USE ME 15mm Fantasy sold out!

What a way to start the day!

Due to a flurry of orders during the night 15mm.co.uk has sold out the print run of UM002 USE ME 15mm Fantasy rules.  First off thanks to all those gamers who bought a copy, or in some cases half a dozen for a club or group of players, and for all the kind feedback on the rules I wrote in that title.

I am organising another print run of this title but I do not have a date as yet for when it will be back in stock.  Keep in mind there is a paid for PDF download version of UM002 which is availiable for purchase right now.

UM002 covers high fantasy in everything from small skirmishes with a dozen a side 15mm miniatures right up to nearly a thousand miniatures in a battle on the table.  The battle level of the system works on a really clever (thanks Elton!) ‘3’s’ mechanic to combine up single miniatures into formations.  Formations can be on single bases or on element bases like HOTT.

GBS

‘Terminus’ – free micro scenarios coming to Barking Irons Online

Invisible and impermeable until a civilisation reaches a point of technical advancement capable of reaching its solar system’s edge the Terminus is a lethal challenge set to all space faring species.  From an inky nothingness to an obstacle that can only be overcome by skilful use of military force Terminus is the benchmark of adulthood for every race that fancies itself a possible master of the universe.  A Terminus blocks all exits from a solar system seemingly moving almost instantly to any vector taken by star ships trying to leave the system.  Appearing as a monolithic flat piece of golden metal some thousand miles wide  Terminus destroys any vessel that tries to pass by it but allows any and all vessels to land upon it.    All species are astounded to discover that the surface of their Terminus is porous and starships simply sink into it descending into a world like cavern with a breathable atmosphere and gravity much like their home planet.  As soldiers, scientists, explorers and others take their first steps within Terminus the tests begin….

Terminus sets those who wish to leave their home solar system challenges, lethal ones, beginning small and then getting larger and larger, pushing those who enter it to their utter limits.  Projectile, directed energy, plasma and all other types of weapons must face off against the enemies that Terminus sends forth.  Savage creatures, primitive aliens, robots and faceless legions each more difficult to defeat than the last.  There is no leaving Terminus without victory though signals for help are always allowed passage so that the screams of those found wanting can be heard upon the worlds from which they came.

Those races who have beaten their Terminus challenge have earned their place on the stellar stage.  Once they do they learn of the legends told by other space faring species of their own encounter with the dreaded Terminus.

Well if that got your attention and left you wanting to know more then you will need to check out Barking Irons Online during March 2012 where the Terminus micro scenarios will be put up for free for players of UM001 USE ME 15mm Science Fiction rules.

Each of these micro scenarios will contain an introduction, scenario forces and goals, solo play guide and what you need to play.  About seven hundred words around one central aim per scenario.  All geared towards a quick game with set objectives.

GBS

USE ME Riot…a possible project

Recently talk has turned to the subject of a possible USE ME title concerning civil disturbance or for the ease of reference ‘USE ME Riots’ after my review of Miniature Wargames magazine which had an excellent article on this subject.  I have given these messages a good deal of thought and I think that its perfectly possible to do a set of miniature rules for riots.  Members of the Notables group suggested not only modern rioters against the police but also mobs against each other such as those seen at Football matches in Europe.  On top of this an add on to do historical riots such as the Gordon Riots of 18th century London or the slave revolts of ancient Egypt.

I have no spare design time until May 2012 but then, if interest persists, I would be willing to pen this title.

Drop me an email on this site or at 15mm.co.uk…heck you could comment on this post too, if you would like to see USE ME Riots become a reality.

GBS

 

 

 

HOF Fire Team will be at Salute 2012

HOF FT Cover

Back in 2010 Bob Minadeo and myself put together a playtest draft of a new 15mm scale wargame called HOF Fire Team.  This playtest draft was downloaded more than nine hundred times and more than two hundred people contributed to the testing.  A lot of these gamers did so after being informed of the rules by Dropship Horizon blog, at that time run by my good friend Mark Hannam, who was also in on the ground level with the rules.

HOF Fire Team is a little brother to Firefight 2.0 in that its mechanics are taken from that game but instead of being for 28mm its for 15mm miniatures.  The result is an intense 15mm sci-fi grid based game that can be played in quarter of an hour with about twenty four miniatures on the battle boards (20mm squared grids).  It uses ‘tech levels’ and ‘way points’ along with ‘action dice’ for a game that is very flexible and fast without being staid and predictable.

