Painting progress on Hover Tanks and Mech!

I've got the new hover tank for my Hell Knights mostly painted and I've also been painting a mech made from a Transformers toy.  All I have is a wash and some weathering and these will be ready for the table.  I have two more of the tanks I've started working on as well.

Titania Media blackout lifted! An update on the conflict in the Station 42 region (Part 1)

 When a Hell Knights Battle Cruiser arrived in orbit over Titania last August citizens in the contested lands around Station 42 feared an overwhelming escalation of their conflict with the Smith and Wilson Agriculture corporation.  What they got instead was several months of court battles and a media blackout.  Through buyouts, bribes, and blackmail Smith and Wilson managed to gain control of the local media agencies.  Meanwhile their lawyers engaged in several legal battles to try and put pressure on the locals to abandon their property claims.
On August 19th the Hell Knights conducted three small raids on some of the more stubborn locals.  

 The Hell Knights raided a mining camp owned by the Venture Star Prospecting Company.  Expecting only light resistance Hell Knight forces consisted of mostly infantry units.

 Venture Star had however received had received an anonymous tip about the raid so they hired units from Nova Securities and the Wolfhound Friekorps mercenary company.  They were also backed up by renegade Titania Planetary Guards units.

 The Hell Knights situation became desperate early on when they realized that the Planetary Guard units included a battle tank.

 A Hell Knights assassin managed to kill most of the Wolfhound mercenaries and some of the Nova men before being taken down.

 Their other troops were however no match for the Planetary Guard Tank.  Most of their riflemen were cut down quickly and only a few assault troopers managed to escape the fighting.

 The Hell Knights also dispatched a force to the Redwing farm where they believed a number of Titania militia units were hiding.

 Hell Knight scouts managed to gain a good position early in the fighting using stealth to infiltrate deep within the compound.

 Another Hell Knights assassin was seen during this battle.  These types of troops have previously not been seen in this conflict.

 The Hell Knights Heavy equipment moved into the center of the compound and engaged the militia units and light vehicles.

 The Titania Planetary guard also arrived with a tanks but even that was not enough to secure the farm.  The Planetary guard tank and all the militia light vehicles were destroyed and the Militia units routed.

 The Davis Farm also came under attack by a Hell Knights infantry force backed up by fast moving Lagarev apcs.

 The defenders consisted of Planetary Guard and Militia units with a few improvised light vehicles.

 The battle was a close one and both sides took many casualties but the militia units took the brunt of the damage.

 At the end of the battle the remaining militia member retreated into the farmhouse as Hell Knight assault troopers close in.

Among the militia casualties was Mrs. Davis who was shot during the fighting at the farm house.  The Hell Knights were able to secure the farm and destroy a cache of supplies dealing a heavy blow to resistance forces.

For several months afterwards the conflict in  the Station 42 Region died down.  The Militia and renegade Titania Planetary Guard units had suffered numerous casualties and loss of supplies just as the Hell Knights received some significant reinforcements.  It seemed as if the conflict would finally be settled in the courts although that battle still continues while hostilities seem to have flared again in the region.  More reports on the renewed conflict coming soon.

Alphonso Marks, Titania News Network.

Notes:  We had a long unexpected break during this campaign and didn't play any battles through the last four months of 2012.  The last three battles we fought were a set of 1000 point raids using the No Limits rules system we have been using for this campaign.  We decided that the resistance had been dealt a pretty nasty blow and had mostly gone into hiding while the Smith and Wilson Agriculture Corporation went back to the courts to settle disputes over their claims.  We have had some other battles this year but I just kept putting off the updates about the campaign so I never posted that information.  I will be posting another report in the next day or two hopefully to bring things up to speed and get back on track.  We hope to bring this campaign to a close in the next few month with some larger battles.         

Hell Knights Armored Assault Squad "Troop" selection

A Hell Knights Armored Assault Squad engages a squad of N.O.V.A. Securities troopers on Titania during the Station 42 War

Armored Assault Squad

Trooper: AC 9/ RA 6/ CC 5/ ST 4/ T 4/ W 1/ CO 7/ AR 5 (+47)

Sargent: AC 9/ RA 6/ CC 6/ ST 4/ T 4/ W 1/ CO 8/ AR 5 (+52)

Composition: 1 Sargent and 4-9 Troopers

Equipment: Medium Carapace Armor, Heavy Blaster, Pistol

Options:

*The squad may be equipped with fragmentation grenades for +8 points per member.

