MINI WARGAMING: "Spaceman Spiff & 10mm Sci-fi Resources!" (12 October 2007)

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TOP: Spaceman Spiff's beautiful 10mm MWDA Marauder mod.

Hi All,

If you know me and are a miniatures gamer, you probably associate my name with the 6mm scale... it's the one I go most crazy over... don't ask my why! I just like little pieces. However, I've never limited myself to just 6mm and about a year or two ago I decided that my hobby project for the year would be to build a Star Wars Battle of Hoth army set... I had wanted to do it in 6mm, but I simply couldn't find the pieces I needed on I kept on searching. And eventually I found all of the pieces I needed ...only in 10mm scale! And that's what got me into 10mm sci-fi!
If you'd like to see some photos of my 10mm Star Wars Battle of Hoth army set, you can find some of them here:
http://6mm-minis.blogspot.com/search/label/10mm%20Sci-fi

And 10mm sci-fi is a very up and coming scale. While 10mm is the stated scale, everything from 8mm to 12mm including 1/144 and N scale RR trains are often included as acceptable variations within the greater "scale creep" realm of 10mm.

And one of my favorite sources of inspiration for 10mm is a gamer named Spaceman Spiff who is not only incredibly productive, constantly posting new photos of his minis, but he's also incredibly creative - modifying model kits, scratch-building pieces, and coming up with some breathtaking models. This post is a salute to him, more or less! Huzzah, Spaceman Spiff!

TOP: A Battletech Slayer aerospace fighter by Spaceman Spiff!

Please check out all of Spaceman Spiff's images here:
http://s44.photobucket.com/albums/f12/4370spaceman-spiff/?mediafilter=all

Spaceman Spiff also keeps many images here at Lords Of the Battlefield (LOTB):
http://www.lordsofthebattlefield.com/news/weblog.php

TOP: Spaceman Spiff's scratch-built parts for a 10mm Urbanmech!

TOP: The Urbanmech begins to come together!

I wouldn't be writing a Maksim-Smelchak post if I didn't share a few links either so here are a few of my favorite links that I think of when 10mm sci-fi comes to mind. The first link I wanted to share was one to the Yahoo E-group I created to support 10mm sci-fi gaming and the second is for one of my favorite sci-fi games.

Alien Squadleader (ASQL) is a wonderful sci-fi game, with similarities to DBA, DBM, HOTT, Command Horizon and other games with more streamlined, fast-moving rule sets. The author, Alex Self, is a real mensch and runs his own Yahoo E-group for the game, where the on-line community is very helpful and Alex often personally helps out ASQL newbies ...like myself! While Alex and most of the gamers use 15mm sci-fi themed figures, I've chosen to use 10mm sci-fi figures, partially because another local gamer, Aron Clark, already has several armies made of recycled MWDA figures that are already 10mm scale. Add those to my Hoth set and throw in some of the other armies I have on the project queue and I'm set as a 10mm sci-fi ASQL player! Huzzah! There are also a couple of other local players building ASQL armies plus an established league in San Jose so I might actually get a few games out of this project!

And one the best resources for an interested 10mm sci-fi player is the 10mm Sci-fi Yahoo E-group I put together... it's a growing resource:
http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/10mm_SFWG/

And one of my favorite sci-fi games is Alien Squadleader (ASQL):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aliensquadleader/

Have a great Friday!

Shalom,
Maksim-Smelchak.

Notes regarding photos / pictures / videos: These are not all my images and videos. I am using various images and videos from around the web, mostly from public sources and/or private sources used with permission. I have tried to include only images and videos under public domain, creative commons, or fair use. If I have inadvertently violated any copyrights, please inform me and I will remove your image/s (if it is indeed an infringement).

GAMING NEWS: Planetfall Hoth Photos Posted from 10-17-2005 Playtest Game

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Hi Everyone,

I just posted some photos of one of my recent "Planetfall" playtest games in folders named: "Planetfall Hoth Playtest Game 10-17-2005"

On the two following E-groups:
http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/Planetfall-TGUSFMWE/

And:

http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/SSSW/

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A short description of each E-group:

SSSW (Small Scale Star Wars) Wargaming:
- This group supports Star Wars miniatures gamers using pieces smaller than 25mm (The normal SWMB miniatures scale) including small scale starships and stub fighters, Micro Machines figures, 10mm AMT/ERTL/MPC Action Scene figures, 6mm sci-fi proxy figures and others. Several of the group's members are also designing their own rulesets so the list also functions as a playtesting house for them.

