Jet is stuck in the 90s! - Vor: The Maelstrom.

[jetengine]

Many, many, moons ago I was in a particularly explorative mood regarding my hobby. GW was feeling very stale and I wanted to try something different. Glancing across the net I dismissed multiple systems for various reasons, one caught my eye though. "Vor: The Maelstrom". It looked...goofy and  a tad out of date, what with it's stereotypical army guys and big orange monsters, but something intrueged me about it. Upon discovering it was dead as a dodo though I put it into the "nope" folder, but occasionally would look over the minis and wonder if I could use them for something. I've a yen for older sculpts, metals especially, They tend to be far more characterful then the soulless effect of modern  plastics.

Fast Forward to today and Major_Gilbears thread discussing the merits of this (and other similarly retro ) games. I'm a bit older now and looking for something to do that's a bit different, I found his introspective discussion on the merits of these "dead games" inspiring. Not only that but my love for old sculpts has grown significantly, I'm known as "The guy that likes shonky old minis" at my FLGS. As such I've decided on a new project, I'm going back to the 90s with Vor: The Maelstrom!

[Daeothar]

Cool idea to do yet another old system the justice it deserves! 

I'm not familiar with this system, other than the name and the fact that it's a contemporary of 2nd ed 40K, Warzone and VOID. However, I did acquire a couple of its miniatures about a decade ago. I sold off some of them, but kept a small squad of 5 (I think?) of the human trooper types.

I've kept them around because they have that 'something' and I'm also a sucker for nineties miniatures. But I don't know if I'll ever get around to doing them justice. If you're interested in them, I could do a lead-dive this weekend...

[jetengine]

Cool idea to do yet another old system the justice it deserves! 

I'm not familiar with this system, other than the name and the fact that it's a contemporary of 2nd ed 40K, Warzone and VOID. However, I did acquire a couple of its miniatures about a decade ago. I sold off some of them, but kept a small squad of 5 (I think?) of the human trooper types.

I've kept them around because they have that 'something' and I'm also a sucker for nineties miniatures. But I don't know if I'll ever get around to doing them justice. If you're interested in them, I could do a lead-dive this weekend...

I would definitely be interested in them my good man!

[jetengine]

So, with this set in mind I decided to plan out my project. Like all good generals on campaign a failure to plan is a plan to failure. It's an underrated element of the hobby, often broken in two by "shiny syndrome" which (thankfully) is less of a problem in 'Dead Games'. You've no need to worry about new releases or a billion choices when you've only got what's there, no more, no less.

First port of call was Ral Partha UK, the holders of all things Vor. Now, before we go any further some background may be necessary. I'm not the most knowledgeable on the subject, so forgive me if I garble any info.

Vor began life in the late 90s with US company FASA, known for several other games at the time (most importantly Battletech, but also Crimson Skies and some other odds and sods), afaik they weren't doing terribly, but neither were they the GW killer everyone wanted to be (Void and Warzone found themselves in a similar position). Vor was their first attempt at a sci fi squad level game, with a revolutionary (for the time) design-your-own-army mechanic built in. They had one year of releases, which included a starter set,  miniatures for 5 different factions, their forcebooks, a campaign book and several tie in novellas. Things were looking ok.

Then the company folded.

For you see, the Battletech license is cursed. Cursed I tell you! More seriously though, a company called Harmony Gold sued FASA over the rights to Battletech. It's a very long and complicated affair, which (as a guy not really into Battletech despite my love for big, smashy, bots) I understand very little of beyond two things. The first, is that it killed FASA, taking an up-and-coming company off the market thanks to nefarious IP shenanigans. The second, in a sadly ironic twist of fate, a more recent legal issue regarding giant mech rights actually proved Harmony Gold didn't own a damn thing to begin with! Years and thousands of currency-notes wasted on shysters instead of toy soldiers! It's enough to make you weep...

Anyway, the rights were divided somewhat, with the IP creator Mike 'Skuzzy' Nielsen getting...something (Maybe control of the brand? It's a tad confusing) whilst Ral Partha picked up the moulds, stock and rulebooks. I'm pretty sure though due to this rights divide that Ral Partha can't make anything new or possibly even reprint the books, more on my theory later....

Mike tried to revive the game in 2010 with Kickstarter. Whether it was because no one gave a damn or because Kickstarter hadn't really taken off for mini gamers yet, it didnt reach its target and Vor has sunk into relative obscurity. Just another all-metal, giant shoulder pad wearing, pot-shot at the UK colossus that is Games Workshop.

[jetengine]

Anyway, back to the plan.

My current focus is to re-create the original starter set. This appeals to me as a retro callback and also isnt too expensive, being 9 Union troopers and 7 Growlers. Around £70 ish. I suspect I'll muddle with the base sizes somewhat, since the Growlers overhang like a mofo. If things go well then I may go further.

I've already purchased 90% of the books (Rulebook, Union, Growler, Neo-Sov, Zhykee, Pharon and the Razorfangs Exodus Campaign book) for the princely sum of £30! For some reason the Shard forcebook is unavailable so I'll have to go hunting.  However for the price of a modern box of troops in most systems it's  pretty impressive that you can own the majority of  written rules content for an entire game system. I also coined the threads title from a comment I jokingly asked the staff to write on the box, only to get a sweet reply inside.

[Daeothar]

 

They get it alright! 

Off to a good start at any rate

I once did the exact same thing with the long defunct 1999 game. The rules were shipped as a booklet in each individual miniature box, so not much in the way of rulebook hunting, but the minis were really scarce (especially by now). I've got almost all released miniatures now, bar a few rare ones, but I once was contacted by a guy who had a lot of the original studio miniatures, including unreleased ones and prototypes. Sadly I was not in the position to buy them at that time. I tried to cherry pick some, but he disappeared from the radar during our negotiations, so that (biiig) fish got away 

I'm sure the VOR range will at least be easier to get your hands on...

