Five Parsecs - Starting my first campaign

 For my first Five Parsecs from Home campaign I'm going with the easy mode and an all human starting crew. 

The Crew

Using the die rolls I've got this set

1. Background: Tech Guild +1 savvy, +1d6 credits (1), +1 high tech weapon, Motivation: Revenge +2 xp, 1 rival, Class: Nomad +1 gear

2. Background: Mining Colony +1 toughness, Motivation: Survival +1 toughness, Class: Special Agent +1 reaction, Patron, +1 gadget. So pretty tough with toughness 5 and good reactions.

3. Background: Wasteland Nomad +1 reactions, 1 low tech weapon, Motivation: Faith 1 rumor, +1 story point, Class: Enforcer 1 patron, +1 combat skill

4. Background: Frontier Nomad +1 combat skill, Motivation: Fame +1 story point, Class: Artist +1d6 credits (3)

5. Background: Wealthy Merchant Family +2d6 credits (3), Motivation: Romance 1 rumour, +1 story point, Class: Soldier +1 combat skill, +1d6 credits (6) - at last a good roll for credits

6. Background: Drifter +1 gear, Motivation: Adventure 1d6 credits (6), 1 low tech weapon, Class: Starship Crew +1 savvy

Equipment

3 rolls on military weapons: 2 military rifles, 1 auto rifle
1 roll high tech weapons: Blast Rifle 
5 rolls low tech weapons: 2 scrap pistols, shotgun, handgun, machine pistol
Credits: 6 plus 19 gives 25 so not badly set up with funds.

3 gear: Fake ID, Nano doc, Bipod

2 gadgets: AI Companion, Boosted Arm

Other stuff

2 patrons

1 rival

3 story points

Crew met in a bar - very traditional for gaming

How would you be described: Starport Scum (how appropriate as I own that set of rules from Nordic ?Weasel)

Ship

Battered Mining Ship - debt: 25 credits, fuel hog

Five Parsecs Miniatures Choices

 Setting up my first Five Parsecs campaign gives me some choices such as which scale of miniatures to use as I have some 28mm SF (and lots of historical/fantasy minis that might be useful) and quite a lot of 15mm SF.

Figure options 

15mm 

Alternative Armies have several ranges that can work for this, particularly Laserburn and HoF, which have different aliens and a variety of human types. Ground Zero Games also have a wide range and an unbelievably good postal response to orders. There is a small range from CP Models with plenty of character. 

28mm

Lots of options including the Stargrave plastics where probably a sprue of crew and a sprue of mercenaries will cover off your crew needs with maybe another couple of sprues to provide opponents. They are available from North Star who also have metals in the Stargrave and Copplestone Castings ranges, as well as plastic Frostgrave cultists who can be customised with SF weapons to give another option. 

The metal ranges from CP Models have plenty of nice options for aliens and humans including separate heads, weapons and equipment for customisation. Alternative Armies also have plenty of options in this scale as well. 

My choice is to go with 28mm in the end despite having plenty of painted and unpainted 15mm SF.

For terrain I'll mainly be using paper models from Dave Graffam downloaded from Wargames Vault. 

Biblical Hordes of the Things and DBA

Reviving an old project that had stalled long ago - 20mm Biblical warfare with the Hebrews and the Philistines. This is based on using mainly a few packs of Caesar Miniatures 20mm figures though to add chariots to the Philistines I'll use some horses from old Atlantic miniatures though the chariot bodies will need to be scratch built and probably the wheels.

I used the Hebrew and Philistine packs together with the Trojan army pack to provide more heavy warriors for the Hebrews and missile troops for the Philistines. 

Army lists for Hordes of the Things

Hebrews 

Already prepared

Hero @4 points - Samson 

Spear general @2 points - not given this one a name, though it could be Solomon who reigned in the correct era.

2 Warband @2 points - Simeonite and Ephiraimites "mighty men of valour" with a bit of repair needed on the central figure on the left hand unit.

