Ion Charge 2023. 1

With the end of the OWAC approaching I have decided on setting myself another challenge for the rest of the year, I have found the focus a nice way to structure my painting beyond whatever I am playing/catches my eye

The second half of 2023 will be a drive to paint my Alternative Armies Ion Age forces. Just like the OWAC I will post my progress each month, here and on the Alternative Armies group on Facebook as well as actually getting teh forces onto a table and putting together some battle reports ( and maybe even a video!)

The completed terrain for my 28mm has been a inspiring start and will 

The Ion Age by Alternative Armies, has figures for both 28mm 

Alternative Armies Ion Age 28mm

and 15mm

Alternative Armies Ion Age 15mm

The game can be run using several different rulebooks that reflect the sizes of the figures and battle size. Patrol Angis for 15mm and multiple platoon and vehicle conflict,  Moth for 28mm for smaller skirmish level conflict.

Set of Ion Age rules and extras.

Hades Legion

Completed 28mm Shia Khan Forces. 

One Warlord,One Psycoborg, one Nox, Nine Legionaries, One Legionary Pioneer and Five Maligs

Lithic Assumption

Completed 28mm Prydian Precinct Forces 

Two Muster and Ten Planetary Militia

Unpainted forces. Ten Retained Knights, Thirteen Muster, Two Nox and a Legionary

I have a couple of the Planetary Militia on order to complete the Planetary Milita Platoon and will then look at completing the Muster (One figures for a Platoon) and then Shia Khan (Six Legionnaires for a Ordos) 

For my 15mm Ion Age, I have a lot further to go...

Prydian Precinct and Shia Khan forces

Beyond the figures I am aiming to add to the 28mm terrain and work on some 15mm terrain including the Hab domes I have and a Portable Castle. I will also be reworking my background material for both my Prydian Precinct faction, The Lithic Assumption and the Shia Khan Hades Legion.

Ion Age 15.Tank War. Pt 2

A bit of progress on shrinking my WIP pile...

One of my 15mm projects was a Tank and Gun Buggy unit inspired by the Tankwar book series. I had assembled the components and the first buggy just awaited a paint scheme. 

Original vintage buggy miniature

Competed conversion with canopy and rear mounted gun

Finished Gun Buggy in camouflage colours 

Gun Buggy and Planetary Militia 

One down and three plus tank to go!

Ion Age 15. Hades Legio Malig Ordos

...INQUIRY

...Hades Legion action/Confirmed

...ACCESS DIRECTORY

...Transcript excerpt from Port Administrator Barras/Planet Guttenberg. 

...The first we knew there was something wrong was when the Starport sirens began to sound. a Carrack Superheavy carrier from the Agri-moon was not returning hails and as it came into the land you could see damage and fires from several sections. We had assumed she had been caught by raiders but managed to pull through. Support crews were summoned and went to meet them. 

The Carrier had landed badly and sat in silence as the crews approached and then all hell broke loose!
Bay doors fell and great wheels shot out, dark purple livery with lasers and rocket pods blazing as they moved out from the ship and began to tear through them. Like the ripples from a stone in the water, they spread out, wave after wave of them moving out, and then came troops. Rank upon rank of armoured shapes roaring in their advance, flashes of purple amongst dull armour and sickly green skin.
I hid in the server room as the Starport burned and they told me what they had done afterward, the whole city on flames and ruin, the scars of their wheels and guns everywhere. By the time the Militia could gather enough to counter-attack they had pulled out and left only the dead, impaled and violated. 
It was only much later when the clearing up began that the real reason for the attack was discovered. The Starport and all that had come after had just been a feint, a distraction while others had gone to the University and taken the archives. All of it gone, a thousand years of history from paper to data spool to Crystal chip. All taken.

I still cannot sleep...





I have made a concerted effort this year to be more strategic with my painting so I can actually field whole painted units armies. With the Ion Age I have been pushing with my Shia Khan forces and finally completed my Malig figures, many of which I have had for 20+ years!

Malig troops from the Archive (AIAF002) 

Malig Command. The set also comes with two casualties

The banner features the letters M (Malig) and H (Hades)  in Mongolian

Jacto Missile Orb with Hades Legion H letter

Hades legion on the surface of Guttenberg

Malig Ordos  - comprises of three Tesserans of 8 Maligs each and a Command Tesseran

Hades Legion 

Hades Legion left to paint. Nox Ordos, Pugnus Light tank and three casualties 

Ion Age 15.Tank War. Pt 1

Many years ago I picked up a copy of Tank War - Fireball by Larry Steelbaugh. Despite never having read the first book it made for a good read and I have lost count how many time I have read it.

