Upcoming Changes in the Blog

A quick post to say that I'm really enjoying my second time working on the A-to-Z Challenge. Last time (2011) I participated in an attempt to become a more frequent blogger and, after the challenge , I fell back into my habit of posting every three months or so. I have determined that the problem is a lack of structure. Therefore, I am announcing that I will now have three themed days a week on which I will post.

 

 

 

First off, leading the charge is Fantasy Monday. This could be anything from book or movie reviews or ruminations on whatever fantasy RPGs are catching my fancy at the time. this is could be AD&D, B/X, DragonQuest, Hackmaster, whatever. It might even include urban fantasy such as the works of Charles de Lint or Kim Harrison or games like Vampire: The Masquerade.

 

 

 

Next up for midweek I'll post on Warhammer Wednesdays. Not, not the bloody miniatures game that changes rules every two years, but the original, first edition RPG. This is a game that I have not run or played in years, but it is still a game that I hold close to my heart. Maybe I'll be able to convince my gaming group,  CLD, to give it a try.

 

 

 

 

Now, having said that Warhammer Wednesday will focus on the FRP, occasionally a post about my DIY WH40K Marine Chapter, the Blood Cross, might pop up. So, be prepared for that eventuality. :)

 

 

 



Finally, I'll end up the week with Sci-Fi Friday! Like fantasy Monday, this will be a hodge podge of reviews, thoughts about RPGs or MMOs, whatever catches my fancy or attention that day. Expect to see Mutants and Masterminds, Villains and Vigilantes, Battletech, Stars Without Number, Traveller, SWTOR, and many other topics on this day.

 

Of course, my AD&D theme for the A-to-Z challenge preempts this and I plan on starting up on 01 MAY 2013 with my first Warhammer Wednesday post. I can't wait. :)





[Battletech] Painting Progress and Schedule

Ok, here's what I have lined up at the moment.

In final painting phase:

Liao/Death Commandos
Atlas

Liao/House Ma-Tsu Kai
Raven
Vindicator


Marik/1st Marik Militia
Orion

Marauder II MAD-4S (IWM 20-234)

Stalker

Comstar/2nd Com Guards

Highlander

Currently in the process of prepping for Wave 2, I've got the following:

Based, Ready to Prime

Cataphract

Needs Based

Crusader (Unseen)

Old 1990's Stripping

Warhammer

Archer

Battlemaster

Shadow Hawk (just needs to be glued)

1987 Ral Partha Stripping

Hunchback

I picked this guy up off Ebay. He had a camo scheme similar to Clan Smoke Jaguar.

To Be Assembled

Inner Sphere Standard Battle Armor (1 C* Level I, 6 figures)

Kanga Jump Tank (2)

Victor

Centurion

Longbow

When Wave Two is done, I'll have the following:

Liao/Death Commandos

Atlas


When I started Wave One, this one was originally slotted to be part of my Comstar Level II. But I changed my mind after I primed it. I still have 4 more Atlases, so it's not a big deal. :) I do plan on doing up a lance of Death Commandos, so this is a good start.

Liao/House Ma-Tsu Kai
Raven
Vindicator
Warhammer
Cataphract


This is a good solid Capellan lance in 3039 or in 3050. The Raven will be the -4X variant in 3039; the ECM equipment was horrible at that time, and the -4X trades it in for more armor, jump jets, and 2 machine guns. It becomes a really nice light mech; not the equal of the Panther but definitely better than the Jenner. Plus, the -4X is intro level; the -1X is experimental. A really good urban fighter. BV is 4471 (3039) or 4845 (3050).

Marik/1st Marik Militia

Orion
Stalker
Longbow
Archer
Marauder II (-4S)

The Marauder II is the one off here. It's such a beast, it is unlikely to be used for anything outside of the Inner Sphere Open Round in a tournament. Again, this lance is built for either 3025 or 3050 by just changing variants. This is definitely a fire lance with the Orion acting as the "command" mech. BV is 5802 (3025) or 6766 (3050).

Comstar/2nd Com Guards

Highlander
Battlemaster
Crusader
Kanga Jump Tank (2)
IS Standard BA (Laser)

This unit is designed as Level II that fought at Tukayyid. It's designed to go in there and mix it up with the Clan, so all the mechs are Star League era technology: the Battlemaster is the -1Gbc variant and has a command console, the Highlander is the HGN-732, the Crusader is the -3R, and the Kangas, well there they are. I would use the -2R variant on the Crusader, but apparently only the Wobblies get that one. BV is a hefty 7192. I have a nice plan for another Level II to back it up. See below. :)

Davion/3rd Davion Guards
Victor
Centurion
Hunchback
Shadowhawk


This is definitely a Davion lance: lots of ACs to go "BANG, BANG!"

