Over the next week I hope to complete my “Crisis Troop Scorch”, hired mercenaries for the Black Powder Red Earth 28 modern skirmish game.
The first and compulsory figure is the operational advisor. This is the most important figure for Crisis Team Scorch and is often the victory condition for their opponents.
His description card shows that he can shoot well and can call in an external (outside of a building) fire strike.
The figures are from the Warlord’s Project Z range. As they are mercenaries their uniforms are roughly the same colour but equipment is slightly different to suit their personal tastes.
The Operational Advisor wears a Boonie hat and carriers a pistol in addition to his normal weapon.
They all have their distinctive red shoulder patches to represent “Crisis Troop Torch”.
Brock Rumlow, known as Crossbones was a HYDRA infiltrator who had been posing as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, and STRIKE’s team field commander. Due to his training from S.H.I.E.L.D. and HYDRA, Rumlow had become a world-class combatant, with extensive experience in street fighting, martial arts, and military combat techniques.
As a mercenary, he enlisted with the communist Red Skull (Albert Malik) in Algeria, serving him as “Frag” until he was sent to invade Arnim Zola’s Switzerland chateau. Ultimately the only team member to survive the assault, Rumlow met and impressed the Nazi Red Skull (Johann Schmidt), who accepted Brock’s services, codenaming him “Crossbones”.
Not a very powerful character but due to the Activation shenanigans with Sin, Crossbow could be taken if you want to run a very wide Hydra Roster with six 3 Threats. A nice model that despite his low threat rating I will probably use more often than not.
“The name’s Crossbones, darlin’!”
“Three holes, start digging.”
“This is gonna hurt. There are no prisoners with HYDRA, just order, and order only comes through pain. Are you ready for yours?”
“There you are, you son of a bitch! I’ve been waiting for this!”
“Fire in the hole.”
“I didn’t do this for HYDRA. You want in on this next job, you better leave all that shit at the door.”
“I just want them to feel the pain, the loss, of everything they took from me. And make them pay for it. In blood.”
“This is for dropping a building on my face.”
“Yeah, you seemed pretty helpless without me.”
You know, I think I look pretty good, all things considered.
Ultron was an artificial intelligence who was originally designed to be part of a peacekeeping program created by both Tony Stark and Bruce Banner, using the decrypted code derived from the Mind Stone encased within Loki’s Scepter.
However, when the Mind Stone activated him, Ultron’s original programming directive, which was to protect Earth from all domestic and extraterrestrial threats, had swiftly become corrupted by the stone.
Upon accessing the Internet and looking at the history of the human race, Ultron deemed humanity itself as the greatest threat to peace on Earth and attempted to commit extinction-level genocide against them, so that he and his Ultron Sentries would be the only being left active upon the Earth, also deeming the Avengers to be the greatest threat of all and making his mission to end them. Martvel Comic Fandom
Hopefully start on the Hydra figures tomorrow, but who knows as I have a few things on the go at the moment.
When I began to write this post I automatically thought about the Carly Simon’s song:
You’re so vain (you’re so vain) I bet you think this song is about you Don’t you, don’t you?
When I’m painting I generally have something in front of me to work out the various colours. In this case all Guru needed was a mirror!
Guru says “Mirror mirror on the wall If you have it do tell all”!
According to to Marvel Fandom Dr. Reed Richards is a scientist and inventor, better known as Mister Fantastic, who has been considered the smartest man on Earth. He is a Polymath with mastery of all the sciences including, electrical, mechanical, aerospace engineering, electronics, chemistry, physics, biology and beyond.
Richards was exposed to high levels of cosmic radiation along with his best friend Ben Grimm, then girlfriend Sue Storm and her younger brother Johnny Storm, during a trip to space in the stolen rocket, the Marvel-1. The radiation mutated him and his friends, allowing him to stretch and mould his body at will.
Together they became the Fantastic Four, a team of adventurers who explored space, time, and alternate dimensions and saved the world along the way from science-based threats.
Again I am really unhappy with how this one was finished. I just obviously was having a bad day and missed glaring errors!
The model looks a bit like one of those bendy toys
Aka the Invisible Woman, this one was easy to paint!
Da Dah! Although this is an OK figure for Heroclix, I was not happy with my painting of her. Just having a bad day I guess. I should have gone with the invisible option and just painted the base!