[robh]

.....I once was contacted by a guy who had a lot of the original studio miniatures, including unreleased ones and prototypes. Sadly I was not in the position to buy them at that time. I tried to cherry pick some, but he disappeared from the radar during our negotiations, so that (biiig) fish got away 

That was a sad day, worse, I was in a position to buy them and would have done, willingly. I would still love to get my hands on those. Chris and Dan seem to have gone quiet so that only leaves the 2 of us in the 1999 fan club.

[Daeothar]

I never knew you had been in contact with him as well. Oh, if only...

I've been meaning to update the 1999legacy website for ages, but never got around to it. The least I can do is add all you guys' pictures to it, especially after the demise of the Yahoo group and the other site, what was it called? Discontinued Miniatures? Even now, 1999 still has a bit of a special place for me.

So yeah; that got me all fueled up again; I'll pick up where I left off as soon as I can now

Sorry for the hijack Jet; back to the regular programming

[jetengine]

I never knew you had been in contact with him as well. Oh, if only...

I've been meaning to update the 1999legacy website for ages, but never got around to it. The least I can do is add all you guys' pictures to it, especially after the demise of the Yahoo group and the other site, what was it called? Discontinued Miniatures? Even now, 1999 still has a bit of a special place for me.

So yeah; that got me all fueled up again; I'll pick up where I left off as soon as I can now

Sorry for the hijack Jet; back to the regular programming

Oh no, please go on. I've never heard of "1999".

[robh]

Oh no, please go on. I've never heard of "1999".

 

Don't go there.  The path to Cell's 1999 only leads to frustration, despair and loss. Believe me... I know.

[Daeothar]

I shudder when I now see the bare monstrosity of a site I built back when, but at least you'll be able to find most information regarding the game there.

Hey; it's in unadulterated nineties HTML4, so it's period correct at least

www.1999legacy.com

Enter at your own peril... 

[Major_Gilbear]

I'm delighted to see you tackle this old game - like you, I bought all the books in the RPE January discount, and was pleasantly surprised to find the plastic sheet included inside the back of the rulebook with all the templates in it!

I'd say that your chosen starting forces (Union and Growlers) are probably my favourite factions as well, so I'll definitely be following with interest.

If you're after some power armour troops for Union that would fit in terms of period/style/shonkiness, the Kyromek SWAT troops look pretty good to me - 6mmfan recently painted some up and posted then in his thread here.
Also, if you ever fancy giving some of the weirder Growlers a go, have a quick look at the Trollblood faction from the Hordes game by Privateer Press - the Trolls are basically Growlers, and they even have pretty much the same background of environment + food = Troll/Growler's physiological characteristics. I think Matt Wilson was quite taken with them when he came across them whilst doing some art for VOR, and translated them straight into his own game too!

[jetengine]

I shudder when I now see the bare monstrosity of a site I built back when, but at least you'll be able to find most information regarding the game there.

Hey; it's in unadulterated nineties HTML4, so it's period correct at least

www.1999legacy.com

Enter at your own peril... 

Interesting, so using WW2 as a set up for a Heaven vs Hell themed skirmish game with mad science etç

I'm delighted to see you tackle this old game - like you, I bought all the books in the RPE January discount, and was pleasantly surprised to find the plastic sheet included inside the back of the rulebook with all the templates in it!

I'd say that your chosen starting forces (Union and Growlers) are probably my favourite factions as well, so I'll definitely be following with interest.

If you're after some power armour troops for Union that would fit in terms of period/style/shonkiness, the Kyromek SWAT troops look pretty good to me - 6mmfan recently painted some up and posted then in his thread here.
Also, if you ever fancy giving some of the weirder Growlers a go, have a quick look at the Trollblood faction from the Hordes game by Privateer Press - the Trolls are basically Growlers, and they even have pretty much the same background of environment + food = Troll/Growler's physiological characteristics. I think Matt Wilson was quite taken with them when he came across them whilst doing some art for VOR, and translated them straight into his own game too!

I did notice that! The Trollbloods Troll monsters are disturbingly similar. As for factions, all of them appeal save for the Zhykee.

[manic _miner]

That was a sad day, worse, I was in a position to buy them and would have done, willingly. I would still love to get my hands on those. Chris and Dan seem to have gone quiet so that only leaves the 2 of us in the 1999 fan club.

 Another fan of the 1999 miniatures range.Still got quite a lot of it and like others would have liked to have been-able to get the later releases.

 Great to see a Vor project on the go.

 I think Ironwind metals have a few figures that Ral Partha dont have in thier range.A few links below.

 https://ironwindmetals.com/index.php/categories/cat-vor-the-maelstrom/category/golems

 https://ironwindmetals.com/index.php/categories/cat-vor-the-maelstrom/category/mashers

 Neo Soviets have two sculpts that were done by Roy Eastland.They are the Vanguard HMG and missile launcher.Both lovely sculpts.

 https://ironwindmetals.com/index.php/categories/cat-vor-the-maelstrom/category/neo-soviets

 Also two Pharon that Ral Partha dont have.Pharon with ranged weapon and Warlord of Anubis.

 https://ironwindmetals.com/index.php/categories/cat-vor-the-maelstrom/category/pharon

 The Razorfang figure is a beast of a model.Will have to dig my stuff out now .


 

[robh]

I had a few of the Zykhee but not enough for a decent force. The double elbow joint thing made for some very alien looking sculpts, I remember the poses holding the long staff double handed were a real PITA to assemble trying to ensure the limbs only bent at the "joints".

VOR certainly broke away from the mundane humanoid aliens, each force was very different in look and feel.