Bwendi Aerospace Patrol commissioned and ready for action

Figures: Brigade Models SAC spaceships

The Bwendi Aerospace Patrol is tasked with protecting Bwendi-controlled planets from foreign incursions. By this we usually mean attack by the Albion Defence Force or pirates given letters of marque by the ADF. Curiously, most Bwendi neighbours are largely peaceful and it is only the overweaning arrogance of the ADF that disturbs the attempts of peaceful Bwendi citizens to pursue life and happiness.

I bought two fleet packs from Brigade as the basis for my Bwendi Aerospace Patrol. Each fleet pack amounts to about 1000 points for Starmada X: Brigade. Direct conversion to Starmada: Admiralty Edition gives about 2200 points. A standard battle in both is about 1000 points, so I have plenty of options for my games and can even conduct training manoeuvres with what I have.

My plan was to paint 1000 points of ships in May, but I managed to get all my ships painted because they really were very quick to paint. Ease of painting was aided by my decision not to add running lights, portholes, etc to my ships. I have seen some examples of painted ships that look phenomenal with all the extra detail but I started thinking too hard about spaceship design philosophy and came to the conclusion that it will probably be more like submarine design than surface ship design. Therefore, Bwendi combat vessels have no portholes and only a minimum number of any type of hole that could be a weakness in battle. It also occurred to me that the use of visual signals would probably be redundant because combat will be conducted at such long ranges that the human eye will not be much use. Therefore, complex camouflage schemes, identification numbers and other insignia have not been added to these ships. To do so would be a waste of valuable resources. The only concession to camouflage is the basic design that has been added in a bid to help against space fighters, which might well rely as much on the Mk1 eyeball as they do sensor technology. Also, the blue and grey of the Ztumsian Ear Frog, one of the deadliest savannah frogs in the Bwendi homeland, is a visual signal to planetary inhabitants that the BAP is in orbit and that they should behave themselves. Ok, enough rambling. Here is the new and complete Bwendi Aerospace Patrol:

(Click the pics for larger images. The captions link to the specific items in the Brigade catalogue)

BAP Taskforce prabhaGga

BAP Taskforce AghAta

The M1-class Battleships 'Leicester Forest East' and 'Newport Pagnell' on patrol

The News-class Strike Carrier 'Huffington Post' with an escort of Tabloid class Fighters

A group of five Shipping Forecast-class Heavy Cruisers. Here we see the Dogger Bank, Cromarty, North Utsire, Forth and Forties on patrol.

The Radio 4 class Light Cruisers 'Jenny Murray', 'Brian Redhead' and 'Charlotte Green'

Three Cricket-class Destroyers: 'The Oval', 'Edgbaston' and 'Lords'

The Estate-class Frigates 'Orchard Park, 'Bransholme' and 'Longhill'

The School-class Lancers 'Roedean', 'Harrow' and 'Hymers'

The BAP has also recently commissioned an experimental dropship launcher. Initial trials suggest that it is a solid design and more will follow when the commissioners approve budget expenditure:

The Stobart-class Dropship Launcher 'Katy Ann'

Camp Ztumsia - May progress update

This is some of my progress to date with the 15mm sci-fi figures.

Figures:

Javelot Dune Buggy by Brigade Models

Cougar MBTs, Bulldog truck and infantry by GZG

Civilians by TTG (now 15mm.co.uk) and Citadel (now RAFM, I think)

Camp Ztumsia

In ancient days before the first Colonel Throckmorton P. Gladiolus united Ztumsia, the ancestral Bwendi tribal lands were an untamed wilderness filled with all manner of dangers. Life was hard for the Bwendi tribespeople, for your ancestors, who struggled to carve a living from the unforgiving veldt of their homeland. They were beset on all sides by unfriendly tribes, colonial powers with no sensitivity towards local tradition and the dreaded, carnivorous Ngifte Savannah Toad. Now, hundreds of years after the unification of Ztumsia, you too, loyal Bwendi citizen, may experience life as the ancient Bwendi experienced it. Yes, right here on Banasdan, thirteen parsecs from our ancient dwelling places, Gladcorp has recreated a part of our inheritence and now you may enjoy that experience. Camp Ztumsia, in the middle of the Banasdan wilderness lies in the perfect position to give you the rich sense of belonging that only a true understanding of your history can convey. Come to Camp Ztumsia and you too can learn how the ancient Bwendi lived and you too can enjoy the total lack of facilities of life in the wilderness safely in the company of our professional tour guides. While here in Camp Ztumsia, you will get to:

• LIVE in mud huts, just like your ancestors;
• LEARN how to light fires by rubbing two boy scouts together;
• HUNT deadly but delicious frogs with spear and bow; and
• MUCH much more.

