What Is A Crocodile's Favourite Game?

Time for a couple of new Batman villains.

First up, the Prince of Puzzles, the Count of Conundrums, the Mystery Man, Mr E, Edward Nigman, the Riddler! This is a Heroclix sculpt and is actually the model that persuaded me to use Heroclix miniatures in a slightly larger scale before I'd heard of Knight Models. I like the characterful simplicity of the pose and it was really a doddle to paint. I did have to replace a wonky cane, but other than that the Riddler wasn't at all confusing.

Secondly, Waylon Jones, the Killer Croc. This is a Knight Models sculpt and as it's based on the humongous Arkham City version of the character and so towers over the other models I've done. This model was an absolute joy to paint. For me it strikes exactly the right balance of detail that improves my painting without having unnecessarily complex fiddly bits to deal with. This big fella has sold me on buying into the rest of the range for sculpts that I don't already have; despite the price.

Firestorm: Lorraine - Panzer Assault

Last week, I finally got involved in our Firestorm: Lorraine campaign. So far, Matt and Pete have won one game each leading to the Americans crossing the Moselle and cutting off the Panzers in Luxembourg. I entered the fray by arranging a game with Pete, which meant that I would be commanding the Americans as Panzer Pete tried to break out of the encirclement around Luxembourg (I managed to lose the initiative roll). The scenario was 'Surrounded', and I imagine that the Germans had launched a series of encircling manoeuvres to destroy the Americans around Mairy (Pete spotted the chance to breach the US line and cut off the Tank Destroyers across the Moselle.

US 4th Armoured (Confident Veteran)

HQ Platoon - 2 M4A1 Shermans

Sherman Platoon 1 - 5 M4A1 Shermans

Sherman Platoon 2 - 3 M4A1 Shermans

Stuart Platoon - 4 M5A1 Stuarts

Tank Destroyer Platoon - 2 M10 Tank Destroyers + Security Section

Recon Platoon - M5 Half-Track, 2 Jeeps with AAMG, 3 stands + Bazooka

Infantry Platoon - 7 stands + Bazooka (FIRESTORM)

Priority Air Support (FIRESTORM)

Herman Goering Panzerkompanie (Confident Veteran)

HQ Platoon - 2 Panzer III

Panzer Platoon 1 - 2 Panzer III, 2 Panzer IV

Panzer Platoon 2 - 2 Panzer III, 2 Panzer IV

Assault Gun Platoon - 2 Stug G

Schwere Panzer Platoon - 1 Tiger 1E

Panzergrenadier Platoon - 7 stands

Tank Hunter Platoon - 3 Panzer IV/70 (FIRESTORM, Reluctant Trained)

I deployed my tanks within the town, trying to hide from the inevitable German long range barrage. The infantry platoon dug in out on a limb to guard the objective beyond the river, whilst the recon platoon cowered behind the stone wall of the field guarding the other. Pete massed his Panzer III's, Panzer IV's and Panzergrenadiers to the east. whilst the big guns were lurking in the woods to the west.

Did You See Anything?

The tank destroyer security section use their recce move to scout out the farm just in time to get eyes on a wall of German steel rolling towards the town.

Not So Clever Hans

The Panzer IV/70's (played by Panthers), the Stugs and the Tiger roll out of the woods but suffer a bout of failed bogging checks.

What Would Patton Do?

With the big guns stalled, I take the chance to launch a massive attack on the weaker German tanks. The Tank Destroyers appear to support the Recon platoon whilst the Shermans and Stuarts decimate Panzer platoon 2.

Shootout!

My 1iC takes the opportunity to destroy the isolated Stug.

Incoming!

Despite the clear skies, the USAF begin what will be an underwhelming performance as they miss the Tiger.

Watch Your Six!

Having gone all out to destroy the Panzers coming from the east, I left my tanks exposed to attack from the rear from the long range guns of the Panzer IV/70's and it cost me a platoon.

Smoke Gets In Your Eyes

In a delaying tactic, I pour smoke at the incoming Tiger to reduce its effectiveness.

