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Author Topic: Classic Wargame - An experiment in 24" of wargaming!  (Read 9149 times)

Offline Lost Egg

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Classic Wargame - An experiment in 24" of wargaming!
« on: March 22, 2023, 08:03:03 PM »
For quite a few years now I’ve been struggling with my hobby mojo, mostly I think due to mental overload, a symptom of my autism. I just couldn’t settle on anything for longer than 5 mins. Around the time of the first lockdown I got the kids into HeroQuest and ended up creating a narrative campaign for them to play through over the summers 2020-22 and they loved it.

I had a few classic HQ minis and printed the rules etc from Ye Olde Inn, which was enough to start, but in the end I built my own compact HQ board and amassed a tidy collection of minis. Each year the kids faced off against new adversaries allowing me to expand my collection in waves, making the painting and the mental load much easier to handle.

Anyway, looking back I can now see that this really narrow focus helped to stop me getting overloaded which is great but while fun it was, mostly, for the kids…so I set out to try and come up with a new project just for me. To cut a long story short I’ve been trying to focus in on what sort of wargaming I prefer and what I’ve been working on is a ruleset I’ve called…


While I’ve been tinkering away on the ruleset I needed some terrain and minis (in an effort to clear my mental overload I sold off almost all my collection). Just like with my HQ games I wanted to keep things focused so decided on a 2ft square board, it fits nicely on our dining table with plenty of room around the board for gaming whatnots.

While I was making my 2x2ft board I was also building myself a wardrobe so in an effort to help keeps things nicely contained I made sure the board will fit inside along with a couple of plastic tubs I grabbed for terrain; the idea with the terrain is to have some generic bits as well as some sci-fi and fantasy specific bits. Again, nothing too fancy just some solid choices that’ll work for multiple scenarios. Here’s what I’ve got so far…


Along with the terrain, I’ve been working on some small RT inspired forces for a short narrative campaign based on the Agri-World of Alesia. I’ve also just started an RT inspired Spacewolves force using the new plastic beakies as well as plans, and minis, for a couple of fantasy forces, humans vs. goblins…with dwarf allies.

But, that’s enough of me rambling for now, I’ll try and post some more of what I’ve been working on later this week.
« Last Edit: March 22, 2023, 08:06:02 PM by Lost Egg »
My current project...Classic Wargame - An experiment in 24" of wargaming!

https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=140633.new#new

Offline jambo1

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Re: Classic Wargame - An experiment in 24" of wargaming!
« Reply #1 on: March 23, 2023, 05:05:48 AM »
Very interesting topic, I like your idea, will be following tour progress with great interest. :)

Offline Lost Egg

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Re: Classic Wargame - An experiment in 24" of wargaming!
« Reply #2 on: March 23, 2023, 08:16:23 PM »
Thanks Jambo1! 8)

Tonight I thought I'd share the terrain I've made so far...first up are some rocks...

I know, not exactly exciting but they make for great terrain, blocking lines of sight and offering height for shooting from. These ones are plastic and made by Monster Fight Club, though they came pre-painted I decided to paint them myself so they fitted in with the rocks I paint on bases. One nice trick with them is that they can be placed bunch up, interlocking to create one large rock feature if needed. Monster Fight Club also make some nice looking trees...I think I'll have to pick some up at some point...

Next up are some hard foam buildings from Micro Art Studio...

There are a few little easter eggs scattered across these including an advert for Bubba Cola...

I rather think Inquisitor Needleman sums up the beverage rather well...

Quote
Bubba Cola is a repulsive drink; it’s thick and oozes chokingly down the throat so that it’s almost something you eat rather than drink…even thinking about that damn stuff is enough to make me shudder…

...speaking of which some bub-bub trees...

These spiky plants grow all over the grasslands of Alesia, but more on that another time. Now, what settlement would be complete with randoms piles of boxes and a buggy to go cruising in...

These are a mix of fuel cans and barrels from Zinge Industries and some crates from Mantics Dreadball. I also used a couple of bits from my bits box and made a Bubba Cola can from a frag grenade.

Finally some objectives from Micro Art Studio again...

In one of the scenarios from Classic Wargame you have to track down and capture objectives...though they might turn out to be nothing, booby traps or if you're lucky something shiny.

