PanOceania Tikbalang and Neoterra Bolts

During this summer I found the time to paint some juicy models to enrich my PanO army.

After a very long search I've finally managed to put my hands on Tikbalang model (and Uhlan too...), one of the most wanted OOP miniature of Panoceania, which is experiencing a second youth in N4 edition. If you want to read more about my Tikbalang debut on the gaming table, dont' miss Episode #8 of  "Operation Neon Tiger" narrative campaign.

Painting this model was quite challanging, due to the huge number of details if compared to the most recent TAGs which provides bigger and smoother surfaces. After defining volumes and lights with airbrush, I spent more or less nine hours to paint the details, adding some NMM parts and attempting my first "chipping". A final little effort to sculpt some green stuff around the base of the model to embed the metal base (trunk and roots) with the plastic 4omm base.

The result was definitely worth the effort! I leave you some pics to enjoy.

Talking about OOP miniatures - SWC Neoterra Bolts in this case - I've done my best to convert some spare fusiliers and one Akalis in order to bring four Bolts out of them. Some head/arm/backpack swap and the job was done!

I expected a faster painting, but the number of details and the slenderness of the female models forced me to slow down the process (approx. 3 hours per model).

 Scroll down for a group shot!

Operation Neon Tiger - episode 08

Intro

- Commander Fashas'di, may I show you something?
The Casta Diva was preparing to leave the planet, enjoying the last rays of Varuna's sun on its hull before facing the nameless cold of interstellar void. The voice of Mentor Quish Lo'rr had a hint of apprenshion and curiosity; he opened up a holoscreen to show close up records of the artifact they had recovered on Hlökk Station. Nanobots swirled and curled under the watchful eyes of the two Shasvastii.

- Interesting. A minor signal, what is your opinion; Quish Lo'rr?

Over time, Fashas'di had bonded with his crew. They executed his orders fast and efficientely. He trusted the Mentor and, he hoped, the feeling was mutual.

-It could be eggs, embryios, maybe a wounded creature. We still don't know much about the Neon Tiger. Much are deductions based on the Steindrage, a creature we believe shares common ancestors with it. The signal is low and we don't know as much as we would like about these artifacts either: the source could also be shielded.

Fashas'di nodded, anxious.

- What about its whereabouts? Have you triangulated this new position?

Quish opened a new screen, showing an imposing construction towering above a marine harbour.

- Fortress-monastery of Zamek. A military Order complex here on Varuna. Our intelligence suggests it is also used as a detention facility for our comrades captured in Cameliard; an high security location.

Being a commander was no easy task. Fashas'di felt this was what made him bond with the crew: it wasn't something he did, but something they understood. Regardless of his acquaintances and his reccomendations, he was still the one taking the shots for the glory or the disgrace of Shasvastii. There was no shortcut that would have helped him in making the right choice: it was up to him. Mentor Quish Lo'rr remained silent, waiting for Fashas'di orders.

- Transfer the main location coordinates to our closest cruiser, they will find the Neon Tiger. We'll storm Zamek with a biotech bomb and infiltrate.

Operation Neon Tiger - episode 07

Intro

Fashas'di stepped outside, under the hot rays of Varuna's sun. The beach was warm, inviting. "How fascinating - he thought - we and the humans have the same idea of paradise." An artificial reef isolated the Trillionaire Varuna Beach Resort from the depths of the planet's oceans, while lush vegetation imported from Concilium and Paradiso surrounded the buildings. Apparently, the plant selection was dictated by the original patron of the Resort himself: Batth'o Ubelin. 

Shasvastii intelligence had advised Fashas'di that the resort wouldn't be heavily guarded, making it the perfect stop for the Casta Diva to refuel and prepare for the long journey following the xeno archeotech's indications. What the intel didn't know was that a Tunguska intervention team had been sent in advance to welcome the Casta Diva and its occupants: it was a bold move to make such an intrusion on PanOceanian soil but, after what had happened to Módulo Satélite, Philomena was ready to cross any line to repel the aliens. 

