Dystopian Wars Military Island Base

For Spartan Games sea battles with Dystopian Wars models, the Military Island Base fits the bill.

It comes with this central base which could also be used for the land game. All the spoke buildings are detachable for transport or if you wanted less buildings. The Brittania cruiser and frigates are for scale.

This is the complete set: three islands and lots of little buildings.

I used dark to light browns and some flock for the islands and blues for the ocean.

The buildings include this lighthose and a storage drum.

There is also a gun emplacement and a barracks/prison/administration building.

Guild Ball - Morticians vs Masons

So with the world cup going on (and because my weekly Warmachine night was cancelled) a friend and I decided to try out the Morticians and Masons with a game of Guildball.

The morticians dominated the early game with lots of shenanigans. After the masons ganged up on their big guy, the morticians started to fall...like a brick wall.

We both realized that we were mainly going for the kill and ignoring scoring goals. It was still fun but not as fun as it would be if we tried to score rather than beat each other up. This is something to change for next time we play as it is a holdover from when we played the butcher team.

Free rules, team cards and standees (paper dolls) are available here, in their forum downloads section. The company facebook page is here.

Start downloading and playing!

Dystopian Wars Industrial Complex Set

One of the many cool terrain that Spartan Games provides is the Industrial Complex set for Dystopian Wars. This set was specifically designed for the Storm of Steel campaign book but could be used for anything.

The based I used primed black, drybrush dark brown, lighter drybrush light brown then an even lighter drybrush of light brown mixed with ivory. I then flocked some areas with GW grass.

The buildings I used lighter drybrushes with lighter colors (green or grey) with small details of metal for machinery or yellow for lighting.

The smokestack and hexdome I used browns. The Prussian medium and light tanks are used for scale.

Maritimes - Fort Beausejour/Fort Cumberland

Near Aulac New Brunswick, just before you get to Nova Scotia, is Fort Beausejour or Fort Cumberland (depending on who you ask).

There were many skirmishes that took place near here.The fort started to be constructed in 1751 because after minor conflict in the area the previous year, an English fort was built nearby (Fort Lawrence). This key land route from Fort Louisbourg to Quebec was important enough for the French to build several forts, Fort Beausejour being one of them. A wiki article on the fort is here.

It was unfinished when it was attacked and taken over by the British in 1755. It was then that it was renamed Fort Cumberland. This was the beginning of the end of French influence in North America.

When the English won, most of the Acadians (French Colonists) in the area were told to swear loyalty to the British Crown. They refused as they feared retaliation from both sides. The British them burned the homes of the French Acadians and ejected them from the area. This process carried on throughout the Atlantic provinces as it meant English colonists could take thier land and the British could be safer from the possibility of reprisals. This was the start of the expulsion of Acadians in the Atlantic provinces to other parts of the world: Louisianna, New England, South America, Carribian and France. Some hid from the British to avoid expulsion and eked out a life in remote areas. Many came back and set up communities where they originally were or new ones. It is these people that make up the lovely Acadian French areas of the Atlantic Provinces.

Fort Cumberland was attacked during the American Revolutionary war by American revolutionaries who recruited Acadians and British citizens. If the fort had fallen, many historians believe Nova Scotia would have joined the American side due to British weakness in the area. Instead it solidified the crowns rule.

Today the site is open all year round and there are renactors and a museum available during peak tourist season.

Sun Tzu for Gamers - Part 1 - Laying Plans

I've read Sun Tzu's Art of War several times over my life. It is straightforward and simple. Like all wisdom, it is easy to forget in the heat of battle...even tabletop battle. This is why I will go over each of the thirteen parts of Sun Tzu's book with a Post for each part.

My reference is a marvellous website located here, made by John Watson. I will speak of the gaming angle of the points Sun Tzu makes.

Firstly, Sun Tzu was a General and master strategist for China around 500 BCE. Some credit the “Art of War” treatise with his descendant, Sun Bin, who lived in the early 300’s BCE. Regardless the Art of War has been an insightful and influential work in overcoming problems of all sorts, in particular warfare. Anyways, on with the article.

Five Constant Factors



The art of war is governed by five constant factors: Moral Law, Heaven, Earth, Commander, and Method and Discipline.

Moral Law signifies the accord with the rules of the game. The rules are constant until a new edition or revision. If you do not know the rules, would gamers will help teach them to you. If you continually don’t know the rules and misquote them, you will not be successful in finding people to play against.

Heaven signifies the environment you play in, or your gaming zone. How many players of the game you play are in your area? What is the gaming area available? Is it a chaotic schedule of events or a regular night. The larger your player base and better your gaming schedule and playing area is, the more games you can play and want to play.

Earth signifies the terrain you play with. Terrain does not have to be pretty but it has to make sense and be functional. A new player should look at a hill and tell what side is difficult terrain and what side is sloping normal terrain.

Commander signifies the virtues of wisdom, sincerity, benevolence, courage and strictness. Wisdom benefits strategy. Sincerity promotes trust. Benevolence eliminates arguments. Courage encourages boldness. Strictness adds experience. All these things lead to a commander you want to play against. To increase your virtues in a game are things to aspire to in order to make you the commander.

