Revamped Utopia

Since I had went through and revamped my PRDF to the latest GU5 and GU6 beta rules, figured I
would also run my wife's Utopian force through the same hoops since they also saw some changes, mostly point drops.

Just like originally, I started off with the core starter set for Utopians and worked from there, mostly because my wife isn't here at the moment to tell me exectly what she does and does not want. I worked under the impression of 'bring more guns to the table', so went for numbers rather then quality. Now her force was decent sized before, as you can guess from our battle report we posted a while back, and my way of working on her army list added even more to it. After I got done adding things to it though, I felt like I was looking at robotic version of Zerg/Tyranids. The drones in the list just seemed to go on forever. I won't lie, it intimidated me, and I built the list for crying out load.

UA, Utopian Army . 1000 TV, PL 2, 4 SPs, 4 CPs
Ruleset: Gear Up 5 Threat Values
N-KIDU Automaton SIN Cluster (Core) 105TV Add 5th N-KIDU [T], Add 6th N-KIDU [T], Add 7th N-KIDU [T]

• N-KIDU [T] [1/1/1/0] (8/24 LHC) VLAC VLAC APGL CGL 15TV
• N-KIDU [T] [1/1/1/0] (8/24 LHC) VLAC VLAC APGL 15TV
• N-KIDU [T] [1/1/1/0] (8/24 LHC) VLAC VLAC APGL 15TV
• N-KIDU [T] [1/1/1/0] (8/24 LHC) VLAC VLAC APGL 15TV
• N-KIDU [T] [1/1/1/0] (8/24 LHC) VLAC VLAC APGL 15TV
• N-KIDU [T] [1/1/1/0] (8/24 LHC) VLAC VLAC APGL 15TV
• N-KIDU [T] [1/1/1/0] (8/24 LHC) VLAC VLAC APGL 15TV

N-KIDU Automaton SIN Cluster (Core) 105TV
Add 5th N-KIDU [T], Add 6th N-KIDU [T], Add 7th N-KIDU [T]

• N-KIDU [T] [1/1/1/0] (8/24 LHC) VLAC VLAC APGL CGL 15TV
• N-KIDU [T] [1/1/1/0] (8/24 LHC) VLAC VLAC APGL 15TV
• N-KIDU [T] [1/1/1/0] (8/24 LHC) VLAC VLAC APGL 15TV
• N-KIDU [T] [1/1/1/0] (8/24 LHC) VLAC VLAC APGL 15TV
• N-KIDU [T] [1/1/1/0] (8/24 LHC) VLAC VLAC APGL 15TV
• N-KIDU [T] [1/1/1/0] (8/24 LHC) VLAC VLAC APGL 15TV
• N-KIDU [T] [1/1/1/0] (8/24 LHC) VLAC VLAC APGL 15TV

Veteran Armiger Automaton Control Recce Troupe (Auxiliary) [Army Command Group] 410TV

• Armiger RE-101 [2/3/3/2] (14/56 SLHC) AGM HGLC APGL HHG VB CGL, ArmyCmdr 170TV
  • Def +1 (AC) +10 TV
  • EW +1 (AC) +10 TV
  • Ld +1 (AC) +10 TV
  • Swap SLC for HGLC 0 TV
  • Swap MRP/9 for AGM(4) +15 TV
  • Add 2nd NAI Matrix +5 TV
  • Add 3rd N-KIDU [F] Drone +20 TV
  • Add 4th N-KIDU [F] Drone +20 TV
  • Satellite Uplink +5 TV
  • Stealth(2) +5 TV
  • Stealth(4) +5 TV
  
  
• N-KIDU [R] [1/1/1/0] (8/24 LHC) LAC APGL 20TV
  • Swap LRF for LAC 0 TV
  
  
• N-KIDU [R] [1/1/1/0] (8/24 LHC) LAC APGL 20TV
  • Swap LRF for LAC 0 TV
  
  
• Armiger RE-101 [3/3/3/0] (14/56 SLHC) SLC MRP/9 APGL HHG VB 140TV
  • Att, Def 3 +10 TV
  • EW 3 +10 TV
  • Add 2nd NAI Matrix +5 TV
  • Add 3rd N-KIDU [F] Drone +20 TV
  • Add 4th N-KIDU [F] Drone +20 TV
  • Stealth(2) +5 TV
  • Stealth(4) +5 TV
  
