"Coming in June: Hammer’s Slammers: The Crucible" Topic

Hurrah!

I'm buying it. Even if I never play it, I'm buying it.

With Hexxanhammer on this this

Glad you chaps(and chapesses) are in favour. Big special coming up soon in 'Miniature Wargames' about it. Also new figures coming (I can freely plug these as I have no involvement with them)

Great pic on the cover – well done!

Guess I should finish proof-reading it!

And its slick y'all- very nice indeed!

I've wanted to recreate "Rolling Hot" for a long time. Probably my favorite piece of fiction ever, no exaggeration. Beats Heinlein, beats everything.

IT MUST BE MINE!!!

I've wanted to recreate "Rolling Hot" for a long time. Probably my favorite piece of fiction ever, no exaggeration. Beats Heinlein, beats everything.

Wow. Pretty strong. I may have to give Drake a second look. I mean, I've enjoyed the little bit of his stuff I've read somewhat, but always considered it not too terribly above the level of mind candy.

As for the cover art – great looking hover. I've always had a weak spot for hovercraft.

Doug

"…but always considered it not too terribly above the level of mind candy…"

Well, it's SF – I don't expect (or want) GREAT LITERATURE!

Too bad J. I. isn't here to rip on Hovercraft.

Gracias,

Glenn

Any idea if there are major changes to the rules?

So this is a 'second edition'?

I think this is a compilation … plus a bunch of new stuff … And if you have not read any of the Slammer Stories/Novels, you are missing out, if you are a Mil Sci-fi fan. And have the other two previous Handbooks and this one next to you … The Slammer fluff is far superior to most if not all the other Mil Sci-fi I've read. Including anything G/W has done, IMO. Can't wait to get it !

Too bad J. I. isn't here to rip on Hovercraft.

As cool as they were on the page and the table, in the end Drake's stuff wasn't about the tanks. Elsyrsyn, you're in luck – there's a complete Hammer's Slammers in three volumes, paperback, out now…or at least the first two are.

And yeah, I'll probably end up getting this, too.

Yes, I have the 3 volumes in hardback … Those plus the handbooks/rules says it all …

link

If you feel like trying Hammers Slammers.

Too bad J. I. isn't here to rip on Hovercraft.

Oh, I never said they were practical. In fact, the first thing I thought (after "COOL! A Hovercraft!") when seeing the picture was that I would not want to be standing anywhere near opposite the direction of fire when that gun goes off. For some reason, though, I just love 'em. I've even considered building one of those kits that Universal Hovercraft sells someday.

Elsyrsyn, you're in luck – there's a complete Hammer's Slammers in three volumes, paperback, out now…or at least the first two are.

Thanks – I may have to add that to my (ever growing) Amazon wishlist and drop a few hints to my wife.

Doug

In fact, the first thing I thought (after "COOL! A Hovercraft!") when seeing the picture was that I would not want to be standing anywhere near opposite the direction of fire when that gun goes off.

Taken care of in the fluff. Not only are the tanks 180 tons, which would be a lot of mass to move, their powerguns have no or very little recoil (I think I've read both in the stories).

Thanks for the good reaction guys. Glad you like the shot on the front cover too, people: All I can say is Old Crow do a fine model, Kevin Dallimore does a great paintjob, and I have had a very wide lens on the front of my SLR and for years I've tried to get what I view as menacing and realistic shots of tanks as if you were standing in front of the thing (eg this shot for a Salute badge over a decade ago picture ). I was pleased with the shot, I have to say, which is why I put it on the front cover!

The book will – hopefully – be the definitive answer to what everyone (whether you game the 'period' or who just love Drake's work) said they wanted.

I can't add much to the press release blurb that Andrew has put up in the posting, except to add that many people – serious gamers and fans – have contributed to this and the reaction I've had from people who've seen the material (for proofing and other reasons) has been very positive so far, which is nice.

I'm really in the final stages of play cards, play sheets, some final photography and final, final proofing and then it'll be off via Miniature Wargames to the printers!

There is an introductory preview (and probably the scenario I wrote) in the May issue of Miniwargs.

John T

Hope that you've included some low tech forces, as well as how to integrate flying vehicles such as Old Crow's (or advanced helicopter types).

Dan

Beats Heinlein, beats everything.

While HS is probably among the best written Military SF out there, it is still just Military SF.

This is indescribably fabulous. It looks to be a wonderful update/edition to the rules and the Slammerverse as a whole. Congratulations to all those involved (and especially you John T).

And new fiction by The Man himself. hard to beat that!

I woudl liek to say that if all you are looking at when you read any Drake story is "warporn", you are not only missing out, but also missing the point of the story itself. At their core they are cautionary tales, and more about the people than the equipment itself.

One can find many of his stories for free at the Baen library, so it's worth a look to see if you want to suppport the author by buying his excellent books.

"… just Military SF." You wound me sir !

Doug (and all)

I know I'm biased, but I've read a lot of SF Military fiction (as I'm sure most of us have) and the attraction for me is just the balance Dave achieves between the different elements of the forces (some stories being about tankers, some infantry, some combat cars, some commanders, some even small unit actions/special forces) and the human interest versus military tension that seems to pull it all together.

