15mm Wargaming for Fun and Sanity: December 2024

Rogue Stars is a good start. We've already used this setting plus 6 ish per side means I don't have to paint a whole series of armies. I mean I will, but for now--.

https://unitrecon.blogspot.com/2021/03/rs-taking-rogue-stars-to-venus-circa.html

https://unitrecon.blogspot.com/2022/03/rogue-stars-trouble-at-t-mill-this-time.html

The above covers 1 of the local tribes and I'll do the second next time. They are different.

Now a quick look at the terrain.

Venus is wet.

I need:

local villages, human settlements and swamp full of nasty bitey things.

River banks, light woods and scrub. Lairs!

The Inspiration Game! Heads up to our young Easton for recommending this scenario.

New Lizards and a few "in house" use from other Alternative Armies. I've been collecting this range, using sales to build 'em up as available. Now the range is complete I've got 'em based, white gesso then umber ink wash. Bit of colour here and there. I had to make new flight stands but it was worth the effort. I'd painted the not-Triceratops yonks* ago and the last thing I did was make several different crew inserts. My phone charger is on the blink so I only got a few pics!

*A Yonk is a unit of time that is the inverse square boot of the start of the project to it's completion.

Defenders, wot 'ave captured the poor Americans.

Heroic rescuers.

The defenders gather for the feast. Memories of Guy Fawkes night at home. The one time in the year mum would buy sausages - proper hand made butchers sausages. Buns, fried onion. Proper Job.

They're coming! The leader on the 3 grey in the middle. The cavalry came on slow then plowed into the wall of spears. The infantry poured over the walls held by the guards. Well sort of, they disappeared at first touch!

With only 2 ceremoniously thrown on the barbi the hostages were rescued!

Defenders		Leader 7. 2 Flyers 10	Guards 4 LI 20 = 41 points
7p Tribal Leader 3 as 6 Greater Warbeast	1	Move 6+ 10”	Attack 5 Attack v3 Defend 6
Courage 3 Armour 4		No Shooting	Ranger. Ponderous (no wild charge)

5p Flyers Light Riders	2	Move 5 12” Retreat full move.	Attack 7 Attack v5 Defend 6
Courage 5 Armour 3		Shoot 6+ 5 6”	Short range missiles Skirmish 7 Evade 7 Fly no cover.

6p LI Guards 12	1	Move 5+ 8”	Attack 6 Attack v5 (6=2) Defend 4
Courage 4 Armour 2		Shoot 6+ 5 6”	Wall of Spears. Poison

5p Mixed Light Inf. 12	4	Move 5+ 8”	Attack 6 Attack v5 Defend 4
Courage 4 Armour 2		Shoot 6+ 5 12”

Attackers		Leader 9. Riders 15	Scouts 3. Guards 6. Tribal 8 41p ten
9p Tribal Leader 3 as 6 Greater Warbeast	1	Move 6+ 10”	Attack 5 Attack v3 Defend 5 Enchanted Weapon p43
Courage 3 Armour 4		No Shooting	Ranger. Cunning Wild Charge.

5p Heavy Riders 6	3	Move 5+ 10”	Attack 5 Attack v4 Defend 5
Courage 4 Armour 3		Shooting 6+ 5 12”	Countercharge

3p Sneaky Scouts 6	1	Move 5+ 8”	Attack 6 Attack v5 (6=2) Defend 4
Courage 5 Armour 1		Shoot 7+ 5 6”	Short range missiles Skirmish 7 Evade 7 Hard to target over 12” armour 2. Fleet foot.

6p Bellicose Guards 12	1	Move 6+ 8”	Attack 5 Attack v3 Defend 6
Courage 4 Armour 3		No Shooting	Shiny Armour. Ranger. Wild Charge. Countercharge. 7+

4p Bellicose Tribal 12	4	Move 6+ 8”	Attack 5 Attack v3 Defend 6
Courage 4 Armour 4		No Shooting	Ranger. Wild Charge. Countercharge. 7+

The Rogue Star Players

This is remembereded from the days when there was TONS of stuff on the web. Guess the pages just disappeared into the ether--.

Custer. The fledgling Aeronef force managed to rescue Custer and many of his men, mainly by scaring the Indian's horses and shepherding the survivors to safety. The Courts Martial placed the blame squarely on Custer but public opinion haled the daring rescue as a success. The new Aeronef force received extra funding and took over many roles from the frontier cavalry force. Custer retains the 7th but it is relegated as a "penal company" and receives the worst of the worst. Plus its given every poor assignment and posting going. Now at 60 Custer and the 7th are sent to Venus. By gad you'll get to see them!

The Crew of the Airship (or anything "tramp") Donna Keebhab. Inspired by the 2005 Jack Black version of King Kong. If you need a job done, these are the crew you need. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpJgnbxM7ew

The Germans. All-over Venus like a nasty rash. Hot on the chemical and biological stuff these days--

The civilians. Traders, settlers, explorers and missionaries. Some will have useful skills but being civilians will cost 0 or less. Mobile scenery.

Plus, of course, the locals. Two or three tribes plus a "druid" faction.

Russia has taught us that "numbers have their own quality" does not' work.

But young Eason wanted to try a 24p all-undead 1p ravenous horde unit army. I'd brought "spares" from our recent games so out come the bases! We managed 22 + a 4p command group of belligerent foot.

I took the not-stargare Jaffas. Any resemblance to any Hollywood film is, of course, purely coincidental.

We decided that we'd start off-table and this caused the undead a lot of logistical problems. Most were outside command radius so their appearance was random to say the least.

I didn't suffer from that. So I sent my doggies against the strongest concentration while I maneuvered for terrain.

Blam! Unit gone for loss of 1. If you haven't played the (excellent) undead rules I suggest you have a go before attempting this!

Bit game of thrones that. But it killed some and disrupted the rest, so there was no hint of an orderly advance. Now I was able to shoot and give battle on my terms.

Shooting usually reduces a unit by half. If I was lucky the morale would finish them, if not they're on half dice.

Sometimes the undead can get a bit - crazy.

The Big Boss!

Eventually these will come on! More units = better chance of initiative swap.

That was certainly different! It "scratched an itch".

Next we tried the scenario Gory Bloodbath. With everyone on the table and relatively close it got a bit - brutal!