OGRE after all these years

Hi Kids,  Something large this way comes, and its a boardgame!  Fed Ex drivers are sweating under the strain, kidney belts are in sudden demand, set the shock absorbers to extra firm and rig some extra beams under the table, my copy of the Kickstarter Designer's Edition OGRE has made the trip all the way from China!  Yowza!!  I'm a huge fan of this game, have been ever since I bought a Metagaming copy for US$2.95 at Reed's Hobby Shop in Winston-Salem, NC back in the late 1970's. In fact, I've made a habit of continuing to buy copies of this game when I find them, so I've probably got at least one of everything, including Diceland Ogre, Gurps Ogre, Ogre Delux, Ogre Reinforcements, the Ogre Book, GEV, Shockwave, Battlesuit (yes, the Space Gamer version too), Miniatures, Macrotures* (grrrrrrrrrrr**.....), Helltank and Helltank Destroyer.***  Got a bunch of the minis too, including a ChiCub from GZG.  I have even kitbashed an Ogre Ninja like the one in the Ogre Book story.  ("Go Toronto Bluejays!")

 Yes, it is a big box.  And even with the huge box, the counter sheets had to ship shrinkwrapped to the outside.

 Back in the good ole days, reprinted just to bring into focus what a few dedicated Americans can accomplish.  This was included in the kickstarter bonus goals, IIRC.  There were so many goals and it was so long ago I really can't remember all the details.  My original 1970's purchase was this size, but was a second edition copy with a color cover.  If there's a groundswell of interest, I might dig out all those other versions and do another post.

 Always dug this poster, but I hope Osprey stops using cutaway drawings for their vehicle books.

 The four packs of counter sheets, each one a little under an inch thick.  That's roughly 20mm for you metric types.  The Ogres themselves are snap together counters, everthing else is a 2D top-down picture.  I'm thinking of ordering the new size old style black and white counter sheets, but I'm not sure Warehouse 23 has any left, and they cost $25 too!  Ouch!

 The latest version of the original map, its pretty honkin' big too!

 And there are four versions of the GEV style maps, too!  Yes, they are also pretty honkin' big.

 I'm considering playing Ogre Miniatures on these maps.  Everything except an Ogre should fit in the hexes.  I'd hate to scratch them up, though.

 They are some really high quality good looking stuff!

 Some can match up geomorphically, but not in all directions.  This one is the original one from GEV, just 1000% bigger.

 All the rules you'll ever need. There's even an ap for smartphones now.

And it even comes with counter trays!  Yes, this edition must be the crowning glory of all sci-fi gamers!  I've heard they are already starting to show up on ebay, in my humble opinion you might as well just get one direct from the manufacturer.  Can you dig it?  Yes, I knew that you could!

 

*Macrotures were a "line" of miniatures SJ released a long time ago, just like the 1/285 miniatures only bigger, they were 1/60 scale.  Unfortunately, the GEV was the only vehicle ever released.  Pretty weak, considering there were only three vehicles in the basic game.  I would have dearly loved to have the Heavy Tank and the Missile Tank to go with my GEV's, but them's the breaks.  And I would stand in line to kill or die for a 1/60 scale Ogre.  Maybe I can kitbash one out of a locomotive or a lawnmower.  I still have a hankerin' to use my proxy vehicles and power suited infantry and play Ogre in 25mm scale out in the yard.  Maybe someday.....  Armorcast used to make 6" craters out of resin.  No other terrain needed!

 

**Yes, this still annoys me.

 

***Helltank and Helltank Destroyer were two games Metagaming released after they lost the rights to Ogre, both involved huge tanks in the not-too-distant future.  They are pretty good games, too.   And I consider them in the same ballpark as Ogre/GEV, hence their presence.

15mm Sci-Fi Company assembled

I have finished assembling my 15mm Sci-Fi Company for 5150: Star Army. With some more Old glory 15mm Soviet Riflemen I picked up from Chuckaroo I was able to round out the two platoon and one company command teams. I also based up a Medic figure, which I think will come in handy in a campaign.

I originally planned to just use my Flames of War soviet army to play 5150. Then I found out that regular rifles had little or no chance to hurt the power armor troops some of the other locals planned to play with, I decided to convert up some laser rifle troops. I worked up a bunch of troopers for a good start to my army, then I picked up the rulebook and found that they organized their squads into eight man squads not the ten man squads I had painted up. So I reorganized them to eight man squads and added rapid fire lasers to each squad and a couple command figures to make up six eight man squads. I converted them up and started painting them, just in time to discover each platoon needs a four man command team and the company needs an additional four man command team. So after basing ten more riflemen, a company commander and a medic the company is finished. Now I just have to get them painted.

