"Separatist Martian Colony II (c2100) - The Factions" Topic

OK. Imagine this . . .

As Mars is terraformed it needs less supplies from Earth. A faction of Mars separatists makes an attempt to break away from Earth, or at least earn more autonomy. But things get violent and a Mars war breaks out.

I imagine there would be at least 3 factions in this.

So . . . if someone went all GZG with this, which GZG figures would work best for:

Terrans (Earthers)?
Loyalists?
Separatists?

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And this for an Earth flag?
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Mars Loyalists flag?
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Mars Separatists flag?
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CC
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I would imagine that the Loyalists and Terrans would be basically the same and have access to the best equipment at the start of the campain. Depending on how long it takes to put down the rebellion (or win freedom depending on your prefered side) this may change to poor equipment as you go along.

Have a look at the Babylon 5 / Total Recall series for plot lines if you get stuck.

As for figures (15mm assumed here) – go for the armed civilians pack A SG15-V7 and SG15-V1 and any of the security teams V5 for hardliner support (Mercs)

Loyalists I would see as a police force – front line calling for mummy when required. Try SG15-C1 etc for these

Terrans would despatch naval forces for rapid deployment (depending on time to get there) so I would choose NAC troops SG15-A1 for example.

I imagine that 'ground pounders' i.e. heavy troops would not like to be posted to Mars (low gravity drawbacks) they would come in heavy armed and hit hard / fast then leave. They would nto want to fight a drawnout campian and may not get called in at all.

Questions I would ask are:

1) Did governments do the work or companies?
If governments you can use heavy kit.
2) Wild West in space – works but may be a bit odd in style
3) Skirmish or big battles
4) Captured equipment – repaint and arm bands for uniforms?

Andrew
kings-sleep.blogspot.com

GZG astronauts for the figures.

You could also use the RAFM packs of astronauts as well, for another faction.

Paint in opposing colors, e.g. red/orange camo., white, black, gray, etc.

One of the novels I read about the moon (Rebel Moon), had a premise of food being grown in greenhouses on the moon, and shipped back to earth. You could use the same premise for Mars, or switch to some sort of fuel, etc.

Probably a mix of the UN, possibly a government, or two, and large corporations. I suspect the latter will have the money and power to do pretty much what they want, having bought off the politicians with money eons ago (e.g. like the current situation).

The Sean Connery movie – can't remember the title, where he was a marshall that landed at a mining facility to clean up the place would serve as inspiration too. Basically a western set in the future, in space, where he rides in to clean up the town. Of course, the large corporate interests and locals who have been paid off (other bad lawmen), are pitted against him.

Top Gun Ace: "The Sean Connery movie – can't remember the title, where he was a marshall that landed at a mining facility to clean up the place would serve as inspiration too."

Do you mean "Outland"?

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CC

Sean Connery movie was titled "Outland"

great movie.

For reasons behind the B5 Mars separatist movement:

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Corporations in the "Alien" films:

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CC

Is Earth united? If Mars has been colonised by only one Earth nation, then the other nations could support the rebels. (like France supporting the Patriots against the British)

Alternately, the Martians could be rebelling against Mars Corporation. MC's competition (Venus Consortium) could be supporting the rebels. Then the rebels would need to decide if they want to have their obligations to MC supplanted by obligations to VC – possibly creating a split within the rebels. So your separatists could include a mix of free marketeers, VC corporate stooges, and maybe more extreme parties, like the Marsist-Leonidists.

I just watched Total Recall again – great inspiration for Martian rebellion!

An interesting question might be, does either side have established 'space' forces? One of the interesting things about 'the moon is a harsh mistress' is the improvising of weapons by both sides. Might be interesting for the sides to advance in tech as it goes?

As far as GZG stuff, are you thinking 25 or 15mm? And how advanced is your terrorming, is the atmosphere still thin? The new israelis and NSL, with the 6 wheel APCs and light tanks would work well if you need something that needs to look like it could cope with a harsher environment.

Mars camo could be interesting to paint, any inspiration out there?

Take a look at the Mutant Chronicles/Warzone universe for a terraformed Mars especially the Mars:Capitol Forces of War expansion for second edition which has a nice terraformed Mars with MegaCorps (and extradimensional greeblies) fighting over the red planet.

I doubt Earth could be united into even a loose union by 2100 and I think the Martian rebellion would be more interesting if it wasn't, anyway.

Maybe Mars was settled jointly by multiple powers who were able to get along at the time. Maybe the US, France, & China, just to pull three out of the air. Maybe the separatists are mostly drawn from the US settlements who want to see Mars independent so they can vote to become a new state, which puts them in conflict with the Chinese who under no circumstances want to see the colony switch to one nation's control. The French colonies may be split on the matter, or may think that if the joint ownership of the world is thrown off they can sway the vote to get Mars into the EU rather than the US.

On earth, China is gearing up for a strong attack on the rebels, but the French and Americans are lobbying for a more diplomatic approach. The US are demanding that only US troops be sent into the regions controlled by the US – leading the Chinese to suspect they plan to support the rebels rather than put them down. The French are lobbying the Americans to allow their troops in to US territories to allay the fears of the Chinese, and in turn offer to allow US forces into French territory – but they also have a strong position that the Chinese should only respond to their own territories due to cultural differences that could result in tragedy . . .

China simmers and plans secretly plans a unilateral approach.

A fourth faction could be a group of "Pure Mars" separatists who want no part of trading a coalition government for US or EU dominance – they believe that Mars is for Martians (colonists) and they'll do whatever is necessary to make that happen.