His work in these Slammers stories is gritty, believable and heartwarming and – having met the man – his life experience comes across in his work, I feel.

Some of the stories aren't always 'comfortable' reading but that's as it should be, I reckon. So obviously I think more people should try them and the new three volume 'everything' sets are very useful for doing just that.

Like I said at the start of this I'm biased and I'm sure some will accuse me of some degree of 'sock puppetry'…

My real interest in all of this is just to get more people reading and enjoying Drake's work and I hope that comes across in what I've done with this project.

John T

Yes, after Drake's experience with the 11th ACR in RVN and Cambodia … he knows how to write a story about soldiers in combat …

Never having read the books, or acquired any wargaming materials having to do with the Slammers, is this book a good place to start? Do I need other rulebooks to use this one?

This is the all inclusive rulebook- it is supposed to fold in Hammers Slammers and Hammers Anvils, stuff from the magazine, and new stuff (such as rules for Molts). This is the only mini's rules out there. If you may want to roleplay there is always Mongooses Traveller expansion of Hammers SLammers.

Dr. Mathias, you should read some of the fiction to get an idea of the setting. Go here link and scroll down and check out the free download of The Tank Lords. (There are plenty of Drake's other books available there, gratis, as well.)

John – thanks for the info. I'll have to admit that "Ranks of Bronze" has been a slightly guilty pleasure for decades now. Since I'm always in the market for good military SF (which coincidentally gives me a good excuse to think about SF gaming), I'll give it a whirl.

Doug

Oh, and those PB 'Complete Hammer's Slammers'? In between some of the stories are pics of painted Old Crow models.

Game question – is it stand or individual basing?

Well, it's SF – I don't expect (or want) GREAT LITERATURE!

Don't let Harlan Ellison hear you say that.

StarfuryXL5

This is very cool. Thanks John!

As a HS fan of the books and a wargamer I'm very pleased to see John come out with this update and additional rules I have both other rule books but the rules didn't rouse the local gamers we have in our club I'm hoping the new set will help, now my stock pile of Old Crow stuff will see the light of day, SF gaming has been increasing in interest mainly in 15mm I would like to see this spark 25/28mm gaming. Jez (OC) you better quit your day job and start stock piling miniatures! John T thanks of getting this together.
John H

JT is Da Mann !!!

So essentially, it's going to be the content of both previous books, cleaned up, added to and unified with some extras? Ok, I can get behind that!

Thanks people for the continued positiveness, everyone.

M1 Fanboy, what you're saying is essentially correct but, scale wise, bear in mind that – on the 'new stuff' front – the original manual and rules was 48 pages and the Anvils edition was 64 pages (some of which was reproduced from the previous edition so as to make sense [and get fully functioning rules all in the one book]) plus play cards – and all sub A4. And they were mono and colour.

The page count for the new book is around 200 pages of A4 (A4 is about 20% bigger in all directions than the old books), and it's in full colour.

So – in short – there is alot of new stuff plus material collected from disparate sources (mostly bits published in Miniature Wargames and not available in the one volume).

Still taking photos this afternoon!

John T

The only way to be sure is to buy them all ! I've already got the first two …

John T – or anyone else – tell me about the basing for this game?

nvdoyle – I'll quote you from the file I'm working on fo rthe book itself:

_________
"Forces & Basing
The game is played between equal numbers of army detachments that are divided up into Tactical Units (TUs), which are the smallest part of the army that fights and moves independently. One detachment per side gives a small game that can be played on a standard sized wargaming table in about one hour. A TU is a vehicle (e.g. a tank), a crew-served weapon (an automatic weapon on a tripod or a mortar etc.), or a section of infantry; crew-served weapons are a type of infantry for movement and combat purposes. Heavier Towed Crew Served weapons (typically with its own trail and a crew) that may detach with the gun-crew from a vehicle but remain stationary, are classed as a weapon system from the vehicle itself and not as a separate TU.
Four soldiers usually make up a section of infantry. They may be based individually or all together; the latter is more convenient. Whichever is chosen, a section of infantryman is a single TU that always moves, fights and dies together. A section may be just riflemen but will commonly incorporate a support weapon, such as a light automatic weapon, flame thrower or a buzzbomb launcher. Some special weapons troopers, such as snipers, are mounted independently. For 25 mm models, we recommend 10cm (standard) for 4 infantry, with or without a support weapon, the same for towed support weapons and 15cm square for infantry Skimmer TUs and a 2.5cm base for snipers etc. Vehicles do not need to be based.
If you chose not to base the figures as a group which is often the case, but mount them on the same 2.5cm bases at snipers etc, you may temporarily stick them to unit bases with ‘blue tac' or similar, or just ensure that they operate closely. Generally, leave no more than two figure base sizes as distances between each figure. That is, infantry (on 2.5cm bases) may not be spread further that 5cm between each base – two figure base widths. Do the same with whatever you mount skimmers on."

_________

I hope that's useful!

John T

John T – it is, thanks!