Speed vs. Strength

I launch the Stuarts at the remaining German tank, the 2IC. Whilst the Shermans and the M10's  move back to defend the bridges from the big guns.

Hold Them!

Unable to hurt the German tanks to the front (save for the M10's, which were fluffing), I resort to smoke to hold them. However, worried about their flanks, the Panzers don't push through the smoke. Eventually the M10's find their range and the Panzer IV/0's are broken.

 

Endangered Species

With the destruction of the Tiger, without their commander, the Germans are forced to retire. The breakout from Luxembourg had failed.

The German Panzer firestorm troops were captured on the retreat, leaving Luxembourg looking vulnerable. However, the important fact from the game was me learning that my peashooter armed M4A1's and Stuarts can beat German tanks if I use their speed and mass their firepower. I'll admit I still need to paint some of my own M10's but I was able to use speed and terrain to beat stronger tanks.

Heroes and Villains

I've finally got some more painting done, and given my recent positive experience with the Batman Miniatures Game, I've been inspired to add to my roster of heroes and villains.

First up is Batman's sidekick (who somewhat ironically, isn't a 'sidekick' in BMG) Robin, the Boy Wonder. This model is 'The Kid' from Crossover Miniatures, a small company I feel the need to support despite the noticeable difference in scale from the miniatures I'm using (Robin, being a teen of indeterminate age, neatly avoids this issue). Although not an officially licensed product, the miniature bears a striking resemblance to the 1990's incarnation of Robin, Tim Drake, and is significantly different from (and in my view more dynamic than) the official Knight Models' Robin, which is based on the Arkham City Robin, as welll as being significantly cheaper.

As with my previous experience with Crossover Miniatures, this model was a pleasure to paint with little to no flash to clean - although the chunky base did need chopping off. I've still got to work up the courage to a add the 'R' badge to the front, and I'm unsure as to what to do with the base at the moment. Overall, I'm really happy with him and I'll continue to scrutinise the Crossover Range for models I can use as part of my project.

Next up, Agent Ron, the second of my Gotham Cops from Knight Models. I really like this sculpt and he marks my first ever use of liquid greenstuff on the arms; an experiment which I'm very happy with (you can still see the join on the arm if you look closely enough, but it's not enough to worry me). This guy is a Henchman like the officer with the baton, although unlike him, Agent Ron is unique and so cannot be used more than once in a 'gang', which seems an odd marketing decision, because by making only one of the models in a pack reusable, they have potentially discouraged people from buying more than one pack of Cops.

I'm happy with how I've managed to match the previous Policeman's paint scheme and I've kept the base simple with some road markings (which I have no idea whether they are accurate for the States). Like the last Policeman, I'm still wimping out of adding 'GPD' to the back of their jackets as I don't want to stuff them up.

The last new model for now is Mr. Freeze, a.k.a. Victor Friess (seriously...) from Knight Models. I've kept the paint job simple on this as I found that this sculpt lack some of the definition that I'm used to (especially in the face) and which provide a crutch for my method of painting. The gun is also incredibly flimsy and I'm concerned that it will break unless I'm incredibly careful when using him. This follows on from my experience of breaking the baton on the first Policeman I painted and seems to indicate that the thinner parts of Knight Models sculpts will all be fragile.

I'm generally happy with Mr. Freeze, although I feel that the head lacks any real character and the close up photo badly exposes this. However, I don't know what to do about this. I am very happy with the snow globe though, and if you look closely you might be able to make out the flakes of snow effect I went for. I deliberated a long time about his base and eventually went for a snow drift effect. At the moment this is uneven sand painted flat white. I avoided using snow basing effects as I've never really liked how they end up looking (a bit like cake icing) and although I'm okay with the base, I'll happily take suggestions on potential improvements.

At this point in proceedings I thought I'd add some group shots to show the progress I've made so far.

This is my Batman gang, featuring the big guy himself, Nightwing, Robin, Agent Ron, Generic Cop, and the Detective who theoretically could easily use the same stats as Generic Cop. This is a fully functioning and game legal gang of 330 Reputation (or 340 if I use Arkham City Batman instead of Dark Knight Rises). They are due to be reinforced by Commisioner Gordon, a Heroclix sculpt currently sitting on on the painting table.

