Five Parsecs from Home: Turn 21 - Nova Cartel Underbelly

I wanted to use my magnetic, modular interior terrain. I feel a little like this quest will end on a whimper. I hope that this battle will result in some missing people being found, but I don't really know.

The entrance was unguarded. The door was easy to bypass. This would prove simple it would seem. 

Holmes led the way with Ulrich bringing up the rear. This underground facility was hopefully going to be a small one. There was, however, no useful map on the wall. 

Close range small arms fire sparked against the walls and floor. Two figures were crouching behind crates. Brenko took some fire and hit the ground while Carrick charged one of the men down, slicing him open. 

The rest of the team opened up, taking the two remaining figures down in a hail of fire.

Upon entering the next chamber two pathways opened up before the team. They decided to separate. More desperate fire came their way, but concentrated returned fire from our heroes killed and pinned down the new gunmen.

A grenade was launched, exploding close behind the crew, Ulrich and Mao dove for cover while the others felt shrapnel bounce off of their vests. 

Recovering, the crew began shooting again, taking out the two Nova Cartel men.

Taking the tab off of a corpse it became clear that there were multiple rooms where people were being kept in containers modified as cells. The team split up.

Carrick and Phillips paired up to cover one side of the complex. They would watch the backs of the others and only explore if they could. Carrick opened fire on another Nova Cartel thug, taking him down.

His fire attracted the attention of another squad who charged out of one cell area gunning Carrick down in a hail of bullets. He fell, behind cover and stayed there for the remainder.

Meanwhile Mao took point when entering another cell area. Poking his head around the corner drew fire from the guards so he ducked back into relative safety.

He and Brenko then laid down fire on the guards, killing one and sending another behind cover.

Phillips, unable to advance further, laid down some heavy defensive fire, knocking down another guard, but she still needed to remain in cover as the other guards were very much active.

Peeking round for another exchange of fire, Mao felt a very heavy hit and was knocked back, unconscious. 

Phillips was keeping her head down, while trying to delay the advance of the other thugs. It was looking dicey at times. Heavily pinned, she was going to get out flanked at some point. 

Desperate to find the missing colonists, Ulrich ran around the corner, pinning down one of the thugs.

He and Holmes then took one of the guards down and kept the other's head down. 

Brenko then stormed up to the other, cutting him in two with some close range fire. 

Breaking the containers open, a couple of bedraggled looking women stepped out. Ulrich shared a look at one and he looked back. They embraced. 

"Took your time, Ulrich" she said. 

"You have been hard to find, Tonia" Ulrich shot back with a grin. Turning to Holmes and Brenko he said "This is Tonia Wildner, we have found them.

Within a few minutes the facility had been cleared of Nova Cartel personnel and all of the missing colonists had been located. 

Mao and Carrick looked like their frag vests had saved them and would wake up with some sore ribs later, but could be carried back to The Pelican. It was time to go and reunite the colonists with Sara at Leyte Logistics, then perhaps get them off world. 

Modular Sci Fi interior part. 2

Tonight I finally got off my butt and made something. I used some green stuff and bits from my box of terrain making crap to give some character to my Hexbug stuff.

The thing, however,  is that once added, I can't un-add them. Thus I intend to leave the majority blank and just paint some details into the walls. I want them as generic as can be.

Rubble and junk in a corridor. Aliens was my inspiration but I want more scatter terrain perhaps. I am dreaming up solid pieces that I could hook onto the edges to keep in place.

 A few bits. Nothing fancy.  A ship could still land here.

Modular Sci Fi Interior pt 1.

It has finally happened. The universe has come together, the planets have aligned, and I have managed to stumble across a godsend. While browsing Facebook Marketplace at unwanted Christmas gifts and former toys who have been assigned the role of "making way for new presents" I came across a listing for Hexbugs toys for £10. Hexbugs? What the hell are those? I had never heard of them. But the image got me excited. I searched for them and found more locally and cheaper. Tonight I went over and picked up a set. £10. Take a look at my initial setup:

Those are all the hexagons. I do, however, have a bunch a corridors and other little extra bits that require further investigation. But I mean seriously?! £10 for this setup? Sign me up for more. My only problem will be finding a place to store it all.

 These miniatures are based on 1 Euro cent coins. Not ideal, but you will see my smaller bases later on. Still, Xenomorphs charging down a narrow hallway. Fetch me my brown trousers.

So here we go. I am not sure about the scale of the Falcon with these 6mm figures. But with a different sized craft these sections could reasonably double up as a landing pad. I didn't even think about checking out how they look upside-down. What isn't clear is that there are hexagon shapes on the floor which will help it look sci-fi.

