Kill Team - second game

Finally after very little gaming and missing the UK GamesExpo due to a Stag do (came 9th out of 11 in the karting - so an improvement), DK came over for his first game of Kill Team. We played the same factions and teams from the last time (with Snakes-eyes and Steedo) - DK running the Space Marines and my good self running the Guard Tempestors.

The table had a lot of clutter - done some buildings in case you hadn't noticed from previous posts.
DK set up behind lots of it - it was going to be a cagey game.

The start of the game saw some good rolling by DK - his traps KO'd one of my Guard on the Advance positions moves before the actual turns had even started. Then he scored a hit on the Volley gunner - I was thinking that on was in for a long, but short night if you get my meaning. However a lot of combined firepower took out the DK's leader and put a wound on another intercessor.
The next few turns were frustrating for both of us as I pushed forward to get eyes on DK's troopers only to miss (2 turns running with the plasma gun!). DK was using command points deal extra damage to my move exposed Guardsmen. However I was getting in some crucial saves and hits. But I was only one KO or flesh wound from have to take morale tests.

A charge by a Reiver put my pressure on my comms specialist - who I wasn't using effectively.
In the final turn a big push to DK's objective marker and a defensive position on my own made for a pretty tense end. The use of 2 command points allowed me to shot before DK's readied marines - KO'd one, then other missed allowing my Flamer to toast him (another KO). Heroically my comms specialist held off 2 Reivers in hand to hand while my leader was able to KO the other Reiver.

Game ends with the Guard holding the objectives, with 3 KO'd guard and one with2 flesh wounds. The Marines with 4 KO'd. Win to me!!

To be fair DKs it was first game and we were doing a lot on fumbling through the rules (no prep done for this due to other commitments) - he claims I didn't read through the objectives fully - poppycock is what I say! The command point were a really good addition to the game (forgot last time), and I think my final use of them gave me the win in terms of the objective. I didn't like the all around facing rule (had to look that up) in a skirmish game, perhaps that's just me but which way the model is looking is relevant - perhaps a house rule. Another key thing is that you really need to know your team - DK came in cold and didn't know the strengths and weaknesses of the Marines hiding away the Reivers rather than getting then stuck in to melee (not that they did a good job in this game), we also didn't have full handle on the benefits of the specialist or command points effects for each of the factions - we only used the same 2 command points rules in the game.
I suppose that is part of the point of Kill Team - get your team and get to know all that it can do with the specialists and faction traits available.

We need to get more games in to get to that stage, which I think that we can do ....
I've also got to get the Skitarii done then!

Morts

More Sci-Fi bits done ....

So I have managed to complete a few more bits of sci-fi scenery in the shape of object markers/battlefield clutter in the top 2 pics.

The bottom left shows tops which can be added to the buildings for bit of variation and change.
Bottom right show the current WIP for the drill rig thing, dropship and crashed F16 .....
The is nearly in sight ......

Then the skitarii to build and paint .... And the chaos barbarians to finish ....

Morts

Sci Fi Terrain - nearly there

Had a bit of a push on trying to finish off the Sci-Fi terrain I started for Kill-Team and Starship Troopers.Due the mainly having SST stuff I went with a grey "real" sci-fi look scheme rather than the "grim dark" gothic look of the 40k universe. 

The compound (well sort of) with the Ironclad miniatures watchtower (without its roof) which provided the basis of the look. Foam core walls to add extra cover  

The command block - I plan to get some furniture for the insides in the guise of computer consoles and weapons racks etc. 

The bunker house/medical centre. 

Workshop/refinery thing.

I have to put the grass on the bases and I might see if can get some posters/warning signs to break some of the grey. 

I also have these items to finish off - objective markers/toppers for the buildings and a pumping station/drilling unit, dropship and crashed drone. 

Hopefully in the next couple of weeks - then a game .... That will take of planning.

Morts

Been out and about

So it has been a month since my last post  - work (exam season is here) and DIY tasks have been set (and completed by the Better Half). Gaming, making and painting stuff has been non existent .... I need to get play some games as the painting mojo, which normally feeds the "I need" this new model itch has worn off at the moment. Probably just as well take I can't make UK Games Expo at the weekend with the rest of the collective.

So what have I been up to - well this week I have visited Wales .... well the marcher land to be more precise. The better half and I have had a couple of days around Chepstow. I liked Chepstow - it is a bit quiet in the evening (like I'm late night party animal?), but it has a Castle!

It is obviously a ruined Castle, but it a one you can have a good wander about it - with some great views of the Wye and England (I do have lots of pictures, but I have chosen to spare you the slide show). It was one of the first Castle's that the Norman put up after the conquest - added to for a good 400 years or so - before the English Civil War did for it. Well worth the visit. After the Castle we had a few drinks and planned the next day ....

Which was .....Raining! Typical as we had planned a walk to Tintern Abbey - Along Offa's Dyke! Actually started raining when we started the walk. Yet more military fortifications to look at during the day! Good times.

To be honest the 6 mile or so stretch that we walked from Chepstow didn't have a vast amount of Dyke - first bit was at least a mile in, but a cracking walk to Tintern.

