Happy New Year!

Happy New Gear - 2020! From Dream Pod 9

As the New Year rolls in around the world we hope you had great 2019 and that 2020 is an amazing year for you all.

Dream Pod 9, Inc.

Tankers Tuesday: Centurion Tank vs Atomic Bomb

Mecha Monday: Robopocalypse

A computer scientist accidentally unleashes a supremely intelligent sentient A.I. named Archos R-14. It becomes self-aware and immediately starts planning the elimination of human civilization and building a new cryptic ecology, where the organic is being merged with robot technology. Over time, Archos R-14 infects all penetrable networked electronic devices, such as cars, airplanes, smart homes, elevators, and other robots, with a "precursor virus". 

Robopocalypse

Borneo Confrontation, c1963 and other Bits...

What better way of learning about the British Empire than recreating battles or campaigns. There are myriad companies producing board games and miniatures so that pretty much any campaign can be reproduced. Games and figures manufacturers agree that the British Empire makes a wonderful backdrop to set their products within. The products on offer are constantly improved and updated. It can be hard to keep abreast with all the developments, but if anyone would like to add any additional information about games or figures then please do not hesitate to email me so that I can add the necessary links.

Colonial wargaming has a long history, you can go back to HG Wells' Little Wars or Donald Featherstone's Skirmish Wargaming. Wargaming heritage doesn't get much better than that. It can be done in any scale from 2mm to 54mm (and probably bigger for all I know).

Of course, there are many different periods that can be covered in Colonial wargaming. Most people would probably instinctively think of Victorian era games but of course it could encompass anything from the time of Sir Francis Drake to the Falklands War. The geographical reach of colonial wargaming is possibly the widest of any genre out there. So there is a lot of choice out there.

This section is to try and help narrow down that choice and provide a map for those who want to launch in to their own gaming experiences. I also have my own campaign system that you are free to use, adapt or inspire to create your own. It is called Jarania

I personally like to use 15mm figures and have ranges that cover the Indian Mutiny, the Sudan, the Boer Wars, Afghanistan and the North West Frontier and a lot of Zulus! I personally like 15mm as I feel that they are good value for money, and provide a good balance between skirmish and larger battles. Having said that, if you want to fight huge battles - such as Isandlwana - then 6mm is probably the way to go. The advantage of 25/28mm figures is that there is much more characterisation and variety available which makes them particularly well suited to skirmish games. There is an interesting development with hard plastic figures being produced. These are much cheaper than the lead figures and are easier to modify or convert. You have been able to get soft plastic figures for years, but they have a tendency to flake off the paint over time. Hard plastic figures do not suffer from this problem.

As for rules, I have to say that I am a huge fan of The Sword and the Flame rules which I have used with students at school and at various conventions. They are not that common in the UK but they are well worth seeking out! They are much more popular in the States where they are easier to source.

For those who prefer more modern rules for the Decolonisation and End of Empire era, Ganesha Games publishes a set called 'Flying Lead' which provides good low intensity simulations. You can read a battle report of one such example from the Borneo Confrontation here.

Colonial Wargames

Brazos Evil Empire Christmas Card

It an annual tradition here at the Brazos Evil Empire for members of our group and whoever else that wishes to join in to send a card/provocation  from their faction to everyone else. With the loss this year of one of our founding members as well as a life long friend FPPR  Comrade Bill, I wasn't going to keep the tradition up but, I thought better of it as a way to honor someone we here will and do miss...

Holiday Greetings From The Brazos Evil Empire!

A Very Merry Christmas
From The Imperial 
Household, And The
C&C To All Loyal
Subjects Of The Empire. 

May All Your Wars
Be In Miniature And
All Your Battles End
In Camaraderie And
A Hearty Hand Shake.

Military Theory: A Technical Analysis of War of the Worlds' Equipment, Strategy & Operations

Reverse Engineering the Martian War Machine – The Heat Ray and HMS Thunder Child

This article is a “history” of H.G. Wells classic science fiction novel, “The War of the Worlds”, as if it actually happened, complete with technological assessments, logistical evaluations and strategic analyses. Naturally, the first subject will be prominent given the vast technological superiority of the invading Martians.