*The squad may be equipped with thermal grenades for +9 points per member.

*The squad may be equipped with nova bombs for +11 points per member.

*One in five members of the squad may exchange their light laser rifle for one of the following options:

*Plasma Carbine +6 points

*Flamer +3 points

*Frag Grenade Launcher +14 points

*The squad may be assigned a heavy transport from the motor pool.

Notes:  Another troop selection for my Hell Knights Mercenary Company army list for the No Limits free wargame rules.  

Hell Knights Scout Squad "Troop" selection.

Two Hell Knights Scout Squads prepare to assault a communications bunker defended by renegade Titania Planetary Guard members during the Station 42 War

Scout Squad

Scout: AC 8/ RA 5/ CC 4/ ST 4/ T 4/ W 1/ CO 6/ AR 2 (+29)

Sargent: AC 8/ RA 5/ CC 5/ ST 4/ T 4/ W 1/ CO 7/ AR 2 (+33)

Composition: 1 Sargent and 3-5 Scouts

Abilities: Infiltrate

Equipment: Battle Uniform, Light Laser rifle.

Options:

*The squad may be equipped with fragmentation grenades for +8 points per member.

*The squad may be equipped with thermal grenades for +9 points per member.

*The squad may be equipped with nova bombs for +11 points per member.

*One member of the squad may exchange their light laser rifle for one of the following options:

*Heavy Blaster +3 points

*Plasma Carbine +6 points

*Flamer +3 points

*Frag Grenade Launcher +14 points

*The squad may be assigned a transport from the motor pool.

Notes:  Another entry for my Hell Knights army list for our home setting using the No Limits free wargame rules.  Squads with the "infiltrate" ability may only have a maximum of 6 members.  

Hell Knights Veteran Rifle Squad "Troop" selection

A Hell Knights Veteran Rifle Squad defends a supply depot from and insurgent attack during the Station 42 war on Titania

Veteran Rifle Squad

Trooper: AC 9/ RC 6/ CC 5/ S 4/ T 4/ W 1/ CO 7/ AR 3 (+35)

Sargent: AC 9/ RC 6/ CC 6/ S 4/ T 4/ W 1/ CO 8/ AR 3 (+41)

Composition: 1 Sargent and 4-9 Troopers

Equipment: Flack Armor, Light Laser Rifle

Options:

*The squad may be equipped with fragmentation grenades for +8 points per member.

*The squad may be equipped with thermal grenades for +9 points per member.

*The squad may be equipped with nova bombs for +11 points per member.

*One in five members of the squad may exchange their light laser rifle for one of the following options:

*Heavy Blaster +3 points

*Plasma Carbine +6 points

*Flamer +3 points

*Frag Grenade Launcher +14 points

*The squad may be equipped with bayonets for +2 points per model.

*The squad may be assigned a transport from the motor pool.

*The squad may be assigned a single detachment from the detachment list.

Hell Knights Regular Rifle Squad "Troop" selection

A Hell Knights Regular Rifle Squad secures a militia compound on Titania during the Station 42 War

Regular Rifle Squad

Trooper: AC 8/ RA 5/ CC 4/ ST 4/ T 4/ W 1/ CO 6/ AR 3 (+25)

Sargent: AC 8/ RA 5/ CC 5/ ST 4/ T 4/ W 1/ CO 7/ AR 3 (+29)

Composition: 1 Sargent and 4-9 Troopers

Equipment: Flack Armor, Light Laser Rifle

Options:

*The squad may be equipped with fragmentation grenades for +8 points per member.

*The squad may be equipped with thermal grenades for +9 points per member.

*The squad may be equipped with nova bombs for +11 points per member.

*One in five members of the squad may exchange their light laser rifle for one of the following options:

*Heavy Blaster +3 points

*Plasma Carbine +6 points

*Flamer +3 points

*Frag Grenade Launcher +14 points

*The squad may be equipped with bayonets for +2 points per model.

