I usually collect both sides for any game I play because it is the most reliable way to ensure that I am able to get a game in. More often than not, those in my immediate area do not share my interests and are unwilling to buy into something outside their main focus. The estimable Steve is a major exception here. He and I have inspired each other with fads for years. However, he lives a thousand miles away, so I need to provide my own enemies. With that in mind, I needed some villains for my Battletech/mech warfare games, and who better than the Draconis Combine?
House Kurita, and especially the Sword of Light, just seem made to be the villains in my stories. They seem to represent a type of regimented order that the Full Throttle Lemmings (or even any of my Thrappled Lemming warbands) have. There are few groups that are likely to be more diametrically oppsed to my group whose motto ought to be "If I don't even know what I am going to do next, how can my enemy predict it?"
I opted for the 8th Sword of Light "The Jade Dragon" because I like the green background to their insignia. It helps that the paint scheme is simple, so I could paint them quickly and have a whole company ready very quickly. Looking at the photos, I really do need to work on how I highlight reds. They look fine on the table, but the camera seems to wash out the shading and makes me think that I should do more extreme highlighting. After all, the same light that I photograph under is the one I play under, so it might improve the look even more. Time enough for that another day. In the end, what matters is that they are ready to be fielded against the Full Throttle Lemmings.
I feel that this company could really do with at least one Dragon and/or Grand Dragon and probably a Jenner and/or a Panther to feel properly Kurita, but they were not in stock when I bought what I have. Adding some iconic Kurita mechs can be a project for another day.
On to the roll call. All figures are the Catalyst Game Labs versions found in the various boxed sets and lance packs. They have unit insignia decals from Defiance Industries Wargaming just to make them look a bit more swish. The decals were not cheap but they were definitely worth it. Each mech has the Jade Dragon insignia on its left shoulder, the Sword of Light insignia on its left leg and back, and a kanji number on its right leg.
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| (left to right) Atlas, Battlemaster, Warhammer, Orion |
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| (left to right) Wolverine, Archer, Shadow Hawk, Valkyrie |
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| (left to right) Phoenix Hawk, Griffin, Wasp, Stinger |
Ooh - I'm a big Drac fan (I often play the 1st Sword of Light), and those look really good to my eyes. I notice all the mechs there are from the original base game, at original 3025 tech - do you play in the 3025 setting, or in the later 3050+ (or much later 3075+ setting?
ReplyDeleteMy friend usually plays as the Federated Suns, and we mostly play 3025 tech - we're both so 'old' that we remember when 3025 was all there was!
Yes, these are all mechs from the base games. I'm getting back into Battletech after a 30 year hiatus and buying all the new stuff I can. Like you, I remember when there was only 3025 and hiding in ponds was the way to win games! As I am only just getting back into it, I have not really decided on an era. I like 3025 because it is classic, but I have a bunch of clan mechs from the clan invasion and Alpha Strike sets, so clan invasion or maybe even Ilclan could become a thing. Knowing me, I shall probably dabble in all of them for maximum variety unless I find an opponent to keep me anchored to a single era.
DeleteI think 3025 can be a bit of a grindfest, which is why FASA introduced the Clans, to speed up play. For my friend and I, 3025-3055 are what we mostly play (and we don't play anything after 3067).
DeleteWhen I got back into BattleTech after a 25 year break I decided I really didn't like all the 'new' stuff, the lore or revised setting ... so I wrote my own. My setting is based on the standard one but with small changes - it allows me to play how I want to (smaller units, mixed tech and combined arms)
That sounds like a good way to approach the whole thing, so you are not stuck with what the writers dream up. I am very tempted by Ilclan because the Rasalhague Dominion sounds like my kind of thing. There also seems to be the opportunity to mix clan and Inner Sphere tech. I am fairly certain that, whatever I do, I shall be like you and take the standard setting and adjust it to suit my idea of fun. It is the sensible thing to do
DeleteThe main change I made was eliminating the Great Houses & creating 'The Sea of Stars' - large numbers of tiny 1-7 star system states, all too small to mount large scale wars.
DeleteTechnology atrophied somewhat (my base tech is 3025) but I do allow for a few level 2 or 3 gadgets or equipment.
Another change was there's more warships (no big Exodus, no 1st & 2nd Succession Wars to eliminate them), which suits me as I like playing the big ships & aerospace side of things.
The 'Clan' Exodus still takes place, but 30+ years later than in the core setting, and it's not led by Kerensky (he dies in a dropship accident just after the end of the Liberation War) - instead a disaffected faction called 'The Spartan League' within the Protectorate Peace Force (as the SLDF is now called) launch a couple d'etat that fails, so they flee the Inner Sphere.
The main benefits of all this is my setting features a mix of combined arms, small units, and my favourite aerospace battles.
I also used the Heavy Metal progs to design & build everything I use - if I like the look of a 3145 mech miniature, or a Clan mech miniature, or any vehicle, I can make use of them in my setting, as I can use HM to design 3025 Level 1 versions of them.
It's all still a work in progress - I've been slowly working on it for over 15 years!
That sounds cool and gives you plenty of room for playing how you want.
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