The ballad of Ba Fashas, a Durgama Takeover story

 

The Phase Two of Durgama Takeover is still raging but, unfortunately, I won't be able to play in the upcoming days. Therefore, this campaign ends now for me but I can't say it's really over until I stitch together the story I told thorugh my reports and I get to describe how much of a positive experience it has been for me, so here I am.

To be part of an active community playing and telling stories about a shared universe is a privilged experience which I could not have experienced this time, due to seasonal issues, without the help of TTS (TableTop Simulator) and the wonderful addons provided by the online Infinity Community, especially THE main mod, 3D Infinity miniatures project and Badlazzor's Infinity Maps.

I got to play three games: two with Lockdownit_, a great player & fun guy who also recorded one of said matches on Twitch, and one with butchee, my "everyday" opponent.

As the title suggests, I also spent a lot of time telling the story of my Commander - tying togheter the three games. Here, you can read the whole thing with links to my battle reports.

Operation Neon Tiger - episode 06

 Intro 

- Making business with you is a pleasure: my affiliates have just informed me that they have been granted access to the Casta Diva. 

The smuggler smiled back. 

- The pleasure is mine, Lely Ohw. These are trying times for business at Hlökk Station: first those Minescorp goons, now the aliens...I guess faces come and go but war never changes. Anyway, this deal is really something to celebrate with a toast: to the Casta Diva, the most beautiful ship on this side of the Brísingamen’s rim. 

Lely Ohw lifted his glass full of cloudy Nomad's liquor, distillated somewhere in the depths of space by wandering scalpers. Suddenly, Fashas'di's voice broke into his communication device: 

- The Nomads are on us! We have to engage them immediately and wipe them out without a trace: no one must know we're leaving Hlökk Station on board of the Casta Diva. Close our transaction, fast!

Operation Neon Tiger - episode 05

Intro

It wasn't difficult for Brother Hermann to obtain the necessary information from Koseacasomov. He certainly did not lack means of persuasion, even if not perfectly in line with the procedures of the Concilium.
After that, brother Hermann retired to his cabin in the Uluru, to record the information snatched from Koseacasomov into his personal log.

"That thing is an xeno archeotech artifact that allows to track down a place, but its technology is still shrouded in mystery. Koseacasomov was unable to explain how it works, but he was certain of one thing: that the artifact only works in right hands. "

Hermann has rarely found himself groping in the dark in his life. Uncertainty is not part of his person. Yet this time he feels he is out of step with his enemies. It is an unpleasant, burning sensation, especially considering the quality of the troops he has moved for this mission.

"If I have to stay behind - thought Hermann - at least those in front of me had to feel my pressure."

Thanks to this thought, he found a little determination, just enough to make a decision. 

He exited the cabin and headed for the Uluru control deck. Since the Sahs had disappeared from the Pano tracking systems, he gave the order to intercept and follow the Nomads ship . 

To Hermann's utter astonishment, the Quetzal was tracked down to a nearby spaceport. If itwas there, very likely, the Shas would be around too.

Operation Neon Tiger - episode 04

Intro 

Emergency! Emergency! Please leave Terminal Benbow. Hlökk Station and its subsidiaries deny any responsability for damage to people or property if you don't comply immediately

...the alert went on, as the whole terminal turned to emergency mode, lighting up red lights all around the Sonic Blues and all the other docked ships. 

PanOceanian elite forces took position within the terminal, urging all personel to leave and be biometrically scanned. While unaware of the alien's ship nor of their real intentions, the intelligence gathered by battleship Uluru was clear: the Shasvastii had already reached the station, and Terminal Bembow was the only one who had recieved ships in the last cycles.

Expecting heavy armored resistance and sly infiltrators, specialists from every sectorial were summoned to face the alien threat.

The air lock of his containment pod snapped and Anton took a deep breath of the station's metallic breeze: his mind went back in time for twenty years, to the night when he found a strange artifact in the ore rubble of that very same mining facility...

