(KICKSTARTER) Empress Modern

[jdeleonardis]

Im in.  Just tell me when and where to sign.

Take my money, please?

[axabrax]

The more I think about it, the more I think maybe you are right to ignore my advice in earlier email, and to go ahead and do the US and Commonwealth stuff. The fact is that people like to play "the good guys,, and as much as I would love to see modern Indians, they probably are a very niche subject. in fact, I wonder if even doing Pacwar is too niche. Unless you are coming out with an accompanying campaign supplement and rules, why even limit yourself to that? Why not just do a "modern miniatures" Kickstarter and go for the broadest appeal possible? I would also look to modern video video games for inspiration. People always like elite units as well, so you could do a Cold War Black Ops pack, personality pack with "lone wolf in night vision gear with silenced pistol."  Evil criminal mastermind. Bank Robbery crew. Generic African Mercs, Etc., Etc. I am personally a fan on narrative/scenario based figures.

Just out of curiosity what sort of a rules tie in will there be, or will this be rules agnostic? Are you working with the Ops Squad Modern team?  I like the idea of being able to sell a package with everything you need to play.

I really do like the Flashpoint Pacific idea, but it needs to be tied into at least a generic scenario/campaign supplement to be worth doing, otherwise it's unnecessarily restrictive in my humble opinion.

Steve

[Raxxus]

the only thing better than this would be if you made a 1/56-1/50 M-ATV

[the commissar]

Would definitely be interested in some PLA and I think someone mentioned Indians in their unique helmet (Pakta?) they would make great opponents for a fictitious (lets hope!) war.

[Brummie]

Would definitely be interested in some PLA and I think someone mentioned Indians in their unique helmet (Pakta?) they would make great opponents for a fictitious (lets hope!) war.

The Indian troops wearing the Pakta are Sikhs I think (as the Pakta is the name of a specific headgear Sikhs wear whilst on civvie street), the other troops in Indian service (as there are Hindus and Muslims who are more numerous) are not as fussed about headgear and overall they tend to wear a mix of Russian/Indigenous Russian knock offs.

Home Guard and Police units still tend to use/ are equipped with British Cold War and to an extent 1940s-1950s British colonial uniforms.

The basic Indian weapon is the INSAS Assault rifle (there is also an LMG variant) but they also use AKMs, AK74s, 47s etc (naturally I assume the PKM, PKP and other Russian LMGs are in use but I can't clarify) and the FN FAL still features in some home guard units. Bolt action WW2 Vintage Enfield rifles, sterling submachine guns and Bren LMGs are still used by their police, Home guard, second line troops etc; the Bren machine gun is still being manufactured in India as far as I'm aware.

The Indian army has also for awhile done business with Israel, I know the Tavor is in use with their special forces.

As for vehicles, the primary vehicles in Indian service are already widely available; T-90 (India being the first country outside Russia to update its T-72s to the T-90 or have them imported or built at home from scratch) and T-72, BMP-2 being their most common IFV. But In truth you can use a huge range of Russian and Cold War British vehicles.

In the event of a War with China (or indeed any other neighbour) there would also be a large presence of militia, as they'd act as a smoke screen to keep the enemy busy whilst the main force gets into gear.

[carlos marighela]

The Indian troops wearing the Pakta are Sikhs I think (as the Pakta is the name of a specific headgear Sikhs wear whilst on civvie street), the other troops in Indian service (as there are Hindus and Muslims who are more numerous) are not as fussed about headgear and overall they tend to wear a mix of Russian/Indigenous Russian knock offs.......

The basic Indian weapon is the INSAS Assault rifle (there is also an LMG variant) but they also use AKMs, AK74s, 47s etc (naturally I assume the PKM, PKP and other Russian LMGs are in use but I can't clarify) and the FN FAL still features in some home guard units.......

The helmets are domestic and IIRC a knock off of a Korean pattern.

The Indian army has sought expressions of interest for a new weapon to replace the Insas, which has had a troublesome service history. The Indian SF are using the Tavor but curiously enough they had a lot of complaints which ultimately resulted in some modifications around the issue of stoppages due to dust. Odd that an Israeli weapon would prove unreliable in dusty conditions.

