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Popski's Private Army |
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Warmaster Nice
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Post subject: Popski's Private Army  Posted: Wed Feb 04, 2004 6:31 pm |
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Joined: Tue Sep 30, 2003 9:15 pm
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Location: Denmark
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Here's a fun little idea I had for a speciaalist formation to addd a bit of character to my Desert IG army.
It is based on a historical Specialist Force in the British army during the African campaign of WWII known as Popski's Private Army. Some very interesting background here I particulary like the "bartering for transport veichles" part.
I needed some kind of use for my old IG bikes so I was thinking of creating a "kustom" formation based loosely on the historical unit.
1 commander on bike
8 bike units (stats more or less similar to Rough Riders)
4 Storm Troopers (perhaps change stats slightly to reflect their demolition speciality)
2 Rhinos or Salamanders to transport the Storm Troopers.
I think this would make a very characterfull fast "harassing" formation. Any thoughts/ideas/suggestions?
Cheers! 
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Tas
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Post subject: Popski's Private Army Posted: Wed Feb 04, 2004 9:47 pm |
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Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2003 10:01 am
Posts: 7823
Location: Sydney, NSW
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Cool idea!
To add even more flavour and represent its more 'irregular' nature, a random table for use with these guys, rolled before game start, would be neat.
ie. Roll d6 at the end of setup phase
1- Early deployment- The formation rces ahead of the other units of the army. Move the formation ahead 1 full turn
2- Insufficient fuel. One unit of the formation is removed (ran out of fuel en route). No blast markers are placed
3- Late again. The formation does not arrive until turn 2
etc
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Tas
My General blog: http://tasmancave.blogspot.com/
My VSF Blog: http://pauljamesog.blogspot.com/
My ECW Blog: http://declaresir.blogspot.com/
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Legion 4
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Post subject: Popski's Private Army Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2004 6:56 am |
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Joined: Thu Feb 13, 2003 5:13 pm
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Location: Ohio - USA
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Excellent book ! A "must read" IMO ! PPA worked with the LRDG, SAS, SBS and SIG ... some great reading. And it's all true. And find a copy of "Stirling's Desert Raiders" too. 
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Legion 4 "Cry Havoc, and let slip the Dogs of War !" ... "People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf."
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Warmaster Nice
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Post subject: Popski's Private Army Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2004 8:07 pm |
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Joined: Tue Sep 30, 2003 9:15 pm
Posts: 7948
Location: Denmark
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Been working a bit on the concept.
The formation will consist of the following units:
HQ: Colonel Penjakov on imperial Bike
Two bike formations: ?4 stands each
Demolition SpecOps formation: 4 Modified Storm troopers + 2 Chimera variant transport.
For the Bikes I've decided to use the SM bike stats. Without the They Shall Know No Fear rule I think it would be quite fitting to represent their elite abilities.
The Storm Troopers are demolition experts so I was considering to give them a one shot TK attack to represent them setting up charges top blow up some vital target.
To transport the Demolition troopers the formation also contains two specially modified Chimeras. To gain extra speed to keep up with the bikes the Multilaser has been scrapped. It remains heavier armoured than the Salmander though.
The stats would look something like this:
Colonel Penjakov:
Speed:35, armour: 4+, CC: 3+, FF: 4+ Bolt pistol (15cm small Arms) Chainswords (Base Contact, Assault Weapon) Mounted, Commander -I'm not sure if I should make him Inspireing though...
Elite Bikes:
Speed:35, armour: 4+, CC: 3+, FF: 4+ Bolt pistol (15cm small Arms) Chainswords (Base Contact, Assault Weapon) Mounted
Demolition Troopers:
Speed:15, armour: 5+, CC: 5+, FF: 4+ Helllguns (15cm small Arms) Plasmaguns (15cm AP5+ AT5+) 0-1 Demoltion charges (15cm MW4+ Titan Killer)*, Scouts
*One shot. Only one attack for the entire formation
"Newt" Chimera
Speed:35, armour: 5+, CC: 6+, FF: 5+ Heavy Bolter (30cm AP5+) Transport 2
The idea is to create a fast CC force for the IG. Imagine the bikes and chimeras racing up the side of the board trying to outflank the enemy. The bikes engage in CC while thhe Demolition Troopers dismount from their veichles and lend supporting FF fire. The Newts stay at the back soaking up suppression fire.