Planetfall-TGUSFMWE - Planetfall Support Group:
- Purpose: This group supports fans of "Planetfall - The Generic Universal Science Fiction Miniatures Wargame Engine."
- Game Description: "Planetfall" is a new set of generic gaming rules for ground combat using any science fiction background. The recommended figure scales are 6mm, 10mm and 15mm although the game mechanics will work in any scale. "Planetfall" is not a skirmish game and individually based infantry are not required, a common feature of squad-based skirmish games. "Planetfall" games are organized around squads grouped into companies up to battallion-strength task forces. Smaller or larger games can still be played, of course!
- Latest News: "Planetfall" is currently undergoing playtesting and development and is scheduled to come out in late 2005 or early 2006. "Planetfall" is a professional project.

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I played three playtest games that day with 3-5 players a side.

The Hoth gaming set I made is in 10mm scale with the following toy & miniatures pieces:

10mm REBEL SNOWSPEEDERs:
- Galoob Micro Machines & Ertl/MPC Battle of Hoth diorama model kit
10mm REBEL ATGAR ANTI-VEHICLE BATTERY/s:
- Galoob Micro Machines & Ertl/MPC Battle of Hoth diorama model kit
10mm REBEL GOLAN ARMS LASER TOWERs:
- Ertl/MPC Battle of Hoth diorama model kit
10mm REBEL INFANTRYMEN:
- Ertl/MPC Battle of Hoth diorama model kit

10mm REBEL TRENCHLINE PIECEs:
- Ertl/MPC Battle of Hoth diorama model kit kit-bashed by Maksim-Smelchak
10mm REBEL POWER GENERATORs:
- Custom-made by Clevella of San Francisco from bubblegum (Bubbletape) packaging
10mm REBEL BASE STRUCTUREs:
- Custom-made by Mark Carper of Sacramento from I-pod (mini-computer) packaging

10mm IMPERIAL AT-ATs:
- Ertl/MPC Battle of Hoth diorama model kit
10mm IMPERIAL AT-STs:
- Galoob Micro Machines
10mm IMPERIAL AT-PTs:
- Ertl/MPC Battle of Hoth diorama model kit
10mm IMPERIAL SNOWTROOPERS:
- Ertl/MPC Battle of Hoth diorama model kit

- The AT-ATs are based on 2"x4" bases that have custom diorama elements added by me (snow, ice and AT-AT foot prints).
- Most of the other pieces are based on fender washers that have a custom ice/snow diorama added.
- I used a combination of junk to build up snow piles, putty, bathroom caulking, Vallejo's Piedra Pomez and Snowtex to make snow and ice.
- The Snowspeeders were used with a combination of Galoob Micro Macines flying bases and the transparent plastic flying bases made by GW.
- The infantrymen are individually based on 3/8" washers and were then placed on "movement trays" made from larger washers with magnetic sheeting fitted on top of the washers.
- The infantrymen were then magnetically attached to the "movement trays" (large fender washer with magnetic sheeting) and removed as casualties were inflicted.
- The white die by most of the game pieces represents Action Points, a command game mechanism used by my "Planetfall" rules.
- Some pieces have a small green die by them which represented Supression Markers which lowered the amount of Action Points available to a unit, and made it hard for supressed units to execute orders and take any kind of action.

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I had a lot of fun both hosting and playing "Planetfall" and will play this Hoth game again including at an upcoming local gaming convention, where I'll host an expanded version of this game. All of the players of the game enjoyed it and asked to play it again the next time I host it.

I am working on a set of "Planetfall - Traveller: The Fifth Frontier War - Zhodani vs. Strephonian Imperials" rules to playtest soon.

I hope to playtest the next game on 12 November 2005.

I will be using 6mm sci-fi miniatures for the "Planetfall - Traveller: The Fifth Frontier War - Zhodani vs. Strephonian Imperials."

If I am able to, I will post photos of that game as well.

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Thanks for your time!

Shalom,
Maksim-Smelchak.

P.S.
Happy Halloween!