For the future I'm going to add a shuttle (Mantic Hornet) and some walls (I'm thinking dry stone but I'll try to make them fit for both fantasy and sci-fi). Once I move onto my fantasy forces I'd like to make a cottage too. Oh and some of those Monster Fight Club trees methinks...
« Last Edit: March 25, 2023, 09:17:19 PM by Lost Egg »

Offline BeneathALeadMountain

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Re: Classic Wargame - An experiment in 24" of wargaming!
« Reply #3 on: March 23, 2023, 09:21:50 PM »
Excellent stuff and a commendable project; getting back to a simpler, less piles of hobby everywhere, kind of lifestyle. I like the look of it all but I’m susceptible to bub-bub trees in particular - old school and spiky -  awesome.

Keep up the good work,

Andrew
BeneathALeadMountain
Beneath A Lead Mountain - my blog of hobby procrastination and sometimes even some progress
https://beneathaleadmountain.blogspot.com/

Offline Hobgoblin

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Re: Classic Wargame - An experiment in 24" of wargaming!
« Reply #4 on: March 23, 2023, 11:03:48 PM »
Really interesting project - and great ideas for keeping things contained!

Online v_lazy_dragon

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Re: Classic Wargame - An experiment in 24" of wargaming!
« Reply #5 on: March 24, 2023, 09:55:52 AM »
Interesting project and good progress so far!
Xander
Army painters thread: leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=56540.msg671536#new
WinterApoc thread: leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=50815.0

Offline Spinal Tap

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Re: Classic Wargame - An experiment in 24" of wargaming!
« Reply #6 on: March 24, 2023, 11:07:00 AM »
Looks brilliant and sounds like a fun and, more importantly, achievable, project.

Offline zemjw

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Re: Classic Wargame - An experiment in 24" of wargaming!
« Reply #7 on: March 24, 2023, 11:58:03 AM »
Looking good.

I really like the rock piles. I've never heard of Monster Fight Club, but I've stuck them on my "things to look at" list.

Offline Sunjester

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Re: Classic Wargame - An experiment in 24" of wargaming!
« Reply #8 on: March 24, 2023, 05:22:28 PM »
This is a really interesting project and I'm looking forward to seeing how it progresses.

I can appreciate the temptation for a compact table and a small scale game. Since Covid I've been concentrating on games/scenarios that will fit on a 3x3 feet table (I  picked up a selection of 3x3 printed mats in a sale a while back.

Offline Lost Egg

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Re: Classic Wargame - An experiment in 24" of wargaming!
« Reply #9 on: March 24, 2023, 08:09:22 PM »
Thanks all! 8)

Tonight you can see the early start on another little project I'm working on, Spacewolves. And, I thought I'd start with this guy...

...Chaplain Priestly and his power warhammer. Charged with looking after the spiritual welfare of his brother marines he's more than willing to inflict punishments or erase troubling memories.

As some may be able to tell from me calling the chapter Spacewolves I am taking inspiration from Rogue Trader itself...well that and the Wolf Time campaign from the First Book of the Astronomicon.

Last year when I was playing with the idea of returning to marines I found myself getting tied up in knots what with all the conflicting fluff and, preferring the idea of marines as barely controlled killers I thought I'd go back to the book that started it all. At the same time I heard an interview where Rick was talking about RT and he said that he originally wanted to include the WT campaign in RT but there wasn't enough space. I found this interesting as the two seemed to mesh so well. In the interview Rick says with RT he saw it as his job to open as many doors (opportunities for players to explore in their own games) as possible whereas since then GW has been all about closing doors. In some ways all the White Dwarf articles and books have watered that idea down by explaining everything, making the galaxy and the setting a smaller place.

I was intrigued by his idea of opening doors so I compiled all the marine and Spacewolves fluff from the two books into a mini-dex. It has been quite the interesting rabbit-hole. Anyway, my aim to to build a small force mostly for the fun of it; it'll likely be a slow burn project.

Quote
Space marines are the shield of humanity…thick as two short planks and only good for hurling in front of the enemy!
Inquisitor Needleman
« Last Edit: March 25, 2023, 09:18:52 PM by Lost Egg »

Offline Lost Egg

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Re: Classic Wargame - An experiment in 24" of wargaming!
« Reply #10 on: March 25, 2023, 09:15:17 PM »
I guess what really started this project was reading back through Rogue Trader and the Battle of the Farm. I fancied doing something similar but with the Imperium cracking down on their own. At first it was going to be a chaos cult but the more I thought about it, from the perspective of the original book chaos wasn't really a big thing, it seemed more fitting for the totalitarian regime to be killing their own.

