July Update

Happy weekend. Just posting a few pics of things I've been working on recently. 

I churned through 40 pikemen for the Ventians and Spanish over the last couple weeks. I've been painting very sporadically. These guys probably spent three weeks on the popsicle sticks. They're being based today. Finally.

On that note, my wife and I tested some massed combat rules I put together last weekend. Just a simple mechanical play test and the end result proved that the basic rule mechanics are sound. Now comes the challenge of codifying it all. 

I ordered these two Infinity models after our last game of Infinity. They're for the Starco mercs, a TAG (heavy armored mecha) with the red shoulder bits and a Mobile Brigada heavy infantry (with the yellow) who can lead the group. Frankly, that troop type is the only lieutenant option available to the Starco mercenaries that is even remotely threatening. The other options are cheap chumps that don't deliver a lot of "oomph" whereas the Mobile Brigada is a real threat.

I also picked up a couple of boats for Blood and Plunder a little while back. 

Just a dugout Canoa for the natives and a Piragua for whomever needs it. It purposefully left it very neutral, no flags or other markings so it will fit in with any operator. The sails are 1/8 inch flexible hobby foam sheet from Michaels. It's easy to cut to size, stays in shape and takes superglue well. Some thread loops and done. Rigging is for display pieces, not game pieces. I have a Sloop incoming as well, but it's a preorder and I don't think it'll arrive before September. 

I've also taken possession of some 1/300 planes for some commission painting for Wayne.

These Su-22s have some miscast noses, but they'll paint up fine. Wayne really enjoyed CY6:JA and ordered a handful of Cold War-era planes. Certainly enough to keep me busy a while. I'm looking forward to working on them. 

Goings On - Summer 2022

 The blog has been light on posts lately because like many others, I've been busy with summer time. We took a short vacation to Jacksonville and St. Augustine a couple weeks ago and had a fine time. 

In Jacksonville we went to "The Stadium Tour" and saw Joan Jett, Poison, Motley Crue and Def Leppard. The show was amazing, even though the walk to the stadium was during a torrential downpour.

Poison

Crue

Def Leppard

The next day we drove down to St. Augustine to explore an old town we've never really visited. The last time I was there was maybe around 1984 or so.

It rained much of Sunday as we toured the town, I didn't take many pictures. We did a ghost walk in the evening which was fun, those things usually are. Our guide wasn't a great story teller so that detracted a bit. The weather was much better for the evening walk though.

Monday was July 4th and since we hadn't toured the Castillo in the rain on Sunday, we visited it that morning. The weather was hot but otherwise gorgeous. I haven't been to the fort in a long time. It's in great condition and has an interesting history.

So yeah, plenty of fun stuff going on. I have done a bit of painting here and there, I'll post some pics of that at another time. Y'all be well!

Supercharger - Star Fleet Battles AAR

 Howdy all. The Space Cadets gathered for another episode of Star Fleet Battles Saturday, July 9th. This time around we played in a Starbucks coffee shop. David had a scenario idea and as I was putting the actual scenario together, he provided details and specific answers. It was a good game-building process for sure. I set the game up for five players; this time we added Wayne and Mark as additional players.

The basis for the campaign is a Klingon incursion into the region of the WYN Cluster closest to their border. The incursion is viewed unfavorably by the Klingon's enemies, particularly the Federation and Kzinti. So, while the Klingons will fighting against WYN forces, Feds and Kzinti will keep a steady flow of materiel streaming into WYN hands. We will be ignoring the WYN radiation zone "P" rules as we play. They're unnecessary for the scope of our campaign which if you didn't figure it out, if based somewhat on current events in Ukraine.

SUPERCHARGER

The Kilingon incursion into the WYN zone is proceeding well. Today’s mission is reconnaissance and intelligence gathering. The PF Tender Arceus and her escort Cudgel are to proceed to the WYN power station near planet Buckstar in invasion sector 10. The task is to remain close to the power station for a period of time to gather and transmit details back to the high command. It should be assumed that the WYN locals won’t be too crazy about this presence. Expect some resistance.

Map is fixed.  Power station in 0815  Radius 1 planet, no atmosphere, in 2015

Klingons

R3.7 E4 Escort (B, 175, Fast Drones)  Cudgel

R3.157 Light PF Tender  Arceus

3 x R3.PF1 Fast Patrol Ships (Fast Drones, Shield Upgrade)

 WYN

R12.5 KG2 Police Ship (Fast Drones)  Harp

3 x R12.PF  Fast Patrol Ships (Fast Drones)

6 x F-18 Fighters 2 Type-I Fast, 2 Type-VI Fast

 

 Mark drove the Klingon E4, Wayne, the PFT, and I commanded the Klingon PF group. Mike ran the WYN fighters and G2 while David controlled the WYN PFs.

Mike and David

Wayne and Mark

 

Looking at the map in the previous pictures, the Klingons entered the map at the far back left corner. The plan was for the E4 and PFT to haul ass to the power station in an attempt to start the timer on the information gathering requirement ASAP. My PFs would hold back a little and act as a screen, distraction and spoiler.

The WYN enter from the flank halfway through the first turn. Wayne and Mark continue their charge towards the objective while doing everything they can to deal with the drone swarm unleashed by the fighters. A second drone swarm appears from the flankers!

The E4 and PF Tender run like scalded dogs from the WYN drones, towards the power station. WYN fighters will be waiting for them. The two groups of PFs prepare to rip each other to shreds. I was fortunate to get an early heavy hit on one of David's that was not returned since he was occupied firing at Mark's vessel. This put my squadron at a slight weapons advantage for the forthcoming smackdown.

We each lost one PF entirely. I was left with one completely healthy and one at half-strength. David was left with two crippled badly and a total of one weapon system between the two PFs.

To start turn three, Mark and Wayne had posted up nicely by the WYN target base. Mike's G2 was cutting in behind them, fighters approaching them from their front. I was reasonably sure that Mike didn't realize that my squadron was still pretty dangerous so of course I charged him hard and fired the kitchen sink at him. That sure got his attention!

For the rest of turn three, Wayne and Mark defended handily against the swarms of drones while Mike and I flew around each other while our weapons cycled.

But then, Mike being the boarding-combat fan that he is, couldn't resist the urge to send a boarding party onto my better-condition PF. The PF was captured! Woe is me. Mike was ecstatic. Me, less so. No worries. As long as Mike is living out a grudge match against my PFs, the E4 and PFT are hanging out winning the scendario. My job of being a distraction and spoiler was working quite well.

When turn 4 began, a lot of drones hit the table once again. Wayne and Mark again were brilliant with their drone defense and held fast. Mike's continued to hate on my surviving PF. Even this late in the game, the distraction was in play!

On impulse 4, we called the game. The Klingons had completed their objective of keeping an uncrippled ship within 4 hexes of the power station for 64 consecutive impulses. Wayne's PFT was still at 100%. and Mark's escort was slightly better than crippled. 

Everyone enjoyed the scenario and the game itself was a lot of fun. The quantity of drones slowed things a lot so we'll reduce those going forward. SFB never fails to amuse and this outing was quite spectacular. Next mission... capturing the power station. 

Thank for checking out the blog; be well and good gaming!