To counter them are the villains: Joker, Harley Quinn, Mr. Freeze, Firefly and Turk. Unlike the Batman Gang, Joker's mob are short on numbers, especially as without game stats, I can't use Firefly at the moment and so can only muster 251 Reputation. These guys are due for reinforcement in the form of three Free Agents: Killer Croc, the Riddler and Scarecrow. Although I wouldn't be able to use all of them at the same time, flexibility should allow for some variation and interest in games. However, it is clear that Mr. J, needs some proper henchmen and so some clowns are likely to be the next purchase from Knight Models.

All in all, I'm now in a position to be able to play BMG with decent sized gangs. I still have my reservations about the scenarios, however, my bigger concern is my own terrain (most of what you saw in the battle report was Matt's) so I need to get cracking on that. After that, I will be turning my attentions to some additional villain gangs: specifically the Penguin and the League of Shadows...

Firestorm: Lorraine - Across the Moselle

The second game of our Firestorm: Lorraine took place a couple of weeks ago, and I'm only just getting caught up. Again Matt's Americans attacked Pete's Germans across the Moselle just north of Metz, seeking to cut off the Panzers in Luxembourg and again he was supported from the air. Again Pete's Firestorm troops were infantry of variable quality, but instead of my Panthers, Pete's heavy tanks came in the form of two Tigers.

However, this time Matt made three important changes. Firstly, the Firestorm troops he chose to support his assault were his newly painted Towed Tank Destroyers. Secondly, his army featured Sherman 76mm tanks, which are more capable of going toe to toe with the German tanks. Finally, realising that they weren't cheesy enough last time, Matt actually looked up the correct anti-tank score for his M10 Tank Destroyers.

Needless to say, these change spelt doom for Oberst Pete von Treadhead and the Americans managed to cut off the Panzers to the north. Luxembourg appears to be General Matton's next targets if he can keep the initiative and given the rules on only Panzers attacking for the Germans, the Panzers are going to have to cut their own way out of there should the Germans manage to seize the strategic advantage.

A Dark Night In Gotham - Batman Miniatures Game & Review

Well, I've finally managed to get a game of the Batman Miniatures Game. I'll present this as a battle report rather than a review initially, and then sum up my thoughts about the game itself at the end.

For simplicity's sake Matt and I decided to play the game without the variables of objectives, street lights, sewer entrances and strategies. We rolled up the Patrol scenario in which both sides are trying to get to the opposite corner of the board from their deployment zone. Our gangs had the unusual reputation of about 180.

Matt was using his SWAT miniatures from his own Flashbang game as Commissioner Gordon (in the suit with the pistol) and Officers Alpha (MG), Bravo (Sniper Rifle/Shotgun) and Delta (Hand Gun & Invisible Riot Shield). He also used his available funds to equip provide flash-lights and handcuffs to his men.

As Matt was running cops, I broke out the Joker, his main squeeze Harley Quinn and the only henchman in town, Two-Gun Turk. As the rulebook was particularly confusing on the additional equipment for Joker's gang, I simply bought more ammo for Turk. I also used Joker's Kaos Agent rule to reduce the game from the standard 6 turns to five, putting the pressure on both sides to get moving.

Aware that the Joker is on the loose, Gordon and Bravo move carefully through the poorly lit (no street lights, remember?) streets.

Further down the block, Delta and Alpha move up in support, keeping their eyes peeled for the Clown Prince of Crime.

Meanwhile, Harley Quinn and Turk make a run to across the street on another absurd errand for the Giggling Godfather...

...who waits in his warehouse lair, laughing maniacally, as he is wont to do.

The police continue to carefully search the buildings and alleyways for the dangerous fugitive.

Suddenly, a high pitched giggle and flash of red and white draw the cops attention down the darkened street.

Harley and Turk dive into the cover of a warehouse, whilst next door Gordon and Bravo are distracted by a chattering sound; their eyes are drawn to the curious sight of some clockwork teeth slowly making their way across the road towards them...BOOOOOM!

