[6mm Science Fiction] An update and a new diversion

I've managed to get a swag of 15mm Science Fiction figures completed over the last six to eight weeks, including a Ventauran Company and a Mid-tech Company. As I was expanding the Mid-tech company, I realized that of the figures I was using (A Flytrap Factory MERC pack, some Hardened Militia from Peter Pig, some Oddzial Osmy NVL from Pico Armor, and some Republic of Arden National Guard from Ground Zero Games), the Flytrap Factory MERCs and Peter Pig Militia worked the best together regarding equipment and general size of figure. The RANG troopers have more body armour and are taller. At the moment, I'm looking at splitting the RANG out as a separate force, though they are currently uniformed in similar colours to the militia and MERCs and could also serve with them as an elite unit. The Oddzial Osmy NVL fit between the extremes in both armour and size of figure, but will probably end up mixed in with the RANG.

All this painting is part of my Traveller project - painting up sufficient forces to be able to actually tabletop game some of the conflicts I have happening as part of the metastory of my Traveller campaign. And, as periodically happens, having been struck with a bit of painting ennui, I re-examined my project. I have an idea for a conflict that escalates, from either a civil disturbance or from a clash between rival colonies, into a major inter-polity war. I have copies of a variety of wargames rules with which to play out this scenario, but at the moment I'm seriously looking at Two Hour Wargames' 5150: Battalion Commander as a rules set, and 6mm as a scale in which to fight bigger battles.

I have a bunch of CAV plastic grav tanks I painted up a while ago, and which, along with some Epic Imperial Guard and Eldar Infantry, I used in a play test of the Command Horizon rules. Some of these figures will see action again as forces of the Outrim Alliance. For the Imperial side, I went to Ground Zero Games Dirtside range.

Work in progress DSM-111 Kivruzh Grav Tanks and DSM-123 Virnazh APCs from Ground Zero Games

Work in progress DSM-111 Kivruzh Grav Tanks

Work in progress DSM-123 Virnazh APCs - detail of underside of APC to left

For armour, and rides, I decided on the Kivruzh Grav tank and the Virnazh APCs. These are really nice models, with a lot of fine detail, such as the grav units on the undersides of the APCs. They are also the closest match I could find for my existing 15mm grav vehicles - the GZG High-tech Grav Light Tank and Light APC.

GZG UNSC Marines in the process of being painted up as Imperial Marines

For Imperial Marine Infantry, I picked up a pack of GZG's 6mm UNSC Marines. In spite of a couple of mis-casts, I was able to make up two Marine platoons with associated command and heavy weapons squads.

GZG New Israeli Infantry in the process of becoming Imperial Army troopers

For the Imperial Army, I picked up two packs of GZG's 6mm New Israelis to use as my Imperial Standard Tech Level-12 Infantry. This should give me four Infantry platoons, plus associated command and support weapons squads.

I had forgotten how quick 6mm figures are to paint, and how effective a couple of colours can be at this scale. I've got a few ideas as to how to make up an Aslan force, and how to recreate the Geithurian Republic Alien Legion in 6mm, so these will probably be next on my list of figures to get.