"Hammer's Slammer's questions" Topic

I was blown away by the Hammer's Slammer's table last year at Salute. I think I am now ready to start a 15mm sci fi project. Any advice on two starting forces. I was looking around the Hammer's Slammer's website and there is a lot to choose from. I'm looking for something that has a good variety of units, not just tanks (I have not read the rules, I was going to pick those up at salute). I really like the critical mass models (on sale for Salute pre orders). I also think it would be cool to get some type of walker units. Thanks in advance. Kenn

Over four million people in the Houston area and I can't find anyone that plays Hammer's Slammers. BAH!

TK 421, are you on the face book 15mm sci-fi page?

TK 421, that's why I want to build two forces. It's easier to make people play if you have all the models.
Park City Ut is only about a 12 hour drive. Come on up :)

TK 421 why aren't you at your post?

On a lighter note I have the rules and a force of Slammers but I am just north of Austin.

Jpwalker

You're in luck: there's a Critical Mass games force in the Slammerverse the (now very topical) New Ukrainian Army PDF link link

The force contains both AFVs and infantry options – the heavier detachment is 25% infantry TUs and the support detachment is 50% infantry. They are nasty, Elite heavy hitters and a good starting unit (with CMGs very nice tanks).

If you don't want to run Slammers against them, a fun alternative are the Khurasan based Antagran regulars link – more vehicles (and good ones too) but poorer training.

They run about 40% infantry in the panzer detachment but around 55% (8 units out of 15) in the infantry detachment.

But – as you said – there's lots to chose from and – if you check out the Big Detachment Cards – you can see the infantry stand (usually 3 or 4 figures per base) versus AFV ratio plus where to buy the vehicles and figures and then make some informed choices.

Sorry about the paucity of opponents in the US:( it must be very hard in a country that big to find opponents.

Tell me how you get on :)

John T

PS and thanks for the kind comments about the game at Salute!

For walkers these are worth a look:
mechafront.com/catalog.html

Those mechs are tremendous.

I will build more than one force the make up of which will hinge on whatever rules I find other people playing. Only Warlock, I trained a killer airsoft team here for a few years and we traveled all over the states to play hardcore MILSIM. I may just show up once I get my minis going. HS is one of the rule sets that have peaked my interest for quite a while. Mr. Harold, I am on the FB 15mm page.

Tk421 I live in north Houston and would love to try out slammers. Plus I have my own tanks and infantry. ;-)

The French influenced forces are worth a look in, Legere are on the top of my to do list, once Khurasan releases their blowers and once I've got the Flaming Swords complete.

I will order some of that armor and infantry you've got. At the moment, I am on a tight budget and getting what I need is slow going. I like to spice up rules as well as story lines as I get more into something. For example, I would love to bring the Israelis into a Slammers game.

John Treadaway is the man to go for Slammer-lore, doctrine, etc. … And get "The Crucible", written John and his crew. With Drake's blessings … The rules are very good. And of course it has all the intel you'll need for the Slammer-verse …

Is it possible to have tactically interesting games with one detachment a side?

It's possible to have a fun game with a troop a side, given a good scenario: they're just faster.

But, generally, the games we play are one or two detachments a side for an evening game. One detachment is usually over (for experienced players in an hour, hour and a half (longer if you're doing stuff with new guys and/or showing them the ropes). Two detachments a side (or four detachments for 4 players, two players a side) is all I normally do in an evening.

That usually gives you the chance to run two different detachments – say a heavier, more mechanised one, and an infantry/panzer grenadier type one on the same side, which gives more options for fun with infantry popping out of buildings and so forth.

John T

PS – oh and thanks, L4!!

And in the States, you can get The Crucible from:

recreationalconflict.com

No tk was offering to play since I live close……have figures will game. ;-)

Just did my critical mass pre-order for my New Ukrainian Army. Still need to get the infantry. How many figures/bases is a TU?

Another question. Going to do a Hammer's Slammer's detachment, two actually (I ordered two detachments for the NUA). I was looking at the Slammers starter set from Ainsty, but it looks like only one detachment with a few things left over. Am I missing something?

link

And what figures from GZG do you guys use?

