Way back in April 2021, Anthalonica Wargaming managed to fund a Kickstarter called Bobbies, Baddies and Bootnecks. Designed to rapidly expand the offerings of Anthalonica from the initial release focused on British Police, the Kickstarter offered up 4 squad packs as the starting point before broadening out into a whole HOST of new additions. Ranging from French Armed Police to Armed Civilians and Israeli Counter-Terrorist team, the Kickstarter managed to demolish it’s target and storm up through the stretch goals, adding in Royal Marine Commandos, SBS and even a certain Sneaky American agent.

Well, being the wargamer I am, I immediately jumped in, backing for TF Yellow (a set of individual Private Military Contractors with high tech gear) with a few additional single figures I liked the sound of. And then like every Kickstarter, the waiting game began.

Cut to April 2022 and I return from a game of Napoleonics to encounter a small box sat underneath the post box. Inside, behind two Velcro patches that are now on my patch wall, I found a rather nice collection of Anton from Flytrap Factory’s work. Including some extra backpacks I wasn’t expecting!

First impression is that the figures are rather nice. There is a nice level of crispness to the sculpts and the casting, with details like molle loops and straps sculpted with enough details to let you pick them out, while still casting safely in metal. These guys and girls are all hand sculpted, even things like weapons and helmets so you can feel Anton’s hand in each model produced.

The TF Yellow team (as well as one of the exclusive models with an LMG I managed to purchase two of) was what I was really excited about. I’ve got a soft spot for varied but uniform teams, with common web gear and uniform items but just enough variation so you can tell them apart. They are all equipped with body armour and molle web gear, with a selection of clothing both tactical and civilian. I really like the addition of extra kit hanging off the backpacks (such as paracord, breaching gear and ballistic helmets) to make them look like a veteran team prepared for whatever is thrown at them.

The weapons are as varied with their equipment, but it’s obvious this team works together, with some standardisation on STANAG weapons for everyone except the specialists. The most variety comes with the heads – each one stands out, from the mohawk’d SCAR user, the top knot and beard, even the balaclava and mask look that probably isn’t a good sign.

Honestly, these guys are a really cool idea well executed – ideal for a campaign game were you name your mercs and take them on ops or mixed in with a local militia group as some sneaky contacts.

Of course, as with all Kickstarters, there were a pile of additional models that were included.

First up, we have a pair of bank robbers ready for action – the Devtac Ronin inspired helmets are very much of the now, but the mix of a drum magged G36 and the M16 show these guys aren’t quite as professional as the team above. The next figure is inspired by a certain “Obi Wan Nairobi” based on his gear from the incident that made him famous – we have seen a few takes on him, but I quite like this pose. The final figure is a female marksman with a SRS bullpup bolt action rifle, someone who would go well with the team above.

As for the next set, well the first figure needs little introduction, with the goggles and silenced pistol he’s perfect for sneaking behind enemy lines and doing the split jump to loom over bad guys. Good to see him trade the FN2000 in for something more AR15 related. The next figure (according to the KS) is The Black Bear, a separatist warlord with modern kit that could fit very well in a modern warzone. The third is an armed civilian, a nice mix of a high end rifle with addons but mixed with a more on the street look. Finally, we have the Para SAW totting female PMC, ladden down with a all the gear she’ll need.

As always with models, it’s best to get the comparison. One thing I’d say is that these models have some STURDY bases – I really wouldn’t worry about the getting banged up in transit although you may want to remove some material when mounting them onto a base. I’d say they lean more towards the Empress end of the scaling, being on the bulky side compared to Spectre or Combat Octopus. However, I doubt from tabletop height you’d notice.

Now, if you’re paying attention, you might be asking a few questions. “Why are you showing unpainted models Mr Charge, even if you have bothered to ink them?” “Why it this listed as a SITREP rather than an Impressions?” “WHY AREN’T THEY ON BASES FOR GODS SAKE MAN?“

Well, it because I’m thinking of selling these models on. There is nothing fundamentally wrong with them – I think they are some of the sculptor’s best work so far, with some excellent designs and strong ideas for each one. The posing is natural, the details lovely. While inking the models to pick out the details, it was really cool to see them come to life.

But, times have moved on. In April 2021 when I was backing this Kickstarter, my 3d printing days was in it’s infancy with people like Turnbase or Combat Octopus yet to release their patreons and my brain still think it would mostly be used for vehicles. I was still burnt by some other 3d designed sculpts, turned off by static poses that lacked the dynamics and weight of traditional sculpting despite the gains in the weapon and hard objects department. In fact, I lamented pretty hard around this time about the fact that Spectre seemed to be the only people doing the sensible thing, a mixture of 3d printed hard objects (helmets and weapons) with manually sculpted bodies. The only 3d sculpted models I was really excited about was the White Dragon Miniatures stuff, enjoying the benefits of 3d printing while having been sculpted digitally.

It’s now April 2022. I’m signed up to multiple 3d printing patreons and I love the models I’ve managed to get from them. In the last year, I’ve picked a fair amount of Games Workshop figures that are digital sculpts cast in plastic and currently waiting for a box of models sculpted in Z-Brush where I’ve seen the preview renders. I still have some hand sculpted models (such as Paul Hick’s WW2 Brits) but they are fast becoming the exceptions not the rule. Even Spectre has taken the final leap, with the Delta and Insurgent PMC figures being digitally sculpted. Time has moved on.

At the end of the day, my tastes have changed. I’ve realised I really much prefer painting well made digital models with hard edges and crisp detail, even it occasionally I have to hunt a barrel from the carpet. So when I pulled the models out of the box, with traditionally sculpted weapons, I just didn’t get the same joy that I perhaps once did.

I need to finish by really stressing this – these models are good. Most other wargamers receiving theirs are getting very excited about them and for good reason – I think Anthalonica is onto a winner with their mix of ranges and it’s well worth supporting the company. Just because I’m not rushing to paint them, doesn’t mean that you won’t find something in their catalogue that really gets the creative juices going.

Welcoming a new range to the world of Ultramodern Wargaming is always fun, getting to take a look at new models, new styles and really dig into them. Alan from White Dragon Miniatures, a scrappy new company from Nottingham, very kindly sent me a pack of goodies. Contained within was a selection of models from the Courage in Contact range he is producing, giving me a chance to sit down and take a look at them.

Wait, what do you mean that White Dragon Miniatures isn’t new? And I first talked about his stuff back in 2018? And I’ve bought models from him before, including at the last Salute in 2019? Wait that can’t be…

Oh.

So yeah, I need to start off this impressions piece with an apology. It has taken me FAR too long to actually take a look at these models and this range in it’s entirety. Which is a real shame because god damn, these are some lovely models.

Before we start, some required disclosure: All the models in this impressions piece was sent to me by White Dragon Miniatures to take a look at.

First, some background. Even if you haven’t picked up anything specifically being sold by White Dragon Miniatures, it’s highly likely you’ve already touched something that WDM has had a hand in producing. Working with companies like Modiphius, Mantic and North Star, they have assisted by printing and casting miniatures. In fact, they even printed some of the vehicles for Spectre, as seen on this blog. In other words, they know how to play with resin and make good, high quality models.

On top of that, Alan (the man behind it all) is a great guy to chat to. He is always 100% on the top of the list to hunt down at shows (remember those?) to find out what he’s up to and see his latest tricks. Even down to pulling models off display to show me the clever way he worked out to print his vehicles without being 100 tons of resin.

Courage in Contact is the main range they are working on at the moment, focused on 28mm ultramodern warfighters. At the time of writing, there are four ranges – British in Afghanistan, Taliban, IDF and Russians. Thanks to the press pack being setup well, I’ll cover each of the ranges in more detail as we go along as I have examples of each to share.

As a rough guide however there are some common things to mention. All of WDM’s models come in resin, relatively stiff but with a little bit of give to prevent any breakage. They also all have slotta base style strips so you may need to tweak them slightly if you use MDF/washers/small local currency as your base. Cleanup is minimal – no flash, no mould lines to clean (because how how they made) and the only extra material is a few support structures that can be easily trimmed away.

Now, I know that when I say the word “Resin”, a collection of people somewhere on the internet is angrily writing about how Resin sucks and metal is the way forward. As much as I like the weight of a metal piece in my hand, I think that resin has it’s place and that place is detail. I am very pleased at how much detail you can spot on these figures, such as ejection ports on rifles and buckles on belts.

That said, these models aren’t overly detailed, covered in so much texture that you physically can’t paint the damn thing. The Courage In Contact models are 3D designed, the production quality fantastic and through their powers combined, you end up with a model where paint easily flows over the surface. As someone who just came off a year of painting Games Workshop models (and just after having painted some Empress US Marines) it felt like I was painting the GW models again, finding it very easy to pick out details and let shades do their shadowy work.

Something else that is exciting is that most of the range is available in both 28mm and 20mm (the exceptions being vehicles and heavy weapon teams). As someone who only plays in 28mm, this fact isn’t hugely important for me. But, 20mm (or 1/72) is a scale that makes a lot of sense for wargaming – there is a vast amount of plastic model kits and terrain available, the smaller figure size gives more room for manoeuvre and you still have a fun time painting on the details without wishing for a bigger magnifying glass/a faster death. The figures have the same level of detail on the smaller size, without going into stupidly thin pieces wishing to break. However, I’ll leave it to true fans to enjoy the tiny soldiers.

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Right, with all that out of the way, lets look at the actual minis.

The Brits

The first and most complete range is the British Army forces. Depicted using the gear in service between 2013-2014 (meaning it’s the land of rail systems, nice new UOR toys and MTP) the range gives you more than enough troops for an Infantry platoon with some add-on elements. There is a good mix of weapons and poses, providing you everything from the humble L85 up to the GPMG and a light AT weapon. There is even a soldier with the pistol, for when things get incredibly scary during your compound clearances.

A nice feature with many of the ranges is that they come with different head options (a benefit of 3d sculpting as it’s easy to swap parts in and out). For the Brits, you have a choice of three helmets – The Mk6 (with helmet bands), a Para helmet (with netting) and a helmet covered in scrim. As I own models with all three, they are pretty great and distinctive, helping to change up the appearance. I’m not sure you’d want to mix the three of them too much in one army (the Sgt Major may get annoyed), but it does give you some options.

The Brits also have some additional pieces to their platoon for 28mm gamers. For heavy support, both the venerable L111A1 .50cal HMG and the HK GMG are available, with each kit including a pair of gunner with the weapon and a loader. To assist with lugging these things around (or providing you a fancy model for jumping off points in certain popular games) there is also a quad bike (with rider or without) and a set of trailers filled with cargo.

Finally, the Brits have two vehicles in the collection. The Foxhound (a protected patrol vehicle with two GPMG gunners up top) and the Mastiff (a six wheeled MRAP with a .50cal in a protected turret). These vehicles are lovely, covered in fantastically crisp details and easy to assemble thanks to clever design and high quality production with very little flash. The Mastiff even has bar armour, made from brass etched pieces that nail the look while being perfectly sized for both assembly and gameplaying. I’d recommend them whole heartedly… except that they are in 1/56 scale and so look adorable small next to the 1/50 of Spectre/Empress/my 3d printer. This is entirely a personal opinion though – I just like my vehicles slightly on the chunky side.

Painting Notes

As you might expect, these guys are painted up in MTP, the British Army camo. For me, this is just multi-cam with more swooping lines. I used the Spectre colour list, although part of the way through realised I was using the wrong Vallejo Green Grey, and have been for several years. Because of this, it’s much more Green than it should be. In future, I’m going to investigate a different colour scheme.

The Taliban

Facing the Brits, you have the Taliban forces. A slightly smaller number of individual packs but thanks to the more irregular focus, and trio of head options, you have enough variety here to create a similar (if not larger) force. Ideal if you need to make an insurgency from scratch!

Packs 1 to 3 contain a mix of AKs and PKMs with a smattering of other support options. I do really like that packs with the RPG gunners also include a sperate figure carrying the ammo, setting up as team. Pack 4 is a set of commanders and leaders, complete with radios, maps and the ever useful Mk1 pointing arm. Finally, Pack 5 gives you some of the weird options. As well as the classic blind firing pose, a double barrel shotgun, revolver and hand grenade will help to break up your force and give you some variation among the sea of AKs.

There is also a sixth pack made up of an IED team. As well as the IED itself (and the poor devil carrying it), there is a dicker/triggerman model, a cameraman to video the effects and a man with the shovel looking suitably annoyed at having to dig the big hole to put it in. I think this pack is deceptively useful – I’m especially thinking about “Route Clearance”, one of the best Skirmish Sangin scenarios that is in Dispatches 2, which features US Special Forces attempting to arrest an IED maker while he places his bomb. Or use the digger figure as one of the locals out tending his field… just don’t ask too much about the chest pouches.

Of course, as well as the gunmen there are a few support elements. A range without a heavy machine gun is a sad one, and so here you get a Dushka (or DShK) team, including a loader with two cans of ammo under his arms. Perhaps more interesting is the pair of motorcycle packs. Each one has a rider and two passengers (armed with an AK or an RPG) but doesn’t actually require the rear passenger to fully assemble. With just how popular motorcycles are in Afghanistan, these bikes are handy for setting the scene, making players concerned about road traffic or just letting the OPFOR player perform drivebys on enemy convoys.

As mentioned, there are a trio of head options. I quite like the local headwear (a mix of the Pakol and Kufi hats) but there are two versions of the turban with faces uncovered or covered. This variety, when combined with the multitudes of paint schemes that can be done on civilian-esque figures, would let you easily assemble any Taliban force from Tier One hardcore nutcases down to the Local Militias that have been paid a couple of bucks to pop out, shoot some invaders and disappear. A definite bonus to any collector.

Painting Notes

This was probably the simplest model to paint from the batch. The main thing with Taliban is to make sure that the tops and bottoms under the vest (which are normally sold together) are the same colour. The vest over the top helps to add some contrast, as does the black turban. This is another figure where the blacks are Eshin Grey with Black Templar Contrast Paint over the top, which I think comes out rather nicely without requiring too much work.

The IDF

Stepping out of Afghanistan, we have two other smaller ranges which are no less exciting to play with. First of all, we have the IDF (or Israeli Defence Force). With their bullpup Tavors and floppy Mitz… Mitznefet on their heads (if you choose to take them), the IDF has a style all of their own. Especially because there is a mix of female and male soldiers in each pack, with some ponytails easily spotted at the back of heads. Weapon wise, there are all the guns you’d expect including the Negev LMG and underslung grenade launchers. I also quite like the mix of attachments on the guns – the Tavors showing both Mars close quarters sights and ACOG midrange optics.

