An Ode to Obscure Games: VOR the Maelstrom

 Hi!

I must admit that I was humming and hahing about what I'd post next for my series on obscure games and settled on Vor: The Maelstrom by FASA!

Vor: The Maelstrom was originally released by FASA back in 1999 and for a brief moment could have challenged the might of GW but as with so many games from my collection, vanished into obscurity in 2001 when FASA ceased trading. Over the years there's been attempts to get a new edition, largely from the now dwindling VOR player diehards but also from Mike 'Skuzzy' Nelson, the games creator.

The game revolves around Earth being pulled into a pocket dimension which has consumed many other worlds. This nightmarish realm is inhabited by many other races and all must fight to survive the destructive powers unleashed upon them by the VOR, a malevolent singularity which is slowly consuming every world that is transported into the maelstrom.

The setting is set in the not too distant future with the two superpowers of Earth, the Union and the Neo-Sovs being caught in an ongoing conflict before the world is literally sucked into a different dimension.

Here they mus join the struggle against many foes, both human and alien, be it the crystalline Shard, the space mummies of the Pharon, the weird, multi jointed Zykhee, or the giant rage monsters, the Growlers. Survival is key and the place is determined to kill everything so straight off, theres some really fascinating settings to explore.

Each force is pretty unique but did suffer from balance issues, especially the Pharon who were seen as being extremely overpowered but if you're playing a campaign driven by narrative, the space mummies should be terrifying!

With a plethora of fantastic artists producing some truly stunning covers for the books, weird alien races and for its time, a really original set of rules mechanics. VOR was in a unique position as it seemed to have everything going for it but sadly it wasn't to be and faded away which is a real pity.

Rulewise, the game gave models action points which could be used to move, shoot, activate abilities and a wide variety of other bits and bobs and allowed you to really play in a way that previous big Sci-fi rules (especially GW!) didn't. Coupled with alternating activation and a complete guide to creating your own stats so you could play literally any force you could imagine and a D100 chart for some of the mad environmental conditions one could find in the Maelstrom its a great ruleset.

I remember it took a bit of effort to get the way it worked straight in my head as it was so very different from what I was used to but it worked remarkably well!

While the rules and setting were great, if needing a reworked 2nd edition that would have would have worked out the kinks and at least three new races and a book specifically for designing custom forces in the pipeline, the element that did let down Vor was the miniature line.

FASA got very different sculptors to work on the ranges and while some were really nice for the time, others were decidedly ropy and their tendency to only have a couple of sculpts per unit was a real shame (the Neo-Sov Rad Troopers are particularly unfortunate). Given time, I'd have loved to see the range get properly fleshed out and the setting explored more thoroughly. 

I actually own a boxed set of the game that I picked up for a bargain price on Ebay some years ago with the intention of painting them up (it is the third version of it I've owned!) and the starter set miniatures were all sculpted by GW legend Kev Adams so had loads of character, despite their limited poses and at some point I really need to get them all painted up!

Unlike most of the games I'm covering, Vor was by a large company and could have gone on to do great things but sadly its pretty much a dead game these days. Handily Ral Partha Europe produces the miniatures range and still has lots of the rulebooks and army books so it isn't difficult to pick up and its a great ruleset in its own right and still holds together really well.

Interestingly it was the inspiration behind WARGAMES UNLIMITED free rulesets, No Quarter and No Limits which are still available and would refine the rules, remove the setting and go for a completely generic wargame set that is really good to boot.

Sadly even these haven't been updated in ages but if you're looking to try them out, the game is great fun!

As for Vor: The Maelestrom, its worth picking up if you can find the rulebook as the setting is really interesting and the rules for the ever changing weather conditions are worth the cost of the book themselves, even if you port them over into your own setting (they're particularly good for depicting what worlds within the Eye of Terror would be like!)

Tomorrow will see another addition to the ever growing list of awesome, quirky or odd games I've got in my collection so watch this space.

Until then, All the best!

Richard

Vor the Maelstrom Interlude

 Hi!

Last year I set up a bit of a plan to paint my way through the Vor the Maelstrom using the old starter set to get the ball rolling but discovered to my disappointment that Ral Partha Europe had run out of stock and couldn't get any more.

