Re: [GZG] And now for something completely different...

Well, I'm maybe a bad example. For the most part, if Jon made it in
25mm and it wasn't silly (and sometimes even if it was), I bought it.
About the only parts of the SG line I balked at were the all-female
Scanfed troops (was there some sort of male genocide?) and the OUDF
weebles (PA). I'm up to around 1000 painted figures now and have about
60 vehicles in various stages of production. My unpainted lead count
is probably at about 200 or so in GZG stuff and another few hundred in
fantasy.

But, stepping aside from my insanity, here's one way to think of it:

A good game in SG2 seems to require at least a platoon on each side.
If you want to include multiple players bank on 2-3 manouver elements
per player. This can mean splitting squads into fireteams to get
there, if you are going figure light, but less than about 3 manouver
elements and you don't get much involvement.

So # of players x 3 = manouver element count. Smaller player counts
can play like they were larger ones if they want more to do and a
longer game.

So, if I need to field enough for a 4 player game, 2 per side, that
suggests 6 manouver elements per side (assume meeting engagement -
balance accordingly changes for static defense/assault). That could be
4 x infantry squads + 2 support vehicles (1 platoon of infantry + a
couple of vehicles). If you want to play a bit bigger, go for a
platoon of infantry with APCs and a couple of other support elements -
a PA squad or a tank or MGS. That would put your total commitment for
such a game to:

4 x infantry squads (1 of which is command)
4 x MICV/APC
1 x tank/tank destroyer/MGS/AT missile launcher
1 x PA squad or gunship or something interesting

Get something roughly the same for the other force, you've got a good
evening of gaming. So you need two different types of infantry of at
least platoon strength (ideally with commander types, heavy weapons,
snipers etc so you can vary a bit), some APCs (two varieties), some
other vehicles or PA and you're done.

Looking at the initial army list provided:

3 Scout Cars - could substitute for APCs in support of an infantry
platoon.
3 Light Hover Tanks - one or two of these could fill in the 'support'
roles on one side.
3 combat walkers - ditto on the other side
2-3 platoons of infantry - good, but if they're all one force, you
need to get some different ones from another force.

So, it seems you've got most of a good basic game present. Add some
enemy force infantry and you're there.

>From there:
- APCs/MICVs or Trucks (most infantry are mechanized or motorized)
- Some PA squads (your heavy hitters and fast reaction guys)
- a VTOL or two (easy to throw in on either side if they don't have
one sides insignia all over them)
- Some hover jeeps (the GZG hover jeep/closed cab is a fantastic
generic utility or light armed vehicle)

After that:
More infantry of different nations. Open out collections of
MICVs/APCs/Tanks for each nation and paint accordingly.
Things like mortars, auto GL teams, artillery vehicles, TOCs, etc. all
tend to fit within the broadening of game range and scenario options.
So do marksmen.

And then, there are the KraVak. You honestly can't have the GZGverse
without some Kravak. Not only are they fun at parties, but they have
some cool figure sculpts and vehicles.

And then and then and then... always more stuff and you Scalist
Heretics (ie 15mm folk) are getting all the new sculpts so any cool
new things that come out will be for you.

25mm is like the Squats of the gaming scale. Some scales went up and
charge $8 a figure, some scales went down and got lots of bang for the
buck. Jon clearly recognizes that good work can be done in 15mm and
people get good value for the money and can buy lots of toys to go on
the table.

So, there you have my wisdom.

TomB

-- 
"Now, I go to spread happiness to the rest of the station. It is a
terrible responsibility but I have learned to live with it."
 Londo, A Voice in the Wilderness, Part I

"To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like
administering medicine to the dead." -- Thomas Paine

 Thomas Paine

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