  
• N-KIDU [R] [1/1/1/0] (8/24 LHC) LAC APGL 20TV
  • Swap LRF for LAC 0 TV
  
  
• N-KIDU [R] [1/1/1/0] (8/24 LHC) LAC APGL 20TV
  • Swap LRF for LAC 0 TV
  
  
• N-KIDU [R] [1/1/1/0] (8/24 LHC) VLRP/32 LRF APGL (N-KIDU [F]->N-KIDU [R] 0 TV) 25TV
  • VLRP/32 [R] +5 TV
  
  
• N-KIDU [R] [1/1/1/0] (8/24 LHC) VLRP/32 LRF APGL (N-KIDU [F]->N-KIDU [R] 0 TV) 25TV
  • VLRP/32 [R] +5 TV
  
  
• N-KIDU [R] [1/1/1/0] (8/24 LHC) VLRP/32 LRF APGL (N-KIDU [F]->N-KIDU [R] 0 TV) 25TV
  • VLRP/32 [R] +5 TV
  
  
• N-KIDU [R] [1/1/1/0] (8/24 LHC) VLRP/32 LRF APGL (N-KIDU [F]->N-KIDU [R] 0 TV) 25TV
  • VLRP/32 [R] +5 TV

Veteran Armiger Automaton Control Support Troupe (Specialist) 380TV

• Armiger FS-101 [3/3/1/1] (16/64 SLHC) ATM LLC APGL VB RAM CGL 155TV
  • Add 2nd NAI Matrix +5 TV
  • Add 3rd N-KIDU [F] Drone +20 TV
  • Add 4th N-KIDU [F] Drone +20 TV
  • Att, Def 3 +10 TV
  • Swap VHAC for LLC +5 TV
  • Swap HGM for ATM(6) +45 TV
  
  
• N-KIDU [F] [1/1/1/0] (8/24 LHC) MRP/9 APGL 20TV
• N-KIDU [F] [1/1/1/0] (8/24 LHC) MRP/9 APGL 20TV
• Armiger FS-101 [3/3/1/0] (16/64 SLHC) VHAC HGM APGL VB RAM 105TV
  • Add 2nd NAI Matrix +5 TV
  • Add 3rd N-KIDU [F] Drone +20 TV
  • Add 4th N-KIDU [F] Drone +20 TV
  • Att, Def 3 +10 TV
  
  
• N-KIDU [F] [1/1/1/0] (8/24 LHC) MRP/9 APGL 20TV
• N-KIDU [F] [1/1/1/0] (8/24 LHC) MRP/9 APGL 20TV
• N-KIDU [F] [1/1/1/0] (8/24 LHC) AGM APGL 30TV
  • Swap MRP/9 for AGM(4) +10 TV
  
  
• N-KIDU [F] [1/1/1/0] (8/24 LHC) AGM APGL 30TV
  • Swap MRP/9 for AGM(4) +10 TV
  
  
• N-KIDU [F] [1/1/1/0] (8/24 LHC) AGM APGL 30TV
  • Swap MRP/9 for AGM(4) +10 TV
  
  
• N-KIDU [F] [1/1/1/0] (8/24 LHC) AGM APGL 30TV
  • Swap MRP/9 for AGM(4) +10 TV

Now, I just threw this together to get an idea on how things changed, but it wasn't just a single drone here and there added. It was a whole SWARM of drones added. I believe the phrase is 'target rich environment' to be fitting in this particular situation.

I think the key to her force will be the drone linking ability. She will have to in order to make the lighter ranged weapons dangerous. I gave her AC and the other Armiger RE-101 Stealth to promote them getting closer in and dealing out EW as needed. The FS-101's are to remain back with their missile equipped drones and focus on unloading payloads across the field. The two packs of seven N-KIDU[R]s are there mostly for screening purposes. The longer the opponent has to hack through the trash drones, the more time the important Armigers and drones have to get into position.