I also started to wonder about the farmer...in the end what I came up with is a small band of angry civilians fleeing  from 'justice' head out into the sticks where they find a lone farm house; the farmer and his wife put up a defence and attempt to take as many as they can before retreating.

In the following game the angry civilians have holed up and prepared to make a stand against the pursuing Arbites. The farmers then decide to return to see if they can help. From this idea of a small 2 game narrative campaign I started to think about the world it would be set on and why they were fighting...

The Agri-World of Alesia
A geologically young planet, Alesia consists of a single, equatorial land mass, with a central spine of mountains. Most of the habitable land is covered in grass and yet its climate is hot, more like a desert than a steppe. The most striking feature of the landscape are the spiky Bub-Bub trees, a type of spherical cacti farmed on many planets across the Imperium. A mature plant can grow as big as a tank but if you explore under the surface you will discover that this is only the tip of the iceberg; their immense, bulbous root structure stores considerable amounts of water which is then tapped into by the various species of parasitic grass, keeping them lush even in the arid climate.

Alesia is of limited interest except for its minor strategic value due to the production of the infamous Bubba Cola, manufactured from the juice of the Bub-Bub trees. Known throughout countless systems this unappetising yet filling drink is highly nutritious and a common choice for the less fortunate Imperial Citizens; there are countless hive worlders who rely upon it for sustenance as well as scores of servitors.

There are only two cities on Alesia, both located within the mountains. The planet’s capitol is Alesion, a minor city by Imperial standards with a small cluster of spires from which Planetary Governor Pierce, and the other noble families, hold court. However, most citizens live in the surrounding areas, their simple dwellings crowded and stifling. The second city is to the south and is the base of operations for the production of Bubba Cola. Here the Adeptus Mechanicus hold sway having long ago promised to oversee the drinks cultivation and production. Some say that the Cogs, as the adepts of the Mechanicus are often called by the rest of the populace, are the true power on Alesia while others say it is the Governor and his ancestors who wield some unknown power over them. One thing is for certain, the Adeptus Mechanicus have their own reasons for their presence on Alesia and anyone who asks too many questions is likely to disappear.

From the manufactorums of New Cog City, the great harvester machines roam forth across the grasslands, draining the Bub-Bub trees of their juice before returning with their precious cargo. These immense machines crawl on four pairs of giant wheels nestled under a beetle-like carapace. When a harvester draws up to a Bub-Bub tree it extends an arm that punctures the plants tough hide, drawing forth its juice as the hull expands to accommodate the liquid.


Once back at New Cog City the manufactorums drain the harvesters and refine the juice; some is reserved for the city’s servitor population while most is pumped north to Alesion where it is canned and sent forth into the Imperium.

The Fall of Cog City
The people of Alesia are no strangers to conflict, nearly two decades ago Ork raiders emerged from the warp and descended upon the planet en masse. Though both cities came under attack, it was Cog City that bore the brunt, yet fearing for the safety of Alesion, the planetary governor kept much of his defence forces close at hand, leaving their sister city to its fate.

Though largely abandoned by the governor the Adeptus Mechanicus reacted swiftly, sealing the sub-surface levels of the city from the Greenskin menace; security protocols were activated, and the populace rose to its defence making the orks pay for every inch of ground they took. Luckily for the beleaguered defenders their prayers were answered when two regiments of Imperial Guard made planetfall.

Though the orks were driven back it came at a great cost, for much of the surface levels of Cog City were destroyed. But the rapid response of the Adeptus Mechanicus in sealing the sub-surface levels saved much. Now nearly ten years later New Cog City has risen from the ashes stronger than ever.

Unimpressed with the loyalty of the governor and the planetary defence forces, the City Magos sought to cultivate their own loyal faction within the populace. They invited many of their veteran saviours to settle, ousting scores of the populace from the unspecialised areas of production. This move cast a shadow over relations between the two cities and resentment among the dispossessed.

Chaos in Alesion
Anger brewed in Alesion. Those left homeless in the clearances by the Magos of New Cog City struggled to find work and many sought to alleviate their frustration through drink, drugs and petty criminality. The more brooding the populace became the heavier handed the response from the authorities. Some say that prophets from beyond the stars stirred up trouble, while others say the governor himself sought conflict.

