Testing new ideas

By Lotus, in Dust Tactics

Tested out scratch-builds w/ modified cards. I posted this thread to track the progress of them on the general forum as this went beyond a modeling thing for me.

Allied "Ulysses" thread is here: fantasyflightgames.com/edge_foros_discusion.asp

The Axis "Fenris the Wolf" thread is here: fantasyflightgames.com/edge_foros_discusion.asp (The card has been played but is still being fleshed out)

Here's the Ulysses...it survived w/ a point of armor left. It's a lower-power walker based on the Grant. Performed well despite being out-gunned. damaged a Luther and eroded infantry...did its job. Mainly I wanted to get an "early-war" walker in the game. Thinking of doing more scenarios involving regulars, earlier war stuff, and lots of zombies...heheh. Oh yeah, and on large maps (Hexes or squares), facing matters for something w/ a fixed gun.

ulyssesinbattle.jpg

hex's ? info on whats being played?

We do both hexes and tiles, tho more hexes as time goes by. Pretty easy, actually. 3D items are hard cover, soft cover, or impassable. No corner cover, and "agile" becomes "fast." We use facing as needed, e.g. fixed gun. The one thing we realized last game is the importance of having more impassable obstacles as they block LOS. Otherwise unlimited range makes walkers disappear very quickly.

ahh thanks i might try that out

Made a map today...pretty lame but good for friendly games. Threw together some ad hoc blocking terrain...industrial looking stuff. We (my gaming group) talked about the need for blocking terrain to detract somewhat from the initiative advantage so that unlucky first-turn walkers didn't get vaporized first turn...still working on the 3D. My kid and I will test it tomorrow, I think. He's decided to give it a shot. Good lad. Me, I'm finding out that some plastics don't superglue so well or not at all. Countered w/ drywall screws and covered same in plastics that do superglue. For every foil there's another foil, LOL. Bang.

newgamemap.jpg

what is the mech in the back with the chain gun looking arms. Can you post a better pic of this mech.

reptilebro1 said:

what is the mech in the back with the chain gun looking arms. Can you post a better pic of this mech.

Heres the link to Lotus's WIP in the painting section:

www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_foros_discusion.asp

It has more pics.

Got another German walker in the works..."The Growler" (Brummbar) w/ a 15cm StuH on one side.

Not sure what to put on the other side yet...trying to decide whether to go AT or AI...or AA.

Sorry for the krappy photo.

grumblersofar.jpg

How about twin 37s like on the Gunther? It would still give it a blocky look and give the model a sense of balance.

DoomOnYou72 said:

How about twin 37s like on the Gunther? It would still give it a blocky look and give the model a sense of balance.

Good idea, I'm now considering that and thanks for the idea. Might give it a go tomorrow after work.

Hey, how's this sound for the 15cm StuH? Having the effect that it negates cover. I borrowed that from another game that uses the same gun (Brummbar and siG33).

DoomOnYou72 said:

How about twin 37s like on the Gunther? It would still give it a blocky look and give the model a sense of balance.

Ok...I tried it. I like it quite a bit but balance might not be the right word, LOL.

grumblersofar2.jpg

Nah, how about just having a pair of 15cm?

Lotus said:

DoomOnYou72 said:

How about twin 37s like on the Gunther? It would still give it a blocky look and give the model a sense of balance.

Ok...I tried it. I like it quite a bit but balance might not be the right word, LOL.

grumblersofar2.jpg

Mad modelling skills man but I think that they came out alittle too large...looks more like twin 75mms than 37mm AA guns.

DoomOnYou72 said:

Lotus said:

DoomOnYou72 said:

How about twin 37s like on the Gunther? It would still give it a blocky look and give the model a sense of balance.

Ok...I tried it. I like it quite a bit but balance might not be the right word, LOL.

Mad modelling skills man but I think that they came out alittle too large...looks more like twin 75mms than 37mm AA guns.

Heh, I thought so too. That's ok...I'll go w/ the twin 75mms for now...maybe later I'll do the 37mms as a swap-out.

Got my ref from this:

gunther3.jpg

I base-coated the beast today after work. BTW, I discovered how good the mixed buttons from the craft store (that's right...the sewing buttons) are for anything w/ a hinge cover/plate. Seriously...check it out the next time you do any scratch-building. This totally ungirleyfies them, heheh.

grumblersofar3.jpg

Added a couple scratch-buildings today...part of the "blocking terrain project". As I said earlier, some voiced that initiative made coming out first kind of a killer, so blocking terrain brings tactical play more into balance. One note, I paid $3 for a game called tumbling towers which consists of small blocks of oak...I painted them black and they make great walls and structural building blocks. Note also the flashlight part for the comm tower. gran_risa.gif Drainage tubing...PVC...an old bathroom blower vent...some quick polystyrene details, black base coat, and then some white underspray for the suggestion of eery lighting = Cheap industrial night-time battlefield.

nightindustrialmap1.jpg

That's a fantastic looking machine you got here sir!

Brute!

Dogged said:

That's a fantastic looking machine you got here sir!

Brute!

Thanks, Man! Not sure how I'm going to paint it yet...there's a pretty high bar around here.

Made another building today...used the tubing from the flowers I bought my wife for our 26th anniversary (she encouraged this), a spent superglue bottle, PVC and the usual hobby styrene stuff. Someday soon I might get to play w/ this stuff...possibly next week if I'm lucky.

nightindustrialmap2.jpg

Working on the Grumbler's other arm to give it the full Brummbar effect. There's some debate on giving the gun unlimited range but it merits it, despite its effect on advancing infantry and game balance which could easily be offset by buildings/blocking terrain. Spotters would then of course come into the picture. .

grumblerleftarm.jpg

Neglected to mention that a few of us played yesterday and tried out things like:

1) snipers on buildings (unlimited range w/ cover) -- no seeing past other buildings...not a huge advantage but worth the two movement to get up there. Bad rolling for most of the game was made up for late in the game. Snipers don't hit so well...or I was playing him wrong.

2) Building interior fighting: (Used ERTL farm building w/ no roof) Only real difference is using walls as blocking terrain...walkers can only shoot at what's in the doorways and soldiers may only shoot back obviously if in doorways. Once uncontested, it was a good strategic position.

3) Fast converted to hex map offers one extra rather than diagonal movement. Worked great.

4) New American light walker was a PITA...eventually took it out w/ Fenris but only after it took out a resurrected anti-armor squad.

5) The "Tumbling Tower" blocks made good blocking terrain for infantry (not walkers).

nightindustrialmap3.jpg