As you can see, the range is a bit smaller than the more mature British and Taliban sets, focusing only on the basic infantry. However, the five packs give you a good selection of poses and equipment, easily able to assemble the IDF infantry squad (which is similar to the US Marine equivalent with three fireteams and a separate squad leader.) However, looking around at a few of the pictures of Israeli troops in action, I think you might be able to get away with mixing the various head options – although the Mitznefet is distinctive, the two styles of helmet (smooth cover and additional banding) are also fantastic and easily can go together.

WDM also has two Merkavas designed and possibly coming soon. These will also be 1:56 scale but knowing Alan, there will be some lovely design work in them to make them easy to assemble but keeping the weight down.

Painting Notes

The IDF issue single colour khaki uniforms for most of their troops and thank goodness it makes it easy to paint. I used valejo khaki for clothing, green webbing and then painted the helmet cover in a vague pattern using the colours I also use for Desert MARPT. Unfortunately, I forgot to shake my Agrax Wash before applying, leading to some very shiny boys and girls that need some matt varnish to reduce the effect.

The Russians

Finally, we have the most recent release – the Russians. Comprising of two packs for now with more planned (two of which have been previewed), this is probably good enough for a skirmish game. If you’re wanting multiple squads, waiting a little bit will give you a few more options. Once again though, each pack is a good mix of weapons – each has one man with a UGL on their rifle and you get an RPG in one pack and a PKP in the other. Put them together and you have a full squad ready to roll out of their BMP/BTR.

The Russians are another range where you can mix and match the head options. Rather than changing away from the Ratnik designs, the heads are just variations on what they are wearing on their face. They take you from uncovered face (the most regular version) before adding a balaclava (for the classic polite people look) and then finishing off with the full seal balaclava and goggles look.

Painting Notes

So this is where I get in trouble – Digital Flora is such a pain in the ass to paint I chose to go for evoking the visual of it rather than the specific camo pattern. For this reason I did a few layers of different Greens – US Dark Green, Agrax wash, another layer of US Dark Green and then a heavy drybrush of Russian Uniform. Finished off with the usual Iraqi Sand drybrush and it’s good enough for army work. Yes, I’m that sort of painter.

Comparison

So, with that as the rundown, lets talk about how they look next to other Ultramodern figures. Sadly, I ended up with mostly crouching figures so alas I couldn’t compare standing figure in Combat Gear with the other standing figures, so this taliban gunner will have to do.

So as you can see, the White Dragon Miniatures figures are definitely bulkier than most of the other sets. I’m not sure that, from standing over the table, I’d be able to really spot the differences so I don’t feel too bad about mixing them. Although maybe you’ll want to push them a little further back so the old perspective trick can kick in if you’re taking photos.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, White Dragon Miniatures is an exciting company on the Ultramodern scene. I’m a great fan of the sculpting style, reminding me a lot of how newer Games Workshop have managed to make 3d designed models with lots of details but in a certain way that doesn’t seem to need any overly fiddly painting style. With the various head options, you can easily build forces from the currently available ranges, making them perfect as a way to get into wargaming. This holds especially true for anyone playing ISAF operations in Afghanistan, as the Taliban and British ranges are a good one stop shop for all the combatants you’d need.

With 3D printing, I’ve definitely found myself buying less physical models. But even with that change, I’m really excited to look into getting whatever new stuff White Dragon Miniatures releases.

When the forces of the Emir of Bazistan is deployed onto the streets, they are often accompanied by wheeled armour cars armed with heavy machine guns. Bought for cheap from the Cynericians next door when they replaced them with the shiny new model, these things are more effective at telling the protestors to go home than a man with a chest full of gold and a bullhorn.

In wartime, the vehicle is most likely to be seen on fire by the side of the road thanks to it’s paper thin armour but the rear hatch’s pintle mount can be fitted with locally produced ATGMs in order to make a high speed tank hunter.

“Equipment of the Bazi-Albion Wars” by Steve Walters, Arcadian Central Espionage Agency

I have a soft spot for all things armoured car – I think mostly because they are a great vehicle to include in skirmish games like Spectre. Unlike a MBT which can overwhelm a game thanks to it being almost untouchable, lighter armoured vehicles can even the odds when accompanying lower skilled forces against more elite forces without it turning into a full on stomp.

The Cadillac Gage Commando from Empress is more designed for the Vietnam era, but I think it fits in perfectly for a paramilitary force that the Emirate of Bazistan might deploy against security threats, be they internal or external.

The kit is white resin with a few metal details. Casting is the usual Empress quality, the only strange pieces being the texture on front panel which I’m not sure is intended. I had to do some clean up with wheels to make them fit and even then I managed to snap the ankle. Luckily I was able to fix it with plenty of material to glue in place. I also added one of the antennas from the Empress Tigr kit, making it standout and look a touch more modern.

The crewman on the top is actually using the knife wielding body from Militia Miniatures with a Bolt Action head replacing the original undersized one. Seeing as the original model was not great, he found a new life riding on the top of the armoured car.

I think this is the last vehicle I’m painting in the old style (i.e. without the airbrush) – however this was already basecoated so it just needed finishing off. Over the top of the desert tan from Humbrol, black contrast over the tyres, blue lines for the windows and then a quick wash of Agrax. Finally, a dry brush of Iraqi Sand to finish it off.

It’s already had it’s first battle (and it didn’t immediately explode) so expect to see it pop up alongside the rest of the Emirate forces.

Oh boy. It’s been a long time since I’ve looked at rulesets, even longer since I’ve written my impressions on them. So why not kick it off with something that has been eagerly awaited?

For a long time, there has been a lot of discussion about a tabletop game from Black Powder Red Earth. Keen eyed readers may remember the Spectre models that were made to represent Ember team from the graphic novels and I am continued to be annoyed we didn’t get any further sets. There was also a board game prototype that they had been working on and that has evolved into the subject of today’s Impression piece, Black Powder Red Earth 28mm.

Also before we get started, slight disclosure – I am a backer of Black Powder Red Earth on patreon at the lowest level, enough to give me access to the piles of PDFs they have.

The Background

For a bit of context, I should probably go into just what Black Powder Red Earth is. More commonly abbreviated to BPRE, Black Powder Red Earth is a series of graphic novels and games from Jon Chang, with illustration work done by Josh Taylor and funded in part by an ongoing Patreon. Split over several arcs each set in a different hot-spot (Iraq, Syria, Yemen and the North African fictional state of Awbari), the stories are all action thrillers involving Cold Harbor, a US PMC that is hired by various government and private entities to provide training and direct action capabilities. Each book is filled with incredibly striking and stylistic artwork of operators operating operationally – gear and tactics are intricately researched, helped by some of their close contacts and partnerships with companies like BCM, as well as Mr Chang having been a co-founder of Hayley Strategic, and all with this aggressive colour scheme, the visuals almost searing themselves into your eyes. The tone is similarly realistic – technological advantages may help Cold Harbor stack some bodies but a lot of the guys in red still go down during the numerous firefights. And all the way through, the setting is presented in a way that is gripping and interesting to read – as I’ve said in the past, the thing that pushed me into making my own setting is seeing what Echelon has done with this series, in it’s graphic novels, video games and sourcebooks.

With the baseline information aside, I should probably say the first controversial thing – I’m not actually the biggest fan of the graphic novels.

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Okay, I can already see the comments being written and the tabs closing. Let me explain.

I do enjoy the artwork and the world building each issue includes. The broad strokes of the story and the setting, the dedication to showing the real world (with all it’s shades of grey) and showing the tactical operations done right. Where I think the series falls down, in my opinion personally, is that while the world sticks with me, it fails to grab hold quite so much with the more specific drama – the focal characters mostly merge into one of two archetypes (grizzled operator or suit wearing leader), while the story seeming to meander it’s way through the first three books before rushing to the inevitable “Book 4 Big Dramatic Twist” (that usually leaves everyone you might have liked dead). I am cautiously hopeful for the latest series Awbari – the first issue already shows a dramatically improved amount of recognisable characters and less focus on the gore/spectacle of the action over actually delivering a plot.

So, coming from that I must really dislike the game, right?

Oh no. I really, really like it. I think this is a game I’m going to keep coming back to.

The Rulebook

Set in the Awbari storyline, BPRE 28mm is a skirmish wargame focused on one thing – night raids by the Cold Harbour team Scorch against enemy positions in the border clades. Each mission lets you take a selection of Cold Harbour operators and send them against the local insurgents and their Hongbin mercenary handlers. The front of the book is a big chunk of lore describing the situation, giving anyone who may have missed the first volume of the new graphic novel a lowdown on the situation. It’s very evocative, conjuring the images of the world and the forces into your mind. At the back of the book there is also the action scene from issue 1 of the Awbari arc, giving you some more inspiration for the games to come and just how your tabletop actions will look in your mind’s eye.

As a side note, I think it’s worth mentioning about how book writes about one of the sides you’re expected to play. As in the comic, the religious fanatics of the Aayari Network and the Chinese backed, North Korean Hongbin troops are written as the complete and utter bastards they are (the Hongbin Merc standing out as especially moustache twirling villains while the Muhtsib are exactly what you expect when someone says “Religious Fanatic”). Unlike the comic however, one player is going to end up having to control them. Ultramodern Wargaming is full of these situations and it could be argued that it’s one of it’s defining traits. It’s interesting just how all out they go making them “the bad guys” without the shades of grey that often come into play. It should be said, this is not really a critique, more an observation – plus, as I discovered with a certain player at SESWC (they know who they are) some people really enjoy playing the bad guys.

I also want to talk about the presentation of this book – it’s fantastic. BPRE has evolved a style all of it’s own and the book lives and breathes it. The punchy fonts, the colour scheme, the very clear diagrams in a pictorial style – all of this helps to make the book feel like another entry in the graphic novel series, while still getting across information needed to play the game. In fact, the only downside is maybe some of the print quality – like the graphic novel volumes, the book is a paperback printed by Amazon locally. While this is great for the environment and better for Echelon Software, it’s not so great for having the premium feel that other rulesets like Osprey’s big books can give you. As my eager reading of Silver Bayonet this week can attest, a little bit of gloss and a hardback cover can go a long way, especially with all the great design work already in the box.

The Rules

Once past the lore, the meat of the book is the rules. And lets just cut to the chase: I am kind of amazed at just how slick the core of the rules is. Take for example the enemy of rules writer everywhere – character profiles. While most games include separate stats for combat, leadership and equipment options, BPRE cuts it down to four things: How fast can I move, How well can I hit the bad guys (the hit roll), how easily do I go down when shot (the save roll) and what special things can I do (special rules). Having just come off Necromunda’s literal list of values, this was quite a breath of fresh air! And yet, despite this dialling back of complexity, the character types still have a different feel to them – I’ll go into more details later but while playing the bad guys, the difference between the local Aayari troops and the Hongbin mercs comes across hard thanks to the tweaks in the different values.

The rest of the core fundamentals are pretty damn solid as well. Shooting is a two stage process (roll to hit, roll to save) with very few additional modifiers (at most maybe a single numerical one) with details for cover included in the attack roll. Rolling high on either of these is good, while 20’s give you either an unsavable kill (useful against S-Vest and body armour users) or ignores the staggering effect of being shot. Cover is also simple – it’s all done from the top down perspective you are either out of Line of Sight, Obstructed or in the open (with any additional line of sight rules covered with some handy diagrams). Doors on the battlefield, key in a CQB engagement, also paly a part, blocking line of sight unless movement is spent to open them. Activating a character at any point drops an ACT chit on them, with specific rules for this varying during whatever stage you are in.

A final general rule element is facing – rather than 180 degrees or 90, BPRE goes with 135 degrees, or 90 degrees to their left and 45 degrees to the right. While at first puzzling, it made a little more sense when I thought back to my airsoft trips, during which your visibility to your right is usually filled with at least some element of your armament during a close quarters engagement.

Four things I really want to cover are the Turn Structure, Intervention Cards, Warfighters and setting up each scenario (with the potential to arrange a full on Night Raid).

Turn Structure

Each turn in BPRE is split into three phases: Direct Fire, Maneuver and Finishing. Players take turns activating within each phase, meaning there is a quite pleasant back and forth, especially with how little action paralysis you’ll experience. Additionally, the Assaulting player always goes first – each game of BPRE is a very short engagement, not really enough time for the initiative to swing back and forth

The Direct Fire phase is probably the phase where most of your pre-planned shooting will take place. Any attacks during this phase gain a bonus to the hit roll and by going first makes you think about setting up firing arcs in the previous turn. This phase also lets you toss out frag grenades, which lie in wait until later in the turn. Interestingly, this is merely place a token in the location you want to throw the grenade, leading to some fun mechanics later on.

The Maneuver Phase allows units that did not shoot in the Direct Fire phase to move around and, at any point in that move, engage an opponent within line of sight. If you are unfortunate to move into the line of sight of a model that has yet to be activated (or god forbid start activating within that line of sight) then an interruption can occur and a Immediate action take place (at the loss of some accuracy). My favourite feature of this phase though (aside from being able to drop support fires on your opponent) has to be rules about cover. While you can move around the waist high cover dotting the area, you can also attempt to cross it. This comes with a risk though, you have a 50/50 chance of fluffing your attempt to climb over the obstacle and end up staggered and on the far side of it – good when running to cover, bad when crossing some to keep advancing.

The Finishing Phase begins with the clearing of all Activation chits, preparing everyone for one final chance to act in the turn. This is followed up by the re-appearance of those frag grenade chit that were dropped in the Direct Fire phase. However, rather than simply detonating where the marker was placed, there is instead a chance for it to scatter a short distance (stopping at walls) and then detonate. This makes grenades a pretty interesting trap, flushing people out of cover as you always sure exactly where the final template will be. This turn also ends with close quarters Finishing Attacks taking place, with each player taking turns to deliver a final blow to any opponent within spitting distance of your forces – useful for finishing off anyone not killed by the frag grenades.

Now, you might have noticed that I mention ways to attack your opponent in every phase there and that’s correct – this game is fast and bloody. In the games I managed to play, we were dropping bodies frequently, with several games ending way before the 7 turn time limit just by tabling the opponent. This makes sense for the close quarters action the game entails and makes most moves feel like dancing on a knife edge.

Intervention Cards

If there is one thing that Necromunda has taught me, people love having hands of cards to let them modify how the game is played. BPRE 28mm is no exception, giving each player a small hand of cards at the start of each game. The use of these cards is something that lets you change the game, upending the core mechanics and letting you twist the hands of fate.

Think your fanatical Muhtasib is about to die due to all the Scorch guys around him? Drop “Front Towards Enemy” and suddenly the Scorch player is frantically hoping you roll a Stagger or higher to prevent an explosive end. Your Scorch Recce man stuck in the open? “This is Bat Country” lets you claw a touch more movement in the Finishing Phase. Your Assaulter shot entering a room by a Hongbin Merc? “Save the Last Bullet” lets you attempt to take that son of a bitch out before you go down.