Method and Discipline signifies the army you play with, how they are supplied and how they are brought to the battlefield. If you have an army that is not proxied, in good repair, varied, in secure containers and have reliable means to get to your gaming events then you are most of the way there. If your army is nicely painted, custom built, custom carrying device, arrive to gaming events early and often, and have the newest additions, then your method and discipline are strong.

These constant factors individually make for a good gamer. Together they make for a great one. When many gamers have the constant factors then you have a fantastic gaming community.

Part 1 Basics

All warfare is based on deception. Further to this: if you can attack, make it seem like you cannot. When you are close, make it seem like you are far away. When far away, make it seem you are close. If you make your units seem where they are not by using terrain and maneuverability to your advantage, you can guide them to where you are stronger. For instance, in the game Warmachine, Constance Blaze has a spell Crusader’s call. It adds two inches of movement to units charging near Blaze. I used this spell the turn after placing my units close enough to where I believed my enemy would move their front lines. It surprised my enemy as his plans did not envision me getting that close with a charge attack. He did not think I could attack and my army seemed to be further from his front lines because of this. Opposite to this, I could have told him that I had this spell. This would make him hesitate to move closer if that was what I wanted to do.

Hold out baits to entice the enemy. Feign disorder and crush him. Sometimes you have to sacrifice a weak force to destroy a larger force. That way a small force can draw him out and you can strike from strength and surprise. If your forces are scattered across a table but can strike at almost any point on that table, you have feigned disorder.

If he is secure at all points, be prepared for him. If he is in superior strength, evade him. A fortified foe is a tenacious foe. You must either strike at his defences or wait for him to exit them. If your foe has the upper hand, do not allow him to strike. Move away until you have the upper hand. As well, moving away does not mean running away. Move to a fortifyable position, difficult terrain or anything to put distance or a terrain peice between you both to block his attack.

If your opponent is of choleric temper, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant. If you have an annoying tactic, unit of model then use it if it will upset your opponents plans. Get him to focus on it while you attack from strength. If you lose small amounts of models over time, an opponent may feel invincible. The game is not over until there is a winner and a winnner may have the weaker force at the beginning of the game.

If he is taking his ease, give him no rest. Do not give your opponent time to breathe and think. If playing timed games, conduct your turn quickly while making bold attacks and your opponent may flounder. If they did not have a good plan it will be a bad plan when they cannot change it fast enough.

If his forces are united, separate them. If the enemy has units everywhere but where they are needed, you can strike where he cannot strike back.

Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected. If you divulge to your opponent your goals and plans, they can plan against it. Do not be predictable and you will always have suprise.

Now the general who wins a battle makes many calculations in his temple ere the battle is fought. The general who loses a battle makes but few calculations beforehand. Thus do many calculations lead to victory, and few calculations to defeat: how much more no calculation at all! It is by attention to this point that I can foresee who is likely to win or lose. Eisenhower once said that plans are nothing but plans are indispensable. You have to be flexable and planning helps you attain that flexability by thinking of options and strategies.

Thats it for part 1. Next will be part 2, Waging War.

Dystopian Wars Modular Weapons Platform

  The modular weapons platform set for Spartan Games' Dystopian Wars will be perfect for any scenarios and themed battle.

I used dollar store dark brown, drybrushed light brown, and a lighter drybrush of Ivory. The roof was done with dark green and drybrushed light green. The metallic bits were done with silver. The shield pod was drybrushed with two different blues.

Dystopian Wars Military Terrain

 The Military terrain set for Spartan Games' Dystopian Wars will be perfect for scenarios and themed battles.

 I used dollar store paints, starting with primed black, drybrush dark braown, lightly drybrushed light brown and an even lighter drybrush with ivory.

 For the roof I used drybrushed dark green and a lighter drybrush of light green.

I then used silver metal paint drybrushed on the metal parts. For the glass skylight/shield thing I drybrushed dark blue and lightly drybrushed light blue on. The tank base is the small tank for Prussia.

Dystopian Wars Industrial Scenery

 The industrial set for Spartan Games' Dystopian Wars will be great with the other Dystopian Wars scenery for themed battles.

I used dollar store paints, starting with primed black, drybrush dark braown, lightly drybrushed light brown and an even lighter drybrush with ivory.

For the roof I used drybrushed dark green and a lighter drybrush of light green.

The metal parts were drybrushed with metallic silver.

The tank base is the small tank for Brittania.

Dystopian Wars Town Scenery

The town scenery set for Spartan Games' Dystopian Wars will be perfect for scenarios and themed battles. I'd like to have more of the little buildings but I think a couple of coplies of used Monopoly games should give lots of little houses for good terrain to have a cityscape battle.

I used dollar store paints, starting with primed black, drybrush dark braown, lightly drybrushed light brown and an even lighter drybrush with ivory.

For the roof I used drybrushed dark green and a lighter drybrush of light green.

The tank base is the small tank for Brittania.