Progress on the Astrodani

Being still in New Zealand I've been limited on what wargaming projects I can make progress on. But one that I can work on (at least a bit) is the Astrodani for Sierra Foxtrox. A burst of enthusiasm has seen the infantry transports, AA vehicles, and rocket artillery mostly base-coated; 

So just most of the black segments and washing/drybrushing still to do. Then all I need is the infantry models to go with them. Which nicely segues to...

Projects Waiting At Home

Trying to look on the bright side of things, when I finally do get home there will be two complete armies waiting for me - a mechanized infantry company of Thrainites (Space Dwarves) and the remaining Astrodani units. 

As an aside here, I owe a huge thanks to Khurasan Miniatures. Despite the order being returned unclaimed not once, but twice (the neighbor I gave as an alternate address moved out at exactly the wrong time) they still contacted me both times to ensure I received it. 

I've ordered a mix of different Thrainite infantry models - base infantry, heavy weapons, command units, and (if I remember my order correctly) some of their nobles in power-armor, along with enough transports for them all; 

• Trainite Troopers
• Trainite Power-Armor Infantry
• Cane Toad IFV

As an aside, the Thrainite list is one of the few where I am using the models with the same backstory (or pretty close) to that provided by the manufacturer. With most of my 15mm sci-fi armies I've just been mixing and matching whatever models I think look cool and/or fit a concept I've come up with. The name and background fluff  given by the manufacturer I seldom use. But in the case of the Thrainites, the Khurasan fluff is pretty close to what I was going to go with anyway - originally a human colony, but became isolated, and conveniently evolved into Space Dwarves. I've changed how they became isolated to fit the history of my sci-fi universe, but left them otherwise unchanged. 

Other Gaming Stuff

While I haven't been able to paint many models while in New Zealand, the lack of COVID restrictions has meant I've been able to get in far more in-person gaming than I did during the whole of 2020. Last weekend my brother and had another Dreadball match, this time my Nameless versus the Kalyshi.

 

Another fairly close game (hence why just the one picture, I was concentrating too hard on tactics and forgot to take more). Vaughan got an early lead and never gave it up. I put four guards on the table and played fairly defensively, but Vaughan did a decent job of carefully picking the defense apart. In particular the Undulan/Sticky guards proved to be very vulnerable to Slams from behind... especially against the Kalyshi Backstab ability.