IonAge 28. Red Adder

’Its not going to be enough, did you even read our message?!’

Sergent Darin looked on with incredulity as the mud streaked Red Adder sped into the clearing and pulled up into the small encampment Darin commanded.

The mission had been simple enough, Darin and his ExSec detachment would establish a listening station that would eventually form part of a network for the whole planet, the first step for mapping and then colonisation by the Lithic Assumptions ColSec. Two weeks in and the biggest threat had been boredom but then long range parameter sensors had gone dark and a patrol had not returned. Darin had put his reduced command on alert and sent a data burst back to Land Command, flagging for possible DefSec support. He knew the flag would trigger reproach, Section pride and ExSecs desire to stand on its own, but his security forces were only rated at Militia level and out on the frontier mistakes could hand out far worse things than a black mark on his service record.

Close sensors finally picked up movement and gave him the justification for his caution, he just hoped he lived long enough to be smug about it. Across the river movement was sighted, Malig raiders appeared and opened fire. Malig Heavy weapons targeted buildings, shattering Hab domes and turning the new Fabrication Spire into a torch as a cover while ground units started to move forward, probing for gaps in the Militias defensive fire and trying to cross the bridge.

The hatch of the Red Adder opened and the plumed helm of a Muster Centaris appeared, his face marked and dirt covered as Darins own.

‘Who is ranking officer here? the officer asked, his eyes surveying the hasty defences and the increasing weight of enemy fire

“I am.Sergeant Eyer Darin. 32nd ExSec Preparatory Group. Is this it? Its not going to be enough, Did you even read our message!?”

The Officer returned his gaze to Darin as he dismounted the Adder and then unclipped his MPI, swiftly bringing it up for a burst at the bridge as another Malig attempted to rush it.

“I am sorry, but that never got got back to the Castle. The Khanate have been advancing under a CounterNet and nothing is reaching Land Command. Whatever you were hoping for we are not it. I was the closest to this location and came to pull you out, everything is pulling back to Command”

Darin moved next to the officer and raised his own Tumbler MPI, both of them sending fire towards the bridge again. 

“ We can use the Adder to block the bridge and buy us some time. It cannot dish out too much, but its Moth cannon is more than enough to shred Malig’s and make them think twice about trying to rush the bridge any time soon”

The officer hammered the side of the Adder and the driver inside gunned the engine and moved it forward to reposition closer to the bridge, the turret turning to face the body strewn pathway as the Moth started to spin.

Darin turned to the officer, his face moving between relief and worry

“Who are you with?”

“ Centaris Tobias Beare, 2nd Garnet Dragoons. DefSec Response"

Now the pleasantries are out out of the way I suggest we make a start getting out of here. This planets Preparatory has been cancelled. 

Following my Malig Infernus Ball recreated for 28mm I wanted to add some armour to my Ion Age forces and went for the Red Adder Combat Car

Alternative Armies Red Adder Combat Car

Red Adder image taken from the AA website

The Adder is one of a range of combat vehicles with different turret and traction options which will give me some easy options in the future with extra turret changes.

The base model was a 3D print of a Staghound armoured Car

thingiverse 

I smoothed off the front machine gun, added the running boards and changed the turret weapon and added the antenna.

Red Adder with Prydian Muster Centaris Officer

Red Adder and Malig Infernus Ball

Ion Age 28. ExSec Planetary Milita.

 ...INQUIRY

...Exploration Section military asset review/DEFSEC 234/782

...ACCESS CODE

...******

...GRANTED

...INTERNAL REPORT.RESTRICTED ACCESS.NOT FOR GENERAL SECTION RELEASE.

...ACCESS DIRECTORY

...resume brief 01.23

...within structural limitations ExSec has increased recruitment to support its expansion with increased deployment on planetary, system and exploration vessels, final calculations also include oversight of Minor Sections now brought into is command structure. Operational limitations for non DEFSEC platoon strength  - COMMAND/FIRETEAM/FIRETEAM have been surpassed by ExSec deployments by inclusion of Base or Flight Crew who have also received training to PM level. Calculating operational strength and potential threat level must assume full DefSec level Platoon strength COMMAND/FIRETEAM/FIRETEAM/FIRETEAM.

Completed my first Ion Age Platoon. Platoons are made up of 16 miniatures in four man teams, one command, a support and two Rifle elements. To fit in with the narrative of this being a governmental force rather than a full military, one of the rifle elements has been made up with the Cold Climes militia figures and the Captain from AA's Alternate Stars Range to represent a base commander/ Exploration Ship Captain.

Planetary Militia Platoon

Command Element

Rifle element

Support element

Second Rifle element

ExSec Platoons fourth elements are made up of base/Ship crew and Base Commander/Captain

Some set up shots of the Platoon exploring an abandoned outpost 

Between terrain and first platoon, a good start for my Ion Charge! 

For August I am planning on some more terrain and a possible Grav Sled/Robot Mule or even a ship/lander for the ExSec and to start on the Retained Knights

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 28. Terrain 1.

 With my desk heavy with Green (or soon to be green!) figures as part of the ongoing OWAC I have picked up my 28mm Ion Age forces to offer a bit of a break and started working on some terrain pieces. Any game system I get into will inevitably get some terrain added and although already have some generic terrain pieces that will fill a board I wanted to give my games something Universe specific. 

The Ion Age universe over at Alternative Armies runs in both 15mm and 28m scales, sharing the same setting but with different rule sets that reflect the game level, squad skirmish for 28mm and a larger platoon upwards for the 15mm, While both scales are well supported in infantry, the 15mm also gives you access to vehicles, larger mechs and also a large range of terrain pieces with a modular Hab system. 

Ion Age 15mm board with figures and terrain set up

Images from Alternative Armies Website

Alternative-armies.com

Initial test compared to a 15mm Hab using half of a Hamster ball and Foamcard to build the base and butresses

Adding some inside details before sphere was glued down.

Slits for air were also covered using strips of card

Completed Habs from the one Hamster ball. One intact and one ruined. The Doors and additional details 3D printed from free files found on Thingiverse. I had considered making the roof flat to closer match the 15mm version but decided to keep the ball hatch for greater convenience.

The domes are shown next to a 15mm Hab and a 28mm Ion Age PDF Soldier. 

Gravel and sand added and awaiting paint. 

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!