Project Luna Current Status: 19-08-16- 1 Habitation Sphere (Source: Brigade Models)
Status: Arrived - Awaiting: construction / painting (Review completed: page 3)
http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=92785.30- Chinese Lunar Troops Rifles Pack A & B (Source: GZG)
- Wheeled drone with autocannon (Source: GZG)
Status: Arrived - Awaiting: review / construction / painting
Hello everyone!
Welcome to my Luna Project thread!
This thread will contain my thoughts, reviews of products used, pictures of WIP and completed things all related to my Luna project inspired by and using miniatures from GZG's fantastic MoonGrunt range!
I'm using my own fictional take on the MoonGrunt setting, in my universe the US Army update Project Horizon for the 21st century and gain approval to defend the Luna Colony, as well as any other colony established within Sol. While the US Air Force focus on development of Satellite and Shuttle craft with NASA, which keeps both branches heavily involved in Space Colonization efforts.
The USMC will eventually try to get their foot through the door once larger scale offensive operations are required, but I'm no where near that part yet (because I am not keen on building and painting all that stuff anytime soon LOL)
Mission scenarios are typical of the situation and circumstances;
- Trying to capture/secure Luna equipment/personnel that have landed by accident/deliberate action in to US Luna Territory
- Small scale skirmishes between US and Chinese forces across the Luna surface, most of it between drones and unmanned weapons.
- Rapid offensive missions to capture outposts/radar installations/supply bases
I have also been inspired by this old game:
I intend to use a very small scale to replicate a version of space/orbital conflict as both sides try to secure orbit above battles, which will affect the 15mm game as supplies and reinforcements will be denied should orbital control be lost etc. However this is a secondary project only.
Project Luna: The RulesFor now regarding rules development, to help me get through it all, I use a copy of StarCraft RISK: and play mock games with the pieces using H.G wells little wars rulebook, updating/changing rules to match the futuristic forces.
I've figured already that while infantry can be suppressed, drones and vehicles can't. That the under-barrel grenade launches the MoonGrunt troops have should be very effective and ignore cover, with scary things like airburst ammunition, claymores etc. I need to figure out what to use for those combat MULES (the four legged robot dog things that run around carrying supplies).
What really fascinates me about it all, is given the difficult circumstances in operating in a vacuum, the moon has no cover and the air burst rounds make cover futile. I had a bit of a hard time trying to write rules to prevent an all out grenade spam between squads but I realized a way around it in that when you select a soldier to launch a grenade he is exposed and vulnerable to enemy fire, so the opponent has a chance to kill him.
Still seems a bit fishy to me though...
Another game I have ripped off/been 'inspired' enough to copy is the old ALIENS boardgame. You might wonder why, well that game has a chart in it when you are hit by acid or in hand to hand combat, the die roll results are grim for the most part, and I figure nothing can be more grim than being in a vaccum and getting shot at!
So the way the rules work so far is that when you select a target you roll to see if you hit the target or not, and the number you roll will equal the result on the weapons chart. I don't take cover saves in to account as I find that too fiddly, I focus on the abilities of the infantryman to aim at and kill his enemy. Cover is used differently, in cover infantry can return fire when attacked, out of cover infantry do not and instead can only fire during the shooting phase for that player (gotta know when to move out of cover to make that assault!)
Here is a preview of my current combat die roll chart:
ATTACK RESULT CHART (INFANTRY PRIMARY WEAPONS)1 = WEAPON JAM (I need to write something about how moon dust can clog up the barrel.. does that sound legit?)
2 = MISS
3 = SUPPRESSED (This means the target is taking cover and can't return fire or move)
4 = WOUNDED/SUIT BREACH (The target either took a hit or had his suit breached and can't move or fire, the opponent has to roll a die; odd number equals death while even number means the soldier survived the injury/manages to patch the breach in his suit)
5 = IMMOBILIZED (Ripped straight off the ALIENS game, this target has been seriously hurt can't do anything. Now in Aliens you could carry marines out to use later.. in my game I have no idea what the point would be in attempting to CASEVAC wounded soldiers, I just know I want it to happen, so WIP for this one)
6 = KILLED (That's right, it is a 1 in 6 chance to actually kill someone in my game. I've found most troops die from being wounded than killed, which I find fitting enough given the environment)
I'm also working on rules to play alone, if you are like me and don't have anyone to play with... rules for the drones.. vehicle rules I have no touched yet but I already suspect that the under-barrel grenade launcher should be able to knock out the moon buggies and rovers anyway.
Luna TerrainAs of writing this, my Luna terrain will consist of:
- 1 white coffee table
- 1 RISK board, with the black backside being used as a background (may or may not contain a small 'earth' stuck to show pathetic the setup is)
I will of course make an effort to create a good Luna landscape, but for now it's not a priority.
My thoughts on Luna War and where I want to take this projectWhen I think of this war, I think of World War 1 and the difficulty of overcoming the machinegun. Of course, on the Luna surface you have infantry with automatic weapons, grenades, drones.. those airburst rounds and no cover, no tanks, it's interesting thinking about how to overcome situations that may develop, should be an exciting game.
Plans for the future, I dream of Mars. I dream of going beyond the MoonGrunt line as the factions develop better weapons, I imagine armies in cold sleep sent far beyond to colonize worlds and fight horrific Aliens. That's kind of interesting to me.. a Chinese or US expedition that arrives 6-700 years later. Does either country still exist? Perhaps I could have a united earth faction run in to Chinese and US factions that maintain loyalty to their origins.. who knows.
The MAIN point to all of that though is it keeps my miniatures relevant for future games, so I don't stuff them in a closet and buy more ^%@$^@$# to clutter my shelf. LOL
Anyway that is all for now, next update will be a review of whatever arrives first in the mail, with painted up pictures to follow, more thoughts about rules and I may even go off on rants about who knows what.
Thank you for reading!
15 August 2014, 07:33:44 AM