[Brummie]

The helmets are domestic and IIRC a knock off of a Korean pattern.

The Indian army has sought expressions of interest for a new weapon to replace the Insas, which has had a troublesome service history. The Indian SF are using the Tavor but curiously enough they had a lot of complaints which ultimately resulted in some modifications around the issue of stoppages due to dust. Odd that an Israeli weapon would prove unreliable in dusty conditions.

Ah I didn't know that about the Korean pattern! Learn something new everyday!
As for the the Tavor, that is surprising, but that said don't the Israelis themselves still use the weapons they get off the Americans (I guess they modify them somewhat) instead of the Tavor?? Maybe it was a complete cop up of a gun and thus why they sold them of to India and Georgia 

[Hildred Castaigne]

Ah I didn't know that about the Korean pattern! Learn something new everyday!
As for the the Tavor, that is surprising, but that said don't the Israelis themselves still use the weapons they get off the Americans (I guess they modify them somewhat) instead of the Tavor?? Maybe it was a complete cop up of a gun and thus why they sold them of to India and Georgia 

Doubt it, some of the combat units have the Tavor.
But the Logistics Corps still uses M-16s. 

[Brummie]

Doubt it, some of the combat units have the Tavor.
But the Logistics Corps still uses M-16s. 

M-16s aren't the only U.S made guns on the market you know.
M-4s are far more common, and there are other variations up for grabs 

[Hildred Castaigne]

M-16s aren't the only U.S made guns on the market you know.
M-4s are far more common, and there are other variations up for grabs 

True, but I did mean M-16.

[Rob_bresnen]

anyone making more modern era minis is a good thing, and espeially so if it is empress as their existing range is one of the best around.

My gut instict is that Pacwar is a bit niche, but then again I have just finished making a load of jungle scenery for a Burma 1942 campign, so I might be tempted.   

Also I am not sure how commited the UK would be to a war in the pacific theatre as I don't think we have much presence there anymore. I might be wrong.

Don't eureka already make Aussie SAS?

I especailly like the idea of Indian army, and would get some of them as peacekeepers for my Africa campaign. Indian army do a lot of peace keeping all around the world, so might be useful for other theatures too.

My other thought was a Red Dawn senerio, with North Korean and or Chinese invading USA. That way I can use all my mates 'Pulp City' scenery. 

One final note is that USMC reminds me of Battle for LA. USMC vs Aliens? Cool. 

[Slayer]

Don't eureka already make Aussie SAS?

well they only do a couple and they're all on bikes/quads. They do do standard Aussies ( but no friggn support teams for them ) which r very nice

[Brummie]

I wouldn't call Pacwar 'niche' as practically every single army mentioned as being apart of this new range (yes, even the PLA) can be used either in Afghanistan or other Middle Eastern states or Somalia/other African states.

Not one of them currently isn't fighting some sort of conflict.

[commissarmoody]

I wouldn't call Pacwar 'niche' as practically every single army mentioned as being apart of this new range (yes, even the PLA) can be used either in Afghanistan or other Middle Eastern states or Somalia/other African states.

Not one of them currently isn't fighting some sort of conflict.

Also do not forget that, one of the main resins for China's increase in military spending is to have a bigger footprint in Africa also. So you can conceivable have China doing covert ops or sustainability operations over there.
Or Just an old bash from the past, and border fight with the Russian Federation,

[Arlequín]

M-16s aren't the only U.S made guns on the market you know.
M-4s are far more common, and there are other variations up for grabs 

The Israelis have long used both the M16, its variants and more recently the M4. Hildred's right though, the M16 is the most common second-line, rear area, police and recruit issue weapon, although it will likely become the M4 and CTAR in the future, once enough MTARs are in front line service.

The issue with either TAR version is cost, the M4 is much cheaper (roughly 30% of the cost of a TAR), while the TAR types are more comfortable, accurate and reliable... unless it's a bit dusty apparently...