I started modifying my KV-47 Aero walker back in early spring. Since I knew I would mostly be using the artillery version of the walker (Nikita) I wanted a bit more static pose as the charging forward pose the model comes in doesn't really suit my weapon of choice. So I switched one of the left leg with a standing KV-47 that I had lying around, making it lean back more. I also opened up the hatch and put the tank commander from the IS-48 in it - felt nice and suited an artillery walker.
After applying some paint using the same method as the rest of my vehicles this is what I ended up with:
The Nikita variant with dual quad 120mm mortars. A very effective artillery walker.
The Nastasia variant with two quad DShK machine guns.
The Nina variant with two RPG-47.
This is my favourite of the three as far as looks are concerned.
This model was a lot of fun to paint and has become my favourite walker in the SSU arsenal. If it was possible to buy one without the transport helicopter I would get one more for sure. As it stands I might get one more if I can find a good price.
I have also completed one of the BR-47 self-propelled guns. I don't think the mortar configuration, Red Rain, will see all that much use, but the Red Fury with its 100mm gun that is able to fire at aircraft as well is another story! Cheap anti-air firepower is a rare sight in an SSU army - until the tractor was introduced the expensive Mao Zedong was almost our only choice.
This is a model I would have bought whatever its stats was though, it simply looks cool! I'm really enjoying all the different kinds of vehicles available to the Russians. There are the different kinds of walkers, large tanks, helicopters and self-propelled guns. And there's apparently a jet fighter in the works as well, based on the Yak 23!
The addition of a crew adds a lot to the model I think, but it still feels a little too clean. Anders suggested adding empty shell casings which I think would make it pop more, but it's done for now.
The BR 47-100 "Red Fury". Ka-pow!!
The crew each have a PPSh-48 and grenades meaning they can defend the gun up close.
The BR 47-200 "Red Rain". It looks impressive,
but I think I'll go for the mortar weapon team instead.
So that is two of the three vehicles I need to paint done! The second tractor is actually almost done as well, it just needs weathering and the crew painted and it's ready to go as well.
I know that I usually paint a little more than my two friends so I've decided to do some other stuff as well so that I don't get too far ahead. Next up will be one such excursion...
Since you're on the roll with DUST models, Martin, maybe you're aware that the there's a roleplaying game in the works for the DUST universe. It's called DUST Adventures and will be released around a year from now.
ReplyDeleteThe announcement by the publisher:
http://www.modiphius.com/dust-adventures.html
PS. It seems the same publisher is producing a new edition of Mutant Chronicles Roleplaying RPG, as well.
Yes, I saw the announcement yesterday! Although I've never felt like roleplaying in the Dust universe is something I'd naturally like to do this is welcome news nonetheless. I guess it would be something similar to FFG's Only War, perhaps interspersed with more horror/sci-fi bits.
ReplyDeleteThe option to blend together RPG and miniature action does intrigue me though. It would be interesting to try and play out larger battles with actual Dust Warfare rules according to the scenario set up by the adventure and what the players have done during it. Hmm..
Interesting that Mutant Chronicles/Warzone is experiencing a renaissance as well. The miniatures for the new game look fantastic!
Also, the Torchbearer article is coming... I'm just a bit slow. :)
I've always had a little problem with roleplaying games based on miniature games as the settings aren't usually fully fleshed out in terms of world building, which tends to enforce conflict heavy approach to gaming. Or the setting exists just to justify every faction going against one another. Most often the only player options are martial ones. This is the "weakness" which I see Mutant Chronicles and DUST having. Even if DUST was originally a comic, if I'm not mistaken.
ReplyDeleteWith DUST and Mutant Chronicles you could do a A Band of Brothers type of game mixed with horror and weird science elements (even if war wasn't horrific enough...) easily. But anything beyond those guidelines tends to fall entirely to game master's lap.
The ones like Dark Heresy and Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay that have been successful in the roleplaying field tend to be that way because they've been around quite a long time. Their settings have had the time to developed beyond the premise set by their wargaming origins. Or their focus is so different from the wargame that they feel like a different game, like in the case of WHFRP. Personally I feel Only War is weakest of the 40K RPGs because its premise is so close to the miniature game.