Dr. Susan “Sue” Richards (née Storm), a.k.a. the Invisible Woman, is an American superpowered adventurer.
She was a college student before she was exposed to high levels of cosmic radiation when boyfriend and scientist, Dr. Reed Richards, took her with her younger brother, Johnny Storm and pilot Ben Grimm, into space in the stolen rocket Marvel-1.
The radiation mutated her and her friends, turning her invisible and allowing her to create forcefields.
Together they became the Fantastic Four, a team of adventurers who explored space, time, and alternate dimensions and saved the world along the way from science-based threats.
As I have so much to paint this will have to do as she certainly passes the 24 inches test.
I will finish off her hubby Mister Fantastic in the next few days.
This one was a priority for me as not only can it be used for the Fantastic Four, it will also substitute for “Flash” for my grandson to use in Crisis Protocol.
The Human Torch on the left and Flash on the right.
Human Torch’s superpowers means he can engulf his entire body in flames, fly, absorb fire harmlessly into his own body, and control any nearby fire by sheer force of will. “Flame on!”, which the Torch customarily shouts when activating his full-body flame effect, has become his catchphrase.
I have removed the Heroclix dial and replaced the base with a left over from Crisis Protocol.
Jonathan “Johnny” Storm a.k.a. the Human Torch is an American superpowered adventurer. He was a high school student before he was exposed to high levels of cosmic radiation when his older sister Sue Storm’s boyfriend, scientist Dr. Reed Richards, took them and pilot Ben Grimm into space in the stolen rocket Marvel-1. Information from the Marvel website
The radiation mutated the group, transforming Johnny’s entire body into a fiery, plasma-like state. Together, they became the Fantastic Four, a team of adventurers who explored space, time, and alternate dimensions and saved the world along the way from science-based threats.
I have always been a fan of the Fantastic Four and am surprised that they have not yet been produced for Crisis Protocol (something to do with Disney I think).
Reed Richards, Ben Grimm, Susan Storm, and her brother, Johnny Storm, were forever changed during an experimental space flight that exposed them to cosmic rays, which gave them super human powers and abilities. In the aftermath of their incredible journey, the four pledged to stay together as a team. They quickly became media sensations, and their celebrity status only grew as they explored the uncharted regions of the universe and confronted evil wherever they found it. But the Fantastic Four are more than just Super Heroes—they’re the first family of the Marvel Universe.
All four friends survived the experience, but Reed found his body had taken on elastic properties that allowed him to change his size and length. Susan gained the ability to turn invisible while Johnny attained control over fire. Tragically, Ben’s enhanced strength and durability gave his skin and body a rock-like appearance that robbed him of the ability to pass as human. Despite the sudden turn of events, the quartet realized the potential of their powers and chose to become a team. Information from the Marvel website
I picked up the Heroclix figures before Disney pressured them to stop making Marvel models. As I am working through some of the Crisis Protocol Hydra figures “I dug out” the F4 figures and decided I would paint them up as well.
Today I have decided to paint Ben Grimm AKA “The Thing”.
In the original synopsis that writer-editor Stan Lee gave artist Jack Kirby, Lee proposed making the Thing into ‘the heavy.’ Deformed, underprivileged and argumentative,
Ben actually became the most lovable group member: honest, direct and free of pretension. He brought humour and pathos to the stories, while his emotional responses and frequent tantrums suggested that he might really be the baby of the household.
I have a regular Commando e-subscription where I receive four magazines a fortnight.
Tbhis is the story of a tank named Frank.Tough, stubborn and a heck of a thing to drive. That was Frank. Oh and bad tempered, as his crew would find out, since if you upset Frank, he would go nowhere. I once had an EK Holden very much like that!
Frank was a Sherman Firefly that had a secret that would eventually save his entire crew.
Now i don’t want to give away the story but this would be an ideal “What a Tanker” scenario against its nemesis a Tiger 1.
There are some great reads that would all make excellent games.
I know I am reliving my childhood where each month I would buy another “Commando” and 8 plastic toy soldiers with my two shillings, but that is an old codgers prerogative is it not.
Pocket Magazines has a great value subscription where you receive 100 magazines a year for about AU $0.55 each. I can thoroughly recommend this even if just for the nostalgia!