The book is set just after the outbreak of WW3 and a Cold war setting as Soviet forces invade western Europe. The story focus on exploits of the battle tank XM-F4 'No Slack Too' and a group of gun buggy Jager-Komandos as they fight behind enemy lines.

Inspired by the book I have started work on a buggy and tank force for my Ion Age collection and ties in with my image of the Prydian militia being used more like scouts and rangers in the Lithic Assumption. The final force can be adapted to serve as an element of a  Condot force or to operate being lines following a Shia Khan invasion 

 The tank will be an easy pick and I will be using a Taranis main battle tank.

For the Gun buggy I drew from my bits box and found a very old metal Alternative Armies scout car. These have not been sold for some time but after contacting Gavin Syme he was able to identify the miniature and even locate the mold so i could get some more! 

first sketch make to check that the idea would work, though this was a little too Fighting Golf Caddy!

Frame made with 5mm plasticard

Assembled design next to a militia figure

using a section of a Chupa lolly stick which almost matches the gun stand I can fit the guns but removed them for transport of to change weapons later

Rotary cannons from the Adder Vehicle Conversion pack

Four cars off the assembly line ready for the canopy to be added.

addendum - I have recently got hold of some more of the series so I am now finally reading book one!

Ion Age 15. Hades Legion Metaborg

...INQUIRY

...Hades Legion

...ACCESS DIRECTORY

...Legion Observation/Agent Loor

...ACCESS DIRECTORY

...personal log

...When the Khanate left, they knew it would not be the end and they would find a way back. Hades Legion knew this the best and made plans, laying the foundations of their second coming.

Hades has not given all their strength to the burning line that marks the Khanates advance, our intelligence operatives have been tracking their deployment following several unusual appearances. They have either withdrawn or refused to support engagements and seemly rerouted to sites of no identified military significance. Archivists have been able to reconstruct some early Khanate records and the locations match up to previous Hade's strongholds. 

It has been postulated that they are searching for something, whether it is part of this new war or left from the last one it is not clear. The theorized assets have been coded Hade's vaults and although we do not have the resources to formulate our own leads a strike force is being assembled. If what they seek is found I hope we are not too late.

Taking a break from my Malig Horde I have assembled a Giant Mechanoid to support them. The Metaborg are an archaic, erratic and brutal war machines and appeal both in sculpt and story.

i envisioned deep bunkers filled with dormant Metaborg left as the Khanate retreated. Over time these have become hidden and now as Hades Legion returns they are searching them out to bolster their forces and regain what was once theirs.

The original sculpt is one of two models in the range and is my favourite, a great pose with a predatory feel and braced behind the weapon mount. The sculpt was originally made for 28mm and has a Retained Knight helmet in the base which I have covered up with cork and gravel. I also trimmed off some of the base around the feet before mounting

Initial basing

I added some chain and a cog to its fist as if it had improvised a weapon during the battle

Hades Metaborg Proauctor Belial.

Nekros Variant

Hades Legion

Ion Age. The Lithic Assumption

The Lithic Assumption, the start of background material for my interplanetary realm. This will be an independent creation that draws on the Alternative Armies Ion Age universe but will give me a setting that I can fit into any game system like Rogue Trader

The Lithic Assumption 

Nearly 400 years ago the Ark ship Monolith discovered the Myra system and a fertile mineral-rich planet which would become known as Junction.  

Initial sketch of the Monolith

As exploratory data came into the command deck the news was met with mixed reactions. The ships commander, Captain Nico Argos saw only a waypoint on a journey of exploration that still had uncharted regions before it. His second was Navigator Elizabeta Spyre, she saw an end to their journey and petitioned to stop and settle. 

The discovery of Junction had divided the crew and following weeks of deliberations and increasing tensions between the Spacer faction led by Captain Argos and the Lander faction led by Navigator Spyre, it was decided to divide the ship's resources to support the Landers while the Monolith would continue to into the uncharted territories. The Landers were frustrated they could not use the vast resource of the Monolith itself but agreed to the compromise, though many were secretly relieved as they had grown fond and loyal to the great ship that had been their world for so long.

With any territory under its control being 'Assumed and taking the crews common abbreviation of the Monolith, the Lith, the planet was the first to be declared part of the newly founded Lithic Assumption. 