You are only allowed three of these cards, and picking it as important as picking your team. None of the cards feel overpowered or useless – they are all minor tweaks rather than any game changers and only a few are raw “add +2 to a dice roll” – too many of that is when you know a designer is frantically trying to pad. It’s also a mechanic that can inspire some really great plays and memorable moments – exactly what you need in a skirmish game.

Warfighters

As I mentioned before, the units you select may be simple in profile but all feel different and have their place. Some of them (like the Machine Gunner or anyone with a fires asset) are limited to specific numbers within the force based on it’s total points, which is a neat bit of balancing without hugely overcomplicating things.

For Scorch, you have the Advisor, Assaulter, Automatic Rifleman and Recce. Assaulter are probably the “main” part of the force giving you a reliable shooter and a frag deploying machine. Recce are a slightly tweaked Assaulter, giving you a host of special rules and extra movement to make you perfect at kicking in doors. The Automatic Rifleman is the main killing power in the team, great at both Immediate Actions and dropping a handful of attacks every opportunity (thanks to the LAMG). Finally, the Advisor is a better Assaulter who also brings an area of effect explosive drone to the field.

For the Aayari guys, you have the Muhtasib and the Shurta, as well as the Hongbin Enabler and Mercs. The Muhtasib are your Assaulter equivalent, although cheaper and less skilled. They are however all wearing S-Vests – you want to stay away from these guys as that explosive packed vest isn’t just a reaction to a critical save fail, it’s an option to self-detonate in the Maneuver phase as well. Taking a Muhtasib also lets you take four Shurta and oh boy, these guys are terrible. No save rolls, a middling Hit Roll and honestly probably likely to shoot through their own team if they are in the way (yes, that’s a special rule). But, coming in at a quarter of the price of an Assaulter (a Muhtasib and a Shurta equals a single Assaulter), you can get more than enough numbers to overwhelm the Scorch guys. Alternatively, Hongbin Mercs give you a Lite version of the Automatic Rifleman who can also frag while the Enabler is the equal of any Scorch character while also giving you a pair of Loitering Munitions that simply drop a lump of metal directly onto a single enemy figure if you really need them dead (Automatic Riflemen and Advisors for the most part).

The limited numbers and lack of equipment options means it’s very easy to make a list for every game, without have to do a pile of mental maths or fill out tons of paperwork. I also like how each side only has four types of soldiers as it means you don’t need piles and piles of reference cards or a table to hold them all (looking at you Warhammer 40,000/Age of Sigmar). This also means that after a few games, you might find yourself remembering the Attack and Save Rolls (especially with Scorch where everyone but the Advisor has the same Attack Roll and they all have a standardised Save Roll). I may be jumping the gun, but if this game was to be expanded, I think it’s better to swap out ALL the cards for a side, rather than tacking on more and more – four is the right number.

Organising your Night Raids

So as you can probably tell, I like a lot in the core parts of this game. Where the game really shines though is in the scenario generation system and how these operations can be turned into a 3 or 5 mission night raid.

If you want to play a single mission, you will need to grab your tasking cards, your battle-space cards and your atmospherics. Taking one from each will determine your objectives, the layout of your AO and any large scale effects that might help/hinder your forces. The taskings are split into three types (Infil, Action On and Exfil) but these don’t determine a particular style of mission or anything specific – there is a good mix in each section so you won’t find yourself doing the same thing twice if you play multiple Infils. Additionally, not all of the missions has Scorch on the assault – something I was worried on my first read as going first in every mission might make it annoying for a Aayari player. The scenarios then detail Setup, anything required in your team makeup and how to win. I was very glad to see that not every mission is a simple “wipe out the bad guys” – from placing thermobaric charges to holding an exfil point, there is plenty of cool things to be doing.

Once you work out what you’re doing, the next step is setting up the play area. The battlespaces are all built from different arrangements of the same core elements (specific buildings, scattered vehicles, planters begging for you to leap over), meaning that it’s very easy to build up a board ready to play. I’ve got some opinions on these layouts (I’ll mention later) but we did notice that quite a few of them are very similar which might lead to some play space fatigue. However, each of them does have a nice mix of spaces to fight through, with plenty of thought put into keep plenty of cover in play.

Finally, the atmospherics determine just how much the fates hate you. One of them are pretty reasonable, with clear skies doing nothing. Too clear, with strong moonlight, and suddenly Fires cards are more deadly. Pull even worse and you might be in midst of a Sirocco (making fires less effective) or a Sandstorm (that basically reduces unskilled troops to staggering through the dust while better trained operators sneak past them) or, as we ended up in one of our playtest games, fighting through a BLOOD RAIN, a mix of the two that leads to some nasty close quarters fights.

With all this done, you pick your team up to the Capability value for the mission, pick your cards and begin to play. Each game will take around 30 minutes (we took about 50 in our first game as we were learning the rules) making it pretty ideal for playing over a lunch break. But what if you have more time?

Well, you can string them together into a full on Night Raid. Taking an evening to play through and comprising of either 3 or 5 games (1-2 Infil, 1 Action On and 1-2 Exfil), this is the main way to play the game. Now, wining operations will give you points but also potential very powerful Special Intervention Cards that sit in your hand for the rest of the Night Raid. Knowing you have the ability to control the Timeline (messing with the turn counter) or deny an enemy Fires card through jamming makes. At the same time, the atmospherics card you pick is going to last the whole time through, so you may need to plan around things like the Blood Rain.

Additionally, as each mission is a different engagement of a large force, there is no worries about injuries or the usual things that slow campaign games down. Lost a operation? Ah well, pick a new force, pick a new hand of cards and try again next operation. In our testing, it was funny watching my opposing player go from absolute elation at winning the first game to sudden concern once he worked out how many Mission Points I could snatch in the final games, despite having been bodied early on.

Much like with Necromunda and it’s campaigns, I think Night Raids is the way to play BPRE 28mm – all the joys of the main game but with the addition of playing the long game.

Game Thoughts

So overall, what do I think? Having managed to get a few games in, both playing through solo and against the Dastardly Regular Opponent, I managed to get my thoughts together.

Well first of all, lets say what this game isn’t. This game isn’t a replacement for Spectre or Sangin. While those games are multi-tools, providing access to a whole host of mission types and gameplay thanks to the piles of rules, Black Powder Red Earth 28mm is a really damn good screwdriver. It fits into the class of “Miniatures Boardgame” – it’s perhaps a step above playing on a fold out board with tile based movement but it definitely has the similar sensations. Between the small size of the arenas, a use of a pre-defined set of tiles for scenery and the low figure count, this would be right at home alongside the Dark Souls board game in your local hobby store.

That said, I think the game is fantastic. Razor focused on delivering close quarters and gripping firefights without being bogged down in minutiae, the fact you can play a game in a lunch break is pretty fantastic (and would have been perfect for when I was up in Edinburgh working). It’s easy to learn but still with plenty of depth. Even in our second turn, just after a Recce man breached and cleared a building, we were already getting excited about the possibility space.

In terms of downsides, as a miniatures gamer, I think the layouts are not the best. Overall they are very similar, to the point where after a while my Dastardly Regular opponent and I decide to just leave the arrangement in place rather than shift what felt like two buildings around. It might have been cool to see some layouts using less buildings but more low cover, shifting the style of play. If you’re wanting to play this with just the rulebook, I’d simply take the layouts in the book as guidelines and then arrange your own terrain into something that roughly equals the feel.

It’s also a game I’d be excited to see how it grows. With a powerful but simple core mechanic set, it would be pretty easy to add new units (perhaps local government forces) or even things like additional mechanics, adding things like stealth. Even after my first Night Raid, I was already thinking about how you might model other forces, always a good sign in a new system!

I strongly recommend having this game around. It’s ideal for a club night, something to break out if you’re missing a player for a bigger game or someone isn’t able to turn up. It’s also a great introduction into ultramoderns for people who maybe aren’t quite ready for something with the scale of Spectre, put much less of a mental load on your head if you just want to drop some tiny plastic bodies.

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Ah, I see you’ve spotted the fact this article isn’t over yet. Lets talk about the bit of this game I’m much less enthusiastic about.

Distribution

I have mentioned in the past that Black Powder Red Earth products are definitely boutique. With the expense of small production runs, some eyewatering shipping to the UK due to previous issues with past shipments going missing (and a guarantee that customs will get their blood money when they see the cost), all this adds up to explains why my copy of Hypernotes Ember is sitting without a hard copy of it’s Scorch counterpart. It’s also why I have greater understanding for all the guys in the US who complain about Spectre’s pricing and postage.

The good news for wargamers is that the basic rulebook is £25 in the UK, is on Amazon and is shipped by them (I even got mine next day). I think this is a fair price – there is a lot of work in the book and the system is definitely worth it (as this monster of an impressions piece should probably tell you). I feel like I’ve got plenty of value from the book already and as mentioned above, it’s a nice ruleset to have on the shelf ready to deploy.

At this point, I have to say that for the other bundles I’m working entirely off the images available on the BPRE 28mm site. I haven’t pushed the button on any of these so this is all working off information available from the BPRE 28mm webpage. As such, I’m no going to comment on things like material quality or whatever – it would all just be me talking out of my backside!

For $65, you can get a set of the Scorch Team figures. These are resin cast, multipart figures and from looking at them they are rather good casts of the Scorch team guys with a nice level of detail. The price works out at $6.50/£5+ each, dropping you well and truly into new model Spectre pricing (although with less broken gun barrel due to them being multipart).

If you don’t want to spend that much, it’s also worth mentioning that there are some other people already selling figures similar to this style (although not exactly due to the replacement of the Minimis in the Cold Harbor arsenal with the LAMG), especially if you have access to a 3d printer.

If you want to get the figures and the tokens, then you are looking at a jump up to $175. This is basically the “I want the rulebook now and I’m willing to wait for the rest of the game” or “I’m a $25 patron and got the book through that” bundle. In terms of tokens/cards, you are looking at a fair amount. As well as the cards in hand, there is a pile of tokens for Activation, grenades, objectives. And then there is the terrain – doors, building layouts, planters, air-conditioning units and parked cars all as 2D flat tiles.

Finally, to buy the whole bundle with the book AND figures AND tokens, you’re looking at a cool $200 USD. This is listed as “The Complete Target Package” except I see one tiny flaw with it – there doesn’t appear to be anything to be used to represent OPFOR. While I can perhaps excuse not including things like dice (they are relatively easy to find and frankly I’m getting sick of GW giving me more), not including anything to show for the Aayarians in a head to head game might cause a problem for someone picking up the box as a way to get into tabletop wargaming (which I think this game will attract from fans of the comic).

Now, it’s quite obvious why it’s this expensive. Black Powder Red Earth is proudly marked as manufactured in the USA, with none of the printing shipped out to China as is usually done by everyone else, from Kickstarter projects to even Games Workshop. And honestly, I can respect the team for sticking to their principles. It does come with the downside that this release is definitely among the more expensive on the market. And again another part of the boutique feel of the items that Echelon Software produces.

Final Thoughts

So for this reason, I’m left incredibly torn. I can full recommend picking up the rulebook for all the reasons I explain above. Go buy it, enjoy the sequence at the back and reading about Awbari and have the game ready to go for when you want to get the Ultramoderns on the table but don’t feel like all the rigmarole of preparing a Spectre or Sangin game. It’s fun, it’s quick and you’ll have a good time.

I’m less quick fire to recommend the larger bundles. To start with, I’d surprised you can’t just pick-up the cards by themselves – it seems like the type of purchase that would make sense for a miniature gamer just interested in the rules and with their own terrain.

I also have a bit of an issue with “the complete target package” when it’s missing half of the figures you need to play – Hongbin and Aayari are coming next year and there are no placeholders in the box to let you pick up and play. I have a feeling that the product as a whole may have been better served as a board game style release, especially through something like Kickstarter – provide the game as a box that’s good to go (complete with pushboard standees using the fantastic artwork you can see in this article as playing pieces) and then provide the miniatures, 3d terrain and any expansions as add-ons down the road or stretch goals. With a strong artstyle and a fantastic game, with the right word of mouth I could see this game doing pretty well. I did see some comments that a Kickstarter might be coming when the rest of the miniatures are ready, which would make sense, but doesn’t help someone wanting to get into it now.

This is going to be one that is very much a wait and see. I really hope that the game has the legs to stand on it’s own after the launch period and that Echelon keep it supported with the figures and maybe even gameplay additions (always gonna be extra taskings for Scorch to hit).

Anyway, I’ll see you guys in Awbari. Don’t forget to check those corners and keep an eye on the sky for any sign of lumps of Chinese metal flying towards you.

If you want to hear an alternative take on the game, the boys over at The Table’s Edge have done a special mini-episode on BPRE 28mm. It’s available directly from their Soundcloud or you can subscribe to them through the usual places – Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, etc

IT HAS BEEN 10,000 YEARS!

Okay well actually more like four since I first heard (over several glasses of beer in the Fox at the Excel) someone saying the magic words for the first time.

“What if there were figures that came as both covert and overt versions so you can toggle between them during gameplay? It’s in the rules and it would be really cool.”

In the intervening time, I think I’ve heard that idea repeated several times a year be it on facebook or at conventions. That day has finally come. From talking to Steve at Spectre, this release mostly came about thanks to the switch to 3D sculpted models, making it much easier to create exact replicas when sculpting. It comprises of 7 different archetypes, with each coming in both civilian version (unarmed and blending into the crowd) and a version ready for action. None of them are particularly well equipped (it’s hard to hide a full-size AK in a jacket) but for covert games, an SMG is still an impressive bit of firepower to bring to bear.

From the jump off, there is a nice variation in the styles and equipment of each figure. None of them really feel like the Undercover Operators that Spectre already has nor the Division inspired Agents. Some fit a more varied environment than others, with clothing limiting their usefulness – the puffy coat of the Chinese agents might look a little odd if you’re playing in tropical locations. Otherwise, I can see plenty of use for both the civilian version and the armed operative both separately and together.

Okay, lets take a look at each of them.

US Agent

Let’s start with my personal favourite. You may have already spotted her popping up on the blog as my scale model whenever I’m printing out other things to take a look at. I adore her design and posing, bringing a war correspondent looking figure to the board. She’ll definitely be pretty useful in overt games, especially in some of the rulesets where having a journalist around can affect a missions outcome – certain military groups may not want to be caught on camera.

Going active, she pulls out a SIG MPX and drops her oakleys into “Operator” mode. This pose is also pretty cool and I can really easily imagine her alongside the Task Force Operators.