ColKG

15mm Sci-Fi Soviet and Epic progress

After a few days with no Hobby time I put some base colors on My 15mm Sci-Fi soviets.

Still a ways to go on these, just a burnt umber base coat and a graveyard earth dry brush.

The Epic Dreadnoughts with a base coat of scab red. My plan is to use these as SYMON synthetic troopers in games of 5150: Star Army. I intend to paint them close to Flesh Tearer Space marine colors, the Chapter I intend to paint up for Epic.

More new troops. A new Company commander and two more troopers for the Soviet Sci-Fi company. With these I will have six full strength eight man squads and three commander models but still need nine more troopers to fill out the three command fire teams.

I have made arrangements with Chuckaroobob to acquire some more Old Glory Soviets so soon I will be able to finish my over strength company force.

ColKG

First Game of 5150: Star Army

The originally planned gaming on Saturday was hit by a case of the "Real Life" and we had to reschedule for Sunday. After a satisfying meal and some discussion we set up for a learning game. It was Chuckaroobob, Big Roy and myself, each running a four man fire team of SYMON synthetic troopers. It was a good bit of stop and go, while we worked through the rules but it feels like once we get them down the games will speed up.

I didn't start taking pictures until late in the game but this is my demise. My Star Symon squad leader was shot down while trying to get to the last out of action trooper.

The end of the game as Chuckaroobob's last Symon takes a barrage of fire from Big Roy's squad
before being put down.

We used the patrol scenario with each player having to recon their opposite board edge. I manage to get first blood but it turned into sudden death hide and seek real fast. I am looking forward to getting more familiar with the rules and playing full scale games.

ColKG

Epic Models for 15mm Sci-Fi, possibilites?

After talking to Chris over at Sippin on Paint Water about possibly using Games Workshop Epic scale models for some 15mm Sci-Fi gaming. So I broke out some figure and took some comparison pictures.

I used one of my Old Glory 15mm Soviet conversions mounted on a washer as the baseline model. First are these Epic Imperial robots. The metal robot I think will work but the plastic one look too small to use.

Next an Epic Bombard. I think it can work as a tracked super heavy mortar.

An old Epic Manticore. I think it can work as a robotic missile launcher or an automated air defence drone.

A little blurry but an Epic Space marine Dreadnought. I think these will work well as a synthetic trooper for 15mm.

Here is a Slaanesh Questor daemonic engine. Another blurry picture but I think it will work as a combat walker in 15mm.

An Imperial Knight titan will also make a good combat walker.

Another daemonic engine, a Slaanesh Hell Knight. Another one useful as a walker with a support weapon.

I bought a copy of the 5150:Star army rules and after a better look at them I am still going to be nine riflemen short to field a company. Right now I have 48 figures but I need to have enough figures for three four-man command teams. It looks like I am going to have to buy another bag of 50 Old Glory 15mm Soviet Riflemen to get the nine I need to complete the company. So much for not spending any more money on this project.

ColKG

More additions to 15mm Sci-Fi Platoon

I dropped by Hobby town in Greensboro last weekend and found some of the 15mm Sci-Fi crowd gearing up for some games. I had my first real look at 5150: Star Army rulebook. The first thing I noticed was the squads were organized into eight man squads not the ten I was planning on. So I was going to need more figures. I also needed some commander figures and I decided to add a rapid fire laser to each squad. So adding two commanders and six rapid fire lasers. They will give me enough troops to field six eight man squads.

Here is the first commander. I used the same beads as the riflemen and just added them to his sub machine gun.

The commander of the second platoon.

At Chris from Sippin' on Paint Water suggestion when I started converting up the rapid fire laser rifles with two aerials. I used some white glue stretched between the aerials to form the electrical arc between the aerials.

I trimmed down the back of the model and them drilled a hole above the belt. I used a piece of 28 gauge wire I bent and twisted to form the aerials. I glued the wire into the hole and then sculpted the backpack power pack. Last I sculpted the bedroll back around the backpack.

Now I just need to get them painted.

ColKG

15mm Sci-Fi platoon Ready for the Table,

But not Finished. I have completed the base painting of the 15mm Soviet Sci-Fi Platoon. I block painted them and then gave them a chestnut ink/Future wash to blend all the colors together. I could put them on the table now and not break the tenet from Kadlec's Rules for the Gentleman Wargamer that frowns upon playing table top games with unpainted figures.