Does this all sound too much for you? Well, if the experience is too intense, you can take a quick break in the fully modern facilities of the Camp Ztumsia annexe. This part of the camp has all mod cons and the latest in medical engineering, so you need fear nothing, not even the hostile native Banasdan wildlife. Just relax, work hard and learn, while you enjoy your holiday. To book now, go to bbb.campztumsia.so.te.

(Click the pics for larger images)

Camp Ztumsia with the modern facilities in the left background and the tourist huts in the right foreground

The Colonel himself stands in the doorway of the modern barracks building waiting to greet the first truckload of tourists

Disclaimer: the camp lies in the middle of the training grounds for the 23rd Fast Reaction Team. Your holiday may occasionally be disturbed by military manoeuvres. But do not worry, the 23rd FaRT are the reason why there is no hostile native Banasdan wildlife in the area.

23rd Fast Reaction Team

23rd FaRT is a mechanised brigade that was put together as a rapid deployment force. They are the first in and last out, which has lead to their nickname of the Flaky Boys because they are FILO. This nickname might also be a result of their troops being a bit twitchy as a result of their higher-than-normal combat experience. Here we see them on manoeuvres at Camp Ztumsia.

An armoured troop of the 23rd FaRT moves down a dry river bed with infantry in support

A 23rd FaRT infantry company commander and his first sergeant monitor events from the camp.

A Gauss MG team provides support from one of the guard towers at Camp Ztumsia

An infantry section comprising three fire teams advances through the undergrowth

An infantry fire team advances behind the tanks down a dry river bed while the platoon leader and his section advances through the undergrowth. In the background the company RAFRAM Mortar teams stand ready to provide fire support.

An aerial shot of the advance

May Objective

I have two objectives for May. The first is to complete at least two platoons of my 15mm sci-fi force so that we can begin a small Tomorrow's War mini-campaign. The second is to complete at least 1000 points of spaceships for a Starmada: Admiralty Edition game. Both forces will become important when we eventually kick off our unfeasibly large galaxy-spanning science fiction campaign, although I suspect that getting all the details in place will take until we are both in our dotage. I have no secondary objective this month, but if I complete both objectives and my current eBay sales go well then I shall treat myself to another fleet pack from Brigade Models and some more IFVs for the Bwendi army, so that I can field a full company of infantry.

Faith in the Machine- April Objective Achieved

My April objective was to complete all my Syntha for Urban War, while maintaining progress on my 15mm sci-fi figures. This obective was achieved with just hours to spare as paint went onto the last of my figures on the 30th. Progress was also made on the 15mm sci-fi stuff, but they are not complete enough to post yet. The problem with them was that my progress was hampered by an unkind gift of more Syntha from my regular gaming buddy, Steve. He gave me eight or so new figures and I somehow got it into my head that I needed to finish them for the April objective to have been completed. So, without further ado, here are the goings on in the mech shed from April:

Artemis Alpha checks the new Talon Cyclosynth before sending it on its first mission

Two Pyro Cyclosynths are checked out in the mech bay

Pyros moving along the production line

 Prometheus macrosynth and an HK2800 Grav Bike

A Nyx assassin practises her balancing exercises in preparation for a night out

An Artemis biomech and her team of Androsynths muster before battle

Top row: Tactical Teratosynth, Achilles Biomech, Pointman. Bottom row: Two Hercules close combat biomechs

Meanwhile on the Koralon sporeship, the twisted wreck of a human being that is now known as Devi is called to the command centre and to be given orders for her next mission.

Grammar for gamers (or do I mean vocabulary?) - a short illustrated rant

I have recently started noticing the expression 'per say' to the extent that it is now really getting under my skin. It's PER SE, people, not PER SAY. If you're going to be pretentious and use classical Latin expressions, then get them right! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!