John, thanks again for your help.

Crimelord, what I meant was that I would purchase from the site. Sorry to confuse you. Speaking of confusion, I'm having trouble deciding how to outfit my first unit. With so much good stuff out there I feel like a stray dog in a butcher shop.

jpwalker

Normally, a TU is 4 figures on a base:

But – purely for ease of recognition (me being old and blind) I've taken to using only three to a base for specialist teams as this makes them easier to see at a distance what's what.

So these Tank hunters are only three to a base.

As to the actual figures used, the ones we have chosen (see here link ) are the very nice Rebel miniatures items: Earth Force Home Guard

and Earth Force Drop Troopers for the Fully armoured guys

Two detachments, then, would require 2 TUs (8 figures) of Assault troops on two stands (the Earth Force Drop Troopers) for the Heavy Armoured Detchment plus 4 TUs (I would only use 14 figures) of regular troops (the Earth Force Home Guard) on four stands, two with four figures on each, and two with three figures, one having some buzzbomb carrying figures on it (the example above has one regular guy with a rifl and two with shoulder launched weapons) and one with squad support weapons – the one I have done has three figures: two with SAWs and one with a regular rifle. Like this:

The Rebel Miniatures are on this page of their web site rebelminis.com/eafoma.html

As for Slammers: the mix in the box gives you, effectively a mixed up detachment with options PDF link

1x Hammers Slammer The Crucible Rules Book
1x Blower Tank Troop
1x Blower Command Tank
1x Combat Car Troop

That's because, what that actually does is give you two troops with a spare Command tank (if you want to use a command vehicle to gain extra Leadership Points PDF link

You can run them as two troops (with sergeants in charge) or you can buy a few bits extra and run them as an armoured detachment with an LT in charge (and – if it were me – an Insurance Sergeant)

For figures, I use the GZG specific Slammers infantry link

I hope that helps!

John T

Thanks John, that helped a ton. I just finished my Ainsty salute pre-order. I got the starter set with a few odds and ends. I did a pre order with critical mass for the New Ukrainain Army, Heavy armored and a Support detachment with the Groza Artillery tank. Hopefully this will be a good match up with different tactics for each army. Looking forward to getting started.
I looked through the buying guide, didn't see much from rebel minis. Any plans to do up a force using any of their vehicle models? Also, have you guys given any though to walkers. Nothing screams Sci-fi the bipedal tanks. Or does that stray to far from the slammers universe?

@ jpwalker

I haven't kept the buying guide as up to date as I could – real world's been intruding a bit recently and things do slip by.

I tend not to do guides for vehicles I don't own copies of, simply because I won't have had a chance to photograph them for the Big Detachent Cards. The truth is I don't own many Rebel Minis vehicles.

However, I would, however, recommend a couple of items from Rebel (other than their figures which I have used):

When I eventually do updates for the Eaglewing Squadron PDF link I was going to recommend Rebel miniatures vehicles for that: specifically the Earth force light tank

and Titan

are good fits for the ground vehicles and the Sabre drop ships and gun ships (and even the Titan Drop/Gunship) are good fits for the VTOLs

link

link

link

And Ainsty carries the decals for this force so tht makes it all quite easy.

The Titan light tank would also do very well for the United Defence Batteries systems PDF link

As for mechs, because they don't feature in the Slammerverse, there are no cannon rules for them in the set.

I did do a set for heavy power armour and light mechs, simply because – if I didn't – I figured someone else would! I wrote them up for Mini Wargs and there's a pdf of the article on the site PDF link

I hope that helps!

John

Awesome John, I really like the idea of a air mobile army. I may just have to put a few of those on my order with rebel.
Are you guys going to have a table at Salute this year, and is it going to be as cool as last year?

The Eaglewing at Salute last year: link

The Rebel VTOLs are nice, as are the Clear Horizon ones: a wealth of opportunities!

At Salute this year we are playing a 75mm Pelennor Fields LotR game – Hammerhead was its last outing.

John T