This week in The News Stand, we get to see a whole load of exciting stuff. From terrain to vehicles to figures and more, Ultramodern Gaming feels to be constantly pushing forward with plenty of news stories from all across the spectrum of designers and manufacturers. Spectre, Combat Ocotopus, BobMack3d and more are all inside, so read on to catch up with the latest.
As always, thanks to the News Fans and other patrons over on the ChargeBlog patreon for buying my time to make this wrap-up each week. If you like these roundups and find them useful, why not chip in on the Patreon?
Spectre Miniatures Drops Another SAS Preview
Spectre Miniatures kicks off our previews for this week with three more SAS operators for the upcoming SAS range refresh. These three help to show off some of the special details that these guys are going to arrive with. It’s the implementation of a concept I like to call “Uniform but Different”, with all three operators looking like members of the same squad, doing the same role but with adjustments for personal taste – something that Spectre has been keen to talk about when previewing. All three are armed with KS-1 carbines but each has a variety of GBRS mounts for their optics and weapon lasers. But the variation goes deeper – each figure wears a plate carrier and tactical trousers but pouch layouts, styles, kneepads and more vary between each operator.
The SAS range is coming soon, which will refresh all the sets currently available, as well as move forward with some new additions. I think this is going to be one of Spectre’s most anticipated sets – the original SAS were a landmark set, so it will be great to see how time has changed the gear and improved Spectre’s sculpting style.
In addition, Spectre has announced that they will be attending both Adepticon in March and Salute in April. Both trips will include demo games, stock and a chance to meet the team behind the games and figures.
BobMack3d Finishes Lionheart at 811% Funding
The cycle of BobMack3d has reached the end of a successful Kickstarter project, giving me time to sit back, stop typing the words “Lionheart” and wonder why my wallet feels lighter yet my hard drive has an impending addition to it. However, it’s safe to say that the last project Lionheart has been a great success. As you can see above, the project reached 811% funded – however, the total does include the cost of the add-ons both the original BAOR set and vehicle crews which BobMack3d does not include when working out totals for stretch goals.
However, the Kickstarter has managed to get far enough to unlock some of the upper-end goals, including the updated FV432, the Warrior with a Milan post and (the cutest boy) the turretless Ferret Mk1. Overall, this Kickstarter (especially when combined with the last BAOR release) provides almost all the vehicles you’d need for Team Yankee, as well as plenty of additional vehicles for stranger operations both behind the lines in the Cold War Gone Hot and various colonial scuffles.
In terms of getting these vehicles on your board, Kickstarter will take a few weeks to get things sorted so it looks like we’ll be getting files hopefully by the end of the month.
Fire! Modern Combat Announce Paint Set for Their Kickstarter
Fire! Modern Comabt is coming to Kickstarter soon and so is still revealing a few new details. This week, we got to see something to help you launch your new collection, with a paint set intended to cover the Insurgents and Rangers coming in the initial launch. These paints come from AK and also come with a synthetic brush, seeming a pretty good set to get started. This definitely seems like Fire is positioning itself to be the entry point for a whole new group of modern wargamers.
There has also been further comments that may be of interest to those who prefer to avoid international shipping thanks to PDFs and STLs. Fire! currently has no plans to release digital items during the Kickstarter and with a focus on physical books and white metal figures. This is obviously disappointing as someone living the mostly digital life so it will be interesting to see if this approach changes.
Under Fire Miniatures Releases Cold War Russians
Under Fire Miniatures has recently released two new ranges to expand their Cold War Soviets set. For those wanting the more regular folks, a set of Motor Rifle Infantry in TTsKO uniforms are there to provide a different look for the battlefield. The sets come with a mix of equipment, including RPGs and PKMs, meaning that all 12 figures would give you enough for a motor rifle squad and a few additional chaps for your characters.
The other range is for the more sneaky folks as it brings four packs of Russian Spetsnaz operators. Rolling Suppressed weapons, night vision optics and even a sneaky suppressed pistol or two. It even features a group commander set, with an attached sniper to go with the leadership. These figures could be used in a whole host of settings, from sneaking around the rear areas of a NATO defence to the Zone or even (with the right paint job) any number of post-Soviet conflicts.
All sets are out now and available from the Underfire Miniatures site.
Urban Scatter Gaming Delivers Exclusive Preview Of A Giant Hotel
I was sitting in my room, enjoying a quiet Sunday when Urban Scatter Gaming appeared in my Discord with the news all writers want to see.
“Hey, want an exclusive preview?”