Here we have the main complex that is on two levels. This is the section that made me think of the Planetside 2 Biolab, and there is a multiplayer map in Mass Effect 3 that it reminded me of also. Those small holes can be filled with those little black pegs. Those black pegs can be attached to those orange looking walls. So I feel that there could be room for this to be semi-modular in itself. The walls could also be doors. 

 The upper deck. Those orange parts open up. Functioning doors. Win.

Waiting for his quarry. The small bases look much better. Time to order another packet of teeny tiny washers.

I think this scales better, the single seater fighter craft. However, I don't know if I want the concept of single seater fighter in my universe.

A Nubian. Too small. 

My questions are, am I even going to bother painting it all up? Where am I going to keep it? Will I ever even play a game on it? Should I buy up a whole bunch more?

Modular Industrial Complex pt. 6 -3 new tiles

Having dug through my boxes of crap, and finding a random empty printer ink cartridge under the front passenger seat of my car it was high time to carry on with my project.


Here we have some lids, a golden bead and my little huts. They are made from cabinet mounts, I polyfilled in the holes and stuck cocktail straws in one of the holes. Card doorways. These huts are my answer to Quanset huts because I have been really struggling to make them using card. These are simple, cheap (pack of 20 for a pound or so), and look fine.

Yogurt pot, cable tidys for doors, green stuff and junk to make a pile of junk. Some random thing on top, it might have been from a pen?

Printer ink cartridge, cocktail straws, more greenstuff and bits. A broken light bulb.

Here they are all together. I will likely prime them tomorrow night.

Here are all six tiles together. I am pleased with how it is looking.

Behold my attempt to make Vietnam inspired dwellings for planets with non-developed colonies. I like the idea of people living off the grid in places like this. They are the cabinet mounts, one covered in poly-filla and scored to make it look like thatch. The other covered in green stuff, which might be expensive, but I am using the same stuff I bought 10 years ago to customise Star Wars miniatures.

Shipping containers. They look fine. They will do the job and cost the cost of the paint that went on them. Happy with them.

Modular Industrial Complex pt. 5

I seem to be really into getting projects done right now. The pre-activities-day rush of project completion is spurring me along.

Below you can see my shipping containers. 10x10x20mm of wood. Edges sanded down and painted. I will be adding more detail to them, but I am quite pleased to be fair.

I completed another section of the modular complex. It is funny because this was the section that began the whole thing, but I left it on top of the kitchen cabinets for ages. Now, though, it is looking good. I need to do a bit more in terms of dirtying it up though. 

A close up shot.

Modular Industrial Complex pt. 4 - Acceptable for the table.

I had a productive evening weathering the crap out of the two industrial complex stands, along with some other random scatter terrain that have been lying around for years. Now there is still the possibility that I will black up the tops of the chimneys and experiment with all kinds of wet damage and dripping. Bur for now, they are good to be on the table.

These two pieces have been sitting under my bed for probably three years now, primed and ready to go. Classic me. They are meant to be damaged/unfinished areas in spaceports. 

Close up shots. Any constructive feedback welcome.

New Mecha and some terrain

Finally finished these mecha. I went for a simple one colour paint job for them and actually I am very happy with them. They can match the Green Jackets for colour or I might be using them for another faction at some point. I can see them going along with the Coyotes also.

When you take a job to explore an uncharted world on the edge of human space and come across these crops. Does God build in straight lines? Or are there already people here? Call it in and turn the safety off.

Modular Industrial Complex pt. 3

Progress is being made on my modular complex. I am finding the danger stripes the most difficult thing, especially on the door. It is just at a tough angle. I might need to rethink how I paint and make these things now.

I just need to decide what sort of shades to paint onto the ground and then start weathering. I am looking forward to doing some proper weathering for once.

Modular Industrial Complex pt. 2

Having posted the first primed section, I thought it might be a good idea to post the next two before they are primed to give a better idea of the junk I used to make them.

A pen liberated from a Hilton hotel, two printer ink cartridges, straws, lids, letter beads. Bits I had lying around.

Starport Scum with teenagers

So my brother in law is a teenager. He and his friends spent some time making sections of my modular interior. They aren't finished, but we decided to have a game. I set it up.

The scenario was this: two crews of bounty hunters are after vital information on one of their bounties. The information is in the locked room on the top of the station. When the teams advance my guards would appear. 

As it happens the guys lost interest because the fighting didn't start soon enough. Also because some of them suddenly realised it meant not being on their phones for a period of time over 5 minutes.

This badass is the one who stopped most of the teams advancing.

I might just stick to solo gaming, or pick my game team better.