I personally don't like to mix miniatures and roleplaying. And I also tent to shy away from rule systems that enforce or encourage the use of miniatures as props. But a great looking miniature, painted or just finely sculpted, can be an inspiration for a character or nemesis concept for a roleplaying game.
I agree about the difficulty of translating Dust into an rpg. There are apparently a whole bunch of people who been waiting for this, but I'm really not interested in roleplaying through a Dust battle (although I think having the two games cross over at points could be pretty neat). I think it kind of works in Only War, mostly thanks to the Gaunt's Ghosts books and the level of "behind the scenes" inspiration they provide. Dust still doesn't have anything like that (the comic is neat, but short) so I think they really need to flesh out the world a LOT in the rpg. However, most people who seem interested keep talking about vehicle rules etc which make me believe that it will be more like a rpg version of the tabletop game. :-/
ReplyDeleteMutant Chronicles was/is a bit of a weird beast. From what I've heard it was pretty much made to order as a rip-off of 40k. However, in its first iteration, Mutant Rymd, it was a lot more KULT in space. Sure there was a space marine on the front cover but the (only) adventure published for it involved infiltrating the high society and the prison on a mining asteroid colony and only featured some potential gunplay at the very end. It was actually a really cool adventure that showed you that the setting really was a lot more than space marines. In fact, it was pretty much Dark Heresy 15 years earlier.
When it was rebooted and released as Mutant Chronicles things did start to slide more toward the space marine end of the spectrum. Although even in that first edition most of the fluff text was concerned with Luna City and had much more of a cyberpunk vibe to it than space war. This clashed with the mini game when that was released of course.
As for miniatures in roleplaying games... I like it when they look nice and are used as abstract markers in a kind of "the goblins are over there, you're behind this rock and Fingal is over there" to get a general sense of the situation. More to set the scene than to actually bother with how far away things are or how fast you run.
I don't like it when it's a necessary part of the game, like in DnD. That doesn't even seem like roleplaying to me any more. Why don't just play Descent instead, is always my gut reaction... :)
I might not be too far off by saying that there probably wouldn't be any 40K RPGs without the Black Library novels. The writers they've assembled have breathed a LOT of life to the 40K universe and defined much of its present state. To the point where the 40K setting isn't depended of its miniature origins anymore. And it is this sort of treatment DUST needs, one comic just doesn't cut it. Not in the scale of BL, but setting needs more meat around its bones. The coming RPG is a good starting point, while I'm not personally really interested in it.
ReplyDeleteIts been ages since I read anything related to Mutant Chronicles, but I wasn't aware it had such rich background. We only played the miniatures game, maybe twice, and it didn't really do anything what Necromunda or GorkaMorka could do. So I never really got introduced to the setting properly. Would be interesting if the new edition would reboot the setting back to its original themes.
I have a kind weird relationship with Dungeons & Dragons. Personally I started with AD&D 2nd edition and I was fine playing/DMing that edition for a few years until I got tired of all those restricting game elements (levels, classes, weapons restrictions, etc). Of course we played a lot of other games, but it was the first DnD game I played. Never played the "Red Box", even though it was available in Finnish.
When 3rd edition came around, I pretty much had stopped playing RPGs. I sold most of my RPG stuff. It wasn't until around 2007 when me and my friends got back together and decided to get back to roleplaying. Needless to say much better games had popped up by then.
There are many thing I like about DnD, like the settings (Planescape and Forgotten Realms being my favourites), but 3rd edition and 3.5 in particular pushed the grid based combat a bit too far in my mind without presenting alternatives to this. It's the reason why I haven't gotten into Pathfinder, though my fellow DM does have book and I've played it. At lower level at least it is possible to play with grid. Interestingly 13th Age by Pelgrane Press seems to be turning out more of a roleplaying game that DnD 3.X/Pathfinder ever were by simplifying the rule mechanics and introducing more narrative elements to the game.