The windows of the building are blown inwards, showering the cops with glass, injuring Bravo. Alpha and Delta run up towards the sound of the blast on the other side of the street.

With the cops distracted, Harley slips through a window and makes a run for it whilst Turk lies in wait the ambush the flatfoots.

Gordon staggers out of the smoke and into the doorway of the warehouse and a furious but ineffectual fire fight ensues as he and Turk blaze away at each other, mainly splintering wood (it turns out that we were playing the Blink! rules wrong and so cover was far too effective. Suddenly, a booming shot rings out from the warehouse across the street and Gordon crumples to the floor wrapped in multi-coloured streamers (Joker's one shot gun should actually have taken him out of the game on a critical, but again, we played it wrong and just had Gordon incapacitated).

The cops rush to where the shot came from, hoping to corner the assassin.

Meanwhile, on the other side of town, Harley Quinn finally reaches to Joker's real target and stashes a small, but highly explosive device in a skip owned by an important player in Gotham's underworld, the detonation of which at an opportune moment is likely to cause chaos.

The cops continue to hunt Gordon's assailant and stumble upon the Joker's hideout. Can they apprehend the Clown Prince of Crime?

Another flurry of shots ring out as the struggling Gordon is hit again, this time by real bullets, as the forgotten Turk takes revenge for the three years he spent in Blackgate. Gordon slumps into unconciousness.

With the cops closing in, Joker slips out the back, one of the SWAT team briefly has a shot on his purple clad form, but he disappears chuckling into the night. Another mad scheme well under way...

When it came to counting up victory points, we had both managed to infiltrate the other's deployment zone, but the game was won by the taking down of Gordon. And so on to the review:

PROS

• It feels like Batman - Joker's rather impressive range of abilities puts him in the roll of mastermind calling the shots, Harley skips and somersaults her way around the board and the cops do cop things (even calling in a searchlight from air support - which Matt forgot to use)
• I like the dark - the light rules are a nice variation to the standard skirmish and give some credence to the short ranges, adding in street lights will really strengthen ranged weapons and the way that flash lights work is a nice touch. Characters who can see in the dark are at a big advantage
• It's short and to the point - just a handful of turns really puts the pressure on and raises the stakes
• Tactical thinking - the mini battle-boards are a nice touch, having to plan ahead (unless you're the Joker) makes you have to consider your options; which are many thanks to the range of abilities each character has
• Team building - the flexibility in creating a gang already allows for a big range of strategies, do you go for a swarm of henchmen, opt for a bruiser like Killer Croc, or go for someone more subtle like The Riddler
• The game flows - once you're playing pretty much everything becomes fairly intuitive very quickly, despite the apparent complexity, it's an easy game to play once you've started
• It's Batman - seriously, the massive advantage this has over other similar skirmish games is that I know and care about the characters and can happily invent narrative on the fly, this is something games like Malifaux and Warmachine (which I am assured are very good games in their own right) will never have for me

CONS

• The rulebook - seriously, this needs work. I know that it's translated from Spanish, but at least get an English speaker to give it the once over before publication as there are numerous instances of skills having different names, clauses being missed out, words not being effectively translated and all in all it takes a couple of reads and a bit of detective work to puzzle some bits out
• The scenarios - I know the game is nominally based on Arkham City and gang wars, but that's not really Batman to most folk. The scenarios are a bit bland and even. Some more fun capers like robberies, kidnappings and doomsday devices would really add some colour to proceedings.
• Lack of a campaign structure - you may have worked out that I like narrative. I'd like for skirmishes to matter in some way beyond bragging rights and the inevitable tournaments and ultimate combos, although flawed, Necromunda is still the standard setter for this kind of structure and so I'll probably end up cobbling something together of my own using that structure
• It's a little token heavy - I may need to find a way around that, Matt and I were already using black and red dice for stuns and injuries

OVERALL

All in all, I like the game, and the things that I don't like are largely due to this seemingly being an early draft. Matt like the game too, and I've already furnished him with some spare Heroclix I had no plans for to allow Batman and Robin to join his cops and the Joker to team up with the Scarecrow, Mr Freeze and some henchmen.