UK Agent

Close behind the US Agent in terms of my favourite is the UK operator. He’s maybe a little less subtle that the US Agent (the dirty tshirt and baseball cap isn’t fooling anyone) but again, he’s a handy figure to have. He could be any 6ft white white guy on the local street but you don’t know he’s hot until the MP9 comes out. I quite like the MP9 as a SMG (thanks to my airsoft days) and one with the Eotech and laser (as well as the suppressor) is probably a really handy piece of kit for getting out of a jam.

Russian Agent

Speaking of useful figures, the Russian operative is very likely to end up on the table. Between the slick backed hair and the golden watch, you just know this guy is probably on a no-fly list or two. He would probably be a perfect figure for a HVT the local agents are here to snatch and grab. Even though he’s only armed with a pistol, the capabilities of the Udav and it’s 9×21 pistol means you can add some AP rounds to it, a laser and red dot to counter the downside of close range rapid fire and suddenly you might be able to make even the most heavily armoured guys think twice.

The handgun is generic enough to be used for anyone, so if you find yourself needing additional agents for a drug bust or a bodyguard then this guy is great.

Chinese Agent

Perhaps the most surprising agent in the release, I was not expecting a Chinese operative to appear on the books. However, it makes a lot of sense, with China expanding soft power and more than likely to pop up in new places around the world. The puffy coat very strongly points to a winter location, although it might work for a European city or a Central Asian republic. Weapon wise, Chinese forces always bring interesting weapon systems and the Chang Feng CF05 is definitely one of them – 50 rounds of 9mm on tap is more than good enough to help you break contact.

MENA Agent

The MENA agent is also among my favourite. The female civilian by herself would be cool enough, ideally suited to match some of the Eurkea and Empress figures I have. However, I love the fact that she is also an undercover figure. The PP-2000 she’s carrying is definitely not the sort of thing a civilian or insurgent might be able to get her hands on, so she would be ideal for some kind of local fixer working with the westerners. Alternatively, the Insurgent PMC acting undercover would be great backup.

African Agent

Finally, we have the best fixer you could ever imagine. In his puffy ghillie, watching the street, ready to draw his MP5K when it all kicks off. This was another unexpected one – not quite as operator as expected but still potentially an exciting figure to have on the battlefield. The MP5K is another example of this guy maybe not being the most high speed operator, so would be ideal for your African militia forces as well.

So, that’s all the Covert Operators that Spectre has produced in the first wave. I think that this range definitely has some potential, and I think a lot of people have been asking for it and are now very happy with the result. There is definitely a rule of cool element to it, being able to swap out the same figure as opposed to flipping a token. And honestly, that’s the aim at the end isn’t it? Having cool games with cool figures on the board. There is also a nice bit of variation in the figures, meaning everyone can easily find a slot in their forces for them.

I would say however that it’s not without fault. Spectre has shown that each wave of releases is about 12 models (be that two 6-man squad packs or a squad pack + supports). Doing this style of release means you’re only getting half the “active” figures you might get otherwise. Additionally, if you’re buying these figures for the “surprise” reveal of the covert figure, then you might find them perhaps a little too obvious in the grand scheme with models all over the table.

Even with this points, I’m pretty happy with these figures. I’m already planning some smaller scale games to get some use out of them, so look forward to them on the tabletop soon!

After the drought of last year (a combination of many mostly obvious factors), Spectre is back with a second release of this year, bringing out a rather high tech (and better trained) set of additions to the Insurgent range. These guys are inspired by a collection of groups that have sprung up around the War on Terror, such as Malhama Tactical or the Taliban’s Red Group – high trained veterans outfitted with more modern kit either purchased online or recovered from better equipped fighting groups.

Similar to the Delta release earlier this year, the set is split into a squad pack and supports. What is new is that some of the supports are of a different style of character, expanding the undercover range further.

As with the Delta figures released earlier this year, these figures are in the new design that Spectre seems to be working with – 3D sculpted and multi-part. Although there was some concerns about the scaling of the Delta models compared to the existing Spectre miniatures, these models are much closer to regular guys – turns out the Delta were just some big old corn fed American boys.

Packing and assembly is of a similar standard to the Delta as well. The move to multi-part has meant a massive decrease in the amount of broken barrels or just overall bent pieces that need fixing. In the squad box, each figure came wrapped in their baggy, so you don’t end up with a pile of arms and a pile of bodies to play jigsaw until you find the matching pair. Unless you really want to, that is.

Fit of the multi-part models is also better than the Deltas. I didn’t have to do any work with liquid green stuff. Additionally, thanks to the setup there was not quite the same level of miscast thin stocks that I had with the MCXs of the Deltas. Only one part had a bit of material missing, but it was able to be assembled with no issues.

And there we have one of the model fresh out the box. As you can see, there is a lovely texture to the metal, nice and smooth, easily showing the detail off. I only had a tiny amount of flash to clean off the models.

There will be more detail on this guy later but I adored this model when I pulled him out the box. This guy comes as a single piece of metal and is gloriously detailed.

So lets take a look at what the range actually includes, especially after I finish painting it up. The squad pack is made up of six Insurgent Operators. They are all equipped with body armour, ballistic helmets with NVG mounts, gloves, balaclavas and sturdy boots. If this sounds like most of the Task Force Operators from Spectre, they you’re right – these guys are pretty well equipped. A nice detail is that a lot of it is older gen – the kneepads are separate rather than integrated into the BDUs, the helmets leaning more MICH style than the latest and greats FAST helmets. There are also a few of them with shemaghs/longer scarves – not quite full on tactical capes but definitely long enough to hide some gear.

Weapon wise, the team is carrying some pretty modern assault rifles, all from NATO countries. Four of the team are armed with G36Cs, the stocks swapped out for the more modern IdZ style and with Angled Foregrips, while the other two have the FN 2000. All the guns are suppressed, mounting force multipliers such laser designators and optics. Most have Eotech style holographic sights (red dots in the rules) but one of the G36 wielders has a thermal optic, ideal for putting the odds in their favour.

The rear of these models show off a few more touches of detail to the models, the classic molle look to the back of the vest, as well as the collection of pouches you might expect to see from operators with plenty of gear to store. As the Spectre guys mentioned on the site, these guys are going to be equipped much the same as their Western counterparts, with kit like medical gear and various grenade types. Not quite so fun for the operators when they get flashbanged is it!

Of course, every squad needs some support options, both to bring them up full squad numbers and add some force multiplication. The first three match the rest of the squad, giving you a PKP gunner, an RPG gunner (complete with MP5 as a side arm) and a squad leader/commander with a P90. This lets you bring the squad up to 9 models (ideal for a US Army inspired squad layout) but also gives you access to some additional force multipliers – the medium machine gun for suppression, an RPG for anti-armour/counter-fortification fire and the radio comms of the Commander to give you a connection point to off board assets.

Honestly, though, my favourite model has to be the sniper. There are just enough hints to tie him to the rest of the main squad, with the chest rig, boots and helmet poking out of the shroud, but he has gone to town on the camouflage. Covered in thermal camo defeating sheets, set up on the wall, he’s a fantastic little model. Additionally, he comes with something bearing the classic muzzle break and magazine size that tells me there is a semi-auto Barrett hidden under there. I am already planning to put him on the field for the Skirmish Sangin Sniper Hunt scenario.

Regarding paint scheme, I decided to paint these guys up as part of the Special Forces of Bazistan, my fictional Middle Eastern country (that will still be part of my custom setting). While the regular forces of Bazistan make do with US three colour desert, the SF guys (thanks to one of the Royal Family’s patronage) get to use Desert MARPAT. As well as the colours on the uniform, I also decided to apply each colour of the camouflage to the helmet in the same order, giving them a dappled look I’m really impressed with.

So, the paint list:

• Undercoat – Black
• MARPAT Camo
  • Base Layer – Vallejo Deck Tan
  • Camo 1 – Vallejo English Uniform
  • Camo 2 – Vallejo Medium Grey
  • Camo 3 – Vallejo German Camo Beige
• Webbing/Kneepad – Vallejo US Field Drab
• Shemagh – Vallejo Iraqi Sand
• Boots – Vallejo Burnt Umber
• Gloves/Balaclava/Commander Rucksack – Vallejo US Dark Green
• Glasses – Vallejo Basalt Grey
• Weapons – Citadel Black Templar Contrast, Drybrush of Vallejo Iraqi Sand
  • Attachments – Vallejo US Field Drab

Of course, not every addition to the range is full overt. There were two additional figures added that would be perfect on a less Overt battlefield. These two undercover operators are in civilian clothing with rucksacks (probably full of gear for breaking/entering/causing mayhem) while carrying smaller, more easily hidden SMGs. I always like the Skorpion machine pistol but the Uzi Pro is a cool addition to the range, giving a concealable weapon that still mounts things like red dots.

As well as supporting the Insurgent PMC, these undercover operators would also look pretty great alongside a few other figures in the Spectre range. They are really close to the Cartel Siccarios (with the facemasks and hoodies) and the mix of weapons wouldn’t look too far out of place. They would also look pretty good alongside the GRU low profile operators as well or maybe even the ones leading a FSB kill team (before getting the hell out of the way of those high calibre rifles).

Overall, I’m really happy with this release. It’s showing off another side of the irregular forces you wouldn’t see, as well as providing some useful figures for a whole host of potential forces. I’m really excited to get these guys on the board, especially in a battle that might pit some near tier forces up against each other – a nice change from the Elites wiping the board.

In terms of the overall “health” of the Spectre range, this is another great release from the new “era” of Spectre. The multi-part models are much more resistant to damage in transit, while still letting you have the detail. The new casters continue to provide high quality models which always help. Perhaps the only thing left to see is how quickly the stock levels can be replenished – these models are back on pre-order, so there maybe some wait if you want some of your own.

The dark armoured warriors stepped further into the darkness of the tunnels, moving carefully over the loose sand and scree that covered the incline. There were four of them, the rest of the band left above to guard the entrance against any intruders while the chosen few ventured deep into the tombs. They were looking for something, something to bring their lord greater power.

At the bottom of the stone ramp the warriors paused, listening. The tunnels around them were inky black, not even the strange glowing crystal the cave above had contained. It was also quiet, still, not even the sound of the wind whistling through the caverns.

“Rhalar, light.” The tone of the leader of the band, Rhazgra the Seneschal, was short and to the point, the brisk words of a commander used to seeing her action done. She didn’t bother to turn, instead crouching behind her shield, her mace held low in the enclosed space.

“Of course, sister” the taller mage answered, her voice with an ethereal edge to it, the greenish glow of the scars in her cheek become stronger as her hand ignited, green fire wreathing it like a beast desperate to flee. With a delicate motion, she place the fire inside the top of the staff, letting it writhe over the metal as in it was in pain.

“Where to now Seneschal? These tunnels all look the same.” The Dour asked, his voice like the grinding of stone against stone, his axe resting against his shield as his helm leaned forward.

“Rhalar will guide us, won’t you beautiful?” Arkfel the Slayer, the pelt of a great scaled beast over his shoulder moving as he laughed quietly to himself, only stopping when he felt the glower from his leader.

Ignoring such pedestrian things, the sorcerer lifted her glowing hands, the magical energy now spilling fully from her eyes and the scars on her face before evaporating into the air. She turned to look down each of the tunnels, the glow seeing to burn away the darkness, before she focused on one in particular. “The way ahead. There is something dangerous, old, long dead but now disturbed.” Rhalar lifted up her hands, letting the staff float beside her as she pushed her mind forward, attempting to understand the presence before her.

“The treasure’s guardian? Or something else those damn Templars have disturbed?” Rhazgra asked, turning slightly to look at her sister. Spotting the way her hands shook and the way green fire was emitting from her eyes even as her face creased with the effort, Rhazgra placed her shield down and delicately guided her sister’s hand back to the staff, the cold metal bringing her back to the present. She seemed to sign, her shoulders heaving as she drank in the cool air.

“Careful, beloved sister. It would be unwise for you to push yourself too hard before we have reached the prize. I’ll need your mind to unlock it’s traps.” She pulled her taller sister’s head down so their brows met, the anxious sweat of the mage resting against the cool of the warrior. “Besides,” she smiled “I would hate to have to leave you behind in favour of the treasure.”

Rhalar smiled. “I know sister, but I do not think you will need to. I know The Patron smiles on us this day. I can feel her whispers in the air.”

Yep, it happens to the best of us. Eventually anyone playing Sci-fi or Fantasy finds themselves looking at Chaos Warriors and reflecting on just how cool they look. They combine the glorious appeal of knights in armour but with that dark fantasy baroque look that means they just drip with character. They are the warriors that burn down the hero’s village as child, thus setting off the story. They are the Dark Figures that chase your heroes across the plains, slaying anyone in their way. And right at the end, they are the army you fight through to take on their leader. As you might guess, I adore the artwork and mental images, even if the normal models (released back in Warhammer Fantasy Battle days) are very static/designed for ranking up.

Seeing as I’m now working on very small (honesty) fantasy collection, and after seeing the Underworld Warband back when it was announced, I decided that these much more dynamic warriors were exactly what I wanted. Each of them looked like a real threat, a champion of the dark gods assembled alongside allies and rivals to take the fight to the enemy. What better troops to follow my Chaos Lord (who I’ve designed as some kind of Cursed Warrior/Undying King) than a collection of highly skilled individuals who just happen to be able to work together.

As a test bed, I decided to paint up the Underworld Warband “Khagra Ravagers”. Comprising of three warriors and a mage, it’s a great little introduction into the range. There are lots of shared character design elements among them – the armour and cloak combination, the multiple weapons and shield all ready to go, the smattering of decorations showing their allegiance.

As an aside, before I get into the figures, I’m just going to mention that I’m using my own names and descriptions for them. As much as I like Games Workshop’s setting, I’m one of those people who really like writing their own settings, characters and stories. As part of this, these four warriors will form the leaders of my Chosen Warriors, set to accompany the Lord into battle (seeing as he fights on foot). Additionally, as the greatest warriors among them, they are sent off to do specific tasks for their leader, ideally setting them up for small skirmish games.

First up we have a Warrior with shield and axe, ready to attack but in a relatively guarded pose. This is “The Dour”, an old warrior in a profession where that is a rarity. He’s basically Rhazgra’s main advisor/strong man, ready to offer the blunt opinion when required but then following her orders to the letter.

He’s also just really fun to paint, a relatively open pose with lots of finer details to add to. As the first figure painted, this was where I decided on the colours I would be using. Going for Valejo’s Royal Purple for the cloak really helps to make them look regal. I also used the classic Leadbelcher for the armour but after a quick look, a layer of black contrast over the top made it look the classic black armour that the Chaos Warriors are known for. On most, I decided to use mostly brass colours rather gold, helping to make them look less “fancy” than any Templars I am doing. The exception was the leader and mage, the gold marking them out as a little more important.