Skip forward to 2022 and I found a mint condition starter set on Ebay for £10!

I'm waiting for its arrival but as is always the case it is due on Saturday, when we're off out for the day so no doubt I'll need to wait until some point next week to actually get my hands on it.

This will actually be the third box starter for Vor I'll have owned in the last 20 or so years and while I've managed to previously paint up the complete Growler portion of the set, I've never managed more than one or two of the troopers before selling the whole lot off or trading them for something else.

Growler Bull and Onehorns

This time I plan on approaching it like my Havok or Deadloque sets where I slowly worked my way through the set until it is all completed and using it as is without any additions, at least for the foreseeable as I plan on using the setting and background material as well as the rather brilliant charts and tables which will come in very handy for adding all manner of unexpected encounters and environmental effects into my games.

Rules wise, I do want to play some more Vor as it is actually a really good system and the core rule book gives you everything you need to play including a custom force generator so you can introduce all manner of interesting units and armies into the pocket dimension but primarily I think I'll be using it as an opportunity to play more Planet 28 as a solo RPG with my intrepid, and quite possibly hapless team exploring strange new worlds and getting eaten by alien monstrocities.

Union Troopers and Growler Pups

I will have two extra rulebooks in my collection and will be offering them up as a prize to folks who want to investigate the frankly fascinating setting and try out the game but more on that later!

Now I doubt I'll be buying a ton more stuff for Vor miniatures wise as while some figures in the range are really nice, quite a lot of them are frankly pretty poor, either wonkily sculpted or just not fitting the aesthetic of the game and quite a few of the forces in the book don't even have more than a handful of figures actually available. With that said, I do want to create a bit of a dark sci-fi sort of adventure game where small teams are exploring new worlds, nebulae or asteroids and figure it would be fun to try and create some really interesting encounters for my adventurers to deal with.

I'll be having a bit of a rummage through my rulebook and forcebook collection to re-familiarise myself with the setting but think it could make for a really interesting figure light sort of game that I'm becoming increasingly fond of, especially when I add in lots of RPG elements to create a real narrative for a campaign.

I'll post a bit of a review of the boxed set when it arrives and my initial thoughts on the contents and hope to post fairly regular updates when I can of the work in progress until I have the full set painted and play out the Rygis Encounter, the introductory mini campaign included in the box.

I'm also off to Claymore on Saturday so we shall see if I can find anything interesting at the assorted booths and bring and buy stands to add to my random assortment of projects but until then, All the best!

Lockdown 2.0 Project Log Day 87: Bodging Rulesets

Hi!

I've got a load of figures midway through painting and sculpt just needing a coat of paint so I decided to have a look at some of my other rulebooks to see what I've got and what I can use to play some skirmishes.

Warzone

Warzone 1st edition is a great start for conversion into a small scale skirmish game as it has alternating activation, plenty of existing profiles which can be used and a good amount of customisation possibilities for characters to boot.

I've tried out a game using counters earlier in the year and think that I shall be using this ruleset for my first test as I'm reasonably confident of how to play it, despite only playing a single game in about 20 years! 

With the use of the Dark Legion gifts or the Art of the Brotherhood, I can easily introduce psykers, espers and all manner of interesting elements too.

While it doesn't have a custom force maker, it is a really great set of rules that allow you to play small skirmishes with shoot and scoot tactics, diving for cover and all manner of elements that lend themselves to a really dynamic game which I think could be perfect for my own small character based and scenario driven games.

Void 1.1

Void 1.1 is also a skirmish game at heart, although aimed at slightly larger scale than Warzone. It usually has a few squads backed up by a character or two and the odd small vehicle. 

It's also an alternating activation system and like Warzone, each model has a number of actions that can be carried out in whatever order they want making it a bit more dynamic than GW's games of yore. 

I plan on having a bash with a small force using Void once I have enough stuff painted as its more suited to a platoon level game than a single squad a side.

Again although it doesn't have a custom force generator, it does have a good variety of model profiles that can easily be bodged into whatever character one likes and I look forward to getting a game or two in using the rules!