*The squad may be assigned a transport from the motor pool.

*The squad may be assigned a single detachment from the detachment list.

Notes:  This is the first entry my my Hell Knights Mercenary Company army list using the No Limits free wargame rules set.  The Regular Rifle Squads form the core of most Hell Knights armies.  

Hell Knights Army Book coming soon for No Limits

Hey folks I'm working on getting a Hell Knights army book written for the No Limits free war game rules system.  As we have been playing the Station 42 War campaign I have been developing this army and I have enough material to star putting together a more formal book.  I not only be including the army list but also pictures of every unit in the book as well as information about how I built and painted the miniatures and models.  I hope to release the book as a free PDF on the No Limits web site.
This will be a major undertaking so I plan to provide samples of the content here as I put the army list together.

In The Future There Will Be Robots!

I just wanted to show off some of the toys we have amassed for our Mecha project for Station 42.  I've already shown one of the mechs with the Titania Planetary Guard update.  Here are some of the others.  Many if not all of these will make and appearance in our "Station 42 War" campaign.
We will still be using "No Limits" as our rules which will make it easy to create stats for these models but we will also be adding several house rules and some new equipment which I will publish as the project progresses.  Eventually I would like to pick up some nicer models but for now we are using these to kind of test out our rule ideas.

Battle at the Old Mining Town (a No Limits Station 42 War Game Report)

A "Hell Knights" APC engages Militia vehicles.

 Titania News Network:  Just a few short hours ago Titania militia forces and renegade Planetary Guard units came under attack from the Hell Knights mercenary company.  Our "Flyspy" news drones managed to record several images from the battle as it occurred.  

A civilian truck comes under mercenary fire.

 Titania forces were escorting a convoy of civilian vehicles out of Station 42 loaded with supplies for the resistance when they came under attack from Hell Knights, armor, infantry, and mech forces.  At least one mech scale "Battle Suit" was spotted among the mercenary forces.

Titania Militia units engage a mercenary APC.

 The conflict going on in the Station 42 region has been escalating for months.  The government of Titania acquired several hydroponics farms and mining claims in the region by use of eminent domain claiming that the land was going to be used for terra-forming facilities to provide planetary upgrades.   Instead building the facilities a  company known as Smith and Wilson Agricultural purchased the land.  The farmers and citizens of the region banded together and refused to leave.

The convoy moves into a gauntlet of deadly fire.

 Smith and Wilson Agriculture then hired to "Hell Knights" to enforce their claim to the properties.  So far the fighting has been mostly small in scale and limited to the region around Station 42.  Sympathy for the resistance groups has been wide spread across Titania.

Tanks from both sides trade fire.

 The battle that took place today was small in scale but brutal.  The Hell Knights have employed armored units and mechs before but never so many at one location.  They seemed determine to stop the Titania convoy.  The convoy was escorted by a Planetary Guard tank and several improvised armored cars as well as trained militia units and Planetary Guard fire teams.

Carson Boon is spotted fighting along side a unit of Planetary Guard.

Carson Boon and members of his militia were among the combatants.  Boon is believed to be the senior leader of militia units involved in the conflict.

Damaged and destroyed civilian and militia vehicles crash into abandoned buildings.

 As the battle raged many of the civilian vehicles were destroyed by the mercenary mechs and armored vehicles.  Mercenary snipers positioned on the large mesa and old silo also did considerable damage to the light vehicles.

A mercenary APC feels the sting of a Laser Canon.

 The Planetary Guard Tank put up as strong resistance taking out three armored personal carriers and damaging the mercenary hover tank.

Mercenary and Planetary guard tanks engaged at point blank range.

 For a good portion of the battle these two heavily armored vehicles traded fire.  Though the mercenary tank was heavily damaged it was not destroyed.

A mercenary mech scores a hit on the Planetary Guard tank.

 The mercenary mech was also badly damaged but not destroyed.  It was instrumental in destroying several civilian and militia vehicles.

Militia sniper "Redjack" lies motionless on the ground.

