Here’s the news on the miniatures line I promised you earlier.
I’ve just closed the deal for a new line of Space: 1889 miniatures from Highlander Studios. The line will include 15mm scale adventurers, soldiers, and resin-cast accessories, as well as an additional line of 1:1200 scale aerial vessels.
Highlander Studios is a fairly new outfit, but the lead guy on the Space: 1889 line is Rodrick Campbell. He’ll be art director, and at least at first will be doing all the sculpts. He’s done a lot of historical and fantasy stuff in the past, and I think it’s helpful to have both under your belt when tackling Space: 1889.
Rod’s 15mm historical work includes WW II Winter War for Legions East, German Falschirmjaegers for Resistance Roosters, Dark Ages and 1066 lines for Splintered Light, and Tang Chinese for Khurasan. His non-historical 15mm work includes zombies and zombie hunters for Rebel Miniatures, various fantasy figures and the Spacer Crew for Splintered Light, and both Gideon’s Dust (Post-Apocalypse) and Zap-Zap science fiction for his own Highlander Studios.
Sounds like momentums building!
ReplyDeleteI am interested to see the 1:2400 Aerial vessels. Are you planning to redo the original vessels from Sky Galleons of Mars or revamp the line with all new vessels?
ReplyDeleteColKG
The correction on the airship scale in the original post is right. These will be done in 1:1200.
ReplyDeleteI've always liked the look of the original Sky Galleons of Mars ships. So those designs will be made first. After that I'll explore some ideas for new designs and landships. However, the 15mm forces will get the lion's share of the focus until late in 2011.
The original ships are around 1:1200 so I can use my collection with the new models.
ReplyDeleteI know it is early but I have some more questions. What material are the ships going to be made of, plastic, metal, resin?
How large of a first release are you planning? ten ships, twenty ships etc.
I built up most of my Vsf collection in 25mm for use with the Soldiers Companion rules. Why the change to 15mm, and are you planning a new VSF wargame ruleset?
Thanks
ColKG
ColKG
ReplyDeleteThe Highlander Studios line does not preclude a 25/28mm line later. There are a lot of 25/28mm lines out there right now, but no 15mm VSF, so we saw this as an opportunity to give 15mm gamers a break. Particularly with the larger vessels and vehicles, there are some advantages to using 15mm, and the sculting/detail in that scale has gotten really good.
As to rules, this summer TEST OF BATTLE GAMES will release my new WW II skirmish miniatures rules MEN UNDER FIRE. We have been using a modified version of those rules for Space: 1889 battles in the MARS NEEDS STEAM games I've mentioned here. I suspect we will be coming out with those rules keyed to VSF before too very long, and probably using the MARS NEEDS STEAM title.
15mm huh...well now I know what I'll be doing with all of those 15mm Franco-Prussian war figures that I have.
ReplyDeleteSounds like an interesting line. I'm looking forward to it.
Also, I've had the opportunity to playtest Men Under Fire for both WWI and WWII. Great set of rules which should adapt to VSF with no problem at all.
Why 15mm? In the words of Mr. Wizard, "Because I like it." Well, that's mostly it anyway.
ReplyDeleteI have a lot of 25mm VSF myself, but I like the cost, space and painting time savings I get from 15mm. There is also the fact that there isn't a whole lot available yet, which leaves a niche to be filled.
But the greatest factor in choosing 15mm is that I enjoy sculpting that size. I can complete several figures a week while working on other commissions. That's a big consideration when one is the only sculptor in a company.
The figures and 1:1200 ships will be cast in white metal. The 15mm vehicles/ ships will be done in resin. I'm also considering expanded foam for items larger than a foot in length. But that decision is for much later.
I've had a couple of emails from folks already to request certain types of figures. Please feel free to drop me a line with your wish list. I can't promise to get to it all, but suggestions to draw from are always good.
Rod
I will have to do some duble duty with my 15mm Napolionics until you get the 15mm Vsf up and running.
ReplyDeleteI am looking forward to the new rules release.
@Rod I will have to set down and come up with a wish list of ships to begin with.
ColKG
More Questions, but this time about Mars Needs Steam. Are the 15mm Infantry single based or 4 or 5 to a stand similar to Flames of War. Same for Cavalry models? How many models/bases in a company of infantry?
ReplyDeleteIn the rules what is the optimum size of forces? Company, Battalion, Regiment?
Mostly these are to give me an idea of what I have on hand and what I will need.