Well, I am a sucker for an exclusive and it helps that USG is in the process of making literally everything you might want for a Middle Eastern board. Having given us houses, apartments, walls and more, it’s now time for a centrepiece. The Hotel shown above is a multi-part structure, highly customizable yet printable on most commonly available filament printers. There will be more details coming soon, once Urban Scatter Gaming has finished off his work on it but this is definitely a piece that’s making me interested in getting a MENA table together.
Combat Octopus Provides a Piles of Updates
Every so often Combat Octopus has a week where he just absolutely bombards us with info of what is coming next. Luckily for us, this is usually an excellent time to be watching as these info-dense weeks provide us with all sorts of exciting news. First up, we have additional details on this month’s release – the final two poses, ready for combat, all sorted to either provide covering fire for their comrades. As someone playing Tarkov, I’m 99% sure I’ve met the guy on the left in a dark alley somewhere on the Streets. That aside, both look great for the theme, as well as providing you with some heavy firepower – I hear one of them may even get a PKP.
As we’re approaching release dates, we’re also getting to see the new heads coming in the set. The main pieces will be the heads above, respirators on to deal with all sorts of irritants that may be involved while assaulting the enemy. For the other heads, we’ll be getting a few with NVGs (mixing monocular and panoramic), and if all goes well, we’ll be getting them this week).
This week we also got news of what the loyalists to the Patreon will be getting in March. After the previous anti-tank-related sets (NAWE for 3 months, Deniables for 6), this set will continue blowing things up – just from a little further away. The anti-material set will include two snipers, with one in a puffy jacket to support the Deniables of the last few months while the other will be in a poncho. CO has promised some large-calibre solutions so look forward to something perfect for smashing through whatever cover the enemy throws at you.
Finally in CO news, we have what’s coming up next. This month’s vote saw the recently added Russian SSO in Syria come out on top, giving us high-end Russian operators for March and April. However, despite some valiant efforts to get us the next Octopods release, the second-place spot ended up being the ever-present Female Operators pack. This is an option that has been bouncing around for several votes and so due to its popularity, it’s been locked in for May-June. I’m hoping this will give the patrons some time to lock down what they ACTUALLY want – the last time we had a generic theme win the vote, there was a vast gulf between what many Patrons wanted leading to a few disappointed patrons. While my idea of trashing the democracy and replacing it with a parental dictatorship has sadly not been accepted, it will be interesting to see what comes next. I’m looking forward to the SSO, especially with some of my own projects needing something to go up against the NAWE operators.
Modern Miniatures Previews Cool Vehicles and New Projects
Modern Miniatures is just kicking off the work for next month’s kitbashing release but it hasn’t stopped him showing off what else he’s been working on. Previewed in a single image on the Ultramodern Discord is this – yep, Modern Miniatures is able to release a JLTV. For those keeping track at home, this is the latest in the US military vehicle range, which also includes the Humvee and its many variants, MATV, Stryker and the M1078 and M1083 trucks. No details on a release date, so keep an eye open.
Another project on the timeline is Modern Miniatures Build a Trench system. Obviously intended to take advantage of the latest hotness that is Trench Crusade, the set has been built up without too many items to allow it to be used for everything from an alternative hellish version to the Levant to modern trench systems to the grim dark far future. According to the pre-marketing material, the campaign sounds like it will include all you need for building your own trench system, with resin details, FDM structures and even tools to assist when cutting foam. This project will be out on the 20th of February, but you can sign up for the pre-marketing campaign now.
Turnbase Miniatures Releases Australian Special Forces and British Royal Guard
Finally, we have the January releases from Turnbase Miniatures. January saw an updated set of figures for the Australian Special Forces, focusing on the EF90 as well as machine gunners, a Javelin launcher and a Carl Gustaf. For the upper tier, there is a set of British Royal Guards, complete with bearskin and L85s with scope covers and bayonets. These sets are supposed to be released soon and we do not have an update on what next month’s releases will be or when any of the recent sets will be available outside of the Patreon.
Famous By Our Swords Is Now On Kickstarter
As previously played on this very blog, Famous by Our Swords, the RPG lite miniatures skirmish game has hit Kickstarter. Eoin McCormack, a jolly nice fellow I’ve chatted to online quite a bit, has set up the Kickstarter to fund the printing of physical books. I’m a big fan of the system and its lore and setting also help it to stand apart – this is a low fantasy mercenary game that appeals to anyone who wants something more Witcher-y but with an Irish folklore bent. As well as the book (and several modified versions that come with more personal touches) you can also get a double bill, combining a copy of Famous By Our Swords with Clash of Banners, the larger scale rank and flank game that sees your armies of customisable mercenary regiments clashing against each other. Clash of Banners and Eoin will be at Salute this year, but if you want to get the physical books, the Kickstarter is a great place to start.
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