Vor The Maelstrom/No Limits

Vor is a totally customisable game and uses action points rather than the two previous games that have a number of activations per model. Its spiritual successor, No Limits is a generic ruleset that uses the same mechanics but has refined force generation and I've played it a fair few times but not for about ten years or so.

It's a bit crunchier in style than Void or Warzone but I have fond memories of the rules and it will make a really interesting small skirmish game with only a few small modifications, such as giving characters more wounds and action points and having each activating separately.

Worthy of note, the terrain rules for Vor are really fun that allow you to roll all manner of interesting terrain and unexpected events (some of which are really destructive!) and can add a random and interesting element to games without bogging things down.

We Can Be Heroes

We Can be Heroes is a pulp style game that features bands of dashing heroes, dastardly villains and sidekicks, minions and whatnot. 

I've had the rules for ages but never tried them out and am keen to have a go of using them as the basis for a skirmish or two on the frontier. 

Having glanced through the rules, they seem to be fairly straightforward and well explained and could be just the thing for a fun character driven game.

I particularly like the fact that heroes act heroically and are able to do more than the sidekicks who in turn can do more than the lowly henchmen and feel that the system could lend itself to a really entertaining mini campaign but I need to re-read the rules and try them out a time or two before posting a battle report using them to make sure I get things right.

Aertherverse

Aetherverse came out in the early 2000's if memory serves right and I picked up a copy having read a few battle reports back in the day and it's languished on my shelves ever since.

It's a generic skirmish game that is scaleable which is good and allows you to create whatever force you like and the battle reports I read of it made it look rather fun. There's also a small scale skirmish version called Aetherverse Upheaval which is specifically aimed towards small warband style games.

Sadly my knowledge of the actual mechanics are vague as I've not really done anything with it since picking it up but I aim to dust off my copy and have a bash!

Rogue Trader

Ah Rogue Trader! The original sandpit sort of game where anything is possible. 

It's a really retro system now which isn't going to result in a dynamic fast moving sort of gaming experience like some of the other rulesets I've mentioned but I don't feel I can skip it, if for no other reason than it's retro charms. 

I've used it for sci-fi and fantasy games in the past and it's always resulted in a good game and if memory serves, it's campaign system would be fun to use for seeing how my various warbands cope between games!

I doubt I'd be using the robot programming rules and random equipment rolls or some of the other esoteric stuff from the game but one of the charms of Rogue Trader is the fact that you can pretty much pick and choose or bodge stuff and it is flexible enough to work.

Fantastic Worlds

Fantastic Worlds is another Pulp themed game, this time aimed specifically at retro sci-fi and I picked it up at the same time as We Can Be Heroes. It uses an archtype system that looks interesting and I really want to have a go at playing a game or two with it, especially as it really focuses on character and story.

Interestingly, the game has hit locations that can effect how a model activates which looks like it could be fun and decidedly cinematic but the rules are a bit dense if memory serves correct so I suspect I'll need to give it a few read throughs and games before I get it correct.

I think Fantastic Worlds will be one to try once I've got into the swing of playing different game systems and ramp up the number of games I can play a week but it's definitely one I want to try!

Laserburn

Laserburn is the granddaddy of Warhammer 40k and I've got a copy lying around that I picked up some time ago, had a flick through and put down again.

It's typed layout really put me off back then and although I'm curious to see how it goes, it's a game I'm a bit cautious about trying. However it's been compared to Inquisitor so it could be an interesting game to try out if I can summon up the courage to brave the layout.

Like many of the other games I've mentioned, I suspect that once I get the hang of the mechanics and get a game or two under my belt, it may end up being rather fun (and may result in the appearance of the Red Redemption too!)

I'd love to hear of other folks experience with the rules so if you've actually played it, please feel free to drop a comment!

Rogue Planet

Rogue Planet is a game I've heard fantastic things about but when I bought the download was a little underwhelmed due to the slightly weird mechanics. Saying that, I've not actually played a game using it so I'm keen to give it a bash as it feels like it might be akin to Planet 28 which was great fun.

It's aimed at a science fantasy setting which is just my cup of tea and I'm going to see if I can find any battle reports from the interwebs to get an idea of just how it's played.

Chaos on Cronos

Chaos on Cronos is another pulp sci-fi game that uses the Herosystem which is in turn inspired by the old Trinity Battleground game by White Wolf (a ruleset that's well worth a peek in its own right!)