Saucy Sue Stories: Kidnapped, Part 1

Rules: Gloire
Figures: Black Scorpion, Privateer Press (Warmachine)

Dramatis Personae
The Crew of the land-sloop Saucy Sue

• Charity FitzCharles (Buccaneer, grade 3): Together with her trusty pistols, Faith and Hope, she seeks to turn a profit wherever she can. Charity likes helping people and hitting things.
• Ser Theophilus Montanus (Doctor of Letters, grade 2): A neo-primitivist united reformed Lutheran minister sent to convert the natives in Pacifica. Ser Theophilus likes reading scripture and smiting things hip and thigh.
• Belvie Hawkland (Guardist, grade 1): The daughter of a shanghai prostitute and a sailor of uncertain origin, Belvie is the strongarm member of the crew. Belvie likes hitting things and then hitting them again.
• Sally Pipkin (Foretopman, grade 1): Sally, aka Simple Sally and Sweet Sally, is an able crewperson, though a bit ditzy. She likes fluffy bunnies and hitting things.

Others

• Sundry evil government forces (various grades and types): they like getting in the way of honest traders and hitting things.

Captain's Log
The 17th day of April in the year of our Lord 1745

Lord Bethany had sent a sent a servant requesting our attendance and aid in a delicate matter. It would appear that his daughter, Lady Katherine Mountjoy, had been kidnapped in a nefarious plot by the evil usurper, Charles V. Lady Katherine is the betrothed of the rightful king, James. Our contacts informed us that one of the gang that is thought to have kidnapped her had been sighted near his mother's house. We raced to investigate. If we could capture him, we could force him to show us where the kidnappers were hiding.

(Red dice are objective/encounter markers. Black dice indicate figures needing to reload, because I could not find the cotton wool!)

I divided our force into two parties. Sally and Ser Theophilus would take the high road and enter the house from the top window. It should be easy enough to reach the window because the house was built up against a cliff. Belvie and I would take a more direct approach to the front door. As we approached, government agents were also in attendance and a brisk fight ensued. I got close enough to one of them to discuss with him the benefits of aiding our side and he agreed to turn on his erstwhile companions. I fear that my rather skimpy combat attire might have had something more to do with his decision than any noble thoughts of aiding a lady in distress.


Belvie headed for the house, pausing only to fire a shot at one of the agents, who promptly ran despite not even being hit. As she headed for the house, I and my new companion drew our swords and waded into the melee.

On top of the cliff Ser Theophilus and Sally were making rapid progress, narrowly missing being engaged in a long and rambling conversation by an ancient man. "I'm ninety-three years of age you know ..." They quickly entered the house from above and descended through it, ascertaining that it was empty apart from a few minor structural flaws that could get someone hurt if they did not notice them in time.

While this was going on, Belvie had entered the ground floor of the house and found no one there. I and my new ally had brought the fight to the bridge across the river and skewered two of the enemy, while tipping a third over the railing into the water. I hope he can swim. The remaining enemy ran and we were able to search properly in peace. We found Lund asleep in the barn, sleeping off a drunk. He awoke bleary-eyed and was very quick to co-operate in the face of Faith, Hope and myself.

We must now get Lund to the Saucy Sue before we can question him properly.

April Objective - Urban War

S: "We have not played Urban War in a while."
R: "True."
S: "We should play more Urban War. It's good fun."
R: "Yes, it is. I agree. Right, so we are going to play some Urban War in the near future."
S: "Yes."
Time passes. Urban War remains unplayed. The conversation repeats again. More time passes. Urban War remains unplayed. The conversation repeats in March 2012. This time it has a little addition.
R: "So, why don't we make Urban War our April project?"
S: "Great idea. Let's do it. I have some figures still to paint for Urban War."

As a result of this, our April objective is to paint our remaining Urban War figures and play a game of UW: CLAU Team Actions. I only have a small number of figures to paint for my forces so I shall continue with my secondary objective of completing my Bwendi sci-fi forces. They have continued to make slow but steady progress since the beginning of the year and I now have a full company of infantry painted and based. The first tank troop is on the painting table and is mostly done, and the APCs have their first coat of paint. So, 15mm sci-fi is progressing. I have enough to play a company-sized infantry battle and we can return to Tomorrow's War to see if we can actually learn the rules. Pictures of the Bwendi will follow when the vehicles are completed.