So, when I'm done (by the end of the month, fingers crossed), I'll have 4 solid lances ready to go: painted, sealed, and flocked. They'll still need unit and faction decals, but I have to wait until I can get them from Fighting Pirannha. Then what will I do for Wave 3?

Well, I have another Level II for my "Tukayyid" Comstar force I'm putting together. Of course, this one falls under the experimental rules, but what the Hell. I have 1 Wasp LAM, 5 Stinger LAMs, and 1 Phoenix Hawk LAM. I also have a lead on a couple of Wasps and another Phonenix Hawk. Preferably, I'd make this Level II 2 of each; otherwise, it'll be 5 Stingers with the Phoenix Hawk as the "command" vehicle. This is not because I see LAMs as "zOMG uber!" They're actually pretty weak as they do neither job well. However, I can see Comstar having them in stockpliles and using them for recon and air support.

3rd Bear Guards

Wave 3 will probably also see the start of my Clan, uh, nova? (Stupid Clanners changing things!) It will be, of course, Clan Ghost Bear and I'm going with the 3rd Bear Guards, Alpha Galaxy for my paint scheme.

IV Legio Comitatensis

And I will finally get to my Periphery units. I should have my Ravager BA and Marian infantry minis by then as well as some more vehicles. That should be more than enough to work on for Wave 3.

1st Royal Guards (Steiner)

Wave four will probably be working on Lyran and Kuritan units. We'll see.

Ryuken-Ni (Kurita)

 Oh, and for those who are keeping score, the current list of minis is: 106 mechs, 7 LAMs, 48 BA (all IS Std.), 44 vehicles and 2 aerospace fighters (mech scale).

Review of Battletech: Ideal War

Ideal War by Christopher Kubasik
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I'm currently re-reading Ideal War. It is one of my favorite Battletech novels; however, among most fans it gets less love. Why is that you ask?


Well, first of all, Ideal War is set in the Free Worlds League that is lead by House Marik. The vast majority of fans prefer the Federated Suns and House Davion. Davion's enemies are the Chinese-Russian Cappellan Confederation (Liao) and the Japanese Draconis Combine (Kurita). The Federated Suns itself is a constitutional monarchy similar to England under the reign of the three Georges; that is, the monarch has more power than Parliament. Most of the novels are set with the scions of House Davion as the heroes of the Inner Sphere.


The FWL, on the other hand, is a loose democratic confederation headed by the Captain-General of House Marik. For over 300 years, since the beginning of the Succession Wars and the crisis that entailed, the Captain-General has ruled as a military dictator under the provisions of the legally-passed Resolution 288. Fortunately, the Captain-Generals have, for the most part, been benevolent and somewhat idealistic in their stance. The member worlds of the League still meet in Parliament and finance the military and can even refuse to send their own troops if they feel necessary; it is not a one-way street with the Captain-General in absolute control. In fact, he really only has a full say in matters of war and foreign policy. Enter the current Captain-General, Thomas Marik.


Thomas Marik assumed the Captain-Generalship when his father and older brother were killed in a terrorist bombing. He himself was wounded in the attack and half of his face was horribly disfigured. He was originally a member of the quasi-monastic ComStar, the organization that maintain the Hyper-Pulse Generators that allow interstellar communication. He is also an idealistic and has a plan.


You see, the Inner Sphere is gained better technology and, as a result of that technology warfare is beginning to target civilians again. Thomas is worried that total warfare will result in the total destruction of human civilization as it almost did before the Ares Conventions (think the Geneva Accords) were enacting, The Ares Conventions limit warfare and make it more of a battle of maneuver and skill rather than brute force. With the new technologies and economies of the Inner Sphere gearing up to full production for the first time in centuries, Thomas is concerned that once again the other four Successor Lords will use people like pawns in a chess game. To create a shining beacon of hope (and also to cement his control of the member-states of his League), Thomas creates a romantic vision and forms the Knights of the Inner Sphere, an order of Mechwarriors who swear personalty to him and the ideals of Chivalry.


The book focuses in on Paul Masters, the leader of the Knights on his first mission to a world named Gibson. and this is why most fans do not care for this book. Kubasik is obviously drawing on memories of the Vietnam War. Mercenaries in battlemechs are fighting guerrillas attempting to win their freedom. Masters is there to help the planetary government against these rebels. Things like body-counts, use of mechs against the civilian population all hearken back to Vietnam. Masters has to come to grips with the grittiness and horror of the war and determine a course of action that will fulfill his obligations while helping the oppressed population.


This is definitely worth reading and is most assuredly not in the vein of the usual action-adventure motif of the other Battletech novels.


View all my reviews