I've got quite a few of the themed games using the system such as Chaos in Carpathia and the Supersystem rules but haven't actually tried them out. They feature individuals backed up by groups of supporting troops and I think it could make for a fun game that leans heavily on characters doing awesome stuff while the supporting troops get slaughtered like all good movie extras.

I must admit that I've not looked at the book for over a decade now so it's high time I remedied it and gave it a bash!

Star Mogul

Star Mogul is a great little game that relies not just on killing one's enemies but also recovering salvage and with a little bit of work would make for a great basis for the likes of competing Mechanicus teams or mercs on the frontier or pretty much whatever you fancy.

The rules are good and the campaign system is excellent but I'll need to paint a few more miniatures for each of my warbands to make the most of the game.

The flexibility of creating your salvage companies is really good too as you can specialise in combat, recovery or any number of other skillsets that give each of the teams a real sense of personality and it will be fun to play again after over 15 years!

Nuclear Renaissance

Nuclear Renaissance is by Curtis Fell of Ramshackle Games and is a more post apocalyptic sort of game featuring a more Gorkamorka sort of gaming experience with small warbands hurtling around in bodged vehicles and shooting each other up. It's writing style is quite fun and is aimed towards having fun rather than super serious grimdark which is a big plus for me. 

I backed the Kickstarter for the original box game but sadly sold much of the figures and vehicles during my Uni clearout but did keep the rules and the supplement. 

It's a good fun game to play and I suspect it would be a great way of representing vehicle combat in a scenario too and it also has the notorious Giggles Clan who will be making more of an appearance in my future games too as they are rather fun!

Now the list above isn't by any means all the rulesets I mean to try out this year as I've got at least a dozen others in my collection that really deserve a try out but these will be my initial objectives to play along with more games of Song of Blasters and Planet 28 (as well as Brutal Quest when it arrives!).

If anyone has any experience with any of these rulesets or can suggest a good battle report to read or watch, please feel free to drop a comment or link but in the meantime, All the best!

Lockdown 2.0 Day 19: Rogue Trader Mash Up

 Hi!

I've decided to delve back into my alternative 40k in a small way with a bit of a mash up of Rogue Trader, 40k 2nd Edition and Shadow War Armageddon along with a bit of bodging.

I've settled on using Shadow War Armageddon as it gives a streamlined version of 2nd edition 40k's rules along with squad sized warbands which simplifies things greatly but I don't plan on being too fussy about carefully following the armylists, instead using the spirit of Rogue Trader and using whatever I fancy!

I've got some odds and ends that I've been working on to keep with the style of the older era of GW where bright was right and green was the way to go with terrain too. I'll slowly add to the assorted stuff I have lying around and want to try to keep to the spirit of Oldhammer style but not sticking too closely to only using old school figures as they are getting a bit expensive to get hold of.

Instead I'm using whatever I have to hand, so for example, I have some of the plastic EM4 Miniatures troopers kicking around which will be making an appearance as Imperial troops:

Imperial Troopers

Whilst not the most detailed figures, they do paint up rather nicely and they're sculpted by Bob Naismith too so they do have some Citadel credentials. They do remind me of the old plastic Imperial Guard troops and they're cheap as chips too which is a real plus for those of us on a tight budget!

Having looked back at my blog over the last ten or so years, this sort of random project is what I've had most successes with and it certainly seems to be the sort of thing that folks are interested in reading and it will give me the chance to work on a wide variety of figures.

I also plan on using elements from several other game systems, rules and backgrounds. Primarily this will be Void 1.1, Kryomek and Vor: The Maelstrom but I have loads of other rules lurking in my collection that I hope to have a bit of a read through.

I really want to make some scenics of an old school nature as this really sets the scene and feel of things so I'm aiming to make some suitably 2nd edition gaming set ups. Its interesting to see how many MDF, resin or plastic kits which are available but I'm a firm believer of doing it myself and want to try making my own gubbins.

Having had a good rummage through my leadpile, I have a decent number of Orks and Eldar and an assortment of other odds and ends and will paint what I can and if something catches my eye, I may pick up the occasional bits and bobs and we shall see if I can't get a game or two going!

