In this episode, the 'Palanite Enforcers' (forces of 'lawlessness and disorder', more like) took on the gun-slinging, high-rolling 'Orlock Gang' in a hell for leather, smash and grab of some loot, which had been deposited around this God forsaken industrial complex, located on some frontier planet in a distant galaxy, far, far away.....
This was our first attempt at playing 'Stargrave' - sci fi skirmish rules. It was set on some bleak, dark, post industrial futuristic world in which both gangs of intergalactic renegades had to collect loot, kill the opposition and avoid being killed.
The rules worked very well. The game mechanics are straightforward and we churned through the turns more quickly as we progressed, as we got used to the sequence. They are fun rules that enable you to develop an ongoing narrative which, in our game, included extreme cowardice, falling off buildings and extensive use of a flame-thrower!
The figures are from the excellent Games Workshop 'Necromunda' range, which can be used effectively for Stargrave. The terrain is also heavily influenced by the Necromunda setting, although it comprises of inexpensive MDP sci fi terrain and homemade pieces.
Ok, first off, I’m an old ‘historical miniatures hand’. I’ve never done ‘fantasy’ wargaming, as it were.
My son has been interested in sci-fi and we have been working
together on a joint Stargrave/Necromunda project.
To this end, we have been creating some futuristic/sci-fi
terrain and building some ‘gangs’ (based on Games Workshop (GW) miniatures).
I have to say that I am completely blown away by the
quality of GM miniatures. They are SO good, I am almost lost for words (and I
have been wargaming for 35 years now!). The attention to detail, the consistent
aesthetics, the quality of the sprues, the imagination – just brilliant! I can’t
believe that I have ignored their products for all of these years, and the
Games Workshop HQ and factory is only a couple of miles from where I live here
in Nottingham (GW is over the Trent river there in Lenton).
The only criticisms would be around pricing – they aren’t cheap
- and customisation. You can’t really create your own figures. You have to
follow the GW templates in building the miniatures with little scope to be
creative, other than painting them.
Anyway, here are a few photos of our first attempts at this
new project. I will update with completed miniatures and terrain over the next
couple of weeks etc.
As for Stargrave – great. Elegant, yet sophisticated rules that allow your imagination to run wild.
My thought is - Some of us on the historical side of
wargaming have a lot to learn from the fantasy/sci-fi gamers….and probably vice
versa……