A thought about terrain

There was a time in which I was of the opinion that wargames were cool mainly because of the rules and you could fully enjoy them playing with unpainted minis, boxes as terrain and grandma's tablecloth as gaming mat. In this regards I have changed my mind quite a bit and in this post I am going to share my views with you.   

my take on Games Workshop "Azyrite Plaza" kit 

Operation Neon Tiger - episode 03

Intro

Fashas'di walked down the isle, watching his troops checking their gears and weapons. Knowing his bitter reputation of being a freshly appointed hothead lieutenant with friends in high places, he knew he had to say something to boost the crew's morale, and his too.

"My beloved brothers, lost heirs of our Mother Planet: rejoice! Tonight we leave this snowball to make good use of the information provided by the interrogation of the human Koseacasomov. But before we do that, we'll take the chance to spoil these alien supplies and cripple the logistic line of those monkeys, unworthy of the EI's enlightenment. For all our lost brothers, for the sake of freedom and vengeance: tonight we fight!" Hearing the screeches outside his containment pod, Anton shivered in fear. He thought the Shasvastii had kidnapped him because of his military knowledge, but they only cared about something else, something about his youth on Hlökk Station...

Operation Neon Tiger - episode 02

Intro

- They've intercepted our communications. They now know we've entered the orbit of CB-22... - said Uluru's communications operator.
- We have located the Quetzal. Sector 04, quadrant 02 - added the tracking and control systems officer. 
Brother Hermann gave the order to land in Quadrant 02, not far from the Quetzal. Only a handful of administration buildings would separate them from the enemy crew. With no surprise effect, there was no reason to try to go unnoticed. 
- Without surprise, speed of action is everything - Hermann whispered. 
Uluru's thrusters landed her gently and one of the loading platforms opened quickly.
- Let's intercept those treacherous Nomads and transmit as much information as we can back to HQ, once we understand what they're up to - Hermann exclaimed to the small PanO squad he had personally selected for this operation.

5 reasons why I am in love with Infinity

I have now been into Infinity for some time and I feel to share the FIVE THINGS that I love most about this game!

Operation Neon Tiger - episode 01

Intro

The Quetzal, a Corregidor transport corvette is being chased by PanO battleship Uluru. According to available intelligence the Nomad corvette is transporting Anton Koseacasomov, a weapon systems designer who betrayed Ariadna to work for Yu Jing. Fleeing from its chasers the Nomad spaceship lands on CB-22, one of Svalarheima's breadbasket-moons. To the surprise of the the Nomad crew, their passenger is actually a Shasvastii impersonator who is met by an extraction force tasked to remove it from the Nomads captivity. 

What happened to the true Anton and what is happening on CB-22...?

Infinity Mission Focus: Frostbyte or how I learned to stop worrying and love the meta

Welcome to another episode of this series focusing on Infinity Missions!
Today we delve into one of the more characteristic missions of ITS 13 aka Frozen Roads: Frostbyte.

BUT, before going through the mission, let me take the chance to have a look at this series and its scope.
For all those who are just interested in the Mission Focus, you can skip the part below to where pictures start.

Nomads Szalamandra Squadron TAG for Infinity the Game

 

The TAGs of Tunguska receive their name of Szalamandra because of their similarity to the mythical salamander that could live in the midst of fire and who could also spit fire.

Its heavy armor allows it to withstand the toughest of punishments, just as its Hyper-Rapid Magnetic Cannon can neutralize any type of opposition. The required heavy support for your Nomad Army!

Inspired by the beautiful works of my fellow gaming buddies on the PanO Cutter and the Aleph Marut I finally committed to complete my Nomad TAG, the gorgeous Szalamandra.

Panoceania Cutter: my best painting effort so far.

“Nemo nos effugit” (Nobody escapes from us), motto of the Naval Chasseurs Regiment

"The Cutter is the Remote Presence tactical armored gear (TAG) model used by the Varuna Chasseurs Regiment of the Rapid Intervention Division. It was conceived for undercover operations and amphibious or underwater operations. Its design includes sound-suppressing equipment and an environment-adaptive skin capable of changing its reflective, radiative, and electrical properties at will, effectively canceling its optical and thermal output.
Cutter units are also used by the armored division of the “Blue Sea” anti-terrorism project. They are responsible for undercover insertions in highly volatile areas, but their operational remit also includes punitive actions and control of operational perimeters to avoid target withdrawal."