I'm going to keep going with the other assorted projects I have set myself too as the lockdown doesn't look like it's going anywhere for the foreseeable future so I may as well make the most of it. 

In the meantime, All the best! 

Lockdown 2.0 Project Log Day 17: Sci-Fi!

 Hi!

I've been getting lots of fantastic advice following yesterday's post about the temptation of Oldhammer and I've decided to act on it in a somewhat tangential way.

I've got a load of random sci-fi stuff lying in my lead and plastic pile so I've had a bit of a sort through and have rummaged out a handful of figures to get going with and hope to paint them in a somewhat Oldhammer sort of style. 

I plan on doing what I've been doing with my fantasy and Rusty Robots stuff, namely paint whatever I fancy and if I manage to paint a complete army, warband, unit or regiment, all the better! At this point, I think its important to keep ensuring that painting is enjoyable and helping me cope with being furloughed and not able to go anywhere during the lockdown rather than trying to force myself to to do a set force.

I've currently got a trio of plastic figures that I've started with and will see how I get on with them before moving onto some other random gubbins and will keep painting and sculpting and see what I can get done in the time I've found myself with.

I've also uncovered an old resin piece that I've had in my collection for at least twenty years now and have rebased and painted it (more on that tomorrow once the base is finished!) Following said advice, I also hope to build some suitably retro scenery and see if I can't get a game or two played too!

I'm also putting together a Rulebook Review for Vor: The Maelstrom, the old FASA game that came out at around the same time as Void 1.1 and will post that up too over the coming days. I also hope to waffle a bit about how to combine settings, forces and interesting elements from other settings into my own, reimagined hybrid.

In the meantime, thanks for all the advice folks and All the best!

Re-Exploring Old Rulesets

Hi!

I can't believe it's almost the end of June and I've not posted anything here for almost a month!

Saying that, I've been rather busy both with my lovely wife's birthday, two weeks holidays and organising our spare room/man cave/library. This has given me the chance to finally have a bit of a sort through my old ruleset collection which has given me the urge to have a good rummage through the books and have a peruse!

I'm often struck by what a shame it is when great games vanish or are left in a zombie state where they are still available but never get any support, be that new releases or indeed anybody playing them. It's doubly so when some of these games have a fascinating setting with some great ideas that really lend themselves to brilliant fun gaming possibilities.

Take a look at Kryomek for example. It's never been out of production, the rules are freely available to download and the miniatures are still being made but it gets very little attention these days. I must admit that I'm just as guilty as any as I originally picked up the books back in the 90's from the long lamented Mac's Models in Edinburgh as well as a handful of miniatures but never seriously tried to play a game.

Similarly, Void 1.1 is still readily available, the rules are also free downloads and the figures are still available. I even had a VASA force fully painted back in the day but sold it off when I went off to uni and never really got back into it which is a real shame as the rules are really good and the setting is rather enjoyable!

For fantasy gaming, how about Crucible by FASA? While the company is long gone, the core rule book is still available from Ral Partha Europe and the forces are generic enough to allow proxy games without too much issue. The rules themselves are actually really good and the setting is brilliant but nobody plays it.

I think part of the issue with these games is that they are aimed at the GW sort of large scale gamers with multiple units, large gaming surfaces and infinite time to paint stuff for them whereas my interests have moved onto smaller scale skirmishing with at most a couple of dozen figures a side. But should this stop me from incorporating the settings, forces and ideas into the sort of games I play now?

No! Having re-read quite a few of my old books, I'm sorely tempted to put together some small skirmish bands and explore the settings. Imagine a UNION marine squad from Vor: The Maelstrom being dispatched to scout a new world and encountering some unfriendly Growlers or Nexus Marines being tasked with searching a hulk and discovering a Kryomek infestation. How about Principality adventurers exploring ancient ruins for artifacts of power in Crucible or grim survivors fighting over precious supplies in the endless wastes of Leviathan's Aeroth.

The list is infinite and the possibilities for some really fascinating games are out there and it's well worth having a peek at some of the old, forgotten and unappreciated rulesets that are sat in many folks collections.

