Running the Gauntlet

 

Today we return to my Tharkad campaign, where my first unit (a mercenary company, the "Acing Blazes") has been rendered combat ineffective and we've switched focus to "Zebra" Company of the 24th Lyran Guards (plus stragglers from the Blazes, such as Gabriel Zabinski and their Phoenix Hawk). The Word of Blake has launched a counter-insurgency campaign against loyalist forces on Tharkad around the Tatyana Islands with the elite 40th Shadow Division and mercenary backup. Fortunately for the resistance, the counter-insurgency forces have already been infiltrated and the planned kettling has turned into a confused brawl, with our particular merry band looking to slip the net while giving the "Wobblies" a bloody nose.

Group shot of the deployed force. L-R: Phoenix Hawk, Commando, Griffin, Thunderbolt and "Super-Sub" Phoenix Hawk from the Lyran Royal Gaurds.

The Clan Invasion

 

You remember the '60s, right? (the 3060s...) When a wave of Skiffle bands swept over the Inner Sphere with their mop-top hairdos and Burrock and roll music: The Rolling Stone Lions, the Jyde Falcyns, The Totem Animals, the list goes on. What I'm trying to say is that I've finally painted some more Clan 'mechs and wanted to make an extremely strained pun. I've also got a new SAD lamp for Christmas and while no mental health benefits have yet been observed it does improve my lighting setup a lot.

Mist Lynx (left) and Timberwolf (right). Or Koshi and Madcat if you swing that way.

Do-or-Die

Mercenaries cautiously pick their way through the woods before the shoot-out begins.

So, two defeats on the trot, down one commanding officer and with nothing left in the kitty to pay for repair bills, the Mercenaries are on their last legs and know another heavy defeat would render them completely combat ineffective. Rather than retreat to lick their wounds though, they decide to stake it all on one last roll of the dice, hurling their full strength at the local Word of Blake garrison (Camp Satanic Mills) despite failing to obtain any useful intel in the last game.

The Tharkhad Campaign Hots Up

 

(The joke is that Tharkhad is actually a cold, icy planet)

Well, after a poor first showing, our Mercenary outfit (the Acein' Blazes for those curious) commences guerilla activities with a recon-in-force against the Word-of-Blake (not that one) occupation around a river delta. According to the rolls made on the  random scenario table, the WoB would be materially inferior but much better skilled, with the local commander something of a dead-eye shot in their long-range sniping mech (Jaegermech for those with Technical Readout 3025 handy).

A lovely day for a walk in the woods

BattleTech Battle Report

Generic Mercenary Force gets ready to intercept half of today's contractual opposition.

Something a little unusual today, a solo BattleTech battle report: just the thing for total lockdown. Playing with myself is so much easier to organise! I even managed to fit in a second game within a week which otherwise NEVER happens with other humans.

Tanks Again!

My mental health hasn't been great lately. This means plenty of models have been bought as retail therapy and painted in my secluded underground lair so there is plenty of content for the blog. Every cloud eh?

Airfix 1/76 T-34, assembled by my uncle, painted by me. During painting I gummed up the joint so unfortunately the gun doesn't elevate any more.

Base-ic Instinct

With the new models, I decided I needed some new bases to mount them on. Unfortunately, I underestimated the size of a peeg, so now I have 32 15 mm MDF circles and nothing to do with them, as well as an absence of 25 mm rounds and the suspicion that 30 mm might fit the fast attack options perfectly.

This picture doesn't really do it justice, but the bases are too small

Christmas Comes Late

Met the lovely family for the first time since Christmas. I had a lovely catch up and so on, but more importantly I picked up the parcels I've been waiting for for weeks!

Gunny Peegs [sic] by Bad Squiddo games, with 28mm 'human' for scale purposes.

ANGRY BEAVERS

I REGRET NONE OF THIS

The beavers in question. Sold by Bad Squiddo Games, originally a North Star product

Initiate Enhanced Imaging!

After three days in my basement/dungeon being forced to listen to the Archers at uncomfortably loud volume, some mates were persuaded to play Battletech. Unfortunately I was too busy explaining the rules to take photos, but fun was had, even if it did peter out at the end.

What I've got for you today is a solo scenario I invented as part of a narrative campaign.

"Stormhammers" (a paramilitary force aligned with House Steiner) with a bunch of big scary Assault 'Mechs 

'Mechs 'Mechs 'Mechs

Exciting news in Kings of War, the long prophesied Global Campaign started last weekend, so I've been celebrating celebrated by painting my 'Mechs.

I'm not sure whether the indistinctness of the Wolverine (left) is due to my excellent camouflage painting skills or rubbish photography skills. Also Shadow Hawk (centre) and Locust (right).

Lawyers, 'Mechs and Money

Remember that lawsuit I mentioned in the last post? Well it turns out that some 'Mech designs and art have been creeping a little too close to the original designs, and Harmony Gold are suing again. A very appropriate time to talk about my latest (and hopefully final mech-related) buy.

The 3rd edition, chock full of 80's art and bad casting.

Not Finished Yet

Again I've had a less productive week, so I have to present only half-finished models this update. Hope you enjoy!

Phoenix Hawk (left) and Stinger (right), both of which seem more or less finished.

Big Stompy Battle Reports

My housemate Merlin recently rekindled my interest in BattleTech: big stompy battle robots from the 31st Century. After a few practice games (I won two out of three!) I suggested a full-blown fight between two Lances (4-strong 'Mech units) worth 4,000 points (called 'Battle Value') each. I'm afraid this report might be a bit heavy on the Jargon, for which I apologise in advance.

Team George: (L to R) Hermes-II, Phoenix Hawk, Warhammer (with hastily repaired right arm) and Cicada standing in for a Jenner.

Merry War (Christmas is over)

In a herculean feat of modelling endurance, I have managed to paint the 27 models I received for Christmas in only 4 months!. To celebrate this enormous achievement, I present to you a group shot for your viewing pleasure. 

Models more or less grouped by manufacturer, Perry knights, spearmen and command, Gripping Beast crossbowmen, and crusader spearmen make up the centre.