Lead Painters' League Opens

Round 1 of Season 6 of the Lead Painters League is underway over on the Lead Adventure Forum
f you're not familiar with it get yourself over there to see some fantastic eye candy (as well as people going through their lead mountains at a cracking rate!)

In summary, paint up a team of miniatures, you're randomly paired off with another contestant, everyone votes for their favourite in the pairing and then onto the next round. There are ten rounds after which a league table of sorts has been established. There are bonus points for matching themes in three of the rounds. So there's a lot of old school miniatures being used for Round 1. Have a look at the rules.

I'd urge you to join up, take a good look and vote.

Like last year, I won't be telling you any of my favourites, but I will highlight five match-ups where the opponents are closely matched:

The Fellowship of 1989 vs. Encounter at Skull Harbor

Dastardly Dixon gang pose for camera vs. WotR on the march

Dark Future '88 vs. At the barn

Heroes of Japan vs. RT Space Orks

Marauder MM20 Orcs 1988 vs. Training Day

Good luck to everyone!
Back in a few days to post the rest of my Tomorrow's War games from Leprecon.

Power Armour to a Knife Fight

Following a disastrous campaign in the southern reaches of Novaya Sakha the Human Co-Prosperity Sphere is withdrawing from Hanhai pending reinforcements from Terra. While the Sakhan Liberation Army strikes to catch the beleaguered garrison on the move, the Mega-Corporation Heymans Yamada attempts to protect their assets in the city and evacuate some VIPs.

Art by Sanchiko

Apart from the engagement at Sagatay, Power Armour has been a trump card for the HCPS. A single-squad patrol has been clearing outlying areas of Hanhai and an ambush has been laid to take them out.



This fire team is completely in the open and while it goes on overwatch to cover the second team, it takes an awful lot of fire (so much that the missile launcher can't keep up).
Just then they hear about their NCO (the seventh man who didn't go on patrol with them) being killed in an ambush and their morale takes a hit.



The Senior NCO leads the second team into the grove beside a small building suppressing the rebel squad firing out - that building goes on fire and the rebels are forced to evacuate.



With the first fire team going down under a vicious crossfire, some rebel squads move around the flank, trying to maintain pressure on the enemy and capture or kill the downed power armour troopers



Somehow all three troopers are back on their feet (integral medical systems!) with two just lightly wounded - they wreak vengeance upon their tormenters and virtually wipe out two whole rebel squads



Despite their success they're having second thoughts about this - they're feeling very lucky to have survived and none too cheery about their prospects



They rush into cover on the other side of the street and pick on the rebels metres away. They're now out of line of sight of the rest of the rebel force and they feel safer (though the other fireteam is now left without any support!)



That fire team decides that they're nothing for it but 'all in'. Rushing around the corner they split fire, the NCO targeting the rooftop medic across the road with his plasma cannon with surgical precision and the other two wiping out the squad at point blank range.



As the rest of the rebel force cross the road to try to get to the isolated and demoralised troopers, the power armour squad continues to wreak havoc on them - first pinning them down in the shadow of the chemical plant and then raining down fire on them



Those who survive climb the plant superstructure to get a bead on the other team but they've found their range and return fire with deadly effect



Despite everything the Human Co-Prosperity Sphere patrol has triumphed - outnumbered 6 to 1 and caught in the open. These power suits may be second-rate but they're still damned effective

Stay Frosty

A previous patrol has discovered the hub of an extensive logistical operation. There’s also an opportunity which Divisional Intelligence contends on – the capture of a North Vietnamese high ranking officer. At their insistence an FSV has been attached to the attack.

The SAS patrol aren't happy about the presence of the vehicle - it makes their usual modus operandi a bit redundant, but the brass feel that there may be bunkers ahead which will require the heavy firepower.



The Viet Cong HQ at the small hamlet signals its men to manoeuvre to oppose the patrol



A concelead recoilless rifle on the patrol's right flank target the armour, but doesn't open up on it



One VC cadre is on the move, running from the SAS left flank in towards the central trail they are aiming to clear



The HQ's security cell moves along cover into the same area



At the rear of the patrol, a group of Viet Cong attack the fireteam, but are driven back



On the other side of the trail the elite security cell move quickly and team up with the recoilless rifle to attack the FSV - they are shot down as they attempt to get in close (and as the concealed heavy weapons fails to act, again!)



With that flank secure, the M113 FSV moves to the other side of the trail but is surprised by this close encounter



It tries to back out of trouble, but cannot resist opening fire on the Viet Cong unit's HQ cell off the side trail



Forcing their way through the central trail the leading SAS fireteam are ambushed by a hidden machine-gun nest



They fire off and suppress the MG team as they continue their planned assault on the lurking Bazooka team (who scarper off into the jungle)



The large group of VC rush the armoured vehicle and the defensive fire isn't in the silghtest bit effective. The VC are surprisingly capable in the use of SMG fire and grenades and knock out the main gun. The crew have had enough and bail out



With the rearguard fireteam rushing to their aid things seem to be turning even worse for the Australians as a previously unseen light machine gun in the jungle opens up. The SAS men are caught off guard and all four go down



Rather than get back into their vehicle (which must seem safer now) the crew give first aid to the striken fireteam, getting one back on his feet (who lays about to fearsome effect with his M60!)



The other fireteam, despite being ambushed on the way come to their comrades aid, and while they've safeguarded their position and virtually wiped out the Viet Cong in the area they must withdraw with the mission a failure.