As the populace reached boiling point, violence erupted across the city. At first Governor Pierce refused to act, leaving the Arbites to restore order but they were soon overrun. The situation rapidly spiralled out of control and within hours the limited Imperial forces were besieged by the angered populace. For now the violence was limited to Alesion and so the Magos of New Cog City responded by sealing their great doors, for now it was their turn to leave their sister city to its fate.


Unknown to the Arbites and the governor, Inquisitor Needleman was already working behind the scenes on the planet and as soon as the depths of the situation became clear he declared his presence, executed the governor, and assumed control of the defences. His first act was to issue a call for aid. Then the angels came.

Though the populace had overrun the imperial base and were now well armed there was little they could do to stand against a force of Legiones Astartes. The Spacewolves made planetfall and waged a bloody month-long campaign that saw the destruction of all but a few shattered bands of rebels who fled into the grasslands. Without a backwards glance the Emperor’s chosen took a handful of potential recruits, leaving what remained of the planets arbitrators and defence forces to mop up the survivors.


So above you can see some of the angry civilians of Alesia and the Arbites they've been struggling against. The civilians have been raiding armouries and one of them has even managed to get hold of a sentinel...perhaps it was part of the PDF or maybe it was from a factory and fitted with an assault cannon. The minis here are mostly from the Hive Scum box though I did use some arms from the Neophyte kit and a head from a Blackstone Fortress Chaos psyker. The assault cannon on the sentinel came from a land speeder kit I think...though I did reduce the length of it as it was really longer and looked out of place. The Arbites are classic 2nd Ed minis but I trimmed off the champions headress thing which was never a good idea for someone who's going to be kicking in doors. The rhino is standard but with a Kromlech dozer blade. Painting-wise I though I'd contrast the almost lurid palette of the civilians against the dark and brooding look of the Arbites.

Quote
A blade that’s never sharpened will always go blunt.
Captain Storm, 2nd Company Spacewolves
« Last Edit: March 27, 2023, 07:27:28 AM by Lost Egg »

Offline Dubbya

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Re: Classic Wargame - An experiment in 24" of wargaming!
« Reply #11 on: April 06, 2023, 12:19:23 PM »
Really enjoying this so far, would love to hear about the rules themselves.

Offline AndrewBeasley

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Re: Classic Wargame - An experiment in 24" of wargaming!
« Reply #12 on: April 09, 2023, 10:43:59 PM »
Interesting read so far.


I've been playing on a 1x1 with blocks so I'm looking forward to this larger board and see 28s used rather than 15s.

Offline Lost Egg

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Re: Classic Wargame - An experiment in 24" of wargaming!
« Reply #13 on: April 11, 2023, 06:58:13 PM »
Thanks guys.  8)

Really enjoying this so far, would love to hear about the rules themselves.

I've played 3 fantasy games and one sci-fi so far; given that I'm not going for a competitive style of play I think they work well. I've got some minor proof reading corrections to go through and I'd like to at least play through each of the 4 basic scenarios then I'll be happy to share more.

Though I'm on an Easter break at the mo (I work in a school) my hobby time has been a bit limited, plus with the entire family at home (my wife works in a school too) my heads a bit fried with all the social demands. So, I've been playing about with the sizes of ships and shuttles; in Classic Wargame there is a bare bones background, in which space travel is limited to a naturally occurring network of worm holes called the Space Lanes. Though they allow for travelling great distances quickly they also have the problem of size restrictions for ships with even the largest no bigger than a 5-a-side football pitch. On top of this the 'currents' of the worm holes can become churned up and unstable after a passage so they are less like a tunnel and more like a metro system with time between each use, lest ships be lost.

I've also been playing about with some Stargrave sprues I've had kicking about for a while. I must say I've enjoyed kit bashing again, a part of the hobby GW seems determined to stamp out right now.

Hopefully I'll have enough head space to take some pics tomorrow and share my creations so far.

Offline DivisMal

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Re: Classic Wargame - An experiment in 24" of wargaming!
« Reply #14 on: April 13, 2023, 08:27:51 PM »
This is really great! I’m very interested. This is basically a problem we all have, and you are working on a superb solution!

 

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