This week on the News Stand we got a selection of exciting updates, previews and releases from across the Ultramodern Wargaming space. From Spectre previews (and a slightly different release) to Combat Octopus dropping piles of new items to play with and Urban Scatter seemingly desperate to keep my FDM printer running, there is a lot to take a look at in this edition of The News Stand. Read on for more!
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It’s the final week of the Black Friday Sale over on MMF so if you need anything from one of the many sellers on there (such as Anvil Digital Forge, Combat Octopus, Modern Miniatures or Turnbase Miniatures) then use the code BF24 and get 50% off. This will work for many sellers in the store, so definitely a good time to take stock and see what you fancy.
Spectre Miniatures Releases Mythos
Brand new release from Spectre Miniatures and this week is not even from the Ultramodern setting. Spectre Mythos is out now, a brand-new supplement that will give you all the rules you might need to some Eldritch shenanigans such as Sanity, strange environmental effects and even some new gear to deal with them. This is available as a separate book but the best way is to get hold of it in the Core Box. This mighty bundle includes the rules as well as a collection of figures from 1930s America, with Good Guys (FBI Agents and an Investigator), Bad Guys (Townsfolk and Human Cultists) and Ugly Guys (Hybrids and two shades of horrors), everything you would need for your investigation of strange coastal towns. There are also two additional items to help build up your board, including a set of standing stones and an Olde Timey Sedan Car. I can see the miniatures doing very well, bringing the Spectre style of accuracy and scaling to a brand new era – the agents and townsfolk will also do pretty well in various Gangster games. If your focus is more Ultramodern, Mythos builds off the Spectre Operations rules (and requires them to be purchased separately) and works great when you’re shooting the horrors from beyond space and time with the M4.
One comment to make is that currently none of the Mythos range is available as a digital version (both miniatures and the rules). Spectre has commented this is to deal with concerns around piracy, but it is still disappointing to see after the Ultramodern sets have received day-and-date STL releases.
Luckily for those who prefer their horrors less eldritch and more ground, Spectre also dropped a preview from their upcoming SAS range. These are a collection of the new KS-1 carbine (as revealed in the image filename), covered in a collection of attachments such as the GBRS Hydra and Lerna mounts (mounting both an Eotech and a SIG Romeo red dot), laser and white lights and the KAC suppressor. There is a nice bit of variety in these rifles, without diverging too much from the basic model. With this preview, I’m looking forward to seeing what the full release is going to look like.
Something else to be aware of is that Christmas is coming and the last shipping dates have been announced. I’ve included them above, so worthwhile planning ahead. Luckily Spectre has also mentioned that have plans in place around the GSPR rules, so shipment to the EU is uninterrupted.
Flank March Miniatures Finishes ZAPAD-1 and Teases Next Kickstarter
At the time of writing, Flank March Miniatures has just finished ZAPAD-1 on Kickstarter, bringing a gigantic range of Russian Motor infantry to the market. Since last week’s coverage, the Kickstarter managed to blow past the final goals, with downed pilots, dismounted vehicle crew and even a set of BMP riders added to the All-In pledges. This project as done really well, so there is a market for 3D-printed Cold War figures it seems.
One thing I’m a back fan of with this campaign is that during it, Flank March has been hammering out free additional content around the figures. This took the form of a wargaming guide (with guidance on how to assemble your force), a painting guide and a scenario for the BattlegroundHD system which pits the Motor Rifles against the British defenders. Even if you haven’t grabbed the Kickstarter, these are some really well-put-together supplements and are definitely worth a look. He even released a blog post covering terrain on the North German plain, with plenty of useful info for anyone looking to get started.
Finally, Flank March has already dropped a preview image of the next release (something we also saw at the end of Lionheart). And much like Lionheart, we’ve got another Cold War exercise and a brand new faction – the US Army. I can see Flank March doing great things with this set, as well as continuing to keep the Cold War era filled with great figures to play with.
Black Powder Red Earth 28mm Kits On Sale
Echelon, makers of Black Powder Red Earth 28mm, have announced that all of their infantry sets are now available on sale. With up to 20% off, now is a great time to get your hands on figures ripped from the comic books, including the latest two sets for 00 Unit Nitto and SPEAR Brigade (although I do have a soft spot for the Crisis Team Scorch Close Combat team with its Flux Raiders). You can find all the sets over on the BPRE28 website, as well as the new CHIBI BPRE sticker pack to decorate your carrying case.