I reckon that Points cost would be somewhere arround 4-500 points. In gameplay I reallly like Tas' idea for "Late arrivals" -the formation is a very unconventional one. The refitting of the Chimeras are seen as blasphemy by the Adeptus Mechanicus but local commanders protects Colonel Penjakov from the Inquisition in recognition of the results he produces on the battlefield.
Also here's some pic's of work in progress includding "Newt" Chimeras and Colonel Penjakov on his bike. I still need to come up with a good idea for the Demolition troopers.
here
Cheers!
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vanvlak
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Post subject: Popski's Private Army Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2004 8:24 pm |
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Joined: Fri Oct 31, 2003 7:52 am
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Location: Malta
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Great stuff Warmaster - nice conversion for Popski, and I like the Chimeras too. An idea for the demo charges - how about something like a long tube held in a trooper's hand? I'm thinking of something like the Bangalore torpedo used in WWII - although I really can't work out how to fix THAT to a Titan! Incidentally, the BT was used to clear barbed wire, minefields etc., and not against hard targets. But it's the form you're interested in here. Another idea would be a Rough Rider-type lance with a charge at the end. Or the old satchel - harder to model, though! 
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Legion 4
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Post subject: Popski's Private Army Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2004 10:03 pm |
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Joined: Thu Feb 13, 2003 5:13 pm
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Location: Ohio - USA
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We were trained to use the Bangalore ... had not changed much since WW2. ?Good for barbed wire, as V. said. ?The first Demo Squadron, later the PPA, used a lot of satchel charges (a canvas bag with explosives), layed mines and planted booby-traps (IEDs now). ?They would shoot and scoot ! ?Rarely went toe-to-toe, they didn't have the firepower. ?Popski lost his arm in a fire fight that way ...
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Legion 4 "Cry Havoc, and let slip the Dogs of War !" ... "People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf."
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Warmaster Nice
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Post subject: Popski's Private Army Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2004 10:42 am |
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Joined: Tue Sep 30, 2003 9:15 pm
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Location: Denmark
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They would shoot and scoot ! Rarely went toe-to-toe, they didn't have the firepower. Popski lost his arm in a fire fight that way ... |
Yeah I had some difficulties figuring out how the Demolition bit was best represented but I still think that Assaults is the best way. Imagine the formation assaulting bunkers and such and it seems a lot more appropriate than when they are charging into a band of Khorne Berzerkers!  I'm thinking the D-day landing in "Saving Private Ryan" here. Getting into the thick of it and setting up their charges to blow up whatever vital target they might have with their Bangalores (they should be easy to model using a piece of spaghetti!)
Another issue was that I wanted the formation to be highly mobile and independent from the rest of the army (and find some use for my IG bikes of course ) Bikes just happen to be pretty good in assaults 
Cheers!
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netepic
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Post subject: Popski's Private Army Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2004 12:10 pm |
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Joined: Thu Feb 13, 2003 4:26 pm
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Location: Southfields, London, England
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Would make a good article for Incoming!.....
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Legion 4
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Post subject: Popski's Private Army Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2004 5:35 pm |
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Joined: Thu Feb 13, 2003 5:13 pm
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Location: Ohio - USA
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There are some old SM1 rules for a Rhino laying demo charges. And the SM1 Gorgon rules for laying mines that might be useful ...
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Legion 4 "Cry Havoc, and let slip the Dogs of War !" ... "People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf."
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Warmaster Nice
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Post subject: Popski's Private Army Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2004 3:45 pm |
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Location: Denmark
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Just finished painting PPA. Unfortunately my cam was running out of battery so I only had time to do this rather crappy shot. Crappy Shot
I'll get to work on that article for Incoming tonight.
Cheers!
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Legion 4
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Post subject: Popski's Private Army Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2004 5:32 pm |
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Joined: Thu Feb 13, 2003 5:13 pm
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Location: Ohio - USA
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Very Nice !!! Major (later Col.) Peniakoff is turning over in his grave !!! 
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Legion 4 "Cry Havoc, and let slip the Dogs of War !" ... "People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf."
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[ 11 posts ] |
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