Contest Entry - FuturKom "Strike Force"

Following Conscript Greg's lead , here's a FuturKom Strike Force for Tomorrow's War, as an entry to the Strike Force contest.

 

As we all know, the far future is not a nice place. In our own twisted time-to-come, "FuturKom" is the dystopian future society that mirrors the former Soviet empire of our own time. Strangely, so many people (myself included) are quite taken with the notion of a future empire that reflects the former USSR... do we all conveniently forget that the real USSR only lasted 70 years or so before collapsing under its own weight? In any event, the future world of "50-Year Plans" and "Socialist Workers' Paradises" has to be defended, and the FuturKom Socialist Army of Workers and Space Peasants fulfills that important role.

Major Markov commands the strike force, part of the 356th Guards Army of the Dnieper-System Front. He is accompanied by his ADC, the standard bearer, and a supply bot. (Models by Pig Iron, flag from Vaubanner Graphics.

Although the FuturKom forces largely consist of conscripts, there are elite elements too - like these power-armoured recon troops, the "FuturKommandoes".

As a "quick reaction force", these two FuturKom fireteams enjoy riding to battle in their BTR-600 APC. Troops from Pig Iron, APC is a Russian "toy-scale" BTR with conversions.

 

The heavy punch of the strike force is provided by a pair of T-340 medium tanks, armed with twin autocannons in the turret and a hull-mounted "laser projektor". Note the ubiquitous searchlights provided to all future forces by "Future Industrie Gmbh", aka Games Workshop from their tank accessory sprue. Model is another toy-scale Russian diecast.

So that's the strike force, but while I had the models out to photograph I couldn't help but snap a few shots of the rest of the FuturKom army I've accumulated. Here they are...

Kom-bot converted from a WotC Star Wars Miniature Battles walker.

The T-640 heavy tank - a converted 1/35 T-64 with lots of added goodness including an unfeasibly-large main gun.

The one that started it all - the SU-300 assault gun. Converted from a toy-scale Russian diecast.

Another shot of the T-640.

T-640 commander.

Futur flyer.

Captured Gunschwarm prisoners... now "re-educated" and ready to sacrifice themselves for the glorious cause of Kommulism ;-)

 

 

 

So there you go - "Onward to the glorious future-Kommulist future - FUTURKOM!"

Contest Entry - Gün Schwarm "Strike Force"

The folks over at Ambush Alley Games are running a "Strike Force" contest to promote "Tomorrow's War".  I'm sure we'll be trying those rules again soon, and I thought the chaps from Gün Schwarm could put in an appearance for the contest.  Besides - if I'm going to get creamed in one contest, might as well get creamed in another!  With that in mind, I am happy to present a squad of gerpanzert panzer grenadiers from the 210th Gün Schwarm Korps.

Strike Force from the 210th Schwarm Korps

The Background

Tracing their roots back to the North American environmental movements of the early 21st century, Gün Schwarm now fights for order and enforced recycling through the galaxy.  The troops of the 210th have seen a great deal of action against Dallas' Kommulists and Mike F's Future Brits in diverse locales, including repeated bouts of very heavy fighting in New New Berlin.  We have previously used our own home-made skirmish rules for these games, but we look forward to these fellows battling against the deluded minions of FuturKom using the new Ambush Alley rules.

This Strike Force from the 210th features is based around a pair of 8-man squads mounted in APCs and pair of deadly Panzer Ausf. W-2050 class tanks.

Fireteams deploy with their trusty SdKfz 2040 APC - MBT in the background

 The infantry squads will each play as a pair of four-man fireteams - one fireteam will contain the RPG, and the other will contain a grenade launcher.


Gün Schwarm Platoon Commander (right) leads the infantry, while the Kaptain (left) is in charge of the overall detachment

 Infantry support includes a sniper, a hard-hitting MG-2030 team, and the "SchwarmBot", which is on hand to help with everything from recon to EOD to close-up fighting.  SchwarmBot also mounts a heavy AT laser, so it is often sent to sneak around enemy armoured vehicles while fighting in built-up areas.
 

The SchwarmBot - handy for special, otherwise-really-life-threatening tasks

The tanks mount Gün Schwarm's deadly 120mm high-velocity cannon, useful against FuturKom's hordes of T-340s.  In addition to the regular supply of AT and HE rounds, this weapon can fire the special ATGM "Schwarmpunkt" rounds (with super-dense-un-obtanium cores) which can even engage the dreaded T-640.

The Panzer Ausf. W-2050s MBTs are deadly fighting machines

Mobile detachments like this one form the core of the 210th Schwarm Korps' fighting ability, able to engage right across the full spectrum of Gün Schwarm's various "kinetic community outreach" battle concept.  From urban ruins to grassy steppes, the 210th is ready for the worst the awful Kommulists and their Brit toadies can offer.

The Models

The infantry are primarily 28mm scale "Steel Legion" models from GW's WH40k range.  The officer are 28mm "Death Korps of Krieg" figures from GW's Forge World.  The SchwarmBot is a 28mm GW RT-era robot, with an up-gunned laser cannon.  The APCs are "Claymores" from Old Crow. The tanks are modified Panthers from Solido.

The Stats
Gün Schwarm Basic Attributes
Confidence Level: High
Supply Quality Level: Normal
Overall Tech Level: 2
On Grid? Yes
Body Armour: Light Body Armour: (1D)
Troop Quality/Morale: D8/D10

Gün Schwarm Infantry Squads & Support
Squad 1
1 x APC
Grenadier Fireteam 1A
1 x FTL with Kar. 2040
2 x Grenadier with Kar. 2040
1 x Grenadier with Panzerfaust 2038 (TL2, Med. AP:2/AT:2-L)
Grenadier Fireteam 1B

1 x FTL with Kar. 2040
2 x Grenadier with Kar. 2040
1 x Grenadier with Granatewefer (TL2, Lt. AP:1)

Squad 2

1 x APC
Grenadier Fireteam 2A
1 x FTL with Kar. 2040
2 x Grenadier with Kar. 2040
1 x Grenadier with Panzerfaust 2038 (TL2, Med. AP:2/AT:2-L)
 Grenadier Fireteam 2B
1 x FTL with Kar. 2040
2 x Grenadier with Kar. 2040
1 x Grenadier with Granatewefer (TL2, Lt. AP:1)

1 x Sniper with Kar. 2012 (TL2, Lt. AP:2)

1 x MG 2030 Team (TL2, Med. AP:4/AT:1-L)

SchwarmBot - D8 Troop Quality Smart Bot, equipped with Schwere LWS (TL3, Med. AP:2/AT3-M)

Schwam Korps Panzer Section
2 x Panzer Ausf. W-2050

Gün Schwarm Vehicles
Name: Panzer Ausf. W-2050 MBT

Class: Heavy
Front Armour (TL2): 5D12
Side Armour (TL2): 4D12
Rear Armour (TL2): 3D8
Main Gun (TL3): 120mm (Heavy Gun)
- AT Value: 6D
- AP Value: 4D
Secondary Weapon: MGs
- AT Value: -
- AP Value: 4D
Crew: 4 (Commander, Gunner, Driver, Loader)
Attributes & Notes: Heavy Hitter - 120mm main gun uses advanced rounds

Name: SdKfz 2040 APC
Class: Medium
Front Armour (TL2): 2D8
Side Armour (TL2): 1D8
Rear Armour (TL2): 1D8
Main Gun (TL2): Twin-cannons in turret
- AT Value: 1D
- AP Value: 4D
Crew: 2 (driver & gunner) and 8-10 passengers