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Author Topic: OldTech Alpha Strike (Kurita & Steiner Coys)  (Read 1261 times)

Online Cat

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OldTech Alpha Strike (Kurita & Steiner Coys)
« on: September 26, 2022, 11:52:06 PM »
Before the pandemic, I had started on a big BattleTech Alpha Strike project for the 4th Succession War.  Took my old mechs, added a bunch more mechs, and started organising them into battalions for each of the five Houses, plus a scattering of small mercenary lances.  Largely sticking with old Ral Partha and FASA models, plus a few Iron Wind and pre-kickstarter Catalyst that fit the style and size of the oldies.  Ral Partha Europe has been a great source for the older IWM sculpts.
 
Picked the project back up this summer.  The basic battalions for Kurita and Davion are done.  Steiner is just about done.  Marik and Liao need more work, but those will likely wait.  Need to get control sheets for the lances done, and start spiffing up some terrain.
 
All of the battalions also have an extra company or two in the pipeline that can be swapped in for variety, or added for larger convention games.  A few of those are nearly done too.
 
First up is Kurita, Dragon Go Daitai, of the 3rd Proserpina Hussars Regiment.  I use the FASA PlasTech Catapults (aka Fatapults) as the heavier Stalker assault mechs.  (The tinier Ral Partha Stalkers get used as Catapults in other battalions.)  This battalion also has one of the giant FASA 3rd Edition Javelins that I modified to use for a Trebuchet 5S variant, it's a good match with the PlasTech Trebuchets.
« Last Edit: November 02, 2022, 10:38:32 PM by Cat »

Online Cat

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Re: OldTech Alpha Strike
« Reply #1 on: September 27, 2022, 12:11:38 AM »
The Davion battalion is the largest, with the biggest total concentration of light and medium mechs.  Fortunately for them, they are in a strong alliance with Steiner that stomps in with the most assault mechs.

I use the Ral Partha and FASA 3rd ed. Locusts for the basic 1V, and the very different looking PlasTech model for the LCT-3V.  Peltast Squadron has a trio of modified LCT-1M using some blocky jerry cans from old 1/76 Nitto diorama kits to make the missile launchers for the shoulder mounts.

The Commanding Officer and Executive Officer have the fanciest rides, lovely new resin Macross models from Kids Logic.  Took the shoulder missile launcher off the Tomahawk and made some other minor mods to make the Warhammer 6D variant.
 
Campbell's Battalion of the 1st Argyle Lancers Regiment:
« Last Edit: September 27, 2022, 12:18:14 AM by Cat »

Online Cat

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Re: OldTech Alpha Strike (Steiner)
« Reply #2 on: October 05, 2022, 11:03:45 PM »
Core elements for Steiner are now done: Battailon Erika, 4th Lyran Regular Regiment, Leichte Mech-Kompanie, Mittlere Mech-Kompanie, und Schwere Mech-Kopanie.

Offline Ragsta

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Re: OldTech Alpha Strike (Steiner)
« Reply #3 on: October 06, 2022, 05:56:14 AM »
Lovely lovely battletech goodness! Very impressive turn out, and I love the colour schemes! It reminds me of playing MW 3 on PC and seeing all manner of different colour schemes and mecha. Thank you for sharing  8)

Online Cat

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Re: OldTech Alpha Strike (Steiner)
« Reply #4 on: October 06, 2022, 07:35:17 PM »
Thanks, Ragsta!  The colour schemes have a number of practical reasons.
 
The big practicality is for ease of play for large figure count Alpha Strike games.  It really helps if each player can quickly identify which mech, and which lance, and which company is which.  Unique qualities help.  The control sheets will be laid out 4 up for each lance with a photo of each mech on its card along with a photo of the ID strip on the back of its base.
 
Many of these I painted long ago, plus more recent acquisitions of painted, partially painted, or unpainted mechs that get sorted out into their organisations.  Then I apply touch-up paint as needed to more or less blend together each unit.
 
I also just finished up the first couple of expansion companies.  These are mostly newly painted mechs and they got a more unified company look, but still with distinguished lance differences and individual markings.

Davion K Squadron also provides half the mechs for the Kittery Training Battalion (minus the Locust and the attached Captain in the Phoenix Hawk). 

In the Warrior: En Garde novel, the Kittery Training Battalion fielded 30 Stingers and a Spider, although I'll be using many Wasps for Stingers.  (There's also a Valkyrie, but its busy using big plot armour points in a separate engagement off-table.)  The Stingers and Wasps are minor variants of the same Macross mecha, and even have identical stats in Alpha Strike.  The rest of the battalion will come by converging the Stingers and Wasps from all the regular battalions.  For the historical recreation scenario, the battalion faces an ambush by a veteran company of 12 Liao Cicadas.

Also finished a second Panther company for Kurita with an attached Tai-i in a Dragon.

A 3rd panther company is on the painting desk now.  And I will add mixed Panther-Jenner company when I score 6 more Panthers.  This is how Kurita goes to war.  Panthers are the T-34 of the DCMS — 35 tons of decent armour with a PPC, just fling them into battle, we'll keep making more.
« Last Edit: October 06, 2022, 07:49:01 PM by Cat »

Online Cat

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Re: OldTech Alpha Strike (GDL & 21 Sqd)
« Reply #5 on: October 09, 2022, 03:31:47 PM »
Another company and a half ready for action.

21 Squadron is my final expansion company for the Federated Suns, all jump-capable medium battle lances.  8 Blackjacks for the bulk of the line troops, each lance commander has a Wolverine for a bit more speed and long range fire power, and 1 Assassin for a speedy flanker.

Company B of the Gray Death Legion is the training cadre, really a demi-company that functions as a single lance.  One somewhat experienced pilot in the Phoenix Hawk, Tracy Maxwell Kent; along with 6 green trainees in the bugs, 2 Stingers, 2 Wasps, and 2 Locusts.  The GDL are mercenaries for hire to any House who hasn't betrayed them yet (an ever shrinking list). 

B Company was featured in the short story Legion Team in the original Shrapnel anthology (1988).  It was only a short story, so there wasn't time for the Legion to be betrayed in that quick battle!

Company B will also provide a lance for the Kittery Training Battalion whenever all Stingers and Wasps get converged to bring them up to full strength.

Online Cat

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Re: OldTech Alpha Strike (Kurita & Steiner Coys)
« Reply #6 on: November 02, 2022, 10:40:18 PM »
Two more optional companies ready to join their regiments.

For Kurita: Cougar Company, this is a square company with 3 Light Battle Lances of 4 Panthers each, and a 4th Medium Battle Lance bringing in a Blackjack and a Centurion  or a little more punch.  With 3 Panther companies now, I have the option to group them together to field a Panther Battalion.
: 3

For Steiner: Aufklärungs Mech-Kompanie for light recon work.  One speedy Light Recon Lance with 4 Locusts (2 type 3V, and 2 type 1S a Steiner variant with SRMs instead of MGs; and one is recent battlefield salvage and repair that hasn't had time for a full new paintjob yet, the old Kurita insignia is still slightly visible above the cockpit).  One punchy Light Striker Lance with 4 Commandos, classic Steiner recon style.  And one Light Fire Support Lance for covering fire provided by 4 Valkyries recently purchased from their new ally Davion.  Plus an attached Hauptmann in a Wolverine for some beefier covering fire.

 

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