I'd really recommend giving these rules a spin as there's a lot to like. Due to Knight Models' free downloads, you don't have to use their models to play. I'm going to be sticking with this game for my Gotham project for the foreseeable future and my enthusiasm for it has prompted me to get some more stuff painted which you'll see more of in the coming days. 

"A gun is a coward's weapon..."

This is a quick update with my latest Batman villain...Turk!

Don't recognise him? Thought not. That's because he's simply a henchman. The model is a repaint of a a Heroclix 'Hitman', a character I confess I'd never come across. I've done him as a quick re-entry into painting and so that I can have roughly even sides in my first game of the Batman Miniatures Game tomorrow against Matt.

I'll be running the Joker, Harley Quinn and Turk (a gun toting escapee from Blackgate Prison - as featured in the Blackgate Prisoners by Knight Models). You'll notice from the image below that there's absolutely no resemblance between the two...I don't care. He's not from the Batman universe, so he's open to interpretation. For the sake of argument, let's say that I've painted him as he looked before he got put away.

Matt will be running the Gotham City Police Department SWAT team led by Comissioner Gordon (another set from Knight Models) using his own collection of SWAT miniatures from his own game 'Flashbang!'.

One of the beauties of the Batman Miniatures Game is that all the rules and stat cards are available for download so you don't have to use their models to play the game. Although this seems counter intuitive to selling miniatures, I think it's a great idea as able to cheaphammer where I can but still pick up their models to round out my collection (I recently got Mr. Freeze to add to the cops and Killer Croc, and I've got my eye on the Dark Knight Rises Bane). This is a particularly good feature given the variable scale and quality of the Heroclix miniatures that I'm mainly using.

The flip side of this is that you can't use characters which don't have models yet, such as my Firefly. However Knight Models are releasing miniatures at a surprising rate so it's really just a matter of time.

I'll post a write up and review of the game later in the week.

The Trouble With Triples

So this weekend was the Sheffield Triples wargames show at the English Institute of Sport. I go to this event every year as it's local, and this year's purchases are:

• 3 Zvezda Opel Blitz 3-Ton Trucks (along with a Panzer III that came as part of the deal)
• 11 Smoke Markers for games against Pete's tanks
• 6 US Riflemen - I always pick up something for a War of 1812 project I've never started
• 'The Kid' from Crossover Miniatures - bears a striking similarity to the Boy Wonder
• Roof tile sheets from Warbases - to cover the roofs of my warehouse

I'm certainly not unhappy with any of my purchases.

However, I returned from the show somewhat perturbed. Each year I'm finding Triples less and less inspiring. It's a feeling that seems to come from a range of sources:

1. The move to the E.I.S. from the Octagon a few years ago. I find the big open spaces distinctly 'un-wargamey'. I remember the Octagon from when I attended the Northern Militaire there and all the nooks and crannies made attending a wargames show exciting and full of discovery (I get a similar feeling at Vapantak in York). The sterile atmosphere of the E.I.S. just doesn't work.
2. The lack of traders. Key traders for me like Peter Pig, Gripping Beast and Sarissa Precision simply don't attend Triples. I know that there are other traders, but for the specific genres I'm interested in, I actually find it tricky to spend money at Triples.
3. The demo and display games. This isn't just Triples, but I'm just not inspired by the games on show. I think it's a combination of the lack of ancients (which seems to be a growing issue) and the lack of inventiveness on display. I'm just not seeing anything that grabs me. Even a Mad Max game with blaring speakers and outrageous costumes was remarkably similar to a demo game I played as a kid 25 years ago, just with more fanfare.
4. The ever more corporate nature of the industry. More and more of the stalls are carrying the same stock and it's entirely possible to plan your purchases online before you go (and then get disappointed that the company hasn't brought them). There used to be a veritable cornucopia of small traders which took an age to discover. It's just less fun.

It seems to me that Triples is just not as exciting as it used to be. It may just be me, but it feels that some of the quirky spark has disappeared. I'm going to go to a wider range of shows this year to see whether smaller shows still have the oddball quirkyness I remember.