Once again, this list could easily change once my wife actually sees it and decides if she wants to do a mixed Earth and Utopian force or not. She really does want a HHT-90 Overlord Hovertank after all....

Revamped PRDF

As many who follow know, I am in the process of moving, which is taking longer then I would like since we keep having buyers back out of the contract at last minute. This market is rather annoying to deal with in that regard.

 Anyhow, the move does not keep me from keeping somewhat into my games and slightly up to date. I posted my Anima Tactic minis a while back, and now I am back with my thoughts on my PRDF. Gear Up 6 released recently (with a pic of my current PRDF in it which I was proud of even if the pic was small), and the Paxton Arms video showing the blue and white warrior really got me thinking. Namely because blue is a pretty amazing color scheme. My PRDF list also has a few point changes between GU5 and GU6 which change up my old force rather drastically.

In that regard I decided to completely rebuild my PRDF from the group up and take it in a totally different direction that I had it running before.

32nd Desert Griffons (PRDF, Peace River Defense Force) 1000, TV, PL 3, 5 SPs, 6 CPs
Ruleset: Gear Up 5 Threat Values

Infantry Section (Core) 115TV
Add Mobile Gun Team, Add Second Mobile Gun Team
  Infantry Team Leader [2/2/2/2] (9/27 LHC) Light Mortar 7mm Assault Rifle CGL

• Swap LMG for Light Mortar

  Infantry Team [2/2/2/2] (9/27 LHC) Light Mortar 7mm Assault Rifle

• Swap LMG for Light Mortar

  Hippeis [2/2/1/1] (12/36 LHC) LFM RAM 
  Hippeis [2/2/1/1] (12/36 LHC) LFM RAM 

Veteran Strike Squad (Specialist) [Army Command Group] 455TV
  Chieftain IV [3/4/4/4] (17/68 SLHC) LAC MRP/18 APGL HG VB CGL, ArmyCmdr

• Upgrade Att and Def to 3
• Upgrade EW to 3
• Upgrade Ld to 3
• Skill Updates for ArmyCmdr
• Elite Program Upgrade
• Add Field Armor

  Skirmisher [3/3/3/0] (13/39 LHC) HHG FGC LRP/24 VB (Warrior IV->Skirmisher)

• Upgrade LRF to LAC (post1940)
• Swap LAC for FGC and HHGs
• Upgrade Att and Def to 3
• Upgrade EW to 2
• Upgrade EW to 3

  Skirmisher [3/3/3/0] (13/39 LHC) HHG FGC LRP/24 VB (Warrior IV->Skirmisher)

• Upgrade LRF to LAC (post1940)
• Swap LAC for FGC and HHGs
• Upgrade Att and Def to 3
• Upgrade EW to 2
• Upgrade EW to 3

  Crusader IV [3/3/1/0] (19/95 SSLHC) HAC MRP/18 MRP/18 LFM APGL APGL VA (Warrior IV->Crusader IV)

• Upgrade Att and Def to 3
• Mandatory Stat Upgrade (GU6)

  Crusader IV [3/3/1/0] (19/95 SSLHC) HAC MRP/18 MRP/18 LFM APGL APGL VA (Warrior IV->Crusader IV)

• Upgrade Att and Def to 3
• Mandatory Stat Upgrade (GU6)

Fire Support Squad (Auxiliary) 290TV
  Chieftain [2/2/2/2] (15/60 SLHC) LAC LRP/24 APGL HG VB CGL

• Remove ECM(1) (Wartime economy)

  Warrior [2/2/1/0] (15/60 SLHC) LAC LRP/24 APGL HG VB

• Remove ECM(1) (Wartime economy)

  Warrior [2/2/1/0] (15/60 SLHC) LAC LRP/24 APGL HG VB

• Remove ECM(1) (Wartime economy)