Next, with a weapon in each hand and animal pelt over the shoulder we have Arkfel the Slayer. With a pose like that, leaving himself entirely open and daring his enemy on, he seems like a real charming bastard of a warrior. Combine that with the pelt over his shoulder, I worked up the idea of the charming asshole who knows he has the skills to backup his boasting. Plus, if I’m doing the writing, a perfect partner to the mage, standing there to taunt attackers away from his beloved.

This guy is really similar pose to the Slambo figure from the olden days and I kind of love it. It was really fun working on him, especially with the scales over his shoulder. I originally started off with the colours reversed, only swapping to a more realistic look once I double checked some reference.

Rhazgra the Seneschal is of course the leader of this warband, standing in a dynamic pose to command her warriors forward. Her gear is more ornate than her fellows, she goes to battle without her helmet and that sneer of command. In her role as Seneschal, she is responsible for making sure her Lord’s affairs are in order, as well as enforcing his commands and protecting him with the help of the Chosen. At other times, she will go and do important tasks and quests herself. As for her (and her sister’s) origins, they are shrouded in mystery. Some say she is the daughter of a northern tribal chief, others say she ran away from the Templars as a teenage trainee to protect her sister. Either way, she’s a formidable warrior and great leader of her force.

As the figure that attracted to me this band, I was very careful to try and get her done just right. As well as the ornate details, the face is really well sculpted. Normally, my faces are apply base colour, wash, finish, barely even bothering to do the eyebrows. With Rhazgra, I used the Reikland fleshshade but then went back, adding eyebrows, highlights for the nose and cheek bones as well as a touch of gold though the piercing on her eyebrow. The markings on the side of her head were an attempt at tattoos which I think have the right effect. I also spent a lot of time on the hair, working from the black basecoat to the strip of white. In sort of the opposite way, I started off the wolf pelt with a very light grey, working my way down until the layer of black contrast paint over the top portions. Overall, I’m really happy with this model, one of the ones I’m most proud of.

And then we get to the mage.

So at first I originally painted her up using the original head. This sculpt was my least favourite in the set. I understand the visual of the cursed mage with the horns and hairless, and it makes sense for Warhammer. But in my head, this wasn’t the look I was wanting for the warband. These are supposed to be well trained and skilled warriors, not yet corrupted fully. The other issues was that the head lacks a lot of the details I’d usually rely on when painting – it’s not got much topological features to let the wash run into. I tried my best with the black and gold bands but it just looks so agressively… eh.

After a weekend of staring at the model, I decided enough is enough and went looking for an alternative head. I had, a while ago, purchased some alternative Stormcast heads (which are now being used in my Templar forces which I’ll be showing off soon) so I could get away from the “nope, we’re totally not space marines” look. Those heads, waiting for me to finish the box of Paladins I got for cheap from the local corner shop back up in Edinburgh for a tiny price, have been in my bits tray for a while. Pulling them out, I found one which was ideal, matching the look of Rhazgra while still looking a little magical. The only problem was that all the detail was on the wrong side of the head, forcing a slight change in pose.

Removing the head without damaging the paintwork was one of those butt clenching moments of hobby, trying very hard to scrape as little away as possible. Luckily I made a clean cut, cleaned up the resin part and then re-assembled the head into the slot, undercoating it via brush.

And now, here she is finished – Rhalar. With the new head, she looks like a true battle mage, just as likely to kick your ass with her fists than she is with magic. This better suits the mental image of her, working as her sister’s magical aid right next to her in battle. Her origins are as mysterious as her Sister’s and she shows promise of an even greater level of magic than she has already shown.

I’m really happy with the headswap, elevating this figure from okay to something I’m really happy with. I like how similar this model is in terms of gear to the actual warriors (such as the armour, cloak and the fur around her neck) while still having plenty of pieces that are different enough to make her stand out. The flames were especially fun to paint – I used the Hexwraith technical paint over a white basecoat and it worked out exactly as planned. I also managed to drip a little bit into the scars on her face, just to show the magic beginning to seep out.

Overall, this Underworlds unit was a fantastic way into painting more fantasy figures. I really recommend anyone interested in trying out a new Warhammer army take a look at these figures – they have some really nice details and it isn’t a huge amount of models to paint up. I’m also pretty happy with how the group has turned out, with a paint scheme that is relatively simple but looks awesome.

Next stage with these guys? Well I have 10 warriors, 5 knights and a lord on angry crocodile to finish off in a similar way to this warband. Beyond them, there are a few more less armoured chaos fighters to paint before I can move onto the big parts of the force – my Lord and his Patron.

Only a little terrified at the prospect of those two.

A little delay on writing this one, but I finished off painting up the release of Spectre’s Delta Force guys from earlier this year. The first major release of 2021, these guys were definitely packed full of cool details and gear to paint and I had a pretty good time getting into them. While also learning how to paint camo again in a little bit of a death march.

If you want details on what the range consists of, I covered it in a previous post, so this will be more focused on what they were like as models and getting them painted up.

Assembly

As you may expect, they arrive in the traditional Spectre boxes with the foam interiors. The specialists come individually while the standard assaulters are in the squad pack.

Unlike the previous Spectre guys, however, these are now multipart. This is probably on the more extreme end, having two separate pieces to assemble, but shows off that these figures are now designed in multiple parts. Overall I found the fit reasonably good. There was definitely some that needed a touch of liquid green stuff in the gaps to fill them in.

Now that said, these new arrangements aren’t perfect, although this might be more of an issue with the inspiration. SIG MCXs have a very thin folding stock on and unfortunately on a few of them, the stock failed to appear in place when moulded (rather than having any signs of damage or debris in the box).

Luckily while 3D printing you generate a literal pile of resin tubes and so was quickly able to find a replacement. This isn’t perfect but with the right paint job should be much easier. On the other hand, the number of barrels I had to bend back into place was much much slimmer than a usual shipment of Spectre products. I think this change is definitely a positive, although I’m interested to see what other figures in this style look like.

Painting

Painting up these guys was a throwback to my traditional method of painting Ultramodern Special forces – aka, it’s time for a crapload of MultiCam painting with some tan webbing. However, there are a few little tweaks based on the models and their details. The first is that several models have softshell tops rather than the usual Crye Precision battle dress. For this, I decided to go with a mix of colours to make it a little more visually interest, mostly going for tans and greens.

There are two exceptions for these basic colours – the Delta Commander and the Scout. For the Commander, the basic t-shirt look is always cool. There is maybe a little look of “Captain America” to him with the blue, which would definitely make him stand out a little among a rebel force that he’s assisting. For the Scout, I originally wanted to do tigerstripe. However, I then realised I had 0 of the paints I wanted to use for it. So I shifted to try Desert NVG camo which I attempted… but then failed during the attempt. Instead, it ended up as a bit of blurry green which is distinct enough from the MultiCam to make him look like something special and unique (for the camo butterfly in the squad).

I also did some work with a few little details, just to make the operators stand out a bit. Little things like the Mechanix gloves or colouring in the glow sticks in Moot Green. The guns were also a new take on my usual setup – rather than the gunmetal grey, I instead used Leadbelcher with a thin layer of Contrast Black over the top. I’m actually really impressed with the final result, and I’ll definitely be doing it more.

Finally, the bases. These are the first modern guys I’ve finished using the Gaming Scenics Arid Grassland basing material. Like the others, I’m really impressed with just how good the mixes work out and are definitely an improvement over the pure sand I’ve done in the past.

Final Thoughts

So what do I think of this release now I’d finished them? I’m a big fan. These are definitely one of my favourite sets that Spectre has produced, with a good mix of poses and a great set of weapons. I think also the range is a pretty good starting point for anyone wanting to get into Ultramodern gaming, giving you a full squad of operators with a mix of gear ready for a variety of missions.

A few people asked about the sizing of the models. I do agree they are a little bulkier than most of the rest of the other operators, but nothing outside the realms of human variations. They just look like some boys who have been to the gym a lot.

As a modern wargamer bogged down in endless tiny conflicts in the Middle East, it can occasionally be difficult to find suitable buildings to fight through. Many I’ve covered here, but otherwise, you’re stuck picking up a whole host of generic adobes that don’t quite have the same feeling as the built-up and developed areas of key cities in the MENA region.

One key element of the more well-to-do areas in many of these places are walled compounds, either around public buildings and richer families. Differing from the adobe walls of the rural region (mostly through the visual side), these walls provide a very interesting set of challenges for a wargaming commander, forcing troops into killzones or requiring the use of tactical equipment to cross them.

In partnership with Footsore North America (formerly SASM), Sarissa Precision has released a range inspired certain compounds in Libya. To nitpick, technically the design on the buildings is closer to the CIA annex rather the main Ambassador’s compound immortalised in 13 Hours. However, no matter what the inspiration is, they do provide an easily purchased way to build up your own modern-day compound to storm/defend.

Walls

The key feature of any walled compound is, of course, the walls! Comprised of three pieces of MDF and two slices of greyboard, assembly on these sets are super easy. Wide piece at the base, thin piece at the top, place greyboard on each side. Done in literally 2 minutes. The wall segments are each 8 inches long and you get four of them in the separate packs (although only two of this smaller size are included in the Walled Ambassador’s Residence Set).

The main comment about these walls is the height. These are not minor obstacles, there are taller than a man and would require teamwork to cross. They would definitely do the job for marking out a protected building or just catching the eye when setting the table up.

I could also see them being easily modified with a few additional touches. Treadheadz on facebook has done some breached walls (something I may do with one of my additional sets) but there are plenty of other little tweaks. For example, some razor wire could easily be strung along the top if you really don’t want any visitors.

Posts

Of course, the wall panels above may look sturdy, but without proper support they will fall over to even the most minor explosive or errant arm. for this reason, most of the kits in the range include a common post design. The other elements have a pair of hooks on each side, that in turn slot into the posts for stability. The elements are also designed to match the base of the posts, removing any unwanted gaps in the base.

The vertical component of the post are actually four matching pieces. Two of them have slits cut to take the element hooks, while the other two are bare. The slitted portions have a pin that goes into the base, while their counterparts protrude slightly upwards, slotting into the top portion before being covered by a topping piece. By default, the posts are designed to be assembled as passthrough supports, connecting opposite sides to extend the walls.

However, it is important to note that the base has four slots that the bottom pins can fit into. This means that, if you wanted to add some variation to the look of your compounds, you could assemble the posts to make some right-angled turns or even create a T-shaped arrangement through the use of upright pieces from other posts. This does require a little modification, shaving down the top prong seeing as there is no longer a slot to slide into.

Corners

You could simply assemble the posts detailed above to create the corners of your compound, but the more visually pleasing (and more accurate) version is included in the kit. These curved walls are really clever in terms of construction, letting you have the curved shape, without losing the sturdiness of the rest of the MDF kits.

Rather being entirely MDF, only the core structure (the two end walls, the base and the roof) are made from wood. The actual curve is greyboard, with two interior pieces clamped between two exterior pieces. The design works really well – I’d also add the interior pieces can be put in either way around with no issues (the outer pieces covers any gaps).

Entrance

Of course, every compound needs an entranceway. And with this being a secure compound, it needs the proper place to check over anyone who approaches. The entrance is actually made up of several pieces, all tied together with the same hook and lot posts used in the rest of the system.

The main focus is, of course, the gate. A baseboard with two pillars attached (with slots on both sides for alternative uses), the actual gates themselves can swing freely letting you open and close them as the game requires. They can also be easily removed for storage (or if someone decides to risk ramming them mid-game). The gate style is definitely wrought iron and simple, but you could easily replace them with something different thanks to the ease of removal.

As well as the main gates, there are also two corner pieces. One is a normal corner piece (as detailed above) but the other is an armoured gate house. This has an internal door and an external window beside the gate. Much like the other corner pieces, it’s a similar construction

Now you may notice, I made a bit of a mess with it. I hadn’t realised that the inset piece is supposed to be a locator piece for the roof. I, of course, didn’t realise this until I’d glued it all together and then realised there was no way to access the interior. So I had to take a claw hammer to it to break the super glue before assembling it the correct way around. Luckily my textured spray paint should help to cover up the mistakes.

The entrance pack also includes an extra-long wall piece to match the gate assemblies size. This means you can easily assemble a square compound, without needing strange sizes of MDF wall. Apart from the size, it’s exactly the same as the normal walls.

Residence

Of course, there is no point in assembling an enclosed compound if there is nothing to enclose. The compound comes the Ambassador’s Residence, a medium-sized open-plan building with plenty of room on the room for a last-ditch defence.

So this was the midpoint of assembly and honestly, it was a pig getting the basic frame together. Things snapped, slots didn’t align and in the end, I swore quite a lot. I assume most of it was down to my own cackhandedness rather a particular design flaw, but be aware when assembling just in case you end up with a few missing elements to the doorways.

On the other hand, I am a big fan of how the edge of the roof is assembled. This is made out of three pieces of MDF per straight section. A central structural piece goes in first, followed by an outer piece (using the extended pegs from the roof) before a final, interior detail piece is added. I really like the effect this has – the roof feels like it has some real depth to it.

In addition to the main building, there is also a small single-room building. As you can see in the picture, it’s designed to be placed on top of the main building, taking the role of some rooftop quarters or interior access. However, I personally think it looks a little cramped, especially once figures, details and scatter are placed on the roof. This shed will definitely end up being used as a separate annex building.

Finally, a few touches I just had to mention. Both roofs have a ventilation unit in place. Although super simple (5 pieces of MDF, 4 of which are the same) I think it really adds to the look of the rooftop. Similarly, there is also a solar panel setup included on the sprues. It’s free-standing, so feel free to place it anywhere.

So that’s all the pieces, what does the compound as a whole look like? Well, here it is, along with a WIP vehicle and civilian to get a sense of the scale.

Assembly of the final compound is super simple. Using the hook and slot system, you just need to clip each piece together until you’ve connected them all up. The slots can be a little tight but I’ve not yet felt like something is about to break while building. There is also a useful amount of flex/give in the pieces once all put together – not enough for players to notice, but still easy to actually get everything apart again at the end of the night.

Overall the basic compound rough fills a two foot square on the board. This size definitely feels a little snug in my opinion, ideal for a single focus building (like a medium-sized house) and maybe. It does not fit anything like the Knights of Dice apartment blocks in its current state but can still fit some of the larger buildings from Sarissa’s other ranges (such as the colonial buildings). With the items included in the box, I’d also say it’s a little on the small side if the compound is the sole extent of the playing area. Without much dead ground to fill with scatter, games will end up being very short or not particularly interesting. This, to me, feels like a compound that plays a part in a larger table, without overstaying it’s welcome – somewhere for the players to be fighting to, from or alongside rather than just through.

Of course, this is just a bundle. You can buy all the various pieces separately – the wall pack, gates and corners all include plenty of posts while more of the residences would let you add additional structures in this style to your game. I have two sets of walls, a set of corners and another entrance gate. By using all of these, I should be able to assemble two of the normal-sized compounds or simply extend one out to a larger size, allowing for fighting actually inside the walls. Expect another article soon, once I’ve assembled all the various bits of MDF lying around my flat and have made some giant compounds.