Urban Scatter Gaming Releases MENA Corner Building
Urban Scatter Gaming has dropped the latest item in his MENA range, expanding the previously released MENA Apartments with a brand new Corner piece. This set comes with three ground-floor pieces, two upper-floor sections and a trio of roof pieces. As you can see above, the buildings come with doors, windows and pieces in place, all ready to hit the FDM printer and eventually your table. You can also see the variety of possibilities you can make, ideal for building up some larger urban areas (especially if you want to keep adding floors to build a landmark).
It also includes the traditional stripped-down version, letting you assemble the shells and customise from a selection of door, roller door and window pieces included in the set. In fact, it even comes with pieces such as awnings, signs and even a staircase for access to the upper floors. If you’re interested (and if you’re a MENA gamer you should be) you can find it on the USG Gumroad right now.
Speaking of the USG Gumroad, it has been updated with several older sets that were only released by the Patreon. The Sports Recreation, Playground and City Park sets will give you plenty of pieces to decorate your table, making it feel a little more lived-in feel. I’ve covered these during their original releases but now they are available for everyone.
Combat Octopus Releases US Inmates, Extra Heads for Gothic Serpent
Combat Octopus has released the November set. This was a theme I wasn’t super excited for (as my focus lies primarily on the military side of Ultramodern gaming) but this set of US Inmates and Rioters really shows off what can be done with the modular feature set Combat Octopus offers. Comprising of five figures, there is a literal pile of weapon systems you can give them, ideal for setting up your gang of criminals looking to get out of the slammer, or maybe the group defending their corner.
As you can see in the breakdowns, there are plenty of options for your inmates, including body armour scrounged up from the guards. I quite like the posing on the fighters (including the possibility for dual MP5s if you really want to go hard). There is also a great set of heads, the underappreciated part of every CO release that would be ideal for other groups in previous sets. As I said at the start, I wasn’t massively excited for this release but now I see it, I’m already making plans. If you want these for yourself, you can grab them by signing up to the Patreon before the end of the month.
As a side announcement, the next loyalty reward coming in December has been announced. This is going to be an Eastern European Deniables AT team, the perfect add-on to the last set of releases. This will comprise a pair of operators carrying assault rifles and using Russian-made launchers; one with an RPG-7 (including the ammo backpack) while the other is carrying a set of disposable launchers. There is also the promise of another set of Eastern European Deniable operators coming early next year – these are slightly muddier, with warm jackets, puff vests and high boots.
Finally, we’re in the last few days of Operation Gothic Serpent, the MyMiniFactory project that Combat Octopus has been running. Although sadly this campaign hasn’t stormed up the stretch goals, the spare head goals have now been sculpted and released for all backers. These heads are a great addition, perfect to expand the options available. I can also see the shemagh heads being very useful. If you want to get a hand on them, as well as the core set of 16 figures, they should still be available over on MMF.
Goggles Miniatures Releases Seasonal Miniatures
Good news for those wanting heavy firepower for their vehicle collection, Goggles Miniatures has released its Seasonal specials. The Stryker MGS and the Nona SVK provide direct fire support to accompany the other vehicles released earlier in the month. These vehicles all have rotating turrets and the MGS can even elevate the main gun. If you want these, they will be on the Patreon for this month at the higher tier that Goggles offers.
Modern Miniatures Previews Canvas Cover for MAN Truck
Modern Miniatures also showed off a preview this week, including another addition to next month’s release. The Canvas cover for the MAN truck allows for a different visual for it, ideal for hiding the contents or keeping those riding inside out of the rain. The piece is standalone, meaning you can pop it on and off without having to glue it in place.
Turnbase Miniatures Previews Exo-Suits
Finally, Turnbase Miniatures is previewing its upcoming release by showing some exo suits. No further details on what we can expect from this set, but Turnbase is interested if players prefer the sleek figure style on the left or the thicker one on the right. I’ll be interested to see exactly what the figures look like from this, but still waiting on further details.
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