  Crusader IV [2/2/1/0] (19/95 SSLHC) MBZK MRP/18 MRP/18 LFM APGL APGL VA

• Mandatory Stat Upgrade (GU6)
• Swap HAC for MBZK

  Crusader IV [2/2/1/0] (19/95 SSLHC) MBZK MRP/18 MRP/18 LFM APGL APGL VA

• Mandatory Stat Upgrade (GU6)
• Swap HAC for MBZK

Veteran Light Tankstrider Squad (Auxiliary) 140TV
Add Warrior
  Alpha Dog [2/2/1/2] (25/75 LHC) LRG MAAC APGL CGL(Coyote->Wild Coyote->Alpha Dog)
  Warrior [2/2/1/0] (15/60 SLHC) LAC LRP/24 APGL HG VB

• Remove ECM(1) (Wartime economy)

Created with Gear Garage V0.53 - Gear Up 5 Threat Values

It is a bit more IF heavy then my old force plus I lose the cataphract, but the feeling seems like it should be a bit more dynamic. I built the FC to help the skirmishers with FO and EW. The Field Armor there to help him survive.

The main thing about this force over my last one is the number of hard hitting minis. I will no longer have two squads of Infantry eating points up, instead more focused on the gears, and letting the Crusaders play a larger part in battle.

Of course this is just something I have thrown together using a basic list on the Heavy Gear forums that I actually liked for 800 points and wanted to grow on it. My mind's eye envisions this army bringing the rain of rocket fire, with only a few direct attacks worth mentioning along with a large EW ability. Now of course to see how it behaves on the tabletop will require some play testing.

Now if only this move would get over so I can actually get going on all the hobby activities I am falling behind or adding to my queue...

Anima Tactics Arrival

I said in my last blog post that I had ordered a few things for Anima Tactics, and yesterday everything finally appeared by UPS fairly early on in the day, which is rather shocking in and of itself. The box that MiniatureMarket shipped in was about the size I was expecting when it did show up on my door step, however, what I wasn't expecting was all the filler in the box. What you don't see in the pic is XII who I took out of his blister and put him with the rest of Wissenschaft.

A part of my thought the starter sets were going to be larger, as they were supposed to be holding six minis inside each box. Well, they certainly did cram all those minis into those boxes to make them fit. Well go into more details about the start set in a moment however.

The book itself was in good condition as I nearly always get from MiniatureMarket. Still filled with the beautiful artwork I was originally drawn to Anima for, and nearly half the book dedicated to the Saga 1 and Saga 2 characters. More or less a good book to get the basics of the world you are to be expecting to fight in. As I have used the Anima Tactics ruleset before, there wasn't anything out of the ordinary in that section either. The rules are still very easy to understand, and yet incredibly deep. It will only take a new person to the game a few fights to realize that blowing all your Action Points every round leaves you nearly defenseless.

The biggest problem with new people getting the rulebook now is that while it goes over the majority of the current line of organizations and characters, the game has moved onto Saga 3 and added new characters and groups that you will not know anything about unless you look on the Cipher Studios site or find an updated team builder. Granted, this is a problem for any tabletop game that wants to keep expanding after the book releases, but it is still a con none-the-less.

So on to the starter sets, which has a lot more commentary I can do as I have purchased previous starters and characters from Cipher Studios before. These new starter sets, like the old ones, are filled with the plastic chits to use to track Action Points, all the required bases, and all the minis floating 'loose' in the box. All that in the same size box as the Dark/Light starters used (as well as various characters).

What neither starter set included, that the Dark/Light ones did, was a quickstart rulebook and the token sheet. The quickstart rulebook of course being far more important, as now a person either needs to download it or get the hardcover book. I bought the hardcover book, but I am not a new person coming into the game. I would like to see both of those missing items placed back into all the starters, and not just the Dark/Light starters. Not everyone will want to print out or use a tablet/smartphone when trying to learn a new game. Not having the tokens readily available is something I think all sets should have, since you have a LOT of effects going on in the game normally, and the minis have a lot of wounds which need to be tracked.

By floating loose, I mean they are not packed up individually and all the bits are rather jumbled. I had to go through and figure out which bits went to which character. Some of the figures I had to Google and figure out which characters got which bits. Momiji had a ton of floating bits in the Samael box set, and took me a while to make sure all were accounted for. Once again, these sets are labeled as starter sets, players will go in with the assumption it is for new players to the game, and having a ton of bits they have to dig through may turn off a few folks. There is a big difference between two mini starter sets having loose bits like the Dark/Light sets, and having 6 minis worth of loose bits. I will say though that I didn't see any damaged bits, and everything was accounted for while I did inventory.