I have had these buildings for a long time and decided to finally get them ready for use. I still have some mdf Normandy and Gothic Sci-Fi buildings, as well as a Roman Bath and a large Church to complete, but down the track!
All of these are from Knights of Dice which are no longer in business.
They are part of their Tabla Rasa collection which provided cheap basic buildings that you could add as little or as much to them. At this stage I only wanted to get the basics done so that they could be used and finish them off later.
This one is near completion and just needs the doors and some “tarting up” to do.
The inside is completed with painted walls and floor carpets. I will add some wall directions later. The carpets are just prints from the internet of Persian carpets for sale.
With both roofs removed.
All six at a “game ready” stage with more detail to be completed later.
A start on the interior of this one.
The buildings were painted with wood glue and sprinkled with sand to give the “adobe” look. They were then painted with a mixture of mustard and white poster paints varying the mixture each time to provide a slightly different look, but at the same time provide a cohesive overall look.
This was my second game of “Black Powder Red Earth 28mm” – a modern counter insurgency game. Thanks to JB for organising and going easy on us “newbs”.
The mission or “Tasking” we played was called (Operation) “A Veiled Fever”. The scenario is about the Crisis team causing the insurgents to flee (reach 100cp loses) before they can inform their command about the Scorch infil.
The Map or “Battlespace” was “Border Glint”.
The Forces were:
Crisis Team Scorch: 5 models/units 1xOperational Advisor = 50CP 1xAutomatic Rifleman = 40CP 3xAssaulters (20CP each = 60CP overall)
For those not familiar with the “background”, Crisis Team Scorch, are covert mercenary kill teams hired by the government from “Cold Harbour”, an international “security” firm – sound familiar!
The Aayari Network are a group of religious insurgents trying to prevent the Awabri Unity Forces from taking control of the country. They are being used by Hongpin Alloy as proxy fighters alongside their own mercenaries.
Hongpin mercenaries or “enablers” are North Korean forces leased to the Chinese Intelligence Service to further the financial rare mineral interests of Hongpin Alloy that are threatened by the civil war and government regulatory intervention.
The mission terrain.
The initial set up for the Scorch team is pictured above. The Automatic Rifleman was positioned in the right hand window to provide a kill zone between in the reasonably open ground between buildings 02 and 06 (see schematic above).
The three assaulters were positioned in the central room to secure building 04 and to prevent any infiltration by the Aayari right flank where their better troops were located. The operational team leader was positioned behind the three assaulters to provide additional fire support if required.
Aayari right flank deployment.
Aayari left flank deployment.
Turn one saw troops from both sides moving forward and the Scorch Automatic Rifleman taking out one Shurta Guard (dotted line).
The automatic rifleman brought down two insurgents with an excellent shot through a window. An assaulter’s shot took out another Shurta, but return fire from a Hongpin mercenary shot through three windows to return the favour!
Downed assaulter. At the end of turn 2 Scorch had lost 20cp to Aayari 30cp.
Turn 3 saw a second Scorch assaulter shot while trying to set up a firing position.
Turn three saw a mercenary, a Musta Guard and the Hongpin enabler go down. Followed by two more Shurta insurgents.
At the end of turn four it was Aayari 40cp to scorch 85 cp
At the start of turn five the Scorch had three alternatives with their first initiative. To use their operational adviser to call in a drone strike on two Aayri operatives bunched in the open, open fire on the same Guardsmen with the Automatic Rifleman, or to advance on a Shurta Guardsman and open fire. The Scorch chose the later and were able to take out the final insurgent to obtain victory.
This was an exciting game where lines of fire and keeping the mission in mind were vitaslly important.
A final comment from the Aayari commander, Jason: “If Rob and I were less aggressive and had kept our casualties down, we might have been able to button down in a building and wait out the game some – doing so as the Defender, we would have won then.
I had another guy do exactly that against me a couple of months back – as the Defender, they initially went hard only to pull back. While Scorch are the more capable force, they simply couldn’t get enough guns on target quick enough to chase down their prey for the win.”
in addition I would add the comment that advancing with team of two or three would also allowed the Aayari to suffer one casualty to take out a Scorch operative.
I can thoruoghly recommend this game system to anyone interested in modern or post modern gaming.