Tintern Abbey is another spectacular ruin - this one down to Henry VIII and worth a visit - we did stop for a coffee to get out the the rain. Due to the rain we headed back to Chepstow on the Wye Valley Walk, through some amazing woodlands (there are apparently some great views, but we didn't see them because of the rain).

The walk back was another 6 or so miles - In total around 12 miles (should do this in km as it is a much better system of measurement - so about 19 km) with a total of around 450 m of ascent from Chepstow to Tintern to Chepstow. Better weather would have make the walk easier as we would have had more breaks for views and stuff to eat - I think the better half felt it was a route march. 

For the final day in Wales we headed up to Raglan Castle (also to get VFM out of the 3 day pass for the Welsh Monuments we picked up at Chepstow).

Raglan is another impressive ruin - again due to the Civil War. Again plenty to wander around and see. It does boggle my mind how they built these structures - the Castles just shout out power and money and Offa's Dyke - 150 or so miles of earthworks, so for shear size just a bit mind blowing - especially as they are still here a visible after 1200-500 years! Will the Millennium Dome - sorry the O2 still be around or will that go the same way as the Crystal Palace?
Anyway Raglan well worth the visit - not bad 3 sets of Military fortifications in 3 days. I'd done well there. After Raglan we visited Monmouth - a nice little town (with a Castle which we didn't visit .... this time).

In summary well worth visiting Chepstow and the Wye Valley, as we had a cracking mini-break there. Perhaps some MTB in the Forest of Dean next time.

Morts


For more info on Chepstow, Tintern and Raglan - visit Wikipedia, their websites or the places themselves.

Battlestar Galactica - a late game report!

The whole collective gathered at Steedo's 5 nights ago for a play through of the classic treachery game of Battlestar Galactica - with the Pegasus expansion (and probably a couple of other extra bits - just because we like to challenge ourselves. The colonials having only once before won - the Cylons winning on the several other occasions. Steedo picked Apollo, DK was Tigh, Sylon Hotdog, Snake-eyes Commander Adama (Admiral) and my good self Zarek (el President). Cylon cards were dealt and the game was a foot.
The first turn threw up a fairly easy check - which we inexplicably failed - there was some treachery already - was it Snake-eyes, Sylon or Steedo ..... Only time would tell.

The game moved on with us generally passing tests and getting closer to earth - the Cylon fleet board was always a concern but we managed to just stay ahead of any attacks and we're lucky that only one heavy raider was activated all game. New Cylon cards were dealt and as I was not happy with the fleet management I took the decision to bring the military and civilian branches of government together with Tom Zarek as Supreme Leader (sounds a bit Cylon ...) Admiral/President, which did turn out to be an almost good move, as Adama (Snake-eyes) revealed himself to be a Cylon and attempted to thwart the plucky colonials .....

However the Cylon fleet activated and caught some of the civilian ships in the open unprotected by Apollo .... Causing the fuel and something else go to zero and it was the end of the road for humanity! This was when Steedo revealed his sneaky and duplicitous nature of being a Cylon.
So another win to the Cylons - aka Snake-eyes and Steedo - who claimed to have only Cylons from the second dealing of cards. I had my suspicions of Snake-eyes hence my taking of the Admiral card, but Steedo put a lot of miss direction Sylon's way (name doesn't help), but he didn't put up enough of a counter case!
So to pay back Steedo's deviousness a picture to show he can't pour a pint .... Perhaps the Cylons signs were there along.

Morts

Kill Team - Dropship .... Rebuild

So I have spent a few hours on the Dropship - making skids and reassembling the tail fins.

The fins are cut down from the originals - I think there were 4 on the original model but I only had 2 which were damaged and a tail fin from the F16 kit which is now a crashed fighter. 

The skids are made from sprues and wire and some white milliput - a little sanding might be needed. I and planned to get some acrylic rod and tube so I can make a flight stand - the tube projecting the same length from the belly as the skids, so that it would support the model in "landed" use. 

Lots of terrain and basing to do now. 

Morts

Kill Team - Terrain Update ...

So after a rather slow couple of weeks I have made a bit of progress with my Kill Team terrain - style wise it is in line with Starship Troopers so it can be multipurpose. All these need a bit of filling and bases sanded.

Top right - objective markers. Top left are tops which can be put on the buildings for a bit of variation. Bottom small building.

We have a downed ground attack jet (any passing a resemblance to an F16 is due to it being one!). The bottom right is a Dropship which I picked up very cheaply on Fleabay - planning to put skids and rebuild the tail.

This is the workshop/power centre for the base/outpost - plenty of tidying up to do on this.

The command building - top with one of the toppers. I have put some "plates" on the front of the building since I took these pictures.

I have also added to the large "land-pad" making it in to drilling rig - but I forgot to take a picture of it. So I have plenty to do - not including the actual decorating I ….. or should I say my "better half" has planned over the next couple of weeks.

Still have to finish the barbarians …… but I can't motivate myself for them at the moment.

Morts