Cold Wars: Zero Sum Oblivion and Moderns

Howdie.

Well, we are closing in on Cold Wars.  I admit to having pre-convention cold feet... so many things to do around here without preparing for a convention!  Ok, wipe the tears away, and lets do some collective updating...

I have recently finished painting up some armored support for the Nihon Special Planetary Landing Force involved in the fighting on Ghenna IV (see event S-359 - Surprise on Gehenna IV).  I received several models from a local manufacturer Proxie Models to use in this game.  These are 3 of his Trencher Tank Mk 2.  For me they will serve as Type 82 Medium (Border) Tanks.  Shown below painted in their primary camo scheme (without and with flash... photographer I am not)....

I am also not a model builder (hate putting together models) but these are pretty easy kits to build.  Now, the Type 82 is (like many of the weapons systems in ZSO) a basic design, that gets heavily modified depending on where it is built.  Its also classified as a Border tank, meaning, even for the Nihon its not first rate.  So, it looks a bit crude compared to the mainstream Nihon armor, and its a bit large for a medium... but that's likely because they are using a lightweight but bulky local (local to the factory that produced it) material for the armor. 

See how that worked.  I just justified / rationalized my use of these tanks in my games :)  One of the things that I want for Zero Sum Oblivion is for players to use whatever they might have laying around.  The primary factions of the setting are important... but the universe is a big place, and not everything has to look the same (and none of your sci fi models should be collecting dust!).

The Warcats will be fielding re-purposed Battletech 'Mechs as medium and/or light walkers.  They look completely appropriate in a 15mm game.

A couple of weeks ago, I threw some 25mm Star Wars miniatures on the table, using ZSO, for a Tatooine game.  We were really short on time, so only got a couple of turns in... but it gave me a chance to test a new way to look at "mobs" (units that are easier to activate, but gain no advantage from leadership).  And to prove that a unit of Jedi are not who you want to go close combat on.

Some shots of that game (board was way too small for what we were doing, but it was mostly a throw down kind of game anyway)....

I also had the good fortune to be involved in another test run of the Siege of Mecca game (see event S-356 - The Siege of Mecca:  Assault on the Qaboo), a moderns game run using Disposable Heroes : Point Blank.  I ran the insurgents, though later in the game another player joined in to help me out.  We did not do too bad, lots of carnage on both sides.  I had no hand in the development of this scenario... which was a good thing, because the Gm (Steve) came up with an absolutely brilliant method for running this double blind.  Come check it out, if for nothing else than the impressive board and the even more impressive double blind system.

You also want to get into Jayson's Victus game (see event S-364 VICTUS! Gladiator Fight) if you can.  Its our newest game, and is great fun.... I have to start working on my own Ludus soon.

Anyway, lots of work going on.  Maybe I will see some of you at the convention.