I need to go back and do a few touch ups and dry brush some highlights over the base colors. I am thinking about trying a lightning effect on the tips of the rifles. If it doesn't work out I will fade the color from the blue they are now through to a white point on the tip. Once they dry I will drybrush the bases and add some static grass and/or some green flock. I have also primered up some 15mm half tracks and started painting them, in case I need some transports for the troops. I have base coated the Micro Gundam so I can field it but I am still thinking about the final paint scheme details.

Now I just need come up with some background for my Forces and to set up a game.

ColKG

15mm Sci-Fi Platoon nears completion

I have finished converting up twenty more 15mm Sci-Fi "Tesla" particle beam rifle armed troops.

This gives me 40 "Tesla" rifle armed troops, divided into eight 5 man fire teams. Each fire team also has two antitank rockets for a total of 16. This would give me four ten man squads and a support walker, or an over strength platoon. I am still deciding on making up a commander but I haven't decided what kind of weapon to give him. For now I will use one of the troopers as a stand in. I still may base up some light machine gunners to be able to switch in for a firepower boost if I am not facing a bunch of power armored troops.

I also looked through my Soviet Flames of War models. I can pull out some heavy machine guns and some anti tank artillery to add a boost to the force if we decide to fight some larger games. I have a few other ideas but I need to get them in order before I post them up.

ColKG

15mm Sci-Fi Progress

It looks like I have jumped on another bandwagon, 15mm Sci-Fi. Chris over at Sippin' on Paint Water and Impcommander at Skies of Flies, Ground of Rust have started building armies to use with 5150:Star Army. The original plan was to use my Flames of War 15mm Soviet army as low tech troops and just see how many they could shoot before I swamped them with bodies, just like a regular Flames of War game. After a few questions, it came out the Chris' Power armored troops were virtually impervious to bullets, so I needed a new plan. So I started shopping for new 15mm Sci-Fi figures. They have some real nice figures out there but the hobby fund is about tapped out. Then it hit me, I would just use the left over 15mm Soviets I had and convert them over to Sci-Fi figures. A bonus would be, being able to double duty them for Weird World War Two gaming.


The first thing I considered is the troops need energy weapons and Anti-tank rockets. After several brainstorming sessions and debating the work involved in sculpting "Tesla" style rifle muzzles on a pile of 15mm figures, I headed to Hobby lobby looking for beads I might be able to use. My original idea was to use a small sequin and a round bead to make the rifle muzzle. Alas, Hobby lobby didn't have any sequins small enough to use. I started searching the beads for something useful for the rifle muzzle and a rocket warhead when I found the daisy spacer bead and it all clicked into place.


Voila! the 15mm Soviet rifleman armed with his new Tesla Particle Beam rifle. Construction was pretty straight forward, I filed down the rifle sight and the bayonet. I slid the 4.5mm Daisy spacer on till it touched the filed down rifle sight, added a drop of super glue and slid the 2.4mm round bead on to the filed down bayonet. On some of the models I had to trim the bayonet off at the bead and then either add a bit to fill the hole or file the bead down even.

The next step was adding some rocket launchers for that extra anti armor punch. The closest thing to a diamond shaped bead small enough for my use was a 3mm corrugated bicone head bead. To make the rocket, I filed down to a point a piece of .20 Gauge brass wire. I added a drop of super glue to the wire and slid the bead onto the end until just the filed point was exposed past the bead. I then measured six millimeters behind the bead and cut the wire with some side cutters. I glued the rocket to the models back and then used a piece of green stuff to make a rocket carried on the models back.

A front view of the rocket armed model. I think the corrugated texture of the rocket head will look good once I get them painted. I have also based all these figures on a half inch washers. I was planning on mounting them on pennies but according to Kadlec's Rules for Gentleman Wargamers, mounting models on small coins is very bad form. The coin is legal tender and represents the realm and any defacing of legal tender is a slight against the realm.

My 15mm Sci-Fi/WWWII forces as they stand now. It consists of twenty men armed with Tesla particle beam rifles and their walking tank a micro scale gundam capsule toy I found in a grocery store parking lot. Each five man squad has two anti tank rockets. I have about twenty or so more riflemen I can convert up and probably need to convert some command models too.

Thanks to the 50% off metal bead sale at Hobby lobby I picked up enough beads to make 90+ Tesla rifles and 60 rockets. For about five dollars I have more than enough parts to field a good size force instead of the fifty dollars I was wanting to spend for new models. The soviet riflemen have been sitting in my bits box for more than five years but will finally get their time on the table. I still might end up having to buy another bag of Old Glory WWII Soviet riflemen if I need to build the force larger.


ColKG

Parts for New Project

I made a run to Hobbylobby ,the mecca of hobbying, and came back with vital components for a new project.





Any Guesses on what these will become?





ColKG