These possibilities are even greater when using 15mm scale figures as it's possible to create a decent sized skirmish force for under a tenner. For example, Star Mogul only requires about a dozen figures and a vehicle a side while Nuclear Renaissance only needs a handful plus suitably converted vehicles.

With this in mind, I hope to use the opportunity to put together some small forces by rummaging my leadpile of 15mm gubbins to see what I can put together. I will be using the month of July to see what themed forces I can clobber together and see how feasible such a scheme would be.

A good example of this is my Bauhaus Jaeger squad that I put together a while back:

Bauhaus Jaegers

They are Ground Zero Games miniatures with added shoulder pads which gives them the suitably 90's Warzone vibe and with a few additions, I have a Warzone 1st edition force ready to rock!

It's going to be an interesting process and we shall have to see what I come up with but hopefully I will resume regular posting here and I even have a couple of batches of 15mm stuff that I've finished off over the last couple of weeks that needs posting up so watch this space!

A Guide to Forgotten Games Part 1

Hi!

Well I thought I'd get the ball rolling with a bit of a guide to some of the games I am hoping to explore in the coming weeks and months and the thinking behind what I plan on doing with them!

Warzone 1st Edition

Ah Warzone! After leaving the GW hobby and getting rid of literally every miniature I had, I happened across this cracking game when I nipped into Mac's Models on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh.

With its cutting edge artwork and rules, not to mention the pleasingly chunky and characterful miniatures that came along with it, I was strongly drawn to the game and the setting. Having experienced nothing game wise than 40k and a bit of Fantasy Battle, the lavishly coloured (if poorly bound) rulebook was an eyeopener.

Packed with illustrations by Paul Bonner, Paulo Perente and featuring the sculpting talent of much of the ex Citadel team, I loved the dark setting with the mega-corporations fighting it out over resources in the inner planets of the solar system whilst the sinister threat of the Dark Legion threatened to plunge mankind into eternal darkness.



Sounds a bit similar to Warhammer 40k you may think, but the hope of moving forward and overcoming the evil forces arrayed against them by small forces of humanity's finest in the form of Doom Troopers and the Brotherhood, not to mention lowly grunts on the battlefield really made it stand out.

Similarly, the rules themselves were far more interesting than 2nd edition 40k. The forces were far smaller, usually a couple of squads backed up by a hero or small vehicle and the alternative activation system appeared like a breath of fresh air. Troops could dive for cover, dig in and perform all manner of interesting actions that made each trooper vital and not just cannon fodder.

Gone were the fantasy elements of 40k with its space Elves and Orcs and in their place, a selection of Human forces, each with their own motivations, styles and back story and standing against them, The Dark Legion with its nightmare creatures!

Great stuff!

I have fond memories of painting up a squad of Imperial Blood Berets, a squad of Wolfbane Commandos and a Necromower which gave me an entire force for under £20! This would actually be the first force that I ever fully painted and it saw quite a bit of action against a similarly ragtag force of Demigonis Dark Legion troopers.

Sadly most of them were sold off when I headed off to uni but I did keep one or two bits and bobs and hope to re-explore the Mutant Chronicles universe at some point in the not too distant future. Who knows, I may even attempt to recreate the force I originally had 21 years ago!

Void 1.1

As with so many games I list here, Void 1.1 came and went with barely a notice by many but it too was a great game worthy of taking a look at!

Created by the same team that brought us Warzone, Void 1.1 was a very different fish than its ancestor, or pretty much any other game available at the time. Set in a universe where Humanity had explored the stars and begun fighting amongst themselves before the discovery of the Koralon, a strange aquatic race of aliens whose terraforming and genetic manipulation of anything they encountered posed the greatest threat humanity had ever faced.

For the first edition of the game, the artwork was provided by Stuart Beel and the arts bright, cartoony and almost Anime stylings really made the game pop when compared to the Grimdark that 40k was rapidly becoming and the Battles With Miniatures magazine i-Kore produced, which included new forces, units and the odd battle report and painting article was a fascinating way of slowly building up small forces.

I actually demo'd the game at Borders books once or twice in Edinburgh and even had a VASA force painted black and green in store colours but once again, i-Kore folded and the game vanished from people's games tables.