ColKG
Figures are individually based in MARS NEEDS STEAM and military units are standardized at 10 figures per unit -- typically nine privates and an NCO for foot, eight privates, an NCO and an officer for horse. They represent a platoon of foot and a troop of horse, and as with SOLDIERS COMPANION the battalions and regimentsd are truncated, with two platoons making a company and four companies to a battalion (or two troops to a squadron and two squadrons to a regiment).
ReplyDeleteMost of the games we have played have had about a battalion equivalent per side, but those have usually been mixed columns -- a company of British regulars, a platoon of rifles, some Martian auxiliaries, a troop or horse (or gashant) and a steam tank or towed gun, along with a half-dozen or so civilian advisors and specialists, make a pretty entertaining force.
To be honest, I'd prefer 15mm for Space 1889 wargaming. I always felt that was the scale that the Soldiers' Companion should have used. There are plenty of "historical" figures from epoch. It would also be groovy that you can throw in an ariel flyer (the Aphid obviously) in that scale. (Or at least some of the gun emplacements for scratch builders).
ReplyDeleteI'm also looking forward to the 1/200 scale flyers. I'll finally have figs to play SGoM with!
School Master
ReplyDeleteWe went with 25mm originally because of the greater detail and personality possible in character figures, which were important to the role-playing game. But the truth is that 15mm sculpts these days have an enormous amount of detail, so I don't think we're losing much in that regard. That is meant to take nothing away from Bob Murch's wonderful 25mm adventurer sculpts in the original line, which are still my favorite 25mm castings.
I am looking into getting some Acw 15mm figures from a friend of mine and start getting them painted. What sort of base do you mount the figures to?
ReplyDelete1/2 inch washer, penny, precut base ?
I also have a few of the Golden Compass diecast zepplins that have been waiting for the right project. It looks like they will be supporting a 15mm VSF Force. They are 8.25 inches from bow to stern so about 68 feet in 1:100/15mm scale. Big enought to represent a light Zepplin.
ColKG
Pennies work, as do steel washers. But consider mounting them on half-inch square bases, with the figure facing a corner, not the edge. This has the advantage of the two back edges of the base defining a 90 degree arc of fire.
ReplyDeleteVery nice! I must confess, however, to wanting to have the SGoM ships in a more detailed 1/600th scale!! At that scale you could better detail rigging and fittings, and even use 1/600th scale or 1/700 scale deck crew (repainted brass flats, plastic or lead) on them.
ReplyDeleteYeah! I'll be glad to see new 15mm Steampunk figs.
ReplyDeleteHow can we persuade you do some ships in 15mm? I have scratchbuilt 1/100 Aphid and Steam Launch, but would love to see Martian ships.
Aphid in action: http://www.warpfish.com/gzgecc/gzgecc7/pictures/DrCarter/100_0087.html
Steam Launch: http://www.warpfish.com/gzgecc/gzgecc7/pictures/DrCarter/100_0088.html
Ships and vehicles in 15mm are planned. Please see my comment above.
ReplyDeleteRod
Very exciting news! Glad to see more 15mm VSF!
ReplyDeleteThis is really good news (and MuF getting published soon is also good news!), as the guys I game with have always played 15mm colonials. It won't be such a great stretch to get them to try the 1889 setting.
ReplyDeleteAris,
ReplyDeleteGood to hear from you. I'm happy to see MEN UNDER FIRE appearing as well. I thibnk it's the most fun miniatures rules I've ever done. I make no comparisons to other folks' rules, since my objectivity might be questioned. But I figure I get to have an opinion about my own stuff.
Will they be "true 15mm" as in Peter Pig sized or more along the lines of 18mm Old Glory and Black Hat Miniatures?
ReplyDeleteI hope the Martians look a lot like the original art in the rule book. Please sculpt flowing robes, antique armor and bizarre head gear. Weapons that have a slightly alien feel to them even if they are still traditional swords and muskets etc... I like Black Hat Miniatures but I would like something different for a rival city state.
*sigh* I'm glad to hear things are moving along, but I'm another 25mm/28mm guy. Considering all the dough I threw down on the last set of official 1889 minis, I won't be converting to 15mm. I'd like to think 25mm will eventually happen, but I don't think that's likely, given how most product lines go.
ReplyDeleteAny news on the 1/1200 Etherships
ReplyDeleteCheers
Jeff
I prefer 25/28mm. That said, these new 15mm minia are awesome.
ReplyDelete