Monolith City was founded and over the following centuries, the Colony thrived and expanded, first over Junction and then back out into the stars and control two more star systems.

When contact was made with the Prydian Precinct the Lithic Assumption was initially cautious when faced with the armoured delegation but following negotiations, an alliance was formed and the Lithic Assumption became a semi-autonomous part of the Prydian Precinct.

The Spyre family received the Baronial decree and Constann became the first Baron of the Lithic Assumption. 

With the outbreak of Civil war. Baron Constann made a declaration of support for Princess Daphne and that the Lithic Assumption would remain neutral in the conflict. Defending its borders from any aggressors but would offer humanitarian aid to either faction. Prydian forces garrisoned within the Assumption were given leave to return to the Precinct or remain which many did and took the colours of the Realm.

 

15mm Retained Knight in LA livery 

The more aggressive Spacer faction have pushed for allying with one league and taking advantage of the conflict to expand Assumption holdings and influence while some elements have even gone so far to form a Condot company from their Prefecture troops and have fought under the name of the Lithic Free Company. 

Colours of the Lithic Assumption 

Geography :

Junction was named after initial pics of the planet showed a globe covered in crisscrossed lines like a train station junction. When planetfall was made it was discovered that the planet was covered in a series of mountain ranges and long valleys. Following a huge asteroid strike during the formation of the planet a particularly large number of tectonic plates were formed which has led to very mountainous regions. There are high levels of mineral deposits and fertile valley soil

Monolith City is the site of the original colony landing and was found within the remains of a huge crater and one of the largest open areas on the main continent.

Monolith City is the seat of governance for the Lithic Assumption and of the ruling Spyre Family

Weather in Junction varies greatly between the valley base and top regions. Temperate bases and areas of high wind above which can make travel difficult and led to the development of specialist flyers designed to deal with travelling at low levels and often narrow valleys

Lithic Assumption, it has dominion over three stellar systems 

Myra star – 4^th planet Junction and its moons Anvil and Echo.  5^th Planet Redsea  

Bellandri Star – 2^nd Planet Margrave and its moon Counter

Settis Star – 1 planet Fate . Mining colony 

Politics

The political structure is centralised with the Planetary Baron and First Minister supported by two houses. the House of Law and the House of Prefects. The House of Law is composed of lawyers and appointees of the First Minister who review and ratify laws from the House of Prefects. The House of Prefects is formed of Prefects who govern and represent each of the Prefectures which make up the Lithic Assumption.

The office of First Minister has been in the hands of the family of Navigator Elizabeta Spyre.

Within the political system, there are two loose political groupings, named after the original settlement factions, the Spacers and Landers. Spacer Prefects tend to be more aggressive and expansionists and are usually from the more urban Prefectures. Lander Prefects are usually from the more rural and industrial Prefectures and lean toward more peaceful and welfare-based policies and priorities and tend to be more isolationist.

Expeditionary detachment  from the Monolith

(Figures from a foray into 15mm several years ago. Now unfortunately sold)

Ion Age 15. Hades Legion

...INQUIRY

...Shia Khan

...ACCESS DIRECTORY

...Hades Legion

...ACCESS DIRECTORY

...Neocastle Report/Opening statement 

...The name is of Styx is well known throughout the Precinct, Foremost of the Shia Khan's legions.

But as the Matter Gateway stands open other Legions are emerging and building their own reputations

Recent reports has identified Hades Legion amongst the invasion forces and records from the first Khanate have confirmed this. 

Hades Legion was recorded as the first Legion under the Khan, clearly there has been a change in fortunes with Styx now in their place but Hades have lost none of their arrogance and are noted as a brutal Legion, even for the Khanate. Legion tactics favour orbital bombardments and heavy assault with high deployments of Pioneers and Armoured units. 

They are a Hammer and care little where it lands.

For my first project of 2019 I have decided to return to 15mm and the Ion Age universe

Firstly to paint up the figures I have had boxed up for many years and then to expand with a small Shia khan and then a Prydian battlegroup. 

24 Maligs based on pennies

On the left painted 10+ years ago and test model with new paint scheme.

1st Tesseran unit

For a bodyguard unit of Legionnaires I used figures from the Alternative Armies laserburn range 

Legion officer, laserburn figure

Hades Legion

Legate Barath with bodyguard Tesseran

supported by Malig auxillia

Pict capture from Khanate Forces 

following Orbital bombardment of Newcastle IV Colony.

 Ion Age

Alternative Armies laserburn Range