletop Nation is that it is right next to Wayland Games, the UK’s (if not Europe’s) leading stockist of all things tabletop. So essentially you could buy your army from the shop, and hell you could buy the glue too, sit down and put it together and then go and play with it for free on one of the readily available tables. I wouldn’t recommend that though, it might take you a while!

ANYHOO, Tabletop Nation had an open day on Saturday 11th of August where you could go and check out the premises, play a few games on the tables already open to the public, and even buy some stuff from what they were calling their “pop-up store”. Naturally intrigued by this I “popped” along (yeah, I know, I went there… also literally… oh god). I should point out that at this point it doesn’t actually look much like the videos, but after poking my nose around and talking to a few of the staff I was informed that this would all be underway later and that for the time being people are free to use the tables they currently have. That seems fair enough to me, but I do look forward to the day it’s completed. It’s off to a great start.

Some plastic glue, clippers, Swamp Troll, Bouncer Troll and… Forge Father paints? Hmm.

Unfortunately for me I was a bit pressed for time, and with my family in tow I could scarcely sit down to a game, though I have to admit the tables looked very inviting and even at this early stage the atmosphere was peaceful and friendly. Naturally I had to stop by this so called “pop-up store” and pick up a few things. It was too good an opportunity to miss, and I was quickly informed that after spending £20 I would receive a promotional goody bag filled with… well… goodies.

You receive [Bag of Stuff].

My assumption at the time was that said goodies would be in the shape of glue or tape measures… mayaps even laniards. Cheap things they had in abundance and likely could afford to part with. I was excited, but I didn’t expect what I got. I mean… who expects THAT MUCH?

Shortly after receiving this bounteous bag we retreated to the car to see just what loot I had received. Nothing prepared me for that moment. It was as if the bag, possessed perhaps by some eldritch power seemed ever to fill as I began to empty it. I swear I thought I had emptied that dread sack on at least three occassions only to discover that I was misled and that there was more to discover from within its murky depths. Also, yes, there was a laniard.

Top row (Left to right): Dystopian Wars rulebook, laser pointer, Flames of War rulebook, unidentified badge, random warlord games sprues.
Second row: More unidentified sprues, some dude chopping up a tree, Hordes Minions miniature, LANIARD!!!, Warpath Marauder sprue, Kings of War Undead sprue, random tank things!

As you can see from the image there was a LOT of stuff, and it’s all pretty varied. There were sprues, rule books, metal models and a strange badge that I cannot for the life of me identify. There was even a laz0r pointer, which is super awesome. All I need now is a cat.

I got so much stuff I even managed to forget to put this Kings of War manual with them! Yeah… that’s my excuse.

So yeah, if Tabletop Nation wanted to win me over, and trust me when I say they really did not need to. They would have very little difficulty in doing so. I don’t think I’ve ever been given that much free stuff (okay, I say free but in return for a £20 purchase, I say that’s an extraordinary deal!) ever. EVER! Needless to say I was very impressed, and eagerly look forward to playing at Tabletop Nation sometime in the not-so-distant future!

Oh, and what’s this?

OMGWTFBBQ SPOILERS!!!!

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