War Of The Worlds Intel

15mm Warhammer 40K/ Heroes of Black Reach mashup part 1

Playing the board game with customized pieces. Video is not a review of the box game but more focused on the decisions made during a game and the results. 

15mm Wargaming for Fun and Sanity: OAAH First games at Entoyment.

15mm Wargaming for Fun and Sanity: OAAH First games at Entoyment.: Seed change in our wargaming.  We have the capacity to do bigger games, but my flat & parking restrictions/cost make them impractical...

Werid War (Korea)

A friend of mine has a rather interesting weird war idea set in Korea .

HMMMMM would there be a Chinese weaponized dragon fighting from the north? ;)

Tanker's Tuesday: Sherman: Why the bad Reputation?

Mecha Monday: Gundam 0083 Stardust Memory

Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory is a 13-episode anime OVA series set in the Gundam universe. The first volume containing two 30-minute episodes was released in Japan on May 23, 1991. Subsequent volumes, containing one 30-minute episode each, followed every one or two months; the final volume went on sale on September 24, 1992.

Tanker's Tuesday 2020 TANKSGIVING CHALLENGE

2020 TANKSGIVING CHALLENGE: THE RULES!!!!

The Challenge:

The challenge is simple: create a unique sci-fi tank within 365 days (ending date December 9, 2020).  This will allow all members across the world ample time to progress on their work due to seasons varying in time across the aforementioned world.      *********************************************************************

The Rules:

1. (1)The 2020 Tanksgiving Challenge will run from December 9, 2019 and end on December 9, 2020 at 9:00pm Central Standard Time.  No entries will be accepted after 9:00pm Central Standard time.
2. Entries may officially be submitted between November 1, 2020 and December 9, 2020 ending at 9:00pm Central Standard Time.  Work In Progress pictures may be posted during the 365 days of the challenge however no official entries will be accepted.
3. *********************************************************************
4. (2)An Official Entry Thread will be posted on November 1, 2020.  At this time contestants may post one (1) image of their entry.  Contestants may post a link in their submission post to a gallery of other images of their entry however only the one (1) image posted in the Official Entry Thread will be counted.
5. *********************************************************************
6. (3)Entries must be 15mm(ish) in scale.  Models can vary greatly in size from entry to entry.  Some may be the size of a football (American Pigskin or Soccer, take your pick on the meaning) or a true 15mm scale model.  For example one may have an entry the size of a small Ogre (which could be over 24in in length) and another the size of a Flames of War model.
7. *********************************************************************
8. (4)Entries must show at least one 15mm infantry model to show scale in the entry photo.
9. Models must be a UNIQUE CREATION.  No out of the box models that are unmodified!!  A "Unique Creation" is defined as a model that can not be purchased from a company, vendor, maker, or other retailer be it national, online, boutique, etc.
10. *********************************************************************
11. (5)Models may use an off the shelf model as a base for their entry.  "Off the shelf" includes but is not limited Warhammer 40,000 Rhino, Flames of War Sherman, 1/72 Tamiya Hetzer, and so on.  The base model must be modified in such a way that only a hint of its origin can be made.
12. *********************************************************************
13. (6)Entries must have three individual weapon systems and must include one of the following: Ray Gun, Laser Gun, Missiles, Grenade Launcher, Flame Thrower, or Machine Gun.  The size of said weapon is left to the contestant.
14. *********************************************************************
15. (7)Entries can be of any genre of sci-fi including but not limited to Pulp, Near Future, Far Future, Sci-Fi Fantasy, Weird War, an so on.
16. *********************************************************************
17. (8)No time extensions will be granted as 365 days is more than ample time.
18. Admins of 15mm Sci-Fi Gaming may not enter the challenge.
19. Prize support is not guaranteed or implied!! 
20. *********************************************************************

Ok that about covers it.   Please ask questions on this thread and yes, I will post a comment daily in order to bump this topic.  I hope we have a HUGE turnout!  Goodluck FB Page :D

Mecha Monday: RavenStar Studios

RavenStar Studios end of year sale...yeah its a big one..

https://www.ravenstarstudio.com/

On December 7, 1941, Japan's attacked on Pearl Harbor & The declaration ...

Mecha Monday :EP 1 OUTCAST | OBSOLETE

Tanker's Tuesday: The Battle of Paderborn - 1945