Final thoughts? I think this is a great kit for anyone looking to play modern wargaming in a more built-up area. Being able to buy a series of walls that can be easily re-arranged and stored is a great time saver. The style of the kit could fit into most places in the modern world, not just in the MENA region. So no matter if you’re assembling a drug lord’s palace in South America or building up an embassy to be defended, I think this is definitely a range worth taking a look at.

A wise man once said – “You will never have enough insurgents for wargaming”. And it’s kind of right! With such a variety of groups around the world, as well as the breadth and depth of equipment available to them. Due to this, ranges listed for Ultramodern can only go so far before you start wanting something a little fresher.

This led me to take a look at the Gringo 40’s range of NVA. Just glancing at the range, you don’t see the stereotypical Vietnamese look of the more rural fighters, and after seeing them painted up by Volley Fire Painting services, I just had to take a look. I picked up six figures (all that were available from the site when I purchased them) and started to begin my work with them.

First of all common features – the range is focused on the NVA fighting during the battle of Hue City. You don’t see the stereotypical pyjamas and conical hats that fill many other ranges. These are the NVA who moved into the city and then fought through the streets. As such, they are in shirts and trousers and all are equipped with chest rigs and a whole host of other kit to give them a well trained and supplied look.

As a minor note, I made a few modifications to them to make them a little bit more suitable for MENA. This was mainly me covering up sandalled feet. Although probably suitable to fighters in the region, I think the full covered feet is a more professional look, suitable for such a group of well armed fighters. Personally, I think I went a little heavy on the green stuff leading to some oversized feet, but I can work on that for next time.

The first four are standard AK armed fighters, their poses putting them in the midst of fighting. It’s a nice mix and they do look really good put next to each other, like a small group in the middle of the action. All of them wear the same shirt and trouser combination, with plenty of detail on the sculpting.

The rear shot shows off just how well equipped these guys are – a string of grenades across the back of their webbing, as well as a pile of pouches, water bottles and knives. I’m a fan of this look, especially when put alongside less well-equipped troops (such as the Spectre Militia ranges).

There is also a double pack of an NVA Leader and a female Runner. This pair works really well for my setting, including as it does a female fighter and a figure dressed in military garb. It’s easy to see the leader as an ex-regime fighter, still in his fatigues to show his experience and stand out among his irregular comrades.

As you can see, I did a few little green stuff tweaks. The female fighter received shoes and a headband, while the officer had the most vital addition – a moustache, to show his authority and make him look a little more suitable for the MENA area.

Of course, as with any range, some comparison shots are required. Here we have the classic lineup. From left to right: Empress, Eureka, Gringo40s, Spectre and Eureka. As you can see the Gringo40s NVA fit the size range perfectly, and from a distance, they will easily blend in with the rest. Weapons are a similar scale to Empress or Eureka, so don’t worry about them bending or breaking. Similarly, the figures arrived and needed barely any cleanup. Another win for them.

To conclude, I am very happy with the new additions to my milita collection. These guys (and girl) are nicely posed, fun to paint and packed full of character. The price per figure is very reasonable and postage is charged separately, meaning you aren’t overpaying for it, and arrives very promptly. Overall, I can heartily recommend both the company and the figures, no matter what setting they end up seeing action in. You can find them on the Gringo40’s site at http://www.gringo40s.com/north-vietnamese-army.html

Way back in the November of 2017, I wrote an initial impressions of the Knights of Dice Tabula Rasa range. And approaching two years later… I haven’t advanced very far. However, Knights of Dice has continued to work, producing much more in their ranges. One thing especially interesting for me, however, is the Tabula Rasa villa range. As someone who is starting to really like buildings, you can actually fight through rather than just around, adding some larger multi-room buildings should help to make my games more interesting.

As a rough overall point, all three buildings are wonderful things to assemble. They pop easily from sprue, with very little work needed in terms of clean up. The construction is also nice and easy, in many cases tight enough to dry-fit the entire thing before only adding a little glue to secure them . One comment is that the sprues this time around are definitely on the larger side to support the larger footprint for the buildings, so expect some larger delivery boxes.

I did have a few issues with some missing pieces from the sets. None of these would have stopped construction (a missing step and a barrier) but both could be easily replaced from offcuts. In addition, Knights of Dice support is fantastic so missing pieces will be quickly sent out.

Above you can see the rough scale of the doors and windows. You can also see the details – these buildings are really just shells, lacking in pretty much all detail except structural elements such as interior walls and staircases. This is not a negative, it’s just pointing out the feature of this range.

Most importantly, stairs! In the original review, I picked out the almost smooth stairs a major negative. Well, it seems that KoD heard all about it and decided to tweak them to make them look a little more playable. I think the compromise makes them playable while not ruining the look.

Pictured here on the left is Compound 1 from the original release next to the villas. As you can see, the new buildings are on a larger footprint, with much larger second floors and often access to the rooftops. They feel a lot more like some of the hard work is done to make them into interesting games.

Villa 1

The first building up is a two-storey structure with access to the roof. This building looks like some town centre building, with a covered outdoor walkway and flat roof above. The interior is split into several rooms, two on each floor.

The pack also includes a removable ladder, ideal for quickly accessing the roof. You can also see just how many firing positions this building has, perfect for defending and a nightmare to assault.

Broken down you can see just how much floor space is available. Although only two rooms per floor, there is plenty of space to move through, with plenty of choke points to fight through. Additionally, I like the stairs having a little cover when you climb them.

Villa 2

Villa 2 is a bit more modern, offer a two-storey building with balcony and roof access, ideal for sunbathing, filming enemy forces or siting a heavy weapon.

Interesting to note, this building only has two ground floor doors on this side which could be an interesting tactical challenge. This building also supports the ladder from building 1, if you want to vary it up.

Broken down, you can see this building is mostly larger rooms, with the upstairs being only one interior room before leading outside.

Villa 3

Villa 3 is a bit of strange one. Apart from the very different style and fancy steps, this feels like a building from the original releases. However, with the sloping roof and elevated window, it is pretty distinctive on the tabletop.

Looking at the rear, you can see the side entrance. This passes under the stairs, which I should warn you includes a perfect hidey hole for ambushing assaulters.

Broken out, both floors only have a single large room. It’s also interesting to note that both floors have blind spots the other floor manages to expose – something to think about then placing them.

Villa 4

Finally, VIlla 4. This one looks and feels like a very modern building, a gently sloping roof combined with an exterior balcony

The backside shows the entrance locations and the multiple windows, as well as a better shot of the gently sloping roof angle. As you can see, there are plenty of firing points on this side, making assaulting it a genuine challenge.

This is probably the busiest of the four buildings, with a total of 5 rooms and a balcony. It also provides multiple entry points. on the two floors (ignoring the action movie technique of setting up a ladder onto the balcony itself. The two smaller rooms at the back of the house will be pretty interesting to take control of, especially without grenades.

Conclusion

So what do I think of them? Well, I love seeing the improvement to design these buildings show – they feel like Knights of Dice have learned from the original release and these now feel more like real buildings. As I keep banging on about, having buildings you can actually CQB through, rather than just treating as “occupied” or “unoccupied”, really lifts games from just simple skirmishes to feeling much more interesting.

At the same time, these are Tabula Rasa buildings. If you want something you buy, spray paint and then put on the table then I don’t think these are necessarily the best idea. They would be fine but they are really asking to have all the little detailing work, to give them that extra touch. But that said, I think these are the perfect starting point to just go wild with it.

Now, time to go get some more air con units and and bits of plasticard…

I’ve got to admit, there is something about using Private Military Contractors in-game. Maybe it’s the flexibility of the models, maybe it’s the ease they can be added to any theatre or the extra punch they add to the force with their training. Or maybe I just like the stereotypical plots which end up with Special Forces guys fighting turncoat contractors, the lure of money too strong for their corporate masters.

Either way, I am always looking for new contractor models and I have especially loved Spectre’s. The original Kickstarter came with three packs showing three different types – Alpha (the super modern CQB team), Bravo (the AK wielding boys) and Delta (the classic Western PMC look). These figures are some of my favourites from the original batch and I have been waiting to see other figures to fit that niche. The Tier 1 Operators are pretty good but sometimes you really want something a little more outlandish…

The Contractor Ops pack comes with six operators, each dressed in t-shirts and tactical trousers. Each one is also equipped with a plate carrier and load-bearing gear, plenty of spaces for ammo and all sorts of kit. One interesting thing I like is the mix of weapon systems – two guys are armed with suppressed Vector SMGs, two guys with Scorpion Evo SMGs, one with a Tavor bullpup assault rifle and the last with an X95 assault carbine. This gives you a range of kit – it’s cool to note the guys with the unsurpassed weapons have suppressed sidearms to help out. These weapons are not exactly a standard mix for any military force – however, they all come with the image of portraying a well-equipped team, standing out from the usual AR15 armed operators.

Looking at the backs of them, you can really see just how much equipment and detail each of the figures has. Their belt rigs are pretty stacked, and most have some sort of pack or carry kit for all the specialised toys. The models also have some pretty non-regulation haircuts and facial hair – perfect for the non-government look and pretty fun to paint. I went for the blonde mohawk on one and a mixture of blonde and purple on the other, just a dash of colour without standing out too much.

As a little comparison, here are a few of the different groups from Spectre that could be used in the similar role of Western Private Military Contractors, with a few tweaks to the paint job. The Tier 1 Operators are the most obvious – in fact, I decided when painting these new figures to make them the contrast to the Tier 1 guys, swapping the paint schemes around. Task Force Operators and the SAS ranges are maybe a little more heavily equipped but the Green Berets, with their light loadout, could with the right paint scheme pass for a few Contractors in contact.

Overall, I’m a big fan of this pack. As I said at the top, I’m a sucker for anything contractor releated and these figures really deliver. The mix of weapons and poses, the little non-standard details – all help to make them look the part. I’m really excited to get them out on the table, either hunting down some corporate infiltrators, protecting a VP of a department during a deal or helping the local forces by providing technical assistance on the ground.

As a man with a sizeable collection of unpainted MDF, making it tabletop ready requires a big chunk of time and special techniques to get it ready for the tabletop. Between getting the right texture on and making sure the Agrax is deployed enough without bankrupting you, it does all build up. So the idea of purchasing pre-painted MDF can be pretty attractive.

There are a few companies doing it but the selection for gaming in the Middle East or North Africa is pretty limited. Luckily, Black Site Studios in the US have kicked off their War Zone Arabia range, bringing a load of buildings to fit the Middle Eastern zone. Spectre Miniatures were offering a pre-order on their products in the UK for a limited time and I just had to pick up a trio to try out.

First of all, let’s talk the basics. All the buildings arrive in a mixture of MDF and greyboard, laser-cut into pieces and ready to be popped from the sprue. Most of the building Sprue removed was relatively easy, although I did find a good few cases where some clean-up had to be done after removing from the sprue. Overall the kits all feel very nicely designed and well manufactured.

Instructions are available from the Black Site Studios website and are simple and easy to assemble. As with all MDF buildings, I really recommend dry-fitting everything, making sure they fit properly before applying the glue. There were some really snug fits, especially with the interior and exterior walls being separate pieces and needing to fit together. In a few cases, a little bit of percussive construction assistance was used just to make it all fit. However, aside from one piece seeming to need to be reversed, everything fitted together well, with tools only needed for a little bit of clean up. On the other hand, I need to stress that you should definitely read the instructions – I ended up skipping the outer decorative pieces when assembling the largest building and ended up unable to assemble them as intended (as you can see in the picture at the top).

For all the positives I do have to give a warning about the staircases. They are a monster to assemble, requiring the lining up of several steps and their locator pins between two outer pieces. I assembled three sets in the course of these buildings and each one was incredibly annoying. Additionally, the steps seem to be designed for figures mounted to penny bases, with incredibly small gaps between them. For everyone else, you either let the figures slip and slide or else just make sure people stand at the top and bottom of the staircases.

The first building I constructed is the Abboud Trading Company. The smallest of the buildings available, the building is a perfect store for your MENA street. With a roll-up door over a wide entrance, it’s easy to picture it being rolled up as the day starts, various goods waiting inside to be bought and sold. Alternatively, this may be where the HVT goes to ground, operators moving up to breach through the door and drag them out.

Around the back, you can see an additional entry, making the building perfect to fight through and presenting a challenge when defending. Additionally, the low walls on the partially assembled roof leads to some interesting fighting positions.

As you can see inside, there is a serving counter between the main door and the roll-up access. There is enough space to roll in a vehicle, letting you use this as a handy garage to hide key objectives in. Additionally, there is plenty of space inside for players to move around and actually fight, even on standard-sized 25mm bases. This is a common theme across all the buildings I noticed.

The next set is Turhan Imports. A single large room with staircase access to the roof, this building actually works really great when sat next to the trading company or assembled into a small compound. A big feature of this building is the cracked plaster on the other walls, the cream coloured greyboard placed over pale MDF brickwork. I think it works really well, especially from tabletop height.

At the rear, you can see one of those dammed staircases I mentioned further up. As you can see in the breakdown below, this piece is separate, letting you replace it with a ladder if you want to adjust the look. One thing I will mention is the piece of plaster you can see on the staircase. These pieces were not on the instructions, perfect for making each building look different. I think this is especially important if you were running multiple buildings on the same board.

Broken apart, you can see the building is a single large room. One trend through all of these is that the buildings ask for plenty of interior elements, a scattering of tables, sofas and chairs ready to be flipped for cover when people breach and clear.

Finally, lets take a look at the Temara Safehouse. And Oh Boy.

This building is huge. Like, seriously huge. With a footprint of over 1′ x 1′, you could very easily use this building as a game board all by itself. With multiple entry points, access to both floors and interior rooms, this is an assaulter’s nightmare.

As you can see on the other side, there are plenty of access and firing points to utilise. You can also see some of the incredibly nice detail work that is a stand out element of these kits. From the windows to the guard rail around the roof, these buildings definitely feel the part while also definitely being different from the rough adobes that are the go-to for the Middle East.

Now, this really is the money shot. By taking the building apart you can see just how much space for activities there are inside. Three rooms on the ground floor with two more above gives you plenty of spaces to sweep and clear. In addition, you can see the first floor has two staircases to allow access. Overall, this is one hell of an addition to any terrain range.

Overall, I am very impressed with the Black Site Studios buildings. Ignoring the fact the design of these constructions filled my brain with thoughts of Insurgency Sandstorm’s urban conflict zones, there are plenty of really nicely designed bits to them. Each building feels evocative, both fitting the range but also feeling something unique. I’m also a fan of them being very playable – opening doors, sensible access to all the rooms and space to move through, rather than just cramming figures in. The variety through the three buildings is also pretty spectacular – I’d love to see where else this range could go.

