I've been playing a fair bit of historical stuff lately, including playtesting the provisionally titled "Comitatus" (Historical version of my Warband Fantasy rules), which you can find elsewhere on this blog. I've also got several modelling projects running, as well as the usual roster of boardgames and roleplaying that fills my time when not engaged in the necessities of "real life".
But recently my group and I picked up a wonderful little game called Gaslands: Refuelled. Yes, I know we're late to the Gaslands party, but "better late than never" as they say, and so far we're having tremendous fun with it.
I'm not going to review the game particularly, other than to say that it is a highly accessible wargame. Given the premise and background of the game (post-apocalyptic vehicular arena combat*) suitable terrain is easily made from just a table top and household objects, and a few small toy cars. Of course, you can also go all in and make a full table, converted cars etc., which I'll be doing.
The rules are also very well written and appears so far to be a well balanced and stable set. They are similar to the proven design successes like FFG's X-Wing game, with simple die rolls, templated movement, and a customisation wrap-around that can be as simple or complex as you like.
The core setting has you playing a team in a televised vehicular death match; sort of a mash-up between Mad Max and banger racing. Lots of scope for fun and games!
If you want a review there are many available.
Anyway...
So far, I've put together a couple of cars.
This one is a simple effort. I liked the "out of the box" paint scheme on it and decided to keep it, but obviously it needed to be roughed up a bit and the vehicle needed some armaments. I glued on a plastic gun (chopped from a Games Workshop space marine figure), some bits of railway model "corrugated iron" plasticard, and painted these to look rusty. I then use ink washes to grubby it up a bit and painted some spots of edge rust, and called it done! For cars I find with a good paint scheme I want to keep, it seems this technique will work fine.
This one, I wanted to try the full paint job. I figured this would be a "ramming" specialist so I simply added a few spikes and a cover for the engine, gave it a rusted up paintjob and its good to go. I didn't strip the existing paint but just went on straight over it. It seems to work fine so I'm happy to plough on with other vehicles.
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| This one I shall call Ramm Stein. |
I've also made a start on some proof of concent scatter terrain, basically using household junk, cardboard (cerial packets are perfect for this), and bits and bobs plundered from my extensive modelling "bits box". Superglue, PVA glue, and some basic acrylic paints help finish the job.
I really liked making these, but I think I'll back off a bit on the complexity, and make some simple shanty town buildings to get a bulk of terrain done. I want enough to fill at least two tables as there are 6-7 playing in our group and we're looking at splitting the games into two groups. I'll also maybe do some bill boards and race track barriers. If I can find some super cheap toy cars, I might bash them up into rusted piles of car chassis, too. One of the marvellous things about Gaslands (as with other setting-driven games like A Very British Civil War) is that you can let your imagination and creativity go wild! I'll be looking out for cheap, tacky toys to make into "arena of death" scenery.
Usually with a new project like this, we'd build/paint/prep everything first before playing. We were so keen to start with this one though that we've kicked off with a few games so far, with unpated cars and improvised scenery (so not particularly visually exciting - hence no game photos). I must say that every game has been a blast! Great fun has been had by all with some real belly laugh moments of chaotic gaming mayhem.
Of course we're steadily building up the scenery to look decent and once we're there, I'll photograph some games and post them up.
I keep thinking I need to make the leap into vlog work at some point...
* Although the rules also basically say you can use the rules for any similar race/combat setting!
Ramm Stein. Love it! :D
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