Notes regarding photos / pictures / videos: These are not all my images and videos. I am using various images and videos from around the web, mostly from public sources and/or private sources used with permission. I have tried to include only images and videos under public domain, creative commons, or fair use. If I have inadvertently violated any copyrights, please inform me and I will remove your image/s (if it is indeed an infringement).

GAMING NEWS: Collecting Armies?

Hi Dafrca,

Dafrca: I found this interesting, not good or bad, just interesting. As I am doing my recount of the Imperial Stuff, I realized I tended to go for the Iron Fist tactic with my Guard. Lots of Tanks, Super Heavies, Mech Infantry, and such. Small numbers of the RR, snipers, and other lighter style formations.

But when it came to my 15mm stuff, it was like a 180 degree flip. Mostly light Infantry, droppable troops and equipment, and overall lighter style formations. Very little in the way of “Heavy” armor (well not counting my OGRE). It was like as I moved worked on the two collections, I was following two very
different tactical ways of thought.

*** So it made me wonder when you all build an army, do you just collect or do you formulate a basic tactic and buy to that?***

Hi Dafrca,

I've found now that I prefer themed armies, but I general modify my theme a little to encompass existing models. Adding a theme to an army really helps to make it happen. It gives directions and keeps some kind of plan or inspiration around.

My Epic-Armageddon Jopalli IG force, for instance, is designed to be a mechanized force and has very little heavy armor. The Jopallis were also designed to use mostly proxy models and a lot of anti-armor troops with support weapons. Even their Thud Guns, Tarantulas and Mole Mortars have used proxy models so far.

After playing the army for awhile, I start adding units to make the force more effective rules-wise.

My Star Wars Hoth force, for instance, is a very theme-oriented army, but as I play with them, I can see myself adding in other vehicles, troop types and characters that never appeared in the movies. The original Dirtside II conversion I found for the Battle of Hoth had a number of non-canon vehicles. I'd definitely like to include some non-orthodox equipment and troops in the future, but right now, I'm concentrating on getting the movie canon forces ready.

Shalom,
Maksim-Smelchak.

MODELLING: 6mm Wildlife = Toys and Trinkets!

--- In 6mm_Miniatures, Ady Arnold wrote:
Hi all,
I'm after a little help trying to find some 6mm scale wildlife, in particular Arctic /Antarctic creatures, for an 'Evil Penguin Army of Doom!'
I'm planning the army for the 6mm Hordes Of Things game.
*** Anyone have any suggestions as to where I may get figs for it from? ***
Cheers,
Ady.

Hi Ady,

The first thing to do when looking for 6mm scale minis is not be too concerned with scale... many "6mm" miniatures are actually closer to 8mm or even (Alas, oh my!) 10mm. Being a little flexible with scale really helps out the selection.

I've been working on a 6mm (Really 10mm) miniature gaming set to run a Star Wars Battle of Hoth game. I eventually settled on the 10mm scale because the model availibility was better in this range. Most of the vehicles (Rebel Snowspeeders, AT-ATs, etc.) are still scaled much closer to 6mm than 10mm, but I digress...

Secondly, don't think that you can use items designed as miniatures. Toys and trinkets are very foten just as good as miniatures and often much less expensive. Charms (those items for lady's bracelets), animals toys for doll houses and even cereal item premiums often do the job.

Bears are easy to come by.
- I see little bear trinkets (charms) at the bead shop my girlfriend goes to.
- The Warmaster line also has 10mm bears availible for their Kislev army.

Penguins are a little harder.
- There used to be a board game I occasionally see in second hand shops/thrift stores that has little penguins just about the right side.
- I can't remember the name of the game though.
- You might want to settle for an army of "GIANT PENGUINS" so you can use slightly larger plastic toys for your army!

Fish (sea life) are easy to come by.
- There are lots of little plastic toy sets that come with these as well as toy trinkets.
- You can find all kinds of fish and other types of sealife including crustacians, octopi, whales, etc.

Lots of other animals are easy to come by as well. I see African animals all of the time. I also see many of the more common temperate zone animals.

As a final note, you should take a look at the HOTT galleries at The Stronghold web site. I seem to recall that they have an Inuit (Eskimo) army there that would be a good source of inspiration for you.

Shalom,
Maksim-Smelchak.

P.S.
This post was taken from the Yahoo E-group:

http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/6mm_Miniatures/