Am I going to throw all my unpainted buildings aware and swear only to buy prepainted? Honestly, no. I think these do an excellent job of letting you get past the painting stage and ready for the table, but I think I’ll be going back and painting these. It really comes down to two things – texture and me being a cack-handed fool. Spray-on texture just makes the MDF pop while a good paint job helps to cover up places where I made a mistake during assembly or let the glue on fingertips attach themselves to the greyboard. However, if this doesn’t interest you (or you can assemble them without being a moron) then I think these buildings are a fantastic purchase.

Now someone stop me before I buy all the compound walls I can cover myself in…

Ultramodern war, especially in the last few years, has been marked with several iconic items. MRAPs, quad eye NVGS, the list of equipment that screams out this current time period. But I think the one that a lot of people think of has to be the unmaned vehicles. Be it an off the shelf quad copter carrying a frag grenade up to the Predator drones hovering over the battlefield, the robot is starting to take the strain.

So naturally, it was only right for Spectre to include rules and figures for them in their range. The figures were released back in October and have been sitting on my painting bench for a while, looking rather annoyed at me as I got distracted by other things. However, I have finally set it right and they are now ready for the table. So let’s take a look!

Quadcopters

Let’s start on the small side with the quadcopters. Both of these drones are pretty much designed to be man-portable surveillance devices, able to nip up and grab the higher ground. Spectre has produced two versions, each coming in the box with one of the operators.

The common thread is that these things are tiny. Single pieces of metal with intricate detail that would be very easy to lose if left outside of their containers so I don’t recommend magnetising these. Additionally, both sit upon flight stands, using the items bought from Spectre themselves. The bases look like their normal plastic bases with a hole drilled in the centre to attach a plastic rod through. For the small drones, I decided to clip the rod in half to let it sit a little lower and less likely to topple over from errant hands and arms. Painting wise was also pretty simple. Black undercoat, white spray over, nuln oil to pick out the details. Anything else would, in my opinion, just be excessive.

Also, these things are a pain in the ass to photo.

Out of the two, the Tier 1 drone is the more elegant and sleek. It’s almost a racing drone, tiny body and four propeller assemblies; it looks like it could be easily held in a pouch before deploying it. Actually, it’s very Ghost Recon-esque, which is perfect for the Tier 1 guys.

The insurgent drone, on the other hand, is a slightly larger model. It looks a lot more like a commercial drone, complete with gimballed camera underneath. It definitely fits their look and feel. The camera also provides a nice surface for mounting the flight stand.

Puma UAV

Of course, sometimes you need a drone with a little more loiter time. This is where the Puma comes in. Easily transportable via vehicle, deployable by a man running with it once the engine has started, the Puma can loiter above the battlefield for 2 hours, deploying a multi-role camera to send back information to the operator.

As a model, it’s a single piece of resin. There was a little bit to clean up and had to straighten the wings a tiny bit with some hot water but otherwise, it was simply a case of sticking it to the flight stand and it was ready to go! Alternatively, you could just mount it in the back of your vehicles to have it stowed. Again same paint job as the smaller drone (black -> white -> nuln oil) – it really helps to pick out the panel details. I also glued it on at a slight angle, making it look like it’s in the middle of a pylon turn.

MAARS Robot

I’ve wanted these guys for far too long. Maybe I need to blame Medal of Honour Warfighter, where you got to drive one of these through some ruined buildings in Somalia, or maybe I just like making the Robot take the strain. The MAARS is an unmanned ground vehicle, similar to a bomb disposal bot but mounting a set of weapon systems (an M240 MMG and quad M203s), providing a remote-controlled fire support platform with none of the bitching an infantryman carrying this setup would provide.

Assembly was pretty simple (you can see it better in the unpainted image above). Most important thing is to dry fit every step of the way. In addition, take care with the belt feed for the M240 – I managed to lose it for one of my drones somewhere during assembly.

Drone Operators

Of course, you’ll be needing someone to control your drones. Some can be controlled from off-board but it’s always handy to have a controller on hand at close range, ideal for reacting much faster than their off-board counterpart. Something I love about both of these controller is how useful they can be – as well as controlling drones, they could be pressed into service as JTACs to bring in your off-board support or as hackers to fit the Specialist role mentioned in the new rulebook.

The Tier 1 Operator is modelled knelt, with his control unit in hand. I do really like the whole setup, from the baseball cap/headphones combo, the aerial on his back and even just the pose. Weapon wise, the Tier 1 operator continues that ranges use of the SIG MCX, except this time going for the Rattler, the tiny Personal Defence Weapon version of it.

Again as a contrast, the Insurgent drone control is seated on the phone while tapping away on his laptop. The civilian garb and rucksack I think will make him very useful for a variety of roles – I can definitely see him hitting the board a lot. On the other hand, he is lacking a weapon, so he may need a minder to keep him safe.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I think that drones add a brand new element that is unique to modern wargaming. Spectre’s releases so far provide a very nice starting point. Obviously, I’d love to see operators for some of the other ranges (a Nomad operator would be especially cool). But more importantly, just having them available at all means you can get interesting tactical situations setup and on the board, using the intelligence gathering (or even the offensive) capability to provide support to your forces. Overall, these are definitely some elements to pick up.

Disclaimer: I have been involved in the development of Spectre Operations Version 2 along with a group of other playtesters.

It’s finally here. Spectre Operations was released in 2016, the first rulebook the company had released. Now, after hundreds of games (at least) and all the experience that comes from that, Spectre have released a second edition. The plan was improve several areas that have been needing enhancement while still keeping the core mechanics everyone knows and loves in place.

And by god, I think they did it. Wasting no more time, lets dig in.

The Book

Before we go into the mechanics and their changes, let’s talk first about the book itself. Version 1 was the very first rulebook they had produced and, although very good, there were plenty of complaints by people about just finding the rules needed to play the game.

Version 2 is a much thicker book, packing in more stuff as well as some improvements to the rules explanations. There are now plan view diagrams for many sections to help explain the concepts, as well it still being packed full of colour photos of Spectre’s expansive range and lovely scenery (as well as making me jealous). Getting around is much easier too, with a handy index at the back and a well thought out contents page at the front.

As well as the actual rules there are plenty of other additions to help you get ready to play. A big chunk of the appendix is dedicated to a tactics guide, including some military terms to help make your scenarios sound exciting. There are also some other new additions that, as well as adding new rules, also help to really push the feel of doing some special operations shenanigans – things liked picking deployment options and it adjusting how many troops you can get out the door using that method. Additionally, every command level has some pages helping to describe the types of forces represented by each type.

Overall, this is a good book to settle down and read, worth more than just a quick once over.

The Rules

Of course, even if the book looks pretty, the actual rules are really what is important. Version 2 is very much an evolution of Version 1 rather than a total rewrite. The core ideas, things like the opposed dice rolls and fundamental interactions are still here. You’re still gaining the initiative, performing command actions, performing tactical tricks and movements before actually engaging. Weapons concepts are mostly the same, with range intervals providing modifications to hit that can be counteracted by a selection of factors. If you liked Version 1, all of that is still here.

Suppression

The first major change comes with Suppression. Now, this is a core mechanic of the game; I can understand that changing this would be a concern for everyone involved. But I think it was needed. If I may get a little deep, the suppression mechanic was one place where the ‘soul’ of the game felt a little split. Despite being focused on squads and teams, suppression effects were felt on the individuals which would lead to some events that just felt off while also requiring far too much bookkeeping. In addition, the fact Elites and Professionals were limited to only a few points meant they could run rings around their less well-trained opponents. Overall, the core ideas were there but it needed a second look.

So for Version 2, the system has been drastically changed. Rather than the number of suppression points on each individual affecting just them, each suppression point instead pushes the squad down as a whole, representing the rest of the squad reacting to the incoming fire. Once a squad has more points than the command value of the squad, then it’s time to test against the squad leader’s Command value. Pass, and you keep the points but remain in the fight. Fail, and you gain a suppression level. At the end of each turn, all unused suppression points are removed but the suppression levels are maintained.

Suppression levels start off with some pretty nasty effects on your shooting and movement but then gets more adverse as the fire keeps coming in. At the worst level, Routed, the squad must immediately fall back, seriously affecting your plans. In addition, the suppression levels reduce your initiative rolls as the start of each turn by different set amounts rather than totting up some ridiculous value (never forget 22 points of suppression on the lone marksman back in the beta testing days). The game also still gives your elite and professional forces a bonus, as they can’t be routed – if pinned down, they have enough training to weather the storm.

As you can probably tell, this makes the whole game much simpler while still maintaining the key idea that coming under fire is a bad time. The reduction in book keeping also helps to keep the game rolling, speeding up the modifier tests and improving the flow. I’m a big fan of it.

Vehicles

The second major change is vehicles. And as someone who was shouting about how broken the vehicle system was since the original beta, I am glad to see this change being made. The version in 1st Edition combined “to hit” and “to penetrate” into a single roll. Although fast-paced, it did lead to some very strange situations, especially with low-quality fighters engaging armoured vehicles. To be frank, this system really put me off using Spectre for anything vehicle based.

In Version 2, the system has been modified. Rolling to hit is done as with any other shooting action, the defender using their agility stat to represent their driving skill. If it hits, then it’s time to check for penetration. Otherwise, it’s just the usual suppression (depending on the vehicle’s attributes).

Weapon statlines now include a penetration value, showing you how effective they are at going through vehicle armour. Some weapons, like the RPG HEAT rounds, have variable penetration which makes them an interesting throw of the dice with every shot. No matter how the value is gained, penetration determines if the shot actually does anything interesting. Too low and it bounces off. Otherwise, it’s time to roll on the penetration table and then add extra to the roll depending on just how much overkill the shot was – an ATGM hitting a civilian car adds 11+D6 to the roll, almost guaranteeing the local saloon car is being turned into scrap metal. One element I do like is the fact that a weapon can’t roll higher on the table than it’s penetration value – a battle rifle isn’t going to cause a K-kill on any vehicle, despite what Hollywood may have told you.

The rest of the system remains the same – vehicles can have a selection of attributes that affect how they are used (including the addition of Remote Weapon Stations) and what incoming fire effects them. The examples list has been extended, including different eras of tanks and IFVs, letting T34s feel different to the latest Challenger 2.

So what does this do? Well, it makes vehicles actually interesting to fight with, rather than just almost invulnerable boxes. As you say in the last battle report, vehicles need to be very careful when coming under fire. Instead, they need to play to their strengths, using speed. I now have no real problems with getting my collection of vehicles on the board with Spectre.

New Stuff

In addition, there are a pile of new elements to the rules. Rather than going through exact details, here is a quick list of the new things.

• More guns! – Spectre has added a pile of new guns. As an example, the SCAR-H can be used in a variety of roles, from CQB (a lower RI, perfect for suppressing) all the way up to dedicated DMR platform (coming in with a scope). There are also additional rules for some of these guns, including a rather interesting change to sniper weapons to increase their utility.
• UAV rules – covering both Unmanned Ground Vehicles and Aerial vehicles, these rules let you add this brand new tech to the battlefield.
• CBRNE Rules – Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive rules add a new edge to operations, forcing you to deal with having to wear specialist kit and adverse conditions. The EOD rules I can see being used a lot with counter-IED operations.
• ECM Rules – Multiple Electronic Countermeasures now have rules, letting you model anything from backpack devices to vehicle-mounted systems and even an off-table asset. There are some really interesting ideas in this mechanic.
• Campaign Rules – A whole section is devoted to the basics of a campaign system, including rough scenario generation and even details for mid-campaign advancement.
• Insertation Methods – I really like this. There are now a few options about picking how your force has reached the battlefield. Many of these limit numbers or mean light vehicles start having to set up the weapon systems, letting you focus on the narrative behind this mission.
• Specialists – A really small section but adding in a few example specialists (like hackers or NBC scientists) will help to add some more themed elements to certain scenarios. Now it’s even easier to reenact a few famous missions by having some lower overall skill guys coming along to do a specific task.

Points

Okay, let’s talk about a pretty major change which some may find controversial. The Version 2 rulebook does not contain any points values. From having talked to the team at Spectre and from posts the group, this is intended to really focus the game on the narrative play. Now I can see this is an issue for people wanting to do simple pickup games and new players trying to balance but there are plenty of starting scenarios to work from in the book. That said, the points values will be available on the Spectre website, letting them quickly update them if something is found to be unbalanced.

On a personal note, I think this is fine. Spectre has never been designed to a competitive game – it’s all about the scenario. Balance is something we strive too hard for in such a game focused on realism, as life just isn’t fair. Forcing players to have to deal with real-world situations (including many which are bull crap) and making them adapt to it is something I enjoy as a scenario writer as it breaks people out of trying to game the system rather than thinking tactically.

Minor changes

Finally, there are some minor changes. Little things like the removal of personal medkits help to speed up the game and reduce paperwork while the addition of Rapid Fire to the standard pistol will help to make small scale, low firepower games (like cops vs robbers) much more exciting. Weather and Night Fighting have both been extended, taking the core ideas and adding more detail to both.

There are so many of these tweaks that i’m sure I’ll spot more as I keep playing.

Overall, I really like what the Spectre team have done with Version 2. It’s taken the core that I loved, fixed my major issues and helped to expand the system out with new possibilities. I can’t wait to get this ruleset on the table even more, getting to grips with some of the interesting systems that Spectre includes.

If you didn’t like Version 1, there are just enough changes to make it worth a look again. If you loved Version 1, this is just more of what you love. Either way, I’d reccomend taking a look!

The Humvee, despite being seen on the battlefield all over the world, was not designed for a combat role. It was a utility transport, unarmoured, suited for rushing around behind friendly lines. However, nothing goes to plan, and every since 1993, they have found themselves in the line of fire. Post 2001, they soon became upgraded and burdened down, the sheer weight of upgrades needed to survive the counter-insurgency world stressing power units and risking lives.

At the same time, to fight the rise in IEDs in both Iraq and Afghanistan, the US Army developed the MRAP program. These Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles were easily able to survive strikes that would destroy humvees, carrying troops straight through hostile lands. However, these vehicles were huge to maximise protection, and their sheer size made them less appropriate for the modern battlefield against near-peer adversaries.

After another US Army run military procurement program, Oshkosh (the makers of the M-ATV) eventually won with a smaller vehicle that shared many of the features of it’s bigger brother but more suited for a wider range of combat operations. This vehicle is slowly being rolled out to full scale productions, but reports from troops in the field are very positive.