2 Shooters @2 points -Benjaminite archers and slingers

3 Spears  @2 points - other tribes, though I have considered making these hordes for HotT

To do 

Cleric @3 points - Moses with the tablets

Sneaker @3 points - Judith outside Holofernes tent

2 Spears @ 2 points - tribesmen

1 Shooter - Benjaminite archers

An actual army list would be 

Spear General - 2 ap
Hero (Samson) - 4 ap
Cleric (Moses) - 3 ap
Sneaker (Judith) - 3 ap
2 Warband (Simeonites and Ephiraimites) - 4 ap
2 Spears (other tribes) - 4 ap
2 Shooters (Benjaminites) -  4 ap
Total - 24 points

For DBA the Early Hebrew list (I/27) is largely 3Aux with a few Psiloi and Warband. To get into later periods Chariots start to be an element. Given the Hilly terrain type this is definitely an army that will need to use terrain to be effective. 

Philistines

Already prepared

Hero @4 points - Goliath 

Blade general @2 points

6 Blades @2 points 

2 Shooters @2 points - javelinmen

To do 

Knight general @2 points - generals chariot

Knights @ 2 points - chariot

2 Shooters @2 points - subject slingers and archers

other possibility is a god @4 points such as Dagon or Baal, but the first of those tends to be confused by H.P. Lovecraft's appropriation of the name. Not sure how I would represent either of them on table. 

Army list

Blade general @2 ap

Hero (Goliath) @4ap 

6 Blades @12 ap 

3 Shooters (javelins and bows) @6ap

Knights (chariots) @2ap

Total 24ap 

 

DBA Early Philistine (I/29a) list is largely a Blade army with only a few 3 Auxilia, light Chariots and Psiloi for variation. One thing that I find a little odd with the DBA lists for the Philistines is the sudden change from a largely blade army to a chariot and spear army with the list I/29b.The army becoming more similar to the Cannanite types in the area they colonised seems logical, but I would have expected transitional states with subject spearmen and still some of the Philistines fighting in their previous agressive manner. 

Silver 'loque - Flintloque and Silver Bayonet combined

Looking at Osprey's new Silver Bayonet game I immediately spotted how it would be a good use for my Flintloque miniatures. My Witchlands undead give me vampires and revenants that I can use and I have a range of nations including civilian types that can allow plenty of variations. 

I've started planning a section based on my Catalucian Dark Elves as I think I've got a nice range of options from my collection.

Left to right Veteran Hunter: Ramon Tambor, Capitane Primo del Porque, Grenadier Carne de Vaca and Irregular Javier Castanette

Privates: Jamon, Croquette, Burghua, and Patatas

Cardinal Ximenez (Priest) and King Fernando of Catalucia

Commander

Capitan Antonio Primo de la Porque
Speed	Melee	Accuracy	Defence	Courage	Health	Recruitment
7	+2	+1	14	+3	12	100
Attributes: Inspiring, Unflappable
Equipment: Silver Sword, 2 Pistols, Salt Bag.

Veteran Hunter:  (30 points)

Hunter: Ramon Tambor
Speed	Melee	Accuracy	Defence	Courage	Health
6	+2	+2	14	+0	12
Attributes: Great Faith
Equipment: Cold Iron Sword, Musket, Cartridge Box.

The rest of the section use the standard profiles and I've just noted which ones I've given special armoury equipment. 

Grenadier Carne de Vaca (15 points)

Equipment: Musket, Cartridge Box, Cold Iron shot.

Irregular: Javier Castanette (15 points)

Equipment: Musket, Cartridge Box, Oil and Torches.

Infantrymen: Privates Jamon, Croquette, Burghua, Patatas (40 points)

Options

As options I can use my Catatonic Inquisitor as a priest, Cardinal Ximinez, who would cost 20 points and could replace a couple of the Infantrymen, though the recommendation is to have the maximum 7 characters in the unit. I'd give him a holy signal from the suiting his role.

King Fernando will probably only turn up as a civilian in my scenarios, probably requiring rescue from nefarious dark forces.