Confirmed now by 15mm.co.uk the game will be out in time for the Salute 2012 show at Excel in London’s Docklands in April of this year.  It will be an A5 format 56pp book with the cover you can see here.

More on this as it develops!

GBS

USE ME Post Apocalyptic rules Reviewed on Dropship Horizon Blog

There is a great review of UM007 USE ME Post Apocalyptic rules for 15mm miniatures over on Dropship Horizon Blog.

Dropship Horizon is the world’s premier place for all things 15mm science fiction related and the review was written by Chris K who has his own excellent blog The Basement Gaming Bunker as well as being a reviewer for DSH.

The review of the rules covers both the print and electronic editions of UM007 and is fair, balanced and independent as all good reviews are.

You can also find links to additional free resources for UM007 by author O.G.Joel in the comments list for the review.

So head on over and have a read.  Good Job Chris!

GBS

Shilling Service Pack Painted by Imp522 – Flintloque

I picked this link up from the Notables Yahoo Group posted by member Dave.  Dave has his own wargaming place so I headed over the Imp522’s blog where he resides to take a look.

I think he has done a great  job on a SSP04 Shilling Service Pack from Alternative Armies.  You can see his painting and basing work over on his blog.

The Shilling Service Pack gives you a Flintloque rulebook plus miniatures, dice and an insert with scenarios to get you started.  Great value and great fun too.

Nice work Dave!

GBS

MOTH Prydia in Flame – to be put into print

ION01

Confirmed today by the Alternative Armies grand meeting is that ION01 MOTH – Prydia Aflame will be put into a print format for release in late March/April 2012.

The purpose made electronic version will be transcribed into an A5 format booklet of approx 56-60 pages.

Not many more details at present but as I will be assembling the documents myself I shall post some follow ups as I go further into the work.

Remember to check out Barking Irons for the MOTH free files and scenarios.

GBS

Competition Winner!

The two book prize

Well done to my eldest, the thinker, on winning himself two new books by Random House Children’s publishing.  Both are aimed at nine year olds which is spot on.

They arrived this morning in response to his entering a competition a couple of months ago.

I am sure he will enjoy the read…just in time too as his current stock of paperbacks is extinguished having been piled up at Christmas.

Lucky Boy!

GBS

The Underground Electric – Hey Jude 1969

Album Cover

The Underground Electrics “Hey Jude” album is Lee Akers singing with back up instrumentation from the The Firebirds, (they’re the same band as the Electric Firebirds) who released two albums including “Light My Fire” on Crown Records in the late 60s, early 70s.   This is a strange album that offers up not only the worst cover of the Beatles ‘Hey Jude’ that I have ever, ever heard (which is odd considering its the title track) but also some great late 60’s blues tracks and groovy pop works all in one.  The album is all over the place and its best material is the blues piece ‘Goodbye Baby’ and thumping good  instrumental ‘Queen Bee’ while dance floor ‘Boogie Chillin’ is a delight…very Austin Powers.  Some folk will listen to this and want to pop out their eyes to better reach in and poke their brains to oblivion but on the whole I liked it and its been on MP3 in the car for a week and a half which is evidence that I find it worth the pain of track one to get to the rest. Its raw, its rough but its damn tasty with it.

Over on YouTube a poster has written the following which sums it up well I think:

Crude raw Heavy psychedelia /Hard rock by the band most known as The Firebirds but also 31 Flavours. Exellent wasted raw psychedelic fuzz blues based hard rock influenced by Cream/Hendrix & Blue Cheer. Hope the mystery surrounding this band is solved one day.

Here is the track listing:

1. Hey Jude
2. Standing At The Crossroads
3. Boogie Chillen
4. The Syndicator
5. No Love In My Heart
6. Goodbye Baby
7. Queen Bee
8. Sunnyland
9. Dark And Dreary
10. Dust My Blues

This album can still be found and bought but its rare.  I could find no current vinyl listings but recent auctions placed it at about 150.00USD.  My own copy went back to the market a few years ago to fund my acquiring of the San Diego Brain Police but that is for another day.

Here is a link to YouTube for ‘Boogie Chillin’.  Also one for the blues number ‘The Syndicator’ on YouTube.

Want to be amazed and appalled…yes…well get this album.

GBS