For $37.49 you do get a good number of pewter minis, and a nice selection of some decent characters that, for me anyhow, will actually be used further down the road once I work out my own list. This minimizes future purchases since I only need XII for a leader and Cordelia for my long range sniper. Of course this will vary between players and chosen forces. If I decided to do a mecha themed Wissenschaft force, the starter set would be nearly worthless to me.

The last thing in the package was XII, and I was rather shocked when I found him in a blister and not in a box with his own artwork. It didn't take me long for me to remove him from his blister and put all his contents in with the starter set. Figured it was safer than having to try and keep track of both items until I get them put together.

So at the end of the day what do I think of the new starter sets and my order in general?

Book
Pro:

• Filled with beautiful artwork and lore.
• Every Sage 1 and Saga 2 character has a dedicated 1-2 pages of background.
• Rules are created in such a way that it won't take long for people to learn how to play.

Con:

• Rulebook ONLY includes the Saga 1 and Saga 2 characters, and there are Saga three characters and entire organizations not listed in the book.

Starters
Pro:

• Good deal for the money IF you intend to use majority of the minis included in the box set.
• Although all bits are loose, everything is packaged well and nothing really moves.

Con:

• Good deal for the money IF you intend to use majority of the minis included in the box set.
• No quickstart rulebook or token sheet.
• Loose bits require player to run an inventory and figure out which bits go to which character, which can be daunting.

Conclusion
Effectively I can get two completely playable 300 point forces and rulebook for less than $100 with the new 'starter' sets which is fairly cheap once everything is said and done. If someone already has a friend with the main book, and already settled in to use 4+ of the minis from the starter sets, then the deal can't really be beat. If that isn't the case however, I would suggest to a new person to get either the Dark/Light starters or the main rulebook and just proxy for a while.

Move still on going

And this is my painting load...

You may notice something about me while reading through my blogs. I have a horrible case of Gamer's ADD when it comes to staying with a game for any length of time, usually I find myself trying, or returning to, a new game after a time of silence while life gets busy. My mind gets wondering to other systems, and you see my hop between other games during the downtime. Only a few games I never actually push forward with, Warhammer 40K and WFB have never actually panned out for me in the last few years as quick examples. Just because I leave a system however does not mean I don't enjoy it however, as you can guess Heavy Gear Blitz is still one of my favorite games and will remain so for a long time going forward, but every now I then I enjoy a different ruleset, genre, or scale. It also leads me to be completely overloaded in terms of projects.

During this time of my wife and I packing our house in order to get it onto the market and also try to get a new house for ourselves, gaming is not something we find we have time for much anymore outside PC gaming. Of course that leads me to looking into numerous other systems, I have looked into a few systems lately, especially Hell Dorado since it has a Kickstarter live right now. Funny thing about me looking into Hell Dorado is that it made me want to start playing Anima Tactics again and get the Wissencraft force up and running that I had planned back when I first was playing the game. Of course this means I went out and bought the minis for Wissencraft and Samuel for my wife.

This just keeps adding minis to my plate that I still haven't been able to touch. I really need to lock down my spending since I still have the Gundam fleet for Firestorm Armada, my Kings of War Elven Force,, Heavy Gear PRDF, Sedition Wars, and now Anima Tactics. Like a never ending flow of minis. Not even going to touch on the fact I was almost tempted to do a Kings of War force in 10mm scale, which would have added even more minis to the mix.

I am a terrible person.

Moving

Sorry things have been overly quiet on my front, but there is a pretty good reason for it.

My wife and I decided it was the time to move out of this house and into a more 'long term' home since we've cut our teeth on home repairs and whatnot now. So we're currently in the process of packing our goods, getting this current house ready to sell, and looking for a new home.

Of course with all that going on, you can imagine that there isn't much time left for gaming. I'll get in a few games when I can, but most likely nothing until this move is dealt with.