The Kit

Having made the Humvee, it was only a matter of time before Spectre would look at assembling it’s replacement, a vehicle they have called the LTV. Thanks to the common systems (such as stowage or turret packs), a whole host of options are ready for players wanting to build one. The LTV is a modular vehicle, the rear deck easily switched. For this initial release, Spectre chose to go with the vehicle most suited for support your SOF ground troops. Although it should be noted, the pieces for the rear deck came in a separate baggie to the rest of the vehicle. I’d be keeping my eyes on Spectre to see what else they have up their sleeve.

As you can see, the LTV is a multi-part resin kit. Much like the other Spectre kits, there is some clean up required, along with the usual washing. I only noticed one minor piece of protruding resin but it wasn’t anything that required more than a quick file down and a spot of green stuff. Assembly was relatively simple too – I recommend just taking it slow and looking at the website as a reference. The most troublesome thing was the rear access hatch, but that simply glued in place on the back of the cab.

Of course, you can’t have a vehicle without stowage and addons so I decided to break out a few pieces to make it looked lived in. A rear gun mount took one of Spectre’s upcoming resin M240 (a preview the team passed me to take a look at), ideal for covering your operators dismounting. In addition, a jamming antenna adds some vertical height while some packs make it feel like a home base. Finally, a Javelin tube lets the vehicle be used as a resupply when the operators need to grab a new ATGM.

And here it is assembled, in the bare resin. As you can see, lots of detail in the resin. I didn’t find any air bubbles in my vehicle and I’m really happy with the quality. There are a few barely visible print lines that came over from the master (mainly on the windows) but the undercoat and paint covered them.

And from behind, you can see the detail on rear section, especially on the outer edges of the cargo bay.

Painting

In terms of painting, it’s the usual tricks. Desert Tan spray from Humbrol over a black undercoat, touched up with some brush work. From there, blue on the windows, black on the tyres, etc. Drybrush grey over the black to give it a shine, drybrush Iraqi sand to show dust. Agrax Earthshade wash, dabbed off to make sure it doesn’t look odd. Then finally, Desert Tan and Iraqi Sand drybrushes to give it the sandy look.

Comparisons

So size comparisons, between the three SOF vehicles with heavy weapons you can pick up from Spectre. As you can see the LTV sits tall over the humvee and the technical, even with no weapon mounted. It isn’t that much wider either, making it still able to fit down most city streets.

Okay, the M-ATV continues to be stupidly sized. Not only is it taller, but it’s also longer and wider (making me very worried about the idea of some of the actual MRAPs in 28mm). The LTV presents a really nice compromise between the Humvee and the M-ATV, much like in real life. In addition, you can see that both vehicles tower over the operators that use them. They are all a sight to see on the field.

Conclusion

Overall, I’m really impressed with the LTV. It’s a lovely satisfying chunk of resin to assemble and put on the table, perfect for giving your operators a tactical edge. There will be nothing cooler than the sight of this rumbling down the table toward the bad guys, a few of your shooters using it for cover while it’s RWS hammers away to keep the enemies head down. Expect to see it on the field soon.

Also, I might just be looking at picking up a few more, letting me deploy an entire team to the field in mine resistant vehicles. Of course before that, I think I need a few more weapon options. Maybe something with a selection of options to blow enemies away.

To say I have an interest in Black Powder Red Earth is putting things mildly. I think it’s an incredible series that, despite having a few issues with the pacing sometimes, details the activities of a PMC named Cold Harbor operating in international hotspots, all detailed in a striking (and sometimes very unpleasant) art style. It feels unlike any other comic book, presenting a realistic take on the world packed full of action and operators operating operationally.

More importantly, I love the look of these operators. Equipped to the nines with the latest military kit, their faces covered by bandannas, these guys look operators. Hearing that Spectre had managed to sign an agreement with Echelon Software to bring these guys to the wargaming table made me very happy indeed.

The first pack represents several operators from Ember team, a force shown in the Black Powder Red Earth Yemen series. This set includes 6 operators, all equipped with heavily modified 5.56 carbines. As someone who has an interest in all the latest gear (such is the curse of the airsofter) it was easy to spot that these guys are covered in all the latest and greatest kit. The carbines are decked out with parts that you may recognise if you have been on the BCM website recently, including cool details like offset red dot sights alongside short dot scopes or upgraded stocks and rail kits. The operators themselves, over their civilian clothing, have Haley Strategic rigs and belts. Even their side arms, a tiny detail, are setup like they are in the comics, in custom holsters and with red dots on their slides.

It’s important to note that this pack includes the NOD sprue – you don’t need to buy additional packs unless you want to swap some of the two tubes out for the panoramic versions (maybe your operators got a particularly well paying client this time).

As with all these Spectre figures, the posing is one of the unique features that sets them out from other manufacturers. This pack has a neat variation in terms of poses with two in the firing pose, two in the rapid movement and the last two readying up. Out of all of them though, I really have to say I’m a fan of the guy using his backup optics (pictured here in his red shirt). However, all of them look as cool and dynamic as expected.

It’s well worth looking at the selection of operators currently available from Spectre and showing off the different options each of them provides.

From left to right:

• US Rangers – Much more uniform look. Everyone wearing the same uniform with similar kit
• Task Force Operators – Varied style of uniform and equipment. Everything from full-sized plate carriers down to low profile chest rigs. Also the widest selection of weapons and poses
• Ember Team – Civilian clothing mixed with a very specific set of gear and weaponry
• Tier 1 Operators – Military-style clothing (can be painted as camo or plain colours), a wide selection of modern weapon systems, chest rigs and soft headgear.
• SWAT – Older style of kit and weapon however still pretty uniform.

Painting wise, I decided to set these guys up as the QRF for my other Tier 1 guys, having stopped long enough to grab their helmets and NODs before going out on the street. As part of this, these guys were once again treated to the irregular force painting scheme I’ve used before, By picking a small number of colours and making sure each is used in different locations on a few models, it helps to make the team look a little more unified. With these operators, there was also a third region (as well as the shirt and trousers) with the bandannas to populate and I’m pretty happy with the overall look.

So what do I think? Well, I think Spectre has done a fantastic job of capturing the style of the Ember team operators. These guys look exactly like the team from the comics, and if you go hard on the original scheme you could make some really impressive looking models.

If your warzone doesn’t include Cold Harbor, then these guys would still be ideal for any number of heavily armed and well trained groups, from private military contractors to special operations forces. And best of all, you get to put the very latest in gucci kit on the board

I’m also looking forward to what comes next from this partnership. Ember is from the Yemen books but there are other operators from the earlier books that are also pretty stylish looking, especially as someone who loves the baseball cap and ear defender look. This first pack also only includes troops armed with assault rifles – it would be handy to get some alternative weapons for different situations. Either way, I’ll be keeping a close eye on them.

So remember – All Kill No Capture.

As an aside, I also recently ordered the Ember team ID patch from Echelon Software itself. And when it arrived, this spilled out of the packaging (along with a few stickers).

Nice try Echelon, but I’m already hooked.

A frequent question people have when starting to collect Spectre figures is which range to get first. For those wanting their own tiny Special Forces team, the Task Force Operators range is obviously the first stop. However, for sheer versatility, I really have to recommend the Tier 1 Operators.

The common identity to all these figures is for a set of operators in cutting edge gear while wearing practical clothing that makes them useful for a whole selection of paint schemes, from camo to the latest in Operator fashion, plaid. All of them are wearing modern chest rigs and belt kits, with retention holsters for their suppressed Glock. The weapons are all upgraded with the usual mix of attachments perfect for sweeping and clearing. I really like the variation in this range – the Task Force Operator guys are much more uniform while these figures look much more like they have chosen their kit based on personal preference.

Riflemen

The core of any force is your riflemen and in this range you have seven of them. Each pack is a different style of pose, from enaging the enemy to moving under fire. There is a nice mix of bare heads and caps, as well several figures equipped with shades.

With all these figures, the main assault rifle is the Sig Sauer MCX with all the trimmings – suppressor, laser, red dot and various sights. This makes them a pretty powerful rifle when clearing rooms. The MCX is also usable with the specialist .300 Blackout round, designed for superior performance while suppressed.

The final rifleman is actually a female operator, which is a neat addition and perfect for representing any number of characters in your special operations force.

Support

As cool as the riflemen are, the specialists are where the fun begins. There is a definitely feel of close range firepower to these guys and the first specialist, armed with a MPX SMG, is perfect for being a pointman. The SMG’s bonus in close quarters makes it perfect for popping sentries or being the first through the door.

Of course, you may want something a little more dramatic for room clear and there is where the two shotgun equipped figures come in. The first is armed with an Origin 12, a rapid fire shotgun that can be used as an automatic in Spectre Operations. If you need to put the suppression down at close range, this weapon is great.

The second figure, we covered in an impressions piece last year, is going a different approach with his shotgun. The Six12 is only a combat shotgun rather than an automatic but comes with a suppressor. This figure is also wielding a tomahawk perfect for breaking locks and busting heads.

A great bonus to both these guys is the fact they are still carrying their assault rifles, so they can easily join in the mid-range firefight while moving to the objective.

Of course, not every firefight will be at close range. So, you’re going to want some guys to bring the pain at longer rangers. First up is the LMG – every squad needs a base of fire and a suppressed LMG fills that slot. It also has a the usual optics upgrade, making it very useful went approaching the objective.

On the other hand, you might need to take out a few enemies in one go. To help with this, the Tier 1 range includes the ever useful MGL. As well as explosives, multiple smoke grenades can help to cover a rapid exfiltration. In addition, he still has his assault rifle when you need a little more precision.

Conclusions

As I said at the start, I really like the Tier 1 range. I’ve also loved how many different variations of them that people have painted on the Spectre Operations group – everything from guys in full camo to run as advisors down to the plaid look more commonly seen on competition shooters. For a new player, 12 figures is actually a pretty sensible amount and gives you plenty of options when building a mission.

In terms of who to use them as almost anything – Western Special Forces, highly trained PMCs or federal agents ready to steal some money from the cartel (if you’re a fan of Sabotage). What is really cool is putting these guys up against other Special Forces, meaning both players have to be much more careful when trying to fire and move as everyone is pretty effective.

Wishlist

Honestly, this range is pretty complete. It’s a nice mix of poses and equipment. So apart from the stock answer (give me more!), it would be cool to see some more variation, or maybe even someone with other futuristic SIG guns like the tiny MCX Rattler for some real close quarters action.

One thing that’s great about wargaming is just how broad you can be. From 54mm games where players control single figures, all the way down to tiny scales where you are basically playing with painted pins to represent your armies of soldiers, there is something for everyone. And even within relatively niche periods, such as Ultramodern wargaming, there can many different settings that let you play out the whole breadth of modern-day gunfighting.

One setting that Spectre provides for is the modern day cops and robbers, thanks to their range of both criminals and armed police. These are ideal for anyone interested in this setting and today, we’re going to take a look at their SWAT team.

The Spectre SWAT range at the moment consists of 6 figures. All of them are geared up, based on very latest kit US police departments are issuing. Every officer has body armour, FAST helmets, eye protection and more kit on them, including their trusty sidearm. The uniforms are a mixture, but there are plenty of trousers with built in kneepads to show the operators among the bunch. All of the figures are posed aiming or at the low ready, perfect for stacking up on each other.

The differences come with their equipment. The bulk of the force is armed with AR15 pattern rifles, covered in rails and mounting a selection of accessories. Some figures have magnifiers behind their red dots, while others are just using the EoTechs. 

The other two officers are your specialists, ideal for winning in a close-quarters firefight. One is carrying an MPX SMG, great for when you need manoeuvrability in tight spaces. The other carries a KSG shotgun, perfect for breaching and clearing. Both of these guns also have red dots, ideal for actions where close quarters combat is expected.

So, let’s talk about how I intend to use them. I have to admit, my focus when wargaming is really military or SF operations in MENA and Africa – partially because I have the terrain and figures for it and partially because that style of action is more interesting than drug cartels and police actions to me. So, how best to use these guys in a more militarised setting?

Well, the figures are definitely well equipped but are not quite as well armed as the Task Force Operator figures – these guys have standard M4s rather the 416s of their better funded/trained brothers. This means that the SWAT range is ideal if you need some local SF figures with western style equipment – similar to your main operators but still visually distinctive.

I’ve gone the contractor route with my guys. Thinking these are the QRF sat waiting to rescue the principal or drag their buddies (possible from the Tier 1 Operator Range) out of the fire when things go wrong. Alternatively, they may end up being the bad guys when the inevitable third act twist takes place and suddenly the operators have to fight against almost near-tier adversaries.

Now I just have to get them on the board…

Although wargaming for most is focused more overt actions (complete with all the firepower you might want), for most of history covert action has played an important role. TV, films and games are filled with deeds of low profile agents fighting wars in other people’s countries where they are not supposed to go. The frequent refrain of “we’ll deny you even exist” is probably becoming a trope at this point. If you’re wanting to bring some low profile guys to your own tabletop, the Spectre Deniable Operators are perfect.

At the moment, Spectre has four packs available – two for the rifleman and two for each of the specialists. All of the operators are dressed in civilian outdoors clothing and are wearing rucksacks. If it wasn’t for the AKs in their hands, they could easily be hikers out for a day’s stroll. The chance to paint some civilian clothing means that you can add the odd touch of colour that you might not normally see when painting more regular troops

Riflemen

There are a total of four riflemen available, giving you a nice variety of poses. All four are armed with a rail-equipped, crane stocked 7.62mm AKs, complete with all the usual bits of kit that operators love to have when fighting in urban terrain.

The rucksacks are ideal for representing any number of kit, from grenades to medical equipment to laser guidance systems for bringing the rain.

Support

Of course, every squad needs special weapons. For the Deniable Operators, you don’t get quite the same heavy firepower as some other ranges. Instead, it’s a bit more of a scalpel (in relative terms). One operator has an M203 under his AK, ideal for taking out groups of hostiles or enemies in cover. The other is designed for reaching out and touching the bad guys at long range, the larger optic ideal for representing a DMR.

As much as you might want a machine gun, I think keeping the specialists with AK platforms make a lot of sense for operators working in small groups behind enemy lines.

Usage

The best thing about ranges like Deniable Operators is just flexible they are. These guys can represent anything, from heavily armed criminals up to special forces seeking to hide their origin. Mix them in with some irregulars and you have some advisers mentoring their more ill-equipped buddies.

Conclusions

The Deniable Operators are one of my favourite compact ranges. Small and sweet, these six operators are ideal for something new compared to the usual door kickers. If you’re looking for a small team with a fun playstyle, I recommend picking these guys up. You can find them on the Spectre store under Undercover Operators.

Wishlist

Like all of the compact ranges, the wishlist is just more. AK armed operators have a certain attraction, something different from the usual AR15s and FAST helmets. A few more figures, perhaps in some different poses, would be nice. Some guys pointing out enemy targets would be ideal when using them as advisors.