 The notorious militia sniper known as "Redjack" was noted among the militia casualties although his status is unknown at this time.  Evidence points to one of the Hell Knights snipers as the shooter.

The wreckage of several resistance and mercenary vehicles.

Most of the civilian and militia vehicles were destroyed by the end of the fighting.  It is estimated that the Titania forces lost close to 20 fighters and drivers while the mercenary casualties numbered at least 15 fighters and three armored personal carriers.  Only one civilian supply truck managed to pass through the mercenary gauntlet and it's location is unknown at this time.

At the end of the fighting the remaining mercenary forces withdrew from the area leaving the Titania forces to attempt to salvage their supplies and tend to their wounded.

This has been Alphonso Marks reporting for the Titania News Network.

Additional "Flyspy" coverage of the battle can be found in this gallery: http://www.flickr.com/photos/43472766@N05/sets/72157630926721772/

2nd Battle of Bunker 1138

 With the ammo recovered by the crew of the "Maxed Out" the Titania Planetary Guard and the local militia units decided it was time to re-take Bunker 1138.  The Hell Knights have been using the bunker as a Forward Operating Base since they took control of it early in the conflict.  The Hell Knights were outnumbered two to one but they had superior skill and equipment.

 The first shots exchanged were between the snipers.  The Hell Knights sniper wounded Redjack from Boon's Militia but Redjack and the other militia snipers returned fire and took the merc out.

 The Pleasant Valley Neighborhood Watch moved into cover behind some discarded barrels on the left flank of the Titania forces but many were gunned down by the Armored Assault squad in the bunker.  The heavy blasters of the mercenaries were more than a match for light militia troops.

A militia technical moves in to support the Titania forces.  These lightly armored but heavily armed vehicles have proven quite dangerous in previous battles.

 More technicals come into play providing cover for Dutton's gang. as they advance into cover near the center of the Titania Forces line.

 On the left flank of the mercenary line the Hell Knights Scouts trade fire with Titania Planetary Guard units.  Both sides take heavy casualties.

 On the mercenaries right flank another technical arrives and cuts the other Hell Knights scout squad to ribbons which causes the survivors to break and run.

 A Titania Planetary Guard tank enters the field on the Titania forces right flank.  Armed with a laser cannon and a scatter laser it is well equipped to handle heavy and light threats.

 One of the technicals is taken out of action by the mercenary "Marksman" battle suit but it take some damage in the exchange.

 Dutton's Gang doesn't find any more protection from the chemical barrels than the Pleasant Valley crew did.  The Hell Knights veteran rifle squads prove their marksmanship.

 Two other technicals are taken down by the battle suit and armored assault squad.  The open ground in front of the bunker is proving to be a nasty kill zone.

 The Planetary Guard Tank moves in and starts trading shots with the veteran rifle squad.  The tank takes some damage from the battle suit but continues to advance knocking down a tent in the middle of the field.

 One squad of veteran riflemen are taken down through the combined fire of the tank and the Planetary Guard troops on the opposite ridge.

 Dutton's Gang retreats from it's position in the center of the Titania line after suffering heavy casualties.

 Bodies begin to pile up in a crater on the Titania forces left flank.  The rest of the Pleasant Valley Neighborhood Watch lie dead or wounded along with several Planetary Guards.

 The Tank and the Battle Suit continue to exchange fire.  Both are damaged but not taken out of action.

 Carson Boon is shot down near the wreckage of one of the militia technicals.  His force field fails to protect him against the heavy blasters of the Armored Assault Squad.

Though they had inflicted serious casualties on the Titania forces the Hell Knights commander could see that it was unlikely that he or his men would survive.  The mercenary contacted the Planetary Guard commander and offered terms.  The Mercenaries offered to withdraw with their wounded if the Titania forces would halt their assault.  The Planetary Guard commander agreed to the terms.

Notes:  We played this battle out over a month ago.  Since then we have also played another Episode of "Maxed Out" that I need to put up.  I'm not entirely sure if I got all the details correct but this is basically how things turned out.  I believe we gave the Titania forces a point advantage because they were assaulting a fortified position.  I think the next battle will be a straight up fight.