If there's a lot of people on Mars, then the cost of transport will probably be cheap enough that people who are unhappy with Terran governments will go there to establish their own societies…and those could be the starting point of discontent for the 'national' colonies.

"If there's a lot of people on Mars, then the cost of transport will probably be cheap enough"

Hmmm. Just thought of something . . .

What if the number of actual colonists that travel to Mars is minimal.

What if most of the "Martians" (nicknamed "Reds") have been genetically tampered with, manipulated to make them fit their environment best.

What if that took place in Mars labs (maybe corporate labs), using basic genetic material from diverse populations from Earth.

What if that made them property of the corporations, as a slave force for their mining and terraforming ends.

That would doom them from ever being able to survive on Earth or any other off-Mars environments, and fuel their separatist ideals further, even to a religious fervor.

Hybrids ("Purples") or Earth transplants ("Blues") would make most of the Loyalist force, or a middle-of-the-road party.

Corporations, with Earth military backing, would try to enforce order and restore mining and terraforming operations.

CC

How about religious militant organisation – a cross between the Pilgrim Fathers and the Knights Templers

Or mercenary troops gone native because of late payment

Mars camo could be interesting to paint, any inspiration out there?

Try picture for a sample – of course if it is a bit warmer picture

Andrew
kings-sleep.blogspot.com

A Martian colony can only revolt if:
1) they have enough food and water on the planet to be indipendant of Earth
Or
2) The have something Earth cannot do without
3)they have WMD – such as sending asteroids crashing into earth and 1)

I wonder if the revolt was sparked off by colonists derssed Grey Aliens dumping tea into space as a protest against taxes?!

LOL!

CC

I've done a force of GZG 15mm UNSC up in Martian camo, and a short platoon of the same in 25mm.

There's a couple of older pictures of the 25mm UNSC Mars troopers here: warbard.ca/sg2gallery3.html

I've never taken any decent closeups of the more recent 15mm mechinf force, and the only in-game pics I have aren't currently online anywhere.

Basecoat of burnt umber, camo of black, orange & red oxide, ink wash – a fairly basic camo, in a sort of splinter/peadot pattern.

Nice. I'd forgotten about the UNSC as a fuly suited option.

for more inspiration for your battles on mars you might like to read "one day on Mars" by Travia S. Taylor

CC, there is a book called "Birth of Fire" by Jerry Pournelle that is pretty much about the war you describe.

A near-future Mars starts to get just enough resources (but not terraformed) to become self-sufficient and then tries to break away from earth.

As I recall there were some great frontier-like battle scenes.

I will try to make my camo match these "approximate true color" photos:

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Check out the "blueberries" on the bottom photos here (also in "approximate true color"):

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QUESTION:

What do you guys think of the flags I found (see first post)?

CC

Look at this!

offworldmod.com/news.php

CC

Hi CC

GZGwise I think Andrew and Top Gun Ace have nailed the figures. Certainly look at RAFM's ex-Traveller infantry in spacesuits, as they are very nice miniatures.

For vehicles, again GZG, well the 6 Wheeled Paladin tank and Phalanx APC, 4 wheel Bulldog truck and Bobcat Armd Car.

I'd also recommend Peter Pig's BOMAG Dropship as it is in keping with this technology.

Cheers
Mark

I like the flags. The earth and sepratist ones would be easy to paint on vehicles, equipment etc too. The mars loyalist one's a bit trickier, but I like the concept.

When I first saw those flags, this is what came to my mind . . .

Earth flag shows how, after the Sun, Earth the next most important body in the system and is the center of all civilization (sits prominently in the center of the flag):
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Loyalist flag still shows Earth as the center and, though a larger astronomical body than Mars, for political reasons it still shows Earth as larger and Mars as linked (in friendship or as a hopelessly dependent – depending on whether you see the glass as half full or half empty):
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The Separatist flag shows Mars, and only Mars, and in the center of all things:
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QUESTION:

Is that how you guys see those flags too?

CC

Yup, that's pretty much what I was seeing as well.

Good cheap terrain ideas . . .

Surface:
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Tunnels:
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CC

This looks interesting:

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CC

Guiscard: "CC, there is a book called "Birth of Fire" by Jerry Pournelle that is pretty much about the war you describe."

Thanks for the suggestion.

I had my wife pick it up the other day. I'll see her (and the book) this weekend and tell you how it goes (with the book).

CC

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CC

I hope you like it.

Let me know!

Perfect separatist troops:

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CC

I do like the premise behind the game "Red Faction":

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CC

Risk 2210 – Mars???

Hadn't seen this yet:

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CC

If you are thinking "Red Faction" then consider adding two factions:

1. an ambivalent corporate faction who is caught between needing Earth's money and input and market but at the same time not really enjoying seeing dissidents gunned down or other autocratic atrocities.

2. an anarchist/outlaw "mad-max" style lunatic biker/cannibal faction who does whatever they want to whoever they want and stalks the surface looking for easy prey and raiding the colony towns. (They don't actually have to be cannibals, they just need to be thought of that way by the colonists)

"(They don't actually have to be cannibals, they just need to be thought of that way by the colonists)"

Dude, I love how you think!

CC

Interesting timeline here:

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CC

I guess these cool weapons could be used against a separatist colony on Mars:

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Dan

CC,

Another idea for a Mars flag- could be a loyalist or rebel faction.

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Also, just for fun, a fully terraformed solar system:

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-Will

wminsing,

Cool flag! Thanks.

Dan
PS. By the way, this was the one from "Mars Attacks":
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