Again, most of the forces available were humans but each had a quirk and style of it's own, be it the dinosaur mounts of the Viridians, the penal legions of the Junkers, Syntha's AI units or VASA's close combat teams, I loved the fact that the setting itself was quite loose and encouraged you to develop your own forces, often using figures available to each faction!


Now Void has morphed and mutated over the years into Urban War and now a 6mm mass battle game but the original is still the best in my opinion and I'd love the chance to re-explore the game and possibly build a couple of forces..

Handily, the rules and even the miniatures are still in production so it's relatively easy to pick up and get some forces put together. The question is, do I have the time or space!

Speaking of which, I do actually have a few bits and bobs kicking around for a Syntha force and actually painted up a few of them last year so maybe 2016 is going to see me actually get some more bits and bobs painted up for the force.

Only time will tell but I must admit that I find the prospect rather an appealing one as I love the visual aesthetic of the forces and the sculpts themselves have held up surprisingly well, despite being almost 20 years old in some cases. Yes there's a few howlers amongst the range (I'm looking at you original Koralon sculpts!) but there's some interesting prospects for painting ahead.

Vor: The Maelstrom

Vor: The Maelstrom was released by FASA in 1999 and featured the planet Earth being sucked into a pocket dimension called Vor which was a tad inconvenient for all involved as the planet was stuck in the middle of a new cold war between the US led Union and Russian Neo Soviets. 

I must admit that I came late to the setting, picking up the box set from Ral Partha Europe after Void 1.1 vanished and quite liking what I saw. There was enough crunch to keep games entertaining but the alien races were really fun. There were the Growlers, massive reptilian looking apes who devoured pretty much anything they encountered, the Pharon, a race of undead types and the Shard, crystalline entities who hated all other living beings. Mix in some jingoistic humans and you had quite an entertaining mix.

Sadly, as with many of FASA's releases at the time, the miniatures were a rather mixed bag with some fantastic sculpts alongside some pretty terrible ones but it still held quite an appeal to me and I do believe that given time, the rules would have continued to improve and the figures would have got better too. Unfortunately, as always, the game went out of production about six months later when FASA closed it's doors.

The game's creator Mike 'Skuzzy' Nelson did make a brief attempt to get the game back into production with a new edition a few years back but it went nowhere and the few holdouts of the game drifted away and Vor slid into oblivion again... 

Battletech

Now Battletech is an odd bird, it's been around longer than 40k, has more supplements and fiction and even a constantly evolving setting but why don't people play it? 

On the one hand, it's got a fantastic setting and involves giant stompy robots beating the stuffing out of each other in a neo feudalistic setting as humanity teeters on the brink of falling into savagery following hundreds of years of almost constant warfare. 

Losing technology and fighting over dwindling resources with massive war engines sounds fun but the game itself is just so slow, everything requires record keeping from ammo expenditure to damage and even heat. The result is a game that can take hours to play between just a handful of mechs.

Things aren't helped with the storyline which saw the introduction of the Clans, descendants of Humanity's finest military who have returned to the Inner Sphere to reclaim their empire and bring with them all manner of new and shiny tech. This saw rules bloat of an incredible degree and while I adore the Succession Wars era, I just can't bring myself to care about anything past about 3050 and the arrival of the Clan menace. 

Of late, it looks like Catalyst Games has tried to slim things down a bit by releasing a new tabletop version of the game which looks rather promising but I must admit that I am finding the urge to redevelop the setting to my own ends, disposing of the Clans and using another ruleset to game out mech combat. 

What if things developed a little differently and technology moved in a different way? What if the mechs didn't tend to look quite so silly but proper, chunky military hardware? Can the setting cope with a bit of tweaking but still keep it's almost Dune like intriguing and jockeying for position amongst the great houses. Can humanity continue to grow and develop or descend into another darkage?

Over the coming weeks, I hope to begin by reviewing some of the classic era guidebooks and beginning to flesh out my setting before painting up the odd mech or two to fight things out with!

Gosh!

I seem to have rambled on a bit! There are several other games I plan on exploring over the coming months, some of which I want to play out a game or two of and others which have a setting that would be fantastic to explore in more depth so watch this space as I continue with my rambling explorations and hopefully even paint up some bits and bobs...

In the meantime, All the best!